Chapter Twenty Nine

Petey kissed his girlfriend goodbye as she departed for bed, mind starting to occupy itself as it had been for a few days. There'd been a sort of worried excited buzz in him. He'd slowly gotten used to the idea of what Gary wanted for him and now had been happy to go along with it. He'd gotten a taste with the interrogation watching Vale had set up for the two planners to watch their fighters as they learnt more business side of things, and also a better taste of the business side of things. He was already used to long papers of accounts from his accounting mother, but with talks of viable next shops to take over and who would notice, there was something very enthralling about it.

He knew he liked to acquire material things due to lack of being able to require any other type of things, like emotional familial support or social things like friendships, so that was the last thing available to a kid that would keep him happy. Then Gary came along and picked him up, probably noting the eagerness to have a friend and using that. He liked to boss him around, pick on him and shove him but always had looked after him, in his own way. He was possibly amused by him enough that he kept him around.

Jimmy and Gary seemed to be at odds with each other and Ivy had kept the window locked, though when he'd knocked she'd let him in.

It was Friday, the thirteenth, even, and the school had decided that one Halloween wasn't enough, though the Nerds had been wary, what with 'their' observatory being blown up last time. Petey didn't get why they made such a big deal about the date; there was another one in July, after all. But any excuse for a party seemed to be the motto.

A flash of teal from the corner of his eye made him look to the side to see Ivy uncaringly smoking a joint on her way in, something she'd rarely been doing, so he wondered if training had been hard. "Ivy!" He hissed, looking around at the empty area. "What are you doing with that out here?!"

She looked around. "Why? Think that bush over there will see?"

"Ivy!"

She held it out to him with an innocent look. "Oh! You want some?"

He smacked her hand away. "No!"

"No need for the flying fists, darlin'." Ivy grinned widely at the little goodie two shoes she loved like a brother. "Nearly finished anyway." She quickly finished it off and tossed it in a bin. "Better. Hobo Grant's getting better at this growing thing. Hadn't seen him for a while so I figured I'd stop by after another nice yet absolutely killing session with Sifu Choi." She stretched, groaning deliciously, waggling her brows at Petey who simply put a hand to his face at her actions.

"I think Gary knows of your penchant for that crass habit of yours and got Vale businessman to protect him. It wasn't much of a request since he'd been doing that anyway. Apparently he'd been granted a nice new area to farm in but likes it here."

"Of course he did." Ivy mused and then eyed him, noting the red on his neck, swiftly pulling his collar down and laughing as Petey defensively put a hand over the bite mark, smacking her hand away. "Someone just got some."

Petey just huffed. "So what?"

Her eyebrows raised. "So you are growing up? No blushing or stuttering. How boring! Alrighty then. If there's no blushing then tell me, how is it going?"

"I'm not telling you about my sex life." Petey denied her information, rubbing the mark she'd seen. "You're like my, my sister or something. It's totally weird."

"What bullshit is this?" Ivy pushed him by the shoulder. "C'mon, Petey don't be an asshole." Then she blinked in confusion. 'Did I say that the American way? I did, didn't I? Well, shit.' She shrugged at his glare. "What? So is she a moaner…?"

"Ivy!"

"What?"

"Can't you give a guy his privacy?"

"Hell no. If I had to deal with Jimmy fucking in the bed we were sharing while I was out-"

"That has nothing to do with this!"

"-And I want to shag the fuck out of a certain someone, like eeeeveryone seems to bloody well know-"

"That's entirely your business. Not mine."

"-And even rich snob Derby spilt the beans about him and Pinky and his favourite bedroom activity-"

"He did?!"

"-Then my best friend Petey could at least tell me what his favourite position is."

"Seriously, Ivy?! Seriously?" Petey cried out loud flipping his hands in the air in disbelief and walked off, flipping her the finger as he heard her delighted laughter and the footsteps follow him. "Go away!"

"But Petey, darlin'!" She implored teasingly, slinging an arm around his shoulders.

