CHERUB: The Sleepwalker - Robert Muchamore Page 0,15

a hug. ‘It’s just a school interview; you’ve got nothing to be scared of.’

7. RESPECT

‘Sit down,’ the headmaster of Warrender Prep said, as Fahim and Yasmin Hassam entered his cramped office. The school building dated from the 1700s and the low autumn sun caught the dust hovering in the air above the headmaster’s desktop.

‘Sorry to have kept you waiting, Mrs Hassam. Will your husband be joining us?’

Yasmin shook her head. ‘I’m sorry, Mr Ashley. His business keeps him very busy.’

‘I can believe that,’ Mr Ashley smiled. He stroked his thick grey moustache before gathering up his black teacher’s gown and taking his seat across the desk.

‘Fahim has something to tell you,’ Yasmin said, as she gave her son a nudge.

The boy looked at his bare knees and spoke stiffly, betraying the fact that his mother had taught him the line on the drive to school. ‘I want to say sorry for my behaviour on Wednesday last week. Although I was provoked, my reaction was incorrect and I sincerely apologise to all the staff and pupils at Warrender Prep.’

The headmaster nodded and said, ‘Thank you, Fahim,’ before reaching across his desk and grabbing a thick folder which contained the youngster’s personal record. He looked up at Yasmin. ‘The problem is that this is not the first such incident involving Fahim. He was also suspended last term and this incident was exceptionally nasty.’

‘He has a lot of problems with teasing,’ Yasmin explained. ‘He’s a quiet boy at home. I never see him giving trouble to anyone.’

‘Martin Head suffered three broken fingers when Fahim bent them back,’ Mr Ashley said.

Fahim looked guiltily at his mother, who knew exactly who he’d learned that trick from.

‘What have you done about the bullying?’ Yasmin asked firmly. ‘I know what Fahim did was wrong, but you can’t ignore the root of it.’

The headmaster tipped back his seat and took a deep breath. ‘Warrender Prep is a small school, with a friendly atmosphere. I have questioned several boys in Fahim’s class, and frankly I find it difficult to believe that there is a campaign against Fahim on anything like the scale that he is suggesting: either because of his ethnic origin or for any other reasons.’

‘They’re hardly gonna admit it to you, are they?’ Fahim said bitterly. ‘And it’s not like it’s big things, beating me up or that. It’s just loads of little digs. Like saying that there’s a smell of curry when I get changed for rugby, or calling me towel head, or saying I’m a suicide bomber.’

‘They’ve also been hiding his things,’ Yasmin added. ‘Last term I had to buy three new pairs of trainers. Then on the last day before the summer holidays, someone put the three missing pairs back in his sports bag.’

‘I don’t deny that boys of this age can be mischievous,’ Mr Ashley nodded. ‘But the correct path is to report matters to the staff. There is never an excuse for violence.’

Fahim surged forward in his seat. ‘When I told Mr Williams about my trainers going missing the second time, he told me I’d lost them and he made me play basketball barefoot. Then they all trampled my feet.’

‘Don’t shout, Fahim,’ Yasmin said gently, as she pulled her son back into his seat before looking at the headmaster. ‘Do you see now how upset this bullying is making him? I’m sure it’s part of the reason he’s been having nightmares and other problems. Two nights ago I found him at the bottom of the stairs, soaked in sweat and shaking like a leaf.’

‘I’ve received the report from the educational psychologist Fahim saw on Friday,’ Mr Ashley said, as he pulled a stapled document out of the folder. ‘Dr Coxon notes that Fahim regularly acts up and seeks attention in class. He also seems to act with unnecessary aggression to mild provocation and the standard of his academic work has declined over the past year. Fahim’s problems at home, including nightmares and sleepwalking, suggest that he needs to begin regular sessions with a therapist and may even benefit from drug therapy to improve his concentration.’

‘I’m not mental,’ Fahim protested. ‘I’d be fine if everyone stopped having goes at me.’

Yasmin looked uncertain. ‘I suppose we could try and see if therapy helps, but I’m much less sure about drugs. I’ve read stories about them turning children into zombies.’

Mr Ashley closed the folder. ‘You can further discuss Fahim’s emotional needs with Dr Coxon if you wish. However, Warrender Prep has a demanding curriculum designed