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leprosy is funny. Rhys and I used to make fake noses out of playdough and pretend we had leprosy.
    Rhys falls asleep and we just have to sit there watching him. At least he has his own room now. I look out the window to the big park outside. There are people walking dogs and a man flying a kite. Beyond the park the tall city buildings are not far away. I imagine riding Atta Girl through the park. And then maybe I’d ride into the city to go to Myer. Everyone would say how amazingly good Atta Girl is with traffic. She would be calm because she knows I would look after her and protect her from trams.
    When we get home Mum and I have quiche for tea because someone left it on our doorstep. Then we have ice-cream. Mum says ice-cream is okay for her diet. Bread and pasta and bananas are bad. I let Angel lick my bowl when I’m finished and Mum doesn’t even say anything.
    I am sick of reading at lunchtime the next day. Lunchtimes go really slowly when you don’t have a group, and it is only Tuesday. I put down my book and get out my sketchpad.
    Charlotte and April walk past on their way to the portable.
    April nudges Charlotte. ‘She’s drawing again.’
    Charlotte says, ‘I have a horse and it definitely doesn’t look like that.’
    They both laugh.
    Charlotte says, ‘Why don’t you go find your Grade 3/4 friends?’
    They walk away. I wish I had said, ‘At least the 3/4s know their 3 times tables.’ But it is too late.
    Morgan walks past with her lunch box. She stops and looks at the book on the bench next to me.
    â€˜I love The Phantom Stallion ,’ she says.
    Maybe Morgan has good taste in books. Or she might be pretending to like the Phantom Stallion to suck up. Anyway, just because I’m not sitting with the group at the moment doesn’t mean I want to start a new group with Morgan. The special circumstances are only until I get my horse and then I can be back in my old group with Charlotte. If I start a new group with Morgan, who knows what would happen?
    I don’t say anything and Morgan walks away.
    Rhys has a big bucket of flowers next to his bed when I come in. I bet he hates them.
    â€˜Who are they from?’ I ask.
    â€˜Shhhhh!’ says Mum. ‘Rhys is asleep.’
    I know that, and her shush is louder than my talking. Anyway, he doesn’t wake up.
    We stare at Rhys for a bit, then I get out The Phantom Stallion.
    â€˜They’re from the school,’ whispers Mum.
    â€˜That’s nice,’ I say.
    â€˜Well it’s the least they could do. None of his friends have even called since he got sick. I offered to bring Cameron to visit, thought it might cheer Rhys up, but Cameron was too busy apparently.’
    â€˜Maybe Cameron doesn’t like hospitals.’
    â€˜Who likes hospitals? That’s not the point. If you’re friends with someone you should be there for them, and not just when it’s all fun and games smoking behind the gym, but when times get tough.’
    â€˜Does Rhys smoke?’
    â€˜No. He just hangs around with people who do.’
    Mum doesn’t usually talk to me about this sort of thing. It is very interesting.
    â€˜Is that why he got suspended?’
    â€˜We shouldn’t be talking about this, Stevie.’ Mum gets out her book.
    The next day at lunchtime I read my book near the portable as usual. I am getting used to being on my own. It’s a lovely day and the sun feels warm on my shoulders. A sparrow lands on the ground next to me and eats some of my sandwich crumbs. Maybe the sparrow will come every lunchtime and we will become friends. He will sit on the windowsill while I’m in class and watch me doing maths.
    Morgan walks past with her lunch box but instead of going back to the portable, she sits next to me on the bench . I did not invite her, she just sits down and starts reading her book, The Diary of Anne Frank . The sparrow flies away. I can’t concentrate