A’m snibbed fur the full duration ae ma suspension. No allowed over the door at aw. A’ve been blitzin the eld PS2, playin Max Payne nVice City. The troops huv been up sittin anaw. Ma maw doesnae mind, cos she knows we’re aw safe in here. It hud been a quiet couple ae weeks fur everycunt. Obviously, we’d aw still bailed oot windaes when our maws n that wur away tae work fur a joint or two. Yi need tae dae suhin when yir exiled fae school. It gits fuckin borin after a while.

There’s a loud rattle at the front door. That fuckin knock that makes yir heart thud, pure polis chap. A bail doon the stairs n pull the door open. A recognise the red puffer jacket straight away.

‘Monica? Yi awright?’

‘Big Eck just got battered aff Matty O’Connor!’

Matty is Si’s big brother. Him n Div Peters, Jamie’s big cuz, ir the two tap men in the Toi. Both ae them ir aboot eighteen or nineteen n gem as fuck. They’re the cunts yi heard aboot in stories n, cos ae their back-up, how Si n JP think they’re mental.

‘Fuck sake! Come in the noo.’

She’s soakin wet n brings the cold in wae her. ‘Where wur yees?’

‘Up the Mansion swallyin. Me n Amanda walked up to meet Patricia, n Big Eck n that were there. We aw walked doon the shop fur fags n Eck went a walk wae Amanda. She phoned screamin hur heed aff sayin Eck had just been battered off four guys who jumped oot a BMW.’

‘Where’s everycunt noo?’

‘They’re aw gonnae head up the Toi.’

‘A needty go anaw.’

‘It’s up to you, Azzy. I’ll just say you wur sleepin n A went home. We can sit in here.’

This is very temptin. No cos A’m shitin maself goin up the Toi, but because Monica Mason is offerin tae spend the night here wae me. That’s an offer boys ma age kin only dream ae, but yi cannae slope yir troops at times like these. ‘A’d obviously rather just stay here wae you, but we kin come back here, if yir still up fur it.’

‘Aye that’s fine, just be careful when you go up there – you’ve never been up, huv yi?’

‘Naw, no yit,’ A say honestly.

A’ve never been up the Toi n A only know a rough sketch ae the layout ae the place. Should we git separated n A end up on ma own, then A could just as easy run doon a dead-end or find a fence which is too high tae jump. A don’t know where the doss hooses n closes they’re likely tae pour oot ir. Or on the other hand, Monica sittin brushin hur damp fringe oot hur eyes on ma bed. Hur hair’s gone curly at the edges where it’s wet. A watch as she stands up at the windae n lights a Lambert & Butler, takin a slight draw on the end ae it fae the edge ae hur lips.