New Friends

by Michelle Misra

  CONTENTS

  Characters

  Chapter 1: A New School

  Chapter 2: Crash Landing!

  Chapter 3: Magical Dorms

  Chapter 4: Exciting News

  Chapter 5: Holographic Halos!

  Chapter 6: High in the Sky!

  Chapter 7: A Special Idea

  Chapter 8: Rainbow’s End

  Chapter 9: Missing!

  Chapter 10: To the Rescue!

  ‘Birthday Surprise’ Sneak Peak! Excerpt

  About Michelle Misra

  For Emily Mullen, a very special girl

  CHAPTER 1

  A New School

  OH, WOW!” ELLA BROWN BREATHED as she looked through the big golden gates. On the other side of them was a castle made of pure glass. It sparkled like a diamond in the sunshine. Ella’s wings fluttered. The Guardian Angel Academy. It was just how she had always imagined it would be—totally perfect!

  Ella checked her reflection in the shining gates. Her white halo was sitting straight, her brown, shoulder-length hair was glossy, and her green eyes sparkled. She couldn’t wait to start her very first day!

  She reached for the bell, but before she could press it, the gates swung open. A long driveway led to the castle entrance, parting fields of wild flowers. Bright butterflies flew from flower to flower and the gentle sound of bees hummed in the air.

  Angel-tastic! This was going to be so much fun! Ella half skipped and half flew forward, her tiny wings fluttering as they carried her along the driveway. There were bound to be lots of adventures in store at angel school. She flew up and pirouetted at the thought.

  “Okay, so how do you do that?”

  Ella spun around to see a very tall girl, about her own age, behind her. The girl was dressed in the same pearly white uniform as Ella but she didn’t look like your average neat and tidy angel. Her dress already had dirty splotches on it and a tangle of blonde curls was scrambling out from under her halo.

  “Do what?” Ella asked, surprised.

  “Make your wings work like that!” The girl peered over her shoulder at her own wings. “I’ve been trying to make mine work ever since they appeared, but they just don’t seem to. Look!” She jumped up in the air. Her wings gave a few faint flaps but didn’t manage to lift her up. “Oh, I’m useless!”

  “No you’re not. It just takes practice,” Ella told her. “I just think fluttery thoughts. Imagine you’re a butterfly, swooping and gliding. . . .” Ella was picturing it so clearly that her own wings fluttered and she rose into the air. “Like that!” she giggled, floating down again.

  The tall girl concentrated hard. “Okay, here goes. I’m imagining, I’m imagining . . .”

  “Keep on trying. You can do it!” Ella encouraged. The other girl’s wings started to flutter faster and suddenly she shot up into the sky like a rocket.

  “Whoa!” she cried in alarm, turning a loop-the-loop and coming down again, her arms flailing. She would have crashed to the ground but Ella rushed forward to catch her just in time.

  “Thank you!” gasped the other girl. A grin lit up her face. “Hey, I flew! I really flew! I might not have won any points for style, but I did it—and it felt totally awesome.” She hugged Ella, almost knocking her over. “So what’s your name? I’m Poppy.”

  “I’m Ella,” Ella replied.

  “And is it your first day too?” Poppy asked.

  Ella nodded.

  “Can we be friends?” Poppy said, giving her a hopeful look.

  “Well . . .” Ella paused teasingly. “Do you like adventures?”

  “Oh yes!” breathed Poppy.

  Ella broke into a smile. “Then we can be best friends!”

  Poppy grinned. “That’s totally cherub-azing!”

  Ella linked arms with her and looked up at the glittering castle. “Look out, Guardian Angel Academy. Here we come!”

  CHAPTER 2

  Crash Landing!

  ELLA AND POPPY HURRIED DOWN the driveway. On one side there was a mysterious forest of tall green trees. “You know, we could always go and do a little exploring,” Ella said.

  “Okay,” Poppy said, eagerly. They set off toward the trees.

  “Where are you two going?” a shrill voice exclaimed from behind them.

