a ‘What shitty present.’ Madu whispers loudly across at us. been listening in like a spy. just He’s He’s jealous. I think he likes Ghalia the prettiest girl in the class, but she hates ‘cos she’s him. I hate him too now. he picking on her? She look at him and gets Why’s doesn’t back to her sums. Madu gets bored and looks away. I look at him if I do don’t ‘cos laugh and then Ghalia will think I am playing with Madu, but not. I I’ll I’m don’t even like him. a right bully sometimes. I mind when he bullies the other He’s don’t boys and sometimes I join in because all pussies and harder than them they’re we’re and then fun and me and Madu are the bosses of the estate. well cool. I it’s That’s know birthday. I tear out a page from my workbook and write didn’t it’s Ghalia’s Happy Birthday on it and then fold it in half. I kick Ghalia and then pass her my card. She smiles when she reads it and I feel very hot in my tummy. ‘Thank you.’ I look at her and stare at my book. I want to run away and jump up and down in can’t the play park and have a go on the slide. I can jump from the top without even falling over. Only me and Madu can do that. I kick her instead. ‘I’m nine.’ She says. nearly nine and a ‘So what? I’m half.’ a grown up ‘I’m now.’ I get not big yet. smaller than me. In fact, the smallest don’t it. She’s She’s she’s girl in class. so stupid. I kick her. She’s Mum wear ‘My don’t one.’ not ‘You’re Muslim.’
‘What a shitty present.’ Madu whispers loudly across at us. He’s been listening in like a spy. He’s just jealous. I think he likes Ghalia ‘cos she’s the prettiest girl in the class, but she hates him. I hate him too now. Why’s he picking on her? She doesn’t look at him and gets back to her sums. Madu gets bored and looks away. I don’t look at him ‘cos if I do I’ll laugh and then Ghalia will think I am playing with Madu, but I’m not. I don’t even like him. He’s a right bully sometimes. I don’t mind when he bullies the other boys and sometimes I join in because they’re all pussies and we’re harder than them and then it’s fun and me and Madu are the bosses of the estate. That’s well cool. I didn’t know it’s Ghalia’s birthday. I tear out a page from my workbook and write Happy Birthday on it and then fold it in half. I kick Ghalia and then pass her my card. She smiles when she reads it and I feel very hot in my tummy. ‘Thank you.’ I can’t look at her and stare at my book. I want to run away and jump up and down in the play park and have a go on the slide. I can jump from the top without even falling over. Only me and Madu can do that. I kick her instead. ‘I’m nine.’ She says. ‘So what? I’m nearly nine and a half.’ ‘I’m a grown up now.’ I don’t get it. She’s not big yet. She’s smaller than me. In fact, she’s the smallest girl in class. She’s so stupid. I kick her. ‘My Mum don’t wear one.’ ‘You’re not Muslim.’