1 No Name

I believe in now.

Chapter One- No name

Galen Secondary school is like many other schools across Britain, in fact it is identical to the Brimley Agency's long line of schools that they have well-crafted and built. Brimley is a man of arrogance, but can you blame him? Money adds more ass to a man, which people suck onto like leeches. Pleasant, I know.

However, if we were to discuss Brimley, then we shall never undergo the greeting process... Hi, I'm you and you is me. See. Easy as pie. I never understood that phrase personally, yet worse things have been said before cue to a Paul brother claiming corvid was a hoax. This book seems like many others if it were I would not bother talking to you about it, so here we are.

To give the best advice on how to survive at school is to make connections, now I may hate the girls who wear too much fake tan and boys whose heads are bigger than their... whatever, but unfortunately, we still must establish some sort of friendliness to them. Therefore, that also goes for the outsiders too- the ones who believe they have no soul and wear black, and to the people who spend their lives contained between grades. The fact is we're all people.

Once you've formed connections stage two is keeping this up for another seven or more years. Good luck! Seriously, that's the best piece of advice you may receive in this book but... give me a break, I'm just one of you too.

1- Rose

She'd been so close... Rose sighed at the 98% on her science test, as though it was a fail. You see Rose aspired to get a 100 to beat Alison- her best friend, well we can discuss whether she is a friend or not later- and it had all backfired. She felt the paper slap her hard. What would Alison say this time? The palms of her hands had begun to go clammy; I mean it couldn't be any worse than last time, she thought, could it?

"So...Ginger-fish what'd ya get?" Alison shouts down the phone, Rose's face became enflamed with embarrassment. When Rose was in primary her mum used to make tuna sandwiches that stunk, which then led to Alison nicknaming her as Ginger-fish (Rose is also ginger, if you didn't figure this out already).

"Only 98 %, I think that's pretty..." Rose was interrupted by the loud, purpose sniggering that was coming from Alison.

"What? Why are you laughing?" Rose asked; the end of the sentence was quite high pitched, because she knew what was coming next.

"98%? HA! I got a 100%, I mean I know that the test was difficult but come on Rosie ya gotta do better than that," Alison stated, making every word drone on like a memorable speech: unforgettable and hurtful. Rose's blood boiled with fury, who made Alison God she thought.

"Oh, come on it's not a competition..." Rose argued, trying to remain confident. This wasn't going to last long though, of course.

"Hmm, I wonder what your Dad would say," Before Alison could even continue Rose felt as though a cramp had just turned her insides out, oozing the guilt and sadness. Her mum had jilted her Dad at the wedding, she was pregnant he'd been caught snogging the maid of honour on the stag due- simple stuff really. Unfortunately, that maid of honour just happened to be Alison's Mum- they both were pregnant by the same man- and so that made them sisters in a weird sort of way.

Now, let's take a minute to establish this whole jilted wedding story properly as I do not want to repeat: I'm an impatience woman so listen up... Rose and Alison's Dad (Kevin) was dating two women (Maisie-Rose's mum and Ally- Alison's mum). Maisie and Kevin had been dating for the past three years, before deciding to tie the knot, however Ally and Kevin had been having an affair with one another for the past two years. Saucy stuff! Long story short Maisie found out, yet Ally and Kevin still continued their relationship despite both women expecting and being best friends. Obviously they weren't best friends after that, just to clarify in case you thought that sleeping with your best friend's boyfriend was okay. Really isn't, trust me.

Rose and Alison were born exactly one month apart; Rose still saw her Dad, even though she found him too controlling. She lives with her Mum, despite her Mum being useless at most domestic things and struggling to be a single parent she would never want her Dad to find out about this. Hence Alison's blackmail, you see if Alison were to say anything at all to Kevin about how Maisie has been a bad parent towards Rose he can get the law to be on his side with one, green click of money.

Alison can say whatever she wants, threaten whenever she likes because if poor Rose objects then she may never see her mother again. What a bitch, you may say. Trust me plenty of people are like that. Nothing new, nothing different. However, this doesn't exactly help Rose. Being turned into feeling so insecure of herself and afraid to tell anyone about this, this has become something so common to her it's almost boring. Crazy to think that blackmail and bullying can become boring, but sometimes that's how life was planned.

