CHAPTER SEVEN

His brother was downstairs exclaiming over his latest test scores to his parents, a subject that bored Harvey to death. All he ever heard was his brother bragging. Since he had come home from the ill-fated trip to the Mall, all he had heard was Lloyd banging on about school, it made him feel sick. Harvey shoved his pencil case, loaded with pens and pencils, into his school bag. He sat down on his bed, slowly stripping off his clothes and putting on his pyjamas. There was no chance of getting out of school tomorrow, Mum would know that he was lying if he dared even try, but Harvey dreaded wasting away in the isolation room. He would be branded even more of an outcast than he already was and that thought made him lie back onto his duvet, curling his knees up to his chest.

The next morning, Harvey awoke bright and early, feeling anything but bright and buzzing full of energy. He still had an hour until he was supposed to get out of bed, but he doubted that he would fall back off to sleep now. His mind was in too much turmoil so he simply stared up at the ceiling, waiting for the time to tick down until he had to get up.

When Harvey did get up, it was with little enthusiasm and he shuffled downstairs in his dressing gown, dancing his toast around the plate. Lloyd stared at him from across the table, Harvey rolling his eyes and dropping his half chewed toast back onto the plate.

"Could you be any more judgemental? Look, I'm sorry that I'm been getting into trouble, but you've got to believe me. Not all of it is my fault!"

"How comes you have ended up in isolation today then?" Lloyd arched his eyebrows in contempt. "The Headmaster wouldn't stick you in isolation unless you deserved it, and it sounds as if you did enough naughty things to end up there."

"Mum!" Harvey stabbed a finger in the direction of his brother. "He's calling me 'naughty!' Make him stop!"

His Mum didn't even look round to speak to him. "Harvey, the only one responsible for ending up in isolation is you. Lloyd was simply stating the truth. Now, have you finished your breakfast?"

He lowered his head, despondent at his mother's words and tone of voice. Pushing his plate away, Harvey muttered: "Yeah", before standing up and turning on his heel, heading out of the kitchen and up the stairs. He quickly threw his school uniform on, tugging at his blazer so hard in the hope of ripping it, not caring that he hadn't washed. He didn't want to go to school, so what was the point of preparing himself for it?

Harvey put his shoes on, bag slung over his shoulder and waited for the time to pass by until they needed to leave home for school. He rolled his eyes when a shout from downstairs alerted him to get a move on, his annoyance flaring when he approached the front door and found Lloyd was already half-way down the road.

Harvey closed the front door behind him and jogged after his brother, digging his elbow into Lloyd's side as revenge for leaving him to catch up. Lloyd turned his head to glare daggers at him, but Harvey didn't care, sticking his tongue out in defiance.

"You better not act up in isolation or you'll be in even worse trouble with the Headmaster. All you have to do is behave today, Harvey, then you'll be out of isolation and back in the Headmaster's good books. Think you can do that?"

"Let me think…" Harvey tapped his finger on his chin in mock concentration. "How about… No?"

Lloyd shoved Harvey aside as he stormed off towards St Champions, the younger of the boys reeling in shock from the push, but inevitably collapsing into a fit of laughter at the absurdity of the situation known as his life.


As soon as Harvey set foot into the playground, the big Prefect who he personally thought looked like a bloke, approached him and instructed him to march straight to the Headmaster's office. Harvey nodded his head in response, realising that any bit of back-chat would land him in more trouble, not to mention he was at risk of serious injuries from the boxer who currently towered over him.

He had to walk past every single pupil to make his way into the school and never did Harvey think he could feel more alone in his life than he had been, but here it was and that loneliness was hitting him.

And it sucked.

He entered the school, Sue trailing behind him to ensure that he didn't divert off his chosen path. Harvey felt his palms saturate and his Adam's apple quiver. After his little outburst on the weekend, he was feeling trepidation towards his upcoming meeting. If only he had kept his mouth shut, then the Headmaster wouldn't be demanding to see him, on top of his isolation sentence.

He knocked on the office door, stepping in when the order was spoken, standing in front of the desk and awaiting for the Headmaster to address him. The Headmaster stared at the young boy for a few moments, before addressing him, tone of voice emotionless as usual.

"I have created a set schedule for you for the next three weeks. You shall be in the isolation room every day for the next three weeks, where you will be assigned the work that your classmates have been set by their teacher. One of the teachers here is under a part time contract, therefore they have time spent not teaching, so they will spend that time watching you over instead. Do not push them, as you will be punished. I would watch over you myself, but my time is precious and you do not deserve my company."

Harvey felt the urge to back-chat (what was wrong with him?) but wisely stayed quiet, accepting the slip of paper that was handed to him. He scanned the piece of paper, heart sinking. His lessons would be spent in the isolation room as he expected, however his breaks would not be spent outside in the chanting playground.

"I'm spending my breaks with you?!" He exclaimed, anger, confusion and shock swirling around inside of him.

The Headmaster narrowed his eyes behind his glasses. "Yes, you will be having all of your breaks with me in my office. I do not trust you to be unsupervised and I feel as if you don't deserve to be surrounded by your fellow pupils, considering they behave and you do not."

Harvey opened his mouth to shoot back at the man, but they were interrupted by a knock to the door. A teacher that Harvey had only seen once or twice around the school entered the room.

"Apologies, Headmaster. There is someone to see you."

The Headmaster nodded. "My nine o'clock appointment. They are early, impeccable timing." He looked at the small boy before him. "Take yourself to the isolation room, where Mr Chambers will meet you. Do not dawdle," He set his lips into a scowl. "And do not even think about running away. You cannot avoid this situation, Mr Hunter."

Harvey realised that his mouth was still agape so closed it, turned around and left the office, heading towards the isolation room.