I Like Me Better When I'm With You | Ackley Bridge

2|'Jordan!'

"Today is the day when two completely segregated schools, Stanley Nunn High School and St. Jerome Community College, start a new life together." Mrs Carter speaks to us, and I turn around to face Cory.

"Oi, your brothers got a screw loose." I tell my best friend.

"What? What's he done?" Cory asks.

"He's trying to tell our class he's a revert cos he thinks he's funny." I recall with a matching eye roll to Cory.

All of a sudden, people around me start clapping, so I face the front and clap along to not seem suspicious.

"Thank you, Mrs Carter."  Some guy steps forward to the podium. "Hello, Ackley Bridge.  For those of you who don't know me, I am the school sponsor, Sadiq Nawaz."

I turn back to Cory. "Please sort him out. He listens to you."

"I'm trying, but he's a lot different to when he was eight." I state. "He thinks being a racist is funny."

"My brother ain't a racist." Cory says offensively.

I give him a dumbfounded look, "I know he isn't, but other people think he is, and he's not correcting them."

"Ooh-la-la!" I hear Zain tease Sadiq about something he said about him and Mrs Carter.

"Grow up Zain, she's literally married to Mr Bell." I say loudly, kicking his chair leg.

"Oi!" Cory whisper shouts to Jordan. "What you smiling for?"

♡♥︎♡

I notice when we return to our class that Jordan isn't there, so I walk back out and start to look for him in confusion. Where is he?

I run out on the playground and see him tying up a racist sign written on a bed sheet and the school receptionist walking up behind him. The bell rings, and I start to panic as everyone is coming out now for break.

"Jordan!" He turns to look at me with a proud smirk, but his eyes widen when people start to chase him.

"What'd you think you're doing?!"

"That's well out of order!"

I get shoved out the way and into the wall, scraping my hands on the brick wall of the school before running after Jordan as well.

"Jordan!" I call to him, and everyone starts to grab at him. "Come 'ere!"

He runs behind me, and I grip his arm, standing in front of him protectively. "Oi back off, yeah?!"

"Why, Jordan?!"

"What are you doing?!"

"Why would you do that?!"

"Who do you think you are?!"

People still try to get him, but I stand my ground, holding my hand out to stop them.

"Back off you lot!" I demand.

"Why are you protecting him?!" One of the girls from my class asks.

"Cos he's an idiot who's choosing to make mistakes, but I stand by my mates." I reply sharply.

"Well, your boyfriend's a racist!"

"He's not my boyfriend!" I reply. "And he's not a racist! He's just going through stuff, and he's choosing to be a right knob instead of dealing with it." I give Jordan a fierce glare when I hear him laughing.

"You are in big big trouble. What were you thinking?" The receptionist finally catches up with us and yanks Jordan inside.

"Oi, be careful with him!" I tell her and groan loudly when she slams the door behind her.