Drama over, and we haven't even got started yet!

"Please, no! I'll... I'll do better next time, I swear!" Rose shrieks down the phone, clutching onto it until her fingers are crimson. She wouldn't... would she? Every time she threatened it was always a false alarm, but even Rose was a sucker in this sick game of blackmail and every time Alison said those words Rose quivered with chills.

"Don't worry, Ginger- fish! By the way tomorrow make sure you have my English assessment done, and give me my latte from Starbucks at exactly eight- thirty. Ciao bitch!" Alison hung up, and Rose sighed with relief despite Alison being smart she felt her time was too pressure to be caught up with simple things like homework.

"Let tomorrow begin," Rose sighed, as soon as she said this her mother came in rather frazzled with flour all over her apron.

"What was that, dear?" Maisie asked, whilst brushing off the flour and trying to act all motherly.

"Nothing, just... school again like every other day," Rose huffed, fearing the worst of what Alison could say next. New day. New start, all of it was such nonsense to her! Alison made every day a nightmare, and there was nothing she could do about it. She loved her mum so much that losing her would be too unbearable.

"Cheer up! How about we go out tomorrow, after school? You need a break darling, you always come up with excuses. If you waste your life stuck in a text book you'll never leave the office, come on it'll be fun!" Maisie tried to persuade her daughter noticing the stress in her daughter's eyes.

Suddenly Rose shuddered with panic, tomorrow after school she was doing Alison's voluntary work at the elderly community centre (yes, even grannies need a community centre otherwise you'd see the inside of their noses as they figure out Facetime) if she missed it Alison wouldn't even regret to tell her Dad every single lie to get Rose away from her mum. Rose just couldn't bear the thought of it.

"Mum, no!" she shouted.

"Why not? You're always studying or doing stuff for others, look, I'm worried about you. I mean I know this is good stuff and all, but you need to think about yourself for a change; you do more... more for me than a daughter should, and I'm learning to change you know that. So, come on let's have fun be young women in the city!" Her mum cried, sounding elated. Rose didn't want to upset her mum, but Alison was too big of a threat to disobey.

"Mum... I can't, I'm sorry. Maybe another time," She said, her mum sighed and quickly walked out leaving flour dust particles everywhere making them look like tiny white fireflies. Rose swished them away and continued to enjoy the freedom from Alison, every last minute would be taken up with stuff she enjoyed for a change. This afternoon with Ollie and John was so much fun- she had to savour this moment of enjoyment before tomorrow loomed over her.

2- Hunter

DINGGGGGGGG! DINGGGGGGGGG! Alarm clocks were like the awakening to either hell or heaven, Hunter had realised this many years ago. It was either your birthday or multiple assessments and a football match that day, there was no in-between.

He got up and stood around in his boxers for a bit, pretty macho man if you ask me, stretching and yawning, spinning his arms around to at least attempt to wake up from 'sleepy mode'. After a while he grabbed his phone to see who had texted him, scrolling through the list of endless party invitations, or desperate girls on Instagram using face tune to get a Kardashian ass and the guys forging a six pack for attention.

Hold up a second here.

Okay, let me tell you about Hunter. Now, if your imaginations don't already melt by the name of Hunter, I think we can all gather Hunter is a popular kid with good looks, great grades. He's the perfect… everything! Obviously the most relatable character in this book.

"Ready for the big match this Friday, son!" his father blared from downstairs, as Hunter rushed down. The scent of his mum's pancakes had swamped the area making the air smell of the sweet, sugary delight. Hunter had a feeling today was a heaven awakening.

"You bet! Grimpton prep ain't gonna know what hit them!" he shouted, whilst his mum tutted at the use of saying the word 'ain't'. Hunter sat down and stacked his plate with pancakes and blueberry jam, whilst tucking in his dad was talking about what tactics to do and who should go in what position. Hunter didn't really care much about the game he just wanted to fill his gaping hole of hunger, so he just nodded and ate.

