Chapter Two

"The bloody cheek of it, Smith." Laurie commented, rubbing her neck as she came up to them. "This is my student to show around, sweet."

The two boys turned to her as she stepped down the steps to them, having overheard Gary speak of the Nerds.

"You took your time." Jimmy shrugged.

She took out her phone. Twelve oh two. She grimaced at him. "What, two minutes? I was out at Shop lesson! God, you try dealing with Lola and her love-slave next to you in class. Ugh. I shudder at each squeak of too tight leather." She shivered at the thought of it, the sounds in her head and she shook her head fast as if to throw them out. Then she heard it and shifted to the left to watch the spoken two pass with a couple of Greasers behind them, leaning on Hopkins shoulder and putting a hand to her heart. "Thought I was going mental for a second." She remarked to them with a wide grin, licking her upper teeth as she watched as the Greasers pass and stared at the back of them, finally turning back to Jimmy with a normal smile.

"Greasers." Gary informed Jimmy, eyeing the girl of their group as she nodded in agreement, shifting away from the other guy now they'd passed.

"Greasers?"

"Yeah, they hang by the Autoshop, the class Watson here just had. Johnny's the leader." Gary informed, putting a hand to hip. "The 'love slave'. Lola's his girl. Now, let me tell you about the girls in this place. Watson, get lost for a minute. This is man talk."

She stared at him in disbelief, eyes narrowed incredulously. "…You're kidding me, right?"

He just stared at her expectantly.

"What the hell could be so important? We're bitches. I know. I can be too."

Jimmy was curious. "As a favor for me?" He asked.

"I've already done you a favour!"

"I thought that was a gift?" Gary inserted slyly causing her to groan in annoyance but then her stomach grumbled loudly, making her flush and he fished out a few notes. "Here. Go get food."

Free food was a plus. There was the basic everyone got, paid for by living here and the tuition costs, or you could upgrade for the better meal at an extra cost to yourself. It was always worth it to get better food. No spit in the food even though it was still shit and she could make better. "Fine, Smithy." She sighed, reaching up on tip toes and swiftly pulling him down slightly by the arm to give him a quick kiss on the cheek and leaving. Hey, people who paid for her food got a kiss on the cheek. Lukas had many of those by now. She hadn't realised it'd awaken something in the male she left behind.

The lips were soft and the press was firm and hurried, but he'd not allowed anyone to kiss him without his permission, ever. She'd been fast, the action had gone by quickly and he hadn't been able to move away in time. Still, it'd sent a heady shiver down his spine, tingles staying down low when he scented the warm subtle fruity perfume, and he could still feel the warmth on his cheek. In that split-second, he'd wanted to grab her and shove her up against him so he could bury his head in her neck and feel the rest of her warmth up against him and taste her flesh and inhale that scent so he could pinpoint its' placing. He'd wanted her right next to him and would quite happily keep her there.

Whoa.

Who, whoa, whoa.

Calm your shit down.

'The fuck is that stupidity?' He knocked the thought of that out of his head and turned to Jimmy who pat his own cheek and Gary rubbed away the light pink lipstick with a grimace. "Damnit, woman." He muttered, glowering after her when she turned and winked with a snicker afterwards.

"So?"

"Right. The girls aren't to be touched. Ever. No guy hits the girls. It's an unwritten rule. The girls are all allied to the groups by the groups chosing, but the cliques are male only fighting. If the girls knew they'd take advantage of the no hit rule and we'd be seen as absolute bitches. Anyway. We don't allow them to fight the males as if it were equal gendered in here - which I'll get to in a second - so we don't let them get hit. We don't let them get involved. We listen to them in fights because they'll be on your side- if you're in the same clique that is. Understand?"

"…Why?"

"Just how it is."

"In fights… Oh. So when Laurie called out only one on one and called them cheating bastards… they listened not because she's a prefect, but she's a girl? That's so… stupid." Jimmy crinkled up his face.

He snorted in agreement, but playing by this one rule Bullworth entertained – or rather, dodging around it - had always saved him some broken ribs. He looked over to Laurie still in line and about to get served and then moved them along to the end of one of the table to grab some fruit. "Here's the thing. Bullworth men are taught to look after their women and to respect others territory, unless you're willing to fight for them of course. It makes for very giving girls once you get one."

