Some people are suited to being the 'new kid' - actors and sluts relish the attention that is associated with being fresh meat. Rupert Finch, or 'Finchy', as he had been known most of his life, was not one of those people. As the taxi pulled up outside Bullworth Academy, reluctance swept over Rupert's body as the nervousness swallowed him. He hated America. Everyone had weird accents, and it took so long to get from one town to another - mainly, he hated how… how alien it all felt. This wasn't his home; he belonged in England, where everything was small and familiar and comfortable. He knew where he stood in the social pecking order in school, and he had a solid set of friends. Now he would have to start all over again.
'Hey Kid, your dad said this is your stop.' The taxi driver's voice brought Rupert back into reality.
'Yeah, it is. Guess I better get this over with.' Rupert replied, and got out of the yellow vehicle.
Rupert walked through the Gothic archway to the sound of the taxi, from which he had just emerged, speeding away. With his only method of escape removed, he pulled out the map which his father had shoved in his coat pocket a few hours ago.
'He said there'd be someone waiting for me. Oh well, guess I better go to the office.'
Ten minutes later, after a stern warning from the Headteacher, which seemed to revolve around the cleanliness of his nose, Rupert left the main building in search of the Boys Dorm. A cold and professional looking women had shoved a plastic bag containing his new uniform and ordered him to go change - to Rupert's surprise it contained a shirt and jumper (TV had led him to believe American schools didn't have uniforms). Then again, judging by the headteacher this school looked like it was stuck in the 19th century. Rupert had arrived at 1:30, meaning all the students were in lessons, allowing him to make his way to the Boys Dorm without any confrontation. When he opened the door to the dorm, however, he found that he wasn't alone.
'Change the channel, buttmunch.'
'You change it dickweed.'
'I'll kick your ass!'
Rupert could identify two voices, one female and one male, coming from a small room ahead of him - now he could hear the sounds of two people wrestling. Despite his initial instincts to go straight to his room, curiosity got the better of him. When since did girls willingly go into a Boys Dorm?
'Don't you two have lessons to go to?' Rupert said without thinking. He cursed himself quietly for dropping himself in it.
'Hey, get off Jimmy, we've got company!' A tall and busty ginger girl wriggled herself free from a shorter boys headlock. They both stood up and turned their attention to Rupert, who was standing by the door, feeling awkward from the attention. The ginger girl was gorgeous, wearing a tight white top and a checkered orange skirt with heavy black boots. If all the girls looked like that, Rupert thought with a wry smile, he would have very little problem in settling in. The smaller boy had next to no hair, a scruffy uniform and a muscular body. Probably best to not annoy 'Jimmy', short men are always the most aggressive, Rupert decided.
'You're new.' The boy stated. 'What's your name, new kid?'
'Rupert. Most people call me Finchy though.' Rupert replied.
'Aww shit, we've got another one!' The girl exclaimed, rolling her eyes in disgust. She then turned to sit down on the sofa and changed the channel.
'That's all we needed, another preppy bastard.' The boy said, before pointing to the door 'Harrington House is that way.'
Rupert had no idea what a 'preppy bastard' was, and what was that about Harrington House?
'What's a Preppy bastard?' he asked.
'Inbred rich kids who think they rule the world. Only preps talk in a fake English accent like you', the girl stated, with boredom in her voice.
'I speak in an English accent because I am English, and I'm definitely not rich.' Rupert said, trying to clear the confusion. He was still unsure about who the Preps were, but it was clear he didn't want to be associated with them. This seemed to respark their interest. The boy turned around and met Rupert's gaze.
'Oh, that's cool then. Pretty sure you're the only English kid here. The name's Jimmy. What did you say yours was again?'
'Finchy.' Rupert repeated. Nobody called him Rupert anyway, and he hated the name.
'Well, have fun being the new kid. A little bit of advice; keeping yourself to yourself is fine but if somebody messes with you, don't just sit there and take it. Otherwise you'll be a victim for the rest of your time here.' Jimmy spoke with authority. He turned to his female friend 'Ain't you gunna say hi to the new kid Zoe?'.
'Just because you boss everyone else around doesn't mean you can tell me what to do.' Zoe said, in a half teasing, half serious tone.
