THE NIGHT WAS a relatively cool one during the late hours of the spring season. A group of teenagers had just arrived in the vacant lot of a cement factory with blaring music coming from their stereos.

Matthew, the leader of the clique, comes out of his car. The dirty-blonde-haired teenager is a bit tipsy but still drove to the lot. That was who Matthew was: irresponsible yet daring. He often doesn't care about the ramifications of his actions. As the popular guy, he sees himself as the big dog and is carefree.

"Is he here yet?" Matthew asks his friends.

"Nope." Casey replies.

"You probably spooked him." Laura chimes in.

Andres comes out of his own car and immediately calls out. "I gotta take a massive leak."

"Didn't need to know that." Casey remarks as he fixes his shoes.

Andres snickers and walks over to the side, unzipping his fly. Casey continues.

"Using any excuse just to whip that thing out."

Casey finishes fixing his shoelaces. The young black teenager is mostly the follower. He follows Matthew, and what he says goes. He just loves being in the clique and being seen with the popular kids. The gratification of it and having that status means a lot to him...more than anything.

Soon after, they hear the rev of an engine. The motorcycle rider arrives and pulls up beside Matthew's car.

"The man himself!" Casey speaks over the blaring track of Jimmy Cooks by Drake and 21 Savage.

Y/N takes off his helmet and dismounts his bike. He spins the keys around his finger before stuffing it back into his jacket pocket.

Then, there is Y/N. The seventeen-year-old boy is the most reserved of the group. He often does what they do as well: reveling in their popular status and being content with it. He isn't as much of a follower as Casey and is more so on the same tier as Matthew, but still a tick below him.

Y/N walks up to Matthew and Laura, who are making out beside his car.

"All right," Y/N speaks. "Anyone got any beer?"

"We finished them all back at school," Laura says after parting from her boyfriend, teasingly talking to Matthew. "Besides, you've had enough."

Matthew chuckles and daps up Y/N before resuming his make-out with Laura.

Laura is also free-spirited and viewed as a popular girl around school...but the label on her is simple: She is Matthew's girl. Laura is always with him, and the two can never get their hands off each other. Countless warnings on their PDA practically warrant extra eyes to be on them as they roam the halls. Still, they don't care, and Laura sure doesn't.

Krystal, another girl in their clique, walks up to Y/N.

"I got one. It's not cold, but...it's yours if you want it."

Krystal is rather headstrong and is seen as another popular girl within Matthew's clique. She doesn't have a simple label like Laura's and is more established, being a part of a couple of clubs and a volleyball player. She was also Y/N's girlfriend once upon a time...but their relationship isn't set in stone anymore and is more on and off.

Before Y/N can respond to the girl's offer, Andres comes over and hops onto the hood of Matthew's car, facing them.

"Yeah, all you gotta do is get in that car with her and give her some, you know what I'm saying?" He laughs and slaps Y/N on the shoulder.

Y/N lets out a sigh and licks his lips. His friend always teased them about their on-and-off relationship.

Krystal rolls her eyes. "Thanks a lot, Andres."

"Calquier momento, cualquier lugar (Anytime, anywhere)." He replies and, jokingly, chomps his teeth at her.

Andres could be seen as the soul of the group. He is definitely the funniest and brought life to their meetups. The young Latino is also the closest friend to Y/N, and they have known each other the longest...since their elementary school days. And like the others in the clique, he basks in the popularity he has achieved.

Casey comes over and joins in on the guffaw. He is looking forward to their night.

"This is gonna be sweet."

Matthew laughs as well, still a bit tipsy from the drinks he had not that long ago.

"I'm glad I thought of it." He says.

Laura scoffs. "You guys are assholes...just because this guy is new—"

"Hey!" Matthew abruptly shouts. "You've been talking shit the whole time here. Why don't you be quiet?"

Laura, already used to her boyfriend's outbursts, simply steps up and gets in his face. Matthew shoves her back against the car.

"Hey, hey, hey." Y/N goes over and keeps him back. "You know how it is."