"So... it comes down to sex?"

"I suppose so." Gary shrugged and gave him a look. "Like I said, don't tell the girls any of this. Oh and another thing. When the girls fight, let them fight. Don't get involved. It'll be seen as trying to break the rules if you do. Even if it's your woman who's fighting. If you're going after a girl, you let the others know. Proclaim it somehow. Don't just chase the skirt, especially if the girl is popular. That'll get you hurt. Unless you're the King of this place, but that's another lesson for another day, and also currently made obsolete by Russell."

"Sure."

"It's not equal gendered here. The men choose who they'll have and fight it out if need be and the girl will have to deal with her partner who's won his right to her. Now, if she doesn't want him? Doesn't matter, she can't have anyone else in the school unless the guy backs down from his claim. Though that slut Lola seems to get around it any time she can and we can't figure out if Johnny told her about it and she's trying to upset the status quo, that she figured it out or she's just a whore. We don't let our women get hurt and we don't share, either. Like I said, if it were equal gendered a society in this place, none of this stuff would happen, and it's up to you to decide which gender has the better position in Bullworth despite male dominance in numbers. Also, for some reason, it's somehow come down to only being able to proclaim three times. Don't ask, I really don't know. Nor do I care."

"Hey! Look it's ribs and rice and veggies today!" Laurie said cheerfully as she plonked down beside them, handing over some forks to Jimmy across from her and Gary next to her. "I got a big dish - you know, the Russell order? - so we can share. So, have fun talking behind my back?"

"Of course." Gary said smoothly, taking a fork and digging in. He was hungry for once. "Told him all the rumours about you."

Laurie laughed joyfully and nudged him with her shoulder. "I have rumours? What fun! You should add to it that apparently my mum was an alcoholic, and because we have a law in the UK that allows over five years old to drink under supervision on private property that I'm a secret alcoholic too."

"That's a good one, with law to back it up. I like it." Gary agreed, wondering when he could unleash that one on the school public for fun and see how quick it'd go around. "Act drunk around school."

"Why not? Haha!"

"Seriously?!" Jimmy said, jaw open.

She cringed at the sight of half chewed food and cringed into Gary a little. "Oh, come on mate, that's nasty. Don't show me the inside of your gob. Aww…"

"Eat before you spray, moron." Gary muttered, not really happy with seeing that either, realising he could smell her perfume and had to shift away before he touched her to push her away. "Jeeze."

"So?"

Laurie nodded, picking up a rib. "Yes, it's true. I've been drinking since about ten myself. Mostly ciders and weak wine, so nothing heavy. I had a caretaker, and he didn't care as long as I didn't interrupt him doing his own thing. So, drinks ahoy, matey! It's a rather unknown law in the UK unless you go look for drinking laws, but it's there and legal. It's good in a way 'cause it helps get the whole 'Ohmigod! I'm drinking! Look how cool and mature I am to be able to drink!' element out the way. At least, it did for me. Drinking is just recreational to me now and nothing big. I find it distasteful to go nuts over it even. I'd rather not lose my mind. Let others get rat-arsed; I've enjoyed the stupidity from a bunch of people here and taken photos." She began eating her food happily.

Jimmy nodded, chewing his rice and gulping it down. "That's cool. So who're they?" He pointed his fork at the one's donning light blue diamond patterned clothing.

"Preppies." Gary said, slowly looking away from the woman who had blackmailing evidence, itching to look at them and eyeing the light sky blue argyle sweaters in aversion. "All money and condescending attitudes."

"Massively inbred?"

"Completely brainless, too. Very observant, Jimmy-boy." Gary smirked a little. "All the way to the back are the Jocks. They rule the school. Definitely avoid them."

Laurie giggled pervertedly at her next raunchy text about him going down and having a good time, replying quickly, but clearing her throat at their looks and putting her phone away with a smug cat got the cream smile.

"I'm not afraid of some dumb 'roid monkeys."

"You'll learn." Gary said in amusement, raising a brow.

Laurie leaned forward, using her fork to enunciate her words. "Think of them as slightly weaker Russell types and that's the Jocks. Probably only a few IQ up on our resident giant too." She waved the cutlery before forking some rice up into her mouth and swallowing thoughtfully after munching for a few seconds. "But enough on our cliques 'cause you'll get it soon enough. How'd your first lessons go? Chemistry, right?"

