A/N First stab at a lengthy thriller type. I'm trying to keep all characters in character. I don't own anything though I love Gary. Enjoy!
He cracks his knuckles; something that's always irked Dr. Kinz. Gary looks up to see the doctor cringe as expected. His brows raise in amusement, a grin forming a slow curve on his lips.
"So how are you feeling about this?" The feelings question, it varies according to tense and situation. After yesterday's fight between two patients- that may or may not have been his own fault-ensued, the question was 'How did that make you feel?' Same old, same old with this guy. Gary sits up straighter and gives the weathered man a once over.
He has neatly combed salt and pepper hair that is thinning terribly. Large, round spectacles sit on the bridge of his slightly crooked nose, shielding tiny grey eyes. His jacket is missing a button; either lost in the wash or it came from a second hand store. Neither of which surprised Gary greatly. Either the lack of motivation to sew a replacement on, or the frugal manner to check a second hand shop first. Gary glances down at Dr. Kinz's left hand, the ring finger is bare, but it's obvious that a ring was once on it, judging from the indentation that encircles the thin digit. So maybe his wife was the one that did all the sewing?
Within the first 5 minutes of meeting this old man, Gary had had him picked apart. He could have used all his knowledge against this man, broken him down, pushed him towards suicide maybe. But alas, he saw that a fickle waste of his talents, instead he's answered every goddamn 'feelings' question the man has thrown at him. The only regret Gary now has is not remembering the last time the man had the ring on.
"Well." Gary leans back in his plastic folding chair, and it creaks under his weight. "I feel that this is a good measure of freedom. It will really let me get back into the world, be a kid again perhaps?" Gary watches as the doctor searches him, waiting for some kind of reinforcement, some security. "But, I digress, a chance for me to utilize my treatment and become a better person." Dr. Kinz smiles approvingly.
"And to be a better student?" He edges on. Gary smiles widely, showing a flash of his white teeth. He laces his fingers and rests them on the lap of his blue hospital pants.
"Of course." He narrows his eyes and lets himself get excited. "I can't wait." Not a lie, he can't wait in the slightest. Oh Jimmy Boy, guess who's coming back to Bullworth?
Jimmy slaps the back of his neck, as if something had stung him.
"You okay?" Petey asks from beside him. They've both just finished their school shopping and are walking back to their bikes.
"Yeah." They reach their bikes and mount their bags on the handle bars. Jimmy turns to survey his friend. Over the past 2 years they've gotten a bit closer without a psychopath to interrupt, but even though Jimmy has been hanging with Petey he can still see a big change from sophomore year. Petey's shoulders had gotten slightly wider, and his jaw more defined. Plus he now comes up 3 inches above Jimmy's shoulder. But he still has those sad, insecure brown puppy eyes that are always downcast.
Petey looks up at Jimmy with admiration, longing for his now taller, broader figure. He looks at Jimmy's side swept hair with pure envy as he brushes it once again out of his face. They both climb onto their bikes and pedal towards Bullworth Academy.
"Senior year. This is it, then we're out." Jimmy smirks as he pedals slower than usual to keep pace with Pete.
"Tell me about it." Pete returns the smirk and pedals a bit harder to show his eagerness for the upcoming term. It's been two years since Gary and Jimmy plummeted into Dr. Crabblesnitch's office. Two years since Gary got hauled over to happy volts. 2 years of peace between cliques and quiet on campus. Petey smiles at this, he's felt so safe. He's gotten more outgoing in his own opinion; he's joined the math club and has become head boy. It's a good feeling, and it makes him want to swell his chest with pride, as he often does nowadays in the hallways.
"New teachers though." Jimmy squints up at the sun as he brushes his ginger hair out of his face once more. "Galloway and Phillips finally tied the knot. On their honeymoon." He glances over at Pete. "And believe me, if their honeymoon is anything at all like my mom's, we won't be seeing them again for a long time." Petey laughs with Jimmy, and it just feels right. Truth be told, he can't wait for Senior year, he is honestly excited. The gates to B.A. come into view and Petey turns to Jimmy.
"Race you there?" Petey challenges.
"Hell yeah." Jimmy stops his bike and waits for Petey to count down.
"Jesus Christ kid, hurry up." Gary shoots another angry glance over at his bulky 'babysitter' who watches him pack his bags.
"Shouldn't you be getting my meds together or something?" He snarls a bit as he folds his old B.A. sweater vest.
"You know I can't leave you unsupervised." The big guy says with little intelligence shining through his voice.
"Oh, I almost forgot!" Gary claps his hands to his mouth in mock shock. "Paper bags can be so dangerous!" He shakes the paper bags he was given to pack his clothes with a laugh on his lips.
