Peanut hated her.

He didn't tell any of the others, of course, but Peanut really hated Lola. Her voice, her posture, her flirtatious nature, but he hated the way she treated Johnny worst of all.

Johnny is my closest friend, of course it hurts when he lets that conniving bitch stay with him after all she puts him through.

Damn it. He knew that his feelings for Johnny went further than a loyal friendship, but he didn't know how to deal with it. How would the boss feel if he knew his right-hand was gay, and above all, gay for him? Lola would definitely NOT be happy. In fact, the only guy who may not care as much as the others was Vance. Even then, any shred of understanding from the small, red-haired greaser would disappear if he found out he was gay for Johnny.

"Peanut."

It was Johnny. Shit.

"Peanut… I need to talk to you."

Without hesitation, Peanut moved from where he'd been leaning on the wall by the auto shop, having a smoke and thinking about Johnny. He tossed his cigarette on the ground, stomping on it.

Johnny directed his right-hand into the auto shop. It was nearly 7pm, and the rest of the boys were racing on their bikes in Old Bullworth Vale. In fact, Johnny should have been there, too.

"Johnny, shouldn't ya be racin'?"

"It… it's 'bout Lola."

He tensed at the name. Peanut said nothing more, quietly following his boss – and long-time crush – into the auto shop. I wonder what she has done to him this time.

Johnny moved swiftly past the cars, sitting on one of the fold-out chairs near the corner of the room. Peanut followed, sitting on the ground beside him.

"So what hap-."

"We broke up. For real, this time."

"What?!"

"Yeah…"

Peanut's eyes were like saucers. Johnny and Lola had rows before, and there had been multiple threats of a break up in the past, but he never thought it'd be the real thing. Johnny clung on to that whore like his life depended on it, and Lola always found a way to get Johnny back, despite having cheated on him numerous times.

"How'd she take it?"

"She tried that guilt shit with me as usual, unlucky for her it didn' work this time."

He didn't know how to feel. He knew Johnny was in love with her, his boss breaking up with Lola would have been much easier said than done. He couldn't help but revel in the fact that she was no longer with Johnny, but at the same time, he knew Johnny was probably hurting.

Peanut shuffled a little closer to the chair Johnny was sat on. "Are ya… okay?"

"It… it was a long time comin'. Still feel a bit sore, ya know? But I think I got over it 'fore I even break up with 'er."

Peanut grinned to himself, trying to hide it. He couldn't help it. Johnny had broken up with that bitch and was over it? He knew he didn't have a chance in hell but a part of him had hope.

There was a short silence that seemed to last a lifetime, and it made him uncomfortable. Johnny had something else on his mind, after knowing his boss for years, he could tell when there was more left unsaid.

"John-."

"Peanut." Johnny looked directly at him this time. Larry's eyes widened – this was something different.

He opened his mouth to, as casually as possible, ask what was going on, but Johnny cut him off before he could speak.

"I know you like me."

Peanut's face reddened. "Well o' course I do Johnny, you're the boss… we all like ya."

Johnny narrowed his eyebrows at his second-in-command, who was clearly trying to steer around the topic of conversation. He stood, kicking his chair out of the way, snatching Peanut by the collar of his leather jacket and dragging him up from his sitting position.

"Johnny what are ya doin'?!" his heart was thumping in his chest. What his boss going to hit him for being gay? Was he going to be cast out of the greaser clique? He tried to look anywhere but at the man in front of him.

"Don' act all innocent wi' me, kid."

Johnny pressed his second-in-command and long-time friend against the brick wall behind him, moving his hands to Larry's back and pulling them closer together.

"Johnny," Peanut breathed, unable to look away from the brown eyes gazing intently at him.

Larry's boss, his best friend, and his long-time crush, pressed his lips against his. He didn't move at first, he didn't know how to react. Johnny Vincent was fucking kissing him!

Before he could respond, his boss moved back, intent on ending anything that may have been there in that moment. Larry leant against the wall, face stricken in shock.

He couldn't stop himself. He did what Johnny would otherwise punch him for. Before Johnny could move from their embrace, he grabbed the front of his black jacket, pulling him back.

"Ya really think I'm gonna miss out on this?"

He kissed him.

It was much more passionate this time, Larry moving his hands across Johnny's back, tightly embracing him – he had wanted this for too long. It was like a dream, and he almost expected for him to open his eyes and be in his bed, alone, in the boy's dorm, longing for Johnny to be holding him.

Johnny began to kiss down his jaw, and then his neck, causing him to let out an unanticipated gasp.

"Ahh… Johnny…"

Then they heard the distant sound of voices outside.

Peanut's eyes widened immediately, and he instinctively pushed Johnny away. "Shit…"

The voices grew progressively louder. Whoever it was, they were going to come bounding into the auto shop any second. Johnny snatched Peanut's hand, tugging him toward the door.

"Johnny… what are ya' doin'? Shit…"

Both of the greasers ran, hand-in-hand, bursting through the auto shop door and speeding past Hal, Norton and Vance. They raced towards the gym, past a group of confused jocks, before vaulting over the metal fence aside the pool and into a small space of grass and foliage beside Harrington House.

Both of them were sat on the grass, gasping for breath.

They both glanced at each other, Peanut pressing a quick kiss on the other greaser's lips.

"I'm gonna say it, Johnny. I'm glad ya broke up with Lola."

"So am I," Johnny pushed his second-in-command to the ground, grinning. "If only I'd a known 'bout your little crush on me sooner."

Johnny pressed his chest against Larry's, kissing him with a passion Larry never thought his boss could have.

Johnny had never kissed Lola like this.

He was sure of it.