Success at Silver Spires (15 page)

All the Year Seven dorms are named after precious stones – ours is called Emerald. I remember how pleased Emily was to be in this particular dorm, because she comes from Ireland, which is sometimes called the Emerald Isle. It seemed the most obvious thing in the world for Emily and me to become best friends, since she was the only other person in the dorm who wasn't bothered about fashion or pop stars or TV or hairstyles. But, as you get to know people, you always find out that there's more to them than you first thought. And that's true of all my friends in Emerald. Nicole is a superbrain and got a scholarship to Silver Spires. Antonia is brilliant at languages. Izzy is the best ballet dancer I've ever seen, Sasha discovered in the first half of this term that she's got a real talent for rowing, and Emily knows more about growing things and farming than anyone of our age I've ever met. On top of all that, every one of my friends is a
real
friend. You just know you can rely on them to help you out if anything goes wrong.

As I like doing active things, like abseiling and rock climbing, the others all think I'm the brave one. It's not bravery, though, it's just that growing up with all those brothers meant I had to learn to hold my own, because I used to hate it when they teased me. Now, though, they never laugh at me, because they know I can do anything they can do. And here at Silver Spires, whenever I go off climbing or hiking, I always think about my brothers and feel happy inside when I imagine them high-fiving me the way they do at home.

It wasn't until Matron had come round at bedtime to check that we'd settled down and stopped talking, that I properly thought back to what had happened the night before. I wondered if I was the only one doing that.

These days it doesn't get dark till about ten o'clock so, even with the curtains drawn, it was still quite light. It was also very warm in the dorm and Emily had kicked off her duvet and was fast asleep. I couldn't tell if the others were actually sleeping but they were certainly very still. Even Izzy, which was amazing, because I hadn't thought she'd be able to forget the noises that had scared her so badly the night before. Maybe it was the heat of the day that seemed to have wrapped everything and everyone up and left us in a strange, sleepy daze. I certainly didn't think the noise would come again that night.

So when it
did
come, about five minutes later, my eyes flew open and my heart pounded. There was definitely something – or someone – moving around above our dorm. A muffled scuffle, then a smooth, soft tread, and a kind of rubbing. I told myself to calm down and remember the tiny mouse at home that had sounded like something so much bigger. I really worked hard on hanging on to this memory as I lay there, my ears straining for every sound. But in my heart I knew that, no matter how much I tried to convince myself that this was the same sound, really it was completely different. It just wasn't as scratchy.

“What's up, Bry?” Emily was propping herself up on her elbow, looking at me carefully. “Have you had a bad dream? Are you okay?”

I was glad it was Emily and not Izzy who'd woken up. I didn't have to try and be brave with Ems. She's so down to earth, it was a comfort to have her near me. “It's that noise again. It's not like a mouse, Ems. Listen…”

We kept our eyes on each other and didn't move a muscle and after only a few seconds we both heard the noise. Emily's eyes widened, then narrowed in concentration.

“Actually,” she said, thoughtfully, “I'm pretty sure it's a bird. Poor thing. I hope it's not stuck in there. We ought to tell Mrs. Pridham tomorrow.”

Emily was right. And I guessed Mrs. Pridham would ask the caretaker to take a look. “I expect Mr. Monk will go up and release it,” I said, nodding.

“Release what?” came Nicole's sleepy voice from across the dorm.

“We think it's a bird in the attic,” I quickly told her.

The others didn't wake up fortunately and Emily flopped back down. “See you in the morning, Bry. It'll probably have gone by then, whatever it is… Night.”

“Night,” I replied in a whisper.

It seemed no time at all before Emily's deep breathing told me she was asleep. But I just lay there and kept listening. How could Emily be so sure it was a bird? Birds just don't sound like that. Wouldn't their claws make scratchy noises?

There wasn't a breath of air in the dorm and yet I found myself shivering as the darkness gathered.

To find out what happens next, read

Ann Bryant's School Days

Who
was your favourite teacher?

At primary it was Mr. Perks – we called him Perksy. I was in his class in Year Six, and most days he let me work on a play I was writing! At secondary, my fave teacher was Mrs. Rowe, simply because I loved her subject (French) and she was so young and pretty and slim and chic and it was great seeing what new clothes she'd be wearing.

What were your best and worst lessons?

My brain doesn't process history, geography or science and I hated cookery, so those were my least favourite subjects. But I was good at English, music, French and PE, so I loved those. I also enjoyed art, although I was completely rubbish at it!

What was your school uniform like?

We had to wear a white shirt with a navy blue tie and sweater, and a navy skirt, but there was actually a wide variety of styles allowed – I was a very small person and liked pencil-thin skirts. We all rolled them over and over at the waist!

Did you take part in after-school activities?

Well I loved just hanging out with my friends, but most of all I loved ballet and went to extra classes in Manchester after school.

Did you have any pets while you were at school?

My parents weren't animal lovers so we were only allowed a goldfish! But since I had my two daughters, we've had loads – two cats, two guinea pigs, two rabbits, two hamsters and two goldfish.

What was your most embarrassing moment?

When I was in Year Seven I had to play piano for assembly. It was April Fool's Day and the piano wouldn't work (it turned out that someone had put a book in the back). I couldn't bring myself to stand up and investigate because that would draw attention to me, so I sat there with my hands on the keys wishing to die, until the Deputy Head came and rescued me!

To find about more about Ann Bryant, visit her website:
www.annbryant.co.uk

Want to know more about the Silver Spires girls?

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Check it out now!

First Term at Silver Spires

Drama at Silver Spires

Rivalry at Silver Spires

Princess at Silver Spires

Secrets at Silver Spires

Star of Silver Spires

…all featuring the Amethyst Dorm girls

Party at Silver Spires

Dancer at Silver Spires

Dreams at Silver Spires

Magic at Silver Spires

Success at Silver Spires

Mystery at Silver Spires

…all featuring the Emerald Dorm girls

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This ebook edition first published in the UK in 2016 by Usborne Publishing Ltd, Usborne House, 83-85 Saffron Hill, London EC1N 8RT, England.
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Copyright © 2016, 2010 by Ann Bryant

The right of Ann Bryant to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.

Cover illustration by Rui Ricardo for folioart.co.uk

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This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogues are products of the author's imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.

ePub ISBN 9781474917643

Batch no. 01573-03