FIVE

Cleo got ready for sixth form the following morning, her head was whirling with the words of Simon, telling her over and over not to go to school today, because of a fight. Cleo had heard the fight was between Simon Minter and Olajide Olatunji and the friends that came from both groups.

Sadly, even after trying to convince her parents she was sick, she had been forced to go in. Even Harry told their parents that he wasn't feeling well, which was odd as he usually enjoyed joining in with fights, especially when he came to protecting his friends.

Harry walked to school with Cleo that morning, which Cleo found strange too- maybe Simon had asked Harry to watch his sister closely today, just in case anyone tried to target Harry through his twin.

Cleo and Harry quickly arrived to their school and made their way to their sixth form lessons. The first 2 lessons flew by for Cleo, she met up with Sapphire during her break and gossiped about the fight, and how the whole school, even the lower years, were on edge.

"Do you think it'll happen at lunch?" Sapphire asks before biting into her sandwich.

Suddenly theres a yell from the end of the corridor.

"Sounds like its happening right now," Cleo remarks and Sapphire stands up, wrapping her sandwich back up and shoving it into her bag.

"Lets go," Sapphire says and she pulls on Cleo's hand.

Cleo reluctantly follows Sapphire, removing her hand from hers as they head down the corridor and out the doors onto the courtyard. Everyone was gathering round Simon and JJ who were throwing punches at each other like their lives depended on it.

"Shit," Cleo whispers, seeing her brother punching at Ali. Joel and Cal were also fighting and Ethan was battering Deji to a pulp. Josh was also pretty much finishing Chip off.

Cleo looks at Sapphire with worried eyes as Ali swings a hard punch into Harry's jaw, sending her twin flying backwards.

"Harry stop!" Cleo says, attempting to push through the gathered crowd.

She eventually reaches the inside and moves towards her twin brother.

"Harry, please, stop!" She says and Harry's eyes flicker away from Ali for a moment, looking at his sisters pleading eyes before he swings a harsh punch into his abdomen. Ali falls back against the crowd, his body done with it. Chip and Deji were also down. Only Joel and JJ still stood.

Harry, Josh and Ethan gather round Joel.

"Stop it! You absolute animals!" Cleo says, her fists balling as her eyes fill with water.

"Fuck off, bitch," Josh calls over his shoulder before kicking Joel in the leg, causing him to fall over. Cal gives him a final blow to the jaw causing a loud crack that seemed to echo in Cleo's ears.

Joel gave in, falling to the ground, his eyes closing. Only JJ remained.

Cleo saw Deji looked unconscious, and she saw Vikram standing on the sidelines holding a small medical bag he must have run to get.

Cleo rushes forward and looks at the boy who was about an inch shorter than her.

"Vikram, I need you to help Deji, please," She says and Vikram gulps nervously, nodding before scampering over to the knocked out boy.

Cleo turns and storms towards JJ and Simon.

"Simon Minter!" She calls and suddenly the boy holds his fist mid air, his fingers twitch at the sound of his name rolling off her tongue.

"What do you want?" Simon asks, not looking round, he already knew who it was.

"Why don't you stop? Look around you, everyone knows already how much of a complete dickhead you are," Cleo says, gesturing to the now petrified group of people that stood around them.

JJ lay with his back against a wooden bench, his nose and top lip were bleeding, his eyelids heavy- he was one punch away from being done.

"You've already knocked out Deji. You've broken Chip's nose. You've fractured Ali's wrist. You've embarrassed Joel in front of his little brother. You've caused Vikram to be permanently scared, the boys even developed a nervous twitch in his hand. You're a dickhead, Simon, and nothing is going to change that now. You have ruined people today. You've ruined more than enough people. So back away from JJ, and let him stand up and help his brother. You have brothers Simon. Imagine if JJ hurt one of them like Ethan hurt Deji," Cleo says and Simon's hand relaxes, his stance eases and he allows JJ to get up and stumble over towards his brother.

Just then the teachers finally arrive. Most of them look on with horror, a few others run over to the injured boys.

"Who is responsible for this?" Asks the headmaster when he arrives.

"Me," Simon says, he glances at his friends, "It was all me,"

"Don't lie for them! It was Josh, Harry, Ethan and Cal too!" Cleo says, "everyone here saw it,"

"You're all coming with me, including you Cleo," Says the headmaster and Cleo rolls her eyes.

