Born Free by Unknown

Author:Unknown
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Tags: General Fiction
ISBN: 9781847677044
Publisher: Canongate Books
Published: 2009-08-09T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nineteen

JAKE

WE’RE SUPPOSED TO go to church – aye, fucking church – with the school at 11 this morning. It’s a yearly punishment they make you go through before freeing you for the Easter break. As it’s a Proddy church, though, Sean’s not going, so neither am I. The churchy bit of religion’s really boring anyway. It’s the football that matters.

We agree to meet at the main door after registration, then just bugger off. It only takes five minutes but I’m gimping to get back to Sean’s before Eva goes out. As I try to make my exit, however, the headmaster drags me into his room.

‘A word, please, Mr Scott.’

Here we fucking go. Closing his office door, he tells me to sit down. As he usually makes me stand with my hands behind my back, for a second I think he’s maybe come in peace. Then he starts on about the Mr Russell cupboard incident. Just recalling it makes me smirk, but I say nothing.

‘You obviously find it very amusing. Does it make you feel big, to treat someone like that?’

Bloody hell, don’t tell me old Muirie’s a shirt-lifter as well.

‘Honest, sir. I was at the back of the gym, practising ma throws. I didnae even realise what’d happened.’

‘Come off it, Jake. He was put in there half-way through the lesson. If the janitor hadn’t been so conscientious at locking-up time, the poor man would’ve been in there all night.’

Fucking beauty. I wish I could stop smiling. He’ll think it was me.

‘… come on. A teacher vanishes in the middle of a lesson, the pupils stage a mini-riot and you don’t find anything strange in that?’

‘But that’s what it’s usually like.’

He tries to stare me out as he squeezes a squash ball. I bet that’s it. They’re just a bunch of poofs covering up for each other. I’m sweating with the strain of clenching my bum cheeks by the time he shows me the door. I always thought he looked a bit like Dale Winton.

‘I’ll need to speak to everyone again. I have to establish the facts for my report to the Occupational Health. I don’t know, another good teacher lost through stress whose wages we still have to pay from our budget. And your parents wonder why there’s not enough books to go round.’

Aw, deedums!

‘Sorry I couldnae help you, Mr Muir.’

‘Well, if you do remember anything, slip a note under my door. Anonymously if you must. It’s easier to intimidate people into talking once I know who the ringleader is.’

Fuck, it’s the perfect way to get back at Daniel. Then again, why should he get punished for the one decent thing he’s done in his whole life? That’s the thing. He’s maybe a cunt, but Mr Russell’s the real bad one, the real sick fucker. Why do only the male teachers fancy the young laddies round here anyway?

Pulling my jacket over my arse, I run down the main stairs. I’m relieved to see Sean still there, despite me being about 15 minutes late.

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