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all over me, banged my nose. Jamie had nothing to do with it. Honest.’
    Mr Atkins nodded slowly. He didn’t look at all surprised. Just sad.
    They sent me home. I didn’t want to go, but Miss Palmer gave me no choice. She said it was her duty of care when a head injury was involved. I couldn’t remember my phone number. It had only been connected a couple of days. So Miss Palmer rang Dad on his mobile – he’d given them that when he’d enrolled me – and he gave permission to send me home in a taxi. I’d hoped to keep all this between Mary and me. It was a dim hope and now it had been totally blown.
    â€˜Fell over a tree, eh, Michael?’ Mary said after I had repeated the story I’d given Miss Palmer.
    â€˜Yeah,’ I said.
    â€˜Face first into a piece of chocolate cake?’
    â€˜Yup.’
    â€˜Must have been funny.’
    â€˜I guess so.’
    â€˜Shocking waste of cake, though.’
    We both laughed then. That’s the thing with Mary. She doesn’t push me. She knew all right. But she also understood I wouldn’t talk about it and she respected that. Sometimes I don’t know what I’d do without her.
    Dad, however, was not happy when he came home from work.
    â€˜You’re there five bloody minutes! Jesus Christ, Michael. What happened? And don’t give me that crap about tree roots again, cos I don’t buy it. Someone picked on you because you’re fat, right? Did you fight back? Nah. Come on. Tell me.’
    I shrugged, kept my head down and pushed lettuce around my plate. If I said nothing he’d get angrier. If I told the truth he’d be even worse. He’d go on for hours about how I was a coward and he was ashamed of me. Mary tried to help out.
    â€˜Leave him alone, Joe. He doesn’t want to talk about it. It was his first day, for God’s sake, and he’s upset.’
    Dad flung down his knife and fork.
    â€˜Will you bloody answer me?’
    â€˜I told you. I fell,’ I said.
    â€˜Drop it, Joe. Please?’ said Mary.
    Dad picked up his knife and fork again.
    â€˜I don’t know what’s the matter with you. I’ve tried to get you to do judo or karate lessons. I’ve taught you a bit of boxing. If you fight, you avoid trouble, that’s all I’m saying. With some of these bastards, a good hiding would solve a lot of their problems. They’d think twice about bullying then.’
    â€˜I don’t want to fight, Dad.’
    Dad pointed his fork at me.
    â€˜Then lose some weight. Sitting there like a whale. It’s disgusting. No wonder you get bullied. You can’t expect kids not to take the piss. I’m not saying it’s right, because it isn’t. I’m just saying you’ve got to expect it. And there are two answers to the problem. You gotta fight back or lose weight. It’s that simple.’
    â€˜It’s not that simple, Joe,’ said Mary. ‘It’s not.’
    Dad flung his knife and fork down again.
    â€˜I’m sick of this. Everywhere we go, it’s the same. I’m bloody ashamed of you.’
    â€˜You don’t mean that Joe. And if you’re sick of it, how do you think he feels?’
    Dad pushed his plate away and got to his feet.
    â€˜I don’t give a stuff. That’s it. Get bullied, but don’t whine to me.’
    I had never whined to him. I never would. But there was no point saying anything. So I sat, eyes on the lettuce, while he put his jacket on.
    â€˜I’m going to the pub,’ he said. ‘And you can clean this dinner crap up. It’s all you’re good for, God knows.’
    After the door slammed, we sat there for a while. Mary reached over and ran her hand through my hair.
    â€˜He doesn’t mean it, Michael. He’s had a bad first day at work. Makes two of you, doesn’t it? Hey, come on. Cheer up. Tell me more about that nice girl you met at school today.