Cassie Comes Through (16 page)

The woman squinted at Cassie through a small pair of glasses perched on her nose. She was clearly trying to place her—and failing. “I'm sorry,” she said. “But I don't recognize you. Who are you?” She sniffed the air. “And why does it smell just like my mother's hummingbird cake?” she mused. “Boy does that take me back.”

Now was as good a time as any. Cassie took off her foggy glasses and stared up into the woman's eyes. “My name is Cassie. I am the new student in school,” she said.
Will it work upside down?
she wondered.

It did. “Your name is Cassie, you are the new student in school,” the woman repeated as she helped Cassie to her feet. “There you go!” she said, drying her wet hands on her pant legs. “Welcome to Mountain View School, Cassie. I am Principal McIlhenney.”

“Thank you,” said Cassie, mentally congratulating herself for remembering the Wishling phrase for gratitude. She bent down, pretending to tuck her leggings into her boots, and stole a glance at her Star-Zap for directions to her Wisher's location. “I belong in room 261,” she told the woman as she straightened up.

“You belong in room 261,” the woman echoed with a nod. “That's Ms. Olds's room. I'll take you right there.” She paused. “But we'll go to your new locker so you can store your things.”

Cassie followed the woman down the hallway and was delighted with the small metal closet—or “locker”—she was given. There was just enough room for her dripping coat, which she was happy to dispose of. She envisioned the small top section of the locker filled with books. Paper books.
I can hardly wait to get my hands on them,
she thought.

“Ready?” asked Principal McIlhenney.

“Ready!” said Cassie, slamming her locker shut with a clang.

Cassie slung her silver backpack over her shoulder and followed the principal down the hallway. The woman paused in front of a display opposite the stairwell. Cassie looked up. There was a photo of a serious-looking girl with straight dirty-blond hair pulled back in a headband.
STUDENT OF THE MONTH
, it said below her photo. “Each month a student is chosen to be honored in this way,” the principal said. She turned to Cassie and smiled. “Annabel here has received the award for three months running. It's awarded to a very special student who not only excels academically but also sets an example for the other students with words and actions. Maybe someday it will be you.” Cassie felt a rush of warmth to her face.
Well, of course I'd be Student of the Month if I attended your school,
Cassie thought.
I'd probably be Student of the Year if that was possible!
She nodded politely and they continued up the stairs and down the hall, then stopped at the door of her new classroom. Principal McIlhenney turned to her and gave her a reassuring smile. “You'll like Ms. Olds,” she said. “She's really kind and she's a good teacher.”

Cassie nodded, recognizing the symbols on the classroom door from her Wishers 101 class when they had studied Wishworld holidays. They were bright green stemmed leaves with an interesting shape. “I like those…valentines!” she said. “Is it Halloween already?”

The principal chuckled. “Good one, Cassie!” She leaned toward her. “But Ms. Olds already has one class clown. She doesn't need another!” She rapped on the door, then turned to Cassie and smiled again. “Are you ready? Don't be nervous, now.”

“Oh, I'm not nervous at all,” said Cassie, giving the principal an odd glance for suggesting such a thing.

The woman looked surprised. “Good for you!” she said.

The door was opened by a kind-looking woman with medium-length brown hair. She wore a bright red sweater with white flowers on it. “Principal McIlhenney!” she said. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Cassie immediately filed that Wishling expression away as
Mission 6, Wishworld Observation #2. I have a great ear for charming Wishling expressions,
she thought.

The principal stepped through the doorway and a hush fell over the classroom, just like when Lady Stella made a surprise visit to a Starling Academy classroom or appeared as a multi-classroom holo-image to make an announcement. Principal McIlhenney introduced Cassie to her new teacher. While the adults talked, Cassie looked around the classroom, trying to see if she could pick out her Wisher. The students all looked back at her curiously.
Get ready, Wisher,
thought Cassie.
This is your lucky day. Your wish is about to be granted!
But although she knew the student had to be somewhere in the room, there wasn't even the tiniest flicker in her glasses—her Wish Pendant.

As Ms. Olds walked Cassie to her new desk, remarking that the air suddenly smelled like deep-dish blueberry pie, Principal McIlhenney said her good-byes and left. The class relaxed visibly after she was gone. Cassie scanned the room again. Still no glow.
That's odd,
she thought.
Could I be in the wrong classroom?
She looked at the directions on her Star-Zap. Classroom 261, just like the sign on the door.
Could my Wisher be absent?
There was one empty seat in the row next to hers in the back of the room….

