The Diary Of John Hamish Watson (Aged 10 Years)

3rd September

3rd September 1982

James Moriarty, the one Sherlock labelled as trouble, began his games today.

It started as soon as we walked in the school gates.

“Sherly!” he grinned and enveloped Sherlock in a sudden hug. “Oh, why so uptight? Not the touchy feely type?”

“Get lost,” Sherlock said, keeping calm. James scowled.

“Do as he says,” I added, trying to look as threatening as possible. Not easy when apparently everyone has at least a foot on you in height.

“Ooh, Jonny’s getting feisty. I like it.”

“James!” Sherlock sounded dangerous.

“Oh, no need to be so formal Sherly,” said James, still smiling. “Call me Jim, everyone does.”

“Hello!” a tiny voice squeaked. I looked around and down to see a shortish girl with long hair in a plait and a happy grin. “You’ve met Jim then?”

“Molly,” Sherlock didn’t sound exactly annoyed by her presence, merely indifferent.

“He’s very nice isn’t he? He got me this,” she held up a necklace that sat around her neck. “It’s ever so pretty.”

“I wouldn’t get your hopes up Molly,” Sherlock sighed. Molly looked like she was going to cry.

“What are you talking about?”

“You’d consider him your sweetheart but he wouldn’t consider you his. He got you that necklace- second hand I’m afraid, stolen from his big sister. He gave it you to keep you quiet about something- a bullying?”

Her eyes widened.

“Yes, but really don’t be so obvious Molly it’s no fun-“

“I really have no idea what you’re on about,” she said, on the brink of tears. “Jim’s been so lovely to me. But you can’t bear to see anyone happy can you Sherlock?!”

Molly wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her cardigan and ran off.

“Tut tut,” sing-songed Jim. “Poor little Molly, how you must hate her.”

 Sherlock was silent during English, but his fingers were tapping against the table and his eyes were flicking around in constant thought.

“Try and ignore him,” I whispered. “He’s only doing this to wind you up. He’ll soon get bored and move onto someone else.”

He didn’t, not today anyway. At lunch I left to find Greg, I would have felt a little guilty had Sherlock not have been practically encouraging James. And in the afternoon, History being the lesson of the day, I paired off with a girl called Sarah and left Sherlock with Anderson. They just about managed not to kill each other.

Sherlock didn’t speak to me as we left class.

“I’m sorry,” I tried to keep up with him. “But you were hardly helping your situation.”

“Do not feel like you need to apologise John or explain your actions. I am quite used to being alone.”

I was silent on the journey home.

I feel so bad for leaving Sherlock like that today. Hopefully, he’ll have moved on by tomorrow and we can make up. Hopefully.