Callum and Nicole ran towards the park, a fizz of excitement building in Nicole’s chest that wasn’t anything to do with the few sips of Fanta she’d just had. They’d get that Derek Mullins, and he’d be sorry he’d messed with her brother.

‘Down here,’ she cried.

Callum followed her into the narrow alleyway that led to the playing field.

‘You wait here,’ she said.

‘Can’t I wait in the park?’

‘I told you to wait here, didn’t I.’ Nicole stuck her hands on her hips and glared at him. ‘God’s sake.’

Callum thrust out his bottom lip but did as he was told.

Nicole walked along the rest of the alleyway on her own, glancing back to check her brother had stayed put. Then, she jogged across the playing field towards the swing park. Pretty soon, she had to slow to a walk, her lungs burning with the exertion, her face hot. Through the railings, she saw the swing park was busy. Full of school kids of all ages, some from her year. Then, she spied some of the lads from Cal’s year group. They were spinning each other on the wooden roundabout, so fast it made her dizzy to watch. She stopped for a moment to get her breath back, suddenly a little nervous about approaching them. Nicole was older, but Derek was with about five others – all boys. Then, she remembered why she was here and so she stuck out her chin and pushed her way through the metal gate.

‘Oi, Derek!’ she called, shoving her hands in her pockets.

A couple of his mates looked over. They nudged Derek who was gleefully pushing the roundabout, delighting in the cries of the other boys yelling at him to stop and slow down. He stopped spinning his friends, straightened up and looked over in her direction, frowning.

His mates started elbowing him, teasing him; no doubt saying stupid stuff like she was his girlfriend. Nicole swaggered over, trying to appear friendly.

‘I need to talk to you,’ she said to Derek.

His pathetic friends all laughed.

‘Why?’ Derek replied, scratching his mousey-brown hair and folding his arms across his skinny chest.

‘Come here and you’ll find out.’

‘Wooooooh!’ the other boys jeered, making out she fancied him or something.

As if.

His cheeks reddened. They pushed him in her direction and she gave him an encouraging smile.

‘You ever had a smoke?’ she asked when he was close enough to reach out and touch.

‘Yeah,’ he replied.

Nicole bet he was lying. ‘You want one now?’

‘You got cigarettes?’

‘Yeah. Wanna come and have a smoke with me?’ Nicole could see him weighing it up in his mind. ‘Come and have a smoke, then I’ll give you some ciggies to share with your mates.’

‘Really?’

She nodded. Nicole knew that would get him. The thought of showing off.

‘They in your bag?’ He tipped his head towards the schoolbag slung across her body.

‘Yeah.’

‘Let’s see.’

‘We’ll go over there.’ Nicole pointed across the playing field, back to where Cal was hidden in the alleyway.

‘Why can’t we have one here?’ Derek said.

‘Cos the older kids will nick them off us, stupid.’

Derek flushed. ‘Oh, yeah, right.’

‘Come on. We’ll have a quick puff, then you can share the rest with your mates.’

‘Okay.’ Derek stuck his hands in his pockets and made his way out of the swing park with Nicole, his friends jeering as they walked away together.

They trudged across the field in silence. Nicole loosened her school tie, her heart pounding ferociously. She’d get this cocky little shit back for picking on her brother. He’d be sorry.

Once they neared the alleyway, Derek hesitated. ‘Where’s these ciggies, then?’ he asked.

‘Let’s go in there,’ Nicole replied, pointing to the entrance up ahead. ‘No one can see us, then.’

It looked like he was about to object, so she linked arms with him and led him into the shady, grey alleyway. As soon as she saw it was clear of people, apart from Callum up the other end, Nicole let go of Derek’s arm and shoved him hard in the back so he went sprawling face down on the concrete. Next, she slid off her tie, jumped on top of him and yanked his arms behind his back, tying them together. He’d been stunned for a few seconds but now he was trying to wriggle out from under her, swearing and cursing, yelling and kicking out at her.

‘Get over here, Cal!’ she yelled, sitting on Derek’s legs.

‘What you doing?’ Derek cried. ‘Get off me, you mad cow!’

Callum’s footsteps slapped the concrete as he ran towards her.

‘Gimme your tie!’ Nicole cried to her brother. ‘And help me pin him down.’

Callum slipped his tie over his head and thrust it at Nicole. She snatched it off him, and yanked Derek’s legs together, slipping the ready-made loop over both of Derek’s feet, and tightening it around his ankles so he could no longer kick out at her.

‘Gotcha!’ she said triumphantly, rolling Derek onto his back and standing over him so he was now staring up at her, shock in his eyes.

‘Let me go,’ he said. ‘My arms… you tied them too tight. They’re hurting.’

‘Tough,’ Nicole snarled. ‘Say sorry to my brother for kicking him, and for saying he wets the bed.’

Derek’s eyes wandered over to Callum. ‘That weirdo’s your brother?’

Nicole planted a savage kick on Derek’s calf.

‘Owww! Okay, okay, I’m sorry. Now let me go.’

‘Not yet,’ Nicole said. ‘First, Callum’s got a present for you.’

‘I don’t want a present,’ Derek said, his bravado wavering. ‘I wanna go home.’

‘Callum,’ Nicole said, turning to her brother. ‘Remember I gave you that can of Fanta to drink?’

Callum nodded.

‘Well, you probably need a wee now, don’t you?’ She grinned and then turned to look at Derek.

Derek’s eyes flicked from Nicole to Callum and back again. She saw the confusion in his eyes, and then the disbelief as he began to realise what was about to happen.

Her stupid brother still didn’t get it, though, his puzzled frown beginning to annoy her.

‘Oh, for God’s sake, Cal. Wee on him.’

‘Eurgh. That’s gross, Nic.’

‘I know.’ She smiled.

Derek was shaking his head, trying to wriggle out of his bonds, but he was tied too securely. ‘Help!’ he yelled.

‘You shout out one more time and I’ll get Callum to piss in your mouth.’

Derek clamped his mouth shut and squeezed his eyes closed, his whole body tensed, waiting.

Nicole shoved her brother and nodded towards his trouser area, her eyes wide and expectant. Cal knew better than to disobey her. He’d be in for it if he said no. Nicole’s smile widened as Callum positioned himself over Derek’s body and peed for all he was worth. A yellow arc spattered Derek’s school uniform. Callum got creative, gyrating and making swirling patterns.

‘Get his head, too,’ Nicole said, giggling.

Callum moved around and let the last few drips soak into Derek’s mousy hair. The boy was crying now. Served him right. He wouldn’t mess with her brother again, that was for sure.

‘Now kick him,’ Nicole said.

‘What?’ Cal said.

‘Go on. He kicked you. So you can kick him back. It’s fair.’

Callum gave Derek a gentle kick on his thigh.

‘Not like that, like this.’ Nicole aimed a vicious kick on Derek’s side, making him howl in pain.

Callum stared up at her and shook his head. ‘I don’t wanna, Nic.’

‘Do it,’ she hissed.

Callum kicked Derek in exactly the same spot. Derek sobbed.

‘Again,’ Nicole said.

Callum kicked him again.

‘No one messes with me or my brother,’ Nicole hissed. ‘No one.’

And she meant it.