Trading Places

I Chapter Three I Charles

"Would you like to sit with us at lunch Charles?" May said from across the table. She was nice, a bit too flirty for his liking but it wouldn't hurt to have a few people to sit with here. "It would be my pleasure," Charles said grinning back at her, she giggled and went red. He focused back on his work wanting to maintain his top grades, well... as well as he could at public school.

"Harley West what have I told you about mobile phones!" The teacher said loudly, drawing everyone's attention. Charles was just impressed she already knew the boys name, he looked over to where she was yelling and saw two boys sat at the back, one with his phone out, slowly going red - Harley, he presumed - and another boy who hit his friend in the arm and tried to carry on with the work. They both looked seemingly embarrassed about being called out. Charles found this unusual because they both gave off the 'bad boy' vibe, with their leather jackets and sharper than steel jaw lines but neither seemed very... well, bad. "I'm sorry miss... it was my mum," Harley seemed ashamed or regretful about sharing that information but the teacher stopped her stalk across the classroom and a look of kind understanding crossed her face, "ah, sorry Harley, continue, just let me know before hand," Harley nodded and his friend mumbled something to him before patting him on the back. Charles was now thoroughly confused and turned back round in his seat to see May staring dreamily at the pair. "May, do you know those er gentlemen?" he asked her, her attention immediately snapped back to Charles and she straightened her back slightly, "ugh, I wish," she said bitterly before continuing. "I went to senior school with the both of them, the one with the phone is Harley West obviously, and the one next to him with the dreamy green eyes is Ace Draven, they are both complete bad asses which just makes them all the more hotter," she said ending with her staring back at the pair.

Charles looked at them again and saw that Ace had given up or finished the work. He had to admit that May was right, they were an attractive pair of men, which was seemingly a dress code or initiation test to become a bad ass, Charles thought to himself. Charles almost blushed when he realised he was staring and quickly whipped round to face the front again. The teacher dismissed the class soon after that and Charles found himself trailing after May and her friends to the lunch hall.

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"Everyone this is Charles - Jonathan, er... What's you full name?" Charles chuckled at this, his name was a mouthful "my name is Charles - Jonathan Alexander De Clare but you can just call me Charles. It's an absolute pleasure to meet you all," he said before sitting down next to May, Charles was now sitting on the floor - to his absolute horror and was surrounded by five or six girls, May included and four or so boys. He would never remember their names, so he didn't even bother asking them.

Lunch went by slowly and people individually introduced themselves and he tried to remember even just one persons name. Half way through their little group dynamic was interrupted by four shadows falling upon them. "oi Jason, we need to talk to you," a slightly familiar voice said. Charles looked up and saw Harley and Ace standing there with two other equally as menacing looking guys either side of them. "Talk then," The shaggy haired brunette who was seated next to Charles said "Oh look, he grew some balls overnight," one of the unknown boys said which caused the other three to laugh. May's group had gone silent and no one was looking up, Charles was curious as to what sort of reputation these four had to make everyone so scared. "You sure you want us to ruin what your little fuck buddy over there thinks of you?" Ace said quite viciously looking towards May. She gasped and glared at Jason, the whole group seemed surprised "oh shit... I wasn't meant to say that was I?" Ace fake gasped then broke out in a nasty grin. "Just tell me what you wanna tell me," Jason spat out, venom laced in his words. "You owe Zane over there £148 and he's been kind to you so far, he's still sold to you even when you owe him money but he's had enough now, you've made him look like a twat and he's not putting up with it anymore Jason," Ace was now crouched down in front of Jason and very close to Charles. He took this as an opportunity to study Ace.

He had Jensen Ackles shade of green eyes - Supernatural was Charles' guilty pleasure but he'd rather die than admit it to anyone - there was a bruise on his sharp jawline and Charles could just about see a few strands of jet black hair sticking out of his beanie. Everything was precise about Ace's features, everything was proportionate and nothing seemed out of place. Ace glanced towards Charles and surprised passed over his features before he set his face into his usual stoic expression. Charles was once again confused, why did Ace seem surprised, did he know him? Charles didn't rule it out, he was quite well known seeing as he had been pictured many a time with the Queen of England. 

Charles turned his attention back to Jason, "So you have the money?" Charles was terrified and he wasn't even the subject of Ace's glare. Jason shook his head and looked at Ace like he had grown six more heads right in front of him "of course I don't have £150 on me! Are you crazy?" Ace tutted and feigned hurt "I'm not the crazy one Jason, you're the crazy one for thinking you could scam free weed off my friend over there; meet us tonight 9:00 at the overpass with the money, got it?" Ace's voice was now steady with an underlying violent tone. Charles was scared for Jason, what was this 'overpass' place? Well whatever it was, it couldn't be a good place if those four regularly used it. Jason nodded meekly and Ace patted him on the shoulder which caused Jason to flinch. Charles felt sorry for this boy, those four were terrifying and Charles was going to avoid them at all cost. Ace studied Charles one more time before he got up and walked away with his friends, without so much as a glance back. 

Jason was now visibly shaking and he looked scared to death, "oh my god, I'm gonna die of some fucking weed man," May glared at him "It seems like a lot more than 'some' Jason, why the hell did you keep getting it if you can't afford it?" Jason shrugged his shoulders pathetically and Charles actually felt sorry for him, weed was not worth dying over. "I don't have the money, they're going to kill me," Jason was almost weeping and the whole circle of people was silent, agreeing with him. "I can give you the money," Charles offered before he could even think about it. Jason's head snapped up, and his eyes narrowed into a glare. "I can't afford to pay them, let alone pay you  back as well," Charles held his hands in a surrender, "I don't want paying back, honestly Jason, not to brag but I have more money than I know what to do with, it wouldn't be a problem giving it to you, I'd actually be more than happy to." Charles didn't know what he was doing, he'd never been this... well... selfless before and Charles was honestly baffled by the whole notion of it. It was the first day of public school and he was already giving £150 away to a stranger. Jason's glare softened and a look of relief washed over his face. "Are you sure Charles, honestly you don't have to," But his eyes had a hopeful glisten to them and Charles had got this far so he could barely say no. "It'd be my pleasure but would it be possible for me to come with you? I could even drive you if you wanted?" Jason nodded "sure, gimme your phone," Charles unlocked it and passed it over to him, curious as to why he wanted it. "text me and I'll send you my address, pick me up at 8:30 if that's ok?" Charles nodded, surprised at himself for doing this "sounds great," but he couldn't help to wonder what the hell he had just got himself into.

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A/N Hey guys (if there's anyone reading ) just wanted to say thanks if you are and please vote and leave comments even if they're just telling me how crap my story is, either way I appreciate any form of feedback. Thanks!