New Girl (5 page)

.

Zena let out a breath. ‘Twink, what's wrong with you, anyway?' she burst out. ‘You're so grumpy
this term! You're no fun at all any more – everyone's noticed it.'

‘What?' Twink stared at her, startled out of her thoughts. ‘I'm not grumpy!'

But Zena had already flown away, and was talking to Jax and Lola halfway across the branch. Twink stood by herself, feeling cross and out of sorts. Was it true that everyone was talking about her?

‘But that's so unfair,' she murmured, clenching her fists. Kiki
was the one who had come into their branch, disrupting everything! Why didn't they gossip about
her
?

‘Talking to yourself again, Opposite?' asked a voice behind her.

Sooze! Twink whirled towards her in relief.

‘Sooze, you won't believe what Zena just said,' she cried. ‘She said everyone's talking about me, and that I'm no fun any more!' Twink waited indignantly for her friend's response.

Sooze raised a lavender eyebrow, looking amused.

‘What?' asked Twink, a chill of dread settling between her wings. ‘Don't – don't you think she's being really unfair?'

Sooze shrugged. ‘No, actually I think she let you off pretty lightly. You've been acting like a real thistle head this term, Twink. Everyone's saying they don't blame Bimi for liking Kiki better.'

Oh!
Twink gaped at Sooze. It felt like she had been slapped. Sudden tears stung at her eyes, and her chin trembled.

Sooze pulled a face. ‘Oh, dry up, Twink! It can't be as bad as all that – just stop acting like a grumbling gremlin. Now come on, let's go and see what our dresses are like!' And she flitted off towards the platform, where Kiki was getting ready to speak to the excited crowd of Second Years.

.

Chapter Five

Twink followed Sooze in a daze. Nobody understood at all. Standing on the edge of the crowd, she glared up at the platform where Kiki stood. This was all
her
fault, not Twink's!

‘Is everyone ready to get started?' Kiki's wings tapped together nervously as the Second Years fell into an expectant silence. Bimi stood beside her, holding a pile of flowery dresses.

Now that the moment of unveiling had arrived, Kiki looked very unsure of herself. ‘Right, I've got the dresses ready – and, um, I really hope you like them. I tried to plan outfits that would suit you all. I mean, go with your hair colour and wing colour, and . . . um, personality . . .' she trailed off, biting her lip.

‘Get on with it!' called Sooze. The others laughed good-naturedly.

Kiki's wings relaxed as she grinned. ‘All right, you asked for it!' she called back. ‘Sooze, this is yours.'

She had a quick rummage in the pile Bimi was holding, and whipped out a bright purple dress with a broad zig-zag streak of hot pink across its front. The Second Year gasped in delight.

‘Sooze, it's perfect for you!' squealed Sili, clapping her hands.

Sooze flitted on to the platform and held the dress up in front of her. It was very short, with a high neck and long, fluttery sleeves.

‘I love it!' cried Sooze, bouncing on her toes. ‘Kiki, you're a genius!' She danced off to the changing area that Kiki had set up behind a screen of oak leaves, and a moment later emerged resplendent.

Soon the other fairies were exclaiming in delight as well. They all seemed to have outfits that were perfect for them. Pix was in a simple, stylish dress of daisy petals; Sili in sparkly silver shorts and a shimmering turquoise top. Even Mariella looked wonderful, in a pale orchid dress with gauzy green sleeves.

It was impossible not to feel swept up in the excitement, and soon Twink's heart was beating faster with every name called. What had Kiki designed for her? Perhaps something pink, to go with her hair – made from rose petals, maybe . . .

‘Twink, here's yours,' called Kiki.

A hush fell as Twink flew up to the platform. Most of the Second Year were aware of the tension between the two fairies, and Twink's pointed ears burned as she realised that everyone was watching.

Kiki smiled uncertainly as Twink landed in front of her. ‘I – I wanted to do something special for you, Twink – something that no one else could wear.'

Twink felt a flutter of apprehension. Nobody else had had this sort of speech. What on earth had Kiki designed for her?

Slowly, Kiki took one of the remaining dresses from Bimi. ‘Um . . . here it is,' she said, offering it to Twink.

Twink stared in horror at the thing Kiki was holding out to her. It was a short tunic made from prickly dandelion leaves, with splashes of blue and gold paint making wild patterns over it. A spiky green cap made from a horse-chestnut shell went with it.

‘Do you like it?' asked Kiki anxiously. ‘I just thought – you have such interesting looks, Twink; and it takes someone with real personality to carry off a dress like this . . .' she faltered as she saw the expression on Twink's face.

‘Yes, it's great,' said Twink coolly.

She took the dress from Kiki, wincing as one of the dandelion spikes jabbed her in the arm. What was ‘interesting looks' supposed to mean? And ‘real personality' . . . ha! Obviously, Kiki was making Twink wear this hideous dress so that everyone would laugh at her.

.

.

‘I hope the
inside
isn't dandelion leaves,' said Twink. The entire Second Year was nudging each other and whispering.

‘Oh, no!' Kiki reassured her. Her purple eyes looked worried. ‘It's dandelion fluff; really nice and soft. Try it on – it'll look great on you, I promise!'

Had Bimi been in on this as well? Twink gave her a hard look, but Bimi was busy with another fairy, studiously avoiding Twink's gaze.

Close to tears, Twink flew behind the oak-leaf screen and pulled on the dress. Adjusting the thorny cap on her head, she stared in the small dewdrop mirror. She looked like an exploded dandelion, with ugly spikes sticking out every which way!

