(no subject)

It wasn't a good start to the new school year for Coral. Rong was moving away, because his parents' workplace was being moved out of the UK. Extremely Brian had exciting news too - he was being skipped a year. Coral was glad for him, of course, but it now meant she was back to having no close friends in her class.

She'd distracted herself over the summer by trying to do all of Miss Havisham's extra credit sheets, just as Fry did a few years ago, but eventually decided this was boring and only did about half of them.

"It'll be fine." Mum reassured her as she got ready for school on the first day back. "Friendships change all the time at your age, some of the girls who you weren't friends with before might change their minds. And there's going to be a few new kids, most likely, if two have moved out of your class."

***

As she enters the playground, she does indeed notice a couple of new faces. One girl is hiding in a corner of the playground trying to be invisible. So naturally she gravitates over to her.

"Coral!" Before Coral can reach the new girl, Hannah skips over and gives her a hug. Coral returns the hug, but she's puzzled. Hannah has ignored her existence for about the last two years, in favour of Karol.

"Hi Hannah. Where's Karol?"

"Don't know, don't care." Hannah says. Coral supposes they've fallen out again. "Why don't we be friends again this term?"

"Well, last time we were friends, you ditched me." Coral says.

"Oh, that was aaaaages ago." Hannah says.

Coral looks around for the new girl, but the girl has gone. Hannah is talking to her at top speed. Maybe Hannah really has changed. And given she hasn't got many other options right now, Coral supposes she might be worth another chance.

"Did you do any of Miss Havisham's extra credit?" she asks.

"Of course not!" Hannah says, with a laugh.

"Oh. I did quite a bit." Coral says.

"Yeah, well your parents are very strict, aren't they?" Hannah says.

"Oh, yeah." Coral says. "Well, a bit strict. But they didn't make me..."

The bell goes, and Hannah takes her hand and practically drags her to line up before she can explain.

Miss Havisham welcomes them to her class, and introduce the new girl as Mae. Mae sits with her head down, staring at the table, hardly even daring to look at anyone. When she asks for a volunteer to look after Mae, Coral shoots her hand up.

"Thank you Coral." Miss Havisham says. At the end of the class she calls Coral aside.

"You've done very well to do so much extra credit." she says. "I hope you know that you don't have to do as many as Fry did."

"I know." Coral says.

"I reward people for trying hard." Miss Havisham says. "So I don't want you to worry about your dyslexia. While we do have a lot of spelling tests, and I expect you to revise the same as the others, you won't be penalised if you don't succeed. I know you are a good girl and I can trust you to try your best."

"Thanks Miss Havisham." Coral says.

"Also, Mr Irons has taken the trouble to produce all our spellings for the year on what he calls 'dyslexia friendly font'." Miss Havisham says, handing her a booklet. "Wasn't invented back in my day, but I don't object. One more thing, Coral. I'm glad you've agreed to help Mae. I think you might be just the right person."

"Of course I'll help her." Coral says.

"Mae has something called 'Selective mutism'." Miss Havisham says. "She hasn't spoken to anyone for two years."

"Two years?" Coral tries to imagine not talking for two years. "Why?"

"Nobody knows. She understands you perfectly well, and she is physically able to talk, but is too anxious to talk right now." Miss Havisham says.

"You want me to try and help her talk?" Coral asks.

"No, Mae just needs someone who accepts her." Miss Havisham says. "I'm sure she will speak in her own time."

"Should I tell the others?" Coral asks.

"Not for now. Just talk to Mae normally and don't make a big deal of it." Miss Havisham says.

Coral nods seriously. Maybe she can throw off Hannah when they get outside. Hannah isn't likely to be kind to Mae. As it is, Hannah follows her when she approaches Mae, who is sitting on the ground.

"Hi Mae, I'm Coral."

Mae glances up, but doesn't say anything.

"Do you want to play?" Coral asks, offering a hand. "We have a hopscotch?"

Mae shakes her head.

"Okay." Coral says. "If you need anything, or you want me to show you where the loo is or anything, come and find me."

"Pathetic." Hannah says, as they go to practice shooting netball hoops. "Unable to say a word on the first day of school at her age!"

"Leave her be." Coral says. "She's not pathetic, just shy is all." All the same, this looks like it could be an uphill challenge.