Leona''s Unlucky Mission (12 page)

“Um…yeah,” said Leona. “Sure.” It was still sinking in, the fact that the girl was being nice. Leona supposed she hadn't been so mean at first, either, now that she thought about it.

“What do you want to drink?” asked the girl as they reached the beverage station. She took two plastic tumblers and offered Leona one.

“Um…” Leona could have used a nice cup of Zing, but that would have to wait until her Starland return. She remembered from Wishlings 101 the icy-cold drink described as the perfect sweet-sour combination.

“Do you have something here called…lemanode, I think?”

Calley's smile grew even wider. “Lemonade?” she said.

“Yes!” Leona grinned. “That's it!”

Calley pointed to a machine with a shiny picture of some kind of oblong bright-yellow fruit on it.

Leona read the word splashed across the bottom. “No way! Lemonade! You
do
have it! This is super startastic!” she exclaimed.

Leona filled her cup, tasted it, and then gulped most of it down and filled her cup once again. It was just as delicious as they said. Much happier than she'd been before, she followed Calley to her friends' table.

Each girl introduced herself politely.

“What year are you?” one, named Sophia, asked.

“Um…” Leona tried to remember. “A starmore, I think.”

“A what?” The girl wrinkled her nose and frowned.

Leona tried again. “A softstar?”

“Do you mean ‘sophomore'?” asked a dark-haired girl named Maya.

“Right!” said Leona. “That's it.”

“Are you an exchange student?” Calley asked.

“Why…yes! Yes, I am! How'd you know?”

“We can just tell.” Calley smiled.

“Where are you from?” Sophia asked.

“Where am I from…” Leona tried to recall Wishworld places they'd learned, but her mind had become a black hole.
Wait!
She remembered the sign on the bulletin board about what looked like a beautiful place. “Spain!” she said, a little more loudly than she needed to, perhaps.

“Wow,” said Maya, looking impressed. “Your English is really good!”

“Uh…thanks.” It was time to change the subject. “Sooooo…are any of you trying out for the talent show?” she asked.

“No.”

“No way.”

They all shook their heads.

Calley even made a face as if she might get sick. “I tried out last year, but I never will again.”

“Why not?” Leona asked.

“Talia and her friends. They've won the last two years. And they're not even all that good.”

“No,” Sophia helped her explain, “but what they are is super mean, so that girls either quit and drop out or get too nervous to do their best.”

“Someone should stand up to them,” said Leona.

“You're right.” They all agreed.

“You're welcome to try.” Calley nodded at her, but she looked doubtful of Leona's success.

Not Leona, though. Her thoughts were orbiting, working to make a plan. After all, if Lily's wish was going to come true in time, Leona might have to be the one to make it happen.

After they'd eaten, the girls had to head to the library to do homework, so Leona told them good-bye. She had her own work to do, and she knew that if she didn't find Lily and get her to those auditions before they ended at nine o'clock, making her Wisher's wish come true would be impossible.

She decided to go check out her new dorm room. She fished the key out of her pocket. Room 113. She found the building—Auburn Hall—and stepped inside. She paused in front of the door, then unlocked it.

Leona heard the sound of a tap turning on through the bathroom door. Her roommate was taking one of those water showers, she guessed. Another reason she should go.

Leona turned to enter the hall, but then something made her stop. It was another sound: a voice—her roommate's, apparently—singing a sad, sweet song.

Wow…
Leona moved to her bed and stretched out on it to listen better. The girl was really good, and with every verse her voice grew even stronger and clearer and more sure of itself. The song was catchy and easy to follow, and Leona found herself singing along. She soon stopped, though, and sat back and listened, eyes closed, as the girl hit heavenly notes Leona knew she never would.
If only other Starlings could hear this,
she thought.
Wait!
She realized they could! She pulled out her Star-Zap, held it up, and began to record.

Then the shower stopped, and, unfortunately, so did the song. A starmin later, the bathroom door opened.

“Lily?”
Leona gasped the moment she saw her. She recognized her Wisher at once even with her wet hair and music-note pajamas.

“Ahh!”
Lily jumped back. “You scared me! What are you doing here?” She looked confused.

“Actually…I'm your new roommate,” Leona told her. “They put me here this afternoon. Some coincidence, huh? I sing, and so do you!” She grinned. “And wow! Are you ever good!”

Lily was clearly trying not to smile at Leona's compliment, but she couldn't contain her grin. “I didn't know anyone could hear me,” she explained.

“Oh, don't apologize! Not for a second!” said Leona. “I believe in singing as loud as you can. I also believe that a voice like yours should be heard. Honestly, it's a gift you were born to share!”

“Thanks.” Lily blushed. “But I'm not
that
good.”