'Yeah I pretty much can. Stop acting cool in front of the new kid, Zoe, you know you do everything I command.' Jimmy had barely finished speaking before Zoe had leapt on him, tackling him to the ground. Rupert decided this was a good time to leave, and made his way to his dorm, with the sounds of play fighting going on in the background. The key he had been given was marked '16' and he found his room at the far end of the corridor. It opened to reveal a double room, though his roommate was nowhere to be seen.
Settling his bags down on what he assumed to be his side of the dorm, Rupert crashed down onto his bed. He could already tell this was going to be a long day. He'd never had to share a room before - he was an only child after all. The nerves, mixed in with the culture shock and the dread of his first confrontation had taken their toll, and he took out a cigarette, opened a window, and lit up.
Rupert had only taken two puffs from his cigarette when he heard the doorknob turning. Expecting the worst, he dropped it out of the window and made for his bed, attempting to act casual. The door opened and in stepped a short, rather timid looking boy, wearing a blue vest on a pink shirt. Rupert immediately decided he was no threat, but kept his attention on him, just in case.
'Hi, I'm Pete… I guess you're the new kid, Jimmy mentioned you.' The boy said, offering a handshake. Rupert accepted the handshake; it was weak and awkward, as if the boy didn't actually expect him to shake his hand.
'Have you been smoking in here?' Petey asked, after noticing the smell that was lingering in the room.
'Err, yeah, sorry about that. I'm Finchy, by the way.' Rupert replied, feeling embarrassed that he didn't just go outside. 'I didn't expect anyone back until half three.'
'Finchy? I thought your name was Rupert?' Pete asked, seeming a little confused. 'Guess there are two new kids coming today.' Rupert was knocked slightly off guard upon learning that this kid knew his real name. With curiosity in his voice, he explained how his full name was Rupert Finch, and questioned how he knew that.
'Oh, I'm Head Boy, I read up on all students who come here.' Petey explained, and moved to get something out of his drawer. He produced a small leatherbound book and passed it to Rupert, saying 'This has all of your class times in, as well as a map of the school grounds and numbers to ring if you need help'. Pete then made his way to the door, and just before leaving, added 'I've got a meeting with the headteacher now, but if you want a tour of the grounds let me know. Anyway, see you later Rupert.'
'It's Finchy.' Rupert corrected, but Petey had already shut the door. He sighed, and turned to sit down on his bed, observing the book he had just been given. He was shocked that a boy so scrawny and timid had managed to become Head Boy, but was glad his roommate wasn't somebody who could beat the crap out of him for hogging the shower. 'Wait a minute, where even is the shower?'. He looked around but saw no en suite. He flipped through the book he had been given and checked the map but there was no sign of any shower facilities. He made a mental note to ask Peter about it later.
Rupert was in two minds on what to do next. He could hear students outside and after inspecting his watch, he found that it was now 3:45 - time seemed to fly by at Bullworth. He pulled out his phone, checking if there was any wifi (unsurprisingly, there wasn't), before resorting to use his precious 3G data to message his friends. He opened his texts, and sent a message to the group inbox he and his old friends use to chat, usually about which pubs let in underagers and 'rating' the single girls at school. He laughed out loud at the messages he received.
'Alright lads. This place doesn't seem to have any showers and my roommate wears pink shirts. There are girls in the Boys Dorm. HELP.'
'Ha! Typical Finchy to get scared of girls.'
'I wasn't scared of your mum last night.'
'Err my mum was on the other side of the Atlantic to you last night so go fuck yourself.'
'Finchy it sounds like you and the pink shirted boy are a match made in heaven;)'
Rupert smiled at the pointless babble he and his friends were once again spewing. He sent a final message and then headed for the door.
'Need a piss and a fag so I'm off out now. Try not to miss me too much losers.'
He had a simple plan in mind; to find Jimmy, Zoe or Peter, or any kid that didn't look threatening, and ask for directions to the nearest toilet. Then he'd find a quiet area to have a cigarette and maybe explore the grounds a little. He had a feeling that he'd end up running into some sort of confrontation, but he rationalised that he couldn't hide in his dorm forever and he wanted some fresh air. After quickly getting changed into his uniform, and with first day nerves still very much present, he opened his dorm door and stepped out into the hallway.
