he teacher takes the note from your unwilling hand and slowly reads it. Your face is burning so hotly you’re afraid you’ll get skin cancer. Where’s the fifteen plus?

With a nasty smile, Ms Janzen turns to face the class. ‘Looks like we’ve got a pair of love-birds in here,’ she coos. ‘My, you’re quick workers, aren’t you? First day and you’re into it already. Seems like schoolwork isn’t going to be a big priority with you two.’

‘Read it out!’ some jerk yells.

‘We don’t want to spoil a romance, do we?’ the teacher says. ‘But on the other hand it is a good piece of creative writing.’ And then suddenly making up her mind she reads it! With all the expression she can muster. Then she says to you: ‘I’d appreciate it if you saved your love affairs for out-of-school time.’

You slink back to your seat like a criminal. ‘But why should you feel like a criminal,’ you ask yourself. You haven’t done anything wrong.

Sam won’t even look at you, which makes it worse.

At recess you finally get to talk. ‘I’m sorry,’ you say. ‘But she didn’t give me any choice. Mean old cane toad.’

‘Yeah,’ Sam agrees. ‘Everyone says she’s the worst teacher in the school. How would she like it if we read her mail?’

That gives you an idea. A frightening and exciting idea. You sit up straighter.

‘Hey listen,’ you say, ‘I know what we can do!’

As you explain your scheme, a look of horror comes over Sam’s face.

‘Gee, I don’t know about that . . . do you really think we should?’