"Do… Do you think we should visit Callum today," the forks clunked against the table, as his mum uttered the words. Hunter didn't feel so hungry now, he just felt sick to the bone.

Callum was his older brother, who had severe bi-polar and it became so serious that their parents had to check him into a permeant psychiatric ward for their and his own safety. People believed he had gone to boarding school, and Hunter wanted it to stay this way.

Marvin coughed, whilst Hunter said "You go mum, I'll buy him some, uh, some chocolate or something but I've got a club on tonight so I can't," Karen nodded and understood what her boy meant. Hunter only visited Callum on Birthdays or Christmas.

"Plus, you've gotta get all the practice in too!" His dad shouted, whilst buttering another piece of toast and purposely ignoring Karen's question. She was used to this, and so she dismissed it like many other times.

"When will you get the chocolate, Hunter?" She asked in a calm tone, remaining positive and normal.

"On my way to school, I'll walk- could use the exercise," he stated, trying to the finish the last of his pancake without gagging.

"Well, get nut and fruit because he likes that now," Karen said.

"Thought it was Oreos last time I checked," Hunter joked, Callum often changed his mind especially when it came to chocolate.

"You know what Callums like, haha," Karen laughed, and everyone silently chuckled. Yes, everyone knew what Callum was like.

Hunter finished his breakfast and ran up the stairs to have a shower and get changed, soon he was finished and grabbing his bag before going off to school. Leaving the warm central heating to the breeze of a slightly cold autumn. But, that's Britain for you. I'm surprised it isn't raining! Walking along the pavement he saw the whole of the cheerleading squad stare and giggle at him, but Hunter wasn't interested in girls like that at least not girls who were chavs. That's going to be hard to find he chuckled to himself, plus football and school kept him entertained enough for now.

Nearly reaching the local shop he pushed the door, which let out the irritating bing bong tune whenever someone ventured inside, and he looked around deciding whether his brother would like anything else to go with his chocolate. However he realised he didn't know his brother at all.. How could he buy something for a stranger, but Callum wasn't a stranger, yet his brother did feel strange to him. All he knew was what his mum told him, and knowing somebody likes fruit and nut isn't exactly the most forthcoming information. Sighing, Hunter quickly grabbed the chocolate wishing to escape from this internal turmoil and went the short cut route to school.

3- Lottie

Lottie went out of the door and just stood there for a moment, staring at the stolen cars and local monsters running around scrounging for some money. No luck here. She lived on the rough side of town so did most of her school, unfortunately. This was Season Estate, 'where every season is filled with pleasure in Season estate', hearing that theme tune made Lottie physically want to punch her TV.

Season estate was a dump- everyone knew that.

Covering up the fresh purple lump on her arm with her black blazer, she started to walk to school. School, such fun! Lottie laughed at the thought of someone genuinely excited to go to school, I mean you get them of course, but why? It was nothing but a prison, no matter how many times people say school is better these days it's still hell.

People just didn't get it, she thought. Anyone above the age of 35 will tell you how hard their school days were, and that we are the snowflake generation (I like to think we just talk more, than roll over like doormats). However, school is a prison for students to fit into one box or another- their lives determined by numbers. Adding social media in the mix where even twelve years can watch porn is too much for a Wednesday morning thought.

Wednesdays weren't her favourite of all days she had science, maths etc her mind was too preoccupied on last night. She walked through the dodgy alleyway, and leant against the bins where goodness knows what has been there. Once she found a person, cushioned between the rubbish and napping like sleeping beauty! Rummaging around her bag she found her lighter and cigarette, and puffed all of her miseries into the chemical filled tube. Yes, she smoked which is stupid but people are stupid. Nobody could stop her- not even her dad, Lottie shuddered at the thought of her father.

Tyger, her dad, was the local alcoholic on the estate- indeed he isn't the only one. Everyone either knew him for stealing the vodka, or the last one to leave the pub when it shuts. Of course no one was prepared to help, so it was all left to Lottie and... her dad wasn't the best type of drunk person. Sometimes he would get angry, or sometimes he would mope about how Lottie's mum had left him for a different man. Sometimes Lottie wonders why her mother left her with him, but she never saw her mum so she could never ask that question (parents are more confusing than kids).

