Final Day

Final Day

He woke his heart pounding; he knew it was Monday, five days to go, five dreadful days, five taunting days.  Maybe he’ll get the day off; maybe he’ll wag it, maybe.  Maybe they won’t be in; maybe he’ll have a good day.  No, they will be in, he’ll have a horrible day, he always has horrible days.

‘Paul get up you’ll be late,’ his mum shouted from downstairs.
He jumped out of bed, got washed and dressed, then made his way downstairs.  The smell of bacon hit his nose as he entered the kitchen.
‘Your breakfast is on the table,’
Maybe if I don’t eat a lot she’ll think I’m ill and let me have the day off… no that’ll never work, he thought as he sat down at the table.

He left early hoping not to bump into them, but they were waiting for him outside the old church.
‘Done your maths homework?’ Brian asked as he walked past.
He stopped dead, turned around, and nodded in response not wanting to speak.
‘Lets see it then,’ Brian ordered.
He shook his head, he knew what they would do if he showed it to them.
‘Do ours, we want it after lunch,' Carl said handing him four work sheets.
He sat on his own for lunch to concentrate on the papers.  Just as he finished the last question Carl and Richard approached.
'Collection time,' Carl said.
'You said after lunch, I have another five minuets left,'
'We've changed our mind, you finished yet? Richard asked.
'Sure.  Just as you got here,'
Carl snapped the papers and without looking at them, they both walked off laughing.
Their next lesson happened to be maths and Paul couldn't wait to see what the teacher did when she saw their homework.  He got up and made his way quickly to the lesson.
'I'm going to collect the homework.  While I do that write and work out the equations I have left on the board.'
She walked passed all the desks glancing at each individual's homework and saying things like, not bad, or, looking good and could be better.  She finally got to Carl's desk, picked up his homework, looked at it, then looked down at him and shouted.
'What is this?'
'My homework.'
'Is that a joke?'
'I'm sorry miss.  I don't know what you mean.'
'These answers,' she began, and seeing his perplexed look continued.  'For example.  Eight plus eight minus six, your answer one hundred and thirty seven.  How did you come to that?'
Now Carl, looking positively astounded said.
'I...  I don't know.'
'Well, maybe you can think about it in detention.'
She said pretty much the same thing when collecting Richard's, Brian's and Andrew's homework as well, except she gave them all another days detention for cheating.
At the end of the lesson Paul ran out of the class, while the teacher pulled Carl and the other three aside to give them the detention slips for their parents to sign.
He walked happily to English, his favourite lesson.  Halfway there Carl put his hand on Paul’s shoulder and spun him around.
'Your not trying to avoid us, are you?'
N...  N...  No, of course not,'
'I think he is,' said Andrew.
With that Andrew punched him in the stomach, Paul dropped to the floor, his hands holding his stomach, head dropped looking at the floor.
'Give us the wrong answers again and it will get a lot worse,' Carl said.
After that both Carl and Andrew turned and walked through the open door of the science class to take their seats.
Paul held back the tears, stood up, and brushed himself off before picking up his bag and making his way to the English class.  On the way there he told himself he had to do something bout this, so he decided to go and see the headmaster after the lesson.

When he got to the headmasters office he asked the receptionist if he could see him.  She bent down and pushed a button on a machine on her desk, and said.
'There is a young man here to see you.'
'Show him in.'
'Just go through dear.'

As he entered the office, the headmaster was sat at his desk looking at the door.
'Come in and sit down,' he indicated a chair in front of his desk.
Paul sat down but said nothing, he just looked at him.  After a few second the headmaster said.
'What can I do for you?'
'Nothing.  This was a bad idea.'  Paul got up to leave.
'Sit down please,' the headmaster began, and waited for him to sit again, the continued.  'What is your name?'
'Paul Fletcher sir.'
'Ah.  Your teacher has expressed her concern.  She thinks you’re being bullied.  I was going to send for you after school,' he paused, and then continued.  'Is that what this is all about?'
'Yes sir.'
'I thought so.  How many is there.'
'Four sir.'
'Can you tell me their names?'
Yes sir, it's, Carl Dennison, Andrew Eccles, Richard Law and Brian Hughes.'
'Right.  Would you like to call your parents to come and pick you up, or would you prefer to return your lessons?'
'I would prefer to go to my lessons sir.'
'Right ok.  You best go or you'll be late.'
'Ok.  Thank you sir.'
With that Paul left the office.  Just before he got out of earshot of the receptionists desk he heard the headmaster asking her to get the four boys.

During the next lesson the receptionist came in and said.
'Sorry to interrupt your less Mrs.  Armstrong, nut the headmaster wants to see these four boys,' she looked at the piece of paper, then continued. 'Carl Dennison, Andrew Eccles, Richard Law and Brian Hughes.'
The teacher turned to the class and said.
'Could the four boys Mrs. Collins mentioned go to the headmaster’s office.'
As Carl walked passed Paul's desk, he turned and gave him a nasty scowl.
They didn't return for the next lesson, or the next one, so Paul presumed they had been suspended, and was sure that they would be expelled.
His presumption was confirmed when they didn't return the next day or the next.

It has been three months since they were expelled and he has finally made some friends, and has joined the school football team; he won his first match.  He no longer has to worry about constant bullying.  Now all he has to worry about is his next match, and next exam.