Hey my creepy little readers! :D ( I kid... I mean you may be... but... lets just say that I am, and we will leave it at that... okay) :cough: anyway I hope you enjoy. Sorry if it's really crap or badly written, i'm not to keen on it myself... but... might do a rewrite of it anyway soon :) xx

John could feel the cold night air creeping through his jacket. It was freezing, and his jacket was so damn thin. He could almost imagine the feel of fire crackling around him, he shivered. He was so tired, and yet the hope and notion of sleep, though so tempting, just didn't seem to actually occur. The idea of school in the morning was dismal to say the least.

John sighed, anything was better than home, anything than being near them, his dad and Harry that is, not mum, he loved his mum, he just couldn't stay there when his Dad and Harry were the way there were. He felt his eyes droop and his stomach rumble, but he couldn't get up, he daren't, for his legs were numb from the cold, and he knew if he moved he would lose all warmth he had managed to accumulate. Soup kitchen in the morning he guessed. The rucksack on his back felt light, nothing much there anymore. Nothing but a few scraps he had managed to wrangle from various homeless shelters. John didn't like to go to the same shelter all the time, if he had to walk a few miles to get or find another one then he would, it meant he didn't look too desperate, although he knew this was irrational and the reason they put shelters up in the first place was for people like him, he just didn't care. Besides he had school dinners. He would be fine even if he didn't go in there one night.

The alley he slept in was dark, it was unusual for him to be sleeping there, no-one laid there, it was the dampest place available, and John was well aware that there were other places he could sleep, but he always came back , up Brompton road, hidden in the corner of the alleyway, protected by nothing but his jacket, and the knowledge that if anyone attacked him, he was well skilled to turn the attack back if need be. He hoped, of course, this wouldn't be the case, however it was some comfort knowing such. No, the reason was mainly due to the fact that anywhere else, though offering a hell of a lot more light and comfort, and possibly people in which he could converse with, also offered the fear of being seen by his school freinds wasn't worth it. No way. He would rather sit in squalor and obtain various diseases than sit and face that possibility. Anyway, he didn't much care for companionship, he had a book in his bag. That was enough. He could read untill morning and then wash in the public toilets before school. Sorted. Somewhat. Well not really. But it would have to do for now.

He sighed, letting his head momentarily fall onto his chest, his eyes betraying the signs of his troubled mind, he was okay, he was going to be fine, no one would see him, and no one would attack him. He grinned, yawning.

Maybe he would read his book tomorrow.

The sound of traffic awoke John from his sleep, the buses and cars were noisily announcing their urgency around Britain, he swept his blonde hair out of his eyes, and sighed in dismay as it fell back into place. Naturally. Blinking the sleep out of his eyes, he looked around him. Deserted. Just how he liked it. Stomach growling, he lifted himself from up of the stone floor and reached for his backpack that... ugh...smelt.

Heading to the public toilets to immerse his bag in soapy water and maybe have a quick wash down, he breathed in the fresh air around him, different from the alleyway, yet so close, it helped his lungs. John scanned the toilets, for a while untill he was certain there was no one else there and walked somewhat fearfully towards the sinks.

Turning the hot water tap on and dunking his bag in, he looked at his face and grimaced. Not good enough, he thought to himself. Not nearly good enough. An elderly man walked into the lavatory, throwing a fleeting glance towards John, the bag and the sink.

''Oh shit''

John panicked

''I dropped my bag in the sink...silly me''

His face was red, not only from being caught in that position, but also from what he had just said. Such a douche. I am...such a douche. He cringed inside, and groaned as he watched the elderly man depart from his cubicle and walk up the stairs leading out, casting one last amused glance on Johns awkward form.

School time. It's school time. Just get to school John. Ugh. Just get out of here.

Running up the stairs, and making a conscious effort to walk the other way in which the man could be seen ahead, he wondered what the time was.

His watch said 8.40 am. Might as well go in now.

When John finally got to school he noticed how, for a school that didn't open untill 9, it now being 8.50 am, was bustling with children young and old. John was in his eleventh year at highschool, he didn't mind it much, he had many friends, but he didn't really like them much, he had Greg though, and every now and again he had Molly. When she had the courage to speak to him that is, I mean she was alright with him really, it was when Greg was around, she just couldn't seem to act normal, so more often than not, it was just him and Greg.

''Johhny... hey John'' and there he was.

He turned abruptly with a smile.

''If i had known you would be in today, I wouldn't have made the effort to turn up.'' He smirked.

''Why the fucking hell is your bag wet? ''

Johns smile vanished.

''Oh you know...'' John paused awkwardly.

''It was raining earlier''

''...''

''Remember?''

''No it wasn't?'' Greg retorted in confusion.

''You... you must have been asleep then, it was quite early.'' Nice save John... nice save.

''What. Just on your backpack?''.

Okay so, not so nice save after all.

''I used it as a... rain protector, fuck stop asking questions, we haven't even started classes yet. Lets just head off to class okay.''

Greg mumbled something resembling that of Johns moodiness which produced an eyebrow raise from John, and followed the already moving John into the corridor with a laugh.

John hadn't told Greg about his situation yet, he wanted to, but every time he went to he just didn't seem to have the courage, he didn't want pity or sympathy, and he certainly didn't want the irrefutable event of Greg offering up his place, their family didn't have enough space at it was. Of course John was going to tell him one time or another. Just not yet. He needed time to think.

The corridor, as usual was rather packed. Hundreds of bustling weary school children were making their way to their next classes. John didn't really understand what the fuss was about, sure, school was tedious on occasion, but more often than not, it offered somewhere to drown out the thought of 'home'. It was warm and he got free school dinners, due to his supposedly 'unemployed' Dad, who did in fact work, but it was cash in hand, so was not on the system. It worked out for him though. He liked school, but that was probably relative to his current homeless situation, and the other weary students actually having a home to go to afterwards.

''What do we have anyway Johnno?''

''Not sure, let me check my journal''

John produced a sodden book from his backpack and replied.

''Science.I have Science. I, however, am not sure what you have Greg. Remember, you didn't take the same options as me.''

He paused.

''And don't call me Johnno''.

Greg groaned.

''Oh yeah, I need to get used to that, I guess I better head off to the reception and ask then.''

Greg walked away grimacing, which made John laugh somewhat.

Off to class now.

Heading through the school and into his science class he sat down with a smile, noting Molly sitting by herself, and making a conscious effort to sit beside her, he pulled out his books,pen and paper.

Only an hour and a half of this lesson to get through.

Hope you enjoyed it :) Feel free to review however you wish. Just review. Tis all i ask. :D xx Tata ;) x