Chapter 1
When I woke up that day I wasn’t expecting to get expelled from my high school. I was in my last year and not very far off taking my GCSE exams and leaving. I had nothing planned for when I left, I had applied for college but I don’t even remembered which course I had picked, it was one that my teacher thought I’d be good at so I just wrote it down and sent it.
When I got to school that morning it felt like any other day, I went to my form room to get signed in first thing, then got ushered into the hall for an assembly and then broke through the crowd of students to get to my first class. I managed to make it to all four lessons before lunch and then managed to buy and eat my lunch before the event happened.
A little year 7 kid walked past me, his big glasses covering half of his face and his messy hair hanging over his eyes. He held some of his school books in his arms as he walked past me. I didn’t think anything of it until I heard a thud behind me. When I turned around I saw the kid on his stomach on the floor and his books in front of him scattered in every direction. A boy from my year, Jack; whom was well known as a bully stood over him having obviously tripped him up. “Where are you going Matthew? To the library to do your homework? Such a nerd.” He said in a mocking tone. I personally saw nothing wrong with people doing there homework in the library at lunch, it meant more time to do other things at home. Matthew simply nodded and tried to get up, only making it to his knees before he was pushed back down by Jack. By this point I had already begun walking towards the scene. I couldn’t stand by and see the blatant bullying continue.
It’s something that I could never stand. I always tried to stand up for the kids being bullied; well as well as I could. Sometimes it was difficult. But this was a battle that I knew I could win because I had had lots of run ins with Jack and he knew what the repercussions would be for his actions.
“Hey Jack!” I greeted casually with a smile on my face. His face visually paled and I laughed a little inside, not letting it show. “What are you talking to Matthew about? Were you just helping him to pick up his books?” Jack scowled at me and this time I let the laugh slip. His eyes grew dark and his expression turned sour, but it made him look funny because of the way his ginger eyebrows were scrunching above his angry looking brown eyes. “What do you want Ajax? Why can’t you just let me have some fun?” I made a curious expression as I picked up a few of Matthews books and helped him stand up, “I was just walking by when I heard Matthew here fall and drop his books, now he has them back he can get going on his merry way.” I looked at Matthew who looked a little shaken up, but overall ok. He nodded to me in thanks and took off in the direction he had originally been going.
“I thought I warned you last time I caught you bullying some innocent little kid, although last time they were at least in year nine, Matthew is only in year seven, how can he defend himself again you?” I asked with genuine curiosity, I wanted to hear his reply.
“He can’t, that’s the point. What’s your problem anyway? I was just having fun.” He stated with a growing grin on his face. Someone needed to wipe that grin off of his face. And in that moment I decided that that person would be me. After all, I had warned him last time I caught him that I would knock him down a peg or 6. And so I did.
He didn’t even see my fist coming as it hit him square in the nose. He deserved it. As his nose began gushing blood a crowd began to form around us. Now I wasn’t one to encourage violence, I would much rather insult someone and throw in some yo mamma jokes; but Jack deserved it.
Jack tried to hit me back, but with blood gushing from his nose he barely scraped my jaw and I pushed him with only a small force and he fell down hard on his behind. I decided to just leave him, there was no point hurting him more because I would just get in trouble. But Jack didn’t see it that way. As I turned around and began walking away he must have stood up and made his way over to me because soon enough he grabbed my shoulder and as I turned around he punched me in the jaw; hard. It hurt like a mother trucker, but before it even registered what I was doing I had punched him at least twice as hard square in his face and he was collapsing to the floor.
At the same time the crowd was being separated and a swarm of teachers were taking over the corridor sending the crowd to the lunchroom and library as they tried to bring order back to the scene. I got dragged away and to a teacher’s office. I don’t even remember which one. I was in a daze; I didn’t know that I could punch that hard and I had no idea what came over me. It was like I wasn’t even in my own body.
Teachers shouted at me, my mum was called and the final verdict was that I would be expelled but not much of it registered in my brain as I was sent home and my mum decided against talking to me the whole time we were in the car, which truthfully was only 10 minutes, but seemed like an hour.
