Cal - Ackley Bridge

Chapter 9

Callum's P.O.V.

The Christmas break was pretty manic because we had moved house. We were closer into town now which was good. I saw Missy and Nas a lot but I'm pretty sure Jordan was avoiding me. I was walking to my first lesson of the term when I saw Nas and some boy snogging.

"Who's he?" I asked Missy.

"Naveed. Nas' boyfriend," Missy told me. They were really going for it.

"Disgusting," I said and I looked away. 

The next day was the the first of our mocks. We all took our seats and started getting on with them. I wasn't trying too hard. After all it was only the mocks. We were about half way through when Missy got up and ran out the room. Mocks came to an end and I doubted I had passed any. Letters came out telling us that we had been pulled out of non core subjects.

"Is this a wind-up Miss? I can't do no more drama?" Missy asked.

"If you've got a problem with it, you need to take it up with Miss Carter," Mum told our class.

"It's a violation of our human rights," Razia said. Not really but I was just as annoyed as her. 

"Well, hardly," Chloe said.

"You can shut your mouth," Missy said to Chloe.

"I don't know why you're kicking off. You're the one who walked out of your exam," Chloe retaliated.

"Don't be a bitch," I said to Chloe.

"Enough," Mum said.

"Miss Carter's a joke," Zain said.

"This whole school is joke," I said. Everyone murmured in agreement.

"Well you know where Miss Carter's office is," Mum told us.

"Are you serious?" Hayley asked.

"I'm not having this. Let's go," Razia said and we all stormed to the staff room.

"What you doing? You can't just walk in here," Miss Carter said at the sight of us all.

"Can't do no more graphics," Zain said. 

"What you guys need to remember is that it's the core subjects you will be judged on," Miss Carter told us.

"So what if you want to be a singer they care if you can do long division and not about how well you sing?" I asked.

"Exactly," the class agreed.

"You know that's not what she means," Mr Bell said.

"Then what does she mean because trust me I would love to know?" I asked. We all sat down on the various chairs.

"What are you lot doing?" Mr Bell asked.

"Staging a protest," Razia told him. Miss Carter and Mr Bell laughed.

"Oh. Yeah that's fine. Erm Mr Bell we should, we should go," Miss Carter said and they both headed for the door. 

"Just one thing, before I go. Zain what exams do you need for your graphics design course?" Miss Carter asked.

"English and maths, miss," Zain told her.

"What about your sports diploma, Mo?" Miss Carter asked.

"Same," he replied. Miss Carter turned and left the room.

"Well that went well," I said. We all decided that the protest was pointless and we quickly followed them out the room. I was lying on my bed later that night when a message popped up from Missy.

Meet me at skip

When?

Now

Mum wasn't home so I grabbed my coat and left the house. I arrived at the skip and Missy was sitting there with a bottle of cider.

"You alright?" I asked as I sat down.

"Yeah," she replied.

"There a reason you wanted to see me?" I asked.

"Thought we could hang out," she said. I grabbed the cider and took a massive swig. We spent a few hours chatting and drinking. I loved spending time with her. I was never really fussed about girls before but Missy was different.

"I should probably go," I said at 10. I didn't want to get grounded again.

"Bye," I said as I started to climb off the skip. I felt Missy's hand on my arm so I turned back round. Then she leant in and kissed me. I was so shocked I didn't know what to do. She pulled away, thinking I didn't like it.

"Sorry I just..." she started to say but I had already pulled her in close.

"So are we..." Missy asked but she trailed off.

"I want to," I replied.

"Me too," she said and she wrapped her arms around my neck. My phone started ringing and I realised it was my mum.

"See you tomorrow," I said. As I walked home, I was probably the happiest I had been in a few years. I got home and Mum was annoyed at me for not telling her where I was but even that didn't bring me down.

"Honestly you should of told me," Mum said for the billionth time.

"Sorry," I said but I was still smiling to myself. 

I got to school the next day still smiling. 

"I'll have those trainers," Miss Carter said to me. She had become so much stricter on uniform, it was like we were at military school.

"I ain't got any other shoes," I said.

"Get some from lost property," she told me.

"No they're manky," I told her.

"Well then you can go bare foot," she told me. No way was I wearing stuff from lost property. I took off my trainers, handed them to her and walked off. I don't think she had expected me to actually go bare foot.

I had english first period.

"Why aren't you wearing shoes?" Mum asked me.

"Miss Carter confiscated them," I said. I walked over to Missy and sat next to her.

"Love the socks," she said. I looked down and realised I had put on my Shrek ones. Chloe had bought them as a joke one year. 

"Shut up," I laughed. We kept on laughing.

"You two want to share something with the class?" Mum asked.

"No," we said. The classroom door opened and Miss Carter came in with a boy.

"Ahh you must be Marcus," Mum said.

"Yes, miss," he said politely. He took a seat and we carried on with the lesson. I went to grab a book from the back of the class and I could here Marcus and Chloe talking.

"Who's that boy?" Marcus asked Chloe.

"That's my twin, Callum," Chloe answered.

"And that girl over there?"

"Precious Missy Booth."

"She looks like a right skank." No way did he say that. 

"What the fuck did you just say?" I shouted at him. Everyone turned to look at us. Missy came over and put a calming hand on my chest.

"You two sit down, please," Mum said. We did as we were told but I can tell you one thing: this Marcus kid was a right prat.