Jimmy copied her position. "Does he make drugs? He's seriously off his head. He even asked what we were doing there."

"Close. Hair growth." Laurie waggled her brows and then snickered patting her temple with the base of her fork. "Fumes. So yeah, he does that."

"How'd you know?" Gary asked demandingly.

Damn, was his info that bad?

Surely he'd have known this?

"He asked me to deliver a few products in return for some cash and an extra couple lessons to help me pass. He knows I'm no good at the sciences and gave me a hand and helped bring my grades up. That was last year though. Talking of, I need the toilet." She got up. "Back in a tic."

"Same." Jimmy said and with lack of else to do that lunch with the meal finished, Gary got up and followed.

"The girls' toilet is on the opposite side, but the boys' toilet is on the end here. See ya in a mo." Laurie winked at them and departed to the girls. She heard someone crying in the cubicle next to her and ignored it as best as she could because after having rather rough sex most of last night she was kind of sore down there and that needed prior attention. She'd gone back to her room to see it mostly cleaned up before the start of second lesson and had quickly grabbed some soothing balm for her bruises but hadn't time to apply it properly, so she'd do it now. It did smell of cherry almond too, so it wasn't anything unpleasant.

Sighing in relief at first going to the toilet, applying the lotion and then the warmth working its' magic, she went to clean her hands thoroughly and exited the room only to see Jimmy and Gary return from the opposite direction of where she left them, passing by Eunice, who also looked up at them.

Jimmy held a box of chocolates in his hand and gave them back to the snivelling girl. "Here."

She stood next to Gary, idly asking. "What's going-"

"Wanna make out?"

"-On?!" She continued and her eyes bugged out when she witness the bigger girl jump the new kid and make out with him, wetly, looking like she was trying to eat him with her enthusiasm. She bit her hand just to stop the laughter, her knees going weak in hilarity and she fell into Gary's shoulder, shaking so hard from trying to hold back her humour. "Oh crap that's- that's-oh shit! Hahaha!"

Gary himself was just staring at the scene in frozen disgust, unable to believe Jimmy would touch her. He turned to the girl cracking up on his shoulder in hilarity as he shook his head slowly at the pair of them. While Jimmy was being disgusting in public, at least Laurie was trying to hold herself back even if doing a shit job of it. His mind focused on her, wondering why he hadn't bothered to get information on her before. His eyes slinked down to her pretty lips and wondering if the new scent he could detect was coming from them before snapping away from those thoughts and shrugging her off.

"Hoooo!" Laurie cried while waving herself to cool down as Jimmy's flushed unhappy face came up to them. "Looks like you had fun!"

"Suck dick, Watson."

"That's between me, my man, and last night."

Jimmy rolled his eyes, just about noticing the narrowed look of displeasure on Gary's face before it disappeared. They'd never met before today, but Jimmy could easily see the attraction Gary had for Laurie start to begin… as well as the obliviousness Laurie had for the budding feelings. "Anything serious?"

Laurie had to pause at that. Was it? Well, no. It wasn't. Lukas had been so hard to catch because he had a fiancé but Laurie was attracted and always got what she wanted. She called him her man because she was currently doing him. She wanted him, sure, but at the same time she didn't want to ruin his marriage to be. She'd honestly just wanted the sex from him because he was hot as hell.

Still, when she'd actually really tried to catch him yesterday afternoon, it hadn't taken that much cajoling on her part.

A few kisses and heavy looks plus one little invitation, and he was hers, even.

She wondered what that meant for the very innocent, kind Lilly he was engaged to and then instantly moved her thoughts away from that part of things. While she thought Lilly was stupid for not noticing Lukas had cheated on her multiple times but still loved her dearly, Laurie also felt the stirrings of guilt for doing so. But she wasn't the first he'd cheated on Lilly with, and nor would she be the last. Give him another ten years to settle down, maybe, but for now he was playing the field and if he wanted to cheat on his fiancé? Up to him. If he'd pushed Laurie away when she'd hit on him heavily last night, fair be it. He wouldn't be interested, even if he snuck after other girls, and she wouldn't bitch at Lilly for revenge. It was their life to fuck up as they wished. It's not like she even had much to do with Lilly anyway.

