Chapters (75)
- Cover
- Praise
- About the Author
- Title Page
- Intoroduction
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EITHT
- NINE
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- FORTY-TWO
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-FOUR
- FORTY-FIVE
- FORTY-SIX
- FORTY-SEVEN
- FORTY-EIGHT
- FORTY-NINE
- FIFTY
- FIFTY-ONE
- FIFTY-TWO
- FIFTY-THREE
- FIFTY-FOUR
- FIFTY-FIVE
- FIFTY-SIX
- FIFTY-SEVEN
- FIFTY-EIGHT
- FIFTY-NINE
- SIXTY
- SIXTY-ONE
- SIXTY-TWO
- SIXTY-THREE
- SIXTY-FOUR
- SIXTY-FIVE
- SIXTY-SIX
- SIXTY-SEVEN
- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
- CLIMATE EMERGENCY
- Copyright
‘People say they saw Alan Almes talking to you for a minute before the incident, Josh. That he was muttering something to you. Is that not right?’
‘No Miss, it must be when he fell over and sat down next to me as he fell.’
‘As he tripped over your bag?’
‘Yeah, and spilled his food. He said something about how he should take my food because I tripped him up. Then I said no, so Vince tried to take my tray.’
‘Vince didn’t trip up, though.’
‘No, just Alan.’
After a bit more questioning, I manage to come up with a passable story which explains the food everywhere, the bloody nose, and me ending up under the table. Miss Amber seems satisfied, typing up the notes into an email which she explains she is sending to the behavioural unit. She clicks ‘send’ with a very precise ‘and there.’
‘I know you will anyway Josh, but stay away from those two, OK?’
‘Yes, Miss.’
‘I don’t just mean for a few days, but in general. They’re not good news for anyone. I know Mr Walters has put you in his Thursday sessions for extra work, which we’re all very happy with; it’s just unfortunate that he can’t find a separate evening for you.’
‘It’s fine, Miss. The Thursdays I mean.’
‘That’s good of you, Josh, and you’ve got your head screwed on right, we know that. It’s just…’
Somehow, I know she’s thinking about the English class yesterday. Whether she’s heard the story from students or from Mrs Burgoyne I don’t know, but I know she knows what was said. What I said.
‘Yesterday. You were behaving a little strangely in class. Mrs Burgoyne has emailed me…’
‘Yeah, sorry. I was playing devil’s advocate.’
‘What do you mean, Josh?’
‘Well, I don’t want to upset Mrs Burgoyne, but I sometimes feel that we have to just agree with what we’re being told. And I wanted to see if I could argue against that for a change.’
‘You picked a strange subject for your experiment, Josh. Mrs Burgoyne’s a little worried about some of the … sentiments you were showing in your homework.’
‘It was ironic, Miss. It was supposed to be funny.’ I offer my best, bloody-nosed smile.
‘OK. If you say so, but be careful where you’re getting your ideas from, Josh. And any more trouble from those two, you let me know, please.’
‘Yes, Miss.’
‘Right, back to your lessons then. And remember, keep away from those two boys.’
THIRTY-SIX
THIRTY SIX