AN: First off, thanks very much to those who submitted reviews on Chapter 1. It means a lot, it really does. And- yeah, this update came supa-fast, but in a few days I must go on vacation for two weeks, to a place where the palm trees grow and there's no internet to be found. I'll update as soon as I get home. Promise. So... have a nice read.

Mandy opened her eyes. Her alarm clock buzzed out a dire funeral march. She raised a fist and smashed down on the clock. It was silenced. She cast a glance at it: 6:30 on a Monday. Time for school. The thought cast a gloomy pall over her already bleak mood, and she stretched and rose reluctantly- she didn't want to get up, even though, if she were to believe her clock, she'd just slept for 20 hours straight. Her fever was gone, though. There was a bright spot.

She was also grimly looking for ward to beating up Billy. Why had he... she shook her head. He'd wasted his niceties on someone who hadn't needed them. Picking her up and rocking her like a child was ridiculous, a blatant testimony to his blatant stupidity, and humiliating to her. Being held and comforted was not acceptable. It showed signs of weakness. And weak, Mandy thought sharply as she began to get dressed, was not something she planned on being. The idiot was to be punished.

At the same time, she wanted to hold back from actually hurting Billy. After all, a friendship where one hurt the other deeply was no longer a real friendship... it became a guarded acquaintanceship, a wheel of abuse. Much as Mandy enjoyed abuse, causing Billy and real injuries didn't seem quite- right. Not quite fitting of the situation. If she did hurt him, it would be exploiting his stupidity; she wouldn't descend to that level. Her real enemies were all perfectly capable, thank you very much.

So she told herself as she buttoned up her school blouse.

She sternly told herself not to think of Billy so much. His naïveté could almost be charming, at times. Almost. If Mandy wasn't Mandy, she might have been charmed by it herself. And what a disgusting possibility that was.

She brutally curbed her thoughts towards school. What did she need today? Were her hair and uniform pristine? Were there any tests? She surveyed her reflection with a critical, objective eye: of course, her hair was in place, and her uniform was fresh and spotless. Her frown deepened slightly as she looked at her ankles; they were a bit too thin and delicate-looking, and her Maryjanes contrasted and showed them off as if they were something fabulous.

The rest of her uniform was filled out in just the right places... places that Irwin was fond of gawking at. Mandy shuddered. It was time to request a uniform that didn't show so much detail- it wasn't a lot as it was, but any at all was a humiliation, an open testament that her body was sexually ripe.

However, thousands of years of evolution was something even Mandy couldn't beat.

Survival of the damn species, she thought angrily. What did she care whether the species survived or not? And why did it have to survive in such disgusting ways?

Mandy glared into her mirror. Her reflection glared back. Pale, clear skin, dark eyes, heavy eyebrows, blonde hair. Fine. There was nothing wrong with her except those terrible little ankles.

It was time for school.

-GABM-

"Nuh-uh," Sperg announced decisively. He had Billy by the collar, and in his other hand he held a floppy red baseball cap: Billy's hat. Mandy had requested of Sperg that he let them both go.

Mandy almost hesitated when he's refused. Sperg had turned into an absolute bull these past few years, and she couldn't beat him up anymore. Chances were, he wouldn't respond to her threats as long as he knew that she knew he had Billy as a punching bag.

It took Mandy less thann a second to figure a solution out.

"I can bring you someone even more beatable, Sperg. And I bet you're getting tired of beating this-" she nodded at Billy- "loser. Go for a new one. You'll find it refreshing."

Sperg scratched his head. What did this chick know about beating people up? "Prove it," he sneered.

Mandy nodded again, her eyes fixed on his eerily, and walked away. Sperg smiled at her retreating back. "Hey," he said to Billy, "your friend has a tight little uniform." He shook Billy roughly by the collar- Billy's teeth rattled in his head, and he struggled towards his hat. Sperg continued blithely: "To match her tight little body. Say, if she wasn't Mandy, I'd like to make her squeal... ooh, she's comin' back. Her shirt sure is tight across her-"

"Hey Iiiiiiiirwiiiiiiin," Billy called, "whatcha doing with that blindfold on? Why's Mandy holding your hand? Why are you walking towards me n' Sperg? Why do you have glasses? Huh? Huh? Huh?"

