Sister Secrets (5 page)

.

Chapter Six

‘She did
what
?'
Summer's surprised voice echoed through the first-year wash branch. A bit of moss she'd been using to scrub her arms lay forgotten in her hand as she stared at Teena.

Teena nodded crossly. ‘She was trying to get us together, and make us be best friends! Can you believe it?'

‘Oh.' Summer slowly started cleaning her arms again. ‘I – I thought she was showing me Fledge moves because she liked me.'

Teena rolled her eyes. ‘She
does
like you,' she pointed out. ‘She thinks you'd be the perfect best friend for me!'

‘And I'm the worst friend in the world, apparently,' put in Zuzu dismally, combing her hair. Her lavender wings glinted in the steam. ‘Teena, I still can't work out what I've done to make her hate me so much.'

Teena squeezed her best friend's arm. ‘Don't worry about it. She's got it in her head that you're just like Sooze, and Sooze hurt her feelings once or something.
I
know you're not like that.'

Zuzu laughed suddenly. ‘She doesn't seem to know
you
very well either, does she? Honestly – as if
I'd
ever be
sneaking around the star-gazing platform!'

Teena grinned, fluttering her wings. ‘Just wait – I
will
get you up there, and the others too, once I've worked out how to get in. It'll be the most glimmery place in the world for a midnight feast!'

‘Well, what do we do in the meantime?' demanded Summer. Her orange eyebrows were drawn together in a hurt frown. ‘I don't fancy Twink using me like that again. She could have
told
me what she was up to instead of being so sneaky.'

‘I know,' said Teena sympathetically. ‘She means well, but she still thinks I'm a baby who can't make my own decisions! We need to do something to show her how silly she's being about all three of us.'

Summer's eyes lit up. ‘A prank!'

Teena felt a slow smile spread across her face. ‘Ooh, yes! But nothing
too
bad – it has to be something that she'll laugh at afterwards. What do you think, Zu?'
.

.

.

Teena wasn't surprised to see a worried look appear on Zuzu's face. Though her twin could be outspoken and cheeky, deep down she was really a bit of a scaredy-fairy!

‘Well . . .' said Zuzu, biting her lip.

Teena put an arm around her shoulders. ‘Come on,' she wheedled. ‘You hardly have to be involved at all. I think I've got an idea, and it'll be brilliant!'

Zuzu took a deep breath. ‘All right,' she decided. ‘I'm in!'

‘And me,' said Summer with a grin. The three fairies touched their wings together. ‘Let's show Twink what a moss brain she's being!'

‘Even though it's underground, a tree's root system is really its heart,' said Miss Petal. She unrolled a large oak-leaf poster of the Glitterwings root system, pinning it up on the wall.

‘So when you're working with trees, you must always take into account whether –
Ivy
!' Miss Petal interrupted herself with an exasperated sigh. ‘Are you listening to a word I'm saying?'

Ivy didn't look up. Sitting at the desk next to her, Twink saw that the green-haired fairy was drawing an elaborate picture of a water sprite sitting on a lily pad.

‘Ivy,' she whispered from behind her hand. ‘Miss Petal's talking to you!'

Ivy looked up dreamily. ‘Hmm?'

‘IVY!' bellowed Miss Petal. The class jumped. ‘If you don't stop drawing and PAY ATTENTION, I'll send you out of this class!'

Ivy's eyes widened in surprise. ‘Oh! Sorry, Miss Petal.' She calmly closed her sketch pad.

Twink shook her head in bewilderment. How could this be the same fairy who – just this morning in Creature Kindness – had argued with Pix about the care of moles, and
won
? It was as if Ivy lived on her own planet half the time, but could be the brainiest fairy in the school when she felt like it!

Glancing over at Pix, Twink saw the red-haired fairy gritting her teeth. Ivy's occasional bursts of brilliance must be driving her mad. Pix was used to being the cleverest fairy in their year – it had to be annoying to be shown up by a scatterbrain like Ivy.

The magpie's call echoed through the school, signalling the end of lessons for the day. Twink gathered her things together. Beside her, Ivy was packing up her petal bag, humming to herself.

‘Ivy, wait!' called Twink as they flitted from the classroom. She caught up with the green-haired fairy and cleared her throat. ‘I just wanted to ask you – I mean . . .'

‘What?' Ivy's eyes were wide and innocent, but there was a faint spark of mischief in them, too. Suddenly Twink wondered whether Ivy was
quite
as dreamy as she sometimes made out!

She smiled despite herself. ‘Well . . . it's just that sometimes you seem . . .'

Twink broke off as Summer came flying up, panting and out of breath. ‘Twink! I've been looking
everywhere
for you,' she cried. ‘I need to talk to you – it's really important.'

‘I'll go and find Jade, then. See you later, Twink!' said Ivy.

After Ivy had fluttered off, Twink quickly drew Summer to a small window seat set high up in the tree's trunk. ‘Is something wrong?' she asked anxiously.

Summer nodded her orange head. ‘Twink, remember when I said that we sometimes tease Zuzu and Teena about plotting something?'

