Flying High by Titania Woods

‘Even if it’s happening to her Opposite.’
    â€˜Oh, Twink, it’s really too bad!’ burst out Bimi.
    Twink put her nectar down and hugged her knees. ‘Bimi, I can’t do a dance on the ground while the rest of you perform, I just can’t! My parents don’t even know I can’t fly! I’d rather break my leg and spend the exhibition in the infirmary.’
    Bimi nodded. ‘I don’t blame you. But that wouldn’t solve anything, would it?’
    â€˜At least I wouldn’t be humiliated in front of my parents.’ Twink rested her chin on her knees. ‘They were so proud of me for getting into Glitterwings – and now this!’
    â€˜Have we really tried everything to get you flying?’ asked Bimi. ‘Maybe there’s something we’ve overlooked. Tell me everything you can think of!’
    So Twink told Bimi how Mrs Lightwing kept telling her to relax. ‘She says that I need to get up in the air without thinking about it. But I don’t know how to do that! And now we’ve tried everything, and there’s nothing left to try!’
    â€˜Maybe not,’ said Bimi, frowning softly.
    Twink sat bolt upright. ‘Have you thought of something?’
    Bimi glanced quickly at her. ‘No. We just – shouldn’t give up hope, that’s all.’
    Twink made a face and slumped back against the wall. After a moment she smiled. ‘You know, Bimi, when I first met you, I thought you were stuck-up. But you’re not, you’re really nice.’
    â€˜Stuck-up? Me?’ Bimi’s voice turned stiff.
    Twink laughed. ‘Yes, because you always sounded just like that! Like you didn’t really want to be talking to anyone.’
    Bimi looked like she had swallowed a chilli seed. ‘I – I just – hate people staring at me, that’s all,’ she stammered. ‘And people always do when I first meet them.’
    â€˜It’s because you’re so pretty,’ said Twink. ‘I thought you were the most beautiful fairy I had ever seen when I first met you! Your blue hair, and your gold and silver wings –’
    â€˜I hate them,’ said Bimi glumly, drawing a pattern in the moss carpet with her pixie boot. ‘I wish I were just normal, like everyone else. Do you remember what a fuss Mrs Hover made over me, that first day with our uniforms? I wanted to die!’
    â€˜But you know, I don’t think about how pretty you are any more,’ said Twink thoughtfully. ‘You’re just Bimi.’
    â€˜Really?’ Bimi’s blue eyes shone.
    â€˜Really!’ Twink assured her. The two fairies smiled warmly at each other.
    Twink glanced at Sooze again, and realised that she didn’t mind so much now about what had happened. Maybe Sooze wasn’t quite the wonderful friend she had thought . . . but she had a very good feeling about Bimi!
    The two fairies sat talking until Twink began to yawn and stretch her wings. ‘I’m going to bed,’ she decided. ‘I know it’s still a few minutes until glow-worms out, but I’m so tired!’
    After Twink left, Bimi sat alone for a few minutes, thinking hard. Finally she got up and joined the others. ‘Pix, can I talk to you?’ she asked, drawing the red-haired fairy away from the crowd.
    Pix’s normally serious face was flushed. ‘Oh, Bimi, isn’t it glimmery? The exhibition is really almost here!’
    â€˜Yes, but I don’t think Twink’s too happy about it,’ said Bimi in an undertone. ‘Especially with her parents coming!’
    Pix’s face fell. ‘Oh, poor Twink! I suppose we all forgot about her tonight. Wasps, how awful of us!’
    â€˜I think I might have an idea, though,’ said Bimi. She quickly told Pix what she was thinking of. ‘Only I’m not sure of the best way to do it,’ she finished. ‘Everyone in Daffy Branch would have to help