The two groups of boys were separated- the injured group were taken to the nurses station and the other group, Simon's group, were taken to be put in separate rooms, where they were individually interviewed.

Cleo was invited into the headmasters office first, where she explained what happened- she was a person the headmaster trusted to recall the correct information, with no bias towards either group.

"Thank you for your time Cleo, you can return to your lessons now," The headmaster smiles and Cleo nods. She collects her backpack and heads outside, seeing Simon sat on one of the chairs, waiting to go inside.

"Cleo," He says as she walks past.

"Fuck you," She says and he looks away.

Cleo turns round the corner and heads on to her next lesson.

Simon moves the cloth filled with ice away from his cheek, the bruise had already formed around his eye and his cheek, and he had a small cut going through his left eyebrow, the blood that came from it had dried now. He got away with some minor injuries considering what some of the other group got.

Simon is called into the office and he sits down and tells his version of events. He doesn't lie. He says the fight was planned to happen today, and he had brought the people he trusted to get the fight over and done with. He didn't know the length to which they'd go- it wasn't the plan to break bones or to knock people out. It was just a scare tactic, and the headmaster didn't believe him until Simon's eyes began to water.

"I'm on my last strike," Simon whispers, his lips were quivering- the man on the other side of the desk didn't know whether that was caused by pain or fear.

"I didn't want it to get so out of hand, I just wanted to be the best person...I wanted to show everyone that I was still the leader of this shit show. I didn't want Cleo there! I told her to stay well away, but she was there...I was lucky she was there. She stopped me. She stopped the whole thing from continuing. She made Vik go and help Deji, she put the bandage round Ali's hand and she gave Joel's brother a hug when he saw Joel was hurt. She was the one who saved them. She saved them from further harm, please don't punish her. I've already punished her enough- and for no reason what so ever," Simon says and the man nods.

"Cleo Lewis will not be receiving any punishments Mister Minter, she is, as you say, the heroine in all this," Mr Selby replies, his eyes scanning over the boy, "Do correct me if I'm wrong, but is Cleo Lewis not the sister of your friend, Harry Lewis?"

"Thats correct, they're twins, sir," Simon says and Mr Selby sits down at the desk.

"Seems to me like you may have feelings for the girl?" Mr Selby asks and Simon just shrugs, his eyes were staring at his shoes.

"And Harry, does he know you like his sister?"

"No, I wouldn't dare tell him either. They may not get on, but family is family," Simon says.

"I recall that you and your friends were recently in trouble with the police, though you managed to steer clear for now?"

"Thats true, Mr Selby, but it was all a misunderstanding,"

"I'm sure it was," Mr Selby says, Simon could hear the scepticism in his voice.

"Simon I'm going to have to exclude you for a week, on your way out tell Josh to come in please, he should be waiting outside- my receptionist will take you to your locker where you can get your things, then I believe your mother is coming to pick you up," Mr Selby says and Simon nods.

He gets up and picks up his things before heading outside.

"Josh you have to go in," Simon says and Josh nods, heading into the office as Simon is collected by the receptionist.

They go to his locker where he gets his things and then they go to the reception where his mother awaits.

"A weeks exclusion," His mother says as they walk to the car, "Your father will go fucking ballistic! And you know what will happen to you, and me too,"

"I'm sorry okay? It wasn't my fault," Simon says, sitting in the back of the car.

"Oh, it never is, is it Simon? Its never your fault? Maybe its about time you got some new friends then, stop playing around with these lunatics you call friends,"

"They're perfectly sane, they're as sane as me,"

"Then they're not very sane are they? Actually, they must be fucking mental as well!" His mother says as she drives.

Simon doesn't respond. He already knew when he got home it would be ten times worse. His father would no doubt be ready and waiting, his belt already in his hand, and his beer perched on the coffee table. Simon would face his demons tonight, and he was certain it wouldn't be the last time.

___________________

I'd just like to thank everyone for being so patient with me

Sorry its taken a v v long time to update this

Just to note, I know Simon's parents are nothing like that in real life, but please understand it is purely for the story

Thank you for reading!

~KatnissBajanCanadian❤