  They swung around. Another angel about their age was flying down the driveway. She looked absolutely perfect, her golden hair was curled into ringlets, and her white uniform was spotless. “Were you about to go in the woods?”

  “Possibly,” Ella replied cautiously.

  The blonde angel folded her arms. “The school rules say we should go straight to school. Don’t you know angels should never break rules?” She stuck her nose in the air. “Mommy was right. She said that I would probably meet some badly brought-up angels when I got here.”

  “That’s a horrible thing to say!” Poppy protested.

  The blonde angel looked her up and down. “Halos and wings, look at you! Were you dragged through a bush on your way here? Haven’t you read the school handbook?” She pulled a book out from the pocket in her uniform and smugly read out. “For your information: Angels should strive to be neat and tidy at all times. That’s what it says here on page one. Along with: Angels should always obey school rules.” She gave Ella a pointed look and, tossing her ringlets back, she flew on her way.

  “I think she must have missed the page that says angels should be kind and polite at all times.” Ella exclaimed.

  Poppy giggled. “I suppose she is right, though, and we probably shouldn’t break the rules on our very first day!”

  They headed after the snooty angel. Getting closer to the castle, they saw that there were angels everywhere. Most of them were older than Ella and Poppy and were flying effortlessly.

  “Isn’t the castle massive?” sighed Poppy, looking up at the glittering turrets. Craning her head, she tripped over a stone and promptly fell over.

  “Oh my goodness, are you all right?” An older angel flew over as Ella helped Poppy up. “I’m guessing you must be Poppy and Ella,” she said. “I’ve been looking out for you. My name is Seraphina. I’m a Guardian Angel and a teacher here.”

  “I like your halo.” Ella gazed at Seraphina’s glittering diamond halo.

  “Thank you.” Seraphina looked pleased. “It hasn’t always been so special. When you start at the Academy you have a white halo, but they change as you prove what a good angel you are.”

  Ella knew that. White became sapphire, sapphire became ruby, ruby became emerald, and so on, until eventually gold became diamond. It was the same with the uniform—that changed color too, and your wings grew bigger and more downy and feathery with each change in halo color. If you had a diamond halo by the end of your seven years at the Academy you would become a Guardian Angel when you graduated, and then you could be a teacher or go to the human world and protect people.

  “I finished at the Academy last term,” said Seraphina, her wings glowing as they changed with every color of the rainbow. “And now I’m going to be the tutor for the new third graders, so you’ll be seeing quite a lot of me! Now, come with me and I’ll show you around.”

  She led them through the big front door. Ella and Poppy both gasped as they looked around the huge hall. White fluffy clouds bobbed about and, through them, they could see a ceiling covered with iridescent moons and stars. It was set against a dark background, making it look like the most magical starry night ever. Chandeliers hung down and a spiral staircase led upward in the center of the room.

  “It’s wonderful,” whispered Poppy.

  “Totally glittery!” said Ella.

  “It is rather amazing, isn’t it?” Seraphina agreed. Another angel with a diamond halo passed by with three young angels following her. She smiled at the gi
rls and said hello to Seraphina before guiding her girls up the staircase. “That’s Angel Celestine, she teaches Angel Gardening,” said Seraphina.

  “You both have beautiful names,” Poppy said.

  “They’re your angel names, aren’t they?” said Ella.

  Seraphina nodded. “I can see you’ve been reading your handbook, Ella. Excellent!”

  Ella blushed. Despite what the angel in the driveway had said, she did in fact know the handbook by heart. It had all the basic angel rules in it. When angels finished at the Academy and became Guardian Angels, they were also given a special angel name. She wondered what hers would be—if she ever got to be a Guardian Angel that is!

  “Now let me show you to your dorm.” Seraphina led them up the spiral staircase. On the first floor there was a circular hall where assemblies were held and the dining hall where they would eat their meals. On the second floor there was a maze of different classrooms. On the third floor there were six hallways leading away from the spiral staircase into different turrets. “The third-grade dorms are down there.” Seraphina pointed to a nearby hallway with planets all over the walls and ceiling. “We could fly to your dorm if you like.”

