Next morning, Nadeem was waiting at Denzil’s front gate. He had a funny look on his face.
Nadeem opened the fancy plastic bag he’d been holding behind his back.
Inside it was a pair of Rainbow Boots. They had big thick soles, thin flat laces, and were so flashy they made you blink.
“Dad bought them for me,” said Nadeem. “As an early birthday present.”
“Who needs a best friend like you?” Denzil snapped.
They didn’t say a word to each other all the way to school.
The bell for going-in was already ringing when they got there.
The first kid they met was Lorna. Her eyes lit up when she saw Nadeem’s bag.
“Is that a pair of Rainbow Boots?” she asked.
“Yes. They’re an early birthday present,” said Nadeem.
“Great!” said Lorna.
Then she turned to Denzil. “So where are your boots? They’re still being customised, I suppose?”
“No?” said Lorna in surprise.
“My Rainbow Boots arrived by the same post as Nadeem’s,” Denzil told her. “But I sent them back.”
“You sent them back?” said Lorna.
“I know a rush-job when I see it, Lorna. The boots weren’t flashy enough. So I told the boot-makers to rip them apart and start all over again.”
And Denzil marched off into school. Nadeem could hardly believe his ears.
“Another lie?” he said to himself. “Denzil’s getting worse and worse!”
