A New Beginning (3 page)

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Authors: Sue Bentley

BOOK: A New Beginning
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Her dad raised his eyebrows as Lily did a jumping jack. “Well, I guess that's a good idea. Maybe I'll come with you. I could use some exercise, too.”
“No!” Lily said hastily. “Someone . . . um . . . from school might see me. I'll look like a real baby if I'm trailing around after you.”
“Excuse me for trying to cramp your style,” her dad joked. “What's brought this new fitness fad on?”
“I want to be ready for when I get my own pony! It's going to be hard work looking after it,” Lily replied.
Her dad rolled his eyes. “I should have known what was at the bottom of this! Do you ever think of anything else beside ponies?”
“Nope! Well, actually, yes! But you wouldn't believe me if I told you!” Lily said, glancing at Storm who was waiting by the front door. She jogged toward him before her dad could ask anymore awkward questions. “See you later!”
Chapter FOUR
As Lily put her school books into her bag on Monday morning, Storm sat watching her.
She smiled at him. “I love having you living here with me, but I have to go out for a few hours. Try not to get bored and chew my rug or anything, or Mom will freak!”
“I will not do anything like that,” Storm yapped indignantly.
“Sorry. Sometimes I forget you're not an ordinary puppy,” Lily said, bending down to pet his silky ears. “It's a shame there was only time for a quick walk around the field before breakfast. I'll take you out for a really long walk when I get back from school. Promise.”
Storm looked up at her curiously. “What is school?”
“It's a place where kids go to learn. Teachers tell us stuff and give us homework to do and we do projects and all kinds of things,” Lily explained.
“School sounds interesting. I will come with you,” Storm decided.
Lily grinned. “I wish you could, but pets aren't allowed . . .” She paused as she had a second thought. “Hey! Maybe you
can
come if you stay invisible! But you'd have to be really quiet and stay close to me. Mr. Poke, our class teacher, is very strict.”
Storm's face brightened and his little sandy tail started wagging with excitement. “I will make sure that no one will know I'm there—except you, Lily!”
“Cool! Let's go!” Lily put her backpack on the floor and opened it up. “It might be best if you got inside. I have to cross some busy roads.”
Storm jumped into her bag and settled next to her books and gym clothes. Lily put on her bag, said good-bye to her parents, and headed out of the front door.
“We'll probably meet Freema and Katy, my friends from class, on the way. I can't wait to see their faces when I tell them about you!” she said to Storm.
There was a scuffling noise from her bag. Storm popped his head out, his big dewy eyes looking into Lily's. “You cannot tell anyone my secret. Promise me, Lily,” he woofed seriously.
Lily was disappointed. She had always wanted a pet to tell her friends about, especially a pony, but she had been really excited at the thought that she might be able to share her amazing magic puppy friend. She'd do anything if it would help keep Storm safe, though. “Okay, I promise. Cross my heart and hope to die,” she said.
Storm nodded, satisfied.
As Lily and Storm reached the school gate, they saw Freema and Katy. There was another girl with them whom Lily hadn't seen before.
“Hi, Katy. Hi, Freema,” Lily greeted her friends.
“Hi, Lily. This is my cousin, Adjoa,” Freema explained. “She just moved here and is going to be in our class.”
Adjoa was tall with shiny black hair, an oval face, and big brown eyes, just like Freema.
Lily smiled at her. “Welcome to our school, Adjoa.”
“Thanks,” Adjoa said shyly.
“Did you help out at Greengates this weekend?” Katy asked Lily as they walked into the school grounds.
Lily nodded. “It was great. I had an extra-long ride on Bandit. Janie let me take her up to the woods by myself.”
“Cool!” Katy said.
“Do you like riding?” Adjoa asked Lily.
“It's my favorite thing in the whole world!” Lily replied. “How about you?”
“Adjoa loves ponies, too!” Freema said. She nudged her cousin. “Tell Lily about your pony.”
Lily's eyes widened. “You've got your own pony? You're so lucky! What's its name?”
“Pixie. She's gorgeous and I love her to pieces,” Adjoa said. “You can come over one night after school and meet her if you like.”
“Thanks. I'd love to,” Lily said, beaming.
 
