Chapter Seven
"So, you have truanced English four times in two days?"
"Why ask me? You're the one holding the file."
"Don't play the class clown with me boy."
Crabblesnitch was seriously pissed. Good. I was sick of his little bitch act to me.
"I have yet to get to your display of vandalism to the gymnasium restoration project's model in the central hall."
I rolled my eyes.
"Don't roll your eyes at me boy. Why did you do it?"
I shrugged.
"I just didn't like the design." I said, leaning back in his chair.
"Don't act like a little hooligan boy." He hissed. "Do you think I'm only keeping you here because of your aunt?"
"Wild guess? Yeah, I do."
"Well you're wrong. Are you listening to me?"
"Hmm?"
"Listen," He said, starting to act more 'sympathetically' towards me "this restoration project is funded directly by your aunt." I scoffed. "It's a sign of her commitment to the school."
"Yeah. That's why it felt brilliant to smash it to bits." I said.
"We know you have a vendetta against your family Aiden," said Galloway from behind me "but do you really think you have to resort to violence?"
I scoffed.
"Get to your lesson."
"Yes, English Aiden." Said Galloway.
I shook my head, getting out of the chair and walking through the corridors towards my lesson.
I turned around the corner and saw Hopkins and Kaitlyn. He had his arm around her waist, smiling. I caught sight of him.
"Sorry." He said, through gritted teeth.
"No, my bad." I said, looking over to Kaitlyn. "Boyfriend?"
"Of course." She said.
I nodded. Of course. Who else then Jimmy fucking Hopkins? Just my luck.
"Sorry, I had no clue. How you doing?"
"Good." He said again, smiling this time. So he was whipped enough to actually try and like me. Huh.
"I'll see you around then." Kaitlyn said.
I glanced down to the bracelet on her wrist.
"It sure seems to turn out that way doesn't it?" I said to her, before walking past her and into my English class, sitting at the back of the class.
I came out of the class, walking past the lunch hall and out the back of the building - I had the rest of the day free.
I looked up and saw a crowd of people at the entry to the car park. I walked over there, pushing my way through the crowds.
I saw a boy in jeans, a white shirt and a hat shouting a senior in a dark teal skirt, white tights and red hair.
I walked over to him.
"Start spreading rumours about me? As if I don't have enough!"
"Hey!" I called from behind him.
He turned around to see me.
"What the fuck do you want new kid?" He questioned.
"Why don't you just leave her alone and we'll all agree you're very tough?"
"Go fuck yourself trust fund turd! This is between me and my girlfriend!"
"Ex-girlfriend!" the girl behind him said angrily.
"Shut up Christy!" He said angrily, pointing at her.
"Hey, back the fuck off." I said, pushing him lightly on the shoulder.
"Who the hell do you think you are new kid? This is between us."
"Just chill out yeah?"
"No, I'm not chilling out. Who are you to tell me what to do?"
"Listen dude-"
"Shut the fuck up!"
He took a wild swing for my head. I ducked underneath it, punching him in the other side of the face. I then grabbed his shirt and threw another punch at his face. He was going to get beat now. My fist collided with his face again.
I felt a pull on my shirt as I turned around to see Hopkins there. I threw a punch at his face in anger, missing. I then threw my entire weight towards him, trying to tackle him. He'd grown taller then me since we'd met before. I hadn't realised but he was stronger now.
He grabbed my shoulders and pushed me off.
"What the hell?" He asked angrily, as I saw the bully behind him being pushed down onto the floor by Russell.
"Sorry buddy, I didn't see you." I said, pacing to burn off my anger.
"Don't fuck with me Aiden, you saw it was me, why'd you still punch?"
I shrugged.
"I had momentum."
"Aiden, I was trying to help you."
"Yeah, well I don't need your help." I said, slapping his bicep. "Thanks anyway buddy." I said, walking past him.
I stuck my hands in my jacket pockets, looking determinedly at the floor as I walked past the fountain left. I wish I'd hit him. I wish he didn't stop me.
Fuck, I hate Hopkins.
"Hey."
I groaned, turning around to see the redhead who'd been arguing with the bully.
"What do you want?"
"I just wanted to say thanks." She said, looking offended.
"Whatever." I said, turning away from her.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, your ex is the one lying on the floor remember?"
"I know, you just seem upset."
"Why would I be upset?" I asked, not looking at her.
