“You’d have to be a right plonker to willingly start something like this.”

~~~~~

Looking back, I did sort of provoke it... oh I don’t mean they did anything to me, sorry, jumped ahead a bit, that’s first break on Friday. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, I’d been trying to sound out the ‘outcasts’ about Knife, but wasn’t getting anywhere, seemed like everyone was covering for her, I know it all sounds super sketchy, I didn’t mean anything bad, just wanted to know what was going on...

... Wednesday? I was in here getting my latest set bandages and wounds checked, came out without any coverings on my chest, first time getting out without being wrapped up in over a year.

Right, the gang, there’s no way it was a normal group of associates, all from the same class as me and Knife; Princess Prissy, Nerd One, Captain Athletics, Metalhead Prime and the Alpha Chav. No, I don’t know their names, they weren’t introduced to me and I don’t really care enough to go out of my learn a new set of names every other month.

Umm, do I have to copy the Alpha Chav’s accent, or can I just talk normally? It was just him and Metalhead Prime actually talking to me, the others were just there to back them up I guess, or like group rep’ing. Yeah, okay  what they said.

Metalhead “Oi! New kid, we’ve got a problem.”

Me “What, what am I supposed to have done this time?”

Metalhead “You’ve been sticking your nose in to other people’s biz, and that’s... not good.”

Chav “Yeah, you’d best drop that whole questioning peeps about Knife, he's a good lad, doesn’t need some reject like you stirring up shit,” and he punctuated it with a poke to my chest, right on one of my holes.

Me “Fucking quit it, i'm not stirring anything, just a bit confused by them.”

Chav “There’s nowt to be confused about, Knife is a boy, drop it.” Another poke, this one hard enough to knock me back a bit.

Me “Seriously, quit it man, I don’t want to have to go back into hospital because of some stupid chav.”

Metalhead “What, from a poke?” Little bit of sniggering from the Chav.

Me “No from ripping one of these open.” And I pulled up my shirt to show off a decade of doctors playing operation with me.

Metalhead “Woah, dude... looks like you've been through a chopshop.”

Chav “Or Victor’s hypothetical improved second attempt ...” at which everyone but Metalhead Prime looked at him, looking shocked, “what, you’re surprised I’ve read a book. Look Frankie, you’d best just keep you nose in, yeah?”

Metalhead “Now fuck off and leave the lad alone, don’t want to hafta tell you twice.”

At which I ran away, with them all doing some sort of  “we’re watching you” gesture at me. And I really did try to keep to myself, lasted all the way to PE last thing.