“Mr. Williams!” a loud bang woke Kevin from his slumber. “Did we not get enough rest over the summer break?” Mr Keeling rested his hands on top of a thick textbook placed on Kevin's desk. His words were met with snickers and jeers from the congregation surrounding him. “I'm sorry sir. Work kept me late, sir.”

In reality he had been up all night of his own volition. The darkness of the night in the forest surrounding the cabin afforded him peace. Now sat in the uncomfortably stuffy classroom he felt no such feeling. “Just get your work done. You can't be slacking off this year.” Mr keeling waddled back to his desk with a resigned sigh.

“What were you up late searching for your parents? Explains why it took so long.” a spiteful sneering voice came from behind him. “Oh so that's him? Yeah he looks like a dick for sure” the voice had spoken of this boy when they had first met. She seemed to harbour a resentment towards him unlike Kevin’s non caring attitude towards him.

Todd Roberts. A rich kid from the outskirts of town. His father owned a lot of land that had been sold off for real estate a few years ago. This had in his own mind afforded him a licence to be the automatic ringleader of any group and be abhorrent to those not in it. The voice threw various assorted insults about him. From everything from his rich father to his bad haircut.

Before the money he hadn't been the nicest of people but it had definitely changed him for the worse. He tore through the school's small population daily, making people's lives miserable. The school higher ups turned a blind eye as his father had made several large “donations” to the school fund.

“C'mon man i asked you a question” Todd kicked the back of Kevin’s chair causing his stomach to hit his desk. The voice grew angrier by the moment. She longed to leap over Todd's desk and silence him for good. For a moment Kevin entertained the idea. Thinking it would finally give him and everyone else a rest.

Hours of endless lecturing and persistent jibes from Todd soon passed by. The bell for lunch sounded its tinny din signalling the conglomerate to rise. As if like machines, all began to saunter towards the room's exit. All but Kevin who sat in his seat still working on a maths problem that had him stumped. The voice chimed up “this is boring. Let's make it more exciting”

There was a sudden tug at one of Kevin's legs. It moved as if something had pulled it by a line. Unsuspecting prey caught on a hook. Todd made contact with the back of Kevin's calf causing him to tumble into a nearby desk. Hitting his head and splitting the skin. A small red mark now adorned the forehead of a furious Todd.

“You’re fucking dead orphan boy.” Todd spat these words with a vitriol unseen before. The voice laughed furiously as she mocked him in a deep put on voice. “Todd. You’re still in class right now.” Mr Keeling said lazily from behind his desk. He had his head buried in a textbook and cared not for what was going on.

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“I won't be later though. Neither will you.” Todd hissed into Kevin’s face. In his confusion at his sudden involuntary movement Kevin had not processed all that had happened. He stared into the red face of rage with complete indifference. “Take him up on it. Kick his ass” the voice barely managed to stop her laughter before speaking. Whilst it's true in the last few months he had found himself stronger than before he still wasn't one for a fight.

“I know the way you walk home. I'll see you later.” Todd turned and slammed open the class door to leave. Kevin looked over to his uncaring teacher. He looked back at Kevin “I'll call Officer Williams to come pick you up later. Don't walk home. I'm sorry I can't do more. His dad’s got us by the balls.” Kevin picked up his bag and turned to walk out the door “Nah I'll walk.”

The voice clapped and cheered as Kevin walked down the corridors to his next lesson. She longed for a fight and she was going to be given it. Through the rest of the day she excitedly chattered. Kevin entered a nearby bathroom and checked it was vacant before looking in the mirror.. “You seem eager so what's your plan?” Kevin had finally had enough and had decided to do what she wanted.

A cold hand gripped his shoulder and in his reflection from behind him the smiling face of the girl appeared. “I just wanna protect you, that's all.” she replied, trying to sound sweet and innocent. Kevin knew this was a lie and scowled at her. “Ok ok fine. I just wanna kick his teeth in, you know? I've watched as he's gone around swinging his dick like he's hot shit and I wanna cut it off.”

She squeezed Kevin’s arm and smiled “look at you getting all strong. You have power, it's time you used it for more than lightly toasting some paper when you get big baby rage mad.” Kevin hadn't thought about what he had done at the library. It almost seemed mundane to him that in his anger he had somehow created enough heat to burn the paper.

“Look, just listen to me when it happens. I'll help you.” her words seemed almost caring as she leaned her head on his shoulder. For a moment he was calm. In the time since she began speaking he had come to trust her. The things she said always had a funny habit of coming true.

Kevin stayed in the bathroom long enough to hear the final bell. He stood and looked in the mirror. “Go mess em up” with a small kiss on his cheek she vanished into nothing. He steeled himself and picked up his bag. Wandering down the halls the eyes of the masses followed him. By now they had all heard what was going to happen. None followed him. They did not want to be party to the events about to transpire.

As he rounded the corner of the town's community centre he saw Todd with two of his cohorts getting out of his fathers dodge ram. “Awww so you didn't pussy out and get Officer dumbass to come save you.” Todd jeered and looked to his friends to chuckle with him. “Hardly seems fair Todd. need your babysitters to back you up?” Kevin bluffed with a fake confidence. Still hoping that he could avoid conflict.

“He was never going to fight fair. And he's not gonna back down. You need to do as I say , understand?” Her voice was filled with a seriousness that sent chills through Kevin's spine. Up until now she had been all bark. Only now was she about to reveal the bite. Kevin balled his fists and swallowed his fear. There was no backing down now.

“Throw it!” She yelled orders like a commander on the battlefield. Obeying Kevin threw his bag at one of Todd’s goons. Its weight colliding with his head and sending him crashing into the side of the truck. Leaving a visible dent in its shiny red metal. “One down” she triumphantly cried.

“Duck!” she called as Todd swung for Kevin’s head. With barely enough time to react he managed to move, he could not however avoid the second fist heading for his gut. Winded and coughing up spit Kevin staggered backwards. Todd came at him again. “Dodge left!” with no time to react, Todd's fist connected with Kevin's face. Crumpling his nose beneath it.

Falling down to the ground Kevin spat blood onto the concrete. “Todd that's enough. C'mon man” the unharmed friend pleaded with Todd to stop to no avail. “Roll to your left c'mon listen to me dammit!” her voice was drowned out as Todd's steel capped boot connected with Kevin’s ribs. A loud crack rang out as he fell to the floor, blood pouring from his broken nose. “Get up! Get up now!” her words faded out as his vision began to blur.