I Better Be Careful

This year’s gonna be different, huh?

Right. Sure it will.

I don’t blame Mikey for being optimistic. Why not? After getting fed shit for so long, I mean, why would he want to live in despair and all? He wouldn’t. Hell, I wouldn’t. But I doubt that things’ll be better. If anything, things’ll be rougher. We’re all older now, Michael and Ronnie and Ricky and myself. We’re not more mature.

We’re just bigger assholes.

Walking into school today is no different from any other day. Michael’s eyes widen a little and begin searching for any sight of the two that don’t exactly appreciate our presence. I, honestly, could care less. If they find us, they find us, and I know they will because they always do. It’s not even a big deal for me anymore. I guess I’ve lost my ability to be scared. It’s more. . .annoying.

Sure enough, Ricky and Ronnie’s eyes catch ours – well, they catch Michael’s, because I’m not looking until Ricky’s hand is on my shoulder – and before Michael can even begin to start sputtering out some sort of smart talk or defense, Ronnie’s strong arms are lifting him up. He moves so easily, his motions so quick that it should be, I dunno, some sort of art form. Michael doesn’t even have time to yelp before he’s down in a bin. Fuck. Poor kid.

"Oi! Leave him alone, will ya!" I snap, Ricky holding me back. I may be taller than him, but he's got the weight and strength to keep me rooted in place.

Michael's head slowly rises from the bin, rubbish on his shoulders and in his colorful hair. He looks a bit of a mess, of course, he's covered in shit. Ronnie drops the lid on the ground, all set to leave Mikey alone and walk off. Of course, Ricky has to be an even bigger cunt and leave me to go kick the trash bin over.

Michael and the bin both come crashing down, and it's certainly humiliating. Flashes go off, cameras snapping the moment to laugh at it forever, I'm sure. Right, instead of help, pick on the kid and laugh and be a prick. I start towards Michael, my upper arms red from the harsh grip Ricky had on them. I help him up and ask, "You alright, Mikes?" and he pouts and nods, but doesn't say anything.

So much for the new year being different.



Sitting in my Maths class, I rub at my bruised arms and draw my friend Calum's attention.

"What the hell happened there?" he whispers, trying to avoid drawing any attention from the teacher. I shrug, flick my lip ring with my tongue and mumble, "Olson," rolling my eyes. Calum frowns, going to say something more when, despite his stealthiness, the teacher catches him leaning my way.

"Mr. Hood," she barks, causing him to jerk away and sit ruler straight. "Is whatever Mr. Hemmings has to say more important than preparing for your next test?"

I keep my smart mouth shut because oh, I have so many things to say. Calum shakes his head, looking positively petrified. She seems satisfied with his terror and moves on with the lesson, but Calum doesn't look my way until class ends. We walk out side by side, him throwing glances at the witch over his shoulder and me attempting to apologize.

"Look, mate, I didn't mean to screw you over like that, see? I swear she wasn't looking at you when you talked."

He shrugs and says, "It's alright," but pauses when he sees something I don't.

"What?"

"Your best mate Radke's over there."

I follow his gaze and find myself staring at that twat, Ronnie Radke. He's got his back to some other lad, his eyes rolled towards the ceiling as the shorter guy blows up. He looks like he fits right in with Radke, Olson, and their little group of friends. He's got black hair to his shoulders, combat boots, and one hell of a loud voice.

"What the fuck, Ronnie, you think you can just not say anything? That's bullshit! I know, we all know that you're a fucking fag--"

Before I know it, Ronnie is holding that guy against the lockers, his eyes narrowed. He's growling something, but it's too low for me to hear. Instead of worrying about it, I just follow Calum and walk away. Getting myself involved with Ronnie purposely is not a smart thing, nor is it something I want to do period.

"So, Ricky did that to you?" asks Calum once we're away from whatever was happening there. I nod and shrug because I am beyond the point of caring. It doesn't even hurt anymore, not really, so why should I give a damn? I just have to remember to kick Olson in the balls next time. "Christ, what for?"

"Holding me back from helping Michael."

"Oh. I can fight him for you, y'know?" Calum even adds a ridiculous karate pose to his proposal, which just makes me smile. It's appreciated, but not really necessary. If I have a hard time breaking out of Olson's hold then I know Calum would just be even worse off.

"I'm sure. Thanks for the offer."

