Magic at Silver Spires

by Ann Bryant

  As soon as Nicole started speaking Italian, big cheers went up and she had to wait till they’d died down before she could say her next bit. Then the same thing happened with Matron. But when I started to speak I noticed everyone listened intently, only not in the same way that they listened to the other two. I heard a Year Ten girl whisper to her friend that she’d love to be able to speak completely fluently in another language.

  The play was all about a girl who worked in a hotel and was really good at her job, but couldn’t help getting cross with a customer who was rude to her, and for that she got the sack from the boss. It was only five minutes long, because it would have been impossible for Nicole and Matron to learn any more, plus no one really understood what was going on in Italian and we didn’t want people to be bored. But it was a lovely surprise when we’d finished to hear lots of applause, and one of the Year Nines told us exactly what she thought had been happening in the play, and it was all perfectly right. We each took a special bow and when it was my turn, Matron held me up on one side with Nicole on the other, which raised a laugh.

  “Well,” said Mrs. Pridham as the clapping died down. “I knew that there was going to be an Italian play this evening, but I must say I had no idea that our very own Forest Ash Matron and one of our Year Seven students would be able to speak Italian to such a high standard after only two terms of spending time with Antonia.”

  “Antonia gives us confidence, that’s why we can do it,” said Matron.

  There was a little wave of clapping then and someone called out, “Go, Antonia!” It was a Year Ten girl, but I didn’t know who she was because she’d still got her mask on. She was standing near Mamma and Papà, though, and when I glanced in their direction, they both gave me proud looks.

  After that it was time for the food. Papà had really worked hard to make six different pizza toppings, all cooked with fresh ingredients. He’d made various other delicious dishes too and there was a buzz in the common room that I don’t think there’d ever been before. I noticed Emily spent ages talking to my dad and I knew she’d be talking about the food, because she’s really into nutrition from living such a green life with her parents on their farm in Ireland. My dad looked genuinely interested in whatever she was saying. I felt a bit sorry for Mamma, because apart from the film, the only part of the evening that she’d really understood so far was our play.

  Mrs. Pridham was standing on the chair again, clapping her hands for attention. “Now, before we all get too full up with this gorgeous Italian meal, I think we should have the special song and dance that Antonia has taught us all.”

  “Si, ‘Cincirinella’!” called out Mamma, which made everyone laugh.

  “Clear a space! Clear a space!” said Matron. And there was instant activity, with people pushing the sofas and beanbags and things to the sides of the room. Then two Year Ten girls gave me a big surprise by producing a keyboard that was hidden behind a sofa, and one of them started playing the tune to the song.

  “I managed to work it out on the piano,” she said, smiling at me, “because I thought it might go with more of a swing if we had an accompaniment!”

  “Brava!” said Mamma as the girl started to play, but Papà didn’t look as jolly as Mamma. Maybe he was thinking about how he and I used to sing it together on bike rides, and that made him remember my terrible accident.

  I felt a sudden pang of disappointment that I wouldn’t be able to dance properly because of my leg. But Nicole dramatically put her hands up to stop the music. “Wait a minute, everyone!” she said. “Izzy and I have to get something from the corridor.”

  Everyone stood like statues, wondering what ever was going on, then burst into applause as Nicole and Izzy came back in carrying something incredible, which looked like a regular wooden armchair with two long poles attached by rope to the sides, sticking out of the front and back to make four handles. “This is the queen seat we’ve been making for you, Antonia,” said Nicole.

  They made their way towards me and I felt like bursting into tears when I saw all the trouble they’d gone to for me. The chair had been painted all over in green, red and white, like the Italian flag, and on each of the slats of the back of the chair was a silver spire made with hundreds and hundreds of sparkling sequins.

  “Isn’t this just the best?” said Emily, grinning like mad. “Aren’t we geniuses?”

  “Mr. Cary helped us,” Nicole pointed out.

  “But we did all the decorating on our own,” said Sasha.