"Get lost!"

"Hey, Ivy!"

"What's up, Wa- Whoa!" Ivy was picked up and swung around by an ecstatic Bully. "Gah! Put me down! Put me down!"

"Sure. Wow, you look different in normal clothes," The Bully stated as he put her down with a grin. "Anyway. They said I've improved enough that I can get onto the course if I keep it up!"

"You serious? Nice one, mate!" She held up her hands and he high fived them, fist pumping afterwards to himself after. "That's so fucking awesome! I'm really happy for you, man."

"Congrats, Wade," Petey said as he came up to them. "So we'll be seeing you next year too?"

"Hell yeah, dweeb."

"Oi. It's Petey," Ivy said, raising a brow at him and Wade waved her off.

"Yeah, yeah. I know. The Bullies are having a fight in the pit to determine our ranks cause we figured we'd best get our asses in line and actually get it together. You guys wanna go?"

Ivy perked up at that. "Heck yeah, I do!"

"Sounds good to me. Oh, Jimmy might wanna go too."

"You go get him and we'll meet you there, okay?" Wade grinned and Petey nodded, dashing off. He turned to her and eyed her clothing. "It really is weird seeing you in baggy clothing rather than a skirt. Cute but weird."

She'd kind of just come back from a brutal training session in Muay Thai so baggy clothes were always the thing to relax in. "I exercise all the time. Bit of a nut for it. So, the pit?"

"After you."

"A Bully with manners? My, how rare." She mocked dryly, knowing it wasn't manners that prompted this courteousness.

"More to us than sloppy attire."

Her eyebrows raised as she passed him, impressed with his increasing vocabulary and he smiled smugly, eyeing her behind when she looked forward. "So I'm hearing."


.I.


Ivy was bobbing up and down on her feet, clung onto the rails with a hand, the other holding a beer. "C'mon, Jimmykins! You did it once you can do it again!" He was facing off against Russell and his moves were much more smoother after months of her teaching him. Oh, she was so damn proud of her boy. She then sighed in aggravation. Then he does a stupid free for all move and now she's annoyed. "Ahh… Friggin' idiot. You holding out there, Wade?" She looked back at him, trying her best to drink the beer but still disliking it. She just wanted the tipsy feeling.

Wade had taken on Russell and had gained a pulled muscle in the leg by Petey's look over.

"Yeah. Good thing we have Petey here. This was literally decided about two hours ago, so we don't have much things to prepare us. And I had to go crazy…"

"We all have our down days, mate."

Wade just huffed and leaned back. "Yeah, right."

"Oi, I just had mine three months straight and I just had removal surgery yesterday. Your one night doesn't even stack up."

"Shut up."

"Dickhead," Ivy stated as she rolled her eyes and turned back in time to realise Russell had been hit hard enough to jolt the surrounding area and some people, including her, had fallen in, rails breaking after being in complete disrepair. She groaned in disgust despite being the only one to land on her feet, because landing in this stuff was beyond disgusting and - oh goodness what was it? She grimaced and shuddered, not daring to drink her beer in case of goop splashing into it, and dropped it hurriedly, moving away to the exit ladder.

"A free for all, people!" Someone shouted that sounded far too much like a certain snake in the grass for her to be happy. "Enjoy the show!"

"Oh hell no," She grumbled, looking up at the man she regularly screwed smirking down at her as the crowd of students cheered.

Gary crouched down at the entrance ladder she was right next to, resting elbows on knees. "Have fun, thistle. I better see you or Jimmy at the top of these philistines."

"Hey, they have culture."

He gave her a look as if to say 'pull the other one'.

"You really want me to, Gary?"

"Somehow we have to start taking over instead of just pushing around. Why not from the bottom, up, at such a perfect opportunity?" He mused in mocking delight. "Behind you."

Having not heard anything behind her getting too close, she swished around to see Trent watching her in confusion rather far away, looking up at Gary before back at her once more.

"You can… fight?"

