Free Launched! by J A Mawter Page A

ended up with the boy.’
    Mio leant closer. ‘But it doesn’t tell us the boy was in the tunnel. And it doesn’t tell us how it lost its head. Or where the boy found it.’ Mio threw up her hands and shook her head. ‘We really don’t know much, do we?’
    ‘Mio Shinozaki,’ said Bryce. ‘Lawyer of the future.’
    ‘I don’t want to be a lawyer.’
    ‘Well you should. You’d be good.’
    Mio pulled a face. Everyone kept telling her she should be a lawyer but in her heart of hearts she yearned to be a teacher. But teachers didn’t rate in her parents’ eyes: they didn’t earn enough money.
    Clem looked at the doll. It was pretty new, clean, not like a much-loved doll. ‘I can’t believewhat happened yesterday,’ she said, changing the subject. ‘How’d it turn into a fight?’
    ‘I can’t believe it either,’ said Bryce. ‘One minute Bella and I are wandering along, minding our own business and the next, kappow!’ Bryce dipped his finger into his chocolate then added, ‘It all happened so fast.’
    ‘Who were they?’ asked Mio. ‘Did anyone get a good look at their faces?’
    Heads shook all round.
    ‘But they got a good look at ours…’
    The kids fell silent. It was bad enough to have got into a rumble. It was ten times worse when you couldn’t recognise who it was with. But it was infinitely worse when they could recognise you.
    ‘I’m pretty sure I could recognise my guy’s bike,’ said Bryce. ‘It was a Pitball, silver. Red tyres.’
    Mio interrupted. ‘Only the front tyre was red. The back one was black like any other.’
    ‘Thanks, Detective Mio.’
    ‘We’d know it if we saw it again.’
    Just as Bryce was about to answer a group of people shuffled into the canteen. Clem took one look then whooped with delight and raced over to them, flinging her arms around one embarrassed boy.
    ‘Hello, Clem.’ Tong grinned sheepishly as he prised himself away. Darcy, Bryce and Miobounded over too, much to the amusement of an older couple standing to the side. Mrs Burridge, the principal, was not amused, however, and clapped her hands for silence.
    Tong turned to the couple, grabbed each by the hand and dragged them into the group. With a sweep of his hand he said, ‘Auntie Kim-Ly and Uncle Hai,’ then gestured to the others, ‘this Clem, Darcy, Mio and Bryce.’
    ‘It is a pleasure to meet you,’ said Auntie Kim-Ly. ‘Tong has told us so much about you.’
    ‘All good, I hope,’ said Darcy.
    ‘Some good,’ corrected Tong, and the group laughed, even Mrs Burridge. Tong beamed, letting the whole world see his excitement. ‘Start next Monday. School make me smart.’
    ‘Full smart,’ said Darcy, giving a friendly nudge.
    ‘Students!’ Mrs Burridge’s voice rang out. ‘Shouldn’t you be off to class?’ The kids filed out dutifully. Clem was the last one to go through the door, but before she did she bobbed back and called across the vast expanse of room, ‘Good to have you here, Tong!’
    Tong smiled, but felt a stab of pain at the same time. He felt such a mix of emotions—joy at starting school and getting away from those tedious English classes, sadness that his mum and dad couldn’t be here, elation that he was beinggiven a fresh start in life, and despair that Tuyen, his brother, was not able to share this experience. His parents and Tuyen were still in Vietnam. Tong ached for the day they could join him.
    After school Tong met with the others at The Van. He wore a smile so big it stretched his tastebuds as he announced, ‘My turn for food. Sit still and be quiet.’
    ‘Yes, sir!’
    Tong pulled a sealed plastic container from a bag, placed it gently on top of the TV and peeled back the lid. ‘These called banh chung. Vietnamese eat for Tet, our New Year. Not Tet now. Auntie Kim-Ly make special.’
    ‘What are they?’ asked Clem.
    ‘Vietnamese rice cake in banana leaf.’ Tong pulled out one of the square parcels and held it up. ‘We offer to