"What's the matter with you?" Laura asks Matthew.

"Nobody's forcing him to show up." Y/N adds.

Krystal speaks. "But if he doesn't, I wanna go back to the dance."

Matthew snickers. "H—Hey, Krystal, I got an idea! Why don't you just go back to the dance by yourself?"

Andres and Casey laugh. Krystal crosses her arms and stares at Matthew.

"I wasn't talking to you, Matt."

There is a brief silence as Krystal brings her gaze to Y/N. The seventeen-year-old shakes his head and steps away.

"You know I don't dance."

"It's true. I've seen the man bust a move, and it is not pretty." Andres corroborates, then hops off the hood and steps up to Krystal. "But a vaquero like myself is ready to get his freak on, so what do you say, Hermosa?"

Krystal chuckles and lightly shoves him away. "Why don't you put your freak away before you hurt someone."

Casey snickers at Andres. "That sucks."

Moments later, another car enters the lot and pulls up. Matthew claps.

"Hey! He's here! Let's go!"

"Check out his ride," Casey remarks. "Yeesh."

The teenager, Michael Dunlop, comes out of his beat-up Chevy Monte Carlo. He isn't popular like them but had been invited to their meetup to get to know the group...and complete a task of Matthew's choosing. Once he did so, Michael was told he would be a part of their friend group. The proposal was an...initiation of sorts.

He casually waves at the others and fakes a smile.

"Hi."

"Hey."

"Nice shirt, Peter Parker."

Michael brushes off the remark as they laugh. He has a plain polo that was tucked into his usual faded jeans that could probably be seen as similar to Spider-Man's alter-ego. Matthew checks his smartwatch and talks to the teenager.

"You're late. I—I thought—I thought I told you to be here at 10, but you know...next time I say to be here at 10, you be here? Okay? Think you can remember that next time?"

Before Michael could respond, Matthew jolts forward and gets in his face to try and make him flinch. Michael doesn't react to the drunken guy's antics. Still, Matthew continues to laugh.

"If there is a next time." He adds.

Matthew daps up Casey and walks off with him and Andres. The two ladies are hand in hand as they follow. Y/N pats Michael's shoulder and gestures to walk with him.

"Is he always like that?" Michael asks Y/N.

Y/N chuckles and abruptly throws an arm around their new friend's neck.

"Matt's always like that." He replies as they keep walking. He opens his arms like they're wings. "So, how about it? You ready to fly?"

They all make their way deeper into the factory. Laura hops on Matthew's back, and the drunk teenager whoops in delight. Y/N breaks away from Michael and joins the rest of his buddies. Y/N and Andres laugh as Matthew gives Laura a piggyback ride.

Everyone reaches the large body of water within the factory grounds. Matthew sits down after Laura gets off of him. He then begins to explain the task to their newly arrived colleague.

"Okay. Here's the deal..." Matthew points up at a platform high above the lake. "You're gonna jump from up there into here. That's it. Then you're one of us. Okay?"

Y/N overhears the plan and gives a devilish look. He is looking forward to seeing the young man try and do it. Michael stuffs his hands in his sweater pockets and looks on rather nervously. Still, he accepts.

"You ready?" Matthew asks.

Michael nods. "Yeah."

"Yeah?"

Michael takes in a quick breath and smiles.

"Yeah."

"All right. All right." Matthew gets up and puts his hands around Michael's neck. "Let's do this, homie."

Michael nods again but looks uneasy. Matthew walks away with Laura, who grasps his hand and follows.

"Whooo!" Matthew whoops.

Michael is still looking worried. Y/N goes up to him.

"Hey, it's a piece of cake, man," Y/N says. "Shit, I'm jumpin' with ya."

Michael's eyes go to the platform. It is quite a jump. The nerves are still there.

"Now, how—how deep is this?"

Y/N looks back and shrugs. "I don't really know. Let's go find out, huh?"

Y/N grins and pats the side of Michael's arm, walking away. Andres, who is standing nearby, laughs.