"Yeah." His slow fist was nothing to her and she easily ducked and slammed an elbow into his gut, backing up a little before striking up into his chin with an uppercut and easily taking him out. "Don't feel bad, Northwick." She commented to the blond, wondering if she should have fun beating up Jimmy. "What about Jimmy, Gary? Should I get him too?"

His hand twitched. "Might be best to have Jimmy at the top. But we need your skills to be rumoured about. You'll be taking over the girls soon enough. Or would you rather Lola stick there as an ignorant bait?"

Ivy watched the proceedings carefully before looking up at him. "I don't care. Either way the people outside already know about our real agendas so in the end this place doesn't matter… but… if I'm not top… I think it may damage our rep because we're insulting the groups that do know, as if their intellect was low enough to fall for it."

"Agreed. Looks like you've been rubbing up with the right people."

She gave a wink. "Let's not get plural now. By the way… did you set this up?" Her face wouldn't accept a dumb lie.

"You know me well, Nessie. The Bullies being so disorderly got annoying. So I planted a few ideas and got myself some entertainment. My left."

Winding around again, she grimaced at the two in front of her, blocking the first strike, twisting his arm and using him as a shield and pushing him away into Jimmy, who punched him out for her while she struck a pressure point in the second Bullies' collarbone and then knocked him out with a blow to the temple. "But seriously? Now? Why?"

"Again."

"Thanks." She swiftly took out the next person in three easy strikes before leaving the arena, taking herself out of the game, and sitting next to Gary. "But you didn't have to say anything. Their street fighting isn't up to par with actual street fighters."

"And how about us?"

Ivy snapped her head to face him, actually astonished. "You want to?"

Gary shrugged, looking from the arena to her. "I don't care about anyone but my people. You're the only one on the list when it comes to those sorts of feminine bullshit things and I don't want anyone touching you thinking you're free." There was a grouchy look on his face.

"You act as if I'd let them touch me." Ivy snorted and looked into the pit once more, murmuring. "What's better for taking over? Wouldn't it be better to have us known as together after it's all taken over? With your rep…"

He delighted in her willingness to hold back so he could have dominance over the school. "I've been far too quiet," He reckoned, fully sitting down instead of balancing on the soles of his feet. "I know I'm suspected of being up to something all the time. The Nerds are the only ones to rightly fear me because they're the only ones smart enough to."

"So… this is just fulfilling one of your needs to show off your amazing manipulative abilities?" She scoffed, leaning back on her hands as she watched Jimmy take out the third to last. "You dastardly tyrants are all the same."

Gary barked out an honest laugh, surprising one or two of the people near them. "We have ego's that need a good polishing." He agreed.

Ivy felt her mouth widen into a grin at her perverted thoughts. "I'm sure I can polish your ego in another way, lover."

His eyes landed on her face heatedly. "So?"

"Let's keep it hidden for now. At least until we take over the majority and it won't stab us in the back at some point this school year. You've been planning this enough that to just come out is… weird." She was mature enough to handle keeping things secret. She wasn't a teenager in reality. Not her original one at least, nor mentally, and if there was one thing she had experience in, apart from martial arts, it was men. This one still needed some buffing, but he'd be turned into a fine man perfect for her in due time and there'd be no hastening it either. "And it can be fun."

"I am so pleased with myself right now." Gary sighed in satisfaction, sounding exactly as he did after sex and copying her pose. "We're really doing this."

It made her shift a little, and she licked her lips anxiously. "Just keep me sweet."

His eyes flickered over to Wade who was watching and gave a superior smirk in his direction, before leaning closer to her making the male glare at him jealously. Gary sneered back. As if he could do anything to him. "Don't worry. I love the taste of your sweetness too much."

"Conniving bastard." She muttered, half smirking, sending him a heated look he responded to with a lick of his lips. "You know, we could let our two boys know because Jimmy is about ready to lock us in the closet to get us to speak about it. Or just pound you because he'd already made hints about finding me another guy in the last couple days. And Zoe maybe when she gets in the know but for now, there's no need to rush with her."

