Just Another Day
Wednesday 22nd April 2022 - 1245
St Judes, Middle School and Orphanage - London
School Outdoor Recreation Area
I cover up. The punches and kicks keep coming, I try to roll with them as best I can. I've had a lot of practice.
These guys are expert at throwing out punches and kicks. Fortunately, they are not as good at connecting with them. Still, there are four of them, it's only a matter of time until something gets through.
I weave back, arms around my head and it happens. My legs get kicked out and I'm pushed over by the one behind me, I'm pretty sure it's Fizz, he has the weight to do it.
Down I go and the kicks rain in.
I curl into the fetal position.
A nice tight protective ball, hands up over the face. Hopefully, I can take it until someone comes to break it up.
This is a lot worse than the other times, maybe I shouldn't have hit back, but goddam I'm sick of these bullies.
I'm getting properly hurt here.
A kick smashes into my hands.
Which in turn mash into my mouth, I taste blood, I start to scream out for them to stop.
Another scream, oh thank god. Mrs Murthag the English teacher, she's really going for it, screaming...
'Get off him, get off him now!'
Thankfully the kicks stop, I crack my fingers and look up and see the raging Mrs Brooks. Ami standing next to her red-faced and shaking. Ah wonderful Ami Atkins, she's my best friend and no doubt the only one who went running for a teacher.
Five feet eight inches tall, athletic, long dark hair with streaks of auburn, and a light, bright complexion. She dressed like she doesn't care what anyone thinks and she really doesn't.
Baggy blue school jumper and a ground length long black skirt that reject's the above knee fashion.
The ruckus has attracted other teachers. Fizz and his gang are dragged away from me. They stand against the chain link fence.
'You lot to the principles now' Mrs Murthag shouts at them.
'Kai get to the nurse and don't be late for your next class. Ami go with him,' she calls, as she storms off after Fizz and his gang.
Ami bends down and offers her hand.
'You alright Ami?' I ask
'Am I alright, I'm fine??? It's' you. You're a disaster, why do they keep doing this to you?' she replies
'I'm ok, just a couple of knocks and a bit of blood. You look like you might blow your top, you're all red and shaking'
'It's these scummers, thinking they can beat, bully and pick on us. Just because we have to stay here, I just want to punish them, god I want to kill them', she rages.
Ami is awesome, but she's super intense and kinda scary when crossed. She's like Judge Dredd or Jack Bauer, completely uncompromising with people that mess with her, or me for that matter. Just last year she burned out the locker of a girl who scribbled on the front of one of her school books. Later she told me she bought some lighter fuel. Put half the can in through the air vent and posted a match. Fire engines were called, the school evacuated, the place went nuts. A proportional response was not something Ami bought into.
'Take a beat Ami' I say. 'Don't go doing anything really crazy. Although the ghost chili in Fizz's lunch last week was pretty awesome'. I laugh out loud remembering Fizz turning bright red, drooling at the mouth and running around screaming. That was a good day.
Don't mess with me or Ami will get you! Why couldn't I fight my own battles, oh yeah, I just tried and I ended up taking a beating.
'Arrgh, why do they have to be such toads, just because we are orphans and have to stay here. As if we don't have enough to deal with'. Ami ranted on.
She's vexed, I decide to try and move us along to calm her down. I start heading to the nurse, walking across the concrete quad that is the recreation area, dripping blood as I go. I try to catch it on my sleeve, I don't like to make a mess. The other kids are getting back to whatever they were doing.
Fights and kickings are not uncommon, and always provide a bit of excitement.
Ami follows along....
'But why do they pick on you so much' she continues 'They really hurt you this time, that eye's gonna swell and your nose is a complete mess.'
'It's high school, they have to pick on someone, how else do they climb to the top of the pack? They pick on me, on us because we are different. Cause we live in, cause we're orphans, we are different. They pack up against us, standard pack animal behavior. I'm easy prey, I'm nothing to them but a way to stand out.''
We pass through the big reinforced double doors from the external rec area into the main school building. There are classrooms to the left and right, brightly painted doors, all different colours for different subjects. Grey blocks of lockers line the walls between the doors. The occasional notice board, packed with posters and flyers fills any remaining space. It all provides fast and easy access from playground to education. We walk the length of the corridor get to the offices and admin areas.
'God you're so deep and intellectual Kai' Ami chuckles 'It's simple for me, nasty people should get what's coming to them'
'Never mind. You're 17, I'll be 17 in a month, it will be summer soon and we can leave this hell hole' she continues
'Sometimes I wish I could stay on. What else have I got' I say.
'What, seriously, getting beaten to a pulp every other day, are you crazy?' she replies
'Well I'm pretty sure Fizz and his mates will fail hard and go off and get jobs mugging people' I say.
'We are going to University, a chance to start over where no one will know us. A completely fresh start.'' Says Ami.
'Yeah I just have to pass a bunch of exams first, and move to a whole new place.'
'That won't be a problem you are almost as smart as me.' she sniggers
It was true, Ami was the smartest person in the school and I didn't do too badly either.
'I like the learning, but you're the adventurous one, the go-getter, I just like to chill and take it easy'. I say
'I'm not going anywhere without you Kai my boy, we are a team. Don't be down on yourself, you always are. You're smart, probably the smartest kid in the school, well after me. You just need to believe in yourself, I know it's tough here, and you've been beaten down. Don't worry, I'll get you going round the world with me one day.''
'You know me Ami, I've always struggled with the whole being abandoned thing, I wish I could be strong like you
'Screw em I say, scummer parents don't deserve my awesomeness, your's don't deserve you either. You gotta get your head straight boy, you gotta get some goddam confidence'
'At least I fought back today, well a bit anyway', I say
'I loved that', she replies. 'But now we got to deal with the fact you upped the stakes, they will come harder next time'. She pauses, leans in and says I've got a plan in motion to deal with Fizz'
'Don't do anything dumb or dangerous, Ami, I won't have you getting in trouble for me'
Don't worry about it bro, it's gonna be epic!' she say's
We arrive at the nurses, it's 1255.
I reach out and give her a gentle hug.
'Thanks for being there Ami.' I say stepping back 'Right you need to head off or you'll be late, I'll see you in Economics in 10'
'Aw yeah economics, so boring, why'd I let you talk me into that'
'Because it's awesome, besides you were 3rd in the class last test and did no work for it whatsoever!'
'Oh yeah, that's cause I'm like totally awesome, I keep forgetting.... keep reminding me'
She throws me a massive smile and skips off back towards the main corridor.
I knock on the door and wait to go in.....
Does the first chapter grab you?