Fledge Star (7 page)

Then Twink thought of her parents, and how proud they'd been when she made the team. She couldn't just give up without a fight, could she? She straightened her wings.

‘You're right!' she said. ‘I'll do it, Bimi.'

‘Good!' Bimi's face relaxed with relief. ‘Go and do it now, Twink, before you lose your nerve.'

Twink started off across the Great Branch – and then turned back and hugged Bimi tightly. ‘Thanks,' she whispered. ‘And Bimi, I'm sorry that I've been such a wasp brain. You were right – about staying up too late, and about Mariella, and – oh, about everything!'

‘Apologise later,' laughed Bimi. ‘Go on, now – ask them!' She turned Twink around and gave her a push between the wings, propelling her towards the Gardenia Branch table.

Twink flitted off, weaving her way through the Great Branch. Her spirits rose as she watched Mia talking and laughing with the others. Oh, of
course
Bimi was right! Why hadn't she told her about all of this sooner? Mariella was obviously up to something, as usual. She'd been an idiot not to see it for herself!

Then Twink drew near enough to hear what Mia was saying – and her heart plummeted straight into her pixie boots.

‘I don't know why Madge ever let her on the team in the first place,' declared Mia, tossing her blue hair.

Pip nodded. ‘I know. She's pretty awful, isn't she?'

‘That's an understatement! She seemed like a good enough player at first, but ever since the Sparklelight match, it's been so obvious that she hasn't got what it takes –'

Twink couldn't bear to hear any more. Wheeling sharply away, she flew blindly back to her own table. The school butterflies were just streaming into the Great Branch as she slumped down on to her mushroom, fighting to hold back tears.

Sooze was holding a ribbiting contest with Sili and Zena, the three of them croaking for all they were worth. Pix was laughing, trying without success to referee.

‘You lot are useless!' cried Sooze. ‘Listen, this is how it goes.' She threw back her head. ‘
Ribbit! Ribbit croak ribbit!'

‘No!' shrieked Sili, choking with laughter. ‘You've got it wrong – it's
ribbity croak croak
!'

‘Seven out of ten to Sili,' said Pix. ‘Zena, your turn!'

Under the cover of their laughter, Twink stole a look at Mariella, chatting to Lola at the end of the table. Mariella hadn't been up to anything after all. Every word she had said was true.

Twink's eyes pricked hotly as she told Bimi what had happened. Her friend rubbed her wing against Twink's, clearly lost for words. ‘Maybe they didn't mean it quite so badly as it sounded,' she said weakly. ‘Or –'

‘They meant it all right,' said Twink. ‘I'm – I'm not going to try out for the team again, Bimi. Mariella's right. Nobody wants me on it!'

‘No, don't do that!' Bimi looked at Mariella, a slight frown creasing her blue eyebrows. Following her gaze, Twink saw that Lola's wings were shaking.

‘But
Mariella
,'
Lola whined. ‘You said it was just –'

‘Oh, hush! Stop going on about it.' Mariella shot a glance at the rest of the table, and coloured up when she saw Bimi watching her. She bent her head close to Lola's again, whispering.

‘Bimi? What is it?' asked Twink.

‘I don't know,' said Bimi slowly. ‘I just have a funny feeling about it, Twink. Don't decide just yet, anyway. Wait until after the match tomorrow, at least.'

Twink sighed as she picked at her seed cake. ‘All right,' she said finally. ‘I'll wait until after the match. But I don't see how it's going to make any difference!'

Almost the entire school turned out for the match the next day, crowding excitedly into the mushroom grandstand. Everyone wore their oak-leaf caps – even the older years, who usually left them off at every opportunity – and many carried bright oak-leaf banners with
GO GLITTERWINGS!
written on them with sparkling fairy dust. Even Miss Shimmery had one, and was waving it merrily.

Twink sat with the rest of Peony Branch, watching as the teams warmed up on the field. The Forestglow side flitted about the poles like ghostly moths, looking wild and woodsy in their uniforms of papery white birch bark.

Twink spotted Mariella's silvery-green hair as she zoomed past, and a pang of envy stabbed her. Oh, she'd give anything if none of this had happened, and she was zipping about the field herself!

‘Poor Twink. It should be you out there, not Mariella!' said a sympathetic voice.

.

.

Twink glanced up in surprise. Sooze was sitting on the mushroom just in front of her, and had twisted about on her seat, watching Twink's expression.