"He has, has he?" Gary wondered what he could do to rile the man up in revenge without going overboard because Jimmy's connection with him and his plans had become fragile since the interrogation. "A bit presumptuous on his behalf for another man's woman, I believe."

"Protective. I did hack my guts up after that time and he's been looking after me with a more attentive eye."

"You never did tell me what you said. I saw you used pressure points?" Ivy leaned forward quietly explain in his ear what she said and the admiring look made her feel uneasy. "That could eventually be your thing. We could even find someone and fake you'd done that to them if you really couldn't do it." He added, though it would be simpler just to do it. "What a deliciously painful way. Impressive thoughts. The pressure point already being hit just makes it all the more believable to the person strapped down. And salt in the wound…" He chuckled. "Nice linkage."

"…Yeah."

"Don't be so under-enthusiastic." Gary rolled his eyes and stood up, giving her a hand and pulling her up when she took it. "Martial arts has given you a keen advantage into knowing what gives pain. No offence, but technically this is the thing you've been training for. Fighting and self-defence. Not interrogation, I grant you, but it was certainly those who had the ability you do that did it. The one's trained to be able to cause maximum pain." He added at her disgruntled face. "We can always use your rep you'll gain and also let lowers do it when we get to that stage." He'd push her later; let her get used to the thought of it and during the months maybe he'd even set up a need for it once or twice or strong-arm his grandfather into setting things up.

"Maybe."

Gary clapped her on the shoulder with a smirk as he saw Jimmy win before loudly declaring to the non-cliques and the Bullies, the only ones to know of this, sticking a hand out to gain attention. "Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a new Bully Clique Leader! Jimmy Hopkiiiiins!"


.I.


Ivy clicked off her hair dryer and started to brush out her hair from the tangled knots it inevitably had, just waiting for it.

"You're what?"

"Going out. Have been for a while," Gary acknowledged, drinking a beam cola as he surfed the net for a movie. "Friday thirteenth so it's gotta be a horror. What to watch…" He murmured to himself. "What to watch..."

Petey spluttered in disbelief as Jimmy just stared at the two.

"Turn around," Ivy commanded and the two not her current boyfriend looked to Gary as she got changed into a pair of normal jeans, neither baggy nor skinny tight, matching underwear and a long sleeved top. She promptly kicked away her tracksuit she always threw on after a shower. "For some months, we've been together."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Jimmy demanded from Gary, who didn't even look at him prompting a scowl.

"Ask Ivy."

"Oi," She said, flinging the top on and the deciding to put on a pair of fuzzy socks for warmth. "What do you mean ask me? You wanted to hide it."

"No I didn't."

"Today you didn't."

"Still means I didn't."

"But before you did and that's what's counting right now, wanker," Ivy stated, sitting on the bed next to him. "Anyway. We've been together since… uh…" She had to think about that one. "Uhm… October… Or was it November?"

Gary gave her a sour look. "October the twenty second, loser."

Ivy waved her fingers at him as she looked at Jimmy and Petey's amused faces. "There. That. Then. Twenty second of October. I knew that."

"Liar."

"Yeah I am. But I'll remember from now on." Ivy pointed out, grabbing his drink, and taking a sip and Jimmy gulped his beer down and glared at her, remembering Cancun and her tendency to drink anything in sight. "Heh."

"Whatever." Gary boredly tapped the keys, not caring; she had an entire case of both drinks in here. "Forget finding anything. Friday the thirteenth it is."

"Since then? It's halfway through April!" Petey stated, stunned. "That's half a year. You were always around us, though!"

"Damn, really?" Ivy said sarcastically before grimacing. "Sarcasm? Nah, that's really not me. Anyway. Yeah. So it was originally just to dissociate me from Gary's evil acts of crime and keep us from being too connected but thinking about it, always being always seen with each other and then suddenly when something happens and the other doesn't know where the other is? Kinda suspicious in its own way. Best friends and all. Wow; best friends with Gary Smith. That's some scary shit right there." She teased with a joking grin, smile widening at his roll of the eyes.

