Back at home Michelle was on the phone to Jal.
"And then he just left."
"Michelle, I wouldn't worry about it, Tony's like that. He's ok one minute and then the next he fucks off."
"I know, but after last night I was hoping it'd get us back to normal, at least as normal as we can be." Michelle said in disappointment.
Jal sighed at her friend's predicament. "Listen, forget about Tony, me and you will go out tonight, just the two of us and we'll have a great time, yeah?"
There was a pause on the phone "I don't know Jal, I don't feel like going out."
"Well you're fucking coming ok? Jal laughed. Meet me outside Chris's at 8:00pm."
Michelle accepted reluctantly "Yeah ok, I'll see you later."
Meanwhile, Tony was in class and sat in front of him was Chris, to his left Maxxie and to his right was Sid.
"So, what did everyone get up to last night?" Sid asked whilst yawning.
"Me and Jal went back to the flat and had great sex." Chris announced whilst smirking.
Everyone looked at him. "Seriously, it was great. That girl... she's amazing."
Maxxie shook his head and laughed "Anyone else get up to anything? He then looked at Tony. Where's Michelle?"
Tony stared at his desk, "Michelle's got the day off to do a piece of coursework or something."
Maxxie watched Tony's facial expression and could tell that something happened last night and that he didn't want to talk about it.
Chris, on the other hand, was less observant. "So Tony, did you and Michelle do the thing last night? Chris then imitated what he imagined to be Michelle's orgasm face. I bet you did didn't you?!"
Tony stared at Chris "What the fuck is it to you?" With that Tony walked out of the classroom and leant against the wall. He started to light a cigarette when a teacher walked past.
"Tony Stonem, you're not allowed to smoke in here, put out that cigarette! Can't you see the signs?"
Tony looked at the teacher with a sardonic grin, "I'm partially blind."
The teacher sighed indignantly "Don't give me that! And I suppose you didn't hear me tell you the first time to put out that damn cigarette!"
Tony continued to smoke and touched his ear whilst mouthing the words "What? Can't hear you?"
The teacher was becoming increasingly impatient
"So, what, you're partially deaf now too, is that it?"
Tony nodded and smirked.
"Get out. The teacher said, whilst escorting him to the front entrance. I've had enough of teenagers like you who think they can do whatever they want, you need to learn some respect."
As Tony walked away from the school, he mocked the teacher by saluting him.
"Sarcastic little shit." The teacher said as he headed back into the school.
Tony really wasn't in a good mood. He had to think about his feelings. Was he still in love with Michelle? He didn't think so. More important however, was considering whether or not he fancied Maxxie. As he sat under a tree, he smoked away without realizing Maxxie was walking over to him. He sat down.
"Tony what's up? Did something happen last night between you and Michelle?" Maxxie looked concerned.
Tony turned to face him. "Yeah me and Michelle shagged."
"Oh right, Maxxie said looking a bit confused, well are you two ok?"
Tony sighed impatiently "Not really, but I don't see how it has anything to do with you." Somehow hoping that his aggression would stop him thinking about whether he was attracted to Maxxie or not.
"Because I care about you Tone and if you weren't so annoyed at everything, you'd realize that."
"Right. Next thing, you'll be telling me you fucking fancy me." Tony said as he lit another cigarette. There was a longer pause than usual.
Maxxie looked down on the ground avoiding contact, which caused Tony to get suspicious.
"You don't do you?"
"What?" Maxxie asked looking surprised.
"Fancy me?"
Maxxie began to open his mouth and then closed it again. He wasn't sure whether this was the right time to admit to his friend that he had feelings for him.
"Well, Tony, I actually do like you..."
"What the fuck? You're telling me you fancy me?" Tony asked in an untoward manner.
Maxxie felt himself going red. It wasn't like he admitted to liking guys that often, especially not his friend. Especially not Tony.
"Well yeah, is it that surprising?"
Tony evidently didn't know how to respond to this and ignored the question.
Maxxie continued, hoping to provoke some sort of response out of Tony.
"Tony, listen, I've liked you for ages. But it's always been about you and Michelle and so I haven't really had the chance to tell you how I feel." He placed his hand on Tonys but he backed away.
