“Lindsey…” All I did was say a girl’s name and Chloe started to cry. She knew where this was going. “Do you want to tell the class what you did to Lindsey?” Chloe shook her head. “Oh, come on now…Don’t be shy…Would you rather we asked Lindsey?”
“Please stop it.”
They all say the same thing. It’s getting tiresome. I’m not going to stop, just as they didn’t either when they were asked. Fair is fair, after all.
“You look nervous. Don’t be. We’re all friends, aren’t we? Here…I got you something…” I reached into my rucksack, which I had left by the table at the front of the class, and pulled out a tupperware box. I pulled the lid off and showed Chloe the contents. “Chocolate cake…”
“I don’t want any.”
“Of course you do, don’t be ungrateful. I got one for you and one for your friend Lindsey…You know she likes cakes.”
“I’m sorry.”
“For what? You’ve done nothing to be sorry for…Have you? Have I missed something?” I hadn’t missed anything. I knew what Chloe had done. She would spend her time, with her friends from the year above, following Lindsey around taunting her because of her weight. Lindsey being one of the school’s larger pupils. I’m not sure if it was because she over-ate or some genetic thing which made her so. It wasn’t important. The consequences of their words always had the same ending; Lindsey would cry herself to sleep, sometimes cutting herself before she climbed into her bed.
“We need to get Ben some help,” said Mrs Price. She wasn’t watching Chloe and I. Her eyes were fixed on Ben. He looked pale, there was no denying that. “He’s dying…”
“I’m talking to my friend. Please don’t interrupt me again,” I said. I turned back to Chloe and handed her a cake. “Eat it.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“You can eat it willingly or I can feed you. I don’t mind which.”
She looked back to her friends. None of them made a move to help her. Slowly she took the cake from me and looked at it.
“It looks good, doesn’t it?” I asked. “I made it myself.”
“Please, I’m not hungry.”
“Of course you are. Look at it! How can that not make you hungry?”
The cake did look good. Chocolate sponge covered in chocolate icing. I would have eaten it myself. Had I not put in the little extra ingredient. Chloe moved the cake closer to her mouth. Slowly her mouth opened. It must be watering in there. How could it not? The cake looks amazing. I should set up a little shop. Start selling them. I could make a fortune.
9
I was sitting with David, in the cinema, waiting for the film to start. He paid; some chick flick he had wanted to see. I should have known when he invited me to a film that it wouldn’t have been a typical horror for boys to enjoy. Ah well, I couldn’t grumble; it was still better than being in class, I suppose. Just.
“So how would you teach them a lesson?” I asked him.
“Not really thought about it.”
“Really?”
“Okay, I’d make them kiss each other,” he said, a split second later.
“What?”
“Piers and his friends…In front of the whole class…I’d make them kiss each other. That way they couldn’t call me gay anymore.”
“They couldn’t?”
“Of course not…” The lights dimmed and the screen flickered into life. David whispered to me, “If everyone has seen them kiss…They’d hardly be in a position to carry on calling me gay!” I didn’t answer him. I suppose, all being said and done, he had a point.
“How’d you make them kiss?” I asked.
He shrugged, “I don’t know…Wave a gun in their face?”
I laughed, “You have thought about this, haven’t you?”
“Lots,” he answered immediately. “Want some of my popcorn?” He tipped his large tub of popcorn towards me.
I shook my head, “No thanks. Hate popcorn. It tastes like shit.”
A smile spread across my face as fresh dog shit dribbled down Chloe’s chin. I guess the little stint in the oven made it runny? Should have expected that, not that it’s a problem. It was probably worse for her, to have it trickle down her face. She’ll be tasting that for days. As soon as she realised what it was, she gagged and spat the cake onto the floor.
“No!” I shouted. “You must eat it all!” I grabbed the cake and shoved it into her mouth. My hand clamped across her face to stop her from spitting it out once more. She struggled, in my grasp, but I didn’t release her until I felt her swallow some of it. “That’s it…Good girl…” I couldn’t help but think of Rebecca swallowing my own poison too. A smile spread across my face. As soon as I let go of Chloe, she threw up on the floor. It’s starting to smell in here…What with the blood, puke, shit and stench of fear. Thank God the lesson is nearly over. It’ll be nice to get some fresh air. “You can sit down now,” I whispered to Chloe when she finished sicking up, what she had eaten, onto the floor. She stood up and made her way back to her seat, spitting as she went.
“You’re going to burn in Hell for this,” said Mrs Price. “You know that, don’t you?” She didn’t look scared of me anymore. She looked angry. A familiar expression we, as a class, were used to. Maybe she knew I wasn’t going to actually shoot anyone? “Your mum and dad will be known around the world for what you have done. You’ll be rotting in prison, and then Hell, and they’ll be having to live with the consequences of your actions.”
“Then I guess, with all of us residing there, Hell will be full.”
“Just let us go before you do something you’ll regret.”
“I’ll regret nothing of today.”
“You say that now but in years to come…You’ll realise…This wasn’t the way…”
I turned to David, behind me. The look on his face…The look of sorrow. Lindsey’s face…Having just seen her tormentor eat dog shit…I won’t regret anything about today.
“When you’re quite finished,” I said, “there’s still much to do.”
“You’re a psycho,” she continued.
“No, I’m not. I’m a product of my surroundings. You…All of you sitting here…You all made me.”
“That’s rubbish,” said Mrs Price. I knew I could count on her to ruin my buzz. “People are bullied every day. You don’t see them holding their class to ransom.”
“I’m not holding anyone to ransom! As soon as the bell goes, you’re all free to leave.”
“Let us go now!”
“Now you know you’re not allowed to wander the corridors during lesson time. You can get sent to the Head’s office. You can go as soon as the bell goes. Those aren’t my rules. They’re the schools…”
“They’d allow an exception…”
I glared at her, “Did you want to come to the front of the class again? Have you not learned your lesson?” She didn’t say anything. “That’s what I thought.”
I turned back to the seven behind me. Lindsey seems satisfied how I dealt with Chloe. David seems to be quieter than usual. Funny, really, considering this was his plan initially. Five more students who need someone to fight their battles for them; Elizabeth, Marcus, Samantha, Kate, Helen. I’m not entirely sure I’ll be able to help them all. Not entirely sure there is time enough to deal with each of their complaints. Never enough time.
“Where have you been?” asked mum as soon as I stepped into the family home. I didn’t answer her straight
