Contact by Chris Morphew

there!’
    â€˜Peter!’ he screamed. ‘Don’t you dare!’
    But that was all I heard. Luke had finally pulled his bike free, and the two of us took off towards the back gate.
    â€˜I have a feeling you’re going to pay for that,’ said Luke, swerving around a couple of kids on skateboards.
    â€˜Whatever,’ I said. With everything else going on, Mr Ranga wasn’t even in my head.
    We shot through the school gate at full tilt, sending a bunch of primary kids running for cover.
    In two minutes, we were ditching our bikes and running up the path to Jordan’s house.
    Please be okay. Please.
    I leapt onto the veranda and hammered the doorbell.
    What if no-one was home? Jordan’s parents usually wouldn’t finish work until five, but –
    I jumped as a shadow appeared behind the door. It was huge, stretching past both sides of the stained glass.
    The door opened and suddenly Jordan’s enormous, towering, shaven-headed, islander father was looming over us.
    He looked absolutely furious.
    I almost ran for it. I knew Jordan’s dad was a really good guy, but right now he looked terrifying. And I’d seen what he could do when someone threatened his family.
    But then he realised who we were, and the rage on his face dropped back a bit.
    â€˜Oh,’ he said. ‘Hi, boys.’
    I started breathing again, feeling extremely grateful that I wasn’t whoever he’d thought might be coming to the door.
    â€˜Mr Burke,’ said Luke, ‘we were wondering if Jordan –’
    â€˜This really isn’t a good time, Luke,’ said Jordan’s dad in a voice that made my blood go cold.
    â€˜Is she here?’ I asked. ‘We just want to make sure she’s –’
    â€˜Dad?’
    I heard footsteps from inside the house, and Jordan appeared in the doorway. She had goosebumps all up and down her arms, and her skin was radiating heat, like she’d just got out of the shower.
    And for a few seconds, I forgot everything that was wrong in Phoenix.
    â€˜Hey,’ she said. ‘Dad, it’s fine, let them in.’
    Jordan’s dad considered us for a minute. The last time we were over here, Crazy Bill had followed Luke and me up to the house and started spying on us.
    Not our fault. But also not the best first impression to make on your future girlfriend’s father.
    â€˜We won’t stay long,’ said Luke.
    â€˜Yeah,’ I said, ‘we just need to catch her up on our meeting with Pryor today. You know, staff-student liaison stuff.’
    Mr Burke looked at Jordan, who was staring up at him, Bambi-eyed.
    â€˜All right, all right,’ he said, sighing like he knew full well she was playing him. ‘Just take it easy, okay? You’ve had a rough day.’
    â€˜Dad, I’m fine, ’ said Jordan. She turned to me and Luke. ‘C’mon.’
    We followed her down the hall. As we passed the lounge room, I saw Jordan’s little sister lying on the floor, surrounded by paper and colouring pencils.
    She looked up at us and exploded into a fit of giggles.
    Jordan shot Luke a weary look. ‘Probably planning our wedding,’ she said. ‘I swear, she hasn’t shut up about you since last time you guys were here.’
    Stupid kid, I thought, stepping into Jordan’s room. What would she know?
    Jordan shut the door behind us and her tone changed completely.
    â€˜Are you guys okay?’ she asked.
    â€˜Us?’ said Luke. ‘You’re the one who –’
    â€˜Calvin said you guys admitted to taking the phone,’ said Jordan.
    â€˜Pryor said the same thing about you,’ I said. ‘You didn’t tell him anything?’
    â€˜No,’ said Jordan. ‘Did you?’
    â€˜Course not,’ I said.
    â€˜Okay, good,’ Jordan breathed.
    â€˜What did Calvin do to you?’ I asked. ‘I mean, he didn’t hurt you or anything?’
    â€˜I’m