"If you don't like it, then shouldn't be such a massive weirdo." Ryan grinned. "Isn't that right, weirdo?"

  His gaggle of friends cackled, whoops and taunts ringing in Charlie's ears.

  He stood at bay by the school fence, face burning, trying to keep the telltale tears from gathering in his eyes.

  "Give it back," Charlie muttered, fists clenched.

  "What was that?" Ryan sketched an exagerrated show of cupping a hand to his ear. "Speak up, weirdo!"

  "I said give it back!"

  "Give it back, please," Ryan's freckled face shone with glee.

  "Please." The heat had reached Charlie's ears, and the scene in front of him swum as he blinked rapidly, willing himself not to cry.

  "You want this?" Ryan hoisted up Charlie's school bag, the zip half undone, contents already spilling out. "Sure. Catch!"

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  He swung the bag and threw it with all his strength so it sailed over Charlie's head. It cleared the fence and kept going, trailing pens, papers, schoolbooks and the lunch Charlie's mum had made him that morning.

  Ryan's friends laughed louder, mouths wide, eyes creased in unholy joy. Two of them - Derek and Jay, held onto each other to stay upright.

  "Sorry you're no good at catching," said Ryan in mock sympathy. "I'd stay and help you get your stuff, but—" the school bell peeled out, a brrrrng! of urgency, "school's starting."

  In a pack, the boys loped off to class, still laughing and re-enacting their leader's throw.

  One boy stayed behind. He was tall, dark-haired, good looking, and half a head taller than Charlie. His eyes met Charlie's and Charlie turned away, mashing his palms into his eyes to scrub them dry.

  "I'm sorry I can't help you," said the boy.

  Charlie jumped to catch the top of the wooden fence, the rough edges of the palings digging into his palms. Then he heaved himself up, splinters digging into his knees as he fought to get one leg over the top of the fence.

  He landed on the other side with a thump, and his ankle twisted, sending him sprawling with a cry of pain.

  Grimacing, he got to his feet and limped off into the scrubby weeds on the other side of the school fence to gather his stuff. It was not a good start to the day, and Charlie had no reason to believe it was going to get any better.