"Why aren't you ready for school?" Guy asked his daughter as she entered the kitchen, still in her pyjamas.
"I don't feel well." Zosia replied.
"You have tried that trick every day this week, it's wearing very thin now. Go and get ready for school!" He instructed harshly.
"I'm not going." She said stubbornly, taking a seat at the table and resting her head on her arms.
"I don't know what has got into you lately but your behaviour and attitude at home has been appalling! Go and get yourself ready for school."
"I've already told you I'm not going!" She raised her voice.
"And I have told you that you are going, so go and get ready now!" He bellowed. Zosia got up from the table and stormed up to her room, pushing past Anya on her way up the stairs.
"What's going on?" Anya asked, walking into the kitchen. "Why isn't she ready for school? What have you said?"
"Why do you assume it's always me?" Guy asked in disbelief.
"Because I heard you shouting."
"I don't know what's got into her lately, all these arguments and tantrums. She isn't three anymore."
"I'll go and see to her." Anya said.
"You're too soft on her." Guy warned.
"Do you not think that perhaps you're a bit too hard on her?" She questioned, before walking out the door and up to Zosia's room. "Zoshie?" She knocked softly on the door. No reply. She went in and found Zosia with her head buried in her pillow sobbing. "Zosia what's going on?" She asked in horror, taking a seat on the bed.
"I've had enough of school! I don't want to go anymore." She admitted through tears.
"But you like school!"
"I don't. I hate it, I hate it, I hate it!" Zosia shouted, punching her pillow.
"Stop that now, come here." Anya pulled the little girl up close to her. "Tell me what's wrong. I won't be angry."
"Dad will. He already is." She sniffed.
"Ignore him. He's got a lot on at work at the moment. I just want my happy little girl back."
"She's gone. Disappeared. Probably over the rainbow where it's bright and friendly". Zosia said, glumly and half-sarcastically.
"Well I'm going to bring her back. Tell me Zoshie. Please?" She asked gently.
"A gang in year ten bully me." She confessed, a tear sliding down her cheek. Anya bit her lip.
"How long has it been going on for?"
"Since I started."
"And why do they bully you?"
"Because I'm Polish, they call me names, they push me in the corridors and they follow me home sometimes." She told Anya, ashamed.
"Oh sweetheart." Anya pulled her even closer and kissed the top of her head. "I'm not going to send you to school today, you're late anyway. You get dressed and I will phone the head teacher. Alright?" She decided. Zosia nodded in agreement.
A little time later, Anya had explained to Guy what was really going on and he phoned the school, furious with the incident. He had been assured that it would be sorted.
"They said she'd been a bit quiet lately. Not contributing in class. I mean why didn't they phone us?" Guy questioned in frustration.
"Goodness knows!" Anya replied. "At least it's all out now. Things will get better."
"I'm sure. Right, I really need to get into work. Will you be alright with her?"
"Fine. Colette's coming over later, I'm sure we'll manage."
"A WI gathering is it?" He joked.
"No!" Anya smirked, playfully hitting Guy on the arm.
"You two could talk the hind legs off a donkey!"
"What?" Anya still had not quite got to grips with the English sayings.
"Oh don't worry…it's an English thing. See you tonight." He said, kissing her forehead as he left. "Tell her I said goodbye."
Zosia appeared soon after Guy left. Her eyes were puffy and her face red. Despite this, she did feel better knowing that her problems were now in the open and being dealt with.
"I'm sorry mama." She apologised, hugging Anya.
"It isn't your fault. I just wish you had said something sooner, that's all." Anya answered.
"I didn't want to trouble you and dad, you are both so busy at work."
"Like that's ever stopped us. If anything is troubling you and I mean anything, you tell us. You got that?" Zosia nodded. The doorbell rang.
"I'll get it." Zosia volunteered. She disappeared into the hall and opened the door. Needless to say it was Colette.
"Hello you." Colette smiled.
"Hello. Come in." She replied, closing the door behind her.
"Are you okay? Your mum told me what had happened."
"I'm fine. It just got too much, you know?"
"Hello Colette!" Anya said cheerfully. "Go through to the lounge, I'll put the kettle on." She said, before scurrying off to the kitchen. Colette went into the lounge, closely followed by Zosia.
"It will be alright. I was bullied at school too. I was about your age." She told the girl.
"Really?" Said Zosia, secretly glad that somebody understood.
"Yes. By a girl in my class."
"How did you stop it?" She asked curiously.
"I was like you. I didn't tell anyone for weeks but then one of my friends found out and played a trick on her in class. Put a whoopee cushion on her chair in maths." Colette told her, amused. Zosia giggled.
"Please don't go giving my daughter ideas Colette!" Anya said, equally amused, carrying a tray of tea and a glass of juice for Zosia.
"Sorry!" Colette laughed. "Your friends stick up for you surely?" She asked Zosia, who looked away.
"I don't have any friends." She said quietly.
"Yes you do!" Anya chipped in. "What about Beth?"
"She's joined Felicity's little gang now. She doesn't want to know me. Nobody does! I'm just the swot who sits at the back of the class working whilst everybody else mucks around!" She said angrily.
"Well at some point people will realise that you've got the right idea and that they don't stand a chance if they don't do any work. You've only been at that school for less than a term, there is still time to make friends." Anya tried to reassure her.
"Everyone's found little groups to fit into. I'm just an outsider, I don't fit in anywhere." Zosia replied hopelessly.
"I tended to prefer my own company when I was at school. I hid at the back of the library every lunch and break with my head in a book." Colette said. "Anyway, people are mad not wanting to know you!" She added. Zosia and Anya both smiled.
"Give it time Zoshie." Anya told her.
Later on that day, Anya had a phone call from the school. The gang who were bullying Zosia had been excluded for a week and were on a final warning. They were never going to go anywhere near her again, that was made sure of. Zosia was happy and more settled with this. When she went back to school on Monday, things were so much better. She no longer had to be constantly on her guard in case somebody came up behind her and shoved her so she dropped her folder, she could walk home without looking over her shoulder every second and something one step better.
"Mama!" Zosia called, coming through the front door.
"Good day?" Anya asked, coming to greet her daughter. This was that happiest she had seen her in a very long time.
"It was brilliant! There's a new girl in our class called Miriam; we spent all day together! She's in a wheelchair but she wants to be a nurse! Isn't that brilliant?!" She gabbled excitedly.
"Wonderful." Anya smiled. "I told you didn't I?"
"Yes, I didn't think I would make any friends now but I have! Can she come for tea one day? Please?" She asked.
"Of course she can. Tomorrow if you like?"
"Yes please! Thank you mama!" Zosia said happily, flinging her arms around Anya's neck and hugging her tight. Anya had her happy little girl back.