The gang was waiting for the school bus, Smithy, Callum, Phil, Stuart and Mickey were trying to jump up to the basketball hoop and hang off it. Smithy ran up, he jumped into the air, swiped madly, missed completely and nearly hit the wall behind the hoop.
Callum brushed the ring with his fingertips and did hit the wall. Phil caught hold of a handful of the net and hung on grimly. Callum poked him in the ribs, Phil squirmed and dropped to the floor. Stuart missed the entire thing and so did Mickey.
Andrea looked over at the younger boys' game, she turned to Neil. Then she looked back at the hoop, "Hey Neil, I bet you can't hang off that hoop." she said, her eyes locking onto his.
"You're right I probably can't." said Neil, "Although there is something that I certainly can do." he said moving towards her.
Andrea pouted, "Nope, not until you at least try." she said, watching Callum hit the wall again.
Neil looked thoughtful, "And if I do?" he asked.
Andrea smiled, "That's for me to know and you to find out."
Neil rolled his eyes and sighed, "Fine, only 'cause it's you though."
Neil joined the short line of boys waiting to try, the others looked at him. Smithy smirked "Trying your jumping skills out Neil?" he asked.
Neil nodded curtly, Smithy turned round and saw Mickey get his finger stuck in the net and get rope burn. Smithy ran at the hoop, jumped up and managed to get his fingers over the rim, he was so surprised that he let go and forgot to absorb the impact of landing. He fell over and grazed his knee on the tarmac, he limped over to Kerry and enjoyed her triumphant celebrations, her boyfriend had been the first to hang off the rim.
Neil ran up, very conscious of Andrea's eyes on him. He caught hold of the rim with both hands and hung there for a second, Andrea squealed. Neil remembered Smithy's mistake and landed fairly gracefully, not that anyone would ever use that word to describe him.
Neil sauntered back over to Andrea, who pouted and kissed him. As their kiss deepened some of the other pupils made gagging noises and mimed being sick.
The school bus came round the corner and came to halt with a squeal of brakes and something metal fell off the underside of the bus. The kids filed on, they went to the back. A couple of smaller kids were sitting there, a small blonde girl looked up and saw Callum glaring at her, she'd spilt glitter over his seat. The girl jumped up, her friend pulled her back down. "We've just as much right to sit here as they do."
Smithy came up behind Callum and said "What's going on? Oi, midgets those are our seats."
"Who says?" asked a girl with light brown hair. She was wearing a low cut top and obviously thought that she was so it.
Smithy stared at her, "Uh, we do."
The girl looked at him, "And you are?"
"None of your business. I said move so you move." said Smithy.
The girl leant back in her seat, "Why should I do what you say?"
The bus driver started the bus up and the older kids grabbed for the poles as the bus clunked into action. Kerry came up and said "Smiffy! There's someone sitting in my seat!"
Smithy glared at the gobby girl, "Get out of that seat or I'll make you."
The girl frowned, "That's a threat right?"
Smithy nodded, Callum pulled the little blonde girl off his seat. The girl didn't protest, Callum brushed the worst of the glitter off his seat and sat down.
Smithy caught hold of the gobby girl's arm, he pulled her off Kerry's seat and pushed her down into a different seat. Smithy glared at the blonde girl's friend, the girl scowled at him and reluctantly vacated the seat.
When the older kids were sitting in their seats the smaller girls plotted, trying to think of ways of getting back at the older kids.