Frost Friends Forever

by Christina Soontornvat

  For Neave, Anne Louise, and Hudspeth

  Contents

  Title Page

  Dedication

  Chapter One: Bring on the Break

  Chapter Two: The Bold and the Brave

  Chapter Three: The Ultimate Routine

  Chapter Four: Preparing for Perfection

  Chapter Five: An Unexpected Guest

  Chapter Six: Turnip Troubles

  Chapter Seven: Checkmate

  Chapter Eight: Frictionless Fun

  Chapter Nine: A Scolding Fit for a Princess

  Chapter Ten: Operation Sleepover Begins

  Chapter Eleven: Take to the Skies

  Chapter Twelve: The Perfect Hill

  Chapter Thirteen: How Snow Can You Go?

  Chapter Fourteen: Lost

  Chapter Fifteen: Some Very Important Observations

  Chapter Sixteen: Two Heads Are Better

  Chapter Seventeen: A Flash of Brilliance

  Chapter Eighteen: My Really Great Great-Aunt

  Chapter Nineteen: An Almost-Perfect Sleepover

  Activity

  Sneak Peek

  About the Author

  Copyright

  Dear Diary,

  This weekend is the start of Hilltop Science and Arts Academy’s winter break, and I have to say I’m pretty excited.

  Don’t get me wrong, I love school. What’s not to love?

  But even though school is awesome, I’m looking forward to having no homework for a little while. Ms. Collier did give us one assignment, but it actually sounds fun.

  “Class, I want you all to keep a Science Observation Notebook over the break,” she told us this morning. “Whenever you notice science in action, write it down in your notebook. It can be anything we’ve learned about in class: animals, moving objects, weather …”

  Claudia nudged me. “Speaking of weather, when are you going to make it snow?” she whispered. “I haven’t observed a single snowflake yet.”

  “Very funny,” I whispered back. “You know I can’t use my powers at school.”

  This year I learned that I’m a Winterheart, which means that I have magic powers over ice and snow. Most of my family members are Windtamers (they can control the wind and weather).

  It’s great to finally know why my magic is always icy, especially because it has helped me keep my powers under control. I can’t let anyone at school know about my royal status or my magic (except for Claudia, of course). The only downside is that I can’t go out on the playground right now and make a blizzard! Claudia’s right—we could use a little winter fun around here.

  But the number one reason I’m excited for the break is that Claudia and I have Big Plans. Big Sleepover Plans.

  I can’t wait, Diary. Bring on the winter!

  So much for Big Plans, Diary.

  Today at lunch, Claudia gave me the worst news ever.

  “You can’t stay at my house over the break,” she said. “I’m not even staying at my house over the break.”

  I nearly choked on my carrot stick. “Why not?”

  “My big brother is starting at college, and my parents have to help him move in. They’re making me come with them.”

  Claudia’s family are the only Groundlings who know my family’s big royal secret. I love them almost as much as my own family. How could they do this to me?

  “But what about our observation homework for Ms. Collier?” I asked.

  “The only thing I’ll be observing is the backseat of the car. Our road trip is going to take ten hours. Each way!”

  Poor Claudia. Poor me! Sleepovers at her house are the best thing on earth (or in the sky). We use the trampoline, eat pizza, and watch all the movies we want!

  I could almost smell the pancakes and sausage Claudia’s mom always cooks us for breakfast. Not only were we not going to have any sleepovers, but I wasn’t even going to have a friend to play with during the break!

  Diary, I had to be bold. I had to take matters into my own hands.

  “Don’t go on that boring road trip with your family!” I blurted out. “Come sleep over at my house instead.”

  Claudia leaned in and gave me a look. It was her have-you-lost-your-marbles? look. “Your house?”

  I knew what she meant. We don’t live in a house. We live in a palace in the clouds. And I have never had a friend sleep over before. But there has to be a first time for everything.

  “You think your mom will let you?” I asked.

  Claudia chewed her sandwich for a long time. “Possibly. But we’re going to need a new Routine of Persuasion.”

  Whenever Claudia and I want our parents to agree to something big, we don’t just ask for it.

  We perform the Routine of Persuasion.

  Our routine is a mix of dance, acrobatics, jokes, and begging. It’s much harder for our parents to say no to us when we dazzle them.

  But getting them to agree to a cloud palace sleepover means that our routine needs a secret weapon.

  Today was the last day of school before winter break started.

  “You ready?” asked Claudia as soon as the end-of-school bell rang.

  “I was born ready,” I said.

  (I had actually finished getting ready a few minutes before, but who’s counting?)

  Claudia’s mom was waiting with my dad and Gusty in the pickup area. Before they could even ask, “How was your day?” we launched into the best, most persuasive routine of our lives.

  And then we brought in our secret weapon:

  After we were done, Dad laughed. “We’d love to have Claudia sleep over anytime! As long as her mom says it’s okay, of course.”

  Claudia’s mom gave her a look. It was her I’m-thinking-about-it look. “All right,” she said. “I was worried about you being bored on the road trip anyway. You can go.”

  Oh, Diary! I am going to have my first sleepover at my own house!

