Thanks to my friend Cyberwulf for contributing this chapter. Enjoy!
Meanwhile, in another part of Sunnydale High:
William stalked down the corridor, staring at the ground and fighting back tears. After all the poetry he'd written her, all the hours he'd spent following her around, offering to carry her books, offering to walk her home, that bitch Buffy Summers had turned him down. Not only that, she'd laughed at him. Laughed! The chortles and guffaws of her girlfriends rang in his ears. "Does your mommy buy your clothes?" Oh, that one had stung. At least my mother has better taste than some blonde bitch slut, he'd wanted to shout. His mum would understand. He'd go home and tell her all about it, and she'd hold him while he cried, and sing to him. And listen to his poetry. To hell with the school newspaper, bunch of elitist snobs! He was a great poet! One day they'd all see. One day they'd all be sorry they'd mocked his geniu-
He collided with someone, losing his hold on his books and nearly falling on his rear. He leaned down to pick up his things and instead found himself with his back to a locker.
"Watch where you're fucking going."
Ripper's long dark hair hung in his eyes. The smell of stale smoke clung to his leather jacket. Both of his hands were twisted in William's clean white shirt, painfully pinching William's nipples. He glared at the shorter boy for a few minutes, tightening his grip.
"Well? You gonna apologize or wot?"
Cold rage began to build inside William. Why should he be pushed around by some little rich boy, trying to act all street? Defiantly, he suggested, "Maybe, if you wore your glasses and watched where you were going-"
Ripper smashed his fist into the locker next to William's head. William gasped and squeezed his legs together, silently thanking the gods that he hadn't wet himself with fright. Ripper hauled him around and threw him onto his knees in front of his scattered books.
"You give me fucking lip again and I'll kick your bloody 'ead in," Ripper hissed. "Now pick that up."
"Hey! You!"
Principal Snyder stormed up the corridor. "I saw that, mister! It's detention for you, Giles!"
Ripper grunted and slouched off up the corridor.
"Hey! Don't you walk away from me!" Snyder bellowed. He turned bright red as Ripper flipped him off. "That does it! You're suspended! You hear me, Giles!"