When we got home my mum walked in and went straight to the living room. I decided not to test her patience and to follow her in.
She was surprisingly calm as I took a seat near her and looked down at my feet. I had finally come out of my daze and begun to realise that the situation I was in wasn’t good.
“Why did you do that Ajax?” She asked. I didn’t know how to respond at first because she used my full name. My mum hadn’t called me anything but AJ since I was about 7 and ate all the biscuits she had been saving for our mummy-son movie night.
“He was being a bully again,” I started, but before she could interject I continued “He’s always picking on people younger than him. Last week it was a year 9 kid the week before that was a year 8, and I warned him and warned him and he keeps doing it. Today was a year 7 kid called Matthew, and he’s tiny mum, like really tiny, he couldn’t stand up for himself against someone his own age, never mind someone in my year.” I let out a breath before mum began to speak.
“Ok. I understand. That doesn’t mean that what you did was right. It definitely wasn’t and you’re grounded for a week, the only thing you will be doing is eating, sleeping and chores. You will have extra chores for the week because you will be at home while I’m at work mister.” She finished and stood up and left the room leaving no room for arguments as she went to get the laptop from her room to try to get another school to let me in.
Chapter 2
Mum wasn’t joking when she said that I’d have extra chores. Every day that week when I woke up there would be a new list folded over the TV screen so that I would definitely see it.
On the first day of my expulsion I had to clean the kitchen, including cleaning out the fridge and reorganising some of the cupboards that were getting over filled. I got my speaker out and plugged my iPod in (I had begged for her to let me keep it for when I was doing chores because she had taken my phone and every other electronic device that I own. She finally relented when she realised that it only had music on it and I would do a better job of all of the chores if I had it on.) After spending 10 minutes picking a suitable playlist I got to work. It took all day, but I was actually proud of myself when I had finished. The surfaces were clean; the inside of all of the cupboards had been cleaned. I had emptied every single cupboard using the hall way floor as space for storage of all of the plates, pans, food and random stuff that I found in them. I them washed up everything in the kitchen and dried it, putting everything into the clean cupboards and reorganising where necessary, After this I cleaned out the fridge and got rid of any out of date, or questionable looking food then I cleaned the floor and took the rubbish out. I don’t think the kitchen had ever been that clean before. I don’t think mum had either as she nearly cried when she saw the amazing job I had done.
On the second day I had to clean the entire living room including clearing out the cupboard that we kept random things in- you know what cupboard I mean, everyone has one. I did an awesome job of that as well; after creating a new awesome playlist on my iPod of couse.
Day three and I was stuck with the job of cleaning my bedroom, which again took all day. I decided to do a proper job of it and cleaned under the bed, around the bed, cleared out my wardrobe and drawers as well. I even cleaned the window. I put all of the clothes that didn’t fit or that I never wore into a bag as well as some old shoes and some random books and old toys that I found. I decided that I might as well take them to the charity shop. So that was day four. Thankfully a Friday, and mum was a teacher so she didn’t work on weekends, which meant I would only have my standard chores like washing up after tea, and I wouldn’t have to spend any more time deep cleaning the house. Although mum seemed happier now that the house was clean and there was less stuff in random places.
Over the week mum had found a new school for me to attend. It was about the same distance away from my house as my old school, but in the opposite direction. They weren’t willing to accept me because of my expulsion, but they relented when mum told them I was trying to prevent bullying. However, they said that I would have to be extra well behaved because if I caused any problems then I would get expelled from there too.
Soon enough Monday was upon us and mum had ironed my uniform (thankfully it was similar to my old one, and I only needed to buy a new blazer and I would be given a tie when I got to the school). I got up, got dressed and ate some cereal before mum ushered me into the car. My new high school was actually quite near to the primary school that my mum worked at, so she was going to drop me off at her work and I would have to walk the small distance to the school. I was happier with that than having to walk the whole 35 minute journey from home. I still didn’t have my phone back because I was still grounded until the next day, so when we got out of the car, mum looked at me and put on her most serious expression, “AJ, I want no fighting, I don’t want any phone calls home. After school come straight here and we can go home together.” I agreed and gave her a small hug, making her smile before I walked out of the small school car park and down the road to the school that I would call mine for the next 8 months. As I walked I decided that the next day I would have to bring a jacket, although it was only a short walk it was cold and the wind was fierce as I sped up to try to keep my feet from freezing.
