Leo didn’t want to go to lunch. When everyone charged out of the classroom and pulled their lunchboxes from their bags, he stayed at his desk. If he went outside, he would have to put The Plan into place. He sat glued to his chair, stuck inside his Prep memories of kids butting in and walking away. He wanted to shrivel up, to find a hiding spot like the old office stairs. But the truth was he didn’t want The Plan to work, and he didn’t want to make friends. If he did, it would wreck the secret promise he had made with Ralph.

Ms Pengari sat on a chair next to him. ‘Going okay, Leo?’

He spread his fingers out flat on the desk. ‘Yeah.’

‘Hope all this isn’t too much. The pool stuff, my shirt, the warpaint on my face.’

‘It’s okay.’

She clasped her hands together. ‘It must have been hard, saying goodbye to Ralph.’

He snapped her a look. ‘What?’

‘Your parents saw me last week. They told me about Ralph.’

He couldn’t believe it. His whole body bristled. ‘What did they say?’

‘Not too much.’ She took her time. Her hands were still and her eyes soft. ‘They just said he was a great friend and that you had to say goodbye.’

He sat on his hands to stop them from shaking. Didn’t know what to say.

Ms Pengari kept talking instead. ‘The kids are friendly here at Dundle. But it might take a little while. You might not find anyone on the first day, or in the first week.’

This made Leo think of his promise with Ralph. The secret fizzed inside his chest.

‘But I’ve organised something that might help.’ She beckoned someone who must have been standing near the door. It was one of the other kids. A girl with short hair and a shiny lunchbox under her arm. ‘This is Mia. She’ll be your buddy at lunchtime today. And tomorrow you’ll have a different buddy, and again the day after that – that way you can get to know different kids straightaway. Sound good?’

It sounded terrible. But he stood up, said thank you and left the room with Mia. He didn’t want to do this, didn’t want to do any of it – The Plan, the buddies, all this pretending – but he played along. He had his promise with Ralph to hold onto, and the other one he’d made with himself, to keep his parents from worrying.