‘Okay,’ I said. ‘I bet I can guess who. Tyler Bennett’s dad, by any chance?’

‘Yes, that’s right.’

‘Look,’ I went on, leaning forward in my seat. ‘It really was nothing. This guy just took against me, I think.’ I paused. ‘Didn’t like the cut of my jib.’

Jackie was blank-faced. ‘He said you pushed Tyler and then you were rude to him.’

A hot blast of outrage. ‘That’s ridiculous!’ I said. ‘I didn’t even touch Tyler.’

As I said it, I remembered this wasn’t strictly true. But it was such a gentle push to his shoulder, so it hardly counted.

‘Are you sure?’ said Jackie, her expression now softer. She wasn’t enjoying this any more than I was.

‘Yes,’ I said. ‘Absolutely. It’s something and nothing.’ Part of me wanted to tell her about the bike incident and the brick. But that just made Bennett’s allegation sound as though it had more merit, so I kept quiet.

She looked relieved. ‘I knew it would be, Elliott, but unfortunately we have to follow procedures, as you know, when this happens. I’ll get you to write up exactly what occurred and I’m going to have to inform LADO too.’ She was referring the Local Authority Designated Officer, appointed to look into any issues to do with safeguarding.

This was such bullshit. What a waste of time for everyone concerned.

Trying to quash the weariness I was feeling from my voice, I said, ‘Of course. I’ll get onto it.’

I had a strong desire to slink out of the office and go straight home but I forced myself to head down to my classroom. My hands were throbbing and my back hurt. Today was not shaping up well so far.

Halfway down the corridor I saw Zoe, who made that face again.

‘You okay?’ she said.

‘Yeah. Tell you about it later.’

I got my class started on their English project, which this term was all tied up with a Viking theme, hence the visit to the museum. They were writing letters to their families at home as Viking settlers.

Ryan Reece, the class wag, shouted out, ‘Sir? Do Vikings rape and pillinge?’ to which I gently put him right on the word ‘pillage’ and got round any tricky issues by telling them that some historians felt their bad boy reputation had been exaggerated a little.

It was hard to focus though, that morning. I kept thinking about the complaint that Lee Bennett had made. Writing it all out was just going to be a drain on my time. And what for? It was such a pointless sort of disagreement, over nothing. I was angry with myself too. I knew that if I hadn’t been sarcastic with him, he wouldn’t have taken such grave offence.