Mr Priestly patted Rainy on the arm, his soft purple cardigan felt like a soothing whisper on her bruised arm.

'The class wouldn't be the same without you, little one. You be off now. I need to go and have a word with Mr Pope. I'll see you in class.'�

Mr Priestly made to walk off, but then turned around and looked Rainy in the eye.

'Rhiannon, I do hope you won't let these bullies get you down, OK? Make you feel as though you aren't ... worth something. You are worth something very ... just, don't let them get on top of you, OK?'� He cleared his throat and Rainy was surprised to see his eyes had become wet and shiny.

'Just ... you need to look after yourself. It's very important.'� The misty eyes and grim face suddenly gave way to a broan smile and chuckle.

'And that means marching postahste to the sick bay for you, if you don't mind!'�

He turned around, and was gone.

Rainy didn't mind having to go to the sick bay. She could take her book with her, and just sit for awhile in the quiet, with her friend. Books were Rainy's best friends, apart from the Dragons, of course. Books were much better than people ' or at least most of the people Rainy knew. Mr Priestly was nice, and Nurse Jennesis was always gentle when she was fixing up Rainy's cuts. And the rest of the teachers were not bad, all except Mr Pope, of course, who was always nasty to everyone, even Rainy. And Ms Chappell, the sports teacher, even though she was always growling at Rainy to run harder, get tougher, try more '� she always yelled at the other kids when they picked on Rainy, and sometimes patted her, just briefly, but in a nice way, when she got sad.

And there was one boy in English who sometimes smiled at her when she answered questions. His name was Lugus, and sometimes the Gang teased him about his name. But they never beat him. They knew he was strong. He won all the wrestling matches at school, and some people said he was a boxer as well.

Rainy wished she was a boxer. Or an expert swordsman or fencer. Then she could be brave and fight them. Then they might write a book about her, and she could live there, with people who thought she was a hero, instead of just the skinny little girl with the silly name and the silly glasses and weird bumps on her knees. In fact, Rainy didn't quite care if she changed into a boxer, or a swordsman, or an archer, just as long as she changed. As long as she was different. As long as she didn't have to be stupid Rainy, class outcast, any more.

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