When I got to the school I went straight inside, I got a few weird looks as I walked towards what I was guessing was the office, but I ignored them as I stepped into the room and walked up to the desk.
“Hi, I’m new here; I was told I could get a tie and my timetable and stuff.” I gave my best award winning smile as the receptionist rolled her eyes and didn’t give me a second glance. “Name?” she asked grumpily as she continued to stare at the computer screen in front of her.
“Ajax Smith.” I replied happily, ignoring her rude behaviour.
“Here’s your tie,” she said as she reached below the desk and pulled out a silver tie with a single red stripe on it. “The red shows that you’re year 11, you’ll work out the other colours.” She went back to her computer and typed slowly, before I heard something print.
“And here’s your timetable, you’re in form 11A, room 302, now get to form.” She gave more no direction as to where to go, so I took a guess and went left. All of the rooms that I came to began with the number 1, so I found a stair case and headed upstairs. The next floors rooms began with 2, so I took a guess and went top the top floor and found room 314 across from the staircase I had chosen. Going one way the number went up, so I took the other direction and finally came to room 302 as I pretty much guessed which way to go. According to my timetable first period didn’t start until 9:05, so I had five minutes to spend in my form room and to hopefully get some help.
As I entered everyone turned to look at me, so I just put on a smile as the teacher began to speak, “I’m guessing that you’re Ajax, I thought you wouldn’t find us. I’m Mr Frank; I’m also going to be your biology teacher. Sit next to Nathan there and he’ll explain about the way our form system works and how we run things, then he’ll show you to your first lesson.” Mr Frank pointed towards a boy who looked to be a lot taller and bigger built than me. He had brown hair a shade lighter than mine and blue eyes that made him seem friendly enough. He smiled as I sat next to him and began to explain a few things. “Welcome to Saint Hubert’s. Interesting fact Saint Hubert of Liege is actually the Patron Saint of Mad Dogs. So we have 10 forms, S,A,I,N,T,H,U,B,E,R, you’re in A which is the best, obviously. There’s kind of a rivalry between saint and huber but saint is better. We’re separated most of the time, so don’t worry about it. Let me look at your timetable.” He stated giving me no chance to say no as he plucked the piece of paper from my hand.
“Ok, so if you look, today is Monday so you look at this column and it’s period 1 so you look at this row so you have English in room 113with Miss Hardy, she’s quite a nice teacher.” I tried to take in all of the information, but truthfully only about half of it was going in. “So basically, all of the rooms on the bottom floor begin with 1, first floor they begin with 2, second floor they begin with three. And they’re the same layout pretty much, so 113 is in the same place as 313 just on a different floor. Make sense?” I nodded even though I wasn’t really listening. The canteen is on the bottom floor, but I’m with you for period 2 so I’ll show you after class.” He gave me a smile and I realised that he had finally finished speaking. I didn’t need to reply as the bell decided to go and make me jump. Nathan just laughed and began to lead me out of the classroom and into the corridor.
“I’ll show you to your first lesson.” He said as he began walking towards the staircase. I tried to follow the route, but I wasn’t really paying enough attention to remember it completely. When we got downstairs and rounded a few corners Nathan pointed at a room “That’s 113, I’m down the corridor a little, but if you wait here after first then I’ll meet you and we can go to maths together!” He seemed overly friendly and nice, but I liked it. I gave him a genuine smile and nodded as I walked in the direction of the room he had pointed to. He gave me a small wave before walking round a corner to get to his own first lesson.
