Flying High Read Free Page A

Hover, bustling over to them. ‘Don’t you girls want to see your timetables? Here you go – soon you’ll be kept so busy that you won’t have time to squabble!’
    Twink eagerly took the rose-petal timetable Mrs Hover handed her. TWINK FLUTTERBY, it said in official silver letters, with the times of all her classes laid out below. Flight – Skills and Techniques. Flower Power for Beginners. Introduction to Creature Kindness. Dance for Beginners. Theory of Fairy Dust. Twink’s eyes shone. It all sounded so exciting!

    She nudged Sooze with her wing. ‘We’ve got Flower Power tomorrow! I can hardly wait – we get to heal injured flowers, and all sorts!’
    â€˜Dance, that’s what I’m looking forward to,’ said Sooze. ‘All those magical moves!’ She peered over Twink’s shoulder and gave a little bounce. ‘Look, we’ve got all our classes together! Glimmery!’
    â€˜All of Daffodil Branch is together,’ put in Pix. ‘But look, for some classes, like Flight, it’s all of the first year.’
    Twink’s excitement faded a bit as she glanced over at Mariella and Lola. It was bad enough living with those two, without having to take every single class with them!
    Never mind, at least she was with Sooze. She rolled her timetable up carefully, and put it in her rose-petal schoolbag.
    Meanwhile, Mrs Hover had gone back to the dresses. She fussed over Bimi, holding up flower after flower in front of her, cooing happily. ‘The yellow one? Ooh, that looks so striking with your lovely hair and wings . . . but then the white one with yellow trim would suit you so well, too . . .’
    Bimi stood stiffly, her jaw set. Twink thought she looked even crosser than she had the night before. ‘I don’t care,’ she said shortly. ‘Any of them will do.’
    Finally Mrs Hover chose a dress that satisfied her, and the girls gathered in the doorway to ride the birds down to breakfast. Twink bit her lip nervously as she watched the tits circle. Just one more time, she told herself. Then I’ll be able to fly on my own!
    To take her mind off the birds, Twink decided to try again with Bimi. ‘You look really nice,’ she whispered. Mrs Hover had decided on the yellow and white dress, and it did look stunning on the blue-haired girl.
    Bimi shrugged and turned away, scowling. Twink sighed. That was what she got for trying to be friendly.
    Sooze let out a whoop as she climbed on her bird. ‘No more birds for us after this morning!’ she cried.
    â€˜Hurrah!’ said a few of the other girls.
    Twink climbed gingerly into a red saddle, trying to smile like the others. Yes, and I can hardly wait! she thought.
    After breakfast, the First Years gathered for their Flight lesson on the front lawn of Glitterwings, with the great tree rising up behind them.
    â€˜Now then,’ said Mrs Lightwing, zipping to and fro in front of the long line of fairies. ‘The thing to remember about flying is that it’s all about instinct. Instinct!’
    Twink looked quickly around her, frowning. No one else seemed confused. But her father had always told her not to be embarrassed about asking questions, so she raised her hand.
    â€˜Yes?’ said Mrs Lightwing, hovering in front of her.
    â€˜What does instinct mean?’ asked Twink.
    Mrs Lightwing opened her mouth, but before she could answer a voice hissed, ‘Fancy not knowing that!’
    Mariella! Twink felt her cheeks colour. Beside her, Sooze made a face and rolled her eyes.
    Mrs Lightwing glared at Mariella and flew quickly over to her. ‘What does it mean, then?’ she barked. ‘Speak loudly, so we can all hear!’
    Mariella smirked, brushing silvery-green hair out of her eyes. ‘It means talent. Flying’s all about having talent, and I know I’m going to have lots of it, because –’
    â€˜Incorrect!’ boomed Mrs