"I have to go." Tony replied bluntly.
"You don't have to, Tony, listen I'm sorry if I shouldn't have told you but it's how I feel."
Tony started to get up when another figure appeared from behind the tree, it was Cassie.
"Cassie! Tony gasped, what are you doing here?"
"Oh not much, she smiled innocently, I'm not interrupting anything am I?"
No response.
"I'm going to go; I'll see you guys later." Maxxie then rushed back into school.
Cassie looked at Tony thoughtfully. "I hear you and Michelle are having problems." She waited for Tony's inevitable reaction.
"Where did you hear that?" Tony asked in a slightly aggressive manner.
"I stopped by at Chris and Jal's flat this morning to pick up a few of my clothes I'd left there and I heard Jal on the phone to Michelle and by the sounds of things, Michelle wasn't too happy. Why's that Tony? Did you make her mad?"
Tony's mood was worsening. "Just leave it alright Cassie?"
Cassie kneeled down next to him whilst lighting her own cigarette. "I just thought you should know that Michelle was complaining about you."
Tony shook his head in frustration "Why are you even telling me this? Is this your idea of fun?"
Cassie hesitated, considering carefully how to answer "You know I don't particularly like Michelle, but that isn't the reason. It's just that you and Michelle haven't been that close recently and I think you can do far better than someone like her."
And with that Cassie walked off.
Later that day, Maxxie saw Tony walking towards the Science block and caught up with him.
"Hey Tone! Maxxie shouted, wait a minute."
Tony stopped. "What do you want Maxxie?"
Maxxie looked a little surprised "I just wanted to see how you are?"
Tony laughed "Yeah, I'm such a fuckup everyone keeps feeling the need to ask how I am."
Maxxie put his hand on Tony's shoulder "You know it isn't like that Tone, I just care about you."
Not allowing himself to appreciate Maxxie's concern for him Tony pulled away instantly.
"Yeah I know you "care" about me, you made that pretty fucking clear earlier. I've got to go..." As Tony walked off Maxxie could see him ringing someone. Was it Michelle?
Back at the flat, Chris was asleep and Jal was tidying up. She then heard a knock at the door and she answered it, to find Tony stood in front of her looking irritated.
"Come in Tony," she said whilst tightening her dressing gown, so you're here to talk about Michelle then?"
Tony looked at her with an impatient glance, "What has she been saying to you about me? About our relationship? Let me guess she's been complaining about how she doesn't feel close to me anymore, right?"
"Well...Jal started, actually-
Tony interrupted, "You know what? I don't even know why I'm asking you, I've answered my own fucking question."
Jal half smiled in the hope of calming Tony down "Listen, she just said that you seemed to leave in a hurry this morning, that's all and she just couldn't understand why, considering you...got on so well last night."
Tony once again glared at Jal, feeling very defensive. "I was in a rush to get to college, okay? It isn't a big deal. Not the kind of big deal that she's making it into."
Jal raised her eyebrow in disbelief "Well Tony, if that's the only thing that's bothering you then ..."
Tony didn't hesitate to reply "Yeah of course it is. What else would be bothering me? Apart from of course, everybody being so "concerned" all the time as to my well-being and the state of my relationship with Michelle. Well you know what, forget everyone's concern. I don't fucking need it!"
Jal said something as Tony left the flat, causing him to turn around again.
"Tony, if you don't love her anymore, the least you can do is tell her."
Shocked, Tony turned around to leave again. Was it really that obvious? Surely if Jal could tell how he might have been feeling then he should be able to. He knew he still cared for Michelle a lot and he wanted things to work, but would there be any point if he didn't love her anymore?
Meanwhile Effy was sat in a history class. The teacher was droning on "It was between 1914 and 1918 that the Great War took place. But, this is significant as women's roles were increasingly changing during this period. They started work in..."
The teacher's voice grew quieter and quieter as Effy fell asleep on the desk.
An hour later, Effy woke up and found a blonde girl sitting next to her.
"What are you still doing here, it seems that the class has already finished." She looked at the blonde girl waiting for a response. The girl continued drawing.
"I don't know, I just thought I'd wait until you woke up."
Effy laughed, "Why?"
