Wow, thank you for the reviews. Really, they made me feel all happy inside. *hugs* Here are the next three chapters, I hope you enjoy them! Also I have written about twenty chapters so far and so if there are things you want me to change about the characters or whatever just R+R and tell me that way it will be a story you will enjoy more. It was suggested that this may be a slash fiction, I have no problem with that at all but so far in my twenty chapters it is not a slash fic. Basically I just chose not to give Gordie and Chris girlfriends at this stage but who knows what will happen next.

Nobody believes in Chris (again).

Gordie was waiting outside the office and when Chris appeared he jumped to his feet.

"Hey man how was it?"

Chris shrugged, his eyes distant. "Okay, same old, same old."

"Yeah" Gordie smiled hopefully. "Nothing to bring you down, right?"

"Right." Chris scooped his backpack off the floor and put it on.

"Nothing brings Chris Chambers down," Gordie crowed enthusiastically.

Chris nodded but didn't say anything for a while. They walked along the corridor in silence. Class had finished and the hallways were beginning to fill with students.

"Gordie," Chris whispered desperately, "am I just kidding myself man?"

Gordie was horrified. "No man, don't think that. Never think like that."

Chris shook his head. "I'm tired of this shit Gordie, maybe everyone's right. Maybe I do belong in the shop courses."

Gordie grabbed Chris's arm and stopped him. "You're going to get out of this town Chris, you're going to be a huge fucking success." He kept his voice low so the students milling about wouldn't hear.

Chris smiled weakly. "Yeah well tell that to old man Bonds back there. Yeah, he has a lot of faith in me. Nice pep talk back there. I'm telling you Gordie, I feel like a new man."

"Forget that son of a bitch, Chris. Don't ever let anyone tell you you're not good enough. Shit, Chris, if I believed everything my Dad said to me I wouldn't have enough confidence to breathe in and out."

Chris knew it was true. "Yeah you're right, fuck those guys. You get detention?"

"Today and tomorrow," Gordie replied.

"I just got today," Chris smirked. "Sorry Lachance, guess you'll have to fend for yourself tomorrow".

"Yeah," Gordie laughed lightly, pleased that Chris was feeling better.

They continued to their lockers in that comfortable silence that pops up between people who have been friends for years. As they arrived at their lockers Eric Clarkson sauntered over surrounded by his usual cronies.

"Hey Chambers, Lachance what happened back there?"

Chris didn't even look at them, just kept his eyes fixed in his lockers. Gordie leaned back against his locker and stared at Eric.

Eric smirked "Hey Chambers your bitch beating you up?"

Chris stiffened but didn't reply. Gordie's eyes went to his friend and sure enough, on the back of his neck was a large angry purple bruise. Mr Chambers no doubt was responsible.

"Hey Chambers, I asked you a question." Eric tapped Chris on the neck, right on the bruise.

Chris whirled around. "I chose not to answer, shitheap."

Chris was taller than Eric and bigger. Eric was probably feeling pretty confident, what with having all his lackeys surrounding him, but Gordie knew that Chris could- and would- take them all if he needed to.

"Get out of my face Clarkson." Chris stood straight, his legs slightly apart in an aggressive stance.

Eric laughed. "What are you gonna do Christopher? In case you haven't noticed you're outnumbered, even if we do take your bitch here into account"

Gordie scowled and straightened up. Sure, he was still as skinny as he had ever been, but he was tall. Very tall, taller than Chris even and he had a good couple of inches on Eric Clarkson.

"Why don't you get the fuck out of here," Gordie warned.

Eric smirked. "Okay Lachance," he said with mock sincerity.

"Go," Chris said. Only one word, but it was backed by a lot of emotion.

Eric seemed to consider the options then he smiled. "Bye girls." He patted Gordie on the shoulder then turned to leave. His cronies followed dutifully.

Gordie and Chris exchanged glances "Bastards."