"I don't know-"
"Just go away alright Christy. That's how you can thank me." I said, going inside Harrington House.
I trudged up the stairs, when a hand flew in front of me.
I looked up at a blonde-haired Derby grinning happily to himself.
"Hello Kane." He elaborately.
"What?" I said curtly.
"I was wondering whether you'd indulge me in a brief conversation with Tad here."
I looked right into the room behind Derby to see Tad there, his hand on his chin.
"Not now Derby."
"Come along now man," he said, his arm around me pulling me into the room "I'm sure we can work out our differences to a beneficial stage for everyone."
"What the fuck are you talking about Derby?" I asked as he walked around me, between me and Tad.
"You see, the local gossip is that you are getting friendly with Hopkins' latest girl. Given her past with Tad, I thought we could all have a small chat."
"What past?"
"Kaitlyn and I used to have an arrangement." Tad said expensively. "Of course, my parents agreed, my father very much so, and hers too I would imagine."
"You mean you dated?"
"In layman's terms." He said.
"By any matter," Said Derby, walking between us "Miss Evans has very good potential for a member of our little entourage. She has before expressed her dislike for our little club, but now you're dining with us," He turned back to me "how could she refuse? She would be a direct line from Hopkins."
"Is that all you ever think about? How to get ahead?"
He laughed, with a surprised look on his face. "How would any other leader get ahead?"
"I'm not your errand boy Derby. Find some other chump." I said, turning to leave.
"Come on sport, it's a win-win. Hopkins is demoralized, you have your prize and I have-"
"Listen Derby," I said, turning around violently "I am not being your little minion doing whatever the fuck you want me to do. Kaitlyn isn't a prize and I couldn't care less if she's with Hopkins. Got that?"
He nodded.
"A simple 'no' would suffice old chap." He smiled. "Just a thought old boy. Just a thought." He walked past me, patting me on the shoulder as I left the room and went up to my room, lying on my bed and reading Dickens, Oliver Twist again.
I threw my fists against the wall in anger. Fuck Derby. Fuck Tad. Fuck Hopkins. Fuck everyone!
I sighed and collapsed on my bed, my hands over my eyes.
"Hey."
I looked up to see Kara standing in the door.
"What?" I asked sleepily.
"Just wondered if you wanted to do something."
I collapsed my head into my pillow.
"Do I have to?" I asked after a moment.
"Yes." She laughed, pulling my leg backwards.
"You're freakishly strong." I said, utterly surprised.
"Come on, we're going to the carnival."
"I'm not a carny…"
"Shut up." She said, grabbing a pair of skinnies from my wardrobe and throwing them at me.
I pulled off my jumper, shirt and tie, then opened the wardrobe to get a shirt.
"Are you always going to stay in my room whilst I get changed?"
"Pretty much."
I rolled my eyes and pulled on a grey printed shirt and my leather jacket. I then changed into the black jeans she'd thrown at me and slipped on my converses.
We walked out through the snow. It was around nine o'clock now. Christ I'd slept for a long time….
I walked past the beach house with Kara, which was being egged. I grinned to myself and walked through the tunnel, past the cars going through. It would seem quite popular tonight.
Kara and I bought tickets to get in, then walked around, looking at the rides and games. She decided to play a ball game, hitting tin signs.
I looked around, bored as Kara had her victory cheers.
"Do you want to get a drink?"
I put on a smile.
"Sure, why not?"
We walked forwards, past the guy at the Ferris wheel calling people to come on and try his ride.
"Come on folks, two people per carriage! No more, no less! Come on Folks! In the spirit of Christmas!"
"It's closer to new years eve." I murmured.
I caught sight of Kaitlyn getting onto the carriage by herself. I grinned and ran over to her, leaving Kara for a few moments. I gave the man $5 and hopped onto the carriage next to her, startling her.
"What are you doing?"
"Well he said two to a carriage, no more no less." I pointed at her. "You were breaking the rules.
"You could've hurt yourself." She said sternly.
"I live on the edge. I can jump back out if you want…"
"Doesn't matter to me what you do."
"Are you mad at me about something?" I asked, pulling on my fingerless gloves.
"What do you think?" She asked, looking at me seriously.
"I can't read your mind." I said with a slight chuckle.
She looked out at the sight and then back to me.
"You had a fight with Jimmy."
"Jimmy?" I asked, momentarily confused.
"My boyfriend?"
