Page 32

‘We’ll wait until everyone leaves,’ Mrs Dudley says.

I look down at Tom. ‘How are you, Tommo? What happened?’

Mrs Dudley flashes me pale grey eyes. ‘Give everyone a minute to clear out before we get into it.’

Tom doesn’t answer. Just stares ahead, red-eyed and sniffing.

When the crowds have dispersed, I crouch down. ‘Tom?’ I say.

‘I don’t know,’ he whispers.

‘Are you okay, Tom?’

‘I got in trouble.’ Tom wipes at tears. ‘But I don’tremember.’

‘You don’t remember? How come?’

‘I just don’t.’

‘Your teacher and I will have a chat.’ I kiss his head and stand up tall. ‘We’ll get all this sorted out, don’t you worry.’ I tilt my head at Mrs Dudley. ‘So what’s going on?’

‘Well, I have to tell you, Miss Riley, we had … anissuetoday.’

‘What sort of issue?’

‘This goes no further, but you do need to be informed.’

‘What happened?’

‘Two boys were fighting in the playground.’

‘Tomwas fighting?’

‘Not me, Mum,’ says Tom. ‘Pauly and Lloyd. Pauly had to go to hospital.’

‘Oh myGod.’

‘Tom wasn’t involved in the fight,’ Mrs Dudley fills in. ‘But a little girl asked him about it and he attacked her.’

‘Tomattackedsomeone? A girl?MyTom? No – there’s been some mistake. Tom would never do anything like that.’

‘The girl had to go to the nurse’s office. She was very shaken up. Miss Riley, this behaviour is absolutely unacceptable. Itcannothappen again. The school’s reputation means a lot to us. Pupil behaviour is key.’

‘I don’t believe this happened.’ I shake my head.

‘I saw it,’ says Mrs Dudley. ‘The attack came out of nowhere – totally unprovoked. And things like thiscannothappen here. You have to understand. We won’t tolerate it. Not when it puts the school’s image on the line.’

She gives a meaningful pause. A pause that says:We don’t like taking on social services children. Keep Tom in line or there’ll be trouble.

Then Mrs Dudley’s voice softens and suddenly she sounds just like Mr Cockrun. ‘Look. We need parents on the same page. Singing from the same hymn sheet. The appropriate discipline at home. And then we’ll say no more about it. Pretend it never happened.’

Pretend it never happened …

‘I’ve never known Tom to hurt anyone.’

‘We’ll forgive and forget, Miss Riley. As long as it doesn’t happen again.’

I think of my mother, suddenly. And Olly. The perfect image. Make everything look good and to hell with what’s really going on.