Back in the staffroom, Tom was telling Steph and Matt about his ordeal with Earl Kelly. He didn't want to admit it, but it had shaken him up a little.

"He shot you?" Matt repeated, shocked by what Tom had just told him

"Yeah. Well, just with his fingers, obviously" Tom confirmed

Matt ran his fingers through his hair. He'd never heard anything like it.

"Have either of you had any dealings with him? It's not just me, is it?" Tom asked

"I thought he was a cheeky little sod" Steph stated, shrugging

"He's a bloody nutter!" Tom exclaimed

"That family hasn't had an easy time with it you know, Tom?" Jasmine piped up, looking at it from Denzil's perspective

"Well the other Brother seems ok" Tom pointed out. To him there was no excuse for Earl's threatening behaviour

"Well according to the sister, they've been pushed from pillar to post by the Mother" Matt explained

"Exactly! You know, I was going to have a word with Rachel," Jasmine started

"To ask what she was thinking of when she enrolled him in the first place I hope?" Grantly cut in

They all looked at him

"We're always being told that resources are overstretched. Perhaps they'd be more elastic if we didn't take in every nut job and charity case, let alone whole families of them" he continued

"Wow... it's just like Bob Geldof's in the room!" Matt breathed

"Or maybe Bruce Forsyth" Steph added

They all laughed, quickly forgetting about Earl Kelly as the conversation turned to Grantly's new look.

Back in the school corridor, Earl had found his little Brother, Denzil. The two of them followed Paul and Bolton outside. Earl was ready to teach them a lesson.

Bolton and Paul walked along; Paul still shaken by Earl's earlier fit of rage.

"I just want to keep out of that new kid's way, alright?" Paul was saying as they walked along

Earl smirked. Getting revenge on Paul and Bolton was going to be so worthwhile.

"I think he's a bit," Paul continued

"A bit of a, what?" Earl cut in

Paul stumbled, eyes widening in fear when he saw Earl stood next to him.

"Nowt" he mumbled

"Look, I don't know what your problem is, man!" Bolton sighed

Earl wanted to laugh at him

"I don't have a problem. I just want to show you something" Earl shrugged

"Go on then" Bolton nodded

"Not here. Come on, I think you'll like it" Earl replied, gesturing for them to follow him and Denzil

Paul and Bolton exchanged a look. Bolton moved to follow. Paul however, didn't budge.

"No... it's alright. We've got stuff to do" Paul mumbled

Earl and Denzil spun around. Earl couldn't stop the grin from forming on his face.

"Do a lot of 'stuff' together, do you boys?" He teased, smirking

Paul and Bolton were growing increasingly uncomfortable.

"Well, ok. If you want to be left alone with your boyfriend, that's up to you" Earl shrugged in a patronising voice

"Alright, better be worth it!" Bolton snapped defensively, following Earl and Denzil

"Bolton, no!" Paul hissed

Bolton rolled his eyes, walking back over to Paul, who hadn't moved one bit.

"He was calling you gay as well, come on!" Bolton whispered

Paul sighed, giving in and following Bolton.

The four of them headed back into the school building and into the boy's changing rooms. Paul followed apprehensively, practically having to drag his feet.

They stepped into the Boy's changing room, Earl walking around to check no one was inside before taking the gun out of the waistband of his trousers.

"So what's the big deal then?" Bolton asked

Earl spun around to face Bolton and Paul, the gun in his hand. Bolton was suddenly less intimidated, and more intrigued. Paul on the other hand, felt his heart begin to beat rapidly against his chest.

"What the hell have you got that for?" He panicked

"Woah! Let me see this!" Bolton exclaimed, attempting to take the gun out of Earl's hand to get a better look

Earl pointed it at him as a warning, making Bolton back off instantly.

"Look with your eyes, not your hands!" He snarled

Bolton took a small step back, examining the gun carefully. He smirked at Earl.

"It's not even real, is it?"

"Isn't it?" Earl questioned menacingly

"Why have you even brought it to school?" Paul exclaimed angrily

"Why do you think?" Earl shrugged

Paul frowned

"What? Protection?" He scoffed

Earl smirked

"Maybe there's actually a reason for us moving to this dump- hey Den?"

Denzil nodded with a smile

"Maybe you just want us to think you're a bit gangster, instead of the tosser that you are" Bolton snapped

Earl suddenly became angry again at Bolton's words. No one answered him back like that and got away with it.

"You what?!" He snarled, getting in Bolton's face

"Look, this is stupid! I'm off!" Paul huffed

The tension in the changing room was overwhelming. Paul wanted to run and never look back, even if it meant leaving his best friend behind.

He walked away from the scene. Bolton moved to follow.

Before either of them could take another step, Earl banged the gun against the wall, blocking their path.

"Look," Paul started, his eyes growing wide with fear

"You're going nowhere" Earl hissed

"I won't say anything to anyone. I...I just," Paul pleaded, his eyes wide with fear

"What? What's wrong?" Earl asked in the most patronising tone he could manage

"I just... don't want to be here, all right?" Paul sighed shakily

Earl walked up to him so they were practically face to face. Paul felt sick with anxiety. Earl smirked, he could feel the fear radiating off him.

"What's up? Are you scared?" He taunted

"Just leave him alone, yeah?" Bolton interrupted

Earl ignored him, his eyes fixed on Paul.

"You are, aren't you? Scared it might just... go off in my hand" he continued

"N-no" Paul stammered

"BANG!"

Paul jumped in fright, causing Earl to cackle manically.

"That's not bloody funny! Just let me go!" Paul begged

"Just let him go!" Bolton insisted

Earl finally turned to Bolton, his eyes dancing with anger and satisfaction. He was enjoying this way too much.