Petey nodded in agreement. "At least after the third or fourth time it would be. There's only so many alibi's you can have until you're taking the piss." He looked at them in confusion. "But why not tell us?"

"Honesty, I was just going with Gary's plan but it wasn't anything so sacrificial. It's what I'm like with dating guys anyway, minus the not holding hands thing or a kiss goodbye. I keep it behind closed doors."

"I don't." Gary detailed to them, proving it by grabbing her and putting her between his legs. "Person or item, when it's mine, it's mine and everyone will know. So keep that Wade away, Jimmy." He dropped a kiss on her temple. "I don't want him sniffing around anymore. I put up with it for helping my woman, but she's fine now so the deals off. Keep your boys on a leash."

Jimmy gawped at the sight of an affectionate Gary (idly wondering if the apocalypse happened while he wasn't watching) before nodding absently, "That I can do."

"Wade?" Ivy frowned, leaning back into him and enjoying the arms winding tightly around her. "Really?"

Jimmy nodded in agreement and even Petey looked to be nodding in concurrence to that. "He's got a point, Ivy. Don't get how you missed that."

"I get oblivious to it when I'm in a relationship." She shrugged at their incredulous looks, knowing she was flirty as hell. "Seriously though?" She asked unhappily and sighed at their roll of the eyes. "He seemed alright, you know? Maaaan."

Jimmy gave her a pitying look as Gary grabbed a beer, only leaning to reach for it. "That's 'cause he was trying for a girl he was beginning to like. Most of the girls here are either way too young or taken or just a no, remember? Suddenly having an in with a cute one that was supposedly free? Well, a guy's gonna take it. Why else would Gary always be around or have one of us there so it wasn't suspicious? It does make sense why he even cared now. I mean unless shit got serious or the guy was connected to some other gang…" He looked at the other male, not sure what to think about this whole 'secret relationship thing' and wondering if he should just ignore it, passing over the bottle opener.

It was so Gary he shouldn't even be surprised to be honest. But he was very surprised that Gary could keep it under wraps, what with his territorial tendencies and somewhat melodramatic personality that liked to boast.

"…Oh." Ivy blinked. It really didn't feel like she'd even been getting hit on.

"Didn't even have a chance." Petey chuckled at her bemused look. "So I'm taking it you're telling just us and we're keeping it a secret now?"

"Yep."

"Ivy! You in there?!" Mandy knocked on the door. "Have you heard the news?!"

"Yeah!" Pinky agreed.

"Might as well answer and if it comes up, you're gonna be top dog. You can say you know the arts but try and keep the extent hidden. Plans for school domination start now," Gary muttered, letting her get up and moving to the window as the other two looked at each other with small smirks. Things were starting to hit off. They had a decent enough group now and with the Bullies under their command it could really hit off. "Gentlemen. Time to leave." The trio departed, though Gary kept back a moment for a soft kiss as he held onto the sill, feet on the wooden climbing frame. "Let them in so they know you're serious." His dark eyes flickered to the wooden practice dummy. "Hide the amount of experience, of course."

"Of course." She pushed him into a kiss, simply enjoying the movements of their lips against each other.

"Hey, Ivy!" Zoe then called, interrupting.

Ivy threw an annoyed look at her door over her shoulder before turning to face him once more. "My man. You do keep things interesting." Ivy gave him another kiss, trailing a finger down his cheek before nodding, grinning at his smug acquiescent look. "Later." She turned to the door, looking around her room and then shoved the box of beers under her desk and hiding it behind her bag. "What's up?" She called as she quickly made the bed and sprayed some perfume.

"Let us in!" Zoe continued as Ivy grabbed Gary's newly opened beer and went to the door, tasting the rim of it, of him.