Instantly, he regretted his decision. Boys in white polo shirts were intimidating a fat sweaty looking kid, before a vial glass broke, emitting one of the worst odours Rupert had ever smelt. Gagging from the stench of hyperconcentrated b.o, he suddenly realised the most worrying thing about the situation; kids were walking past and not even giving it a second glance. Was this… was this normal in this godforsaken place? Standing still at the end of the corridor would make him vulnerable, so Rupert walked with a quick pace past the pandemonium and outside the door. Once outside, he caught the attention of an oddly dressed boy, wearing a leather jacket and sporting greased back hair. Rupert had always thought that the 50s style look was cool, but had never heard of somebody actually recreating it outside of a fancy dress party or Halloween.
'Eyy, whatta we 'ave 'ere, a new kid?!' The boy squared up to Rupert. He was big, maybe 6'2", which made him a touch taller than Rupert. Both boys immediately adopted a fighting position.
'Listen mate, I don't want any trouble…' Rupert was cut short with a swift punch to the gut. Winded and shocked from the random violence, he protected himself as best he could and waited for the inevitable.
'Ricky you greasy fuck, what have I said about bullying people who don't deserve it?' Rupert, who had slightly recovered from the initial attack, stood up, trying to see who his knight in shining armour was.
'Why don't you take your sorry ass back to the tenements and go have a cry about your ex?' Rupert recognised the boy, it was that Jimmy kid from earlier. Seems he had misjudged him after all.
'Jimmy, since when did you protect rich turds?' Ricky protested. Rupert was shocked that he didn't just start fighting Jimmy - he was about twice his size.
'He isn't a prep, he's just English so he sounds that way, you idiot. If you had stopped to think about it for a second you'd of realised. Look at his uniform! And he's coming out of the Boy's Dorm. When was the last time you saw a prep coming out of the Boy's Dorm?' Jimmy had said this all to Ricky as if he was the boss of him. Rupert knew better than to ask questions, but curiosity was getting the better of him. Ricky then shot a look back to Rupert, mumbled an apology, and walked away, turning right and leaving through the school gates.
'You alright, Finchy?' Jimmy asked, approaching Rupert who was dusting himself off.
'Confused as hell, but yeah, I'm fine.' Rupert replied. Jimmy laughed, and gestured his hand towards the pathway, 'Come on, I'll take you on a tour'. Rupert knew better than to look a gift horse in the mouth, and the two began to walk towards the main building. 'So this is the main building, that's where all of your lessons will be, apart from Gym and Shop class. Not that much to see inside, you'll get the idea tomorrow when you start lessons.' All around them kids were eyeing Rupert up like a lion eyes an antelope, but the presence of Jimmy made them keep their distance.
'Jimmy I've got to ask, what the fuck is going on in this place? I've seen rough schools before, but this place is like a boxing academy. And what the hell is a prep?!' Jimmy laughed at the question, and took a seat on a nearby bench, inviting Rupert to join him.
'Alright man, every new kid has to learn this, so listen up. There are 6 cliques at this place. The Bullies are the lowest; they're white shirted idiots who pick on anyone and everyone they can. You shouldn't have to worry about them too much, but if you ever see their leader, Russell, run.' Jimmy warned and let out a laugh.
'What does this Russell guy look like?' Rupert asked, making a mental note to take Jimmy's advice.
'He's about 8 feet tall and has red hair. You can't really miss him. Anyways, the Bullies aren't really a problem. The Preps are inbred trust fund turds who wear blue checkered jumpered. They talk like you, but they're all American... nobody really knows why they do that. They have their own separate dorm, Harrington House, so you probably won't see too much of them.'
'Maybe I should spray paint my net worth on all the walls to let people know I'm not one of them then.' Rupert joked. Trust him to have the luck of being associated with posh kids just because of his accent. Jimmy laughed and carried on his lecture.
'Ha, yeah, maybe. Or just give it a few weeks and everyone will know you're English and not a Prep. Now the people you have to worry about are the Greasers, sworn enemies of the Preps. They wear leather jackets and prefer being around bikes than girls. You just had a run in with one of their older members, Ricky. Best to avoid them until everyone knows you're not a Prep. They can fight pretty well. They hang out around the Auto Shop.' Jimmy spoke as if he'd given this talk many times before.
'Then, we have the Jocks and the Nerds. Also sworn enemies. The Jocks are athletes with a couple of brain cells between them. The nerds are fat, scrawny or just plain ugly, but they all have perfect grade point averages and are all set to go to Harvard. Avoid the Jocks and the Nerds.' Jimmy warned.
'The nerds sound pretty harmless.' Rupert assumed, earning a laugh from Jimmy.