‘It's my own fault I'm not,' said Twink shortly. She pretended to be fascinated by what was happening on the field. ‘And anyway, I thought it was so
funny
that I fell asleep!'

‘Oh, Opposite, don't be like that,' said Sooze earnestly, touching Twink's knee. ‘I shouldn't have laughed. I'm sorry, all right?'

Twink's anger melted away like snow in the sunshine. She had missed Sooze – there was no one else quite like the lavender-haired fairy! ‘All right,' she said with a smile. ‘I – I suppose maybe I overreacted a bit.'

Sooze laughed, fluttering her pink wings. ‘No, you didn't! It was really awful of me. I promise I won't laugh again, Twink – even if I
don't
understand how you can care so much about a game!'

Twink sighed. Before she could tell Sooze that she probably wouldn't be playing any more, Madge's reed whistle blew, and the match began.

Right from the start, the match seemed doomed. With the Forestglow team guarding him, the Flea sat preening himself in the sun, showing no signs of moving. Twink watched worriedly, clenching her fists. The Flea
would
choose today
to behave himself! All the Forestglow Guards had to do was keep close to him, and tag anyone who came near. And it soon became clear that for every glimmery set piece the Glitterwings team had practised, Forestglow knew one in return.

Suddenly, in a quick, daring move, Mia darted from behind the pole and stole the Flea. ‘HURRAH!' roared the crowd, leaping up and beating their wings together.

But Glitterwings still had to steal him twice more to win, and the Forestglow side were all excellent players. As the match turned in their favour they went on the attack, jetting about the field in blurs of white. One Glitterwings player after another was tagged, until finally only Mariella and Pip were left. The Glitterwings crowd grew glum, their oak-leaf banners drooping.

‘What happens
now
?' whispered Bimi in Twink's ear. The blue-haired fairy wasn't a Fledge fan, but even she looked tense and excited.

Twink shook her head. ‘We're outnumbered – our only hope is to distract them, somehow, so that we can steal the Flea twice more!'

The words had hardly left her mouth when Pip, flying too fast around a post, collided hard with one of the Guards. She spiralled down to the ground, holding her head.

The crowd jumped to its feet again, murmuring in concern. Twink craned to see as Madge flew to Pip's side. A moment later, the Games Fairy led Pip off the field.

Oh, no! Twink sank numbly back down to her seat. ‘We're a player short now!' she said to Bimi. ‘That means we'll have to forfeit the game.'

Sooze spun about, her violet eyes flashing. ‘Don't be daft, Twink!
You
could play!'

Twink gaped at her. ‘But – but Madge said I'd have to try out again first –'

‘Well, I think she might change her mind
now
!' snapped Sooze. ‘Go on,
Twink. Get down there!'

Icy panic jolted through Twink. ‘Sooze, I can't! The others have never forgiven me for the Sparklelight match. They all want me off the team!'

Out of the corner of her eye, Twink saw Lola's thin cheeks flush bright red from her mushroom seat a few places down. Lola glanced across at Twink, started to say something – and then stopped and looked quickly away.

Twink stared. What was up with her? But before she could lean across to ask, Bimi said, ‘She's right, Twink. You've got to try, at least! We'll lose the match otherwise.'

Pix and the others chorused agreement. Bimi clutched Twink's arm. ‘This is your chance to make it up to them! Don't you see? You have to play!'

Twink's wings felt weak. How could she play when the whole team hated her? But . . . but maybe the others were right. She gazed around her at the packed grandstands, and the worried faces of the school. Would she be letting everyone down if she didn't play?

She took a deep breath. ‘All right,' she said. ‘I'll talk to Madge.'

.

Chapter Eight

Twink flew hurriedly down to the playing field. In the Games Fairy's box, Madge was leaning over Pip, giving the dazed fairy a drink of water from an acorn cup. Her broad face beamed with relief when she saw Twink.

‘There you are!' she cried. ‘Pip's going to have to go to the infirmary; she's got a nasty bump on her head. Can you play?'

Twink nodded reluctantly. ‘I just need to get into my uniform. But – but Madge, there's something you should know. The rest of the team –'

‘No time – tell me later!' said Madge, helping Pip to her feet. ‘We've got a five-minute break – and then you're in!'

Twink kitted up as hastily as she could, and then skimmed out on to the Fledge field. The crowd cheered to see another player appear – but the cheers turned to buzzing whispers when the school saw who it was.

‘Be sure you stay awake, Twink!' shouted a voice from the older years. Laughter rippled through the grandstand.