‘Ooh,
Twink
,'
breathed Sili. ‘Is that your outfit? I've never seen anything like it!'

‘Who has?' snapped Twink. She pulled at the dress, and then jerked her hand away as the spikes pricked her palm.
Oh!
That awful Kiki – she was probably having a good snigger, right at this very moment!

‘Yes, but it really suits you.' Sili was flying slowly around Twink, taking her in from every angle. ‘It looks so
different –
it's really something!'

Twink made a face. Sili was so scatty that she'd think anything looked good. Or, worse yet, maybe she was in on the prank with Kiki and Bimi. Maybe the whole branch was, to get back at Twink for being such a
thistle head
.
They were all blaming her, when it wasn't even her fault!

Twink's pulse pounded hotly. She flitted out from behind the screen and joined the crowd of Second Years. She half hoped that someone would make a comment about her dress, just so she could snarl at them!

But no one seemed to notice her. Suddenly Twink realised that everyone's attention was on the platform, where Kiki and Bimi seemed to be having a row.

‘Because I knew you'd just say no if I mentioned it before!' said Kiki, flapping her wings in exasperation. ‘Sooze was right, Bimi – you
have
to be a model. You're the prettiest fairy in the whole year!'

Twink thought Bimi looked terrified, in spite of her secret longing to follow in her mother's wing strokes. ‘No, no, I don't want to!' she said, backing away. ‘Really, I'm happy just being an assistant behind the scenes.'

Kiki sighed. ‘Well, at least let me show you the outfit I made for you.'

She drew a dress out from a hidden place behind the platform. A gasp rippled across the Second Years. It was a long, sleeveless gown of dark blue iris petals, with silver and gold stars shimmering across it like the most magical night sky imaginable.

‘Oh,' whispered Bimi. As if in a dream, she fluttered slowly forward, touching the soft petal fabric. ‘Kiki, it's – it's beautiful.'

‘Then you'll wear it?' asked Kiki eagerly. ‘Oh, Bimi, please say yes. It'll look gorgeous on you!'

Bimi swallowed hard, obviously deeply torn. ‘I . . . but then I'd have to model it in front of everyone . . .'

‘Well, yes, that's the idea,' laughed Kiki. She swayed the dress enticingly. ‘Oh, come on, Bimi – why not
enjoy
being pretty for a change?'

Twink watched as Bimi bit her lip, staring at the dress. The little stars shimmered and twinkled. ‘All right, I'll do it!' she burst out.

The Second Year burst into cheers, beating their wings together. Bimi's cheeks blazed bright red. Grabbing the dress from Kiki, she flitted behind the screen. A few moments later, she edged out from behind it.

‘Um . . . how do I look?' she asked, her face still on fire.

Twink blinked. Bimi looked beautiful, of course – but her expression was so terrified that it ruined the effect of the dress. She looked as if a swarm of angry wasps had forced her to put it on, and were ready to sting her if she didn't get it right!

.

.

‘Gorgeous,' said Kiki firmly. ‘And you'll look even
more
gorgeous when you're feeling more relaxed. Now come on, everyone, let's practise how to move down the flyway like a real model. Ready?'

‘Wait,' cried Sooze, hovering in her purple dress. ‘First, let's give three cheers for Mariella, for thinking of the fashion show in the first place!'

As the Second Years chorused an enthusiastic round of cheers, the pointy-faced fairy's cheeks blushed a deep crimson. ‘Thank you!' she gasped. For once, Twink thought, she'd completely forgotten to act superior!

‘Right, everyone, let's practise our moves,' called Kiki when they had finished. ‘Just do what I do.'

Twink flew with the others, trying to imitate Kiki's effortless glide and graceful poses. It was harder than it looked, especially in a dress she hated. Twink's arms and legs felt like awkward sticks that refused to do what she asked.

Kiki flitted among the girls, arranging them in pairs. ‘Sooze, you fly with Lola . . . Mariella, you and Pix should go together . . .'

She hesitated when she got to Twink. ‘Um . . . Twink, I think you should fly on your own. Your dress is one of a kind – I want to really show it off!'

‘Fine,' said Twink tightly. She might have known that Kiki would make her go alone, just to embarrass her even more.

Finally the fairies gathered on the sidelines, whispering excitedly as they waited to begin their first fly-through. Sooze and Lola went first. Propping her hands on her hips, Sooze put on a dramatically pouty model's face as she flew, whirling this way and that as if she were born to it.

‘Go, Sooze!' shouted Sili, clapping her hands.

Even Lola looked like she was having fun, posing shyly in her bright green sparkle-dress. Fairy after fairy flew down the Branch, all of them radiant in their beautiful outfits. By the time it was Twink's turn, she was more conscious than ever of how awful she looked.

‘Ready, Twink?' Kiki was hovering to one side, taking notes on a petal pad.

Scowling, Twink took off down the length of the Great Branch. Belatedly, she remembered that she was supposed to be posing, and put her arms stiffly out to her sides.

.

.

Stifled laughter rippled across the Second Years. ‘Come on, Opposite, can't you look a bit crosser?' called out Sooze. Flinging her arms out, Sooze gave a ferocious mock scowl. The Branch erupted into howls of merriment.

Twink hovered in place, trembling with embarrassed fury. How dare they all laugh at her! She saw Kiki bite back a smile, too, and suddenly the weeks of pent-up emotion burst out of her like an earthquake.

Snatching the cap off her head, Twink threw it to the floor. ‘Shut up!' she shouted. The Second Years stopped laughing and stared at her.