the dumping ground // one shots

lifeboat // drabble

"why am i here? i've done nothing wrong." ryan asked as he sat down next to sasha in the office, annoyance lacing his tone. before mike could answer, sasha rolled her eyes and caught the boy's attention.

"i'm sure you don't know," she said sarcastically. ryan only narrowed his eyes and turned back to mike, in all honesty he didn't care much for what she had to say.

"your friends have been trying to blackmail sasha and, frankly, she's had enough of it." mike said in a patronisingly simple tone. ryan hated when the care worker spoke to him like that, "listen, i don't know why they're doing this and i hope you're not involved, but i never had to deal with blackmail in school-"

"look, high school isn't the same as it used to be, mike," ryan suddenly snapped, interrupting the surprised care worker, "as weird as this sounds, it's survival of the fittest," the boy turned to sasha, glaring, "and it's not my fault i'm in the lead."

sasha was ready to retaliate but mike put his hands up before she could try, "that's enough, guys." he said wearily, "ryan, just have a word with your friends about all this and try to sort it. if you won't, i will."

ryan sighed at the implication. he knew mike would certainly do something if he didn't.

they both left the office in a huff and walked into the lounge, sitting on opposite sides of the smaller sofa. only charlie, tyler, jody and alex were in the room with them; they all paused their activities to find out what happened.

"so?" tyler asked for all of them.

sasha crossed her arms and replied, "mr. popular over here doesn't give a damn about the rest of us." she began with a glare directed towards ryan. unfortunately, she knew him too well and understood when he wasn't going to follow through with something. the boy grit his teeth and began to retaliate when she stopped him.

"y'know what, ryan? just shut up. you don't understand how easy you have it. you're one of the most popular kids at school, everyone loves you, though i don't know why." sasha snapped as she stood, strolling towards him and poking his chest harshly.

alex grimaced as he glanced between the two, "sash, calm down." the boy murmured but he was ignored.

"what, you think i wanna be popular?" ryan growled, clenching his fists and wincing slightly when his nails dig into his skin. the marks drew blood but they went unnoticed by the others.

"yes." was sasha's only reply before she swiftly changed the subject, "d'you know what you're so called 'friends' are blackmailing me with? turns out, they have a lot of shit on us," she gestured to the few residents in the room, "and i can't help but think you have something to do with that." the rage in her eyes did nothing to calm ryan down.

in fact, that statement set him off and he hastily grit his teeth to stop himself from shouting. there was no point in getting angry, they didn't understand.

"sash, they have shit on everyone," ryan said darkly, tensing from the strain of holding himself back, "and unfortunately, that includes me. i don't know how, but-" he sighed as he let that small piece off his chest and leaned back on the sofa, putting his head in his hands for a moment, "if i mess up and say the wrong thing or act the wrong way, my 'friends' will sell me out in a heartbeat."

he moved his hands and faced the girl in front of him who had an unreadable expression on her face, "look, i know you don't get it but the things they have on me... i can't have the entire school know."

even the thought of what the student body might do sent chills up his spine, "i just can't."

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this was inspired by 'lifeboat' from the 'heathers' soundtrack

good ol' ryan looking out for himself lmao, hopefully in 6b he might become less of a dick and make friends