The Chain (A Catherine Diary) - Stamfield. Complete

Chapter 92

92

Our small convoy of two mini buses set off, on what was expected to be a thirty minute drive, which turned out to be a forty-five minute drive. Throughout which Duncan cursed Terry, for his bad driving, the way he took the roundabout, his lack of signaling, his speed, but mostly he thrived on the fact that Terry had, at one point, taken them the wrong way and been forced to turn back.

Duncan's incessant moaning, should have bothered me, but what it turned out to be, was a welcome distraction from the boys. Soon as the bus started moving, Billy, who was in our bus, started singing some rugby chants, getting the others to join in. I could hear Jack voice, missing the queues and singing the occasional wrong words. At times during the journey I could hear swearing and thumps of the boys play fighting. One boy by the name of Pogo, was being particularly set upon and I had felt sorry for him, until they started chanting that he was the toughest boy they had ever known. Occasionally, I could hear a boy spot a girl walking the street and either make sexist derogatory comments, or yell some sexual innuendoes out at them. I avoided turning my head and tried to blank out what I was hearing. However the thing that shocked me the most, didn't come from within our bus, but the bus we were following, some of the boys in that bus, decided to pull down their pants and stick their bare buttons up against the window, I presumed for my benefit. I heard Duncan chuckle, as he drove. I just looked towards the pavement, as though I didn't even notice.

I was relieved when we finally arrived. Terry asked me if I enjoyed the trip, but not waiting for the answer, he rushed off ushering the boys into the changing block, which was attached to the main building. Some of the boys took their opportunities to greet me as they passed, I was relieved that none of them were rude to me. One held my hand as he passed and when I looked, ready to give my stern "don't mess with me" look, only to see Jack standing there.

'You okay?'

I nodded and smiled. He smiled back, released my hand and followed the others towards the changing block.