Flying High (8 page)

Mariella and her mother perked up, their eyes gleaming.

‘Oh, no,' Twink murmured to Bimi. ‘There may be hope for Mariella yet!'

Miss Shimmery smiled at the crowd. ‘Mrs Lightwing suggested to me who deserves this prize the most, and I wholeheartedly agree with her. It's unusual to give this prize for only three loop-the-loops . . . but I think you'll understand when I explain that the fairy in question only learned how to fly this morning.'

Twink's heart skipped a beat. Miss Shimmery looked directly at her.

‘Twink Flutterby, please fly forward and collect your prize!'

‘Oh, Twink!' gasped Bimi, clutching her arm. ‘You've won!'

Twink stood without moving, certain that she had heard wrong. Her father laughed and pushed her gently between the wings. ‘Go on, Twinkster – everyone's waiting for you!'

In a dream, Twink flew to the stage. Everyone was cheering. Miss Shimmery handed her a scroll and a small golden brooch embossed with the Glitterwings Academy emblem – an oak tree with wings.

‘Well done, Twink.' She kissed Twink's cheek. ‘I'm so glad – we knew you could do it.'

Mrs Lightwing gave her a hug. ‘Those were some very impressive loops for a new flier, my girl!'

‘Thank you!' gasped Twink, clutching her prizes. ‘Oh, thank you!'

As the day ended, the Daffodil Branch fairies gathered on the front lawn, saying quick goodbyes before flying home with their families for the holiday.

‘Hurrah for Sooze and Twink!' cried Pix, punching the air. ‘We've got
both
the first year prizewinners in Daffodil Branch – how glimmery is that?'

‘Yes, aren't we wonderful?' laughed Sooze, flying up and doing a somersault in the air.

Mariella scowled. ‘Well,
I
don't think it's so wonderful,' she snapped. ‘The contest was obviously unfair!'

Lola linked arms with her. ‘Never mind, Mariella,' she sniffed. ‘You didn't want their silly prizes anyway!'

‘Oh, yes she did,' laughed Sooze, dangling her scroll in front of Mariella. ‘Never mind, better luck next time!'

Mariella batted Sooze's scroll away from her face with a glare. She and Lola skimmed quickly away over the grass, whispering behind their hands.

Poor Mariella!
thought Twink. She had brought this on herself, but now she'd never live it down. Twink's new brooch was pinned to her uniform, winking in the last rays of sunlight. She touched it gently, still hardly able to believe what had happened.

‘You deserve it!' said Bimi, watching her. ‘You really do, Twink.'

Twink smiled gratefully at her. ‘Thanks, but they should have given you a prize, as well. I couldn't have done it without your help.'

Bimi nudged Twink with her wing. ‘That's what friends are for. I'm just glad you didn't let me fall!'

Sooze threw her arms around Twink's and Bimi's shoulders, her wings fluttering madly. ‘We should have a party to celebrate when we get back – a midnight feast!'

Twink laughed. Sooze would never change! ‘That sounds great! What do you think, Bimi?' She grinned at her best friend.

Bimi nodded enthusiastically, her blue hair gleaming. ‘Definitely. We'll get rid of Mrs Hover somehow and celebrate!'

‘Think again, girls,' said a stern voice.

Mrs Hover! The fairies winced as the plump matron appeared in their midst, flapping her wings grimly. ‘There'll be no midnight feasts when you get back, or any other time!'

‘Oh, we didn't mean it really, Hovey!' said Sooze. She winked at the other fairies behind Mrs Hover's back.

‘Twink!' called Twink's mother with a smile. ‘Come on now, it's time to leave.'

After a last hug for her friends, Twink skimmed off into the twilight. As she and her family started off on the journey home, she glanced over her shoulder at Glitterwings. The flowers for the exhibition were still draped over its branches, swaying in the breeze. Tiny golden windows spiralled up the great trunk.

Twink's heart swelled. Oh, it had been a perfect day, the best day ever! She had learned how to fly, she had made a new best friend . . . and she went to the most wonderful school in the world.

.

Bloomsbury Publishing, London, Berlin, New York and Sydney

First published in Great Britain in 2008 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

36 Soho Square, London, W1D 3QY

Text copyright © Lee Weatherly 2008

Illustrations copyright © Smiljana Coh 2008

The moral rights of the author and illustrator have been asserted

This electronic edition published in August 2010 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

All rights reserved.

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A CIP catalogue record of this book is available from the British Library

ISBN 978 1 4088 1343 0

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