(Matilda's POV):
The cool September air rushes round my socks and sneakers as I rush out into the schoolyard and the gray daytime sky. Strange. No sign of Charlie or James. Perhaps they went too far ahead.
"Oy, fellas! Look 'o it is. The street urchin and 'is lackey."
The sound of the schoolboys' mocking laughter bounce around the yard. I glance over to find a circle surrounding the old oak tree in the yard. A shadow is casted upon two fearful faces. One pale and scrawny. The other dark and lean.
"Not again," I sigh as I rush over to the crowd of boys.
"'Ey, street urchin! 'Ow much money 'ave yeh squandered among th' streets?"
"When's yeh family 'eadin' t' th' poor'ouse, 'uh?"
"Bug off, Carmichael!" I spit from the outer circle.
The boys, bewildered, clear a path for me as I walk over with my head up high to face the fearsome foe; William Carmichael.
"What've they done to you?"
"Oy, street urchin! Looks like yeh gielfriend 'ad teh step in an' save yeh again, 'uh?"
Despite the heavy shadow casted over his face, it's apparent that Charlie, the one called street urchin, is blushing quite heavily.
"Betcha wish I was your girlfriend, Carmichael," I retort.
"Because you're gonna need someone to save your behind one day."
I turn to Charlie and James.
"Come on, guys. Let's go," I tell them as I walk from the crowd; they follow close behind.
"Clearly these imbeciles need time to comprehend what I just said. And by that, I mean A LOT of time."
I hold my head up high as I leave Carmichael, leader of the dunce troop, and his lackeys behind.