James sat in disgrace, staring at his boots. Meryl continued to yell at him about how ridiculous he was behaving. Thoughts of punishments ran through his head: detentions; cleaning changing rooms; repainting rooms; punishment laps; cleaning the staff offices; helping out in the junior block; being fined pocket money. He thought about which one Meryl would give him. He hoped it would not be pocket money fines because he still owed Lauren £7 and five pence and Kyle kept reminding him about the fiver he owed. Plus, he had to get the money from somewhere to take Dana to the cinema six times. He didn't know what had come over him when he agreed to that!

Meryl raised her voice and announced:

"So James, your punishment…" James sighed, she hadn't forgotten about why he was here is the first place.

"Please not pocket money, please not pocket money." James muttered.

"What was that? Did I hear you say that you don't want any pocket money? Well, you won't be getting any for the next month or so. Now for your punishment…"

"But, Miss. I thought pocket money fines were punishments."

"James, I heard you ask if you could have no pocket money! You said 'Please not pocket money.' Your punishment will be a recruitment mission. You are going to Newcastle to the Children's home there. Here is your briefing. Read it carefully."

James took the briefing and scowled at Meryl. Lauren would be so happy when she found out that James had a recruitment mission. He stood up and slouched out of the room, throwing the booklet on to the desk. He went to his room and lay on his bed feeling sorry for himself. There was a knock on the door and he went to open it, scowling again.

***
Meanwhile, Dana was sitting in Meryl's office, telling her what had happened in geography.

"It wasn't James' fault really, Miss. Mr Norwood had just given him cleaning duty for a month and he was worried about not having enough time." She explained.

"Why did he get cleaning duty?" Meryl asked.

Dana told her, and she was dismissed.

James stomped up to his room and slammed his bedroom door shut. He was in a foul mood, mainly down to the fact that he had been up half the night playing on his play station with Bruce and Kerry after they got back from the summer hostel. It was lunchtime but James didn't feel like going down to the canteen and listening to his friends excitedly recounting their adventures on holiday. James hadn't been able to go because he had been on a mission in Wales and had got back two days after the flight to the hostel. James went over to his mini fridge, took out a bottle of diet coke and had a long drink. His bedside phone rang so he leaned over his bed and picked it up.

"Hello, James here."

"Hi James, it is Zara, Can you pop over to my office now please?"

"Um, sure except I haven't had lunch."

"Don't worry, come now and you can have lunch in my office and you won't have to go to your next lesson because I have to talk to you." James sighed thinking about what Mrs Bremer would say when he admitted that he hadn't done his Maths Homework.

"I'm coming now." James put down the phone and wondered what Zara wanted to tell him. He grabbed his bag and his mobile as he went out of the room. He ran down the stairs and outside. James almost bumped into a staff golf buggy.

"Careful! Watch where you are going! Oh it is you James. Do you want a ride?"James gratefully climbed into the buggy alongside Ewart who was driving it.