Irwin reached up to remove his blindfold. Mandy slapped his hand away. "Where are we going again, baby? What's Billy talking about, yo?"

"Ignore Billy. He's an idiot. We're going someplace warm and magical," Mandy deadpanned.

Irwin grinned sloppily, clasping his hands together. "Where the green fields go on forever and there's always a rainbow in the sky and we can roll around in the flowers together-"

"Shut up. We're here."

Irwin whipped his blindfold off, smiling foolishly. "Boy that was quick-"

His smile disappeared as a shadow loomed over him. "-Y-yo..."

Billy felt a sharp pain as his tailbone connected with the floor. A few feet from him, his red cap rolled to a stop, and he began to crawl towards it. Then- an even sharper pain, in his scalp: Mandy had grabbed a fistful of his hair and yanked him to his feet. "At least pretend not to be a cur, Billy."

Billy giggled. "You said 'curb.'"

Mandy let go of him, and he dropped to all fours again immediately. Billy snuffled his way to his baseball cap, eagerly jamming it onto his head (after licking it once) and turned to Mandy.

She wasn't there.

Billy scratched his head. "D'uhh... um... Mandy?"

She still wasn't there.

"Mandy!" he shouted, "You know I can't find my way to Chemistry without you, right? RIGHT?!"

Several students looked at him curiously; seeing who it was, they suddenly lost interest and went about their usual business. Billy gnawed his fingernails down. A dim, anxious occurence that could have been a thought registered inside his mind: he'd lost Mandy. For the first time ever in school, she wasn't there to hit him, to insult him, to sigh in exasperation as she led him to Chemistry class.

He didn't knw what to do.

"Ehmm..." Billy started out cluelessly. Okay, he thought, I'll think this out myself! I need no help! Where did Mandy usually go?

The bell rung. Students made their way to various classes, and Billy broke out in a sweat. Gosh, how should he know where he went? Where Mandy went? He screwed up his face, trying to remember...

A ghostly image of his friend flicked on in the inside of his eyelids. "Billy," snapped Memory Mandy, "do I have to tell you how to get to class every single day?"

A ghostly image of Memory Billy appeared and nodded his head, grinning.

Memory Mandy threw her hands up. "Fine! I give up! The Chemistry room is the 3rd door on the left in the 2nd corridor on the right as you walk into the school's front door. And don't expect me to help you again!"

Memory Mandy poofed out of existence.

Memory Billy looked at real Billy. "You got a ham sammich?"

"No," real Billy replied sadly.

Memory Billy poofed out of existence, too, and real Billy opened his eyes. Well, easy! He'd just take the 2nd corridor on the right-

His plan was already doomed: he didn't know left from right!

He screwed up his eyes again, and this time, an apparition of Ms. Butterbean filled his vision. "You write letters with your right hand, Billy," she said sweetly. Billy opened his eyes before she'd even poofed. Now there was no stopping him!

Unfortunately, there was another complication.

Billy couldn't write.

-GABM-

Mandy stared at the clock... where was that doofus? She'd meant it when she told Billy he wasn't getting any more help from her, but found herself wishing she had anyway. Mindy was annoying her, and Billy wasn't even here to out-annoy Mindy.

Mandy stared at the clock. On the other hand, that twerp should be able to take care of himself for a change. Mandy did need a rest once in a while, and it was difficult (to say the least) when Billy was always off, getting into trouble.

Mandy wouldn't have been surprised if that hyperactive fool ran into every classroom in the building before finding the right one. But, if that were the case, wouldn't his hyperactive legs have been able to run into every room by now? She shook her head. He'd be fine.

Five minutes, ten. Why hadn't he arrived?

Mandy raised her hand. "May I go to the bathroom?" she finally grumbled.

The Chemistry teacher, a pale, stuttering man with a large turban, smiled at her nervously. "Of c-c-course, Mandy. B-by all means, leave!" He swallowed, patted the back of his turban, and smiled again wanly. Mandy gave a disgusted snort and left.

