Even if he succeeded at avoiding them until he arrived home he would still have to face them, and their taunts, back at home. Maybe he just needed to stand up for himself, and to let them tease him for a few days, so that when he went back to school it could be forgotten.
“Right, well we’re almost at Oxford Circus now. We all agreed that as it’s the last day all pupils can, in pairs or small groups, do as they please today. And so I’m assuming you two will want to go off without me?” Mr Allen said to Mike and Ben, “As I said, you can do as you please, as long as you’re sensible.