CHAPTER ONE

The intimidating stone walls of Bullworth Academy stared down at Rocky as she walked through the dull campus. Everything was dark, which was not unusual for an October morning – Rocky was British, so she was used to the horrendous weather, but she had never seen a bleaker landscape than what her eyes were resting upon right now. As she took a slow step towards the school, her breaths became more exasperated. Her mother had left her at Bullworth so she could continue with a life back in England with Rocky's father. They had considered Rocky a troublemaker and no good for her younger siblings to be around. Perhaps she had had a few misdemeanours in her academic life, but why did she have to be sent to New England? Surely old England was just as good?

As she entered Dr Crabblesnitch's office she felt a wave of desperation fall over her. She needed to get out of this place. She had seen enough to last her a lifetime, never mind a whole two years.

"Hello, Rocket. What a strange name you have." He remarked snidely.

"Well, my last name certainly. But I don't think Olivia Rocket is very strange." She replied, trying not to be annoyed at the fact that she had to even think about her full name. She preferred Rocky a lot more. Everyone called her Rocky. She wasn't going to let it be any different here.

"Very well." The Dr stopped for a moment to cough for what seemed like an eternity, and then continued. After about ten minutes of explaining the school rules, he began to talk about subjects that were a little more interesting to her. "We have a history of troublemakers in this school, Rocket," he said, "so don't go around thinking you're unique for your previous expulsions. Plenty of students here have even been expelled from this very school and been let back in." He paused for a moment, "I'd advise you to stay away from those particular students."

"But Sir, how would I know which ones they are?"

"Oh, you'll know." He answered swiftly, "It's always plain to the human eye which children are bad seeds."

Rocky ignored him. The 'bad seeds' were usually the most interesting ones. Like her, for instance – she knew she was probably the most intelligent student here. She always had been at every other school she'd attended. No one compared to her in intelligence or any other area. Even if the grades didn't prove that, she was always the most street-smart. She'd be surprised if anyone at Bullworth could match up.

"I suppose I'd be able." Rocky said.

"Good, you'll need to." Dr Crabblesnitch paced his office, "you'll be in deep trouble if you get involved with any of those boys, I'll tell you now."

"Dr!" A woman with short brunette hair ran into the office, "We're having trouble with the Smith boy again." She sighed and walked closer to him, a look of adoration in her eyes. Rocky felt like gagging.

"It's okay, Miss Danvers." Dr Crabblesnitch responded, "Bring him to the office. We'll deal with him shortly." He turned to Rocky. "Do you have everything clear then, Rocket?"

She put on a polite smile. "Yes, Sir."

"Very well then." He began to have another coughing fit. "Leave my office."

Rocky walked out of the room slowly and stood for a moment wondering what her mother had been thinking, sending her to this absolute cesspool of a school. She started to walk slowly across the corridor in her new Bullworth Academy uniform. Black skirt, white shirt, grey plaid knee socks and a teal sweater that was much too big for her. There was a small stain on the side of it. It looked like blood. They had given it to her for free since she had no other uniform, so it was more than likely from a fight that the previous owner had gotten in to.

As she walked along the corridor, she felt a tap on her back. She turned around to see a boy who was well-built but not an athlete, with rolled up white sleeves and a navy blue sweater vest. He looked her up and down with a menacing look in his eyes.

"You're wearing my sweater." He said, raising his eyebrows, one of which had a scar through it. "Give it back to me."

"How is this in any way your sweater?" Rocky raised her eyebrows back, "I think that the one you're in is yours."

The boy scoffed at her remark. "Is it just because you're foreign that you think you're cute? Because it really doesn't add any points on my side of the board, sweetheart."

"No, I just think you're being a bastard."

"It's my sweater."

"How do you know?"

"I can tell," the boy retaliated. "I'm the only one that wears teal around here."

"Well, call me crazy but I don't think you're wearing teal right now." Rocky eyed his blue sweater in disbelief.

"Well mine was custom made. They took it away from me when I was expelled. They let me back in." he explained. "I never knew that when I'd come back I'd find some bitch wearing my sweater." He fingered the blood stain lightly. "It even has the mark from when I punched Hopkins in the nose on it."

"Am I supposed to know who Hopkins is?" Rocky asked.

"You'll know eventually." The boy sneered, before walking in to the principal's office.

Rocky walked off, unnerved by the clearly mixed up individual she had just met. He was almost as self-important as her. Almost. But she wouldn't let that get to her. He would probably be expelled again soon anyway – or at least be put in his place.

Gary Smith walked along the corridor with a determined look in his eyes. He couldn't believe that he'd just seen that new girl wearing his old Bullworth sweater. It was teal. It had the blood stain. It was unmistakeably his. He felt like punching someone, but he was under strict instruction from the principal to be on his best behaviour – but that wasn't easy for Gary. He'd been given another medication prescription but he hadn't been taking them. He'd said it before and he would stand by it – he was a genius. Geniuses didn't need medication. No amount of chemical matter could change who he was inside. Unfortunately, who Gary was on the inside was not a pleasant person. Surely everyone at Bullworth had realised that by now?

Not that bitch. Not the fucking bitch that had taken his sweater. Whether she had done it purposefully or not, she should've given it back when he asked. He was Gary Smith, damn it. He was Gary fucking Smith.

"Um, Gary?" It was Pete Kowalski. Also known as Petey. "There's some girl outside the dorm waiting for you. I don't know what she wants. She has red hair."

She was always going to come running to me, Gary thought, this is the way it works every time. However, as Gary went outside and saw the girl there, it was a different story.

"Here's your damn sweater, you bastard." She threw the sweater at him. Gary noticed she was wearing her own now. "I got a new one. One that doesn't have blood poisoning."

"You're ridiculously determined to copy me, aren't you?"

"If I wanted to copy you that badly don't you think I would've cut my eye open by now?"

"Oh, I'm so intimidated," Gary exclaimed sarcastically, "some little girl is being a bitch to me about the scar. Were you dropped on the head or something? Who do you think I am, fucking Harry Potter?"

"Of course not. I'm the British one here."

"That's not even funny."

"You know what else isn't funny? The fact that everyone's been telling me you're a psychopath." Rocky raised her eyebrow. "The fact that a psychopath is arguing with me. I'm ready for you to come and stab me now."

Gary couldn't believe this girl. So, she just walks in to Bullworth and decides to argue with him? That did not happen regularly. He practically ruled the school last summer, before he was expelled. Thankfully they let him back in for the next year. But he was the superior one here. He was superior to everybody, but she seemingly didn't know that.

"I don't think you know just what I'm capable of." He commented.

"You're Gary Smith." Rocky stated, "I've heard a lot about what you're capable of. But I'm just not afraid of you."

Well, at least she knew who he was. He could give her that.

"You should be." Gary sneered, as he turned his back and walked back in to the dormitory.