‘Which doorway’s that then?’ He sniggered.

‘Hilarious. You should do stand-up.’ I started to walk away but he grabbed one of my bags from under my arm.

I knew I should fight back but I couldn’t be arsed. ‘Take it. It’s dirty clothes.’

‘Eurgh!’ said Kemp chucking the bag at Fletcher who dodged it neatly and we all watched the clothes tumble out onto the pavement. Fletcher stamped on them, grinning at me the whole time.

‘Pick ’em up, Harris,’ said Kemp, squaring up to me.

‘Nope. Keep ’em.’

‘I. Said. Pick ’em up,’ he growled in my face as he thumped my shoulder with each word. I grabbed his wrist and turned my body, like Maggie had taught me, but Fletcher shoved me and I wasn’t strong enough to take them both on. They both started to whack me over the top of the head. We scrapped for a few moments until I heard someone shout and come running. ‘Leg it!’ yelled Kemp, giving me one final shove before he ran off.

It was utter shit to be back.

*

At least Dad was pleased to see me. I felt a bit bad letting him believe I’d come home because I wanted to but it seemed to make him happy, which was something. He’d gabbled on a lot about what he would have done if he’d known I was coming home today and slapped me on the shoulder, which I think was his best attempt at affection. It was beyond odd to be back in the house.

Dad made a big point of telling me he was still off the drink and that he’d restructured his borrowing, whatever that means, and now if he was careful we could keep the house and manage on his income. He can’t afford to get the car repaired so it’s gone for scrap and he’s been using my bike instead. I nodded here and there and that seemed to please him.

My bedroom looked the same as before except it had a clean duvet cover and clean sheets on – I couldn’t remember the last time they’d been changed. Maggie changed hers every other week. She dried them on the line at the side of the farmhouse and it made them smell different – like the outdoors had sneaked in. This bedroom smells different but not in a good way. I removed my Call of Duty posters from the wall, I’d moved on from all that, and took them downstairs to put in the recycling.