Term-Time Trouble by Titania Woods

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    Chapter One
    Drip! Drip!
    Twink Flutterby groaned to herself as she flew along behind her parents. The rain had been drumming down all day, and showed no signs of stopping. What an awful start to the new term!
    â€˜Hold your umbrella higher!’ called Twink’s mother. ‘Your wings are getting wet.’
    â€˜ Everything is getting wet,’ grumbled Twink, adjusting her rose-petal umbrella. Beads of silvery rain formed on its edge, racing off it like pearls. Twink shook it grumpily. ‘I bet Glitterwings has floated away by now.’
    Her father laughed. ‘Oh, I think you’ll find it’s still there. Your school has seen worse rain than this in its time!’
    Twink’s spirits lifted as Glitterwings Academy came into view. The massive oak tree sat calmly on its hill, its rich green leaves shiny with rain. Hundreds of tiny gold windows spiralled up its trunk, and a grand double door sat at its base, looking bright and welcoming despite the dampness.
    For a change, though, there were no clusters of young fairies buzzing about the tree – it was far too wet for them! Instead, an oak-leaf pavilion had been set up on the front lawn for the returning students. Twink and her parents swooped inside it and landed thankfully on the dry grass. Everywhere Twink looked there were soggy fairies!
    â€˜Aren’t you going to tell us how beautiful Glitterwings is in the summertime?’ Twink’s father teased her mother as the rain pattered loudly overhead. Twink’s mother had gone to Glitterwings herself as a young fairy, and tended to wax nostalgic whenever she saw the school again.
    She laughed. ‘Well, it is – but I do like it better in the sunshine!’ she admitted.
    Looking around, Twink caught sight of a thin fairy with light blue wings called Lola, standing with her mother. Lola was a second-year fairy like Twink, and the two of them had been in the same branch since Twink’s first term.
    Even so, Twink hesitated when she saw Lola. Nobody really liked the washed-out little fairy very much – she was the only friend of a perfectly horrid fairy called Mariella, and nobody in their right wings could like Mariella!
    â€˜Isn’t that girl in your branch?’ said Twink’s mother, noticing her too.
    Twink nodded reluctantly. ‘Yes . . . but . . .’
    â€˜Poor thing, she looks so sad!’ said Twink’s mother. ‘Why don’t you go and say hello to her while we register you with Miss Sparkle?’
    Lola, sad? The thought had never occurred to Twink, but looking at Lola now, she could see what her mother meant. Lola’s blonde hair looked damp and stringy, and her mouth was turned down in an unhappy grimace.
    â€˜All right,’ said Twink doubtfully.
    â€˜Good girl,’ said her dad. His expression told her that he understood her dilemma, and was proud of her for doing the right thing.
    Warmed by the thought, Twink smoothed back her pink hair and flitted through the crowd towards Lola. She slowed down as she drew near, becoming uncomfortably aware that an argument was taking place between Lola and her mother.
    â€˜Mum, you’re not being fair!’ Lola beat her wings fretfully. ‘I’ve told you over and over –’
    â€˜You’ll do as I say,’ said Lola’s mother, a large fairy with powerful-looking wings and a firm mouth. ‘I don’t want to discuss it again, and that’s that!’
    â€˜But you’re not even listening!’ Lola looked close to tears. ‘I hate it, don’t you see? I gave it a chance like you said, but –’
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    â€˜Nonsense!’ boomed Lola’s mother. ‘Of course you don’t hate it. Now, have a good term, and write every week. And I expect much better reports from your teachers this term!’
    Lola stared down at the ground. ‘Yes, Mother,’ she mumbled.
    Twink watched as Lola’s mother flapped away, wondering