“Mr Smith I assume?” A woman teacher asked as I entered the classroom. Her hair was clearly dyed blonde as dark roots were peaking out from her scalp; she had a round face and eyes a little to small for her face. She did however have a somewhat decent dress sense and had on a modest blue dress and black tights. But what stood out was the rainbow necklace she was wearing. It looked to be made of those small rubber bands that were a massive craze a year ago. Looking around the classroom I saw a picture on the bookshelf near here desk of two children. If I had to guess the little girl with blonde pigtails had made her that necklace and she refused to take it off. I thought that was sweet.
“Yes miss.” I replied when I realised that she was waiting for a reply.
“I’m Miss Hardy and I’m your English teacher, you’ve been put in my class because we have studied the same books as at your previous school and the other classes have studied different books. If you have any questions then I will be here at lunch time. Take a seat over there and I will get started.” I did as she said and spent the class writing notes on the chapter of the book that they were reading. I was a couple of chapters behind, but I’d read them up at some point if I remembered.
The class was an hour long and it dragged as Miss Hardy asked questions and got each student to read 3 sentences as we went through the chapter. Soon enough the class was over and I was waiting were Nathan had told me. Looking at my time table I was supposed to be in room 224 next which meant I’d be upstairs somewhere.
“Boo!” I jumped and nearly hit Nathan as he bent over laughing at my expense.
“That was not nice!” I said making him laugh harder. “Fine, I’ll find the class room by myself.” Even I didn’t believe myself when I began to walk away slowly; I didn’t get very far before Nathan shouted that I was going the wrong way. Turning around I followed him grumbling to myself that he was being mean but he heard me and he just laughed at me.
Thankfully I knew that he was not being malicious and when we got into the now empty stair case I joined in with his infectious laughter. “Fine, it was funny,” I started “but that doesn’t mean that you can do it again.” He held up his hands in surrender and I stuck my tongue out at him childishly.
The rest of the day went really well. At lunch I sat with Nathan and his friend Robin. I liked Robin. He had dark skin with even darker hair and eyes. If I was gay then I would definitely go for him. But I’m not. He was really cool as well. Just like Nathan he didn’t treat me like a new kid, he acted as if he had known me for all of his life which I was thankful for. They informed me that Nathan’s sister sat with them sometimes, but more often than not she’d randomly disappear and break and lunch and nobody knew where it was that she went. I’d meet her sometime; but for the mean time I was happy with the two new friends I had made, it was two more than I had had at my old school so I wasn’t complaining.
The rest of the day flew by and before I knew it I was leaving and walking back to meet my mum and getting home. I decided that I probably should read the chapters that I missed, so I tried, but as soon as I got into it mum called me for tea, so I put a book mark in it and put it back in my bag. I’d do it later.
The rest of the week went by and I didn’t read the chapters, instead I just continued on with the final few chapters like the rest of the class. It would be fine. I was good at English. I was good at nearly everything- well good enough to pass my exams- so I wasn’t that bothered. Nathan and Robin accepted me at their table every day and I was starting to get to know the layout of the school as well as knowing which teachers I could wrap around my finger and which would need a little more sweet talking when I inevitably forgot to do my homework.
By the end of the week I was exhausted and decided to just sleep my weekend away. And that’s exactly what I did.
Chapter 3
As the weeks continued I was getting settled and actually preferred the school to my other. It was nearing December and everyone was already planning for Christmas. It’s like as soon as Halloween was over everyone turned into Santa’s elves and became obsessed with the thought of Christmas; I was just looking forward to half term and not having to go to school for 2 and a half weeks.
As December rolled round I was stuck wondering whether I would be getting presents for Nathan and Robin. I’d never really had friends that I was close to; did they get each other Christmas presents. I decided that it would be a good idea to get them something little, that way I had gotten them something if they got something for me and if they hadn’t then it wasn’t a big deal that I had got them something. I decided to ask mum for help when I got home.
All of a sudden I turned a corner on my way to the bathroom and caught a glimpse of something that I hadn’t seen at all of my time at the school so far. A girl in my year was standing over a boy, who by the colour on his tie I guessed was in year 8, and shouting at him and kicking his books across the floor. I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach as I debated what to do. I wanted to help the kid out, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t get into a situation where I could potentially get expelled again. Mum would be furious and no other school would let me in.
