Balaclava Boy Read Online Free Page A

duty.
    Mrs Twetwe is mega-large and mega-strict and big time fierce and scary! She’s the only teacher in the whole school without a nickname. No one has ever dared to think up one for her. Not even the Grade Sevens.
    Mrs Twetwe blew her duty whistle. Hard! Everyone stopped to cover their poor ears. “The whole lot of you: Mr Rasool’s office! Now!” she commanded. No one dared to argue.

8
    Thursday Sixth Period
    â€œFighting?!” Mr Rasool shook his head sadly at all of us. “Children, our world is full of violence. And now you want to add more? Right here in Colliery Primary?”
    Big tears started running down our headmaster’s cheeks. They plopped onto the papers on his desk. But then he noticed the blood staining Tommy’s balaclava. So he sent us Grade Fours back to Miss Venter. The Grade Fives had to stay behind and listen some more.
    Dumisani and I walked with Tommy safe between us. Tommy was limping and rubbing his arm. But he didn’t seem bothered. Instead he wanted to talk about Mr Rasool.
    â€œI just can’t believe it!” Balaclava Boy said. “I’ve been to seven different schools. Seven! Even a school overseas in Scotland. But I’ve never, ever seen a headmaster cry before. Nor even a headmistress.”
    â€œThat’s why we call him Mr Mosi,” said Dumisani.
    â€œWhy Mr Mosi?”
    â€œWell, New Bru,” Dumisani explained, “it’s short for Mosi-oa-Tunya. You know, the other name for Victoria Falls.”
    Tommy nodded his red-and-orange striped head. “I get it!” he laughed. I was happy to see he could still laugh. He was being really brave.
    Back in class Miss Venter told us to get out our stupid boring reading books. Even though it was sixth period and not reading time. Then she took Tommy off to our first-aid lady, Mrs Modise, aka the Germolene Queen.
    â€œKeep reading until we get back,” Miss Venter said at the door.
    But even Cherise couldn’t concentrate on her reading. She kept tapping her pencil on her desk like she was squashing ants. Then she went to stand in front.
    â€œListen, class,” she said. She sounded like Miss Venter. “For Free Orals tomorrow, I’m not going to read out your notes. Is that okay? I know you worked hard on them. But I think we must leave Tommy in peace about his balaclava and stop bugging him. He’s had enough hassles. We don’t want him to feel worse. He can tell us when he’s ready to tell us. So is that okay?”
    â€œListen, class,” she said.
    Up and down the rows, everyone agreed.
    â€œCool.”
    â€œNo problem.”
    â€œFine by me.”
    â€œYeah, poor guy! Give him a break!”
    And that was the moment Dumisani and I suddenly looked at each other. We just knew we were both thinking the same thing. We both had exactly the same idea. It happens with us sometimes. I suppose because we’ve been friends since we were little.
    â€œHey, Cherise,” I said. “This is just an idea, right? But what about …? Nah!” I stopped. Maybe our idea would sound silly.
    â€œWhat about what, Doogal?” Cherise was still in front, still sounding like a teacher.
    â€œWell, why don’t we ask everyone …? Nah. They’d never do it.”
    Cherise was getting impatient. “Never do what, Doogal?”
    Dumisani took over now. “Nah, you’ll probably just think it’s stupid.”
    Cherise put her hands on her hips. “Oh, grow up, Big Ds. Just tell me.”
    We both had exactly the same idea.
    So we did. Well, Dumisani did. He stood up in the front too and explained.
    And we were in for a surprise! Cherise thought it was a brilliant idea! Absolutely brilliant! So did everyone else! They clapped and cheered. Obakeng gave one of his whistles – long and ear-splitting. Thandi and Hannah and Innocent yelled, “Party-time! Party-time!” at the tops of their voices.
    So of course