(REWORKED) CHAPTER THREE
At the exact time that SPLAT were leaving the shed, Mr Brown was seated at his desk in the school. The sound of torrential rain pounding the school roof was enough to drive anyone mad, but such trivial things did not bother Trevor Brown. For he had a duty to fulfil. To carry out the rules of the Headmaster and discipline anyone who dared to disobey them.
The maths homework he had collected earlier in the day was simple enough to mark. As expected, all of the sheets marked so far had been one hundred percent correct.
The minutes ticked by, the stack of papers swiftly dwindling until there was only one left. At the sight of the name scribbled on the top of the paper, Mr Brown's lip curled in disgust.
Harvey Hunter.
One fifth of the band of troublemakers lurking in the school. He remembered teaching the boy's elder brother; Lloyd.
'Although not a genius like the Glass girl, Lloyd Hunter possesses more intellect than his weakling of a brother.' He thought. 'His weakling of a brother who is twice as troublesome.'
Observing the sheet, Trevor Brown narrowed his eyes. There was something not right with Hunter's homework, and he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
He plucked the previous sheet from the pile of marked work and compared the two. Lucy Green had the exact same as Hunter, meaning that he had actually achieved forty out of forty.
Yet, Mr Brown was suspicious.
'Maybe the Headmaster needs to mark this for himself.'
Setting Hunter's homework aside, he neatly placed the rest of the sheets into his leather briefcase and locked it.
Tomorrow would be judgement day for Harvey Hunter. And Trevor Brown could not wait.
At the Hunter house, Dinah was seated at the dining table, concentrating on her work, pausing every ten seconds or so to munch on a banana. When she had gotten in from school, she had been tempted to eat a chocolate bar but something in her mind had disagreed and steered her towards the fruit bowl, claiming that bananas were 'brain food.'
Teresa Hunter entered the kitchen, wrapping her cardigan around herself. She smiled fondly at Dinah before glancing out at the darkened sky. Huge black clouds were bursting with fat drops of rain and the thunder rumbled close by.
Turning towards the girl seated at the dining table, Mrs Hunter sat down on one of the chairs.
"Are you okay Dinah?"
The girl glanced up from her work at the sound of her name. Seeing that it was her foster mother, she finished off her snack before depositing the banana skin into the bin and smiling weakly.
"Yes Mrs Hunter, I'm okay."
Teresa's smile widened. "It's good to see you settling in. How was your day?"
Immediately, Dinah's face became blank as she uttered in a tone that resembled her expression: "It was great. In assembly today, we learnt about the hibernation patterns of various animals. It was very interesting."
Mrs Hunter leant across the table and patted the girl's hand. "I am glad that you enjoy school." Sighing, she withdrew her hand from Dinah's. "I just wish that Lloyd and Harvey could share the same enthusiasm that you have for school."
Dinah blinked as Mrs Hunter stood up and began preparing dinner. Something at the very back of her mind was nagging at her, but she ignored it. It was true that she liked school, but at the moment, she wasn't enjoying this school as much as the other schools she had attended.
'It's only the second week of school, things are bound to change. It's probably the post summer blues. By next week I'm sure Lloyd and the others will be singing the school's praises.'
Dinah kept repeating that thought of positivity in her head but deep down she knew that it wasn't true. Sighing, she got back to work.
The sound of the front door slamming caught both Dinah and Teresa's attention. Lloyd and Harvey entered into the hallway, soaking wet, dropping their schoolbags by the coatrack. Mrs Hunter quickly abandoned her chopping of vegetables to usher the boys upstairs to get changed out of their soggy uniforms and into something warmer.
An hour later, the five occupants of the household were seated at the table. Lloyd was once again complaining about the school whilst his parents argued that most of the other children had no qualms about it, before dragging Dinah into the conversation. This left Harvey, who was stirring his dinner around the plate, dreaming of Ingrid.
"You agree with me, don't you H?"
Harvey jumped as he broke out of his daydream, which consisted of him and Ingrid having a picnic.
"Sorry, what?"
Lloyd stared at him and rolled his eyes. "Earth to Harvey. The school is horrible, isn't it?"
Harvey nodded before glancing at his parents. "It really is." He whispered.
Suddenly, Dinah spoke up. "May I be excused? I have homework to finish off."
An exasperated Mrs Hunter stated that she could. Dinah stood up, put her plate into the dishwasher and headed up stairs.
Bill Hunter regarded his sons in annoyance. "Which is what you two should be doing instead of badmouthing the school. Er, I don't want to hear any more of it." This last sentence was directed at Lloyd, who with a barely contained huff, closed his mouth.
