Truly Tan Baffled

My heart thumps. She got the message! I’mmagical too, just like her! I smile brightly and give Rose a little wave. But her face is empty. She gives me a blank stare. Did she even get my message? I can’t tell. But I think she did, otherwise why would she turn around? A blank stare is a good thing to get from Rose. I find it very encouraging. Then Mr Lamble gives a stern talk about bad manners in the school canteen and also about healthy eating. These are boring topics. Then Miss Dragone reminds us of the anti-bullying pledge and the THINK before you speak rule that we all know off by heart. ‘These are delay tactics,’ whispers Gloria. ‘They know we’re busting to hear who’s won King and Queen and they’re just stringing us along.’ ‘Affirmative,’ I say. ‘I’m fed up with this assembly and I bet Rose is too.’ But then there is more! We have to say ‘farewell and have a good life’ to a grade five boy that we hardly know. He is moving to another town and a new school, and it is the rule that he gets a farewell

25