It was lunchtime. Paul and Bolton were in the playground, getting some air before Mr Cleaver's boxing session. After their little run in with Earl yesterday, they figured boxing lessons would be a good idea.

Paul had taken a basketball out of the sports cupboard in the boys changing rooms and was throwing it up in the air and catching it again. Bolton watched, laughing.

His smile dropped when he saw Earl walking by. Earl spotted them, a smug grin on his face. He lifted his arm up, folding his fingers into the shape of a gun, pointing at the two boys. Paul looked at Bolton, a worried expression on his face.

Bolton scoffed, even though the action intimidated him.

"Stay out of his way, yeah? He's 110% mental, man!"

Paul nodded, watching as Earl turned to Maxine and Janeece, who were blushing and giggling at him.

"He's just making empty threats, mate. You know, because someone told Mason about the gun and that. He doesn't know who snitched on him so he's just blaming us" Bolton reassured

Paul hadn't told Bolton he was the one who had reported Earl. They had both agreed not to say a word to anyone, and he didn't want to lose his best friend. But he'd had no choice.

"You ok?" Bolton asked

Paul nodded

"Yeah, come on; let's go to this boxing thing"

They headed into the gym, where Mr Cleaver was waiting for them. They took a pair of gloves each, Bolton showing off by punching the air. The pair fell about laughing. Neither of them had realised Earl had followed them.

"Alright, ladies? What's all this?" He asked

Paul and Bolton stopped messing around immediately.

"Mr Cleaver's brought some boxing gear" a year 10 kid piped up

Earl nodded in approval

"I used to do boxing when I lived in Manchester" he said, picking up a pair of gloves

"Fancy a bit, Bolton?" He asked with a smirk

Bolton looked into Earl's cold eyes, desperately trying to mask his fear.

"Eh?"

Earl smirked, seeing the obvious panic in Bolton's eyes. It made him feel so powerful.

"A match? Do you reckon you could have me?" Earl challenged

"What, now?" He scoffed

Earl looked around before shrugging

"Whenever you want, mate!" He responded patronisingly

Bolton was saved from responding by Mr Cleaver entering the gym. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"Mr Kelly! Come to join us?"

"Yes sir, I used to do boxing, I was just challenging my mate Bolton here to a fight" Earl nodded, grinning at Bolton

"Oh really? You up for it Bolton?" Mr Cleaver asked, completely oblivious to the feud between the two boys

Bolton scoffed, pushing his fear to one side

"Yeah! Let's do it, innit!"

Earl smirked

"Good! Let's give it a go!" Mr Cleaver smiled

As he moved to the sidelines, Earl approached Bolton. He was going to make the most of this. This would be payback for snitching.

"I reckon one good punch..." he hissed

Bolton averted his gaze. He shouldn't have agreed to this.

Paul eyed Bolton nervously. He was scared for him. Earl had the potential to cause harm. Bolton brushed him off.

"It'll be fine, man!" He reassured

Earl and Bolton put on their head padding and gloves, stepping onto the mats. Their eyes locked, Mr Cleaver instructing them to start.

It started off easy, no jabs to the face, most of the impact of their punches hitting the gloves.

When Mr Lawson walked into the gym, Bolton's nerves decreased. Earl wouldn't hurt him with the Deputy Head around, would he?

Wrong.

As Mr Lawson, Mr Cleaver and Miss Koreshi became engrossed in conversation, Earl took his opportunity. He lunged at Bolton, his leg making contact with his private area. Bolton groaned as he crumpled to the floor.

Eddie saw it happen out of the corner of his eye. He dashed over to Bolton, instructing him to breathe. Mr Cleaver led Earl away, who had a smug grin on his face.

Once Bolton got his breath back, Paul helped him to his feet. In anger, he pushed him off, heading into the changing rooms. Earl was in there, grinning. Bolton felt anger bubbling inside of him. Paul wanted the ground to swallow him.

"You'll think twice next time before snitching on me, won't you?" Earl snarled, strolling out of the changing rooms

*

Bolton disappeared for the rest of the lunch hour, leaving Paul on his own with his racing thoughts. The guilt of what had just happened was eating away at him. If he hadn't put that note under Miss Mason's door yesterday, this wouldn't have happened. How could he have been so stupid?

As the bell rang out for the start of afternoon classes, Paul headed down the corridor to Mr Budgen's class. There was no sign of Bolton anywhere. Paul sighed.

As he sat at his desk, pen in hand, Bolton strolled in. Paul breathed a sigh of relief. Even though he was walking funny, he seemed ok. He sat down beside him, avoiding Paul's gaze. Paul only felt his guilt increasing.

"Are you ok?" Paul whispered

Bolton scoffed, brushing off Paul's concern

"Yeah, man. I can handle being kicked in the nuts! I just want to know who snitched on Earl, because it sure as hell weren't me! But I still got the blame!"

Paul sighed as Mr Budgen entered the classroom, demanding silence.

He had to tell Bolton what he'd done; he couldn't keep it from him. This was his fault and he had to put it right.

Whilst Mr Budgen had his back to the class, pre- occupied by writing something on the board, Paul took his opportunity. He tapped Bolton on the arm to get his attention.

"It was me. I told Miss Mason about the gun. I didn't say it was Earl, I just put an anonymous note under her door to say there was a gun in the school"

Bolton's eyes flashed with anger. How could Paul do this? They'd agreed not to say a word to anyone.

"Are you crazy, man? Are you trying to get us killed?" Bolton hissed angrily, glaring at Bolton

"I just...wanted to do the right thing! I'm sorry!" Paul sighed

Bolton stood up, throwing his chair angrily across the room.

"BOLTON SMILIE!!!!" Mr Budgen yelled

Bolton ignored him, his eyes fixed on Paul.

"Why couldn't you just keep your gob shut, man? I got kicked in the nuts because of you!"

The class, who had been watching the two of them intently, instantly fell about laughing. Bolton felt his cheeks burning with embarrassment. He glared at Paul.

"Bolton, cooler, now!" Mr Budgen ordered

Bolton scoffed, rolling his eyes before storming out of the classroom.