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MR CHIVERS arrived shortly after a quarter past nine, puffing and red-faced (I later learnt that he cycled to school) He hurried past , opened the door to his roo down at the ce someone, he slid open theand roared, "Kevin O’Brien! Have you been kicked out of class already?"

"Wasn’tboy shouted back "The top ca my homework Could have happened to anyone, sir I don’t think I should be kicked out for-"

"Report toyour next free period, O’Brien!" Mr Chivers interrupted "I have a few floors for you to scrub"

"Aw, sir!"

Mr Chivers sla me in "What are you here for?"

"I’m-"

"You didn’t break a , did you?" he cut in "Because if you did, there’ll be hell and leather to pay!"

"I didn’t break a ," I snapped "I haven’t had ti I’ve been stuck outside your door since eight, waiting You re late!"

"Oh?" He sat down, surprised by my directness "Sorry A flat tyre It’s the littlehis throat, he remembered who he was and adopted a scowl "Never ?"

"My name’s Darren Horston I’ot you were co up, he took- only got back last night I jotted down a note and pinned it to the fridge on Friday, but I "

"No probleers from his sweaty hand "You’re here now Better late than never"

He studied me curiously "Is that how you addressed your previous headmaster?" he asked

I remembered how I used to tremble when faced with the headmistress of my old school "No," I chuckled

"Good, because it’s not how you’ll address me either I’m no tyrant, but I don’t stand for backchat Speak respectfully when you talk to me, and add a ’sir’ at the end Got that?"

I took a deep breath "Yes" A pause "Sir"

"Better," he grunted, then inviteda drawer, he found a file and perused it in silence "Good grades," he said after a couple ofit aside "If you can match those here, on’t complain"

"I’ll do my best Sir"

"That’s all we ask" Mr Chivers was studying my face, fascinated by h ride, haven’t you?" he re"

"Yes, sir" That was in the report Mr Blaws had shownto the forms my ’father’ submitted, I’d been badly burnt in a house fire when I elve

"Still, all’s well that ends well! You’re alive and active, and anything else is a bonus" Standing, he put the file away, checked the front of his suit - there were traces of egg and toast crumbs on his tie and shirt, which he picked at - thenme to follow

Mr Chivers ledout the coymnasium and the main classrooms The school used to be a music academy, hence its name (Mahler was a famous composer), but had closed doenty years earlier, before reopening as a regular school