  “You did the spires! They’re amazing!” I breathed.

  “And the painting,” added Bryony.

  “Trouble is, it’s a bit awkward to go on the train, I expect,” said Emily.

  My eyes filled with tears then, but I blinked them away quickly, because Nicole was helping me to sit down on my special throne as the other four held the poles. Then the Year Ten girl started to play again and the “Cincirinella” song and dance began. From my special queen seat I managed to do all the arm actions, which turned out to be brilliant fun after all. At one point I waved across at Papà – a neat little wave as though I was Queen Elizabeth in her state carriage. Papà was standing completely still on his own by a table. He had a small smile on his face, but it was strange because even though he seemed to be looking straight at me, he didn’t wave, and it was just as though he was in a bit of a daydream, deep in his own thoughts while the music pounded around him. A few seconds later I noticed that he left the room and realized that, of course, he was thinking about his desserts and was probably going to start bringing them through.

  “Just before we move on to puds, we have another little surprise for Antonia,” announced Mrs. Pridham when the song had ended. “I think we’re all exhausted after so much singing and dancing, so perhaps this would be a good time to sit back and enjoy another film. I’ll hand over to Nicole.”

  That gave me a bit of a shock. Nicole hadn’t said a single thing about any other surprises and I couldn’t think what the film might be. She squeezed my hand and then went and stood on the chair to make her announcement as Papà slipped back into the room. I thought how anxious she looked.

  “Well it’s not actually a film, it’s a kind of slide show,” she said hesitantly. “And it should be Bryony standing here really, because she’s the one who’s taken most of the pictures, as she’s the official Emerald photographer…” There was a ripple of laughter at that. “But anyway, Bryony doesn’t like making announcements, so it’s me.” Nicole looked straight at me then. “It’s just a few…memories of our time since we’ve been at Silver Spires. And we thought you might like to keep the CD as a…souvenir…for when…” Her voice faded out and the room suddenly seemed very still and silent, apart from my heart, which was thumping away for some reason. “Anyway, here it is.” She jumped down from the chair as though it would break if she stood there even a second longer, then she sat down at the front and I felt very far away from her. But in a flash Sasha was standing close to me and the slide show began.

  I don’t know how I managed the next few minutes without crying. It was just a selection of random moments and I know it sounds funny but it almost hurt to watch, and I thought it would have been even worse if Nicole had been right beside me. I guessed she’d thought that too and that was why she’d sat at the front.

  I looked at Papà watching the film, still with that half smile on his face, and I really hated him at that moment for what he was doing to break me away from my friends.

  There were shots of Emerald dorm and the dining hall, me standing on one leg and waving one of my crutches in the air, Emily staring at the soil in her precious garden, when she’d proudly told us all that her potatoes were growing away under the soil, and then the shot that Bryony had taken straight afterwards of the rest of us all laughing our heads off at the sight of Emily. Then there was Izzy standing in a ballet position holding onto the banister, and Nicole weighed down with both of our bags on her shoulder, and next the whole screen filled with our
bright, gleaming masks. Then it was the picture Miss Stevenson took of us all practising “Cincirinella” in the lay-by on our bike ride. Emily looked so funny with her helmet on and it was a relief when someone giggled and Emily piped up, “What?” which made lots more people laugh.

  Nicole had been so right when she’d said that it would be a souvenir for me, but as the rest of the shots appeared on the screen I began to wonder whether I’d ever have the courage to watch it back home in Italy, or whether it would just make me feel too far away to bear.

  And how could I take the lovely chair back with me, even if it did fit on the train? Those silver spires would always make me homesick for this school that I love so much. I could feel my throat hurting, and when Mrs. Pridham started talking brightly about how we should all get tucking into the delicious puddings now, I knew I wouldn’t be able to eat another thing. I was just too sad. I never could have imagined, as Nicole and I had schemed and planned to get these last few days together, that they would finish like this. Mamma had said it would be a lovely end to my time here, but it wasn’t.