In the classroom, Lily took her usual seat next to Katy. She put her bag on the floor, so that Storm could jump out.
Storm gave himself a shake and then trotted off to sniff around the room.
Mr. Poke took attendance. “And just before we begin,” he said, looking up, “I'd like to welcome Adjoa Hardiker to the class.”
Adjoa smiled shyly as everyone clapped, including Lily.
A few minutes later, Lily was leaning over to watch Storm. She smiled to herself as the tiny puppy weaved in and out of the desks, his sandy tail wagging.
A voice called out, but Lily was engrossed by Storm's cute antics.
“Lily Benson, can you stop daydreaming and take out your history book, please?” the teacher's sarcastic voice said. Mr. Poke had a bald head with a fuzzy rim of hair around his ears. He had a way of looking down his nose when he was annoyed.
Lily's head snapped up. “Sorry, sir.”
“Looks like old Poker Face got out of bed on the wrong side—again,” Katy commented. Adjoa and Freema, who sat nearby, giggled.
Lily turned around and grinned at them.
“Okay, class. I'd like you to begin work on your projects, please. Quietly, if possible!” Mr. Poke ordered.
They were doing the Tudors. Lily was making a collage of Queen Elizabeth I. “I think I'll do her lace ruffle today. I need to get some pieces of paper and stuff from the art cabinet,” she said to Katy, who was bent over writing in her notebook.
“Can we have a little more work and a little less talking, Lily Benson?” Mr. Poke drawled.
“Yes, sir.” Lily felt herself turning pink as she got up and went to the cabinet.
I wasn't even doing anything
, she thought.
Storm padded over to her. “Are you all right, Lily? You look hot,” he woofed.
“I'm fine. Not like
some
people,” Lily murmured, glancing back at the grumpy teacher.
She pulled the cabinet's handle, but it seemed to have gotten stuck. Grasping it more firmly, she pulled again, but the door still wouldn't budge.
“I will help,” Storm yapped eagerly.
Lily saw Mr. Poke coming over with a frown on his face. “Uh-oh, you'd better be quick, Storm. Looks like Poker Face is on the war path,” she whispered.
Lily felt an odd, warm tingling down her spine as gold sparks ignited in Storm's sandy coat, and the tips of his ears and tail fizzed with power. Something strange was going to happen.
Raising one big sandy front paw, Storm sent a shower of bright golden sparks whooshing toward the cabinet. With a faint crackle they sank into the wood. For a moment nothing happened and Lily thought Storm's magic hadn't worked.
“Out of the way, Lily. Let me do it,” Mr. Poke said irritably, reaching the cabinet—just as the doors sprang open.
An explosion of papers, brushes, pens, and paints shot out. Mr. Poke flew backward as if he'd been blown by a wind machine and landed on the floor on his backside.
Rustle!
Papers floated down around him.
Splat!
A plastic jar of glue hit Mr. Poke on the chest, bursting and spreading all over his gray sweater.
Thwack!
Brushes, pens, and pencils fell on him, sticking firmly to the glue.
The teacher sat there blinking in shock.
The whole class erupted in laughter. Katy, Adjoa, and Freema were helpless.
Lily tried hard to bite back the laughter bubbling up inside her.
“Who packed the cabinet like that?” Mr. Poke roared, his face bright red as he scrambled to his feet. “I have to go and get cleaned up. Keep working, class. I'll be right back.” He stomped off toward the bathroom, pens and pencils falling with a clatter as he walked away.
“I am sorry, Lily. I think I used too much magic,” Storm woofed in dismay.
Making sure that no one was looking, Lily quickly patted him. “You did just fine. It serves Mr. Poke right!”
She began putting everything back into the cabinet. Katy, Freema, and Adjoa helped her. By the time Mr. Poke reappeared wearing a hideous orange, yellow, and brown striped T-shirt, the mess was all cleared up.
The rest of the morning passed quickly, and at lunchtime Lily shared her cheese sandwiches and chips with Storm. When they finished, she took him for a run across the fields. The excited puppy ran around, chasing leaves in the wind and tiring himself out. He spent the rest of the afternoon napping under Lily's chair.
After school, with Storm back in her bag, Lily walked home with her friends.
She paused at the end of her street. “Did you mean it about me coming over to see Pixie?” she asked Adjoa.
Adjoa nodded. “Why don't you come over after school on Friday? We can both ride Pixie.”
“That would be awesome!” Lily said. She jotted Adjoa's address and phone number in her notebook before heading home. “Bye. See you all tomorrow!” she called.
Katy, Freema, and Adjoa waved as they walked away.
Just inside her front garden, Lily put her bag down so that Storm could jump out. “Adjoa's nice, isn't she?” she said to him. “I can't wait to meet Pixie.”
“Me too!” Storm nodded, his pink tongue hanging in a doggy grin.
Lily felt a surge of affection for him. She picked Storm up and pet his soft sandy fur. “Having you at school today was awesome! You really taught old Poker Face a lesson. I hope that horrible Shadow never finds you and then you can live with me forever and come to school every day,” she said.
“That is not possible, Lily,” Storm told her, his small sandy face suddenly serious. “One day I must return to my own world to help heal my mother and fight Shadow.”
Lily knew this was true, but she didn't want to believe it. She pushed all thoughts of Storm having to leave out of her mind and thought instead of the fun they would have on Friday with Adjoa and Pixie.
Chapter FIVE
“Here you are, girl.” Lily held a piece of carrot on the palm of her hand, so that Pixie could take it with her soft lips. Pixie was a chestnut pony with a white line down her nose and a friendly expression.
Lily turned to Adjoa as the pony crunched the treat. “Pixie is gorgeous!”

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