New Girl by Titania Woods Page B

hesitated. ‘Well, it’s just . . . would you mind wearing the dandelion-leaf dress in the show after all? It doesn’t look right on Jax, and she’s not having fun anyway. I made it with you in mind, Twink – I really think you’re the only one who can carry it off!’
    Twink had readily agreed, though secretly she still wasn’t sure what she thought of the dress. But to her surprise, the next time she tried it on it looked very different than she remembered – its prickles seemed sophisticated and exotic, with the bold splashes of paint perfectly bringing out the colour of her hair and wings.
    How could I have been so wrong? wondered Twink now, still waiting on the sidelines for her turn. Obviously, the grouchy mood she’d been in all term had made her see the dress differently, too. She shuddered. What a pain she must have been!
    Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Bimi waiting as well, looking beautiful in her long blue gown. She sighed. If only Bimi had been as easy to apologise to as Kiki! But Twink had somehow messed things up badly, so that the two friends were as distant as ever.
    The same day that she’d sorted things out with Kiki, Twink had got Bimi on her own in the second-year Common Branch. At first, Bimi had been as distressed as Kiki to learn about the crystal.
    â€˜Oh, Twink!’ she cried. ‘Is that what was wrong? Why didn’t you tell me?’
    â€˜I don’t know . . . I just couldn’t,’ mumbled Twink. Stupidly, fresh tears sprang to her eyes. ‘I just felt so awful about it. I hated the thought of you being best friends with someone else! And then later, when you seemed to change so much, I –’
    Bimi stared at her. ‘ I seemed to change? You mean you did.’
    Twink nodded. ‘I know, I acted really stupidly . . . but Bimi, you changed too – you know, always going on about fashion and your looks.’
    Bimi stiffened. ‘ Going on about it? What do you mean?’
    Twink groped for words. ‘Well – you’re always doing your hair now, and talking about different kinds of wing polish, and you seem to really like everyone watching you in the show . . .’ Twink trailed off. Bimi’s face was ablaze with anger.
    â€˜So you think I’m acting stuck-up, is that it?’ she snapped.
    â€˜No!’ cried Twink. ‘But – you know, you might just be getting carried away with it all a tiny bit –’
    She was talking to thin air. Bimi had flounced off to the other end of the Common Branch. Sitting at a mushroom desk, she banged open a petal pad and pointedly began her homework.
    That had been over two weeks ago. Nothing Twink had said since had made any difference. Bimi remained cold towards Twink, and redoubled her efforts in the fashion show. She spent hours practising her moves, and fussed over her hair and wings each night until they gleamed.
    Kiki, caught in the middle, was obviously torn. ‘What am I supposed to do?’ she said to Twink in exasperation. ‘I like you both!’
    At least the rest of Peony Branch was acting normally towards Twink again – now that she was acting normally herself! Hovering on the sidelines in the Great Branch, Twink watched the models sashay through the air, posing and pouting. They all looked like they were having a glimmery time. Bimi, preparing to go on, shook her dress out and touched her hair.
    â€˜Get ready, Opposite,’ hissed a voice in Twink’s ear. Twink glanced at Sooze in surprise.
    â€˜But it’s not my turn yet,’ she whispered back.
    The lavender-haired fairy grinned. ‘I mean, get ready for things to be livened up a bit!’ Before Twink could demand to know what she was talking about, Sooze had flitted off.
    Bimi, after a final check of her dress, took to the air. Its little stars shimmered in the spotlight as she turned this way and that with a confident smile. But no sooner had she