Ged shook his head. She had a way with words for sure. No airs and graces, she just said it how it was.

The engine started again, and Chelsea was eager as ever to chat. ‘Was you out last night, Ged? It kicked off outside our house, you should have seen the dibble there too, they were team-handed when they come to arrest him next door. Four cars come for him with loads of officers inside them. I saw the whole thing, it was mint. Stiggy put up a good fight too. He took one down before they got the cuffs on him. Mary, his girlfriend, was up in arms too, you should have seen her; mental she was.’

Ged marvelled at how Chelsea never seemed to stop for breath; the words just rolled off her tongue, kept on coming. She was the opposite of him – he’d never been a big talker, found it hard to hold down a conversation. Maybe because under the tough exterior he was shy, hated making any eye contact with people. But it didn’t matter with Chelsea, she never stopped. You just needed to nod your head and listen as she went on and on. Drama, every day, always something that had gone on. Maybe she was making it up? Surely nobody could have that much going on at home? Ged had nothing going on at his – his highlight was two cats fighting outside in the early hours of the morning. The journey continued as Chelsea carried on sharing the ins and outs of the latest drama. When they stopped at a red light, Gary did his best to quieten the kids down.

‘Guys, guys, just give me a minute. We’re picking up a new girl up in a minute and then the rest of the mob. So be nice to her. You all know what it’s like to be the new kid in school so try your best to make her feel welcome.’

Chelsea flicked her hair over her shoulder, annoyed at the interruption to her monologue. ‘She’d better not be a cocky bitch, one of those new girls full of attitude,’ she hissed.

Gary raised his eyebrows. ‘You mean just like you were?’ He ignored her, all of them then, and carried on driving. He only had to put up with this lot for a couple of hours each day and that was more than enough. Every day a kid with drama, a parent screaming at her child to get on the bus to school, always something. Gary could tell a few stories about this lot. He had his work cut out for sure.