Ohhh….Hopkins."
"Ah." I said, turning back to pulling on my other glove. "He's still your boyfriend?" I asked with a smile.
"Okay, you can jump out now."
I shook my head, grinning.
"I wasn't fighting him, I was fighting someone else. He jumped in on his own."
"He was trying to help you."
"He should join the government service if he's so interested in helping people, but me he doesn't have to worry about."
"So why were you fighting in the first place?"
"Because Davis White's a moron?"
"You were fighting Davis White?"
I nodded.
"Yeah well, he is a moron."
I looked overhead Bullworth Vale and saw the school in the distance.
"Yup, this place is weird and full of morons."
There was a tense pause between us.
"Then why are you still here?"
I turned to her.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, you don't have to be in school, you're old enough to leave and since you don't like it here, why don't you just go home?"
I smiled slightly at her naivety.
"My mum didn't want me to."
She had a slightly shocked look on her face.
"I don't believe that."
"Your right I guess." I shrugged.
"How do you know that she didn't want you to go home?"
"My aunt Claire said that it was her idea I stay here until the Summer holidays." I leant in slightly. "It wasn't her idea."
She nodded. She understood. That was something I'd never really found common in people – understanding. Strange…
I caught sight of her bracelet.
"How much did that cost anyway?"
She shrugged.
"Not that much."
"Money is better then poverty…" I murmered
She smiled.
"That's Allen."
I grinned.
"Someone likes to read."
She smiled back again.
"Do you read much?"
"No not really." I said.
There was a small silence.
"Hey, what do you and Hopkins talk about?"
"What?" She asked, astonished.
"I mean, does he know Allen?"
"I've read him some stuff." She said.
"Right," I said, thinking "so you've got a teacher-student thing going?"
She looked at me, slightly offended.
"Stop."
I grinned, looked out of the carriage and then back to her.
"No really, I'm curious. What do you guys talk about?"
"Everything." She obviously said.
"Like…" I waited.
"Like…everything. Tons of stuff. Whatever."
She obviously hadn't thought about this before.
"It's just that in the brief non-pugilistic time I've spent with him, he just…doesn't seem like your kind of guy."
"Well…maybe not to you but to me he is. He's fine – we get on fine you know."
"Alright, clearly I don't know him that well."
"You don't."
I cocked an eyebrow, looking at her.
"You don't."
I nodded, and tried hard to stop myself from grinning.
We arrived at the end of the ride, getting off it. I caught sight of Hopkins walking here. Then in the distance I saw a boy in a teal vest and white shirt.
"I'll see you later Kaitlyn."
I walked away and down to the gate, where Gary Smith was waiting for me.
"Having fun Aiden?"
"I was until I saw you. What are you doing here?"
"I thought we could go on a date actually Aiden."
"Sod off." I said, walking with him out of the Carnival and into the tunnel.
"What do you want from me Gary?"
"I see you are talking to Kaitlyn lately Aiden."
"Yeah, and?"
"I was just curious whether you have ulterior motives."
"I don't even have a first motive."
He rolled his eyes.
"Come on friend. I know everything that goes on."
"Really?" I said with mock interest.
"Yes, and I know that you don't get on well with Hopkins."
"Who does?" I muttered.
"Exactly Aiden!" Gary said excitedly. "That dumbass thinks he's the greatest thing around!"
"You need to chill out a bit dude." I said, looking away from him, bored.
"You know, you seem pretty smart. Smart enough to run this school."
"What?" I asked, utterly confused. Run the school? This guy was wrong in the head.
"Yeah." He said, talking to himself more then me. "We could run this school. Make all the scumbags like Russell, Hopkins, Derby, everyone bow down to us!"
"I don't want the school." I said, turning to walk past him.
"I do." He grabbed my arm. "And you don't want to cross me like Hopkins did. Remember that friend."
I pushed him off me, and walked back to the carnival, where Kara stood.
"Hey, I couldn't find you before. You alright?"
"Yeah I'm fine." I said, putting an arm around her neck. "So, this drink?"
She smiled.
"You're buying I assume?"
I scoffed.
"Why would I do that?"
She rolled her eyes.
"Hey, I've got this funny little idea in my head."
She looked at me strangely.
"I'm not going to like this…"
"Come on, it's just for fun.
"What do I have to do?"
"Keep watch for me in Bullworth Town."
"What?"
"Just trust me on this."