"She never lets anyone in," Mandy disagreed and Ivy opened the door wide. "Oh…"

"Maybe I'm feeling generous?" Ivy grinned, sipping her Peroni. "So what's the news?"

"The Bullies have decided to form a whole new clique completely!" Pinky informed excitedly before looking weirdly at her. "Why are you drinking beer?"

"I like Peroni?"

"Ew. Beer is ew, Ivy." Pinky scrunched her nose up.

"Yeah, I'm trying to like beer. What with hanging out with guys, it's easier to drink what they're drinking. Okay so, Bullies are a new clique, I know and…?"

"-And Jimmy's the new leader of them!"

"Knew that too."

Mandy huffed in annoyance. "I just heard it like two minutes ago! How'd you know before me?"

"Jimmy's my best friend. Also, I was there."

"So that's true as well, that you can fight?" Pinky exclaimed in a loud whisper and Ivy gave a confused look.

"Didn't Derby say?"

"Derby knows?" Pinky blinked as Ivy sipped her drink and the other two girls gave each other looks.

"Well, I did tell him I went lessons a lot. I figured he would have mentioned it sometime."

"Since when did you speak to him?" Pinky said, feeling a bit protective.

"At the first football game with our parents and John's parents. It came up." At least she thought that was when she told him. "Pretty sure it was."

"Pretty sure?" Zoe said giving her a suspicious look. "You're not messing with him, are you?"

'The fuck?' Ivy honestly didn't know why Zoe said that and even felt a little pissed off at her. "Hell no. I rarely speak to him. I've spoken to him without Pinky all of three times. First time was welcoming me to Bullworth and an invite to a party while I was with Gary, the second with my parents and there was one time I bumped into him at Old Vale. He thanked me for teaching you some things." She waggled her brows at Pinky who looked flush with embarrassment. "Don't worry girl, I'm not gonna steal your man. Why would I help your sexual relationship if I'm 'trying' to sabotage it?" She commented with another gulp of her beer. "I get my kicks when I can without stepping over that line. It's not like I haven't currently gotten my kicks elsewhere."

Zoe snorted and Mandy looked at the three curiously, interested in the dynamics.

"Anyway, I've decided that If Jimmy can be a leader, so can I."

Pinky gasped and put her hand to her chest. "Really?"

Ivy gave a short nod and slid her eyes to Mandy. "Gonna challenge me to it?"

"Nah, but you're taking on Lola? She's vicious." The Jock said with a snort. "Have fun with that." Her eyes drifted to the wooden training dummy. "So that was never Diego's?"

"Nope. But the jacket was."

Zoe looked at Mandy. "Diego?"

Ivy shook her head at Mandy inconspicuously, giving a warning look against it.

"Not my story to tell." Mandy shrugged and Zoe immediately looked at Ivy impatiently but Mandy spoke up once more, pointing at her bottle. "Can I have one?"

"Under the desk."

"Well?" Zoe said in exasperation as Mandy happily got one. "Who is he?"

"Well what? I'm not telling you anything apart from him being a previous screw one time. He's in the past, anyway. Haven't seen him for months." A lie but she covered it up by drinking the rest of her beer and ignoring Zoe's narrow eyed look, suddenly really disliking Zoe. If she didn't want to say then Zoe could shove it where the sun doesn't shine. "Doing anything tonight?"

Pinky sighed at that, looking pouty. "The guys are having a gentlemen's club party thing."

"What?" The other three girls said in disbelief.

The princess stood up, waving her arm and wandered to the window. "Not that type! Just some stupid one where they invite other social circle elite's sons to talk business and drink old whiskey and smoke Cuban cigars and try to look big. They're going by right now, see?" Pinky pointed out and Ivy swiftly made her way over, leaning her forearm above her head against the window. Pinky whispered, "Oh wait… isn't that…?"

"Yeah."

'Diego. Elite social circle member working in an ice cream bar and a gang?'

