Flying High

by Titania Woods

  Bimi’s mother was very beautiful, with elegant silver and gold wings and glistening blue hair, just like her daughter. She greeted Twink with a warm smile. ‘I’m so glad Bimi’s made a friend!’ she said. ‘I was worried that she might not. She’s so shy, and she gets so prickly when she’s nervous.’

  Behind her, Twink saw Bimi scowling in embarrassment. ‘Oh, we just ignore her when she’s prickly,’ she laughed. ‘We know she doesn’t really mean it!’

  When all the families had arrived, the school butterflies streamed out of the tree, carrying woven-grass blankets and sweet seed cakes. A picnic! Twink and Bimi exchanged a delighted smile. In no time at all, the school was spread out on the mossy lawn, eating and drinking and laughing.

  Between bites of seed cake, Twink chattered away to her parents, telling them all about the term so far. But somehow, she didn’t mention the difficulties she’d had learning to fly. I’ll tell them soon, she assured herself. When the right moment comes.

  Finally a break came in the conversation. Twink steeled her wings. ‘Mum . . . Dad . . .’ she started.

  A group of sixth-year fairies swooped over the crowd like birds. ‘The Flying Exhibition is about to begin!’ they called through cupped hands. ‘Students, get into your teams and see Mrs Lightwing for the flight order! Parents and families, please make your way to the flying field!’

  Teena danced in place. ‘Ooh, this is so exciting! Twink, what are you doing in the exhibition?’

  Twink opened her mouth to speak, and then closed it again. ‘I – I – oh, you’ll see!’ she managed weakly. ‘Come on, Bimi, we’d better hurry.’

  The two fairies flew towards the flying field. ‘Why didn’t you tell them?’ demanded Bimi.

  ‘I just couldn’t.’ Twink banked to avoid a slow-flying moth, and swallowed hard. ‘Anyway, they’ll find out soon enough.’

  While the flying teams waited in oak-leaf tents, Twink stood alone at the side of the field, waiting for her cue to begin her dance. Looking around, she could see the hundreds of mushroom seats that had been grown specially by Miss Petal for the exhibition – short ones in the front row and tall, thin ones in the back.

  Madame Brightfoot flew over, her cobweb dress sparkling. ‘Are you ready to dance, my child?’ she cried.

  Twink nodded. ‘Yes, Madame.’

  Madame Brightfoot clasped her hands together. ‘Ah! It is the most beautiful dance I have made for you. Never mind that you are not in the air, everyone watching will be taken to the stars!’

  Privately, Twink thought that the only stars today were going to be the flying teams! Never mind, she decided. If she had to do a dance, she’d do the best one in the world. She’d make her parents proud of her whether she was flying or not.

  Finally, the mushroom grandstand was full. An expectant hush fell over the flying field. The bird and cricket orchestra began to play a lilting tune, and the first-year teams swooped out of the tent.

  Now! Twink took a deep breath, and ran out to the middle of the field.

  As the teams looped and twirled overheard, Twink concentrated on her steps. Turn, dip, sway, jump . . . Madame was right, she realised. It was a lovely dance! She forgot about not flying, and let the dance carry her away.

  When the first-year teams flew back to the tent, Twink was almost sorry to see them go. Finishing her dance, she quickly tiptoed to the audience – and then stood stunned as a fresh wave of applause swept over her. They were applauding her. She must have done really well!

  Excitement sparkled through Twink like fairy dust. Without thinking, she shot into the air and did three celebratory loop-the-loops, one after the other.

  When she landed, the audience was laughing good-naturedly. Twink clapped a hand to her mouth. Oh, wasps! What would Mrs Lightwing say now? Her face on fire, she raced off the field just as the second-year team flew on.

  After the exhibition, the students mingled with their families and friends on the flying lawn, sipping sweet nectar served by the butterflies. The Sixth Years were allowed to wear their own clothes for the occasion, and looked very grown-up in their sparkly shorts and tops.

  ‘Twink, that was wonderful. We’re so proud of you!’ Twink’s mother enveloped her in a hug.

  ‘Even though I didn’t fly?’ Twink thought she knew the answer, but she still wanted to hear her mother say it.

  Her mother laughed, fluttering her lavender wings. ‘But, Twink, you did fly. You did three perfect loop-the-loops!’

  ‘We’re very proud of you, Twinkster,’ said her father gently. ‘You got the hang of it in the end. We knew you would.’

  Twink’s mouth dropped open. ‘You – you knew I couldn’t fly? But –’

  ‘Miss Shimmery wrote to us weeks ago,’ said Twink’s mother. ‘We all decided that the best thing was for you to come to it in your own time – and you did.’

  ‘But we wanted to be here for you today, either way,’ added her father. He squeezed her shoulder. ‘To congratulate or commiserate!’

  Madame Brightfoot landed beside them. ‘What do you think of this wonderful dancer girl?’ she cried. Twink’s parents turned away to speak to her, and Twink and Bimi looked at each other in amazement.

  ‘They never said a word!’ said Twink in an undertone.

  ‘I suppose they trusted you to work it out on your own,’ said Bimi. ‘That was pretty glimmery of them.’

  ‘And of the school, really,’ said Twink thoughtfully. ‘They did everything they could to help me not be so afraid, but in the end it was down to me – well, with a bit of help from my friends!’ She and Bimi grinned at each other.

  Teena’s eyes were wide, going from one to the other. ‘What?’ she demanded. ‘What are you talking about?’

  Twink scooped her little sister into a hug. ‘I’ll tell you someday when you’re older!’ she promised. She took off her oak-leaf cap and popped it on to Teena’s bright pink hair. ‘Look, you’re a Glitterwings girl already!’

  When it was time for the flying prizes to be announced, everyone gathered around the mossy platform where Miss Shimmery and the teachers waited.

  The HeadFairy hovered above the crowd, her rainbow wings glinting in the sun. ‘With so many talented fliers here today, it hasn’t been easy to decide on the winners, but Mrs Lightwing and I have done our best!’

  Mariella, standing nearby, smirked. ‘I’m sure they’ll choose me,’ Twink heard her say to her mother. ‘No one in our year can hold a glow-worm to me.’

  ‘We’ll start with our First Years,’ said Miss Shimmery from the platform. ‘It was a very difficult choice, but the best flier in the first year is . . . Sooze Birdsong!’

  The entire first year burst into wild applause. Sooze screeched with delight, and flitted to the stage to collect her prize.

  ‘Oh!’ Mariella’s wings snapped shut.

  ‘How outrageous!’ huffed her mother. ‘You’re far more talented, Mariella!’

  Twink watched Sooze collect a scroll and a kiss from Miss Shimmery, and smiled. Well done, Opposite, she thought. Even though they weren’t best friends any more, she was still pleased for Sooze. All that practising she had done had paid off!

  After Miss Shimmery had announced the best fliers from all the years, she held up her hands for silence. ‘Now then. There’s still one more prize to give . . . that of the best flier in the entire school.’

  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

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  ISBN 978 1 4088 1343 0

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