I raced outside to find Lukas. I didn’t have to wait long for the bell to ring and hundreds of pupils to start making their escape from the building into the playground outside.
That’s when I noticed Lukas standing just inside the school gates and quickly ran over to him. He was very quiet, not saying much at all, although this was quite normal for him. He was looking a BIT SHADY though and it didn’t take a detective to work out SOMETHING WASN’T QUITE RIGHT.
I had just taken a huge deep breath, and was about to tell Lukas everything that had happened in Mr Roger’s office, when I noticed Nora. She was standing just the other side of the gates, which is why I hadn’t noticed her at first.
‘Sorry, have you been waiting long?’ I was still a bit breathless from all the running.
I turned towards Lukas, my back blocking Nora from sight.
‘No, don’t worry,’ Lukas replied but made no move to start walking.
If anything, he was still looking a bit unsure as he shuffled nervously from foot to foot.
‘I was thinking, maybe you could come over to mine tonight?’ I persisted. ‘Something really strange just happened. I got into a fight with Neil and then Grandma turned up and Mr Rogers told me I could leave early if I wanted to—’
I started to tail off when he didn’t reply.
‘Shall we go?’ Nora piped up from where she was standing behind me. I’d almost forgotten she was there. ‘Lukas?’
‘Sorry, Jake,’ Lukas mumbled, his face turning a VIOLENT SHADE OF BERRY. ‘I said I’d go to Nora’s after school today. Maybe I can come round tomorrow? You can tell me what happened then.’
I was DUMBSTRUCK. When had LUKAS and NORA become such GOOD FRIENDS? What else had my BEST FRIEND been hiding from me? Had he decided to replace me with A GIRL?
Did he REALLY BELIEVE that looking for Mum could wait until TOMORROW? Why did NO ONE seem to REALISE how URGENT this was? I could feel the ANGER BOILING UP in me and it was THREATENING TO EXPLODE all over again. I took a DEEP BREATH and tried not to LOSE IT.
‘Don’t worry, Lukas. I’ll be fine on my own. You haven’t exactly done much to help me find my mum so far.’
‘Come on, let’s go,’ Nora said, tugging lightly at Lukas’s sleeve as she turned and started walking away.
When I didn’t say anything, Lukas began to follow her. He at least had the decency to look a little bit SHEEPISH. For once I was COMPLETELY SPEECHLESS.
GOOD RIDDANCE, I thought as they left, walking off together in the opposite direction from our estate. Nora probably lived in a big house with a 50-inch TV or something. But I doubt she was interested in playing FORTNITE.
What a useless sidekick Lukas was turning out to be. Perhaps I’d be better off asking Harry to help me find my mum instead. Perhaps it was even time to find a NEW BEST FRIEND. Maybe I should ask Ben, he was definitely VERY BRAINY and would probably have LOADS OF GREAT IDEAS about where to look. I didn’t need Lukas anyway.