Wee Rockets by Gerard Brennan Read Free Book Online Page B

I doubt you'll ever amount to much. Maybe I should phone your mother and have her come in. There's a lot I'd like to say to her, face-to-face."
    "She's at work. But I can ask her to phone you when she has a chance; if you ask me nicely."
    "At work?" McCauley's tightened mouth loosened into a knowing smile. "But I've been handing you free dinner tickets every morning for a year. I didn't think employed parents were eligible for financial support from the Education Board."
    Joe's talent for lying to people in authority was yet to blossom. His face went red and he stuttered a few syllables before finding his response. "She's on a training scheme. The Brew sent her." Too late. His hesitation gave him away.
    "Oh really? I'm sure the Belfast Education and Library Board would be thrilled to hear that. I must contact them and see how it affects your entitlements. I should probably phone the Department of Social Services first. To get my facts right."
    "You don't need to do that, Missus."
    "Oh I think I do. It's my civic duty."
    Joe's mouth opened and closed. She had him on the ropes. He couldn't think of one thing to say that would improve the situation.
    "Of course," she said, "I could just mind my own business. All you need to do is apologise for disrupting this morning's class."
    McCauley placed her hands on her hips and gloated. Joe had no choice. He would have to look into the beady eyes staring at him from over the rim of her ancient bifocals and humiliate himself. Lick the fucker's arse to keep her mouth shut. Blackmailing bitch.
    He opened his mouth to begin his apology. Then Liam Greene piped up.
    "Missus McCauley, can I go to the toilet?"
    McCauley looked at Liam and then the clock on the wall behind her. "There's a minute left until the bell goes. Can you not wait?"
    "Only if you want to swim out of here."
    "Liam Greene!"
    "Sorry, Missus, but my back teeth are floating."
    McCauley made a face. "Oh, get out you filthy boy."
    "Thank you, Missus. You won't regret it."
    Liam bolted out of his seat and slammed the door behind him with dramatic enthusiasm. A few of the boys chuckled. Joe smiled. His fat friend had taken the limelight off his confrontation with McCauley. She turned her attention back to him, but the moment was lost. The other boys in the class were shuffling in their seats, waiting for the bell to ring. Joe's composure had returned and he raised his eyebrows at McCauley. I dare you. The bell rang.
    The students were afforded five minutes before the next class. Joe went to the toilets for a smoke. As Joe suspected, Liam waited for him there.
    "Can I have a smoke of that?" Liam asked.
    Joe nodded. "So long as you've washed your hands."
    Muttering, Liam soaked his hands under a sputtering cold water tap and wiped them damp on the legs of his black school trousers. Joe handed over the burning fag.
    "Thanks for that, Liam."
    Liam narrowed his eyes, expecting a punch line. "For what?"
    "You helped me out. Just there now."
    Liam tilted his head. "What do you mean?"
    "Did you really need to go to the bog just then?"
    "Yeah, I was bursting."
    Joe shook his head. He'd overestimated the fat fucker.
    "But here," Liam said, "I wish I could have stayed to see you sweat a bit more. What else did McCauley say to you?"
    "Nothing. The bell rang."
    Liam tutted. "It was just getting good too."
    Joe snatched the fag off Liam, took a puff and flicked it in the urinal.
    "There was still a few draws left in that, you!"
    "Fuck up. Help me come up with some way to get back at that bitch McCauley."
    "We should put on balaclavas and pretend we're the Ra."
    "Aye, right. The midget battalion."
    "Slash her tyres?"
    "She comes to work on the bus."
    "We could mug her on the way to the bus stop."
    "Liam, for fuck's sake, would you..." Joe stopped for a second. "Actually..."
    And Missus McCauley became the first victim. Joe talked Wee Danny into the plan when they sat together for maths. Liam recruited the Fegan twins. They bunked off their last