It wasn't that she hated her dad, when he wasn't drunk they would joke about Mrs. Maccomly (the local cat lady) and he would help her with her homework. The thing is the good things always seemed to be outbalanced by the bad times. Always. She just couldn't cope, which led her into smoking; getting the latest cigarette deal from dodgy Dan, as though it was the crime of the century.

Although last night her dad had caught her with them. Lottie arrived home, grabbed the packet of cigarettes and her lighter then left her bag on the kitchen side. Suddenly she heard the front door shut again, without hesitation she stuffed the packet and lighter underneath her hoodie and prepared herself for the worst. Eventually her dad came through, thankfully not drunk, and just stood there for a few moments staring at her before he spoke.

"Do you know, Mr. Windocun Lottie?" he asked, in a rather harsh tone but she thought maybe he'd just had one beer. Mr. Windocun was a man who sat out on his front lawn, exposing his beer belly even in winter, and would whistle to any young girl who walked by him. Whether he was pervert or not was another matter, but people would even walk the long way to school just to avoid the awkward encounter.

"Yes, sometimes I walk past him when I go to school," Lottie replied, and this was true she wasn't afraid of Mr. Windocun like most of the young girls in the estate.

"Ahh, well he told me that he saw you smoking..." Tyger stated, in such a calm manner it made her become fraught. His truculent presence made her have goose bumps and arms ache with fear, could he taste it? Taste her sweat drenched with terror, he knew her dirty little secret. The one thing that whisked her away from reality, even if it was toxic, she needed that. She liked that feeling.

"Must've mistaken me..." Before Lottie could even continue her dad walked up to her, as she leaned against the counter top.

"Show me. NOW!" he roared, quickly Lottie fumbled underneath her hoodie and gave it to him (she had plenty of packets, but it was just what her father was going to do next that frightened her the most). Without hesitation he punched her right onto the arm, as she winced with pain he told her to grow up.

Holding her bruised arm she stormed off upstairs, lied down onto her pillow and cried horrifying tears of being hurt. The mascara running down the cheeks, so her whole face was drenched by the beastly black ink. Life is shit she thought.

Nothing new, nothing different.

Lottie shuddered over what had happened last night; the nightmare reoccurring like a stuck record, except this wasn't something where the big bad monster will go away when you wake up. No. Her father will still remain just as ghastly, and the memories will haunt Lottie forever. This time though... she sighed- this time her dad hit her when he was sober. A first, but Lottie had a feeling it wasn't going to be the last either.

Finally reaching the end of her cigarette she puffed the last breath of heaven, whilst inhaling the suicidal chemicals and let it float to the ground before squishing it like a bug. Sometimes she would pretend it was her father, and she'd set him a lit and with one squish of her foot he was gone, dead! Chuckling at the thought of getting rid of someone was that simple, she continued the journey of school.

Murder is more complicated, I should know.

4- Ollie

"Do you think she's a witch?" John whispered to his twin, Ollie. They were discussing whether Mrs. Vundu was some sort of paranormal being. Poor woman was only a quiet being, but she sat and sipped her tea staring off into the distance which creeped a few people out.

"Naw, probs just an alien in disguise you know how it is. Old woman sipping tea… OR is it the galactic gloop that they drink, where it gives them super powers! Mind… blown!" Ollie shouted, whilst mimicking the explosion motion. Both of them laughed out loud, whilst Mrs. V scowled at them.

"Quick, before she sets her little alien grandchildren onto us!" John joked, as they both ran up the hill. Ollie and John were identical, in both looks and personality. They were inseparable, neither felt safe without the other one. When Ollie got the flu, John purposely caught it just so they could play video games together and not have to go to school alone. Their parents had tried to separate them both, as they felt this wasn't going to help them out in the future, but no plan worked. One way or another they always ended up together.

Ollie walked beside John, whilst John walked beside Ollie. Strolling through the peaceful neighbourhood, and chattering about last night's episode of Storm zoomer (a cartoon where a space crew travel around the solar system trying to save the planets that the evil garlons- the basic stuff really). People would often wonder whether they ever spoke to anyone else but each other, and the answer is they did but not a lot.

