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all … not unless you’re in goal.” I knew it would get him going, but I couldn’t help myself.
    “A soccer poof?” His face puckered into an even deeper sneer and he moved closer, standing right in front of me.
    “No. I’ve played a bit of soccer, but I don’t reckon I’m a poof.”
    He reached out and shoved me in the chest. Hard. A stiff-arm fend, and I stumbled backwards. “Well,
most
of them are poofs,” he said.
    Regaining my balance, I ran my eyes over him. He was a lot bigger than me, but he looked soft, with a fairly thick layer of flab. Did I want to stir him up? I took a deep breath and steadied myself. “I guess you’d know. Pretty much into the touchy-feely stuff yourself, aren’t you?” I watched as his eyes narrowed dangerously. “But
I’m
not a poof,” I went on, “so maybe you could keep your hands off me.”
    “You gettin’ smart?” He thrust his chin out at me, chest heaving.
    “No, not really. You didn’t need to shouldercharge me though.” I forced a grin. “Let’s call it quits.” Inwardly, I was cursing. I didn’t need this. Winding up the school bully wasn’t going to do anything for me.
You’re a bloody fool, Cully
.
    “Whadda they call you? Cully? Well, listen, Cully … you give me lip an’ I’ll
do
you. You’ll wish I’d just fed you through the shit shredder.” He glanced over his shoulder. The lunch break was nearly over and one of the teachers on duty was wandering nearby, so for the moment I was safe from either being done or shit-shredded. Whatever that was.
    I was wild though. Wild with Burger, and even wilder with myself. First day at a new school and I’d dropped myself right in it. I could tell there was no way he would ever let things rest. And I knew he wouldn’t play fair if he decided to show me who was boss. Stupid thing was, I didn’t care
who
was boss. As long as it wasn’t me.
    Still angry with myself, I made my way to afternoon class, clutching my student guide open at the map page. I wasn’t exactly lost, but I was gazing around to check my bearings. And that’s when I saw the girl.
    She was sitting on an outside bench under the classroom windows. Just as I’d seen her on the jetty, eyes lowered, a glossy curtain of hair hiding most of her face. This time she was wired for sound, her head swaying rhythmically to the beat of whatever was on her iPod. Beside her, a blond girl was busy catching up on her homework, her folder balanced on one knee. They seemed to be together, and when the teacher appeared, one nudged the other and they both rose to their feet.
    There were plenty of other kids milling around, mostly waiting for my English class. Everyone lined up and we filed inside. Somehow I’d been thinking of the girl I’d seen at the ferry as a loner, but she sat with the blond and a couple of other girls about halfway from the front. They were talking quietly and getting ready for work. As far as I could tell, she hadn’t recognised me – or even noticed me. I found a seat on the other side of the room.
    We were being sorted into debating groups. I hate public speaking, but I knew I wasn’t going to get out of it. Teams were listed on the whiteboard, groups of four. At least I found out her name. Kat. I wasn’t in her team though. Ended up with Simon and a couple of girls I hadn’t seen before. And some homework – preparing arguments to support the moot
Sport is beneficial to the health of society
.
    Weird name, Kat. Spelled with a K. Short for something, I supposed. Kathryn? Katrina? Katharsis? Anyway, her group was down as our opposition, taking the negative. At the end of the period I watched her leave. She filed out with all the others, and I didn’t see her again.
    Not till I reached the ferry wharf.
    It was starting to rain, so I moved inside the tiny shelter, and there she was. She raised her eyes as I sat down, and I nodded to her with a half-smile. I mean, we
were
classmates. She held my eye for a few seconds and