April put the tray down on the bench.

"Are you still going on that school trip to Sherwood tomorrow?" she asked the black-haired girl who was tucking into April's chips. April slapped Emma's hand away.

"Huh? Oh right, sorry," said Emma, looking up from her Kerrang! magazine. "Yeah. Robin Hood an' all that."

"Robin Hood, Robin Hood, riding through the glen..." April started to sing the old song. Emma covered her ears.

"You have a terrible voice."

"Look who's talking," April snapped. Emma grinned, raising her hands in mock surrender.

"Guilty as charged." It was true. Emma's voice resembled a strangled cat's.

Emma nicked a few more of April's chips and stood up. "I gotta get to the library. I've still gotta do that English essay."

"Good point, me too," said April. She picked up the carton of chips, tossed the tray onto the rack by the door of the canteen and the two girls wandered – slowly – towards the library, chatting about the Paramore concert they were going to in three weeks.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

April called at Emma's house at eight o'clock next morning. Emma grabbed some toast, shoved her school bag onto her back, and legged it out of the house.

The coach was waiting for them when they reached school. Mrs Williams was reading out the groups that they had to stay in for the trip. Naturally the whole class would sod that and go where they wanted.

The two girls hopped onto the bus and grabbed the back seats before anyone else could. Emma pulled out a copy of Kerrang!

"Do you ever stop reading that damned magazine?" April moaned.

"Shurrup, I'm reading this profile on Jared Leto."

"Jared Leto this, Jared Leto that..."

Emma rolled her eyes and got back to reading the magazine.

The coach burst into life and started rolling – finally – steadily away from the school. A group of chavs started throwing cans of pop around and were immediately separated.

One of them – Charlie, better known as Thlump – was put in between April and Emma. It was going to be a long bus ride.