With the taste of Canteen Carol’s chicken noodles still fresh in his mouth, Albert stood proudly at the front of room 12B, holding Buster’s artwork above his head for all to see. The picture had inspired him to share his story, and he felt wiser having told it.

‘What did you say the drawing was called again?’ said Vex, who simply wanted to hear Albert say ‘wee-wee’ once more.

Mr Bambuckle chuckled. ‘You, dear Albert, are a rather fine teller of stories. What a marvellous way to commence our afternoon session.’

Albert’s cheeks flushed with pride. ‘It must be all the reading I do.’

‘I’m certain that helps,’ said Mr Bambuckle, ‘though telling your own story is quite a different ball game.’

‘What ball game?’ said Sammy, who was dreaming of playing soccer.

‘What’s your story, Mr Bambuckle?’ said Vinnie White, winding a brown curl of hair around her finger.

‘Yeah,’ said Ren Rivera. ‘We know that you’ve been to lots of places, but where are you from?’

‘Stop wasting time with pointless questions!’ said an impatient voice at the door. ‘You should be learning algebra.’ It was Mr Sternblast.

‘Dear Mr Principal, please, come in,’ said Mr Bambuckle.

Mr Sternblast strode to the front of the room with fire in his steps. ‘Listen up,’ he barked. ‘I have some important news.’

The students listened closely.

‘There’s going to be a crackdown. We can’t allow classes like this to continue with such airy-fairy nonsense lessons. I’m bringing in someone to help me clean up this school for good. I’m bringing in someone who will boost our grades. I’ll get that promotion if it’s the last thing I do! Things are going to change, and discipline will be the new order!’

Miffy dared to raise her hand.

‘Yes, Armstrong?’

‘I don’t understand. What are you talking about?’

Mr Sternblast narrowed his eyes and glared around the room. ‘I haven’t forgotten the little stunt that someone in this class pulled.’ He looked at Scarlett. ‘You can’t get rid of good teachers like Miss Frost in my school without consequences. It cost me a better job with more pay. I don’t know how you did it but I’m sure it was you… Be warned – all of you! Things are about to change around here, and you’re not going to like it. Not one bit!’

Miffy wished she hadn’t asked.

‘Now where’s that wretched teacher of yours?’ said Mr Sternblast. ‘He was here a moment ago … This crackdown can’t come soon enough!’

The storeroom door at the back of the classroom opened and Mr Bambuckle stepped out, holding a brightly coloured glass teacup. ‘Would you care for some Himalayan tea, dear Mr Principal?’

Mr Sternblast spat his response. ‘I don’t drink with my enemies!’ He stormed back through the door, his words lingering like a bad smell.

Comforted by the reassuring presence of Mr Bambuckle, Scarlett stood up and walked to the front of the room. The eyes of her classmates followed her, looking on not with judgement, but with fondness and understanding. ‘I want to say sorry,’ she said bluntly.

Mr Bambuckle stepped back and sipped his tea, allowing the conversation to take its own course.

‘Why are you apologising?’ asked Victoria.

‘For making Mr Sternblast angry,’ said Scarlett. ‘I’m so glad we have Mr Bambuckle back, but I don’t want our class to be picked on for what I did.’

Sammy Bamford laughed in gentle support. ‘Mr Sternblast is angry all the time. It’s not your fault. Besides, he’s always picked on us.’

‘But this is different,’ said Scarlett. ‘I’m the one who made Miss Frost disappear. I’m the reason Mr Sternblast didn’t get the other job. And I’m the reason he hates us so much.’

Albert stood up. ‘And that makes you remarkable, Scarlett. Don’t you get it? You did something truly brave. You’re the reason Mr Bambuckle is back. You’re the reason we’re learning so much. And you’re the reason wonderful things are happening to us.’

Mr Bambuckle took another sip of his tea. Beneath his sparkly blue jacket, his heart beat a fraction louder.

‘That’s right,’ said Harold. ‘You and Vex and Victoria made things fun again.’

Vex managed a half smile, though his sacrifice of working long hours in his father’s car yard was beginning to take its toll. He rubbed his eyes and rested his head on the desk, pretending to scribble on a piece of paper.

Scarlett was overwhelmed with the feeling of support from her classmates. She tightened the red ribbon in her hair, then clasped her hands to her chest. ‘You’re really not angry at me?’ she said.

‘Of course not!’ sang a chorus of voices.

‘We can handle whatever comes our way,’ said Carrot. ‘As long as we stick together.’

Mr Bambuckle’s heart beat louder again. The students were beginning to band together. This, he knew, was the first step in unlocking their true potential.

Vex raised his head and yawned. ‘Yeah, yeah … lovey-dovey …’ His joke was light, but it couldn’t hide the dark rings that were appearing under his eyes.

‘Lovey-dovey!’ Slugger burst out laughing and slammed his hand onto his desk, cracking it through the middle. ‘Oops.’

‘Lol,’ said Sammy.

Carrot sighed.

A flash of blue darted in through the open window and circled the room, chirping brightly.

‘Dodger!’ cried Myra.

The blue jay flew swiftly into Mr Bambuckle’s pocket, vanishing in an instant.

‘Where was Dodger?’ said Ren. ‘What was he doing outside the classroom?’

‘Dear Ren, as much as I would love to tell you, I simply cannot at this time.’

‘Dodger makes such great entrances,’ said Miffy.

‘Which reminds me,’ said Mr Bambuckle, ‘for homework tonight, I would like you all to come up with an imaginative way to enter the classroom.’