'That's what I said! They're slippery and have loads of gadgets - avoid annoying them.' Jimmy finished. 'That's that really. If they're not a member of any of those cliques then they're not even worth thinking about.' Jimmy stood up, looking ready to leave. 'Anyway, you'll probably see me around. Remember, watch out for the Greasers.' He disappeared around the corner, leaving as soon as he came.
Rupert had a million questions he wanted to ask, but most of all, he wanted everything to just slow down. It seemed everyone at Bullworth was either in a huge rush, on stimulating drugs or both. No conversation lasted longer 2 minutes and everybody was on the move constantly. Who was Jimmy? How did he get such a huge reputation that he could talk down to that Ricky kid and make him cower? Why weren't the staff at this school doing something about the violent student gangs? He was so lost in thought whilst sat on the bench that he ignored his surroundings - luckily, he was being left alone, barring a few confused stares and whispers. Perhaps it was that he had just been with Jimmy that people were leaving him alone? Standing up, he began to walk in the direction Jimmy had left in, with the vague aim of finding a toilet and somewhere to smoke.
Maybe he had been exaggerating the violence at this school. Yes, a random person had punched him for no reason, but all schools have nutjobs, boarding schools especially. Stink bombs and bullying are to be expected in an unsupervised boys only dorm. He had heard a few stories about Bullworth when he mentioned that he was being sent here, but they were probably just tales. I mean, he hadn't seen any actual full on fighting yet - the Greaser boy from earlier punched him in the stomach rather than the face. Still lost in thought, he was just passing a car park when, from out of nowhere, four boys emerged from various hiding spots screaming and shouting swear words and insults. A boy dragged and threw him up against a concrete corner, leaving him surrounded by 4 teenagers, all wearing white polo tops.
'Get the new kid, beat him down!'
In a second a million thoughts ran through his mind. He'd seen enough prison documentaries to know that if he sets a precedent of being a victim he'll remain a victim. He knew how to fight, but had next to no chance of winning a 4 on 1. In an instant, he made his move.
Taking the initiative, he singled out an ugly ginger boy with a straight left hand to the face - the ginger boy blocked it, exposing the left side of his face. Quickly taking his chance, Rupert put all of his body weight into a right hook to the head, flooring his opponent. Although he had been quick he had still left enough time for the remaining three boys to completely surround him - they all leapt onto Rupert punching and kicking him from every angle, and he soon fell to the ground, adopting a fetal position to protect himself. He endured a fews seconds of cheap shots to his body and legs before he violently jerked his leg upwards, catching one of his assailants between the legs - the boy keeled over in agony, and Rupert seized the opportunity to get back up and resume fighting.
He was now fully enraged and with the added boost of adrenaline he was an even match for the two remaining boys. The Bullies circled him, holding their guards high - they knew they were now on the back foot. Rupert let out a battle cry and charged at one of the remaining opponents, rugby tackling him to the ground and punching his face into the dirt. He had lost all self control by this point and continued to assault the floored bully until he was violently dragged off by somebody from behind and thrown to the ground. Assuming it was the one remaining Bully, he bit into the leg of his captor to break free from his grasp. Standing up, he saw the blue of a prefect rather than the white of a bully. His body froze for a split second before doing what any sane person would when they had just bitten a huge prefect; he ran. Darting through the car park, he spotted a dirt track which he escaped down. The fear and adrenaline allowed him to run longer and faster than he thought his smoker's lungs could accommodate.
After 2 minutes of non stop sprinting he slowed to a walk. His pursuer had long since given up, but he had no idea what was waiting for him back at the beginning of the lane. He had no idea where he was going but anything seemed safer than Bullworth Academy right now. What kind of hell hole had he been sent to? Coming up ahead was a small forested area next to the muddy track. Rupert decided to sit there and smoke in an effort to gather his thoughts. He pulled out his cigarettes, lit one, and laid down on the grass, breathing a heavy sigh of relief.
'Way to ruin the peace and quiet.'
The sound of a familiar voice caused Rupert to sit up suddenly and drop his cigarette in surprise.
Authors Note:
This was originally published two years ago. I gave up after one chapter, and haven't been back on the site since. Just by chance I ended up here and had a reread of this story, and it's far better than I remembered. I've had some ideas for this bouncing around my head ever since, and I've got a spare couple of weeks, so I'm committing to finish it before I go back to uni (or college). New chapters will be coming out soon, so for the very few of you who will see this, watch this space.
