Chapter Thirty-Three

Jimmy's gut told him that he was walking into a trap. He didn't really care though; he was really in the mood to pummel someone and either a greaser or a preppie would do just fine. Hell, he'd even be willing to take on the entirety of both cliques at once. He just didn't care.

School sucked worse than usual. He hated seeing Gord. First, there were those damn hickeys all over his neck that filled him with rage. Then, after those faded, there were still a few scratches and bruises left on his face. Those still made Jimmy want to beat him unconscious, but also made him want to grab the guy in a less violent way. It'd be easier if Petey was there for him, but the head boy wouldn't speak to him until he admitted his faults to Gord. The only person he had a normal conversation with in the last three weeks had been Troy. That kid wasn't known for being chatty.

The further down the street Jimmy raced, the more his doubts grew. Shouldn't there have been more activity or something? Hell, if he even so much looked at an old hag funny, the police were all over him. A bunch of warring kids should have set off some alarm.

He did reach Zoe though. Only, she wasn't in any kind of distress. Far from it. She was leaning on her propped up bike, greaser boyfriend standing nearby. A leather jacket protected her from the chilly wind. Way to rub it in my face.

The only truth Bif told him was that there were three of them. Zoe, Hank, and smaller third one that had his back turned. Jimmy had a feeling he wouldn't like the smug face once he recognized it, so he decided to turn around. He didn't make it before connecting eyes with his old flame.

"Jim? Is that you?" Zoe smiled widely and waved; Hank sort of shuffled in place; and the other greaser outright flinched. The red haired girl stepped away from her prized bicycle and began to come towards him. "What are you doing here?"

"Nothing," he thought about making a break for it, but he owed her more respect than that.

When she came close enough, Zoe pulled him into a familiar hug. Her hair now fell to her shoulders and tickled his rosy nose. "Haven't seen ya in forever! You don't come around enough."

"Yeah yeah. I've been busy."

"I know," she pulled away and bobbed her head up and down slowly. "I know."

I hate those preppies.

"You know what? We were just talking about you. Come join us; it might be enlightening." She grabbed his hand with hers. He felt her chapped skin through the many holes in her black mittens.

"I can't. Got stuff to do."

"No, come on, come on."

Hank greeted them with, "Zoe, what are you trying to pull?"

"I think these two need to have a little chat."

Jimmy regrettably looked over at the other male. He sucked his lips in and bit down aggressively on the bottom one.

I really hate those preppies.

It wasn't surprising that Zoe didn't trust Derby at first. Although she considered herself above the silly titles of the cliques, she knew that the preps pegged her as a greaser. Why would he want to help her? She believed in giving everyone a chance at least once though, so she listened. And the more he crooned the less she thought it to be a horrid idea. Zoe knew that Harrington was going to benefit from this plan somehow, but she realized that Jim might too.

She cared about Hopkins as if he were her own brother. He had gotten her back into school and back into having dreams for the future. She owed him so much. A nice appreciation gift might be to make him happy again, even if his thick head didn't want it.

"Vance, Jim, you two really need to talk. Normally, I'd tell you to throw a few punches first, ya'know take off the edge, but I'm kinda afraid Jimmy would murder you."

"This ain't right," Vance muttered. She was sure Hank nodded in agreement. Jimmy just glared.

"Why would you rather sit around and do nothing and hate each other. It's such bull! At least you two could communicate a little, maybe shed some light onto the other."

Jimmy rolled his shoulders back and tightened his fists up. She could see his knuckles turn nearly the same color as the ground around them. "There is nothing to say. Gord turned out to be a freaking phony, like everyone else, and screwed this scumbag! The end, happy Zoe?"

"But why did this happen? Vance and Gord are both generally nice guys. Why would they do this to you? I mean, Gord pretty much told the world that he loved you."

"He lied."

Vance spoke without his defensive mannerisms. Zoe had never heard any of the boys in the clique let themselves sound so meek before. "No, he didn't."

"Shut your friggin' mouth," Jimmy turned on the guy, getting right in his face. With open palms, he shoved Vance hard enough to push him to the ground. The greaser didn't rise off his bottom. "You have nothing to say to me." When Jim wound his foot back, Zoe took it as a cue to step in.

She grabbed Jimmy's arm and tugged him back a bit. "Why would Vance lie to you about that?"

He wheeled on her. There was viciousness in his little eyes that took her by surprise, though it settled down quickly when he refocused on her and the tall bulk of a man behind her. "Please," he mumbled. "Don't make me do this."

"Gord really was into you Jimbo." Vance spoke up from the ground. "I could tell that he wanted you instead of me."

"He had me and went off with you."

Vance narrowed his eyes. "You weren't really there for him. You didn't care nothing about him."

Jim shook his head once, looking like he wanted to tear the guy's skull off still.

"The only reason he came around me was because you made him feel like dirt."

"I was good to him. He went behind my back."

Zoe added, "You were pretty flippant towards Gord. At least, in front of everyone else."

Jimmy closed his eyes for a second. Was he looking back? "That's how I am. He knew that."

"You were never that way with me. Sure, we messed around with each other, but you never just shrugged me off."

There was a pause. Hearing all the tense breathing made things even more awkward. Finally Jimmy replied. "Okay, so I was a jerk. He should have said so and left."

"Kid is mental about you. He never would've done that."

"So what, we're blaming all this cheating crap on me! What kind of BS is that?"

"Jim, nobody is pinning it on you. Those two made horrible decisions, and I'm not saying you should go rushing back into a relationship with Gordo or become besties with Vance. I just think you should have all the facts before you go on."

An air of resignation pulled around Hopkins. Perhaps, there was something else that made him stay to hear them out as well. "Let's get this over with." Jimmy held a hand out to Vance and didn't pull it back before the greaser could grab onto it like a child would have.

Zoe thought Jim stoic as he listened to the nervous Vance try to explain the entire situation. The kid himself was confused still from everything. He rambled on about how Johnny found perfect times to catch Gord when he was vulnerable, yet rushed through parts when he had actually been with the prep.

She couldn't bring herself to hate Vance. He had hurt Jimmy, but had been under a little manipulation. In the end, they both had feelings for the same guy, neither one of them showing it in the right way.

"Who cares what Johnny did? He didn't hold a gun to Gord's head or anything." He used his calloused words. The young woman could see a wheels turning in his head though. Had a little hope worked itself into his thoughts?

"He played with his emotions and junk!" Vance explained, desperate to clear Gord's name, if only a little.

"Jim, if you had to describe Gord to someone who had never met him, what would you say?"

A little smirk came to the king's lips when he replied, "Drama queen," to himself more than anyone else. "I've gotta go."

"Remember Jim," she started as he had begun to walk away. "You've gotta be clear headed. Take some time!"

Taylor hoped she had done the right thing. Vance looked miserable and shaken up by the entire event, but he kinda deserved a little more punishment than just losing his boy candy. She didn't want Gord to get off the hook either; however, she wanted Jim to be happy most of all.

"I don't 'spose you're gonna fill me in here?" Hank asked as he put a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm just trying to even out the playground. It's sick how far some bullies will go to mess with others."