"Let's do it." Andres tells him.

Michael looks at the platform, taking off his sweater, polo, and pants, leaving him in just his undershirt and boxers. Y/N also removes some of his clothes and leads the way up the ladder. Everyone watches and laughs.

"Yeah! Shit, yeah!" Andres reacts and daps up Matthew.

"Whoo!"

"Come on, let's go!" Casey exclaims.

Matthew laughs and calls out. "Jump."

Y/N and Michael are now at the platform's top, several feet above the water. Michael is still a bit timid as he stares down at the lake.

"Uh, have you done this?" Michael asks.

"Yeah, man," Y/N reassures him. "We've all done this."

The friends keep calling out from below, egging them on and wanting to see them jump into the water already.

"I hope you had your Wheaties this morning!" Andres shouts.

Matthew calls out. "Hey, you guys gonna do this sometime tonight or...?"

Back above, Y/N pats Michael's back.

"On three. One..."

Michael prepares to jump with Y/N. The young man continues his countdown.

"Two...Three!"

On three, Michael falls forward. Y/N pretends like he is going to jump but stays back as Michael begins his descent into the water. The kids below cheer and react.

"Whoo! Yeah."

"Whoo! Oh my God."

They laugh and continue their hurrah. Michael ultimately lands in the water with a thud and a big splash, having done a belly-flop.

"Ohhh!" Andres reacts and claps madly. "Yeah!"

Everyone is still laughing. A moment passes before Michael's body floats to the surface facedown. The cheering coming from the six of them immediately stops.

Laura is alarmed. "Oh my God."

"Oh, shit." Casey reacts.

Krystal is also worried. She calls out.

"He's hurt. Y/N! He's hurt!"

"What happened?" Laura asks. "Is he okay?"

"Y/N, get down here." Krystal exclaims again.

The young man overhears their shouts as he looks down at the water. The feeling of dread starts to hit him as he stares at the teenager's floating body.

"What the hell?" He quietly mutters.

Y/N immediately races down the platform. Laura starts yelling at her boyfriend.

"Matt! Matt, what the hell?!"

"You guys, he's hurt." Krystal says.

Andres calls out to Y/N. "Come on, man!"

Y/N goes down the ladder and dives into the lake. He starts to swim to Michael.

"Matt, is he okay?" Laura asks, still frantic about the situation. "Matt, you idiot, I told you!"

Matthew isn't sure what to say and just flails his arms around. Andres, Casey, Krystal, and Laura keep shouting at Y/N as he swims toward the unresponsive teenager.

"Come on."

"Y/N, get him outta the water."

"Hurry up!"

"Is he dead? Is he dead? What are we gonna do?"

"Come here, come here!" Matthew exclaims.

Y/N reaches Michael and grabs him. He struggles to swim themselves to shore but does everything in his power to do so.

"Help me!" Y/N shouts.

Everyone is yelling all at once. Y/N overhears Krystal amidst the shouts.

"Hurry, get him over here!"

"There's a lead pipe in here," Y/N grunts as he nears the shore. "He must've hit it."

"Just get him out of the water!" Matthew's voice cracks. "Hurry up!"

Y/N finally reaches the shore. A couple of his friends start to help Y/N and grab Michael.

"Get over here. Watch his head! Watch his head."

"Come on, get him out."

Suddenly, a security guard shines his flashlight their way. He is across the lake, and his shout gets their attention.

"Hey, who's down there?"

Hearing that, Matthew gets spooked. He pretty much thinks screw this and shouts at his girlfriend.

"Come on! Laura, come on!"

Casey is was scared. He pulls Krystal up and begins to drag her away. The security guard across the lake speaks into his radio as he races toward them.

"Hey, we got some trespassers. You better get a squad car out here."

Casey calls out. "Come on, Y/N."

Matthew, still adamant about leaving the scene, shouts at his dry colleagues.

"Come on!"

"Andres!" Casey also yells.

"You guys, just leave him!"

"Come on, forget about him!"