“Um, yeah,” said Leona. “You are. And you are crazy not to enter that talent show. So hurry, come on, let's go!”

At that, Lily started shaking her head. Her smile faded and her blush disappeared.

“What's wrong?”

“I'm not trying out,” said Lily.

“But why not? You're so good! You'll win!”

“That's not what those girls said….”

“Yeah, and I hear they say that to everyone else, too. Honestly, it's time for someone to step up and show them they can't keep using bullying to win.”

“Yeah, well, someone else will have to show them. I just can't sing in front of other people, not all by myself.”

“Of course you can!” Leona insisted.

“No, I can't,” said Lily, stubbornly shaking her towel-wrapped head.

“Have you tried?” asked Leona.

“No…not really.”

“Exactly! So you have no idea! In fact, if you'd tried, you'd know that all by yourself is the best way in the universe to sing!” Leona declared.

“I don't know about that….” Lily laughed, but she couldn't argue. Leona could tell that her mind was beginning to change.
And not a starmin too soon,
Leona realized as she glanced at the clock by the bed. It was already eight fifty-five. They only had five minutes left!

“So will you try out?” asked Leona. “I'll go with you—for moral support….” She reached out and took Lily's hands.

“Oh!”

Leona could feel Lily shiver. “Oops. Star ap—I mean, sorry!” Leona said, dropping Lily's hands.

“That's okay….” Lily rubbed her palms and wiggled her fingers. “There's a lot of static in the air, I guess.” Then she smiled broadly at Leona. “I can't believe I'm saying this, but yes, I'll do it. I'll try out! Just as soon as I get dressed…”

“That's great!” Leona checked the clock again: 8:56. There was barely enough time to get to the auditorium, let alone to change….

She reached for Lily's hands again and held them tight in hers. “You know, it's almost nine o'clock. Why don't you just go how you are? I mean, really, what's more perfect for a singing audition than musical pj's?”

Lily shivered again and nodded. “Sure…Whatever you say…”

They burst in just as the final auditioner was coming off the stage.

“Thank you, Anya. I have to say, you've brought your yodeling routine a long way from last year.”

“Thanks, Ms. Frasier,” said the curly-haired girl. “So…you'll post the results tomorrow?”

“Correct. Outside Kettlekern Hall.”

“Yoo-hoo! Ms. Frasier!” Leona called as she guided Lily down the aisle. “You have one more tryout!”

The music teacher turned and lifted her eyebrows in an expression of happy surprise.

“Lily! You're back….” She checked her watch. “And look at that, just in time.” She paused to sniff, her chin raised. “Mmm! Warm apple pie! I hope there's some left in the dining hall.”

The girl who was holding a flugelhorn stared at Lily as she passed her. “Are you wearing
pajamas
?” she asked.

Lily glanced down, then back at Leona, who simply waved her toward the stage.

“Just get up there and sing!” Leona told her. “What's wrong with pajamas?” she barked at the girl.

“Nothing! Nothing at all. I just wondered where she got them, that's all. Do you think maybe they make some with flugelhorns instead of notes?”

“So you're going to sing?” Ms. Frasier asked meanwhile, as Lily climbed onto the stage.

Lily nodded.

“Do you need music?”

Lily shook her head.

“Well, then please go ahead,” said the teacher.

Hesitant, Lily gulped down a breath.

Leona smiled up at her from the aisle. “You can do it!” she mouthed silently. “It's your gift to share!”

Lily nodded at her, took another breath, and did.

“You made it!”
Leona dragged Lily to the bulletin board outside Kettlekern Hall.

Lily read the sheet. “I made it….”

“Of course you did!” Leona said. Now all Lily had to do was win for Leona's mission to be complete! “Hey, what's wrong?” She looked at Lily. “Are you okay? Are you going to faint?”

“I don't know if I can do it.”

“Do what?” Leona asked.

“Sing.”

Leona was confused. “Of course you can
sing
! Your voice is amazing!”

“I mean in front of the whole school. I know what you said about it being a gift and all…” Lily gnawed her lip and sighed. “But just thinking about it now, it feels almost like a curse.”

“Oh, no, no! It
is
a gift! Just wait until you're up there onstage, and you'll see!” Leona closed her eyes, envisioning herself in that spot exactly. “When all those eyes are on
you
! And everyone is just holding their breath, waiting to hear what you can do!
Lily?
” Leona opened her eyes to find her Wisher propped up, pale, against the wall.

“Okay, maybe I didn't say that quite right….Come on.” She linked arms with Lily.

“Where are we going?”

“We're going back to our room, and you're going to practice your song, and I'm going to record you and play it back so you can hear how good you are!”

Back in their room, Leona took out her Star-Zap and did exactly that.

“Ooh! Is that a new phone? What kind is it?” Lily asked as soon as she saw it.