"What are you going to do about it if I don't?" He questioned

Bolton averted his gaze.

Earl smirked

"Thought you were really funny earlier didn't you? Bumping into me like that" he continued

"I told you, it was an accident!" Paul exclaimed

"Not laughing now, are you?" Earl snarled

"Because there's nothing to laugh at anymore!" Bolton cried, exasperated

"Look, I'm really sorry," Paul huffed

"And?" Earl questioned, raising an eyebrow

"And... it won't happen again! I promise!" Paul said, desperately

"Just let me go... please?" He begged

Earl smirked

"Not yet. I mean, you say you're sorry. But I'm just not feeling it. Perhaps you should show me how sorry you are?" He suggested tauntingly

"What you on about?" Bolton frowned

Earl shot him a glare, looking back at Paul.

"On your knees" he ordered

Paul immediately did as he was told.

"Just leave him alone, man! Paul, don't do it!" Bolton exclaimed angrily

Paul moved to stand up

"Don't listen to him; he's got you in enough trouble! Get down! Now!"

Paul knelt down on the floor, constantly aware of the gun that was inching closer and closer to his head.

"Say you're sorry, and we'll call it quits" Earl demanded, pointing the gun directly at him menacingly

"I'm really sorry" Paul mumbled, breathing heavily

Earl smirked

"That wasn't hard, was it?" He grinned

He looked to Bolton, who was now equally as frightened as Paul.

"Your turn" Earl hissed

Both Paul and Bolton were now on their knees on the floor. Earl was pacing up and down behind them menacingly.

"What to do with you?" Earl questioned allowed, almost singing the words

"Any ideas, Den?" He added, looking to his little brother

Denzil shook his head.

"Didn't think so" he smirked

He continued to pace, when an idea popped into his head.

"I know! My trainers are a bit... dirty"

Paul sighed in irritation. He was getting tired of these games.

"You said if I say sorry," he started

"Put a shine on them whilst you're down there, will you?" Earl interrupted, the gun by his side

Paul obeyed, polishing Earl's trainer with the sleeve of his coat. Earl raised an eyebrow at him, basking in the glory of having Paul completely at his mercy.

"You're going to be sorry you did this" Bolton threatened through gritted teeth

Earl smirked

"Am I? Am I really? You know, I reckon you could put a better on them... with your tongue"

Bolton glared at him

"No way, mate! It's not going to happen!" He snapped

At that moment, Paul took his chance, making a run for it.

"Earl! He's getting away!!" Denzil cried

Earl laughed, turning back to Bolton

"You better go after him" he suggested menacingly

Bolton stood up quickly, wasting no time and running out of the boys changing room.

"Tell him to keep his mouth shut, yeah?" Earl spat

Bolton sighed, running to catch up with Paul, who was walking at a fast pace, attempting to catch his breath.

"I'm sorry I left you. I just couldn't" Paul huffed angrily

"Keep walking, man!" Bolton mumbled sharply

They headed outside. Paul was still in a panic.

"Do you reckon he'd have used it? Do you think he'd have used the," Paul gushed

Bolton shushed him

"It happens all the time in America. Some nutter going class to class, taking out all those who passed them off. We should tell someone!" He rambled

Bolton shook his head, turning Paul to face him.

"That's the last thing we're gonna do, right? He'll know it was us, Paul!" He hissed

"How?" Paul frowned

"Because, we're the only ones he's shown it to, apart from his idiot brother. We should just keep it shut, right? If he even thinks we've talked about grassing him up, he'll kill us! End of!" Bolton snapped

Paul sighed angrily. Whilst it went against all his natural instincts, Bolton was right. They couldn't tell anyone.

Not directly at least.

As he walked along the corridor, he saw Earl, walking alongside another girl with blonde hair. They were walking over to another student.

"That's her there! The one that called me a skag!" The girl said to him

"What, her?" He checked, the blonde haired girl nodding in confirmation

Earl strode over to her, practically pinning her against the wall

"Think you're smart do you? Picking on the new girl?" He snarled

"I never said anything!" The girl replied

Earl locked eyes with her

"What? So my sister is lying?" He questioned

"I was only joking!" She shrugged

"So you did say something?! Which one is it?!" Earl interrogated

"I- I didn't mean it" she stammered, her whole body trembling with fear

"Well you're not funny! And I'm gonna tell you this once. You pick on my sister, you pick on me! Do you understand me?"

The girl nodded, still trembling

Earl smiled sarcastically

"Good. Because if I find out that you've even looked at her funny, I'll be waiting for you after school. And you might not make it home. Do you understand?" He threatened

"You alright?" He added, looking at his sister

She nodded

Early turned away, storming down the corridor, leaving the girl he'd just threatened, shaking violently.

Paul couldn't stand it. To anyone else, Earl's threats could be seen as just that.

Threats.

Empty ones at that.

But Paul knew he had every intention and capability of hurting someone. Keeping that information to himself didn't sit right with him.

An idea popped into Paul's head. He couldn't stay silent; knowing everyone at Waterloo Road was potentially in danger.

He turned away from Bolton, walking down the corridor and out of sight.

When he was sure Bolton wasn't following him, he took a pen and a piece of paper out of his bag, scribbling a note as the bell rang out for afternoon classes.

He dashed up the stairs to his classroom, sitting down beside Bolton, who eyed him suspiciously. Paul ignored his glance, writing the date and title in his English book.

Unbeknownst to Bolton, Paul was planning to leave midway through the lesson to take the note and put it under Miss Mason's door. Then all he had to do was hope she'd find it, and the problem would no longer be his and Bolton's to deal with.