I look out at the square. It’s almost empty of cars because everyone has gone to work. James King makes being suspended sound fun. He says he walks around town or hangs out by the boats in the docks. But this isn’t fun. I glance across at Jake’s house. I bet he’s as bored as I am. This is when I’d normally text him, but we’ve been told to keep away from each other and after what he did I don’t want to talk to him anyway. Besides, Mum’s got my phone. She’d have taken my laptop too if I didn’t need it for schoolwork.

I slide it across the desk towards me. I type in my password.

Welcome back, Astroboy2008 appears on the screen.

I’m supposed to research the First World War . . . but maybe just one game wouldn’t hurt. I jump and go to my door. Mum’s downstairs talking to someone on her phone. I close the door and go back to my desk.

A message is now flashing across my screen.

Tired of playing me? Why not play real people at the same level as you?

I click on the members’ board. Hundreds of players are split into leagues according to their levels, just like on any video game. I think of selecting someone from level three, but I’ve only played one proper game with Granddad and I don’t want to get beaten straight away. I scroll down. There’s a green icon telling me who is online. I select a player from level two: Dynamo2011. A profile loads up – picture of a knight in full body armour, and underneath it says Dynamo2011 has been a member for a month.

Only a month and on level two – he or she sounds as new to the game as me.

A message lights up – Dynamo2011 has seen I’m looking at the profile.

Want a game?

Yes, I type, even though I know I shouldn’t.

Cool.

But it’s not cool, not really. I shouldn’t be at home playing chess, I should be in school learning with the rest of my class.

I move a pawn to e4.

Dynamo2011 moves a pawn to d5.

I pause as Mum’s voice gets louder. I overhear her say something about Granddad not touching his food again last night, didn’t even take the cellophane off the plate. She thinks there’s definitely something wrong with him. Everything is going wrong, Granddad is still upset with me and I’ve fallen out big time with Jake.

I move a pawn to f4.

Dynamo2011 moves his knight to a6.

I rest my head on my hand and look at the screen.

I should never have let this happen – all I had to do was play chess with Granddad for a few days, but now I’ve upset him and his depression has come back.