I’d already decided I wasn’t going to lay the Scorpus problem on him, but after hearing about him probably losing his job I wasn’t going to even more. I didn’t want to add to his worries.

Billiam came bounding back with the stick. I threw it again and he galloped off after it again.

Dad pointed upwards. ‘Look!’

A bright silver streak was moving across the velvety blue sky.

‘Is that a shooting star?’

‘That’s right.’

‘You can make a wish on it?’

Dad laughed. ‘Well, that’s the story. It’s really just a meteor, burning up as it hits the Earth’s atmosphere. A chunk of rock from space. So I don’t quite see how it could grant wishes . . .’

‘Well, I’m going to wish,’ I said. ‘You never know!’

‘Better hurry then, before it burns up!’

My mind started working fast. As fast as the meteor. I could wish that Scorpus would leave me and Evan alone. Or that I was so strong I could pick him up and chuck him over the school wall. But then, what about Dad and his job – maybe I should wish he’d keep it? Or even get a promotion? And then I thought, if I wished for a million pounds it wouldn’t matter about his job. And it was then I thought, What if I wished for a million wishes? Then I could take care of everything.

I want to make it clear that I didn’t actually believe in the wish at this point. I didn’t really think a piece of hurtling space-rock could or would change the world for me. It was just comforting to think about it – like it’s sort of comforting to pray sometimes, even if you don’t believe in God.

So I said, in my head, I wish for a million wishes.

The shooting star disappeared behind the trees.

My dad’s like, ‘Did you wish?’

‘Yeah, I wished.’

‘What for?’

‘Better not tell. Or it won’t come true.’

My dad gave a little smile. A sort of slightly weary, grown-up smile. ‘I don’t expect it’ll come true anyway, Sam.’

‘No, I s’pose it won’t.’

But in my head I was saying, I wish Scorpus doesn’t beat me or Evan up tomorrow. And I wish Dad keeps his job.

Which meant, theoretically, I had nine hundred and ninety-nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-eight wishes left.

I didn’t bother to wish for the million pounds, though. That seemed a bit too unlikely.

We turned back and went home, and I went to bed.