He looked up by chance and gave a small smirk and a wink before looking forward again, looking amazing in a suit and very predatory, causing a narrow eyed look in return. It reminded her of the one very good time in the ice cream bar. Tan skin, little smirk, amazing green eyes. Damn, sometimes she could just let her hand trail- Nope. He just looked fucking hot this one time, was all. Where was Gary to make her go goo-goo when she needed him? She would really like to feel him, hot and heavy in her hand, teeth nipping down her neck- No stop.

She was just turning herself on.

Fuck. Now she wanted the girls out and her man in.

She pushed away from the window. "Who's he with? The company he...?"

"Alvarez export."

No wonder Gary knew his surname. Quetzalcoatl's were the weapons dealers as well. She could've sworn there were no guns in- No. Gary was right. Sifu said that but as a teacher to another gang that meant nothing. Plus that was about Mad Caps... Cats.. whatever. Guns were a real possibility she'd yet to encounter. Her fist instinctively clenched. Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck. She was fast, very fast, but she couldn't go faster than a damned on point bullet.

It really was naïve of her to think…

Her jaw clenched.

How could she not…?

The Scot inwardly sighed in defeat.

Whatever.

She'd made her decision and when she'd face it, she'd face it.

Ivy knew it'd happen eventually.

There was a burgeoning mix of worried energy and adrenaline in her that made her repeatedly tap her foot.

"V?" Mandy said coming up to her. "You okay?"

"Where's Lola?"

"The Greasers are having a party in the garages. Neil 'accidentally' left them open; and his store of beer he forgot to take home with him." Mandy rolled her eyes. "He used to be the old Leader about five years ago. So he's all about that shit."

Ivy raised a brow. "So he's young then?"

"Youngest on the teacher's rota," Zoe stated, having been watching the movie on the laptop. "What were you gonna do, sit here by yourself with beers and watch a movie? Lame."

What's with the attacking? Ivy gave a cock of the head. "I was trying to find something before I hit Petey and Gary's room and drag Jimmy with me and see if they wanted to watch a movie. The beers were incentives." She chuckled, trying to ignore the undertone of mocking. "That got derailed by the Bullies. After I got back from the pit I hit the shower and just finished blow drying my hair."

"Yeah well, enjoy getting beat up by all the Greasers." Zoe snorted.

Ivy turned to her and growled out, "The fuck is your problem?"

"You. And Petey and Jimmy. All like fucking puppets."

Ivy knew exactly what she meant by that and frankly, it pissed her off because part of it got to her. She knew some part of her hated being ordered around and that she'd gotten used to it. The three of them all had just fallen into Gary's sphere of control.

Yet…

Flickers of their laughing faces zipped by in her mind.

She'd never been so happy and connected with friends.

Zoe wouldn't be one of them.

Couldn't.

She didn't get him like they had done.

Ivy snorted and shook her head. "Get out of my room, Zoe. I'm not dealing with your ignorant bullshit."

"I'm ignorant? You're the slut fucking him."

Ivy shook her head. "What's your problem? And who am I meant to be fucking?"

Zoe stood up with a scowl. "You know fucking well who."

"Well, I ain't. So what if I was anyway? I can 'fuck' anyone I want. It's when I'm cheating I'm a slut. Anyway, if I was, would you be jealous, bitch? Is that what it is? You want him, but he'd prefer me?"

"Fuck you!" Zoe threw a fist and Ivy easily dodged left, letting her trip over some boots. "I knew him first!" She accused, scrambling up at her embarrassing fall. "Why would Gary want you?"

Pinky and Mandy gasped at finally hearing the name of the guy Zoe was fighting her for before looking at each other knowingly.

Ivy narrowed her eyes. She'd kinda thought this night would go a little bit different than this. Ivy had figured Mandy would be a little huffy about being overtaken by Ivy as head honcho of the girls but eventually get over it and that Pinky would be admiring at her daring and that Zoe would smirk and cheer her on because no one liked that hussy apart from the idiots thinking with their cocks. There'd been no way she'd ever seen Zoe make any overt flirtations with her man.

