Did you know that noses can ache? I didn't either- before P.E. Now I know that when you have Sam on the opposing dodgeball team, everything can ache. Needless to say out of the two of us I was the brains and she was most certainly the brawn. 

The rest of the day carries the same way; nothing too interesting, nothing too bad. Oh apart from the fact that I, without realising, seem to have caught some sort of plague- or it seems like that from how people are avoiding me.

But I don't care too much; I've made a new friend already! Plus I have bigger things to worry about, like my detention.

As I walk towards the room I will be having my detention in, I feel a sense of doom envelop me. I have no doubt that the boys are going to make this hour a living hell for me in every way they possibly can.

I squeeze my eyes shut, say a little prayer and walk into the room. 

The desks are about a quarter filled with an assortment of scruffy looking boys dotted around the room The four boys I can't tear my eyes away from sitting either sides of the centre aisle so that I will have to pass by them to get to the back of the class- where I want to sit. I already feel conspicuous as the only girl so I want to be as far out of view as possible.

I take a deep breath and cautiously make my way down the aisle, staring at my feet so as not to draw attention.

"*Cough* loser"

"Can you smell that?"

"Eww tramp coming through"

"Snitch"

"Stupid cow"

I look up angrily to tell the four boys to shut up, when out of the corner of my eye I see an outstretched foot ahead of me, but it's too late.

I fall ungracefully onto my face.

My cheeks are glowing crimson as I peel myself off the floor to the sound of uncontrollable laughter and victorious high fives. Great. Just great.

I end my walk of shame at the back of the room and slump into a wobbly seat, my face once more glued to the ground. Much like the discarded gum that was knotted into the yellow carpet. 

This surely was hell on earth.

The door opened with a creak and a man strode in. His face was creased and beetroot coloured with a bulbous nose and thin lips; his walk slouched as if he carried the troubles of the world on his back- and blamed you for it.

He sloped to the front of the class and raised a single hand; instantly silence ensued. Slowly he began to speak in a loud voice, jabbing aggressively at the air to punctuate each sentence

"Right you lot. I'm Mr Stamford. For the next hour you will be serving your detention here with me. I want complete silence, and any attempt at communication between students will be punished accordingly, with pleasure. I'll hand out the paper and you all know the rules; you've been here enough. Enjoy."

I begin to panic as everyone pulls out their pens and sits waiting expectantly. Was I the only one who had no idea what I was supposed to do with this paper for an hour? Origami?

As Mr Stamford reaches the opposite side of the class I hear a boy's voice say

"Sir, I've never been here before; I have absolutely no idea what to do."

"Me neither." I call

"Well then, the two of you might might as well sit together at the front of the class and I'll explain it to you there."

Both me and the boy stand up and start down the centre aisle. I smile at the boy, but he points ahead. I turn to see a second outstretched foot, this time from Leo- the blond one. I nod at the boy and pretended not to see the foot until I am right in front of it. I bring my doc martins down hard and can't help sniggering as I see Leo jump up and swear.

"I'm sorry did I hurt you? It was purely accidental, I can assure you."

"F**k off."

"Gladly my dear, gladly"

Me and the boy look at each other and both have to cover our mouths to stop ourselves bursting out laughing. We sat down at a desk together as Mr Stamford explains what to do.

"It's quite simple: you just have to write a letter of apology to the whoever put you in here for whatever you did to get in here. Easy."

Mr Stamford walks back to the front of the class and begins typing on his laptop as I lean over to get my pen out my bag.

I notice the boy is staring at me, but when I get up he quickly looks away. Shaking my head I start to write when I notice him looking at me again, but again when I look up he hurriedly turns to his paper.

"Are you okay?" I ask

The boy is silent for a moment then replies

"What's your name?"

"Kat."

"Beautiful name for a beautiful girl." The boy murmurs to himself.

"Did you just say..."

"Nothing. I'm Ky."

"What are you in for then Ky?"

"The Kings played a prank on a teacher and managed to frame me. I mean they hardly made it convincing but I think the teacher just wanted to put someone in detention, and I was as good a guy as anyone. So here I am."

"Who're 'the Kings'?"

"I forget you girls are new. The kings are what we normals call the boys in the centre aisle. They run this place. Decide who's who and what's what. Get on the wrong side of them and you're out. Banished to the peripheries of society... never to be allowed back. Their parents are the richest and most well-known and their sons follow in their footsteps. With their high up connections they've found dirt on everybody; that's how they preserve their place on top."

"So what's their dirt on you then?"

"Don't you get it? If it was something I was willing to tell then it wouldn't be dirt, and they'd lose their power over me."

"Surely that doesn't work for everyone."

"Believe me everyone has a secret. Anyway why are you in here?"

"Long story. The Kings as well. Managed to get them in too though."

"Kudos to you. They're sneaky as anything. But you know that basically guarantees you lifelong bullying, right?"

"Yeah I realised that when I fell flat on my face just earlier."

"Come on, that was pretty funny."

"Funny for you maybe. But we got our own back. Did you see the look on Leo's face?"

"Yeah, that made up for everything! Though Jo looked like he was plotting something, he's always been the only one with any brains; you'd better watch your back for a while."

"Don't worry about me; I'll be fine."

"If I see you two say one more word I'm going to give you detentions for the rest of the week."

"Sorry sir"

"You better be. Now shut up and get on with your work."

#########################

Brrrring, Brrrring.

"Alright kids time's up. Now get out of this classroom. Go on. Out."

I hastily pack up my stuff and Ky and I head out the room and made our way to the front of the school.

"I go this way."

"Oh, I go the other way."

"Well see you around then."

"Yeah see you around."

We both turn to go and our hands brush slightly, sending a warm fuzzy feeling up my arm. I smile tentatively and he does the same. Then I turn and walk off down the deserted pavement, bending down after a hundred metres to 'check if my laces need doing' (which I couldn't even convince myself was the real reason) and sneak a look back over my shoulder.

He was still standing there, staring at me.