  “Great!” exclaimed Ella.

  “Er, okay,” Poppy said doubtfully.

  Ella screwed her face up in concentration. Her wings started to beat and she flew into the hallway.

  “Not too fast now, Ella!” called Seraphina.

  But Ella just couldn’t help herself. She wanted to impress Seraphina and she was enjoying the feeling of the wind rushing past her. Flying was easy! She went faster and faster, thinking how angel-tastic she must look. Yippee!

  “Ella! Please slow down!” Seraphina cried anxiously.

  “I’m fine!” Ella called. “I really am!” But just then, the door of one the dorms opened and two angels came out. There was nothing Ella could do.

  “Whoa!” she yelled as she collided with them.

  Crash!

  All three angels landed in a tangled heap on the floor!

  CHAPTER 3

  Magical Dorms

  I’M SORRY!” ELLA GASPED. ONE of the angels had red, shoulder-length hair and a disdainful expression. The other angel was blonde. “Not you again!” she snapped at Ella.

  Ella groaned inwardly. Oh no. Of all the angels in the school she’d gone and crashed into the angel they had met earlier.

  Ella hastily held out her hand. “I really am sorry. Here, let me help you up.”

  The blonde angel ignored her hand and snorted. “I’d much rather you helped me by staying out of my way! Completely out of it!” She scrambled to her feet. Her halo was now sitting crookedly on her head and there was a smudge of dirt on her face.

  Seraphina landed beside them.

  “Come along now, Primrose. I know you’re upset, but Ella has just apologized to you.”

  All traces of anger vanished from Primrose’s face as she saw the teacher. “I’m sorry, Angel Seraphina,” she said, blinking her eyes. “It was just such an awful shock and I was ever so worried in case my new friend, Veronica, had been hurt in any way.” She looked at the redheaded angel with a sweet and caring expression.

  Seraphina nodded kindly. “I understand, my dear. Now back into your dorm please.”

  Primrose and Veronica went back into their dorm. Seraphina turned and looked at Ella. Ella bit her lip, expecting to see anger in the teacher’s eyes, but there was only a look of sadness. Somehow that made her feel even worse.

  “Ella, why did you ignore me?” Seraphina said softly. “I asked you to slow down.”

  “I know. I’m sorry.” Ella hung her head. “I was just so excited with it being the first day and, well, I suppose I was showing off a bit,” she admitted. “It was really stupid of me, Angel Seraphina. I am really very sorry.” She swallowed.

  There was a pause. “That is very honest of you,” Seraphina said. “And honesty is a good quality for an angel to have. You know, I think we will say no more about it. However, in the future, you really must do as you’re told or you’ll never become a Guardian Angel. Now”—Seraphina’s tone changed—“why don’t you and Poppy come and meet your dorm-mates?” Ella looked up and saw two other angels looking out of a door at the end of the hallway. One had light brown hair and a dreamy expression, and the other was small with a long, dark ponytail and looked sporty. She and Poppy followed Seraphina over.

  “This is Tilly,” Seraphina said, nodding at the girl with the light brown hair.

  “And I’m Jessica, but call me Jess,” said the smaller girl, smiling.

  “I’ll leave you four to get to know one another,” said Seraphina. “See you at dinnertime.” And with that, she flew away.

  “Well, that certainly was some arrival!” said Tilly, grinning at Ella.

  “Crashing into Primrose of all people, too,” said Jess, her brown eyes wide.

  “Forget about it now,” Tilly told Ella. “Come into our dorm!”

  Going inside, Ella gasped. There was a large oval window looking out over the grounds, as well as four white closets and four dressing tables, each with one of their names in large golden letters. A statue of a golden dove on a perch swung from the ceiling high above their heads. But it wasn’t those things that made Ella gasp most. She was staring at the beds. They looked like floating clouds, but with comforters and pillows on them! One was rose-pink, one lilac, one aquamarine, and one pale green.

