Read After for Free Online Page B

Franger. As soon as the teachers saw me they stopped talking and stared at the ground.
    Sometimes I missed my old life so much I wanted to punch something.
    My old life—skateboarding with Michael, Lochie and Nic, hanging it on Spew, yelling jokes across the science room until Ms Callaghan’s cried, playing footy for the school’s senior team and soccer with Nic.
    But if I couldn’t have that, I’d settle for being invisible. Except my invisibility bubble burst Friday afternoon.
    ‘Listen up, thank you,’ said Mr Agar, striding into class after lunch.
    Klay slunk back to his seat. Shelley slipped her magazine into her desk drawer.
    ‘Have we got PE, Mr Agar?’ asked Frewen, his chair balanced on its back legs.
    ‘Sit forward before you fall and splatter your brains all over the room, Jack.’
    ‘Gross, Mr Agar,’ squealed Em.
    ‘Then we’d have two spazs in the—’
    ‘Klay!’ snapped Mr Agar. ‘We don’t have PE. You have art with Ms Nugent.’
    ‘You’re kidding,’ groaned Frewen. ‘We’re supposed to have PE.’
    ‘That sucks.’ Miffo thumped his desk. ‘No offence, Matt,’ he added, elbowing Matt Nugent, who I figured was Ms Nugent’s son.
    ‘If it’s such a problem, I’ll withdraw our school from the interschool sports day that I’m organising.’
    Klay sat straighter in his seat and Frewen leant forward, his eyes bright. ‘When is it?’
    ‘October. For a full day, with students from Millington College, Our Lady’s—’
    ‘Awesome,’ said Miffo.
    Everyone started high-fiving each other. Everyone except me, the round kid, Vinnie and Luke.
    ‘So I take it it’s all right if I go to the meeting this afternoon and you have art?’
    ‘Yeah,’ said Jack.
    ‘Good, and if you behave yourselves, I’ll fit in an extra PE next week,’ added Mr Agar, picking up his briefcase. ‘Now that’s sorted, art room, thanks.’
    Chairs scraped, desks banged and people chatted.
    Jack, Klay, Miffo and Matt tried to squeeze through the doorway all at once. The other boys, except me and Luke, raced after them.
    Shelley and the short girl, Jazmin, discussed a movie they’d watched. A girlie film judging by the ‘oh nos’ and ‘that’s so gorrrrgeous’.
    I followed, hands in my jeans pocket.
    A cackle from the ramp opposite made me look up. Klay was pointing and laughing. I turned to see what the big deal was. Luke was walking behind me, hands in his pockets, head low. I took my hands from my pockets and clasped them in front of me and Luke did the same.
    Great. So now the special kid was hanging it on me. I gritted my teeth.
    Mr Agar, oblivious to what was happening, stepped inside the art room. He and a teacher I figured was Ms Nugent chatted in front of the window. She watched me with pale eyes and a sharp face. She reminded me of a crow. It wasn’t hard to read her lips. ‘I’ll watch him.’
    Mr Agar strutted out the door. Frewen and his mates were still laughing.
    ‘Okay, everyone, inside and sit at the tables. Frewen, Miffo and Klay, don’t sit together. Matt, I’m sure you’ll behave for your mother. See you next week, or at tomorrow’s match against Millo.’ He did this bizarre salute thing, as though he was flicking something off the rim of an imaginary hat, and strolled down the ramp. He paused beside me. ‘You’ll enjoy art. Matt’s mum knows her stuff. Coming to the footy tomorrow?’
    ‘I don’t think so,’ I said, longing to be invisible again.
    Mr Agar shrugged.
    ‘Figured the club president’s grandson would be there.’
    I bit the inside of my cheek to stop the groan that was building in my throat. Training. Macka’s corkie. It all made sense. As if living in a town lost in time wasn’t bad enough, Grandpa was the president of the local footy club.
    ‘I’ll see you tomorrow, Callum, if you change your mind.’ Mr Agar swaggered to the office.
    ‘Callum?’ called out Ms Nugent from the doorway.
    The only seat left in the art room was beside Luke.
    Even