"From the major thinking I'm guessing that's a no."

She looked up sharply at Gary but then nodded in consent to that. "Agreed. I suppose it's more of a 'friends with benefits' thingy." Then she brightened up. "I'm tired, sure but happy and I've enough energy to show you around Bullworth! So let's show you around this delightful gilded cage. Now I'm sure you've found your locker? Odd things. We have a Dorm five minutes away, talk about lazy. You know the Preppies always have cash in theirs? You ever need a few extra bucks, you can owe me a favour and I'll point one your way."

Not wanting to be upped on information, Gary also spoke up. "Or if you prefer something a little on the relaxing side, one of the non-cliques like us likes a smoke."

Laurie grinned as an idea popped in her head. "Oh, I heard Hobo Grant likes to grow his own stuff. Where'd I hear that from…?"

"Hobo Grant?" The two male said in unison, one more curious while the other dubious, not liking being overtaken in the information department one bit.

"Yeah. Well, I was kinda out one night and met him while I was sneaking back in a few months ago or something. Was going on about wars in Vietnam or something. Looks like an older version of you, Hoppykins." She teased a scowling Jimmy.

"Good idea." Gary felt his smirk widen. "We should start a rumour that so Jimmy's dad is the Hobo and that's why he transferred here?" He said loudly to her in a question as some students passed and they instantly started to whisper amongst themselves and Jimmy turned to him incredulously.

Laurie burst out laughing. "Oh, snap. Nice one, Smith." She clapped him on the shoulder and turned to Jimmy before going into peels of laughter. "Your face! Oh gosh…" She rubbed her eyes as she smiled widely. "First day back and already… Ah, Bullworth. You do me proud."

The manipulative male smirked, pushing both of them forward by the shoulders. "Okay, back to showing you around this prison…"


.G.


"Told you these ones were in date."

"Fine. You win, Smithy."

The trio were in front of the swimming pool side of the gym as Gary and Laurie finished up debating about the Beam cola's machines 'BBE' or 'Use By' dates. Gary had easily become a lot more accepting of her once he found out how much knowledge of the place she had from watching people. She didn't get everything right and he gleefully corrected her, leaning on her shoulder or flicking her ear, but he was unsure about how quick to taking to her he was made him feel.

"Of course I do."

Jimmy just shook his head at the passionate arguing the two seemed to like. "Why's that?"

"It's because of the Jocks and the Preppies trying not to get beat up." The teal male replied to him with a snort. "Everyone else gets the shit as long as the Jocks are happy and not beating up the family who sponsors the school."

"And that's…?"

"Derby Harrington." The two responded immediately with accompanying nods.

"Family has sponsored this school for years." Gary continued.

Laurie absently nodded in agreement. "Since it opened, even. There's a bunch of the 'auld enemy' on the walls, even though they seemed to have English snob accents."

"Auld enemy?"

"The Scots."

"Aren't they the UK too? I thought that was the French?" Jimmy said, surprising her on his knowledge.

"French are the enemies, well once upon a time they were until the Entente Cordiale at the turn of the twentieth century, what with all the European wars we had against each other and with others that helped shape the modern world as it is, but Scots have been the enemies since before everyone else, really. Even Ancient Rome. Shared Land and all that."

"Shaped the modern world?"

"Hey, the Europeans had a huge bunch of golden ages around the time tech was seriously starting to get its arse moving in the sixteen, seventeen, eighteen and nineteen hundred's yeah? Are you trying to insinuate I'm ignoring America on purpose or something? Hey man, your time is now and the world is watching. Ancient Egypt and Asia really began it, and Europe continued it and America's slowly taking over on shaping the world. Simple as. So shut up."

Gary couldn't help the smirk on his face, getting into this at her annoyed features. "Well-"

"Can we please not start a history debate?" Jimmy asked in exasperation. "Look, English is next. Let's get to there."

"Sure. Guide the way, sunshine. C'mon Smithy, show our lovely new boy to his lesson while I go to physics."

Gary had to smile.

They were beginning to trust him already.


.G.


A/N: Do you like this? Tell me! :D

Remember, I'll only probably post what I've written and then be very lackadaisical about updating it, so if you do want more, give us a kick up the bum about it.

A big thanks to CacklingCactus!

Yawningly,

LaRS.