Chapter 1

Love doesn’t make the flowers smell sweeter.

Love doesn’t make the morning birdsong or the sunrise and sunset any more beautiful.

Love wakes you up to experience the world for the first time.

Chapter One

“Better not to ask than get embarrassed by the knock back.”

October 1989

Life in the Sixth Form came with privileges at King George’s. For example, students no longer had to wear the awful grey, white and burgundy uniform—although they were still expected to dress smartly. Self-study periods, or ‘frees’ as the students called them, were another privilege. But for those who’d chosen to continue their education beyond the legally mandated age of sixteen, those privileges were coupled with responsibilities. The headmaster called his Sixth Form students The Cream of the Crop. And he expected them, as the oldest students in the school, to behave like young adults, dress like young professionals and do their best to look after, and set an example for, the rest of the student body.

And that was the reason that Will Brown and Bobby Edwards found themselves alone in the entrance foyer on a bleak winter morning. Moments earlier it had been crowded with pupils rushing to their classes following the mid-morning break. It had been their turn to supervise the traffic and try to keep the youngest children from being trampled. With the break and the rush, over, they stood and examined The Wonderwall before returning to the common room for their ‘free’.

“How many names do you recognise?” Will asked.

“One or two. Not many,” replied Bobby.

The varnished oak board bore the names of some of the school’s former students. It had been erected during the Christmas holiday and took pride of place in the foyer, along with some of the current students’ artwork.

“What the hell is the point of this thing anyway?” Bobby said.

“The head says it’s supposed to inspire us by giving us an example to follow.”

“Yeah, okay, but it would help if we knew who any of these plebs were, wouldn’t it? Or what they’ve done that’s so brilliant.”

“Wasn’t Gareth Jenkins school football captain a couple of years ago?” Will said.

“Yeah, he was. Come to think of it, he’s on the books at Walminster City, isn’t he? But he’s not broken through into the first team yet. I don’t reckon he ever will either. He wasn’t that great.”

“Andy Vansman. That name sounds familiar.”

Bobby nodded. “He plays for cricket for Westmouthshire. He got a call-up to the England B squad last month.”

Will gave him a confused look.

Bobby shrugged. “He was on Westmouthshire Tonight the other day. I remember because it was the same day the head was on after that fire by the bike sheds. ”

The two boys continued to scan for names they recognised.

Will shook his head. “See any more?”

“Sally Whitehouse,” Bobby said. “I think she’s on the stage in the West End. In the chorus line of some musical.”

“Hardly a set of shining examples, is it? A couple of low rate sportsmen and a West End wannabe.”

“What do you expect, Will? We’re not Westmouth Grammar for God’s sake. We’re King George’s—worst school in the county. No—worst school in the country.”

“Oh, come on, this place isn’t that bad.”

“You can’t tell me you weren’t disappointed when you failed the entrance exam for the grammar school.”

“I didn’t fail it.”

“You didn’t? You never told me that. What are you doing here then?”

“I didn’t fail it, because I never took it.”

“Why the fuck not?”

“My granddad had just died and my Mom was in the hospital. I guess it got overlooked.”

“Overlooked? For fuck’s sake, Will. That oversight has cost you seven years in this dump. Brain as big as yours, you would have walked it, I’ll bet.”

“Maybe. But is it really worth getting the bus out to Westmouth every day? Besides, this place has its compensations.”

“Like Amy?”

Will didn’t answer. “Hey, there is one famous name missing from here.”

“Who?”

“Phil Jeavons. He’s hardly a good role model, though. He robbed Barclays and got sent down for ten years.”

“Still famous though. Should we carve his name on? I’ve got my Swiss Army Knife in my locker.”

One of their classmates approached and they nodded to him and grunted a greeting.

“You two are examining The Wonderwall, I see,” Ray said.

“Stupid name for it,” Will said. “Wonderwall. I ask you. What’s it supposed to mean?”

“It’s a wall of wonderful achievement. I think it’s cool,” said Ray.

“You would,” said Bobby.

Ray ignored him. “Do you two know what?”

“What?” Bobby asked.

“Someday, I’m going to get my name on The Wonderwall.”

Bobby stifled his laughter. “Oh, yeah, what as? Walminster Sumo Champion?”

Ray huffed. “No. Someday, I’ll be a millionaire.” He wagged his finger at them. “You’ll see. I’ll be one of the most famous businessmen in the country. And in twenty years they’ll be begging me to come back here as a shining example of school success. And do you know what I’ll tell them?”

Will sighed. He’d heard this from Ray before. “What?”

“I’ll tell them to stick it. I’ll be a success despite this dump, not because of it.”

“That right?”

“That’s right. And I’ll tell you something else, when I’m rich, there’s no way that Amy won’t go out with me.”

“Oh, come on, Ray!” Will shook his head. “How many times have you asked Amy out?”

“I don’t know, five or six. But at least I have asked her out. You haven’t got the brass bollocks to do it. Everyone knows you fancy her, you know.”

“I haven’t asked her because I know what she’d say. Why would anyone from the posh estate go out with one of our lot, huh? Better not to ask than get embarrassed by the knockback.”

“It wouldn’t be embarrassing,” Ray said.

“Not for you, maybe. Besides, she’s a mate. It’d only make things awkward if I asked her out and she said no.”

“I don’t reckon she would say no, you know,” Bobby said.

Will rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Don’t be daft. Of course she’d say no. She keeps saying no to him, doesn’t she?” Will pointed at Ray.

“Yeah, true,” said Bobby. “But you ain’t him.”

Two more of their peers passed through the reception. John Nugent and James Asbury appeared to be heading for the library, but Will suspected they weren’t planning to study.