Outside the classroom, the hallway was dark and deserted. Mandy closed her eyes, soaking up some alone time. It was very quiet. Somewhat cold as well. Reluctantly, she remembered that her time out here was limited, and her eyes opened back up into their perpetual scowl. If I were an idiot, where would I be?

Mandy's brain quickly fired back solutions. He'd be in the cafeteria. Reading comics in the hall. At home, given up on school. Outside playing by himself on the swingset (though he was 16). All sorts of other disgusting places, or maybe even another dimension, where he'd be prancing around and infuriating demonic nightmare-things.

Mandy had just under 5 minutes for her bathroom break.

She closed her eyes, listening for any stupid noises that might betray Billy's whereabouts. It would almost have relieved her to hear his annoying giggles come floating down the hall- it would have saved her a lot of trouble, anyway. But, of course, she heard nothing. No giggles. And somehow that annoyed her even more.

Her shoes made muffled noises as she walked down the hall. The sound reminded her of her vulnerable little ankles. Mandy ground her teeth furiously. If Billy didn'tshow up soon, she'd-

"Hey, kid, how's my fist taste?" A familiar voice sneered. It was followed by an equally familiar smacking noise.

"Not as good as a peanut butter-and-mustard pie! Ouch!"

Mandy froze.

"I'll give you some pie if you let me go," Billy continued. His voice was scared, but he was overlaying it with sugary, wheedling tones. "Yeah, and I'll give you a brisk reptile, and, uh, my dad! Ow-ouchies..."

"Fat chance, Loser McLoserface! You're alone and you're helpless without that little slut-"

Mandy's eyes widened.

"-And besides, why would I want your dad?"

A cold, acidic jet of Hell-flames seemed to blast through her veins. Her heart beat twice as fast, and her breathing came in short, ragged pants. Her fingers twitched. All she could think of was mutilation. Her aura vibrated with outrage as she stepped around the corner, into the sight of Billy and Sperg.

"Hi Mandy! Gee whiz your face is grey. Are ya sick again?" Billy asked happily.

Mandy suddenly hated his innocent little face. Without stopped on her way to Sperg, she lifted him up and threw him, and he slammed into the wall.

Sperg didn't have time to process the fact that Mandy was about to kill him. Her slender arms shot out and she squeezed his neck between her hands. Her anger was oozing out where Sperg was choking, but somehow, Mandy's hatred didn't seem to be leaving. She felt savage happiness as Sperg's eyes rolled back. He began to jerk around spasmodically, but Mandy kept a firm, iron grip on him. "I made you a deal," she whispered in his ear. "You went back on it. You insulted me. You thought I wasn't watching. But I'm always watching, Sperg. And now, I'm afraid, you will have to deal with the consequences of my revenge."

Sperg's neckbones popped and crackled. Mandy wanted them to snap, too. The bully was going blue, now, and he was twitching rather than struggling. Tears ran down his cheeks. I'm killing him, Mandy thought apathetically.

She kneed him in the groin and let go of him. Billy watched, wide-eyed, as Sperg sank to the floor, thin purple marks adorning his throat. He gave a wheeze, curled up, and lay still. Mandy stared at him. "He's all... dead-like," Billy whispered in awe.

Mandy's throat was dry. "Yes, Billy." She nodded.

Billy regained his Billy composure immediately. "But, Mandy, that's so CO-OOL! He was all, punch, punch, and you were all, toss-me-into-a-wall-strangle-Sperg WA-CHOW-A! And then, and then you kicked that happy spot and made him be just like a hedgehog, with no supper at all. Thanks for protecting me, Mandy!"

She should have seen it coming: Billy enveloped her in one of his famous bonecrushers. He squeezed her, her startled face pressed into his neck as he sort of rocked her back and forth, and she nearly forgot herself and hugged him back.

That is, before she growled and punched him away again.

"Ow, deeheeheehee!" Billy giggled stupidly.

"Let's get back to Chemistry. Come on, Billy- follow me."