I did something that I hope I never have to do again. I turned around and walked away.
The act made me feel physically sick and I went straight to my next class forgetting that I ever needed the bathroom.
When lunch came around Robin was oblivious but Nathan knew that something was wrong. I didn’t tell him what it was. I just laughed it off and said I wasn’t feeling well; which wasn’t entirely untrue.
That night I completely forgot to ask for my mum’s help in choosing presents.
The next day the incident was still clear in my mind but I managed to block it out with the sounds of music that I blasted too loud through my ear phones. I hadn’t done my maths homework the previous night, so I did it half heartedly as we waited for the teacher to come in. She didn’t notice luckily as I handed her the sheet with half of the answers made up.
By lunch time I was pretty much back to my normal self and even managed to laugh at one of Nathan’s stories from a time when he and his sister Selena were having a food fight across the table at tea time with their parents. I had yet to meet his sister and to be completely honest I hadn’t even known her name until that conversation. Nathan and Robin were the only people I knew, I didn’t pay attention to any of the people in my classes because I didn’t see the point; I already had two awesome friends. Why should I over complicate my life?
Mock exams would be the first week back after Christmas giving us the half term to revise. I’m not going to lie, I was dreading them. I just had a feeling that I wasn’t going to do very well.
“-all of us? Or are we doing a secret Santa?” I clocked in to half of Robin’s sentence.
“Secret Santa could be fun, I mean there’s only three of us, but it means we only have to get one present each.” I agreed with Nathan’s logic and watched as Robin scribbled or names of three ripped pieces of paper and folded them twice.
“If you get your own name then we’ll pick again.” Nathan said as he picked a piece of paper off the table. Robin took his next and smiled to himself. I grabbed mine and had it had a roughly scribbled ‘Robin’ on it. I also smiled and put the pice of paper in my pocket.
“I guess I’ll have to go and get something for one of you then.” I stated as the bell went and we began to clear up. “Wait. What’s the price limit?” I asked.
“£10,” Robin stated as he quickly made his way to his lesson. I followed his lead and went to biology- which I wasn’t doing very well in at the moment.
After school I went home and began brainstorming for what I could get for Robin. I know that he liked music and was obsessed with that Japanese anime stuff. He was always talking about some series he was watching or re watching. I could get him something to do with that. I decided to look online for ideas. Finally I found stuff merchandise for an anime series that he always talked about, “Attack on Titan” it was his favourite, or at least it’s the one he talked about the most. I saw a few random things, but then I found a backpack that looked to be just his style with black and green. It was perfect for him because his current back pack was falling apart at the seams. It barely carried his books any more and seemed as though it would completely break at any second. It was also on offer at £7.99 with £3 shipping. Going £1 over doesn’t count if it’s on shipping.
“Mum can I have £11 to buy this present for secret Santa?” I shouted down the stairs. I got a reply quickly, “if you want something then come and ask me properly.”
I laughed at the classic “mum” quote and lifted my laptop up to carry it downstairs.
“I said,” I started when I entered the living room “can I please have £11 to get this for my secret Santa person?” Mum took the laptop from me and had a look at the bag.
“Who’s it for? And what’s the logo?” She asked.
“It’s for Robin, and it’s his favourite anime series, he’s obsessed with it and his current bag is falling to bits, so I thought it would be a good present. And I want it to be here by next week, so can I get it?” I smiled and pulled the puppy dog eyes. She rolled her eyes at me and held back a laugh as she walked over to her bag and pulled out her purse. After handing me her card she said “order it and give the card straight back. I don’t want you ordering anything other than that bag, I need all the money I have for your Christmas present,” I didn’t ask what my present was because I knew that she wouldn’t answer. Instead I gave her my most sincere smile and nodded that I would just get the bag.
When that was done mum ordered pizza because she couldn’t be bothered cooking and we pigged out before I went to bed. The next day was Friday and I wasn’t looking forward to double maths first thing in the morning.
To Be Continued...
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Tag der Veröffentlichung: 08.08.2016
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