  “Cupid’s arrow!” said Ella, as the clouds jostled around the room.

  “They’re the comfiest things ever,” said Tilly, scrambling onto the aquamarine cloud. “The lilac is yours, Ella, and the pink one is Poppy’s.”

  Ella and Poppy ran to their clouds. Poppy hesitated for a moment.

  “Don’t worry,” Jess said, seeing her face. “I was worried too at first, but tell yourself you won’t fall through and you won’t. Just jump on!”

  Ella jumped on. She squealed as she sank into it. It was the softest, most wonderful bed ever!

  “You can make them move around by flapping your wings,” said Tilly. “We can play tag!”

  Soon all four of them were zipping around, giggling as they chased one another. Ella thought it was fantastic! They finally stopped, panting and happy.

  “Our dorm is definitely the best!” declared Ella in delight.

  “The very best!” the other three grinned.

  CHAPTER 4

  Exciting News

  AFTER ABOUT FIFTEEN MINUTES, THE golden dove opened its mouth and started to coo.

  “That means it’s dinnertime!” said Jess. “It’s cloudberry leaves and golden pie tonight!”

  “Yum! My favorite!” said Ella.

  “We always have starflower salad for dinner on Mondays at home,” said Tilly, rather sadly.

  “I don’t care what we have for dinner, just so long as we eat!” said Poppy. “I’m starving. Come on!”

  They all ran downstairs. There were angels everywhere! The youngest angels were easily spotted because of their white dresses and halos, and smaller wings.

  There were four long tables in the dining hall for the students, each loaded up with silver platters of the most delicious-looking food, and another table for the teachers. A plump angel with very wise eyes, enormous gossamer wings, and dark hair coiled in a bun was sitting at the head of the table.

  “That’s Archangel Grace,” whispered Jess.

  Ella looked over in awe at the head teacher of the Guardian Angel Academy. Archangels were the most important angels you could get. She’d heard so many amazing stories of the good deeds Archangel Grace had performed as a Guardian Angel in the human world. It must be incredible to be a Guardian Angel and have lots of adventures.

  “I wonder where we should sit. . . .”  Tilly said.

  Poppy headed for a table, but Ella grabbed her arm. “Not there!” Farther along the table, Primrose and Veronica were sitting down. Primrose’s hands were crossed neatly on the table, her face looking angelic. But as she c
aught sight of Ella and Poppy, she scowled.

  Quickly, Ella turned away. Finding seats at a different table, they sat down.

  There was a loud chime of bells and everyone started eating.

  Ella had never had such a feast. Just when she thought she couldn’t manage another thing, massive bowls of the creamiest ice cream appeared on each table.

  She was just finishing her bowl when Archangel Grace stood up.

  “Greetings, my angels,” she announced in a silvery voice. “Once again it is the start of a new term here at the Guardian Angel Academy. Please will you all welcome the new third graders.” Everyone around the room burst into applause. Archangel Grace eventually held up her hand for silence. “And at the end of this week there will be a special start-of-term garden party for all angels who have earned at least one halo stamp.”

  “Hooray!” the angels cheered.

  “What are halo stamps?” Poppy whispered to the others.

  Ella knew, but didn’t want to speak while Archangel Grace was talking. Luckily the head teacher went on to explain. “For the benefit of our new students who may not have read the handbook completely, all students have a halo card.” As she spoke, golden nightingales fluttered in and dropped a card in front of each of the new students.

  Ella picked hers up. It seemed to be just a normal card.

  “Every time you do something good—either in work or for behavior—you get a stamp on your halo card,” Archangel Grace explained. “When the card is completely filled, your halo will change color and your wings grow a little bigger. Be warned though,”—Archangel Grace’s face became serious—“halo stamps can also be removed for breaking the rules or not behaving in an angelic way. But now let us turn our minds to happier things. Enjoy this evening, angels, and tomorrow your first lessons will begin!”

  She sat down and everyone started to talk. “I wonder what our first lesson will be?” said Poppy.