Ollie is a smart kid, who has never left his brother's side. The only difference between them is that John has dyslexia, which results in Ollie feeling the need to look after him. You see if John gets lower grades than Ollie he'll be moved down, neither of them want that, so every now and then Ollie gives John a helping hand. Yes, cheating but what else can he do? They needed one another.

"Wanna race?" John asked, whilst nudging his brother. They often raced to school like five year olds, but neither of them cared what the others thought it was their world to them.

"Well, if he's a running…" Ollie egged his brother to continue, as they both started to show big grins of brotherhood.

"…we better be a zooming then," John finished, and within a flash both boys raced ahead of one another. This phrase of theirs was from Storm zoomer, which clearly holds a big impact to them both where reciting quotes is a daily occurrence. We all know someone who does this, trust me.

Reaching the corner of the street to school, both boys stopped and coughed like the unfit teenagers they are. Spluttering and nearly gagging, after all down the hill and through the streets was a long trek to them. Eventually they caught each other's eyes and laughed at the whole thing both unfit as the other was a humorous sight.

"Well, I think I won by about 0.2 seconds," Ollie jeered, as he continued to walk with John gasping for breath beside him.

"No way! O, I won by like 0.3 seconds!" John shouted. This argument continued for about another five minutes, until their feet entered the school gates and they were left to the school grounds.

Despite going to Galen for so many years the sight of school was still like a slap in the face, hard and brutal. The four walls of boredom just sitting across from the fields, just waiting for them. Both boys shuddering in sync at the thought of having to go through another day, because let's face it school never changes. May have gotten more modern, but nothing changes and the boredom is what terrifies the young mind the most.

Or Puberty.

"Well, like they say another day another dollar…" Ollie sighed, whilst toddling to the entrance keeping a slow pace.

"Bro, we get no dollar we live in Britain AND we don't even get paid all we get is knowledge," John exaggerated, both boys laughed silently as they approached past the popular kids. Sitting around on the picnic tables, trying to look cool but failing. The twins just stared at them like they were fools, neither of them cared about popularity and wasn't going to care anytime soon.

Once they moved their eyes to front doors, missing Hunter as he made his way to the main seat of the popular picnic table, both of them were greeted by Mr. Okene- a Jamaican deputy head teacher who usually does the gate duties in the mornings. The twins had him for maths, and were constantly trying to get him to do his hilariously accurate Scottish accent.

"Good morning, boys! " Mr. O joked, as they all chuckled. The twins may have been teacher's pets, but at least they were pets together.

"See you in class, Sir! Ye best be ready!" John replied mockingly, as they ventured through the double doors. Turning right they went to their lockers, where Ollie went to grab out his books and folders needed for that day. Unsurprisingly John did the exact same thing their routine never changed. People walking by would always nudge and snigger at how identical they were, and how you couldn't really tell them apart.

All of a sudden the alarm for registration took place, and they quickly sped off to their form room. Everyone soon joined in with them a whole traffic queue forming within the corridors, thankfully the twins knew a short cut. Avoiding the chatty dinner lady, which Ollie had learned the hard way last night when buying ice cream at the shops.

Eventually they reached their form, without Cathy spotting them and without being caught in the traffic either. Taking a deep breath, exactly at the same time, they both went to grab the door handle. Ollie managed to get there first and rushed into the classroom, with John tailing behind. Together.

5- John

Sitting down, John felt guilty. Ollie shouldn't have to do this, he thought, it isn't fair on him and… he moaned silently hoping Ollie wouldn't notice. That kid could sense anything, and he didn't want to have an argument this morning. Right, just sit here and do what you always do just pretend that it's yours that Ollie did nothing and pretend that… that you can be smart too.

Ollie had swapped his homework and pretended it was John's, so that he wouldn't fail and be put down in class. John knew that Ollie would be fine on his own, could do him some good, but his brother was never going to do that. It was too risky, too dangerous. Red signs of warning flashing in front of his eyes at the mention of change. John didn't need him anymore.

