‘Leon, where’s your board?’ Spencer called out across the skate park.
‘Don’t mention the war!’ Leon growled, looking dark.
‘His mum’s confiscated it,’ Charlie said, his sandy curls bobbing in the breeze.
‘Oh no, that’s not okay,’ Spencer said. ‘Parents shouldn’t be allowed to confiscate stuff once you’re over ten, I reckon.’
Leon sloped towards them, over the concrete humps and dips, and when he was close enough he muttered, ‘Yeah, and all because of a library book.’
‘A library book?’ said Spencer. ‘What about it?’
‘I can’t find it. It’s overdue. Very overdue.’
‘That’s still a bit harsh, to confiscate your deck. It’s not like you tried to lose it.’
‘Tell me about it,’ Leon grumbled.
‘And they’re never actually lost,’ Spencer said, ‘they’re always somewhere—under the bed, or mixed in with your other books, or in your sister’s room or whatever.’
‘I’ve looked everywhere,’ Leon said.
There was silence between the three boys.
‘And I don’t have a sister, Spence.’
‘Right. Sorry.’ Spencer looked down at his board. He’d bought it, second-hand, a couple of weeks ago and he was still making friends with it. ‘You can have a ride of my board today, Leon,’ he said. ‘I can still barely stand up on it, anyway.’
It was like Leon had been born with a skateboard attached to his feet. Anyone trying to learn with him carving up next to them got a bruised ego as well as a bruised everything else. His body seemed to move like water.
Leon punched him on the arm. ‘Onya Spence. You just gotta keep practising you know. I broke my wrist when I first started.’
‘How reassuring.’
Leon cracked a smile. His olive complexion lit up cheekily. ‘Pads help.’
‘Pads for a spaz,’ Spencer mumbled.
‘So when do you get your deck back, Leon?’ asked Charlie.
‘When I find the book, or pay the fine.’
There was a double groan.
‘What’s the damage?’ asked Spencer.
‘Forty bucks,’ Leon croaked.
‘Forty bucks! What is it, the Harry Potter boxed set or something?!’
‘I dunno—Mum did tell me but I can’t remember. Anyway, I don’t have forty bucks and I can’t find the book, so I’m stuffed.’
Charlie said, ‘You could put a sign up on the school noticeboard.’
‘That’s not a bad idea,’ said Spencer.
‘That’s a totally em barrassing idea!’ said Leon. ‘I don’t want to talk about it anymore,’ he said, disappearing down the ramp, his words streaming back after him. ‘How can a book ruin your life?’
Spencer and Charlie looked at each other. Poor Leon. Stuff like this was always happening to him.
‘Maybe we could help him pay the fine,’ said Spencer, watching Leon get some air.
‘Yeah.’
‘If we could scrape some money together, maybe Mrs Wilkes would chip in the rest?’
Charlie nodded, and his curls nodded in sync. ‘Spence, no wonder you’re Petrich’s favourite: you’re a problem-solver!’
‘I am not his favourite.’
‘Are. Hey, Leon. Come here, mate, we’ve got a plan.’
‘Is it any good?’ Leon yelled, curving high in the quarter-pipe before letting the board slide away on its own. ‘This had better be good.’