Free Pop Star Princess by Janey Louise Jones

Chapter One
    POPPY AND HONEY were so excited. Along with Poppy’s older cousin, Daisy, and her two friends, Lily and Rose, they were the Beach Babes. In just two weeks’ time they were going to be taking part in the local heats of the
You’re a Star!
talent contest, which were being filmed in Camomile Cove.
    Poppy and Honey had been backing singers for Daisy’s band ever since the Smuggler’s Cove High School Battle of the Bands the summer before and theycouldn’t wait to perform with them again.

    â€œIt will be so cool if we win,” said Poppy breathlessly. “I can’t wait.”
    â€œBut won’t there be loads of other really good bands taking part?” asked Honey, already feeling a bit nervous about the whole thing. “Do you think we have a
real
chance of winning?”
    â€œI think we will definitely be the best,” replied Poppy confidently. “Saffron is going to make our stage outfits, MadameAngelwing’s assistant, Claudine, is going to teach us a brilliant dance routine, and I know that Daisy, Lily and Rose are working on a really cool new song.”
    â€œOoooh, how exciting!” replied Honey. “I love dancing!”
    â€œMe too,” giggled Poppy. “and it’s mainly you and me doing the dancing because the others will be playing their instruments. I bet none of the other bands will have a proper dance routine. I’ve made a plan with Daisy that we’ll meet her, Lily and Rose at the Lavender Lake School of Dance on Saturday at ten o’clock. They’re going to play us the song and Claudine is going to start teaching us our dance.”
    â€œWhat’s the new song like?” asked Honey.
    â€œUmmm, I don’t actually know yet because they’re still writing it,” explained Poppy. “Daisy said that they’re meeting in her summer house every day after schoolto work on the words and the music.”
    â€œI wish I had a cool cousin like you do,” sighed Honey, who thought her life might be rather dull without the connections of her beloved best friend.
    â€œDaisy practically
is
your cousin, Honey!” laughed Poppy. “You see her just as much as I do.”
    On Saturday morning, Poppy and Honey set off to meet Daisy and her friends. They were desperate to hear the new song and so excited to be involved.
    When they arrived at the dance studio, Daisy, Lily and Rose were already there. Poppy hugged her cousin and said ‘Hi’ to the other two girls,and Honey shyly followed suit.

    â€œIs the song finished?” asked Poppy. “Can we hear it?”
    â€œHang on a minute,” laughed Daisy. “We’ve only just got here. We need to set everything up first.”
    â€œOK,” replied Poppy. “but can you at least tell me what the song’s called?”
    â€œIt’s called
Chocolate Sundae Girls
. It was inspired by our favourite treats at the Lighthouse Café! And, even better,” Daisy continued. “the owners of the café, Fleur and Harvey, have said that if we win the competition, we’ll all get free chocolate sundaes for the rest of the year!”

    Poppy thought that the Lighthouse Café was the coolest place on earth and she knew that their chocolate sundaes were heavenly. “Wow!” she said. “Deeelicious!”
    Just then Claudine came out of the staff room, ready to get to work, and Daisy pressed PLAY on the CD player. The Beach Babes’ new song filled the room and all the girls, including Claudine, couldn’t help dancing and humming along to its catchy pop tune and brilliant words:

    Daisy, Lily and Rose were thrilled that everybody liked their song – they’d put so much hard work into it. But there was still lots to do before the talent contest.
    â€œLet’s get going with the dance routine for Poppy and Honey!” urged Daisy. “Claudine, what do you think we should do?”
    â€œI have