Bella shot a glance to Nina. ‘Can you deal with the girls, and I’ll deal with Amias?’ Nina nodded. Calmly, Bella stood up and went to Amias, crouching down beside him. ‘Amias, this isn’t the behaviour I expect from you and because of your silliness you’ve hurt your friends.’

‘They’re not my friends,’ he replied with far more confidence than a nine-year-old should have.

Bella cocked her head. ‘Aren’t they? Why not?’ Amias didn’t answer, and Bella didn’t press knowing that in front of everyone Amias would clam up. He had today when he’d accidentally bumped into Freddie again.

Freddie had run to her in tears saying that Amias had punched him in the stomach. On questioning, Amias had claimed it was an accident and that he’d been running with his fists in front of him. It was a lame excuse even by his standards and another escalation of behaviour towards Freddie Bella wasn’t happy with. Not happy with at all. It also meant another word with the Coles after school, which was never an easy conversation to have. Hopefully this time, they’d see the absurdity in what Amias was claiming and say something to their son, though she didn’t hold out much hope. Bella gave him one last gentle warning and fervently wished it would be enough. Any more and she’d have to move him down the chart again, which would put him on red and mean a trip to Mrs White. ‘Let’s not have any more, okay? Or I’ll have to separate you three boys.’

The rehearsal was interrupted by the arrival of the school’s Christmas tree. The two burly men who had delivered it brought it in under Mrs White’s supervision. Everyone fell silent as they watched the men get it upright and into the stand. As soon as the branches fell into place, the children gasped and whispered in excitement.

Mrs White walked around it, admiringly. ‘Isn’t this exciting, children? We can start making some Christmas decorations now.’

Finally, the rehearsals finished for the day and the teachers trooped back to the classrooms with their pupils. Racing the ticking of the clock and the gathering crowd of parents outside, Bella urged the children to get their coats on and grab their belongings ready to go and enjoy the weekend.

Normally, Bella would be just as excited as them and though she had enough activity to keep her occupied tonight, she felt like a piece of her was missing. Every day she told herself the pain would lessen and then woke disappointed to find it hadn’t.

‘Can you wait with me, please, Amias?’ The boy huffed and threw his bag onto the table. His attitude was really getting worse and worse.

Bella sent out all the other children.

‘There’s my dad, miss,’ said Amias after everyone had gone.