TITLE: High School Confidential Pt. 2 AUTHOR: ficklemuse SUMMARY: First day blues. PAIRING: None at the moment. RATING: PG FANDOM: Queer as Folk DISCLAIMER: This story did NOT have sexual relations with that woman. WARNINGS: Alternate Universe NOTES: Do you like me? Circle One: Y/N ;)   Brian walked through the halls of the high school. He didn’t bother looking around him as he walked. He was very aware of who surrounded him. He knew they were all looking at him with varying degrees of lust, loathing and envy. None of them mattered to him. High school was Brian’s training ground. He faced each day with one goal – get out and get as far away as possible. He learned his class work but he truly excelled at the social manipulations the school environment required. He knew which teachers were soft touches, and which ones were hard asses. He gathered information and he wasn’t afraid to use it if it meant the difference between a B+ and an A-. Student Government was just one more hoop he was willing to jump through. According to the guidance counselor colleges wanted ‘well rounded’ individuals and somehow Brian suspected she didn’t mean someone who could suck their own dick. So he jumped. And barked. But always on his own terms and in his own goddamn time. He had a lot of ‘friends’ in the general sense. In the way that good looking, confident, outgoing and athletic kids will always have ‘friends’ but he considered only one person in the whole school an actual friend. And that was who he was looking for. Brian adjusted his line of sight down slightly and searched for a mop of inky black hair and some bright primary color t-shirt. He found Michael outside the library chatting with the little woman. Tracy irritated the fuck out of Brian. She was always hanging on Michael, practically fawning over him and Michael seemed oblivious that Tracy was grooming him to first be her homecoming date, then her high school sweetie, and then her hubby and finally the father of her spawn. Brian walked right up in the middle of their conversation and threw his arm around Michael’s shoulders. “Hey Mikey. Where the fuck have you been? I’ve been looking all over for you. Come on. I’ve got something I’ve got to tell you.” Michael tried squirming his way out from under Brian’s arm, only to be pinned in place. “Brian! Tracy and I were talking!” “Tracy doesn’t mind.” Brian said with a dismissive glance. “Do ya’ Trace? It’s important guy stuff. You know- morning boners, premature ejaculation – Mikey’s of course, pubes, all that guy stuff.” He dragged Michael down the hall, only letting him go when they were in front of the auditorium. Michael shook Brian off and glared at him. “Brian! Why are you always such an asshole to Tracy? She’s *nice*!” “You can go back to your little wife later. I’m not sitting through this fucking assembly by myself.” Brian answered pulling Michael towards a seat in the back of the auditorium. “Not after the morning I’ve had.” Michael immediately went from nag mode to concerned mode. “Why? What happened?” “That bitch Claire took my car. I had to hitch here.” Brian slouched into his seat. “Brian! You shouldn’t hitch!” Michael scolded. “So, what did you do to Claire?” “Nothing.” Brian answered with a grin. “Come on. Fess up.” “I set fire to her $400 sweater.” Brian admitted. He liked the shocked look on Michael’s face. Sometimes his friend was so easy to stun. Settling back in his chair, Brian surveyed the other students as they came in. Nudging Mikey into playing their favorite game ‘Homo, No or Maybe So?’ He pointed across the auditorium where the football team were filing in. “Him. Number 37.” Michael followed Brian’s finger. “Drew Boyd? No.” “I’m betting Homo.” Brian said. “He’s too perfect. He’s too slick. Nobody would suspect him.” He turned to find Michael looking at him with those damned fathomless eyes. “What?” “Takes one to know one?” Michael suggested before picking out his quarry. “Him. Fifth row down. The one with the briefcase instead of a backpack.” “No. He’s gonna be married right out of high school and have twelve kids with Francine McCormack.” Brian said nodding towards the head cheerleader. “I thought the only babies Francie wants to have are yours.” Michael teased. “Shut up Mikey.” Brian grumbled. “Would you both shut up?” A dark haired senior boy said from the row in front of them. “Some of us actually want to hear what’s going to be said.” “Some of you are giant douche bags.” Brian bit off kicking the other boys seat with both feet. “Mind your own fucking business.” “Brian!” Michael hissed and put his hand on Brian’s knees and pushed his legs down. “Quit being such an asshole.” He leaned over the dark haired boy’s seat and said quietly. “I’m sorry. We’ll be quiet.” The boy turned around and looked at Michael intently for a minute. “Thanks.” He held out his hand. “I’m David.” “I’m Michael.” “And I’m bored. Mikey you stay here and chat up the hall monitor, I’m gonna find someplace else to sit.” Brian climbed out of his seat and headed to the other side of the auditorium. He knew it was a shitty thing to do but he wasn’t in any mood to watch some uptight prick eye fuck his best friend. Not that Michael would ever notice. Brian figured a guy would have to actually put his dick in Michael’s mouth before Michael realized he was interested.   “Your friend seems mad at you.” Michael looked in the direction Brian stalked off and shrugged. “He’s having a bad morning.” “Looks like it.” Michael shifted under the older boy’s steady attention. He wasn’t used to people noticing him. Usually they either paid no attention to him at all or the attention they paid was the kind that made Michael wish for the good old days when they ignored him. At least most of that had tapered off since he’d become friends with Brian. Most of the bullies were only willing to beat up Michael when they knew there was no chance Brian would catch them. Because, unlike Michael Brian actually knew how to fight back. Brian was always looking after him. In some ways it embarrassed him that he needed it, but on the other hand – it was good to not be completely alone anymore. However it happened he and Brian were a team. They worked. “He’s not normally like that.” Michael said defensively. “Even if it’s just once. He shouldn’t talk to you like that.” Michael was at a loss for words when a southern voice cut in. “Excuse me? But do you mind if I sit here?” “What? No. I mean, sure. This seat’s free.” Michael answered glad to be distracted. A thin hand reached out. “Emmett Honeycutt. Do you know how long this is going to be? I still haven’t found my locker yet and I’d hate to be late the first day.” “I’m Michael Novotny. Usually it’s just like thirty minutes. The principal comes out and talks about what a great year everyone’s going to have, then the coaches come out and talk about FDR pride…” Michael really rolled his eyes at that. “And how we all have to support the football team. Then they try and make us sing the really lame school song – then we go to first period. What number is your locker?” “Two-twenty-nine.” “That’s in the same block as mine.” Michael said. “I can show you if you like.” “You’re a lifesaver Michael Novotny. I swear this school is bigger than my hometown. I thought I was never going to find my way around.” “Let’s see your schedule.” Michael offered, noticing that David had turned back towards the stage.   “Give it back!” Ted Schmidt felt waves of humiliation and frustration building in his stomach. He wasn’t going to jump around though like an idiot. He knew he didn’t stand a chance against Drew Boyd and his pack of no-neck football players. Ted thought he would be reasonably safe if he left the assembly a few minutes early. But somehow he’d still managed to get trapped by the team. Ted had tried in vain to get his locker switched a half dozen times in the last year but no one listened. So every time he went to get something from his locker he ran the risk of being shoved or bullied by someone on the team. Now they’d stolen his briefcase from out of his hands and were taking turns throwing it in the air. “Not until you say it.” Jim Stockwell sneered. “Say I’m a big queer and I like it up the ass.” “No.” Ted’s face started to turn red. Every year he promised himself it would be different and every year it was the same taunts, the same jabs, the same insults. “Why don’t you all fuck off back to the locker room for a circle jerk?” A locker door slammed and Ted realized there was someone else there. “Why don’t you eat me Marcus?” “Because Jimbo – you’re too much of a pussy even for me. Just give him back his briefcase and I won’t have to tell everyone what you did this summer.” Stockwell’s eyes narrowed into slits and his face flushed, a vein sticking out on the side of his neck. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” “Yeah? The firm my dad works for? They represented Mandy Gibson.” Melanie stepped up to Stockwell and took back Ted’s briefcase. “Now – get the fuck out of here.” Ted watched in amazement as Stockwell backed down and took the other football players with him. “Wow. How’d you do that?” Melanie handed over his briefcase. “Stockwell’s a bully. I just out bullied him.” “Who’s Mandy Gibson?” “She goes to St. Mary’s. Her parents caught Jimbo and her in a compromising position, and they weren’t playing twister. She’s only 15. Her dad tried to get him busted for statutory rape but Stockwell’s parents threw a bundle of money at them to keep it off his record.” Ted picked up the papers that had fallen out of his briefcase and stuffed them back in. Reaching for his calculator he groaned. “Oh no. My mother’s gonna kill me. This is like the third calculator.” He held up the cracked case. “And I have calculus next.” “You can borrow mine. I don’t have calc until after lunch.” Melanie offered. “You know, the next time Stockwell and them corner you you should just hit one of them.” “Huh?” Melanie opened her locker and produced a calculator. “That’s what I did my first day in junior high. They pinned me down in the bus on the way to school and tried to see my underwear. I kicked him so hard in the nuts he threw up. Ever since then he pretty much leaves me alone.” Ted gave a laugh. “Well if they ever try and look at my underwear I’ll give it a try.” He took the calculator. “Thanks. For this and for earlier.” “No problem.” Melanie shut her locker and looked at Ted quietly. “After all if we don’t stick up for each other who will?”