Twink's cheeks blazed. She couldn't bring herself to look at the rest of the team, sitting on the sidelines, though she could feel them all watching her.
Try not to think about them,
she thought fervently.
Just play the best you can!

Mariella darted around a post and flew up to her. Her wings were sagging tiredly, and her silvery-green hair hung limply from its ponytail. Even so, she didn't look pleased to see Twink.

‘Madge said she doesn't want you playing any more than you have to,' she announced with narrowed eyes. ‘So just keep the Guards away from me, and let
me
go for the Flea.'

Twink frowned uncertainly. ‘But . . . she didn't tell
me
that. And I'm the faster flier –'

‘Just do it!' ordered Mariella as the whistle pierced through the air. ‘Or you'll be in even more trouble with the team than you already are!' She flew away, not waiting for an answer.

Almost immediately, one of the Forestglow Guards swooped towards Twink. Twink twisted away with a quick midair somersault, and felt a breeze brush past her foot where the Guard had almost tagged her. Phew! That was close.

The Flea still sat on the centre post, looking bored. A single Guard hovered beside it, while the remaining two zoomed about the field, intent on taking out Twink and Mariella. Twink ducked and dodged, avoiding them nimbly. Jetting around a post, she grinned as she heard one of the Guards give a frustrated squawk.

Glancing across at Mariella, Twink saw that the pointy-faced fairy was trying to sneak up on the Flea from behind the centre post.
Come on, Mariella!
thought Twink.
You can do it!

But the Guard spotted Mariella, swooping after her like an outraged moth. Mariella darted out of her reach. The other two Guards changed direction and also raced towards her, leaving Twink on her own at the end of the field.

Suddenly she gasped. The Flea was on the move! Apparently bored with sitting sunning itself, it bounded gleefully from post to post. The Guards gave an outraged howl. ‘Quick, get it!' they shouted at each other.

.

.

.The little grey insect leapt again, soaring high overhead. Twink shot up into the air, arrowing straight towards it. Her wings beat furiously, faster than she had ever thought possible. Only a bit more – almost there – now!

Just as the Flea started its descent, Twink lunged sideways at it, snatching it up in her arms.

‘HURRAH!' screamed the crowd, leaping up and beating their wings. ‘HURRAH FOR TWINK!'

She'd done it! Smiling broadly, Twink held the Flea over her head for a moment before skimming back to return it to the centre post. On the sidelines, Madge and the rest of the team were jumping up and down, hugging each other. Twink's heart soared.

‘Nice move,' grinned one of the Forestglow girls as they all took their places again. ‘But you won't get him again so easily, now that we know what he's like!'

‘I told you to let
me
catch the Flea!' whispered Mariella as they waited for the whistle. Her green eyes flashed like angry emeralds.

Twink gaped at her. ‘But he was right overhead! What was I supposed to do?'

Mariella turned away with a scowl as the whistle blew, and then the game was on again.

The Flea obviously had no intention of sitting still any more. It bounced wildly from post to post, and did little capers whenever it landed. Its Guards flew grimly after it, swooping and gliding.

Twink hovered closely behind a post, keeping out of sight of the Forestglow team. If she got a chance to grab the Flea again, she'd take it, regardless of what Mariella said! The important thing was winning the game, not which one of them did it.

‘And I bet Madge never said that anyway,' Twink muttered. She certainly hadn't looked angry after Twink had scored!

All at once Twink straightened. The Flea was heading right towards her, having lost its Guards with a frenzied series of leaps. All she had to do was jet upwards and grab him!

Twink darted out from behind her post. The Flea spotted her and abruptly changed direction, bouncing off the side of the post without landing. But Twink was too close to be shaken off easily, and she zoomed after him, hot on his tail.

The Guards swooped around a post, all three of them flying in unison as they barrelled towards her.
Don't think about them!
Twink put on a final burst of speed. The Flea was only a wing span away. Her fingers strained after him.

.

.

.

Suddenly she saw Mariella, racing towards the Flea from the other direction. She had a look of almost agonised determination on her face, and Twink felt herself falter.
She must want to win really, really badly,
she thought.

Not entirely sure why she was doing it, Twink dived sideways at the last moment. Instead of tackling the Flea, she blocked his path so that he veered off towards Mariella. The other fairy reacted quickly, just as if they had planned it for years. Swooping in like a hummingbird, Mariella grabbed the Flea from the air.

