Free Magic at Silver Spires by Ann Bryant Page B

Emily. It’s hard not to be happy when she’s around.
    It was PE in the afternoon and I just had to sit and watch, which was boring. Stupidly, I’d forgotten to put something to read in my bag, so I played a few games on my mobile and then Mrs. Truman said it was okay for me to go back to Forest Ash, otherwise I’d catch cold just watching. She checked I was all right to go in on my own and I assured her I was.
    On the way my mobile vibrated, and surprisingly it was Papà. I stopped still and leaned on one crutch while I spoke to him.
    â€œMamma’s just reminded me that you might be back in lessons, Toni!” he said. “But you’re answering the phone so it must still be your lunch break. How are you managing?”
    â€œIt’s PE at the moment so I’m…” I was about to say “I’m a bit bored”, but I know what Papà’s like and I didn’t want him coming over from the hotel to collect me or anything like that, so I had to think quickly. “…I’m in the library reading.”
    â€œPoor old Toni! I bet you’ll be glad when you can lead a normal life again.”
    Instead of answering, I asked Papà what he and Mamma had been doing.
    â€œWe’re actually in London at the moment in a French restaurant, having coffee at the end of a delicious meal.”
    So I needn’t have worried about him coming to collect me after all.
    â€œI bet the food wasn’t as good as your cooking!”
    Papà laughed, but the laughter seemed to dry up very quickly. “Antonia…” My stomach turned over as a memory of the last time he’d called me by my full name flew into my mind. This was something serious. Surely he couldn’t have changed his mind about the Italian evening. I swallowed and waited. “…I need to come to school tomorrow to tie up some paperwork with the school office, and I wanted to check you have started to pack. Mamma and I have made a list of things we must remember, like your bike…”
    Mamma had told me when they’d dropped me off the afternoon before that she didn’t want me to leave my packing until the last minute, and now it looked as though Papà was coming to check up on me. The trouble was, I hadn’t even started yet, because even the thought of packing made me feel like crying.
    â€œI…I won’t forget anything…”
    â€œAll right. I’ll see you later. I will take the chance to look at the cooking facilities while I’m there.”
    I felt much happier talking about cooking than packing. “I think you’ll like the kitchen, Papà. And everyone is really looking forward to tasting your food!”
    â€œAnd how are you managing with your crutches and the bandage on your hand?”
    I looked down at the bandage. It had pink on it again because I’d knocked my hand earlier on, but it was only a gentle knock, thank goodness. “My hand’s fine, and I’m getting really fast on my crutches.”
    Papà chuckled. “Well done!” Then I heard Mamma’s voice in the background and knew she’d be wanting to talk to me.
    â€œHello, cara ,” she said in a bright voice when Papà handed her the phone. “Are you getting excited about Saturday evening?”
    Was I? I wasn’t sure that excited was quite the right word.
    â€œYes…it’ll be great.”
    We talked a bit about London and then Mamma said she’d better let me go.
    â€œPapà will see you tomorrow then, cara ,” were her last words before we rang off.
    Tomorrow. Another day closer to my last day at Silver Spires.
    I shivered.

Chapter Seven

    After lunch on Thursday, Emily, Bryony, Sasha and Izzy went off excitedly to the art room again, even though they’d actually finished their masks completely, so I wasn’t sure what was going on. Nicole and I went to Forest Ash to practise our play with Matron.
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