Read Lina at the Games for Free Online Page B

and clever, she told herself. Calm and clever. ‘Actually,’ she said to Mr Buttersworth, with only a slight waver in her voice, ‘I did a little survey for our school magazine recently. You might be surprised to know there are, in fact, forty-three students who consider themselves new Australians .’ She met Mr Buttersworth’s eye to see how he would respond. Sarah was still picking at her glove.
    â€˜Well . . . that is surprising,’ Sarah’s father said, his lip curling slightly in distaste. ‘Especially in a school of only six hundred students. I suppose it was bound to happen. It’s happening all over Australia, now that our government has this ridiculous open door policy. It’s just a little disappointing to discover that St Brigid’s isn’t more discerning, that’s all. Not that I doubt you’re a good student, Lina. I’m not talking about you, of course. Sarah says you are almost as good a writer as she is!’
    Lina looked at Sarah, who hadn’t taken her eyes off her glove, and decided it would be better not to respond. Instead she smiled briskly in Mr Buttersworth’s direction. ‘Well, I’m glad we’re going to be inside today,’ she said. ‘It looks like it’s going to be a scorcher!’
    I can be just like you, Sister Rosemary, Lina thought proudly. Calm and clever. Calm and clever.

S ARAH ’ S father found a park on Batman Avenue and they walked up to the brand new swimming centre, built especially for the Olympics. Once inside, he took them to the stands reserved for VIPs. Lina was curious to know what kind of  Very Important Person he was, but Sarah was unusually quiet, so Lina didn’t feel like it was the best time to ask. Instead, she rejoiced in the fact that they had a clear view of the pool and were sitting just above the finish line. They would be the first to see who won.
    They watched lots of races, but the person Lina was really waiting for hadn’t appeared yet. She looked down at the program Mr Buttersworth had in his hands and saw that Dawn Fraser’s race wasn’t far off. Then she jotted a quick description of the swimming centre in her ever-present notebook, feeling very official.
    Mr Buttersworth must have seen her furtive scribbling because he turned to his daughter and snapped, ‘I hope you’re taking notes, Sarah. I’m not paying good money for you just to sit back and enjoy yourself, you know!’
    Sarah quickly fumbled around in her handbag for a small notepad and pencil. She flipped open to a clean page and began to write furiously. Lina tucked hers back into the pocket of her school uniform.
    â€˜Sarah will be studying law at Melbourne University, like I did,’ Mr Buttersworth told Lina. ‘Though goodness knows we’ve wasted a fortune on tutors just to keep her at the top of the class. She’s not the sharpest pencil in the pack, you know.’ He winked. ‘I bet your parents don’t have to remind you to do your homework, do they?’
    Lina snuck a look at Sarah, who was shrinking into her seat, growing smaller and quieter by the minute. A father shouldn’t say things like that about his daughter! Lina thought, feeling indignant on Sarah’s behalf. I’m glad Papa isn’t like Mr Buttersworth. Poor Sarah!
    Lina began to feel sorry for Sarah. Was she just like Peter from her primary school? A bully only because she had been bullied?
    â€˜Actually, my parents have to remind me every night,’ Lina joked loudly, shooting Sarah a sympathetic look. But Sarah turned away and stared out over the pool. Lina shrugged. I don’t think I’ll ever understand that girl, she thought. All the same, seeing the way that Sarah was around her father softened Lina’s feelings towards her even more.
    At last it was the race they had been waiting for. Dawn Fraser stepped up onto the blocks and Lina cheered loudly