With a solid clap of sound the crowd went wild, screaming and cheering and waving their banners. Beaming triumphantly, Mariella held up the struggling Flea, basking in the applause.

‘You did it,' said Twink, hovering beside her. ‘Well done!'

An odd expression crossed Mariella's face. Her cheeks reddened as she looked at Twink. She started to say something, but before she could, the Glitterwings team burst on to the Fledge field, shouting excitedly.

‘Hurrah!' cried Mia, throwing her arms around their shoulders. ‘Oh, you two are the best reserves in the world! I was
sure
we were going to lose!'

‘So was I!' bellowed Madge. She flew up grinning from ear to ear. ‘Well done, both of you! And Twink, as far as I'm concerned, that was your try-out – and you passed it with flying colours. I want you back on the team!'

A warm glow spread through Twink. ‘Oh, thank you!' she cried. Then she remembered what she had overheard Mia say the night before, and her stomach tightened. ‘But – but is everyone sure they really want me back?' she blurted out.

‘Of course,' said Madge, looking puzzled. ‘What are you talking about?'

Twink squirmed, wishing she hadn't said anything. ‘It's just – well, I heard what you said to Pip last night,' she admitted to Mia. ‘That you didn't know why Madge had ever let me on the team –' She stopped at the expression on Mia's face.

‘Oh, Twink, we weren't talking about
you
!'
cried Mia.
‘Is that what you thought?'

‘Who
were
you talking about, then?' Madge folded her arms across her chest.

Mia flushed under the Games Fairy's steady gaze. ‘Well – we were talking about Mariella,' she admitted. She turned to the red-cheeked fairy.

‘You're a good player, Mariella, but no one thought you had much team spirit, especially since the Sparklelight match – you seemed to care more about winning for yourself than playing with a team. But you've proved us wrong this match, you really have! That was a glimmery double move that you and Twink did at the end.'

Mariella nodded, looking a bit ill.

Twink struggled to take it all in. ‘But – but no one spoke to me after the Sparklelight game! I thought –'

Mia shook her head in confusion. ‘Mariella said that you were too embarrassed to face us, and we should just leave you alone until you got over it. We were watching you at the Sparklelight party, and you seemed so upset that we decided she was probably right.'

Twink stared at Mariella. The pointy-faced fairy gazed at the ground, not meeting her eyes.

She made it all up!
thought Twink dazedly. All the snide things that she claimed the team had said – none of them had been true! The team had never hated her at all.

Mia looked from Mariella to Twink and back again. ‘Twink . . . was she right?'

Twink swallowed. ‘Um . . . sort of.'

‘Well, you're playing like the old Twink again – that's the main thing!' Madge clapped Twink warmly on the shoulder. ‘Now let's join Forestglow at the party. We deserve some fun after all the hard work we've put in!'

Twink glanced at Mariella. ‘All right,' she said. ‘I'll just . . . help Mariella put the Flea away.'

‘Don't be too long. You two are the stars of the party!' Madge gave her a friendly wink and flew off towards Glitterwings. The team flitted along behind her, still chattering and laughing.

When everyone was gone, Twink looked at Mariella. The mushroom grandstand had almost emptied by now, and the Fledge field felt silent and expectant.

Flushing furiously, the other fairy avoided her gaze and swooped towards the ground. Still holding the Flea, Mariella grabbed up his cage from the sidelines, fumbling with the door.

Twink landed beside her, her heart beating hard. ‘None of it was true, was it?' she said. ‘All that stuff that you told me the team said, and that conversation I overheard between you and Lola . . .'

Mariella looked close to tears. Real tears this time, Twink realised, not the fake ones she had produced yesterday.

‘So what if it wasn't?' she burst out.

‘You'd better tell me the truth, Mariella,' said Twink in a low voice. ‘Or I'll tell Madge and the others exactly what you said to me.'

Mariella paled. ‘All right, it – it wasn't true,' she mumbled, looking away. ‘I was just desperate to play more, that's all.'

Twink stared at her. ‘What do you mean?'

‘What do you think!' burst out Mariella. Shoving the Flea into his cage, she slammed his door shut and stood up. ‘You're a better player than I am, that's what! I'd never get much of a chance with you around.'

It was the last thing in the world Twink had expected her to say. She slowly opened and closed her wings, at a complete loss for words.

Mariella swallowed, and continued. ‘I thought Madge would throw you off the team if you messed up the Sparklelight match. That's why I tried to make you nervous about the set pieces, so you'd stay up all night studying and be too tired to play well.'