scared that if he knew how upset she was, he might not go. Luke told her that he’d seen Rani from his bedroom window.
‘Oh, it’s their first day back at school, isn’t it?’ Sarah Jane replied. ‘It must seem strange not being with them.’
Luke nodded. ‘Mum, have I made the right choice?’
‘Of course you have,’ said Sarah Jane, rushing over to him. ‘Remember your first day at school? You were terrified, but that turned out all right.’
Luke thought back to his first day at school. His headmaster had turned out to be a Slitheen! The Slitheen were huge, tall and green with terrifying claws. They’d wanted to destroy Earth. Luke reminded his mum about this. They both smiled. Their lives were quite mad.
‘Listen, Luke, you’re allowed to be worried,’ Sarah Jane said, taking his hand. ‘You’re only human.’
Luke nodded, blinking back tears. He didn’t want his mum to be worried or upset about him so he was trying to be brave. He forced a smile.
‘Are you really going to do scrambled eggs? Do you remember what happened last time?’
They were both laughing as they left the attic. But they were both feeling sad as well. They really would miss each other.
Chapter Two
Falling apart
Rani Chandra was walking to school and she was thinking about how much she was going to miss Luke. He’d been the first friend she’d made when her family had moved to Ealing a few years before. Since then, they’d helped Sarah Jane stop lots of alien invasions. She knew those adventures would carry on, but she also knew it wouldn’t be the same without Luke.
A very loud, very annoying ringtone interrupted her thoughts and she stopped and looked at the other member of their gang, Clyde Langer. He was looking at a text on his phone. He smiled and read it out loud.
‘Mum just set the kitchen on fire. Again. You coming round tonight?’
Rani smiled back. ‘From Luke?’
Sarah Jane Smith may have been a brilliant journalist and she may have saved Earth from being destroyed loads of times, but the children knew that she was a terrible cook.
Clyde put the phone back in his pocket and they continued walking. Rani asked him if he was going to reply to Luke’s text.
‘He should be here!’ Clyde said, shaking his head. ‘He should be here, boring us with facts about dead kings and space and dinosaurs.’
Rani smiled back gently. She knew that Clyde would miss Luke more than anyone. He and Luke were so different – Luke never got into trouble at school, whereas Clyde loved messing about. Luke liked maths and science, but Clyde loved football and art. Despite this, they were the very best of friends. Clyde, being a typical boy though, didn’t like to show his feelings.
‘Four days, then that’s it. No more Luke,’ he muttered.
Rani waved her mobile at him, reminding him they’d be able to talk to Luke every day if they wanted to. ‘And he’ll be home for holidays and Christmas.’
Clyde didn’t answer.
‘So,’ asked Rani, carefully, ‘are you going to see him later?’ Clyde shook his head. ‘When my dad left home, he just went. Disappeared overnight. Luke needs to get used to us not being around.’
Clyde’s dad had walked out of his life when he was much younger. He’d gone to Germany, leaving Clyde and his mum to look after themselves. Ever since then, Clyde had found it hard to deal with people leaving – although he’d never admit it, of course!
Rani knew that Clyde was upset, but she also knew that the boys would sort it all out eventually. So, saying nothing, she took Clyde’s hand and led him through the school gates.
In his bedroom, Luke had started to pack. He was taking pictures off the wall and was looking at one of him and Clyde. He’d texted his friend earlier but there’d been no reply. Was Clyde already forgetting about him?
Luke’s thoughts were interrupted by a loud commotion as his mum burst into the bedroom, struggling under some huge cardboard boxes. She was
‘Oh, it’s their first day back at school, isn’t it?’ Sarah Jane replied. ‘It must seem strange not being with them.’
Luke nodded. ‘Mum, have I made the right choice?’
‘Of course you have,’ said Sarah Jane, rushing over to him. ‘Remember your first day at school? You were terrified, but that turned out all right.’
Luke thought back to his first day at school. His headmaster had turned out to be a Slitheen! The Slitheen were huge, tall and green with terrifying claws. They’d wanted to destroy Earth. Luke reminded his mum about this. They both smiled. Their lives were quite mad.
‘Listen, Luke, you’re allowed to be worried,’ Sarah Jane said, taking his hand. ‘You’re only human.’
Luke nodded, blinking back tears. He didn’t want his mum to be worried or upset about him so he was trying to be brave. He forced a smile.
‘Are you really going to do scrambled eggs? Do you remember what happened last time?’
They were both laughing as they left the attic. But they were both feeling sad as well. They really would miss each other.
Chapter Two
Falling apart
Rani Chandra was walking to school and she was thinking about how much she was going to miss Luke. He’d been the first friend she’d made when her family had moved to Ealing a few years before. Since then, they’d helped Sarah Jane stop lots of alien invasions. She knew those adventures would carry on, but she also knew it wouldn’t be the same without Luke.
A very loud, very annoying ringtone interrupted her thoughts and she stopped and looked at the other member of their gang, Clyde Langer. He was looking at a text on his phone. He smiled and read it out loud.
‘Mum just set the kitchen on fire. Again. You coming round tonight?’
Rani smiled back. ‘From Luke?’
Sarah Jane Smith may have been a brilliant journalist and she may have saved Earth from being destroyed loads of times, but the children knew that she was a terrible cook.
Clyde put the phone back in his pocket and they continued walking. Rani asked him if he was going to reply to Luke’s text.
‘He should be here!’ Clyde said, shaking his head. ‘He should be here, boring us with facts about dead kings and space and dinosaurs.’
Rani smiled back gently. She knew that Clyde would miss Luke more than anyone. He and Luke were so different – Luke never got into trouble at school, whereas Clyde loved messing about. Luke liked maths and science, but Clyde loved football and art. Despite this, they were the very best of friends. Clyde, being a typical boy though, didn’t like to show his feelings.
‘Four days, then that’s it. No more Luke,’ he muttered.
Rani waved her mobile at him, reminding him they’d be able to talk to Luke every day if they wanted to. ‘And he’ll be home for holidays and Christmas.’
Clyde didn’t answer.
‘So,’ asked Rani, carefully, ‘are you going to see him later?’ Clyde shook his head. ‘When my dad left home, he just went. Disappeared overnight. Luke needs to get used to us not being around.’
Clyde’s dad had walked out of his life when he was much younger. He’d gone to Germany, leaving Clyde and his mum to look after themselves. Ever since then, Clyde had found it hard to deal with people leaving – although he’d never admit it, of course!
Rani knew that Clyde was upset, but she also knew that the boys would sort it all out eventually. So, saying nothing, she took Clyde’s hand and led him through the school gates.
In his bedroom, Luke had started to pack. He was taking pictures off the wall and was looking at one of him and Clyde. He’d texted his friend earlier but there’d been no reply. Was Clyde already forgetting about him?
Luke’s thoughts were interrupted by a loud commotion as his mum burst into the bedroom, struggling under some huge cardboard boxes. She was
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