The pair put their plates away before going upstairs. They entered the den, the redhead throwing a seated Dinah a dirty look. Harvey tentatively smiled at the girl as he sat down at the table. She offered one of her own in return. Lloyd hurled himself onto one of the sofas.
The three of them proceeded to work. Lloyd and Dinah both plodding and flying through history respectively whilst Harvey struggled with geography. A beeping sound alerted the youngest Hunter that his favourite show was on. With a grin, Harvey set his pen down, reached for the remote and turned on the TV.
For the next half an hour, the brothers laughed and cheered at the antics of Eddy Hair and the contestants on the show. When the Great School Quiz approached, Dinah set her work aside and managed to answer three questions correctly.
Lloyd shot the girl a raised eyebrow as curiosity about her intelligence bubbled to the surface. Harvey on the other hand, was gaping at her in awe.
"Wow Di! That was amazing, I wish I was that clever!"
Dinah blushed and rubbed her arm. "Not really, and you are clever Harvey."
The small boy smiled, told her that he wasn't really and quickly shushed an inquisitive Lloyd when the Simpsons came on. Throughout the programme, Lloyd kept glancing at Dinah. He was worried that Harvey would tell her about SPLAT. She was one of Them and if she found out about their group, then he didn't think that she would hesitate in informing the Headmaster about them.
Until nine pm, the three of them picked up from where they had left on their homework, after the television had been switched off. Mrs Hunter poked her head around the door, a couple of minutes after nine.
"Harvey, it's bedtime."
The small boy groaned. "But Mum, I haven't finished my geography and it's due tomorrow!"
She sighed and stepped into the room. "How many questions do you have left to do?"
Harvey scanned his homework. "One but I have to complete all of it otherwise I'll get in trouble! And… it's really hard, it's taken me ages to do!"
His mother patted his shoulder. "I'm sure your teacher won't mind if you explain to them that you found it challenging and couldn't complete it in time. At least you attempted it."
Harvey's jaw dropped in horror. "No, they won't accept that! A normal school would but not this one!"
Dinah creased her forehead together, her curiosity piqued at Harvey's statement. She parted her lips but closed them upon seeing Lloyd's expression. He was glaring at her as he put an arm around his brother, who was close to tears.
"Tell you what H. I'll help you with it in the morning before school."
Harvey sniffed and looked up at Lloyd, breaking out into a grin. "Really? Thanks L." He stood up, gathered his homework and waved at Lloyd and Dinah. "Night."
As Harvey departed from the den, Mrs Hunter glanced at the two eleven year olds.
"Fifteen minutes till bedtime. I'll see you two in the morning. Goodnight." She smiled and hugged Lloyd and Dinah before exiting the room.
An awkward silence filled the room. Lloyd huffed and started to collect his homework together. Five minutes later, he strode from the room, not even bothering to wish Dinah a goodnight. The girl sighed, finished off her homework with a flourish before packing up and leaving the room, flicking the light off on her way out.
The next morning, Harvey found Lloyd chewing his cereal mundanely. He wasn't surprised at this action. Every morning before school, Lloyd was temperamental and Harvey didn't blame him. The small boy made himself some toast and sat down at the table, looking over the last question on his geography homework whilst spilling crumbs over the sheet.
Lloyd glanced up from his stabbing of cornflakes and shifted his chair closer to Harvey. As the two struggled to finish the work, Dinah entered the kitchen. Making her breakfast, she noticed what they were doing.
Tentatively, she offered her services: "Do you need any help?"
The brothers raised their heads, Harvey opening his mouth but Lloyd interrupted him.
"No thanks, we don't accept help from people who think the Headmaster is marvellous." He spat.
Dinah nodded stiffly and sat down. Harvey gaped at Lloyd before addressing her.
"I do actually, you can look at it if y-you don't mind, Di."
She smiled thinly as Lloyd rose to his feet, anger clouding his face.
"I told you before H! If they find out that she helped you on this, then you're in for it! And I won't help get you out!"
He slammed his bowl onto the counter before stomping out of the kitchen. Harvey paled. Dinah had helped him on the maths homework and if Mr Brown discovered that Harvey hadn't actually done it then he was in for it. No doubt Lloyd and the others would find out too. He gulped. He prayed that Mr Brown hadn't found anything suspicious.
Dinah took Lloyd's seat and helped Harvey complete his homework. After accomplishing the work, Harvey smiled and thanked her, finished off his breakfast and left the kitchen to pack his schoolbag. Dinah put away her bowl and waited by the door for Lloyd and Harvey.
Ten minutes later, the three children were walking to school in silence. Harvey was deep in thought and Dinah didn't fancy attempting to make small talk with a hostile Lloyd.
