Smokey, named for the unusual color of his eyes, is one of Rusty James's friends and a member of the group, but he is nervous about gang violence. When Rusty James says of the "old days" when he was eleven, "A gang really meant somethin' back then," Smokey says, "Meant gettin' sent to the hospital once a week." Smokey is not a loyal friend; he sets things up to make it look like Rusty James is cheating on his girlfriend Patty so she'll dump Rusty James and Smokey can go out with her. He also tells Rusty James that if the gangs were still around, he would be president, not Rusty James.

B. J. is a friend of Rusty James's, one of the group. He is fat but tough. As Rusty James says, "Tough fat guys ain't as rare as you think."

Cassandra...