Bleakboy and Hunter Stand Out in the Rain Read Free Page A

metal attack. I’m not sure how Larry will respond. He may write a ‘Thought for the Day’ to counteract all the harsh vibes the music will give out.
    â€˜Hi, Jesse,’ says Kate, a girl in my class with curly black hair and braces.
    â€˜Hi, Kate. Thanks for not calling me Emo.’
    Kate looks around quickly for Hunter before leaning close and whispering, ‘Hunter is a turnip.’ Kate adds, ‘Did you do your personal assessment tasks?’
    That’s what we’re supposed to call homework.
    â€˜Yep. I read a book on the bell frog and drew a picture of it. What was your topic?’
    â€˜Whales.’ Kate winks. ‘I’ve taken a slightly different approach.’ She leads me into our classroom in Arnold and we take our seats near the front. The rest of the class are already seated, except Hunter. He’s sitting on the window ledge. He makes a gloomy sound at the back of his throat when I walk in, like the theme music to a horror movie.
    He’s about to say something when Sarah, our teacher, walks in.
    â€˜Good morning, Class 6S,’ she says.
    â€˜Good morning, Sarah,’ we respond together, except Hunter. He times his greeting to be half-a-second behind, like an echo.
    Sarah flashes him a tired look and he slowly sits down on his chair. She stands in front of the class and says, ‘Okay. Let’s have a selection of readings from your personal assessment tasks.’
    I raise my hand.
    â€˜Yes, Jesse.’
    â€˜I didn’t write anything, Ms, I mean Sarah. I just drew something.’
    Sarah smiles. ‘No worries. We’ll have a selection of readings and displays of your tasks. Who wants to start?’
    Everyone raises their hands, except Hunter and me.
    â€˜Anastasia first,’ says Sarah. She walks to the side window and leans against the ledge, facing into the room. She smiles at Anastasia, who stands and picks up her glasses from her desk. She puts them on before reading her story. Her voice is distant and rhythmic, like the sound of a train going over a bridge.
    Anastasia’s story is about a girl finding an injured marsupial bilby in the bush and nursing it back to health. In the story, the main character is called Anastasia and she learns how to communicate with the bilby. They live together in the forest and eat mushrooms and mangoes. One day while foraging for food, they meet a handsome young man called Justin B.
    Anastasia blushes, before continuing with the story.
    Justin B is a reclusive pop star who’s made his home in the forest to escape the thousands of young girls who scream outside his Malibu apartment. Together, Anastasia and Justin B write a song called ‘One less lonely bilby’.
    When Anastasia finishes her story, everyone applauds, except Hunter who coughs loudly.
    Sarah looks up. ‘Are you all right, Hunter?’
    Hunter grins. ‘I think I need to go to Walter.’
    Sarah nods and Hunter walks out of the room, singing, ‘I’m off to Walter, Walter the toilet block’.
    â€˜That’s enough, Hunter,’ Sarah calls after him.
    â€˜No worries, Sarah.’
    He’s left the door open. Without thinking, I get up to close it.
    â€˜Thanks, Jesse.’
    â€˜That’s okay, Sarah. Can I lock it as well?’ The class giggles, but Sarah smiles and says, ‘We’re inclusive, remember Jesse?’
    â€˜Would you like to go next, Kate?’ asks Sarah.
    Kate stands and confidently walks to the front of the room. She looks at everyone in the class, smiling at me, and in a loud voice, begins, ‘My story is about whales’.
    â€˜Ooh, they’re so beautiful,’ says Skye, from the second row.
    Kate ignores her. ‘Whales are mammals that live in the ocean. They range in size from the giant blue whale to the much smaller pygmy sperm whale.’ Kate looks up at Sarah. Sarah nods.
    Kate continues, ‘The common minke whale is the main species