U for Unlikely Underdog at Underbury School

Chapter 21

As Step walked to his new school with Rose and Wattle chatting just in front if him, he felt the loss of his two friends keenly.  They would be starting school today as well but in another part of the city, making new friends and going home to their parents each afternoon. He hadn’t felt so alone since his father bid a hasty goodbye at the front door of the Opera Orphanage for Unwanted Children all those years ago.  How could he bear the future without his closest friends?  He considered slipping into one of the narrow alleyways and spending the day roaming the area but common sense took over and he resigned himself to what lay ahead.  After all, Miss Smiley had trusted them to get to school on their own and he couldn’t let her down.

Step and the girls would be starting Fourth class. Their new school was much larger than the one at Clifton Beach, so their arrival was not as disruptive and they were spread out across three classes.  Scanning the room for friendly faces, Step was amazed to see a very familiar one glowering in the back row.

It was Byron.  Why would he be going to this school?  He lived in one of the leafy suburbs on the North Shore.  It was a puzzle he intended to solve as he sat down next to the obviously unhappy boy.

Byron looked at him with a snarl on his face but his expression changed to one of surprise when he saw who it was.

“Step!  I’m so pleased to see you!  Mate, you don’t how good it is to see a familiar face.”

Encouraged by Byron’s warm reception Step was about to ask what had happened to him when the teacher demanded silence and began speaking.

“Welcome to 4W at Underbury Public School.  My name is Mr Ward and I am a kind and considerate teacher IF you are a kind and considerate pupil. HOWEVER, don’t think you can try any silly business with me or you will find I have turned into someone who will make your life unbearable.  He caught the eyes of each and every student.  UNDERSTOOD?

“Yes, sir, “ they answered in unison.

Mr Ward handed out exercise books and the morning was spent labelling them and designing title pages.  There was no opportunity to talk as the teacher demanded absolute silence when he wasn’t talking about the year ahead.  He mentioned a school camp and an excursion to the museum.  Maybe, thought Step, this might be a better year than he had expected.  Now that Byron was here, at least he knew someone.

It wasn’t until playtime that he was able to ask Byron the burning question.  What was he doing at Underbury?

Byron looked sheepish.  “I was expelled from my last school so Dad had to find another school that would take me.  He works in the city, not far from here, so he thought he could keep an eye on me.  If I step out of line, he will be here like a shot.”

“What did you do to get expelled?” Step asked breathlessly.  It seemed like a terrible thing to be so bad that you were forcibly ejected from your school.

“I threw a chair across the room and the stupid teacher stood in front of it and broke her hand.  I had no intention of hurting anyone.  I was just really angry because she always blamed me for everything and this time it wasn’t my fault.  She said I stole her purse because I was in the classroom at lunchtime.  I mean, who leaves their money in an unlocked classroom?”

“Did you steal it?” Step asked quietly.

“No, of course not.  And I know who did, but I don’t tell tales, so I got the blame.”

“So were you expelled for hurting the teacher or stealing the purse?

“Both, I s’pose.  I’ve got a short fuse, as you know.”  He grinned at Step. “It wasn’t the first time I was in trouble, so the school said, ‘Enough is enough’ and I was out on my ear.  If I get into trouble at this school Dad is sending me to a strict boarding school where I can only go home for Christmas.”

“Well, its good to have a fresh start and I hope you’ll be my friend because I don’t know anyone here, except Rose and Wattle, and they don’t count because I don’t like them much anyway.”

“We are mates,” Byron put both hands on Step’s shoulders. “You are the only person who ever understood me. Together we will show this school who’s in charge.”

Step wasn’t sure what Byron meant by that but at least he no longer felt alone. Nevertheless he would have to do his best to keep Byron on the straight and narrow. The year ahead was promising to be much more interesting than he had imagined.

END OF CHAPTER 21