T.S.

Diana, age 11: November 1908

"Oi what are you doing here ?" yelled a porky boy of eleven. I stared at him. Sometimes, when I pretended I didn't know English, they left me alone. The book in my hand suddenly felt heavy and I begged someone to come round the corner. "Did you hear me? We don't like girls like you round here." I kept quiet. "Stupid cow." he yelled purple in the face. There were more adults now but they stared at me with an equal look of disgust. Mother came round the corner, "Anda filha o pai vai chegar e depois não te deixa comer." She was hunched over. Mama was already very weak and sick but I didn't want to worry her with these bullies. Hearing the different language, The pig faced brute commanded that they push her over. One protested not wanting to but he gave him a singing look of fury. The boy proceeded to take her eye glasses and throw them to the floor, stamping repeatedly. My face contorted into a look of misery and echoes of laughter were heard around me. The adults around me walked on," Boys will be boys." said one condescendingly.

Fury rose in my heart but I could not say anything. The boys were standing around doing nothing but staring at me whilst my mother called out for me. A furious tear slipped down my face and I swallowed my saliva attempting to make my mouth less dry. Ironically, just as I had swallowed, the sodding fucking hog of a boy spat in my face. I shut my eyes. Face full of thick, frothing spit I stare at him emotionless. "Push the old bitch to the ground then, "he commands, snatching the book out of my hand and tearing all the paper out of it, "Oh look wiggy piggy has been practicing her letters." More furious tears escaped but I was glad the boys hadn't touched my mum yet. "Wait... what do we have here," He had flipped to the back of the book," She's written all of our names, everyone in the class, even Tommy Shelby's lot. HA! Have you got a crush..."

He continues berating me but I've zoned out; listening to my mum," São teus amigos? São muito mal educados." she sighs," Ora bem, diz que tens que ir comer e brincas mais tarde."

"Mãe eu já comi vai pra casa. Eu já venho." I say back with an edge in my voice.

Within seconds of the words escaping my mouth, the swine yelled at his friends and they pushed her to the ground screaming and yelling words of abuse.

I shriek, "Fucking pigs get off of her stop it! stop it! stop it!"

"So she does speak english. Clever." the pig snarls at me as he continues sending blows at my mothers face.

"Get off her, get off her!" I scratch at his arm and face trying to pull him off.

I hear the loud footsteps of a group approaching and see caps fall in brutal blows upon the boys. These boys in waistcoats beat the pig-faced one's army until they got up and ran away, squealing like the pigs they were. Amongst them are Johnboy, Art and Tommy. I hadn't given them the nicknames, I'd just heard them being called those names at school. Of course, I hadn't seen Arthur in a few years; he was at work, being 17 and all. Tommy was about to leave school too 14 years old but Johnboy was 11 years of age, just like me. Most of the other boys are Arthur's age. Tommy picks up my ripped school book. The older boys spit on the floor, absolutely furious. John takes my hand and I snatch it.

"Don't touch me!," I sob, "All you english boys do is fuck my life."

He opens his mouth to say something before closing it again. Tears stream and I snatch the book from Tommy's hand. Art had gone to help my mum up as she gabbled in broken english.

"Diana temos que chamar a polícia-" my mother says frantically

"Estes homens são a polícia daqui. Eles são a lei. Vamos pra casa." I cut her off breathing slightly heavily. She sighs and strokes her face, wincing when she feels a bruise, "Diz lhes obrigada e que a próxima vez que foram ao alfaiates, terão desconto."

I turn around to face my unlikely saviour. My face tearstained and full of misery," My mother says thank you and you'll have discounts anytime you like at the tailors."

"Yes yes." she adds nodding gratefully

"And you ?" asks Tommy

"What?" I say venomously, shivering slightly from the cold autumn afternoon.

"Your thank you?" he pushes restlessly

"Tom-" cuts in Arthur

"You will not be there to protect me tomorrow when they turn up to beat me again. John alone will not stop them." I spit at him fury coursing through my veins, "In fact you have just directed more abuse my way. Adults walked past me and did not aid, so what makes you think any of the children will take pity."

"Diana?" My mother calls me,"Temos que ir comer." I turn back and stand near her picking up her eyeglasses.

"You will receive a thank you when I can walk the streets of Small Heath without having to worry about them." I say with finality "But thank you Arthur for helping up my mother."

He nods and I turn away hearing their footsteps go too.

"Os meus oculos." laments my mum

"Eu sei mama," I wipe away a tear,"Eu arranjo te uns novos."

We walked home, ate dinner and flew into bed before dad got home. The next day going to school John and Thomas were waiting for me where I had seen them the day before. Silently, we walked. I, a few paces forward and them, behind several. It was like having watch dogs but it was peaceful. The porker from yesterday started on me right as I entered the gates. His snarls were displeasing after the relative peace this morning so I reached up and struck his wobbling chin, leaving a red mark. He fixes his mouth to call me a long list of names before the peaky boys emerge from behind me and he runs away, tail between his legs. I turned back to them, "Thank you. I am sorry for the way I was last night. I was scared." I give each of them a kiss on the cheek. Tom gives me a half smile and John grins gleefully. We all walked over to the schoolhouse as friends.