I join the line for the bus. My backpack wriggles. Poor Duck. I’ve left a crack in the side zipper so he can breathe. Pip was quite impressed by Duck. I’m beginning to think that Duck might be my secret weapon.

I want to show Pip I’ve hidden Duck in my backpack and the best way to do that will be to sit next to her on the bus.

But who-sits-next-to-who is a complicated business. It’s time for a plan.

The first question is who should get on first. An inexperienced bus-sitter would tell you that the best strategy is to let Pip get on first. Then I can simply sit next to her. Right?

If I just sit down next to Pip, then that’s going to draw a lot of unwanted attention (if you’ve forgotten why, please go back and reread Chapter 1). The way to get around that issue is to wait until there aren’t too many seats left, so it’s like I just happened to sit in the empty seat next to Pip, because there weren’t too many options. However, there is way too much risk in that scenario. For a start, Abby and Pip are friends, so Abby will probably sit next to her. If Abby doesn’t, Tyson might sit next to Pip, or some other random kid. This is not the time to leave things to chance.

Instead the correct strategy is actually for me to get on first. This is a scenario I can control, because I can make sure no one sits next to me. Then if Pip gets on toward the end of the line, I will have one of the few seats left.

So I push my way through to the front of the line.

“Hey!”

“Max!”

“Don’t push in!”

“Did you just quack? I swear someone just quacked.”

The door opens and I climb onto the bus, taking a seat about halfway down. I look out the window. Pip is toward the back of the line. Perfect.

“Hey, Max, what are we going to call your book?” I look up and see Hugo taking his backpack off to sit down next to me.

I put my backpack on the seat next to me. It quacks uncomfortably.

“Why not?” Hugo asks, confused.

“Ah . . .” Quick. I need a reason. “Because you have to . . . sit behind me. If you sit behind me, then we can both have a window seat. Then I can turn around and we can work on my book while we look out the window. You know, for inspiration.”

“O-kay,” Hugo says slowly, like he thinks I’ve lost my mind. He takes the seat behind me.

The bus starts to fill up, and I keep my bag on the seat and avoid looking anyone in the eye.

Finally Abby, Pip, and Tyson get on. When Abby reaches me, she looks at my backpack sitting on the seat and raises one eyebrow. It doesn’t matter how many times she does that, it still gives me the creeps!

Oh, no. I don’t want Abby to sit next to me! That’s not how this is supposed to go. That’s the worst-case scenario!

“Why don’t you sit next to Hugo?” I ask.

“Why don’t you sit next to Hugo?” Abby says. “He’s your friend.”

“No,” Hugo butts in, because he knows the answer to this one. “I have to sit behind Max so we can work on his book while we’re looking out the window for inspiration.”

“Idiots,” Abby mumbles, and sits across the aisle from Hugo, next to Layla.

Phew! That was close. Pip’s next. Here we go. My plan has worked perfectly.

I move my backpack onto the floor at my feet. It quacks again. Pip smiles.

“Oh . . . sure, if you want,” I reply. Only she wasn’t talking to me.

“Sure you can!” Hugo says.

WHAT?

Pip sits down next to Hugo.

And Tyson sits down next to me.

Aaaarrrrgggghhhh!