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then opened my mouth, not quite sure what was going to come out. I just hoped it would be words, and luckily it was.
    â€˜I didn’t want to come here,’ I said. ‘My last school was pretty good and I had a lot of mates. We kicked butt at most sports, and yeah, I did OK. I was gunna be the cricket captain this year. Maybe even school captain. And I was booked in for St Andrew’s College next year. Then my mum and dad lost all their money in this company they worked for. Antelope Investments, it was called. You might have seen it on TV. It went belly up. We lost our house and everything. So we had to move here. Now we’re living in a rental place my grandpa owns, and I’ll tell you the truth, ever since we got here I’ve hated everything about Tarrawagga. So I wasn’t going to give a rat’s arse whether we beat other schools or not. But now . . . well, I kind of . . . admire . . . the way you’ve got everyone trying so hard at cricket and netball, to beat Maxwell and all that. I’d really like to start training with you guys. And to get in the team if I’m good enough.’
    He laughed. ‘Yeah, you’d probably scrape in all right.’ Then he added: ‘Did you know I’m Aboriginal?’
    â€˜Nuh.’
    â€˜Well, I am.’
    I didn’t know what that had to do with anything, so I didn’t answer. He said: ‘When we were at Bromwich the other day, this kid tried to tell me you were a cricket stud and I thought he was being funny.’
    That would have been Angus. I’d kill him next time I saw him.
    â€˜So can I come to training?’ I asked.
    â€˜Far as I’m concerned. It’s really up to Mr Surrey though.’
    â€˜That’s not good. He hates my guts.’
    â€˜Yeah, maybe a bit. He’s not that bad but. Thing is, at least he cares about this school. For a long time we had teachers same as you – they didn’t want to be here, they hated the place, they just wanted to be at rich posh schools in the city. But there’s a few of them now, they don’t take the first transfer they get, they stay here. I know for a fact Mr Surrey’s been offered jobs at much better schools than this one.’
    â€˜THANK YOU, REDMOND.’
    We both jumped a metre or so. It was like the voice of God, booming around the hall. Not that I’ve ever heard the voice of God. But this was a huge voice that filled the place. We looked around in shock, trying to find where it was coming from.
    â€˜That you, Mr Surrey?’ Red asked.
    â€˜YES,’ said the voice. Then, a bit more quietly: ‘Up here, in the sound box.’
    We looked up, and there he was. He stepped out of the sound box, closing the door behind him. ‘I came in to fiddle around with the audio, before tonight’s play,’ he explained, in his normal voice. He sounded so quiet, after being on the microphone. ‘I wasn’t expecting to hear a live drama while I was doing it. But it was very helpful in getting the sound levels right.’
    â€˜You mean we were on the microphones?’ Red asked.
    â€˜Every word you both said was amplified nicely.’
    My face must have matched Red’s name. I groaned. Did I have to make a complete mess of everything? And what exactly had I said about Mr Surrey? I couldn’t remember, but I knew it was bad.
    â€˜So, Josh, am I to take it that you’re a bit of a cricketer after all?’
    Red laughed. ‘He can do everything. He got 72 against us on Saturday, in the Under 14s, and I was bowling the best I’ve ever bowled. The only way we could get him was to run him out.’
    â€˜Thanks to you,’ I said.
    Mr Surrey came down a few steps. ‘And I gather you’re willing to lower yourself to play for Tarrawagga now?’
    â€˜It’s not lowering myself,’ I said. His tone made me angry. Did he always have to be so sarcastic? ‘Anyway, I offered to