Delinquents

Chapter One: Bispham Academy

Harley sat outside Mrs. Barlow's office for the fourth time this week, pissed off and tired. He banged the back of his head against the wall and clenched his jaw, trying to stop the thoughts whirling round his head. Harley couldn't believe his luck, or lack thereof.

What a joke.

His stomach dropped as he heard the faint clacking of Mrs. Barlow's heels at the end of the corridor. He knew, as this was the fourth time in the space of three days, he would be criticised and reprimanded. The sound of shouting piqued Harleys interest. He straightened up, crossing his right ankle over his left knee. An intrigued smile crept on his face, he was glad that he wasn't the only one in trouble today.

Mrs. Barlow entered the office, her black hair pulled into a tight and formal bun. Behind her, a young woman with dyed orange hair was being escorted by two of the college's security guards. Harley pressed his lips into a tight line. He had heard that there would be a new student, but he was surprised that it was a girl, as almost 70% of the students at Bispham Academy, a college for delinquents, were male.

"I would suggest you cooperate Cassie," the larger of the two guards said, his hand firmly encasing Cassie's biceps.

Harley gazed at Cassie. Pale freckles dusting her face which had been covered by foundation. He found himself shaking his head as a small laugh escaped his lips, why was he staring at her? He rarely looked at the girls at the Academy. Mrs. Barlow had drummed it into him, and the other students, that getting involved with other students would cause trouble.

Especially because: 'Everyone had a past. A past that had brought them to Bispham Academy'.

"What the hell are you smirking at?" The new girl snapped.

"Miss Dawson. At Bispham Academy we do not speak to our peers like that," Mrs. Barlow, the Principal of College, informed.

"Well, I'm sorry." Cassie replied with her eyes glued to the floor.

"Jenson, George, you can let go of Miss Dawson. I'm sure she will behave," Mrs. Barlow stated, looking to Cassie, who nodded. They let go of her arms and left the room. Mrs Barlow looked at her, furrowing her eyebrows "Miss Dawson, my office please."

Harley pursed his lips together, waiting for his name to be barked by Mrs. Barlow. She always shouted at him. Yet, she spoke calmly and respectfully to the other students. Treated them as if they were adults. Harley was used to this unfair treatment. He had endured it since he was a child, even more so since he moved to Bispham Academy ten months ago.

He rubbed the back of his neck, a habit he had developed when he was uncomfortable. He watched as Cassie walked into Mrs. Barlow's office. He didn't know how she could walk so well in those heeled boots. He looked away, feeling rude for looking at someone the way he was.

"What are you doing here?" Mrs. Barlow asked, arms folded across her chest.

"Mr. Jenkins sent me here. I refused to play cricket." Harley answered half truthfully. He had skipped over the fact that he had sworn at a teacher, calling him prick.

"We will talk about that later. I have more important things to deal with than you refusing to play sport," Mrs. Barlow began. "You are here like everyone else to have a fresh start. You need to remember that. This is your chance to have a normal life, not one with a criminal conviction. Go on then Harley, get a move on. I'll speak to you later."

Harley nodded, stood up, and left the room without a second glance at Cassie or Mrs. Barlow. Walking down the hallway Harley could not help but think about the mysterious Cassie and why she had to be escorted onto school premises. Most of the students who attended Bispham Academy came willingly. It was either come here, straighten yourself out, get a degree and then move on with your life - or go to prison.

He had never shared his past with anyone at Bispham Academy, not even his roommate Jared. Harley believed that things that happened in the past, should stay in the past. Despite his beliefs, he found it difficult to block out the night that had changed his life. The night that had led to him being removed from his family home and brought to Bispham Academy. Often Harley woke up in his own sweat, shaking and the name Leo on his lips.

"Oi," a smile formed on Harley's lips upon hearing Jared. Harley turned his head to the sound of the voice and noticed him leaning against the lockers. "Where have you been? I need a smoke."

"Where do you think? Your dickhead of a coach sent me to the Principal's office because I told him I wasn't playing cricket." Harley grinned, knowing that Jared hated it when he called the coach a dickhead, but he did it every time.

Harley fell into step with Jared as the pair, both wearing leather jackets, walked towards the courtyard. They had formed an unlikely bond. Their personal style and humour were practically identical, but their hobbies and passions weren't. Jared loved his sport whereas Harley enjoyed the arts.

He found himself briefing Jared about what he had just witnessed in Mrs. Barlow's office, which seemed to excite him. Unlike Harley, Jared was a ladies man and he was not shy to talk about the way they looked. Harley found it disrespectful when people spoke about the way someone looked, especially women, but he let it slide for Jared.

Entering the courtyard Harley let out a grateful sight and pulled out a packet of cigarettes, took one from the packet and placed it between his lips. Jared took one and lit it with his lighter before lighting Harley's for him.

Harley leaned against the brick wall and blew out smoke.

"You know, if you smell like smoke when you see your loving Auntie, you're gonna be in shit." Jared laughed.

"Loving Auntie my ass," Harley scoffed "and for fuck sake, keep it down. It's Mrs. Barlow." Harley huffed, taking another drag of his cigarette.

"Same thing. Anyway, tell me more about this Dawson girl." Jared smirked.

"Leave her alone man. Aren't you seeing that blonde girl, uhh..."

Harley furrowed his eyebrows. Why he had just said what he did confused him. He had met the girl once, she was slightly rude, but he was sure that the circumstances gave her permission to be. He inhaled the smoke and nicotine danced in his mouth, down his throat and into his lungs. For him, this was the escape he needed.

"Chantelle? Not anymore, she got a bit too clingy. So, you're interested in her then?" Jared laughed, kicking Harleys shoe.

The bell rang above Harley's head causing him to jump and Jared to chuckle. This bell signalled the end of classes and the last assembly of the day. Harley and Jared put out their cigarettes and chucked them into the flower pot next to the door. Considering smoking was banned at Bispham Academy, there were a lot of cigarette butts on campus.

They laughed and joked about what todays assembly would be about. They jested about a lockdown because someone had brought drugs onto campus, again. Yet Harley's mind drifted to the girl in Mrs. Barlow's office.

What had she done to get herself thrown into the hell hole that is Bispham Academy?