He mumbles something about me having no faith in his amazing skills and that is when we break apart to go to different classes. I am walking to Biology and Calum, well, I never got his timetable so I've no idea where he's off to. When I enter the class, I've got the perfect view of the people who got there before me. There's the one and only Ricky Olson, this kid with caramel hair sitting on the lap of a similarly-dressed lad with a skunk stripe and an earring, a group of girls sitting together, and one of my other friends, Ashton.

He's drawing on the wall when I approach his lab table, carefully and cautiously avoiding Ricky. Last thing I want is for him to see me and bother me for an hour.

"Hey," Ashton says, a bright smile on his face. His sandy curls are pushed back with a bright red bandana and he's no doubt happy.

"You're just a ball of sunshine. Lemme guess, you saw your lovely little boyfriend today?"

He groans and pushes me into my seat for the year, rolling his eyes.

"Don't call him that. He's not my boyfriend, he's just someone I don't mind talking to, is all."

"Tommo's your boyfriend, why deny it?"

Ashton settles for ignoring me, and that's fine, because the love of his life walks through the door and all of his attention falls on the British guy instead of me. He's making heart eyes at the lad, I swear. It's just adorable.

With Louis Tomlinson, Ash's heart and soul, comes the guy Ronnie was having a spat with in the halls. He takes a seat across from Ricky just as Louis takes a seat across from Ashton.

I don't pay much attention to the lovebirds on my left. I want to hear what that guy is saying to Ricky, which shouldn't be too hard since I'm not that far away.

"Your brother's just scared of what would happen," the guy I don't know sneers, an awful grin on his face. "I don't understand why he doesn't just admit it."

"Because it's his business?" Ricky deadpans. "He doesn't fucking have to. And even if he did, even if he was, he wouldn't come after you if you were the last piece of shit on Earth. Ronnie's got standards. He's better than you."

"I sincerely doubt that. Do we or do we not remember middle school? Freshman year? Sophomore, Junior? Even now, I'm better than Ronnie. I fucking own him. He just needs to hurry up and realize that, and so do you."

"You're a bitch, Craig, go to hell."

Then the conversation ends when Craig, apparently, gets up and walks to another table. I turn my head immediately, but I can feel Ricky's eyes burning holes into me. It takes all of my willpower not to turn and face him, so I try and distract myself by turning to Ashton and asking him about his classes this far. Maybe I'm taking time away from his bashful flirting with Louis, but I can apologize later.

"Uh, they've been alright," he says slowly, as if he's unsure why I'm asking now. "I've got Calum in my first period, Mikey at the end of the day. Second period is truly a hell of its own so far. Now I'm 'ere with you, so it's going well."

"You got me, too," Louis cuts in with a little smirk. Oh, God, it's ridiculous that Ash doesn't know he likes him. I could push them into a kiss right now, but I don't. I should, though.

"I do, don't I?" Ashton says, blush rising in his cheeks. Maybe this year will be a lot less stressful if I ignore the existence of Radke and Olson and just focus on hooking Ashton and Louis up.

Class starts, though, and the teacher tells us to get into groups of four. I sit tight with Ash and his love, but who has to join us? Fucking Olson. Great.

Ricky is sitting across from me and Ashton immediately jumps into defensive mode, glaring at him and tightening his fists. Ricky rolls his eyes and says, "Christ, just relax already."

Louis looks lost. Ricky has never bothered him before, so he has no reason to be tense or nervous. He just glances sideways at Ricky and says, "Hello," with a charming little smile. Okay. I'm seeing why Ashton's so lovestruck. Ricky shrugs and says, "Hey," back, but doesn't say anything else until the end of class.

That Craig lad harasses Ricky all the way out the door, pulling on his hair and pushing him forward. Maybe he can lead to the fall of Radke and Ricky? Whatever he's holding over them, it must be big, yeah? It's interesting, watching the bloke that's been making my life and my stepbrother's life somewhat awful for a couple of years is being taunted and teased by someone else. The fact that there are bigger bullies than Ricky and Ronnie certainly doesn't sit well with me.

All I know is that this Craig is gonna have Ronnie and Ricky in one hell of a mood when I get to the gym class with Mikey later. This is going to be so much fun. Although, maybe Craig will have them in the type of mood that leaves them incapable of separating to screw with Mikey and I. Maybe not.