There was a little bit more kindness in Zoe's tone to Gary over the others, but Ivy had obviously been idiotic enough to think it was because of getting her back in and Gary's general ability at getting others to trust him.

Did anyone else know?

Shit.

Did everyone else know?

Was she that fucking oblivious?

She'd have to keep he eyes open from now on because how the fuck was she missing these possibly obvious social cues?

"Are you kidding me? You want… Gary? Are you insane?" Mandy stated. "That sociopath? And we all saw him with Katie, Zoe. There's been nothing like that with Ivy and we both know it."

Zoe paused at that.

She'd been insanely jealous Gary kept this accident prone bitch close and not her, but he'd done the same to both Jimmy and Petey.

"So you're not… with him?"

Ivy crossed her arms and scowled down at her. "I'm not letting a stupid bitch like you have him if I wasn't or was. Your classless moves wouldn't get him going anyway. He's cunning as fuck; why would some blatant action like that even cause him to glance in your direction unless to sneer at the sheer ineptitude?"

"So you want him?"

"Maybe I do, maybe I don't. That's between me and him, sweetie," Ivy stated and then moved past her to grab her I.S. jacket feeling an inward sense of feminine smugness as she scowled at the Scot.

Zoe could never be in the running for him.

Ivy had plenty of his clothes in her room (even including his Halloween pirate coat) including different male deodorants and cologne in a bag in her wardrobe because he stayed over a lot. He stayed here. With her. Touched her. Wanted her. Even cuddled her, because he really was a cuddle type. Even without trying for sex like the horny bastard he was (well, they both were) and was very possessive of their free time so it could be just them.

She swiftly tugged the hoodie on, smirking for once.

"Anyway, onto more important things; there's a greasy party to crash. Out." She nodded to the door and Pinky was the first to go, quite happy to follow as she'd been brought up to do. Mandy nodded on the way out but Zoe stayed. "Do you require me to go get a doctor to supply you with a hearing aid? Out."

Zoe snorted and left, passing her and stating, "This isn't over."

Ivy chuckled and opened her chest of drawers, taking out some gloves. No point 'perhaps' ruining her knuckles if she got angry enough. "There was nothing to begin with, Zoe. Not for you anyway." Ivy grabbed her sparring shoes and slipped them on and then slipped on her key necklace. Just to annoy Zoe, she swept to said wardrobe and took out Gary's cologne to spritz some on, put it away, leave and locked the door behind her. She swept past the three, now focused on a new fight upcoming. She was ready for bed, sore from her training, but she could make one last fight for the day. She exited the Dorm, not surprised to see her three boys waiting for her near the entrance to the Girls Dorm.

Jimmy jumped off the wall and gave a mocking shake of the head. "Knew it. Can't let me have my night can you?"

"Hell no. You and me will always fight for the spotlight when it comes to fights, precious." Ivy stepped around him with a grin but then swept an arm around his shoulder and ducked him closer. "Did you know Zoe has a fucking huge lady boner for Gary?"

"What?" Jimmy hissed as she let go with a nod. "Damn."

Petey walked next to her and whispered. "Don't be cruel?"

Ivy nudged him. "I can't make promises, darlin'." She winked at Gary as she passed him and he pushed of from his inclining against the wall and followed behind her silently, simply looking heatedly at her back as his nose twitched, masculinely possessive at his scent on her. "Alvarez is here. You know that?"

Gary's face instantly went cold. "Is he now."

"Uh huh." Ivy looked at Pinky and nodded to Gary before looking the way she was going causing Gary to raise a brow at the ease of command and actually feel admiringly horny at it. Pinky came up and explained the last minute decision to allow more widespread people to come in, acting happily compliant to her new top girl as they arrived at the garages.


.I.


A/N: I liked this. Anyone a Zoe fan here? Because, uh... Yeaaah. 'Bout that.

Please review! Seeing such responses always brighten my day, even if it's just a short little message of 'Keep going!' or something :D

Much love and lustre,

LaRS. x