  Three nights. That’s how long Claudia is going to stay with us while her parents drive her brother to college.

  Three whole, amazing nights!

  Dad is bringing her up in the plane later this evening, which means I have just a few hours to get everything ready for the perfect sleepover.

  Claudia loves snow cones, and with my powers I’m like a snow cone factory.

  I begged Mom to get a trampoline, but of course she said no. Instead I’m planning to use my powers to make a big drift of snow on the terrace so we can have snowball fights.

  I’m excited, but a little nervous too. Sleepovers at Claudia’s house are always so awesome. I want everything to be just as perfect here at our house. If everything goes according to plan, Claudia will have so much fun she will never want to go home!

  But hold on a second, Diary. I smell something.

  It smells like … boiled root vegetables.

  Oh no. Oh no, no, no, no.

  That can mean only one thing.

  Great-Aunt Eastia is here.

  Ugh, Diary, I just got back from talking to Mom downstairs.

  As soon as I smelled the vegetables, I raced to her office and shut the door quietly behind me.

  “Mom! What is Great-Aunt Eastia doing here?” I whispered.

  “I told you before,” Mom said. “She’s staying with us for a few weeks.”

  She did not tell me that.

  (Okay, maybe she did and I forgot. But that’s beside the point.)

  “Mom, she can’t stay here. She’s going to ruin my sleepover!”

  Mom’s eyebrows pinched together, which meant she was feeling very disappointed in me.

  “Lina, I am very disappointed in you. That is a selfish thing to say. You know how much Aunt Eastia loves you.”

  I know that Great-Aunt
Eastia loves me. And I love her too, I really do. She tells wonderful stories, and she taught me how to play the piano. But she is also old and strict, and she is always telling me to act more like a princess.

  Great-Aunt Eastia grew up in a different time, when princesses were supposed to be—well, princess-like. But I can’t argue with her about it because that would be rude. And princesses are never rude to their elders.

  Mom patted my arm. “It’s going to be fine, sweetie. You won’t even notice she’s here. Just be respectful …”

  “Of course, Mom.”

  “… and mind your manners …”

  “Of course, Mom.”

  “… and remember, no winter magic while she’s here.”

  “What?!”

  “The cold makes her joints hurt,” Mom said. “We’re going to keep things as comfortable as possible while she’s our guest.”

  Great-Aunt Eastia is a Windtamer, just like my mom and Granddad. But now that she’s older, she hates the cold and almost always wears a thick coat, even inside.

  There went my plans for snow cones and ice sculpture competitions with Claudia. Just then there was a tap at the door and Great-Aunt Eastia came in.

  I bowed to her, and then she hugged me tight. “My favorite great-niece!” she said. “I heard you are doing so well in school! I’m very proud of you. But, Lina, what have I told you? Stand up straight. And when was the last time you brushed your hair? Don’t forget—you are a princess!”

  Oh, Diary. I would love to forget it for just once in my life. But no one will let me!

  I waited in the front hall of the palace for ages, checking and rechecking to see when Claudia would arrive. Finally I heard the zhum! of Dad’s plane. She was here!

  Gusty and I threw open the front doors, and Claudia bounded across the clouds to me. We were so excited that we did our super-secret best-friend dance twice.

  “This cloud castle is unbelievable,” said Claudia, looking around. “Ms. Collier said that clouds are just made out of dust and water droplets.”

  “And magic,” I said. “I mean, our clouds are made of magic. Otherwise we’d all be dropping out of the sky right now.”

  Mom gave Claudia a big hug. “We’re so glad you’re here! Lina, why don’t you take Claudia up to your room and help her settle in.”

  I led the way upstairs to my bedroom. I don’t know why, Diary, but I felt nervous! I’ve never had a friend visit my room before today. At least I had cleaned it up (which means I shoved everything under my bed and into my closet).

  I showed Claudia the paper cups and syrup. “These are for later.”

  Her eyes lit up. “Very Berry? Now this is the best sleepover ever.”

  We celebrated by jumping on the bed. I was feeling great! Until we went down to dinner.

  I smelled food. It didn’t smell like double pepperoni.

  “Dad,” I whispered. “Where’s the pizza?”

  “Honey, we can have pizza another night. Great-Aunt Eastia wanted to make dinner tonight.”

  My great-aunt came into the dining room, followed by waiters carrying big, steaming soup bowls.

  “I made your favorite, Lina,” she said. “My special winter stew.”

  I usually like it fine, but it is definitely not pizza. I watched Claudia nervously.

  She leaned over her bowl and took a slow sip. “Mmm, that’s very delicious, Ms. Eastia.”

  Great-Aunt Eastia beamed. “Thank you, my dear. Lina, I like your friend already. And do you see the way she holds her spoon? No splashing. Perhaps you could learn something from her.”

  I sat up super straight and sipped my soup with no splashes (okay, maybe just a couple splashes. Small ones).

  Gusty got his own bowl of stew.

  At least someone in the room made a bigger mess than I did.

  Diary, I’m writing this from my bed. It’s only nine o’clock, and Claudia is already asleep, which should tell you how the rest of the night went.

