the reality that sits beneath the surface. Someone like you might be innocent enough to think that studying Maths and English and Science and Geography and History are the most important things you need to do to get ahead at school. Tat’s probably what you’ve been told. ‘But listen to me, Oscar, I’m doing you a massive favour by telling you what I know:
it’s much, much more important to study Te Ratio. Tat’s what you really need to understand. It’s where the power lies: it’s all about who you can afford to annoy, and who you can’t. Where you are, and how likely you are to move. How stable your position is. At the moment, that’s up in the air for me because this is the beginning – because I’m new. ‘You may think that a casual conversation with a harmless-looking person is of no consequence, but you’ve got to be incredibly careful. Te decisions you make matter. Tey matter very much. And if you get in too deep, it’s difficult to go back. ‘No one’s going to be able to help you if you get stuck in the wrong category. Look at
me, Oscar,’ she said and she held me by the shoulders and I could feel her slender fingers kind of digging into me – she spoke as if this was the most important thing I was probably ever going to learn. ‘Tese things do not work themselves out. Tis will not pass. Do take notice. Take a lot of notice. Tis is the rest of your life we’re talking about. Tis is not something simple.’ ‘So are you studying the form at the moment? Have you placed everyone in one of
your categories already?’ ‘Me? Oh goodness no, Oscar,’ Paloma replied, using this old-fashioned kind of voice and raising her perfect eyebrows in a high, indignant arch. ‘Tis is the world order I’m talking about. Tis doesn’t come from me! Come on, I