"Because I think you're hot. I have done since the beginning of term. I thought I should tell you."
Effy smiled "Really? And why is that exactly?"
The blonde girl swept her fringe out of her face whilst looking straight at Effy.
"You're just really sexy and I know all the guys think so too."
"Well, Effy said whilst leaning into the blonde girl, they're just guys aren't they? They're all just wankers..."
As Effy leaned in, the blonde girl did the same and as they did they began to kiss. Kissing a girl was definitely different; it was a different style of kissing. Effy couldn't help but think: what if this was actually Cassie? How would I feel then? Effy placed her hand on the girls skirt, did this feel right? Suddenly, Effy and the blonde girl heard a commotion. They pulled away from each other and realized that a group of year 11's had taken a picture of them kissing on their mobile phone.
"Fuck, the blonde girl said, I haven't even come out to anyone yet."
Effy sighed "Well, I guess now's your chance." She then started to leave when the blonde girl touched her arm, "What did you think of the kiss then?"
Effy smirked playfully "I think its help me to see things a bit differently." She then left the classroom and on her way out came across Maxxie.
"Hey Eff, have you seen Tony anywhere?"
Effy frowned "Why is there something wrong with him?"
"No, he began; I'm just really concerned about him that's all."
Effy stared at Maxxie trying to uncover some hidden meaning "Concerned?"
Maxxie, unaware of how concerned for Tony he must have looked, then noticed Effys tone of voice and instantly adopted a causal expression.
"Well yeah, it's just that I saw him earlier and he looked stressed, that's all."
Effy nodded "Thanks for letting me know, I'll go and see if he's ok." As Effy started to walk off Maxxie shouted after her "Let me know how he is yeah?"
"Sure." Effy replied as she left the school and walked through the park. On her way back home it was then she noticed Tony in the distance handing some money to a guy.
Effy walked over to him.
"Hey Tony, Maxxie was looking for you a few minutes ago."
Tony smirked "Why's that then? Because he wanted to "see how I am"? Should have told him to mind his fucking business."
Effy looked surprised "Tony, he just cares about you ok, we all do."
Tony then started to get his phone out.
"And what is this all about?" He then showed Effy a picture of her and the blonde girl kissing.
"Oh that...Effy said, well yeah...we kissed."
Tony looked surprised at the fact Effy had not gotten embarrassed by it. "It'll be round the whole school now and the sixth form, you realize that don't you?"
Effy shrugged "At least it'll give people something new to talk about, rather than their own dull, monotonous lives."
Tony laughed "Yeah, I guess it will."
"So what were you buying from that guy?" Effy inquired.
"Just something to make my day go a little better." Tony smirked.
"I won't tell mum and dad, Effy insisted, as long as you give me some too. Deal?"
"Deal." Tony said whilst shoving the small plastic bag into his pocket.
Later that evening, Sid was at Cassie's flat.
"How was your day at college Sid?"
Sid adjusted his beanie hat "Ah...you know."
Cassie smiled "No, Sid I don't, that's why I asked."
"Sorry, I'm just a bit distracted. Tony was acting strangely in class today and when Chris joked about him and Michelle he just got up and left."
"Oh right, maybe things aren't going well between the both of them?" Cassie asked Sid this, already knowing that this was the case.
Sid sighed. "I don't know, but I hope they work things out and Tony stops being an arsehole."
Cassie shot an angry glance at Sid "How do you know that their problems are down to Tony? Or are you just assuming that Michelle is perfect, so fucking perfect that she couldn't possibly do anything wrong to anyone?"
Sid sensed that Cassie was annoyed "No, it's just, come on Cass, let's face it, usually when something goes wrong between them, its Tonys fault. I mean I love him but he's the one that usually upsets Michelle, not the other way around."
Cassie suddenly looked down at the table "Apart from the time when you and the lovely Michelle fucked each other, I'm pretty sure that was her fault and not Tonys."
Sid stood up in annoyance. "Cassie, when are you going to stop bringing that up? For fucksake, I thought we'd got over that!"
Cassie also got up at this point. "Yes Sid, you got over it, she then got up from the sofa and walked towards the door. I'll see you later." Cassie once outside, lit up a cigarette and made her way over to see Effy...