Joanne Davidson is just ten years old when she first sees Katherine Donnelly.
After being dragged from pillar to post throughout her short life, her mother has assured Jo that this move will be their last move. Ever.
"Uncle Tommy said he has a new job for me. A good one. One which means I'll be home in time for your bed time. Don't worry, wee one." Her mother tells her, smiling through chapped lips and broken teeth.
"Don't worry, wee one." As if Jo hadn't heard that line, one trillion times before.
So Jo wonders how it's possible for her not to worry, as she stands in front of a new class, being forced to do that awful thing of introducing herself to her new peers. All eyes are on her as she blushes and trips over her words, pretending that her classmates were most definitely not whispering in each other's ears and laughing as each word awkwardly spills from her mouth.
Jo is relieved when Mr Hastings (yes, like the battle) finally tells her to take the only empty seat in the classroom. She takes out her jotter and pulls off her coat, to be met with more laughs and spiteful comments about her mismatched school uniform which Doesn't Quite Fit Properly. Jo had never wanted the earth to swallow her up quite as much as then.
Jo Davidson at ten years old is a diligent pupil. Despite the constant upheaval with her education, she manages to ace all of her tests, and never forgets to turn her homework in. Jo Davidson is a well mannered and quiet pupil, who has never ever gotten in trouble with any teacher, ever. So when a sharp and loud "Davidson" pierces the silent classroom, Jo nearly falls off her seat with shock.
"Davidson. Are you paying any attention at all to my lesson?" Mr Hastings asks, with his eyebrow raised so high Jo thought it might fly off his face. "Or do they not teach any manners in Glasgow?"
"Yes sir, they do sir…sorry sir" Jo manages to get out even though her throat feels like it's about to close up, ignoring the sniggering erupting throughout the classroom once again.
"So, I'll ask you again, what is forty times three?"
"120" a hushed whisper comes from behind her. Jo is flustered, and in her state of panic, her mind can't quite figure out if that answer was actually bullshit being fed to her in an attempt to embarrass her yet again. But Jo repeats it to Mr Hastings anyway, who seems quite content to accept it, even if it is followed up by an exasperated Mother of God and a head shake from her teacher.
Jo briefly swings round to see if she can figure out who saved her skin, and is met with an intense blue gaze. A blue gaze which Jo may or may not have briefly registered upon her terrible introduction, as it was the only gaze in the room which didn't feel full of malice and judgment.
"Thanks" Jo whispers quietly to the girl before quickly turning back to face the blackboard so that her growing blush went unnoticed.
Jo realises then, that despite her internal commentary trying to tell her otherwise, she may be a bit of a coward.
The following few months went slightly better than Jo had expected. Apart from the odd jibe about her Scottish accent and the terrible impersonations (no, Och aye the noo, was most definitely not a phrase which would ever escape the lips of any proud Scot), Jo could almost say that she had settled into her new class. Yes, Mr Hastings irritated Jo with his stupid quotes to make him seem cooler (what in the hell did sucking diesel even mean?), but it far exceeded the shitty schools Jo had previously attended in Glasgow. In fact, Nottingham seemed to exceed Glasgow in every way, so far at least.
Yes, Jo had to be Very, Very Quiet when her mother had copious amounts of strange men round in their flat, and yes, Jo still had to clear away crumpled tins, cigarette butts and white powder which resembled sherbet (which Jo most certainly knew was not sherbet) off the living room table. But the fact that Jo could see her mother more, and spend more time with her was a bonus. Samantha Davidson did kiss her daughter good night, every night. Samantha Davidson was around to help Jo with her homework on the odd occasion, even if her understanding of basic education was far too tenuous to make her a good teacher. Samantha Davidson no longer had to pretend that they were camping by candlelight when Tommy had 'forgotten' to wire her money for the electricity meter, as her new 'job' meant that she could be slightly more financially independent. Samantha Davidson hoped that this would eventually mean that her and her daughter could live a somewhat normal life, without the constant fear that Social Services (or Tommy) would step in and take Jo away from her.
Jo felt less lonely at home, but god, she wished she was better at making friends. Moving from school to school in the past meant that any friendships Jo managed to culture were soon snatched away from her. Jo had learnt that, generally, there was no point in getting close to other people as they always seemed to let her down, despite her best efforts. When she repeated this to her mum after a brief questioning as to why she hadn't yet mentioned any new friends, Jo was quizzical when her mum erupted into raucous laughter.
"Ah, you're a wise head on young shoulder, wee one."
And in the end, Katherine Donnelly is the one who speaks to Jo first. Well, technically again, but properly for the first time.
Jo had been watching Kate for a while now, wishing she was brave enough to go up to her and strike up a conversation. Especially after Kate had helped Jo out That One Time.
Kate at ten years old was all confidence and balls. She was smart, bubbly and popular. Her eye rolling at Mr Hastings' lame comments and ability to capture the attention of anyone that spoke to her was, well, mesmerising. Kate was brave. That was without going into how impossibly pretty she was. Eyes so blue you could drown in them, and despite her very young age, she didn't seem to hold the "puppy fat" on her face that was common in girls and boys of the same age, her cheekbones already beautifully chiselling out. Jo felt distinctly uncool in comparison to Kate, and so when Kate approaches Jo after class and asks if she wants to sit with her at lunch, Jo is practically floating on Cloud Nine.