I came to with a start. I hadn’t really been paying much attention. I was more interested in the poster on the wall behind Mrs. Walsham’s head. It showed a picture of a long, thin needle and underneath was the words Drugs Kill. Don’t Take The Risk. I thought immediately of Brendan. A knot of fear niggled away at my stomach.

“Yes, Miss” I said politely, putting on my best talking-to-teachers smile. Inside, my heart was thumping madly. The words on the poster seemed to jump out at me, screaming their stupid slogan over and over again to make sure I got the gist of it. I ignored it as best I could.

Brendan Lewis is my twin brother. We’re identical, right down to the last freckle spotted across our nose. His surname is different though. Our Mum’s name is Higgins. Dad’s is Lewis. I kept Mum’s maiden name out of loyalty to her, really, after the divorce. Brendan kept Dad’s name out of loyalty to him.

Brendan isn’t much of a thinker. He mostly just gets on with things, not really caring whether it might cause any trouble. And when he isn’t almost causing trouble, he is causing trouble. And now, he’s only gone and caught up with Damien Jones and his gang. Notorious, they are, for causing fright. Gang violence, that’s what it is. Theft. Arson. Assault. Vandalism. That’s the kind of thing they do, this gang. Everyone knows about them. The police have been on their trail for years. But it doesn’t stop them.

“Well, then” carried on Mrs. Walsham, “there will be no other need for patronizing. But I want you three girls to realise that we take your education, your progress, very seriously here at Maywell High School for Girls. It would be awful pities to see such intelligent young women like yourself fail your exams because of such stupidity. You may leave” I was so glad when she finished. I got up, swinging my back over my shoulder. I looked up at the clock above the Whiteboard. I only had five minutes left to get to the library and print off my History assignment before the bell. I leapt for the door after Hannah and Jade, both looking equally bored and perplexed at the same time.

“Can you believe Mrs. Walsham?” Hannah breathed angrily, her nostrils flared. I noticed she’d decided to paint her fingernails purple today. “I mean, what was with the lecture?” she puffed, hopping off in front of me and Jade, her hips swinging suggestively as she passed a couple of boys from our year. One of them wolf-whistled. Typical. Me and Jade just lumbered on behind in silent companionship. I would have to be quick, I though to myself as we turned the corner towards the library.