Upon entering the playground, Lloyd and Harvey rushed over to the others whilst Dinah reluctantly joined a circle, standing next to Lucy. As the Prefects began ordering everybody into their lines, Lloyd caught Harvey's arm.
"Be careful H. Just give in your geography homework and keep your head down. I'll see you at Break."
Harvey nodded, biting his lip as he joined his line. He spotted Ingrid, who grinned at him. He blushed and smiled weakly in return, his anxiety growing.
Trudging into school, Mandy Fletcher fiddled with her hair. Her plait was coming loose which would result in the wild curls springing out. Which would result in trouble. Gritting her teeth as she approached the classroom, she quickly undid her plait. Seconds after her hair fell around her shoulders, she secured it into a ponytail with the hairband.
Taking her seat, she sighed in relief. She had overslept that morning as her parents had been sorting out her sister's belongings for when she went back to university. Mandy had barely had enough time to shower, put on her clothes and eat breakfast before she was shepherded off to school. She blinked, realizing that the maths lesson had started already. Quietly rummaging in her bag, her eyes widened when she could not locate her pencil case. Setting her maths book onto the table, Mandy glanced around. Nobody was going to loan her any of their equipment so with a sag of her shoulders, she raised a hand.
Mrs Walters's eyes narrowed when the troublemaker put her hand up. Raising her eyebrow, she inquired:
"Yes, Miss Fletcher?"
All of the pupils turned to stare at Mandy. She swallowed the sudden bout of nervousness and steadily replied to the teacher.
"I've forgotten my pencil case. May I borrow some equipment please?"
Mrs Walters shook her head as she gestured towards the door.
"Go and collect the required equipment from the storage cupboard. You have five minutes."
Mandy nodded and hurriedly rose from her seat, walking briskly out of the room. She strode down the corridor, controlling her breathing, unconsciously quickening her pace as she approached the storage cupboard.
"Mandy Fletcher! Stop!"
She did instantly, biting her lip as Simon Neal's footsteps from behind drew nearer. He moved around so that he was now facing her. His face and voice laced with distaste, he inquired:
"What are you doing out of class? You know that it is against the rules to wander in the corridors during lessons!"
She nodded, forcing her hands to stay by her sides and not play with her hair as she liked to do when she was nervous.
"I forgot my pencil case so I was going to the storage cupboard to collect some equipment."
Simon raised an eyebrow. "Who allowed you to carry out this objective?"
"Mrs Walters did."
The Prefect smirked. "Yet, I see no note in your hands? Unless it is in your blazer?"
Mandy could feel the nervousness start to creep up on her. "No Simon, Mrs Walters didn't provide me with a note."
His smirk broadened as he took out a notebook and unclipped the pen from his pocket. He began to write down what had just happened under a section entitled 'Troublemakers.' Finishing, he glanced at Mandy.
"You have no visual evidence to support your claim of being allowed to leave class. You have broken a rule, Mandy Fletcher. Therefore, you shall be punished. Rose will be assigning you extra work during your study session. Now collect the exact equipment and go back to class."
He pushed past her. Mandy took a couple of deep breaths to exert the fear she was feeling before opening the storage cupboard and gathering the necessary stationary.
Upon returning to class, slipping back into her seat and putting her head down to work, Mandy sagged her shoulders in relief at the fact that her punishment was quite light. If she had argued then she would have been in for it. Clearing her head of such thoughts, she concentrated on her maths.
When the bell for break rang, SPLAT trudged out of the building and met up in their circle. At the sight of Mandy's withdrawn expression, Ingrid tilted her head.
"What's up doc?" She asked goofily.
At that, Harvey burst out laughing. Ian and Lloyd shared a look, raising their eyebrows. Ingrid grinned and stuck out her front teeth, imitating a rabbit. Mandy smiled at this, but instantly froze and frantically gestured with her hand.
Yet, she didn't have to warn them as they all heard the unmistakeable sound of footsteps. SPLAT crowded in closer, noticing that the other pupils had ceased their chanting and were now looking at them.
Rose and Jeff stood behind SPLAT, curling their lips in disgust. Jeff trailed around to Harvey and pitched his voice.
"What were you laughing at, Hunter?"
The small boy stiffened and fiddled with his blazer.
"I – Ingrid asked Mandy a q – question in a goofy voice, that's all."
Jeff smirked and leaned in close to Harvey's terrified form. "And you thought that was funny? I don't know how you could find Ingrid Smith funny. What, do you love her or something?"
At this remark, Harvey blushed. Ingrid narrowed her eyes and clenched her fists, causing Mandy to lay a warning hand on her arm. However, Lloyd piped up:
"Leave them alone!"
