Look Me in the Eye

13-year-old Bella is at Flinders Station waiting for her friend Connie and Connie’s cousin, Misha. Misha is running late and accidentally sends a text to Bella that was meant for Connie. Connie needs to drop off a package to a man at the Ophelia Statue, South Bank, at 2pm. They see a guy at the statue, who they think is Misha’s contact, but there are two police officers nearby. The girls get spooked and run off. Connie drops and loses the package. All three girls are in Year 7 at the same high school. Misha was expelled from another high school as she and her friends were caught vaping and stealing from the canteen. Whenever the girls go shopping, Misha steals small things such as lip-gloss, sunglasses and vapes. Misha does not speak to adults and is always on a strange eating plan. Bella does not like Misha and doesn’t understand why Misha needs to hang around with them, as Misha asks things of Connie and Bella that make Bella uncomfortable. As valuable property goes missing and things get more complicated, will Bella discern who to trust?