Oneshot

'You kick like a nine year old girl'

The boy started to put his books away. It was the end of school, and now he had to go home.

He hated this bit of the day. It wasn't that he loved school so much, (although he loved not getting bored,) but there wasn't really much to go home for.

First he would have to check on his Mum, try to persuade her to get out of bed, make her a drink, get his own tea, do his homework (though that wouldn't take long!) then sit alone and read his comic.

Same every evening since Jeff said he was a wuss and to go away.

(He was boring anyway. Had absolutely no interest in anything except football! How pathetic is that?)

But things had only really started going really wrong in the last few weeks.

"Thinks he's special now he goes to a posh school!"

"Who does he think he is?"

"Look at his stupid hair!"

"His trousers are too short!"

"Let's get him!"

etc

etc

OK, he could cope with the names, but yesterday they had chased him, and he had to hide in someone's shed. It had no windows and was totally dark. His heart had raced, and he couldn't breathe.

The onset of the panic attack was so familiar. He knew what it was, and he just let it take him. Slowly he had regained control of his breathing and he calmed down.

He had heard the horrible kids outside the shed looking for him for about an hour and they wouldn't go home.

A spider had got in his hair and crawled onto his face but he had to just sit there in case they heard him.

And today……..?

Well the last thing he heard them say was

"Let's go home. We'll get him tomorrow."

The classroom was empty, and he was still putting his books away. The teacher was giving him a funny look. He probably wanted to go home. Somewhere warm and comforting.

It wasn't that his Mum didn't love him, he was pretty sure she did. But she hadn't been well for a long time, and she couldn't look after herself, let alone him.

He sighed heavily and left the class room.

The other kids had all left. Big mistake. Maybe he could have sneaked out with them. Now there was no way he would get out unseen.

Still, he could run pretty fast.

He reluctantly approached the gate. He kept to the edge of the grounds, as if that could possibly shield him. No that was a waste of time.

He took a deep breath and, head held high, he walked through the gate.

Where were they?

Forgotten?

He dared to smile.

Too soon.

He heard a giggle behind him.

"Oi! Reid!"

He turned and looked back towards the gate. Yes, there they were.

"Get him!" the girl at the front shrieked.

He turned and ran.

Straight into the others!

He fell backwards, winded. OK, so this was it. No escape. He swung his bag round to try to get them away, but that was a waste of energy.

Before he could even think about what to do, they had him.

"Hey, his trousers fit today!" squealed one of them. "Get 'em off!"

Before he knew what was happening, they were gone. And then his shirt. One of the girls threw them into a tree.

"Get his bag!"

His books were soon scattered around the pavement, his bag up the tree to join the shirt and trousers.

The girls stood back to examine their work. Reid sat on the pavement wearing his tie, underpants and a green sock. He couldn't remember when he had lost his shoes and the red sock. Probably when they took his trousers.

He hoped they would leave him the rest of his clothes. He had to get the bus.

"Let's give him a good kicking!" one of them yelled.

And that was it. Spencer crouched on the pavement with his arms around his head and took it.

All he could think was - How embarrassing being beaten up by girls!

Well, there were a lot of them.

And they could certainly kick.

They soon got bored and the onslaught stopped. Spencer didn't move. He didn't want to give them any encouragement! He waited until he thought they had gone, he lifted his head to assess the situation.

Yes. They had gone.

Wearily he stood up and checked himself over. There were going to be some bruises, but there was no-one who was going to notice. He looked at the tree. There were no lower branches, and he would not be able to climb up for his stuff. (Not that he could have anyway. He was terrified of heights.) They would have to stay there. His Mum wouldn't notice that he'd lost his new trousers. She probably wouldn't notice that he was coming home from school half naked!

Wearily he picked up his books and put them in a neat pile

He found his shoes, but the other sock was gone.

Took it as a trophy! He laughed, despite the situation.

His money for the bus had fallen out of the bag. He looked around for it. Unpleasant though the thought of catching the bus dressed like this was, walking the eight miles home in this condition was hardly any better.

He put the money in his shoe, and put it on, picked up the books, and walked.towards the bus stop.

Ah well. They'd got it out of their system now. Maybe it wouldn't happen again.

Maybe…..