She looks critically at her bear. ‘So what’s the big attraction with space?’

‘Have you ever been to a zoo and thought the animals looked sad?’

‘I suppose so. Once I sat staring at a gorilla, and he sat staring at me, and I think we shared a moment.’

‘Well, I know how they feel. Earth is too small. I want to explore as far as I possibly can!’

I guess this must have burst out of me because Annie draws back and laughs.

‘And being weightless would be amazing,’ I add. ‘Doesn’t everyone want to fly?’

Annie looks right at me. ‘I dream that I’m flying.’

‘Me too.’

‘Have my bear,’ she says, passing me her squishy model. ‘I know it looks more like a paper poo, but it’s the thought that counts.’

Soon we’ve made a small zoo of animals and Mr Curtis tells us we can pack up.

‘Thanks for the wonderful waste of time, Sir,’ says Annie as she heads for the door.

‘Not a waste of time,’ he says. ‘You were learning to break down a task into easy steps. Before you go, Annie …’

She’s already halfway out of the room. ‘What?’

‘You’ve all got some homework.’

‘No.’ She shakes her head, making her wild hair fly. ‘No, we haven’t.’

‘Yes, you have.’ Mr Curtis says this just as firmly and they stare at each other, eyes narrowed.

‘What is it?’

‘One of the main objectives of Student in the Spotlight is to encourage supportive networks that bridge existing friendship groups.’

‘What?’ says Jackson.

‘He wants to force us to become friends,’ says Annie, visibly sagging over her crutches.

‘No, I want this wonderful group that’s forming before my eyes to last. I’d like you to connect out of school, socially, just for twenty minutes or so. I think it would be an extremely powerful experience for you to see each other as individuals, without the barriers of uniform, timetables and social groups.’

‘Are you serious?’ Annie blinks at Mr Curtis and down on his beanbag, Jackson starts to laugh. ‘It won’t be an extremely powerful experience,’ Annie says, shaking her head. ‘It will be an extremely awkward experience!’

‘We could go bowling,’ says Jackson. ‘Or to Laser Quest! Oh my God, Annie in Laser Quest! We’d all be dead in two minutes.’

‘It’s not happening,’ says Annie. ‘I want to hang out with my real friends out of school.’

‘I think it would be totally cool,’ says Rose. She’s been smiling since Mr Curtis mentioned the idea. ‘How about tomorrow?’

‘Obviously I can’t force you to do it,’ says Mr Curtis, ‘but I think you should give it a go, just once …’

‘I’m busy tomorrow,’ I say, thinking of the science workshop.

‘Sunday?’ says Rose.

Rose is small and has plump cheeks and round brown eyes. There’s something about her that reminds me a bit of Elsa: her feelings show on her face immediately, and right now her face is showing hope and excitement. I guess no one wants to wipe that look off her face because Jackson says, ‘Three o’clock. McDonald’s?’