Once I explained about the possible intimidation I’d been experiencing, she’d surely see I had good reason to ask about his dad’s whereabouts. But it was still not really on for me to question an eight-year-old child when he was at the centre of a complaint against me. How could I avoid it, though?

For the second time that day, I found myself relating the story of being forced off my bike, and then the brick through the window.

I was clenching my fist as I related the final bit, shaking a little with the indignation of it all, and the memory of Anya’s terrified face in the moonlit bedroom.

Jackie sat back in her chair and let out a deep sigh when I finished. She was twisting a Biro in her fingers, her expression sombre.

‘Elliott …’ she said quickly, then stopped. Then, ‘You still haven’t answered my question. What did you say to Tyler on the way into assembly this morning?’

For a moment I felt myself flailing. Heat crept up my neck and stained my cheeks. I felt about ten years old in that moment.

‘I just …’ I started and had to swallow the saliva that flooded my mouth, ‘I asked him where his dad was today. His dad usually drops him at school.’

Jackie’s face was set as she looked back at me. ‘And you think it was a good idea to ask about that when you are currently in dispute with his father?’

I was suddenly awash with outrage.

‘I’m not the one having a dispute!’ I said, far too loud, and I saw Jackie wince. ‘He has completely fabricated an argument and might, right now, be waging a campaign of intimidation against me! Or did you miss that part?’

I knew as soon as I’d spoken that I’d handled this all wrong. Jackie was now looking at me with an expression I’d never seen before on her face; a cold mix of anger and something else – sorrow? Disappointment?

‘Look,’ she said, with a sigh, leaning back in her chair. ‘If you really think Mr Bennett is behind anything that has happened to you outside of the school, then you must go to the police and report this. All I’m concerned about is what happens on school premises and the health and safety of my pupils, and yes,’ she raised a hand to block me from saying what I was about to say ‘… my staff too. But while this is going on, you absolutely must not speak to Tyler about anything other than school business. You do see that, don’t you?’

‘Yes,’ I said, all the fight having leaked away now. ‘Yes, I’m sorry, Jackie. I shouldn’t have spoken to him this morning. I’m just finding all this quite stressful.’