‘Argh!’ I shriek, dropping the bowl with a clatter and clutching my hand to my chest as the birds take one final flight. Ben almost jumps out of his skin.
‘Sorry,’ I apologise. ‘I didn’t realise what they were.’ I quickly bend down and pick up the bowl, but can’t bring myself to touch the dead animals.
‘You’re alright, don’t worry.’ Ben chuckles as he takes the bowl from me and retrieves the chicks.
‘Sorry,’ I say again as my face heats up. ‘That was a major over-reaction. And to think I used to want to be a vet.’
He puts the bowl filled with chicks on the counter. ‘Used to? he says. ‘Why not any more?’
‘My grades weren’t good enough,’ I reply, embarrassed, as I watch him go over to the bags of feed and start rummaging around inside one.
‘Grades? Are you at uni?’
‘No,’ I scoff. ‘I’m still at school.’
‘School?’ He stops what he’s doing and looks at me with amazement. ‘How old are you?’
‘Fifteen, almost sixteen.’
His eyes widen. ‘I thought you were a lot older than that.’
‘You’re the second person to say that to me in twenty-four hours.’
‘Really? Who was the other person?’
‘Josh. Michael’s—’
‘I know Josh,’ he interrupts, shaking his head wryly. ‘Watch out for that one.’
A thrill goes through me as I remember glimpsing Josh’s sexy stomach last night. ‘What makes you say that?’ I try to keep my voice sounding light and airy.
‘Half of the girls in the area would be able to tell you.’
My heart dips at this revelation. Oblivious, Ben comes over and hands me a small brown paper bag.
‘What’s this?’
‘Pellets. Roo food.’
‘Thanks.’ I’m touched. He then picks up the bowl from the countertop.
‘Anyway, don’t worry about Josh,’ I say. ‘I can look after myself.’
‘I’d keep your bedroom door locked at night in any case,’ he says, as we leave the building. When I look back at him he appears shamefaced. ‘Sorry, that was inappropriate,’ he says.
‘Why?’ I’m confused.
‘You’re only fifteen.’
I laugh and pat his arm condescendingly, because I hate being treated like a child. ‘I’m a big girl, don’t worry.’
He scratches his head and tells me, ‘Look, I’ve got to do the devil talk now. If you want to watch, it’s just over there. Michael asked me to bring you to the staffroom for lunch afterwards.’
‘It’s fine, I know where the staffroom is.’
‘Okay, whatever you like.’ He checks his watch and gives me an awkward smile before nodding at the nearby stone-walled enclosure.
‘You go on,’ I urge. ‘I’ll come and watch.’ It’s about time I discovered what this carnivorous marsupial thingie looks like.