  It was the saddest end there could be.

  Chapter Ten

  All around me people started drifting towards the pudding table, but there was no excitement left in the room any more. Maybe it was my fault. Maybe I’d let my sadness show too much and now it was seeping out all over Forest Ash, making people move more slowly and speak more quietly.

  In one corner of the room I could see Papà leaning forward, talking intently to Mamma, and she was nodding at whatever he was saying. I’d seen that look on his face once before when Nonna had been ill and we’d all worried in case it was more serious than the doctor was telling us.

  And now Papà was striding over to Mrs. Pridham as though something had happened – something important that he must tell her about immediately. She nodded too, just like Mamma, lots of little nods, then she clapped her hands and called out loudly: “Sorry, girls, just before we tuck in, Mr. Rossi would like to say something.”

  The air in our common room felt very still and hot to me. I was wondering what Papà was going to say, but guessed it would be a thank you to everyone for inviting him and Mamma for the evening.

  “Forest Ashers,” he began, “Annalisa and I would like to thank you all for allowing us to come and share this wonderful evening with you. We have both felt a special magic here in this room and have been trying to work out what it is. Is it the food?” Everyone laughed when Papà said that, but he raised his hand as though he wanted to carry on without any interruptions. “No, it’s definitely not the food. The food is good, though I say it myself, but it’s not magic.” He paused. “So what is it? Is it the music? The masks? The singing? The dancing? The slide show? The film? The play? No, it’s none of these things. It’s something that’s been quietly hovering in this room all evening and I believe it hovers everywhere in Forest Ash…”

  Papà sounded truly moved. I looked around subtly and saw that the room was completely still again, everyone hanging on to each word that Papà spoke.

  “The magic,” he said slowly, “is Forest Ash itself, and what you have all made it.” He paused but only for a second. “Or maybe it’s Silver Spires itself, I don’t know. And that’s the trouble. Annalisa and I really didn’t know just what a special place this school is. It seems you have to be here to feel it, but we’ve certainly felt it tonight. And when we look at this wonderful creation that Antonia’s close friends have made especially for her, the magic feels so strong that I can’t compete with it. So we want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for this wonderful evening!”

  It felt like Papà had finished, but there wasn’t much clapping and I understood exactly why. It somehow didn’t feel right to burst into applause after that speech. Mrs. Pridham seemed to be taking the lead. She thanked Papà very much and told everyone to enjoy the gorgeous puddings, then she put the music back on and I watched as everyone’s stillness unfolded and the room slowly filled up with excitement again.

  But I didn’t move at all, except to watch as Papà and Mamma came towards me, and to notice out of the corner of my eye that across the room from me, Nicole was standing like a statue, watching Papà too.

  And when he was right up to me I saw that he had tears in his eyes.

  “Antonia, we didn’t listen to you properly in the hospital when you told us so strongly why you didn’t want to leave Silver Spires. No – that’s not quite true. We did listen, we just didn’t understand. Your mother understood as soon as she went to spend time with you and your friends in the dorm while I was cooking. She came to tell me about the magic, but it’s no good hearing about it, you have to feel it. And now I’ve felt it too, I’ve changed my mind.”

  My heart was pounding, hurting my ribs with its urgent beating question – what does he mean? What does he mean?

  I listened carefully as Papà’s voice grew weaker. “Simple as that…I’ve changed my mind. Of course you must stay at Silver Spires, Antonia. How can we take you away from…” He raised his arm and let it travel round the room, then dropped it at his side as though he was exhausted. “…all this…?”

  And then I knew the answer to the question. And my whole body filled up with the biggest joy I think I’ve ever felt.

  “So she’s staying, is she?” came Nicole’s thin voice, scraping the silence. I hadn’t even noticed her joining us.

  “Yes,” said Papà, his eyes flicking from me to Nicole and back to me.

