Piper in 3T and Eleanor Jacobs in 6D.”
Antonia clapped loudly as Joe and Eleanor made their way to the front of the hall to collect their prizes–illustrated books about the sea–but all the time her eyes were on Sophie. She had to be the winner. She just had to be.
“And the winner, chosen not just for her super picture of dolphins, but for all the interesting facts she included as well, is Antonia Lee in 5B.”
At first Antonia didn’t register that she’d won. She was too busy staring at Sophie, who looked like she’d been knocked over the head with a bucket full of fish. Antonia tried to catch her friend’s eye, but Sophie didn’t look in her direction.
“Go on. Get your prize.”
The boy sitting next to Antonia practically pushed her to her feet. Self-consciously Antonia stumbled through the rows of seated children to the front of the hall where Claudia was waiting.
“Well done, my dear,” she said, grasping Antonia’s hand. “You obviously care about dolphins and the sea.”
“I do,” said Antonia, her grey-green eyes shining eagerly. “I can see the sea from my bedroom window. There’s a pod of common dolphins that swim in the bay early in the evening. I love watching them.”
“I’ve seen them too.” Claudia gripped Antonia’s hand and stared into her eyes.
Antonia caught her breath. Claudia’s gaze was so intense that for a second it felt like she was tapping into her thoughts. Maybe she
was
a witch! Then Claudia smiled and letting go of Antonia’s hand she gave her a small box. Antonia opened it and gasped. Inside was a silver dolphin on a delicate chain.
“It’s beautiful.”
Claudia smiled and said so softly that Antonia struggled to hear her, “Always answer the dolphin’s call.”
“What…?”
Questions lined up at Antonia’s lips, but before she could ask anything Claudia returned to her seat. Mr Cordier, the head teacher, waved Antonia back to her place.
“Well done, everyone,” he said. “And if any ofyou are interested in marine conservation, remember that Sea Watch needs volunteers. See me after assembly if you’d like more details.”
Antonia sat down. Had Claudia really just said ‘answer the dolphin’s call’? What could that mean? Antonia stared at Claudia, but she was gazing out of the window as if she’d rather be somewhere else. Antonia decided to ask her mum if she could volunteer. Helping out at Sea Watch sounded like great fun.
Antonia looked at the necklace again. She ran her finger over the dolphin charm. To her surprise the metal was smooth and slippery, just how she imagined a real dolphin would feel. She couldn’t wait to wear it and show Sophie, but she had the strangest feeling that she shouldn’t put it on until she was alone. Assembly seemed to go on for ever, but at last it was over and everyone went back totheir classrooms. It was home time and there was the usual scramble to stack chairs and collect bags and lunchboxes. Several girls crowded round Antonia wanting to see her prize. Antonia was showing them when she noticed Sophie was missing. She looked around and spotted her friend heading out of the classroom door.
“Sophie, wait.”
Antonia closed the box and ran after Sophie, catching her up in the corridor.
“Going without me?” she joked.
Sophie rolled her eyes. “Hurry up then. You know I help Dad with his four o’clock art class.”
“Sorry, I forgot. Everyone wanted to see my prize. It’s a dolphin necklace. Look!” Excitedly Antonia thrust the box at Sophie.
“Nice,” said Sophie, barely glancing at it.
“Nice?” echoed Antonia. “Is that it?”
“I’ve told you. I’m in a hurry,” Sophie snapped.
“There’s plenty of time. Do you want to try my necklace on?”
Antonia held her breath, suddenly hoping Sophie would refuse. The two girls usually shared everything, but somehow Antonia was reluctant to share her necklace. It was too special.
“No, thanks,” said Sophie. “Shame you didn’t
Antonia clapped loudly as Joe and Eleanor made their way to the front of the hall to collect their prizes–illustrated books about the sea–but all the time her eyes were on Sophie. She had to be the winner. She just had to be.
“And the winner, chosen not just for her super picture of dolphins, but for all the interesting facts she included as well, is Antonia Lee in 5B.”
At first Antonia didn’t register that she’d won. She was too busy staring at Sophie, who looked like she’d been knocked over the head with a bucket full of fish. Antonia tried to catch her friend’s eye, but Sophie didn’t look in her direction.
“Go on. Get your prize.”
The boy sitting next to Antonia practically pushed her to her feet. Self-consciously Antonia stumbled through the rows of seated children to the front of the hall where Claudia was waiting.
“Well done, my dear,” she said, grasping Antonia’s hand. “You obviously care about dolphins and the sea.”
“I do,” said Antonia, her grey-green eyes shining eagerly. “I can see the sea from my bedroom window. There’s a pod of common dolphins that swim in the bay early in the evening. I love watching them.”
“I’ve seen them too.” Claudia gripped Antonia’s hand and stared into her eyes.
Antonia caught her breath. Claudia’s gaze was so intense that for a second it felt like she was tapping into her thoughts. Maybe she
was
a witch! Then Claudia smiled and letting go of Antonia’s hand she gave her a small box. Antonia opened it and gasped. Inside was a silver dolphin on a delicate chain.
“It’s beautiful.”
Claudia smiled and said so softly that Antonia struggled to hear her, “Always answer the dolphin’s call.”
“What…?”
Questions lined up at Antonia’s lips, but before she could ask anything Claudia returned to her seat. Mr Cordier, the head teacher, waved Antonia back to her place.
“Well done, everyone,” he said. “And if any ofyou are interested in marine conservation, remember that Sea Watch needs volunteers. See me after assembly if you’d like more details.”
Antonia sat down. Had Claudia really just said ‘answer the dolphin’s call’? What could that mean? Antonia stared at Claudia, but she was gazing out of the window as if she’d rather be somewhere else. Antonia decided to ask her mum if she could volunteer. Helping out at Sea Watch sounded like great fun.
Antonia looked at the necklace again. She ran her finger over the dolphin charm. To her surprise the metal was smooth and slippery, just how she imagined a real dolphin would feel. She couldn’t wait to wear it and show Sophie, but she had the strangest feeling that she shouldn’t put it on until she was alone. Assembly seemed to go on for ever, but at last it was over and everyone went back totheir classrooms. It was home time and there was the usual scramble to stack chairs and collect bags and lunchboxes. Several girls crowded round Antonia wanting to see her prize. Antonia was showing them when she noticed Sophie was missing. She looked around and spotted her friend heading out of the classroom door.
“Sophie, wait.”
Antonia closed the box and ran after Sophie, catching her up in the corridor.
“Going without me?” she joked.
Sophie rolled her eyes. “Hurry up then. You know I help Dad with his four o’clock art class.”
“Sorry, I forgot. Everyone wanted to see my prize. It’s a dolphin necklace. Look!” Excitedly Antonia thrust the box at Sophie.
“Nice,” said Sophie, barely glancing at it.
“Nice?” echoed Antonia. “Is that it?”
“I’ve told you. I’m in a hurry,” Sophie snapped.
“There’s plenty of time. Do you want to try my necklace on?”
Antonia held her breath, suddenly hoping Sophie would refuse. The two girls usually shared everything, but somehow Antonia was reluctant to share her necklace. It was too special.
“No, thanks,” said Sophie. “Shame you didn’t
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