Something Exciting

Memories

I walk  into the playground, there wasn't really much out here. football goals, basketball hoops, bins and benches. it was more for p.e than playground. I hadn't seen Aaron at all today, maybe he was off sick or he just wasn't on timetable... who knows. The bell rings and kids walk out in their groups, like all schools a certain amount go to behind the bike shed and smoke. One boy and his groupies spot me and walk towards me as if I was a criminal. 

"Who're you?" He says, strong cockney accent. 

"what's it to you?" I spit at him

"Oh, you're the new boy" 

"So what?" 

"How tough are you?" 

He lunges for me and I push him away, angering his tiny mind. He chases after me with his friends, this wasn't going to end well. 

"Push me again, and you're dead" He shouts whilst pushing me, no teachers were around. 

"don't push me" 

"oh now you don't like it?" 

He pushes me again.

"Stop it" 

"or else what pretty boy? What're you going to do?" 

"C'mon its his first day, leave him alone" One of his mates shouts

 "Naaaah, welcome to the jungle dickhead. You pick a fight you see it through" 

"I didn't pick a fight. You just decide-" 

He pushes me to the floor and starts punching me, I defend myself and punch him back. He picks me up and throws me into a wall, I feel myself getting angry but I don't want to make a song and dance about it on my first day. 

"Pussy" 

Don't call me that. I punch his ribs and watch him fall back, i kick the back of his leg and watch him cripple onto the floor. I owned him. He gets up and pushes me back into the wall, I collapse onto the floor in a heap. I didn't own him anymore.

"Jordan just leave him alone" I hear an unfamiliar voice say as I look up and see the boy, I'm assuming is called Jordan, being pulled away from me via an adult. "Kid, you okay?" 

"Yeah-" I say wiping my bloody nose and getting up "-I'm fine." 

"Go get yourself cleaned up then go to the isolation room" 

"Why? He started on me!" 

"Enough!" 

I sigh and push past the adult, he seemed like a dick and I didn't like him. I find the toilets easy enough and go into them. I look at myself in the mirror and see the blood dripping out of my nose. I raise my fist and punch the mirror, it shatters into pieces into the sink below and I hear a toilet door open. 

"Bad morning?" Wait a minute, he sounds familiar. I turn around and see Aaron walking towards me in jeans and a black pullover. 

"Something like that" 

"Noah, isn't it?" 

"Yeah, we met on the bridge and you borrowed my lighter. Aaron?" 

"Thought you were starting on Monday?"

 "Induction" 

"I see you've already gotten into a fight" 

"pfft, yeah" 

"Which kid?" 

"Someone called Jordan"

 "Large kid, brown hair and looks like the hulk when you piss him off?" 

"Yeah, you know him?" 

"He picked the same fight with me when I first started here. Kids say its because he wants to be the toughest in the school." 

"It's bullshit" 

"Which lesson have you got next?" 

"Uh Media and Mainstream English" 

"You're in mainstream English?"

 "Yeah, is that bad?" 

"You think you could help me out with mine?" 

"Yeah sure." 

He scribbles his number onto a bit of paper and hands it to me, "Text me tonight or tomorrow, whenever you're free" 

"Okay, fine." I say taking the number off him as he leaves, "I'll catch you around" 

I stare at the shattered mirror and then my knuckles, blood stained and cut. My nose was starting to hurt. I didn't know where the isolation room was, therefore I wasn't going to go. 

**Dan's Point Of View** 

I could really do with either a fag or 6 shots of vodka. Today wasn't a good day. I'm not focusing on anything other than the clock, no matter how much I didn't want to be home, I didn't want to be at school either. Everything seemed confusing and annoying. It was frustrating. 

"Dan, you uh, you paying attention?" Mr. Owen asks me 

"Huh? What? No" I reply 

"Dan, your exams are in 2 months" 

"Sod my exams. I've got more important things going on" 

"Dan get out. I need to speak to you privately"

 I get up and walk out, the hallway was a lot cooler than the classroom. It was rather nice. I use this opportunity to check my phone hoping to see a message from my mum saying she was sorry and she wanted me back, but I had nothing. 

"Daniel Daniel Daniel" Mr. Owen says walking out of his room,

 "What?" I reply fast

"What's gotten into you? You were the top of the class now your not even paying attention." 

"It's nothing. Just let it go." 

"Dan you know I can't do that. You're a top student, I know when somethings getting you down and plus as head of year and department it's my job to know when my kids are feeling down" 

"It's... It's nothing. Please just leave it." 

"Daniel, talk to me" 

"You've got a class to teach." 

"Dan, just the man I was looking for" Mr. Daniels says walking towards us

"I'll come find you later." Mr. Owen says walking back into his class.

'Would your mum gone to the pub by now?" 

"Yeah, probably" 

"Do you mind going back and getting the things you need?" 

"No, its okay. I can do this." 

I follow him out to his car and we drive to my house. So many memories from this place. I unlock the door and open in, she wasn't in. I walk upstairs to my old bedroom and get out an old gym bag. I grab my: uniform, some more clothes, the teddy I got given at birth, some deodorant and a pair of shoes. I was ready now. More prepared. I walk out of the door and lock it behind me then put my bag into the back of the car and sit back in the front. I felt empty, lost, a little sad and angry at her. I shouldn't be living on the streets, not at fifteen anyway.