  My heart stopped pounding so painfully and a wonderful joy took its place as Nicole shouted out above the music. “She doesn’t have to leave after all! She’s staying at Silver Spires! Antonia’s staying!”

  And like an answering cry in the wild, Emily’s voice came back loud and clear: “Go, Antonia! No, I mean, stay, Antonia!”

  Then laughter erupted in every corner of the room, followed by big cheering, even from the much older girls who don’t really know me. My friends were jumping up and down and thanking Papà, as though he’d saved my life. I was so happy I wanted to cry, but I couldn’t because Nicole was hugging me tight.

  “You’re not going after all! Oh, Antonia, isn’t it amazing?”

  Then we were all hugging each other and eventually I came to Mamma and she squeezed me so tight I thought I’d burst. “Mia cara,” she said softly into my hair. “Felice adesso? ’Appy now?”

  I’d started to cry by then for some unknown reason, so I couldn’t answer. I just nodded into her hair.

  Papà had moved away and was talking to Mrs. Pridham when I looked up, but his eyes met mine and I mouthed “Thank you” to him. All he did was put a hand up as though I was thanking him for a piece of pizza and it was nothing. But I know my dad and I knew he was too emotional to talk to me at that moment. And I also knew there’d be plenty of time to talk later – before they flew home and then all through the holidays in three weeks’ time. But now wasn’t the time for talking. It was the time for celebrating.

  And it was lovely Matron who turned the music up loudly and flung the window open dramatically. “Let the whole of Silver Spires hear our happiness!” she shouted above the noise.

  Nicole gave me a tight hug then with her cheek right next to mine and out of the corner of my eye I was aware of a little flash and I thought, That’s going to be a great photo. Another lovely memory.

  But then I remembered I didn’t need the memory any more. I could just live for the moment. So I leaned on Nicole and hopped my way over to the pudding table, and as everyone patted me on the back and told me they were so happy, I felt that wonderful warm magic that Papà had talked about.

  I really felt it.

  Antonia’s Favourite Recipes

  Our Silver Spires Italian evening meant the world to me, and Papà’s home-made food made it extra special. Now you can try our yummy pizza toppings too!

  Traditional Neopolitan Pizza

  Ingredients:

  3 tablespoons olive oil

  1 clove garlic (finely c
hopped or crushed)

  1 tin chopped tomatoes

  Salt and freshly ground black pepper

  2 teaspoons oregano

  4 tablespoons olive oil

  Ready-made pizza base

  What to do:

  1. Preheat the oven to 220°C.

  2. Carefully heat the oil in a saucepan, then add the crushed garlic and fry gently for just a few seconds.

  3. Add the tin of chopped tomatoes.

  4. Season with the salt and pepper, then cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

  5. Place your pizza base on a baking tray.

  6. Spoon out the tomato mix over the pizza base, as close to the edges as you can.

  7. Sprinkle with the oregano and drizzle with the remaining oil.

  8. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, then serve hot – yum!

  To turn this basic Neopolitan pizza into something even more tasty, just add the ingredients below between steps 6 and 7.

  * For Pizza Margherita, add shredded mozzarella and 3-4 fresh basil leaves.

  * For Pizza Prosciutto e Funghi, add finely sliced mushrooms, ham and shredded mozzarella.

  * For Pizza Quattro Stagioni (Four Seasons), add shredded mozzarella, and then arrange tinned quartered artichoke hearts, black olives, finely sliced mushrooms and finely sliced ham (one ingredient to each quarter of the pizza).

  * For Pizza ai Quattro Formaggi (Four Cheese), we traditionally add shredded pecorino, gorgonzola, groviera (Swiss Cheese) and fontina cheeses on top of the usual mozzarella. But why not try it with whatever your favourite cheeses are?

  Buon appetito!

  Now turn the page for a sneak preview of the next unmissable School Friends story…

  Chapter One

  “Can you help with my stupid hair, Sasha?” said Emily, sighing dramatically.