Dread shivered across Twink's wings. ‘Yes – what about it?'

Summer's hands twisted in her lap. ‘Well, it turns out it
wasn't
a joke, at least not about Zuzu. Oh, Twink, I found out that she's been plotting an awful, awful prank – and Teena refused to believe me! She thinks Zuzu's just perfect.'

Summer quickly told Twink what Zuzu was planning. Twink gasped in alarm. ‘But she
can't
!
You could all get into real trouble for that.'

Summer looked close to tears. ‘I know! The rest of us have tried to talk her out of it, but she just won't listen. Can't you stop her, Twink? Please? You're the only one I can ask.'

‘I'll go and have a word with her right now,' said Twink. Her jaw felt stiff and angry. Oh, that Zuzu! Twink had known she was trouble, but nothing like
this.
Why, the Snowdrop Branch fairies could all get expelled!

‘No, don't!' burst out Summer. ‘I mean – I mean, she'd be furious if she knew I'd told you. Can't you catch her in the act, somehow?'

Twink considered it, tapping her wings together. ‘Maybe that
would
be better,' she said. ‘I could really frighten her, so that she won't do it again.'

Relief shone on Summer's face. ‘Oh, good! That's the best way, I'm sure of it. Zuzu's planning on getting the fairy dust tonight, after glow-worms out.'

‘Well, she won't get very far – I'll be waiting for her!' said Twink. She felt a twist of satisfaction. It would be glimmery to actually catch Zuzu out, and prove to Teena how right she'd been about her new best friend. Maybe now Teena would actually listen to her!

That night Twink sat on her mossy bed in her cobweb nightgown, polishing her lavender wings until they gleamed. On the bed beside her, Bimi was studying her Creature Kindness book as she combed her dark blue hair.

Twink sighed. She wanted
so
much to tell Bimi about Zuzu's scheme, but she knew her best friend still wasn't convinced that Sooze's cousin was really that bad. Wouldn't it be better to wait until she had the evidence, and
then
tell Bimi everything?

Looking up, Bimi caught the expression on her face. ‘Twink, something
is
wrong, isn't it?' she asked, closing her book.

Twink hesitated as she put her wing polish away. ‘Not really,' she said. ‘I mean . . . well, there
is
something, but I'll tell you later.'

Bimi's pretty face creased in concern. ‘Are you sure? Why can't you tell me now?'

‘I just can't,' said Twink. ‘Trust me, Bimi – I'll have loads to tell you tomorrow!'

After glow-worms out, Twink waited until she heard slow, steady breathing all around her. Carefully, she slipped out of bed. Pulling on her dressing gown, she glided down to the main floor of the branch.

Sooze slept there, and Twink glanced at her sleeping figure, wondering what she'd say when she found out about Zuzu's scheme. It should really be
Sooze
stopping her cousin, realised Twink suddenly. Why had Summer asked her to do it?

Twink's pink eyebrows drew together, and then she shrugged. It must just be that Summer didn't know Sooze. In any event, Sooze would be furious when she found out. Even
she
wouldn't attempt a prank as daft as the one Zuzu was planning!

Twink fluttered up to unhook a glow-worm lantern from the ceiling, and then tiptoed on to the ledge and shut the door softly behind her. It was so dark! But she couldn't use her lantern yet; Zuzu might see her.

Taking a deep breath, Twink dived off the ledge and skimmed downwards, towards the bottom of the tree. When she reached the supplies branch, she crouched under the shadowy ledge, keeping out of sight.

Nothing happened for what seemed like ages. Twink bit her lip worriedly. Had she missed Zuzu somehow? But then she heard the faint stirring of wings. She peeked out, her heart thumping hard.

Even in the dim light, Twink could see that the fairy landing on the ledge had long pink hair pulled back in a clasp, and wore a Snowdrop dressing gown. As Twink watched, Zuzu eased open the door to the supplies branch and vanished inside.

Twink waited for several moments, trembling with expectation.
Now!
she thought, and swooped into the supplies branch. ‘Glow-worms on!' she shouted. ‘Stop right there, Zuzu!'

The pink-haired fairy was standing near a bag of fairy dust, her back to Twink. To Twink's surprise, she didn't spin around to see who had spoken – instead, she quickly grabbed up some fairy dust and rushed to the window.

.

.

‘Hey, wait!' called Twink. ‘Where do you think you're going?'

Zuzu didn't bother to answer. Deftly, the cheeky little fairy undid the catch and shot outside!

Jetting across the branch, Twink squirmed through the window after her. She could just see the outline of a fairy soaring upwards through the night, heading for Snowdrop Branch.

Twink sped after her, but Zuzu had had too much of a head start. Twink clenched her fists as she watched the younger fairy do a barrel roll. A taunting giggle floated through the air.

Oh!
Just wait until she got her hands on her – Zuzu wouldn't be laughing then! Twink raced even faster, whipping past leaves and branches. Still chortling, Zuzu dived towards Snowdrop Branch and disappeared through an open window.