Jeff gazed at Lloyd and smirked. "Stay out of this Hunter, unless you want to get into further trouble and have to have the Headmaster deal with you."
Ian barely contained his snort as he muttered under his breath: "Yeah, a perfect excuse for a punishment."
Rose narrowed her eyes. "What was that, Robinson?" She raised her eyebrows inquiringly.
Ian gulped. "Nothing, Rose."
She nodded. "Good. Now, I suggest in the future that all of you be quiet. Get into your lines!"
SPLAT jumped and immediately spilt up into their lines whilst Jeff ordered the other children to do the exact same.
Dinah had watched that whole scenario from afar. They were all petrified. She was wrong, and she was never wrong. School wasn't going to get better for SPLAT. As long as the Prefects and the Headmaster were there.
The day rolled by slowly. When lunchtime commenced, SPLAT met at their usual table. Dinah sat at a table far away from them but could still hear their conversation as they were the only ones making noise.
Mandy prodded at her food, knowing that her friends were casting worried looks towards her. Ian, who was sitting opposite her, leaned forward and asked gently:
"Are you ok? Did something happen?"
Mandy set down her cutlery and addressed her concerned friends.
"I had Maths before Break and I forgot my pencil case. Mrs Walters sent me to the storage cupboard to collect equipment but Simon was patrolling the corridors and the outcome is, I'm receiving a punishment."
The other members of SPLAT gasped at this. Harvey sputtered:
"W-What's your punishment?"
She offered them a reassuring smile. "It's just extra work."
Ian, Harvey and Ingrid sighed in relief, knowing that the punishment could have been far worse. Yet Lloyd was still tense. They really needed to keep their heads down from now on, especially with a spy living in one of their houses.
He turned his attention towards his brother. "H, no trouble with the geography homework?"
Harvey grinned. "No trouble whatsoever."
Upon finishing their meals, SPLAT rose from their seats, ignoring the wondering eyes fixated on their forms. As they traipsed along the corridor, Harvey kept sneaking glances at Ingrid. She was one of his best friends and he felt happier when she was around.
Entering the library, they deposited their schoolbags underneath the table and took their seats. Rose strode into the room, her gaze instantly settling onto Mandy, her face lighting up with a type of sick glee. Withdrawing a wad of paper from her blazer, she placed it in front of Mandy.
"You are to do these questions at home. The questions are on a wide range of topics and there is an essay alongside it. You have till Friday to complete all of them. If not, the Headmaster will be dealing with you."
Mandy nodded and slipped them into her bag.
SPLAT worked solidly till the end of the day. Upon being dismissed, they strode out of the school, Harvey and Ingrid breaking into a demented sort of skip whilst Lloyd, Ian and Mandy shook their heads at the pair's antics.
Dinah followed the other pupils out of the gates, wincing as a headache began to form. She had tried desperately to recall what had happened just before assembly commenced. Yet, all she remembered was marching into assembly and then coming out of it. Sighing, she made her way to the Hunter's home.
Once all the pupils had left the school for the day, Mr Brown approached the Headmaster's office, Harvey Hunter's homework in hand. He knocked twice.
"Enter."
Mr Brown opened the door and positioned himself in front of the desk. The Headmaster glanced up from his papers and cocked an eyebrow at the teacher.
"Well?"
Mr Brown placed the piece of paper where the Headmaster could see it before addressing him.
"This is Harvey Hunter's mathematics homework. I marked it last night and surprisingly the boy has managed to gain forty out of forty. Yet I am sure that Hunter has cheated. Surely, he could not get full marks. The boy's intellectual capacity is unsubstantial enough to complete these sums."
The Headmaster's eyes skimmed down the paper quickly. He raised his head and gestured for the teacher to leave.
"Go home. I will deal with this." Mr Brown obeyed immediately.
The Headmaster took out a pen and began marking the sums himself. Finishing, he sat back impressed. Impressed with Dinah Glass.
"I always knew that you were an intelligent girl, Miss Glass. But doing Harvey Hunter's homework for him? I cannot let that slide. The stupid boy should have at least written the work in his own handwriting."
He smirked at the massive contrast between Harvey's untidy scrawl, bearing his name and Dinah's neat, precise penmanship that was viewable on the majority of the page.
He chuckled as he wrote in the corner of the sheet: '0/40. See me.' Harvey Hunter must have known that he would not be able to get away with cheating. The boy would soon find out what happens to those who cheat.
Placing the offending article into a drawer, the Headmaster smiled sinisterly as he rose from his seat and left his office, ordering the whitecoats to follow him.
He was going to enjoy this school year.