Chapter Text
If there’s one thing that Jimmy Hopkins knew, it’s that Bullworth was filled with scumbags. Every time he turned a corner, there’d be some jock willing to knock him down to take his money. They would even do it for free.
It sucked all the time now. Especially because of one particular person who wanted to ruin his life.
“GARY!” He shouted angrily when he stormed into his dorm room. “What did you do this time?” There was an angry mob of kids at the gates, cracking their knuckles and scanning the area for him.
“Now, now Hopkins. Why would you blame me of all people?” Gary lounged nearby, giving Jimmy his best puppy-eyes look. A curl of heat twisted in his stomach.
“Because you’re the only one who’d make my life this miserable. If I get in trouble for violence I’m going to beat your lights out.” Jimmy huffed and turned his head away, already brainstorming ways to enter school without causing a fight. It wasn’t like he would lose. It’d just be super annoying to be used as the new school punching bag with this many enemies around him. Plus, the prefects would be quick to label him as the root of the problem, which would worsen his reputation even more.
“Dammit.” He knew a scuffle with at least one kid was inevitable. He’d have to find a girl to kiss for that extra morale. It always felt better to have someone by your side, cheering you on while someone’s fist was crashing into the side of your face. Maybe Beatrice was hanging around somewhere. Or Eunice.
Gary had started frowning by then, probably annoyed at Jimmy’s silence. He dragged Jimmy by the arm to the TV room before setting him down on the couch.
“What’s the matter? Tongue tied?” Gary gave him his best smug smile as Jimmy dumbly stared back.
“No. I don’t run my mouth like a certain idiot.” Jimmy rested his chin in his palm, staring thoughtfully at the television. His stomach did the stupid swooping thing again when Gary looped his arm around Jimmy’s shoulder.
“Just relax, my friend. Today is just another step towards my flawless plan of taking over the school."
“Jesus.” Jimmy groaned. “First of all, stop involving me with your plans. Second of all, when were we ever friends?” That last part came out teasing, though. Jimmy could feel a small smile tugging at his lips.
“We’ve always been friends. We’re friends right now.” Gary said as if it were an irrefutable fact. He ran a hand through his brown hair, and it caught the light of the cheap flickering bulb above them. Jimmy had to shake his head to snap out of it.
There’s no way I’m into Gary of all people. He told himself.
“Well, do you know where the girls are? I want to find them.” If there was one thing Gary was good for, it was his knowledge of the school. He knew the ins and outs of it like the back of his hand. Jimmy sometimes snuck into the basement if he wanted to skip classes. He was glad Gary had told him about it, even if it had cost a beating from Russel.
“Mmmm, no. Why?” Gary crossed his legs and leaned his head against the back of the ratty sofa. God, what a great neck. There were a few stray freckles that Jimmy spotted. He wanted to kiss them.
“I want to kiss them.” He said out loud, before his face started to burn. Luckily he didn’t specify what he was talking about, so Gary responded with “Never knew you were a ladies man. I personally thought you were too ugly for it.”
Right. Ladies. Girls. That’s what Jimmy Hopkins was into, because he was straight. So what if he tried experimenting with Gord one time near the back of the school? Or that he didn’t turn down Kirby’s request to have a make-out session on the football field? Those were just flings, nothing serious.
“Shut the fuck up, Gary.” Jimmy tried his best to stare at everything except Gary’s face.
“You’re such a pansy. Your ears are doing that cute thing where they turn red.” Yep, Gary was definitely making fun of him now. Did he know? Jimmy suddenly felt disgusted with himself. He would never hear the end of it if the truth came out about his…sexually confused status. “To answer your question, no. I’m not some perv who follows girls around if that’s what you meant.” Gary sneered.
“Yup. Thanks for a great time.” Jimmy quickly stood up, speaking flatly to the wall. Talking like a robot was the only way of not embarrassing himself right now. “I’m going to go look for them. The bell’s going to ring soon.”
“Does kissing girls make you feel good?” Gary suddenly said, interrupting Jimmy’s train of thought. He could walk away and pretend he hadn’t heard, but something about the tone of Gary’s voice drew him back in.
“Duh. Of course it does.” Jimmy scoffed. He wasn’t lying, either. It was only the boys that made things complicated for him, which is why he stuck with the female students instead.
“Have you ever thought about…kissing someone else?” Jimmy’s heart dropped to his feet. This had to be some kind of elaborate prank. Was there a camera set up in the room, waiting to capture his confession? If there was a recording out there of him coming out, Gary would happily use it as ammunition to make Jimmy’s life a living hell.
“What the fuck are you talking about?” He said, accompanying the question with a forced laugh.
“Like, you know…” Gary chewed his bottom lip, contemplating. “Guys?”
Jimmy felt his innards do a flip for possibly the fourth time that day. Fifth? It didn’t matter. What did matter was the fact that Gary was talking about Jimmy being gay without making it the butt of the joke. And he was doing it with the utmost sincerity.
“Why do you wanna know?” Jimmy finally decided to ask after a long stretch of silence. It was a good middle ground. Not denying, but not fully admitting it either. “You’re always calling Pete a fairy or a femboy. What’s with the switch up?”
Gary nibbled his pretty little lips again, and for once he didn’t look like he was plotting someone’s demise. “Don’t be dense, Hopkins. You know you like me.”
Jimmy reeled back. “Gross.” He said immediately. Gary broke down into a short fit of laughter. “How self-absorbed do you gotta be to think that?”
“Well, a bunch of things. And I-” Gary’s face went blank for a split-second. “I don’t completely hate it.”
Jimmy thought back to all those times he shared cigarettes or bottles of alcohol with Gary. When Gary had shoved his face into Jimmy’s shoulders and awkwardly held him in his arms, Jimmy just thought he was drunk.
He thought back to the time where they went to the carnival together. Jimmy jokingly suggested winning a teddy bear for him, and Gary genuinely looked crestfallen when that never happened.
“What’s going on in that head of yours, Jimmy?” Gary said with the slightest bit of nervousness. “You’ve been quiet.”
“Is this your way of saying you like me?” Jimmy smirked. “You want me to kiss you.”
He was right on the money; Gary looked flustered.
“I never said that. You just assumed that on your own.”
Jimmy took a few slow steps back to where Gary was sitting. He reached out a calloused hand to grip Gary’s face, and was surprisingly met with little resistance. “You must think you’re some sort of genius, right? Making all those kids hate me so I’d kiss someone. Trapping me in here so I’d have to kiss you.” Jimmy placed an emphasis on the last word, causing Gary to shiver. “You could have just asked.”
“Nonsese,” Gary sputtered. “My plans are never useless. They always guarantee a successful outcome.”
“Sucessful outcome, huh?” Jimmy raised an eyebrow. “Here it is, then.” He brought Gary’s face closer, jerking it to the side at the last second to kiss his cheek instead of his lips.
“You are so fucking annoying.” Gary hissed. “That hurt.”
“Don’t lie. I know you liked it.” Jimmy said, planting another kiss on the other side of Gary’s face. The other squirmed, but it was more out of indignance than actual frustration. When Jimmy let go, there was a red imprint that stayed behind.
It looked hot, to be honest.
“Thanks, man. I guess I don’t have to look for Beatrice anymore.” Jimmy flashed a winning smile to a spluttering Gary. On the inside, there were fireworks going off.
HolyshitIjustkissedGarysmithanditfeltgoodandithinkhelikedittoo. Clearing his throat, he shifted away just as the bell rang. The shrill screech of it made him wince.
“See you later.” He said. Gary gave a little wave as Jimmy sucked up a breath, ready to brave the hordes of kids outside.