"Garraty told me what they were going to do."

"How the hell does Garraty know? McVries doesn't even know, and he's actually in the Vigils," Parker asked. He was in the driver's seat, Abraham in the passenger seat, Barkovitch and Baker in the back. Neither Abraham nor Baker was quite sure why Barkovitch was there, but they didn't mention it. The shorter boy wasn't being annoying at the moment, after all. He was just sulking, arms crossed, glaring out the window.

"Stebbins."

"Isn't he the one Archie Costello's queer for?" Abraham asked, glancing up from his homework. The work was balanced on his knees. Collie Parker was fairly sure he'd fail by lack of readability, even if he did get it all right.

"Rumor has it," Baker said, shrugging. "'Course, rumor also has it that you're queer for me, Abe." He leaned forward, resting his chin on the ginger's shoulder and slinging an arm around his neck. Abraham turned red and muttered something about 'idiots have no idea what they're talking about', but didn't shake the grinning Baker off. "Anyway, Jerry Renault. He's not supposed to take the chocolates. McVries didn't know 'cause he wasn't at the meeting. He was sick that day, remember?"

"Wish I didn't have to sell the damn chocolates. Nobody ever buys 'em, and not all of us are spoiled little pricks like Barkobitch who gets their family to buy them off of them."

"Shut it Blondie," Barkovitch muttered. "Now are you going to take me home, or are we going to sit in the parking lot for another ten minutes?"

"Barkovitch!"

"Ten."

"And that brings you up to fifty. Good job, Barkovitch."

Barkovitch nodded and stared at his desk. This entire time before Leon's was hell – not because anything happened, no, but because Brother Leon was the guy who played on your weaknesses, and lately he'd been eying Barkovitch with a frightening intensity. Barkovitch had managed to escape last year without any incidents to speak of, but this year… even though he sold the chocolates within the first week, there was going to be something.

When he slid into place in Leon's class he shrunk down, trying not to attract attention. Leon's gaze fell on him anyway, but Barkovitch tried to ignore it, just like he ignored the kid behind him poking the back of his head with a pencil.

"Quince! Stop."

The kid stopped poking him.

"Barkovitch. If you have, in fact, continued to sell at a steady rate, then you have sold all of your chocolates. Is that correct?"

Nod.

"Have you sold them all?"

Nod.

"You're the one who has his father buy them all, correct?"

Another nod, this time bright red and further down in his chair.

"While that isn't in the true spirit of Trinity, I'll let it pass. However, if you'd like to actually sell them next year, here's a tip. I've noticed that boys often are more likely to sell when they and their friends work together. But of course you wouldn't know anything about that, what with your chocolates gone and your lack of friends."

Barkovitch was fairly certain that if he were to sink any further into his chair, he would be on the floor.

"Why won't he just take them?" Archie asked. Stebbins sat crosslegged on the other blond's bed, watching him pace. "I've threatened him. I've given him the assignment to take them. Janza had his gang of thugs beat him up. What more can I do?"

"Janza will do anything you ask of him?"

Archie stopped his pacing and sat down, facing Stebbins. "Yes."

Stebbins grinned, leaning towards Archie. "Then use him again. But use everyone else too. Use them all, Archie. Use them all and crush the kid."

A thousand thoughts raced through Archie's mind. Yes, that would work. He could use all of the students of Trinity, and then some, if he wanted. "You are a genius," he said. Stebbins's grin grew wider and he pulled Archie into a kiss.

The field was packed.

Garraty felt someone sling an arm over his shoulders and he looked up. Sure enough, it was McVries, grinning and handsome. "Excited?" he asked, nearly yelling. "Hell, even Scramm showed up and he dropped out a few years back!"

"What's actually going on?" Garraty asked, and McVries thought about it.

"You know, I'm not totally sure. I always miss the Vigil meetings. But I've got a rough idea. Renault's down there, and so's Emile Janza. They're gonna fight."

"That's it?"

"To our specifications."

Collie Parker was waiting for his chance. He'd put in a few punches – three – but really he was waiting for it all to fall apart so he could grab some chocolate and… and burn it or something. Possibly in front of Brother Leon so he could see exactly what Collie Parker thought of his damn chocolate sale.

Abraham and Baker had ridden in with him. They'd parked at the gas station where Scramm worked at for some reason – Parker wasn't entirely sure why, but Abe had insisted.

Abraham was on one side of him, some random guy on the other… the whole school had shown up, it looked like. This was going to be fantastic.

It was getting out of control. Stebbins glanced at Archie, who was watching the fight with a sort of sick fascination. Screw him, Stebbins thought, slipping into the crowd. Screw him and his Vigils.

But he didn't leave. No, he waited. He waited until the fight was over and the chocolates were gone and Archie was back in sight. Stebbins had pocketed a box of chocolates early on and handed it to Archie, who was shaking slightly.

"We did it," Stebbins said. "Your brilliant mind came through once again."

The Chocolate War is seriously one of my favorite books. It's kind of sad how few people have read it.