Yet he couldn't tell Ollie that, because it would upset him- it would ruin him. When his parents sent Ollie away to a private school, as he did so well in his exams, he escaped and came home crying saying that he missed John. They were too close now, but John wanted some freedom. He didn't just want Ollie as a friend, he wanted to have other friends too. Other people, people who had different interests and similar interests. Ollie was his mirror, they were both exactly the same it was boring.

John felt that he didn't need to be looked after, his teachers were supposed to help him out with his work, not his twin. Why can't Ollie see that? He sighed, John knew why, because Ollie was caught up in his own world. John never liked to be mean to Ollie, but his twin just never let him out of his sight. If Ollie went to get work at the printer so did John, sure it was nice to have a routine but it became so plain so… boring it was almost as bad as school.

"Everybody, sit down!" John's thoughts were interrupted by Miss Cambon, she taught science and was one of the strict teachers. Only in her early thirties, John could see why she wasn't a Mrs.

Answering his name as she called them out from the register, of course it was John then Ollie- he couldn't escape him! Also Miss Cambon liked to place everyone in a seating plan of being in alphabetical order, so that didn't help John either. He loved his brother, but… he just wanted to be known as John.

The second bell rang for the first lesson, and oh what a surprise it was the same as Ollie's. John exhaled and caught up with the rest of his class, as one by one they went out of the classroom- of course with him and Ollie it was two by two if you know what I mean. He tried to walk ahead, but Ollie somehow was still right behind him! This annoyed John even more. His scowl was becoming even more noticeable that people begun to give him looks, Ollie hadn't noticed he was preoccupied by storm zoomer talk.

"Hey, what's wrong with you? Mister grumpy-pants," Ollie asked, laughing slightly whilst nudging him. John wasn't really in the mood, but he acted like as though it was nothing.

"Nothing, just… thinking," John replied, trying to act casual. If Olli detected anything, then he was screwed they may be two different people but they were twins. Twins knew everything.

"The more you think, the more you will never…" Before Ollie could continue he'd noticed Rose, "Hey, Rose!" She waved back, both of them had similar classes with her becoming friendly in a way. John saw Rose tail behind Alison like a shadow, for a second he pitied her for a bit though he couldn't quite fathom why. He just felt sorry, everyone knew that Rose was just Alison's servant. Many people took the mick out of her for this, including Alison herself.

"Anyways, oh damn it I forgot what I was saying," Ollie laughed, as they walked up the stairs to English.

English. John's favourite lesson, where he barely understood any of the language used and where all of the letters seemed to run off of the page and jumble together. To him, his dyslexia was a curse. Even his parents were surprised he managed to get a space in top set English, if it wasn't for Ollie letting him copy off of his test paper whilst the teachers weren't looking he'd have never survived.

The whole cheating scam between Ollie and John started when they were eleven years old- in year six. Their parents thought the twins were too close, and that this was unhealthy now and would be unhealthy for their futures. Therefore their parents knew that Ollie was an intelligent man, whereas John wasn't the brightest of the lightbulbs, and so they sent him to Eastern Prep the best private school in the area.

However one night Ollie ran away, due to homesickness and missing John. This then led to Ollie saying that if they both have the same grades and are both in top set, then neither of their parents have an excuse to separate them. Not one of them is holding the other back, so why would they feel the need to intervene? Hence Ollie had then always helped John cheat, and because they were so clever about it no one had ever noticed or even figured it out!

John continued to walk up the stairs, where crowds of people would purposely stop to have a whole conversation with their friend. Moaning and pushing past people, eventually he made it to the English corridor. Ollie had gone ahead, but waited for him at the top of the stairs. Some of the year elevens had noticed and had started jeering and cooing, which was a common occurrence.

Finally they reached room E1, pretty simple E stands for English and 1 states that it is the first English room across the corridor. Nobody had arrived yet, apart from Rose who was staring at the wall again having escaped Alison's clutches. She rarely spoke, except to him or Ollie, and looked terrified all of the time-Rose was their only friend who they'd hung out with outside of school properly (like last night for an example, John thought to himself). Ollie went over to her to talk about last night's homework, then suddenly it hit him… maybe, just maybe he was the one who couldn't survive without Ollie.