"Don't get smart with me kid." The oaf walks into the room and points menacingly at Gary. Someone has to be. Gary takes in a deep breath.
"Whatever, can you at least be useful or something?" He repositions himself on his cardboard like mattress.
"What?" Oh my fucking God, this is impossible. Gary clears his throat.
"Can you hold my bag open?" His eyes lock with the large man, challenging him, begging him to hit him. Or even attempt to, just so he'd have an excuse to make paper bags truly dangerous. But the brute walks over and obliges. Of course. Gary wills the voices in his head to subside as he piles his clothes half-assed into the bag. Once he's done packing, the giant, whose nametag reads 'Roy', grabs them all in one hand and leads Gary to the bathroom to change.
"Oh, nice!" Petey holds up his new uniform. It's the same blue, but with a larger gold trimming. The word 'Senior' is embroidered in gold stitching below the Bullworth crest. And above the crest the words 'Head Boy' are embroidered in the same fashion. Jimmy looks at his own with slight interest then throws it on his bed with the rest of his clothes.
The best part about being head boy is that you get your own room. Jimmy has to share his room with a boy named Mazz, who is new.
"Pete, do you know anything about this kid?" Jimmy points nonchalantly over to the other bed.
"No clue. But he's from Minnesota." Pete offers.
"Eh, there are way too many new kids for my taste." He grunts and stuffs his clothes into his dresser.
"Only about three." Petey laughs and sits on the bed. "Mazz, Klark, and Lexa."
"They sound like a white trash band. I don't like 'em." Jimmy hisses. He sits on his own bed, abandoning the battle of stuffing all his clothes into his dresser.
"Well we'll learn more about them tomorrow. I'm just wondering what clique they'll lean towards." Petey looks away from Jimmy and focuses again on his new sweater vest.
"Hopefully Mazz has money so he can be shipped off to Harrington House. I want a single." Jimmy laughs and scratches his head.
"You know that isn't the case, else he would of already been there." Petey picks at the stitching at the hem of the garment. "I just want tomorrow to be over with. First days are always the roughest." Petey remembers the first day of Sophomore year all too well, he met Gary at orientation and was fascinated. Even the way he stood reeked of superiority. Petey remembers wanting to know his secret, to unravel him. And once term had started, his first day of Bullworth was filled with Gary. He was hooked, a dog on a short leash. He tries to push this out of his mind. Gary was like alcohol, refreshing at first, but in the end, just sour and intoxicating. And Petey knows this now, because after his first sip, he just couldn't stop. And once he left, he didn't know what to do.
"Well who cares? I just hope he's a nerd or something so I don't have to work on my intimidation skills. And if he touches my shit, he's history." Jimmy cracks another smile. "Hopefully Lexa won't be a Harrington Whore though."
"You mean like every other girl?" Petey looks at Jimmy's smiling face and feels himself melt into one of his own.
"Well money lures people in." He shrugs. "Here's to hoping for another Zoë."
It takes a minute for his eyes to adjust to the sun. He breathes in the air, it's crisp, just on the cusp of turning from summer to fall. The background noise of Dr. Kinz's voice reminding him of their weekly visits is of little interest to Gary at this point. His mind is at ease and his pulse is quickened with the excitement of new possibilities. He looks at the sky, it's blue and cloudless. Roy nudges his bags into Gary's hands. He takes the bag without argument. Dr. Kinz drones on about his medicine schedule and his single bedroom upon his return to Bullworth Academy tomorrow. He also talks about how he'll be settled in tonight and how he's expected to attend every class. They're talking about him as if he isn't even there.
This is it. I'm going back. Ah, so much to do.
"So much to do." He whispers to himself.
"What's that Smith?" Gary turns to the voice and smiles sweetly.
"Oh nothing Dr. Crabblesnitch, just admiring nature's beauty is all." Gary says in his now deeper voice. It still has that ringing edge to it, but the tone has deepened, leaving it a bit raspy.
"It is a nice day, isn't it?" Kinz smiles approvingly and explains to the principal how intelligent Gary is and how he's learned to respect the little things and all this other BS.
"To die for." Gary smiles cheerfully at his doctor one last time before being lead by an arm to the principal's car. He sits in the backseat as Crabblesnitch stands out side of the car, shaking hands with everyone cordially. Gary catches a glimpse of himself in the rearview mirror and smiles darkly. "Ready or not."
Here comes Gary.
End A/N Hope you enjoyed, please review! All thoughts and feelings will be considered. I'm open to critique and suggestions as well. Thanks!
~L.F.