Matthew, Krystal, Laura, and Casey begin running back to their cars. Andres, now the only one there, goes over to help his friend get Michael out of the water.

"Give me his arms," Andres says. "Give me his arms."

Y/N hands Michael over to Andres, and he pulls him to shore.

"Watch his head." Y/N tells him.

"It's all right. I got him." Andres sets him down. "All right, come on. We gotta get outta here."

Y/N hops ashore, now soaking wet. Andres clasps his hand and helps him up.

"Go!" Y/N exclaims.

"Y/N, come on!" Andres retorts.

Y/N isn't leaving until he is sure Michael is alive and well. He waves his friend away.

"Get outta here!"

Andres runs off to join the others as Y/N kneels beside Michael. He begins to cough and slightly moves his head from side to side. Y/N grabs him to make him stop moving.

"Calm down. Shhh!"

Meanwhile, Laura and Matthew make it to their car and clamor inside. He revs it up. Krystal pants as she trails behind Casey but stops to look back at Y/N and Michael.

"Krystal, come on!" Casey shouts. "Let's go!"

Matthew drives off. Casey continues yelling at the girl.

"Come on! Get in! I'm drivin'!"

He hops into the driver's side of Krystal's car and shuts the door. The girl gets into the car, albeit sadly. Casey floors it and is out of there in an instant. As the incoming sirens wail, Andres, panting, reaches his jeep. Soon enough, he, too, leaves the scene.

Meanwhile, Y/N is holding Michael down. The boy suddenly stops coughing. Y/N is horrified.

"Oh, shit..."

He looks down at Michael, holding his head in his hands. Michael has a nasty gash on his forehead, and his nose is bleeding. Y/N is anxious as he keeps staring at him. He doesn't know what to do.

The seventeen-year-old stays there a moment before ultimately deciding to bolt. Michael murmurs and moves slightly as the teenager flees.

Y/N grabs his shoes and jacket and hops off the dock. He then races to his motorcycle, stuffs his things into his backpack, and hurriedly mounts the bike. He doesn't even put on his helmet and revs the engine.

The bike screeches off. He circles the vehicle around and speeds down the lot, but a cop car pulls up, and Y/N nearly collides with it. The teenager reacts quickly and goes another way, but the police cruiser turns to follow. The chase begins.

"Shit!" Y/N curses.

There is nowhere for Y/N to turn. He maneuvers his bike wildly around the lot, trying not to crash into anything. The police cruiser is right on his tail and is soon right alongside him, where he exchanges a look. The policeman pulls up ahead of the teenager to cut him off.

Y/N reacts by making another sharp turn to his right. That is a mistake, though, as in his frantic state, he didn't notice the second cop car pull up and get in his way.

"Crap!"

Y/N tries to brake, but the bike skids and slides toward the stopped police car. He hit the side of the vehicle, flinging Y/N off and causing him to slide across the cruiser's roof. He lands on the other side, groaning on the floor.

"Ugh..."

He coughs and moves painfully. The motorcycle is now on the ground, too, damaged from the impact of the cop car. The two policemen exit their cruisers and bring out their guns and flashlights.

"LAPD!" One shouts. "Hands where I can see them!"

Y/N looks at the wearily, slightly bleeding from the gash on his forehead and his lower body aching. Still, the police are adamant about apprehending him.

"Hands and legs spread. Now!"

The teenager turns away, shutting his eyes and exhaling. He decides to do as told and gingerly splays himself out on the ground, facedown.

• • •

THE SUN RISES over the Granada Hills home. The birds chirp, and the wind blows softly, rustling the plants out on the porch and the tree leaves in the yard.

Anna L/N, the single parent to Y/N, was in the kitchen making breakfast: an omelet with the fixings for her and the usual scrambled with ham for her son.

The teenager emerges from the hallway, wearing a simple gray tee and jeans. He has a limp and sports a bandage on his forehead, still feeling the aftereffects of the night before. Luckily, this was all he had to endure since the police let him go after bringing him to the station.

Of course, his