  After dinner we went into the parlor room. Great-Aunt Eastia sat by the fireplace with Mom and Dad while Claudia and I played games.

  “Checkmate!” said Claudia (for the third time). “Want to play again?”

  I slumped in my chair. If we were a normal family, we would have been watching a movie. But we don’t have any movies. We don’t even have a television!

  Turnip soup and chess? This wasn’t the fun sleepover I imagined at all. Then I had a brilliant idea.

  “Mom, Dad, we’ve got to go do our homework,” I said.

  “Right now?” Mom asked.

  “Never too early to start. Right, Claudia?” I gave her my please-go-along-with-it look.

  Claudia got the hint. “Yup. The early bird gets the—er, good grades?”

  “Such studious young girls,” said Great-Aunt Eastia.

  We said our good nights, and I pulled Claudia out into the hallway.

  “You don’t seriously want to do homework right now, do you?” Claudia whispered.

  “Of course I do! Ms. Collier said we were supposed to observe science in action. I think we should observe one of the forces we learned about in class.”

  Claudia gave me her what-are-you-up-to? look. “Is this going to involve ice?”

  I smiled really, really big. “Trust me, this will be way better than sitting in that boring old parlor room.”

  “It wasn’t boring,” said Claudia, but I knew she was just trying to be nice.

  I took her hand and led her down the hall. “Come on. This is in the name of science!”

  Yes, Diary, I know.

  I’m not supposed to use my powers while Great-Aunt Eastia is visiting. But we were in the ballroom, which is all the way at the other end of the castle, so I figured she would never know.

  Ms. Collier taught us that when two objects rub against each other, they cause friction. Like when you rub your hands together to warm them up. Or when you push a chair across the room. Or when you give your dog a really good backrub.

  When something slides across a surface, the force of friction will slow it down. But if the surface is really smooth and slippery—like, ahem, ice—friction is lower, and that makes for epic sliding.

  I checked one more time that the ballroom doors were closed. Then I turned to Claudia. “Are you ready, Observation Partner?”

  Claudia tapped her pencil on her notebook. “Ready to observe!”

  I held up my hands and took a deep breath. Until a few months ago, my winter magic would slip out and do wacky things. But ever since I learned that I’m a Winterheart, I’ve been much better at controlling my powers. Even so, I didn’t want anyone to know what we were doing, so I tried to keep things as chill as possible.

  Luckily ice is as chill as it gets.

  I waved my hands in front of me and let my breath out slowly. A thin layer of ice coated the floor. I laid down another layer, and another, until the ice was thick and smooth.

  Claudia grinned. “Okay, let’s see some low friction in action!”

  I grabbed a cushion off one of the ballroom chairs, took a running start, and slid on my belly all the way across the room! “Wheeeeeeee!”

  “Not bad,” Claudia said. “But I think my cushion will slide even farther. Please stand back—in the name of science!”

  We observed every cushion in the room.

  After a little while, we started observing each other doing awesome tricks, like a 360-degree spin.

  I landed my spin gracefully (okay, I slammed into the wall, but with pizzazz). “Claudia, it’s your turn again! Claudia?”

  Claudia had a petrified look on her face as she pointed behind me.

  I turned around and saw Great-Aunt Eastia with her hands on her hips.

  Gosh, Diary, who knew someone could glare with disapproval and shiver at the same time?

  Great-Aunt Eastia might seem like a sweet, older lady, but she is also a powerful member of the Windtamer royal family. In that moment, she looked like a very angry member of the royal family. Wi
th a snap of her fingers, a hot, dry wind rolled through the room, melting the ice and evaporating it.

  I may have trembled, just a little bit.

  “Lina, this behavior is not fit for a young princess,” she said.

  “I’m sorry, we were just—”

  “This is a palace, not a circus. Not only that, but when I went to check on you I found bottles of syrup in your room. Sugary syrup will rot your teeth. And it attracts ants!”

  Ants? How are ants going to get up here, Diary? We live on a cloud!

  Great-Aunt Eastia pulled her coat tighter. “You also promised your mother that you wouldn’t use your winter magic while I’m here.”

  “We were just trying to have some fun.”

  My great-aunt's expression softened. “Lina, do you understand what it means to be a princess?”

  “Yes,” I said with a small sigh. “Stand up straight. Mind my manners.”

  Great-Aunt Eastia shook her head. “It means that you act honorably. It means that you think about other people, not just about yourself. It means you keep your promises.”

  I didn’t know what to say, so I just stared down at my feet.

  “You and Claudia will go straight to bed,” said Great-Aunt Eastia. “Or else I will have to have a discussion with your parents.”

  We couldn’t argue with that. Claudia and I trudged upstairs. Claudia seemed really sad, Diary. I think she is disappointed. And who could blame her?

  No pizza, no movies, no fun of any kind. And now we can’t even have snow cones. This sleepover is a complete disaster.

  But I’m not going to give up just because my old-fashioned great-aunt wants me to act “like a princess.” I have to do something.

  Diary, tomorrow morning Operation Sleepover goes into full effect.