“Cell phones are not allowed in class,” said someone in a snippy voice.

Cassie smiled at the girl, who sat in the first seat in the row next to hers. She was wearing a pale pink sweater and a plaid skirt. She was neat and tidy, not a dirty-blond hair on her head out of place.

“Thanks for the tip,” said Cassie, slipping her Star-Zap into her sweater pocket. The girl stared back, unsmiling. Cassie took a closer look. “Aren't you the Student of the Month?” she said to her.

“That's me,” the girl said. “Annabel Victor. And I'm going to be Student of the Month this month, too. It'll be announced at the end of the day tomorrow.”

“Well, good for you,” said Cassie. The girl was obnoxious, but she certainly was sure of herself; Cassie had to give her that. She sat back in her decidedly uncomfortable Wishworld seat.
I guess I'll just sit back and observe,
thought Cassie.
Blend in and get to the bottom of this Wish Mission.
She knew that she'd have it all figured out by lunchtime. She was sure of it.

She sat patiently as Ms. Olds took attendance and then asked everyone to take out their science books. Cassie was thrilled when the teacher handed her her very own copy, and she flipped through the pages excitedly. A quick glance told her that some of the information inside was hopelessly out of date, but she loved the book anyway—the weight of it in her hands, the slickness of the paper, the colorful illustrations and photographs on every page.

“Class, it's time to get out your homework,” Ms. Olds said. Just as the students began to reach into their backpacks, the door burst open. There stood a tall, thin girl with long shiny black hair, clutching her books to her chest. She had a wide pleasant face and bright blue eyes that sparkled with mischief.

Cassie's glasses immediately began to glow. So this was her Wisher!

Annabel scowled at her.
“Those glasses have to be against the rules!” she said. “They're very distracting!”

“Lila, you're late,” Ms. Olds scolded gently. “What happened?”

Lila looked around the room. Cassie noticed that almost all the students were staring at her with great interest, waiting to see what happened next. She shook her head dramatically, clearly enjoying the spotlight. “It was the sign!” she said. “The one down the block, at the crosswalk.” She had a wide grin, and Cassie saw a flash of silver when she spoke.
Interesting,
she thought.
Could that be a clue?

Ms. Olds shook her head, but there was a smile on her face. “And tell us, Lila. How did a sign manage to make you late for school today?”

Lila grinned, clearly relishing the line she was about to deliver. “It said ‘School Zone. Slow down.' So I did!”

The rest of the class laughed. They obviously liked Lila a lot.

“Sit down, Lila,” said Ms. Olds, but in a kind way. “It's time to turn in your homework.”

Lila still stood in the aisle. “Ms. Olds, would you ever get mad at me for something I didn't do?” she asked.

Ms. Olds frowned. “Of course not, Lila,” she said.

“That's good, because I didn't do my homework!” said Lila. “Just kidding!”

The class burst into laughter.

“It's time to sit down, Lila,” the teacher repeated.

Lila paused next to Cassie's desk on her way down the aisle. “Hey, new girl,” she said. “What's your name?”

“Cassie,” she replied.

“What school did you come from?” Lila asked.

That was a tough one. “Star…Starfield Preparatory School of…um…Preparedness,” Cassie heard herself saying.
Ugh.
Why had she said that? What a ridiculous name.

But the girl laughed. “You're funny!”

Lila sat down, and the homework was collected. Students passed their papers up the row and then the first person in each row passed them across. Ms. Olds noticed that one boy's homework was missing, though he insisted he had turned it in. But it was nowhere to be found. Finally, Ms. Olds turned on a monitor and three images were projected onto the whiteboard in the front of the room.

“Today we are going to discuss gravity. Now, who can tell me which of these photos illustrates this force?”

Several hands shot up.

“Yes, Kristie?” Ms. Olds said. “Come show us.”

Kristie stood and walked to the front of the room. She pointed to a picture of a ball going through a basketball hoop. “Gravity is what pulls the ball back to the ground so it doesn't go shooting off into space,” she said.

“That's right,” said Ms. Olds. “Thank you, Kristie.”

Kristie returned to her seat, stumbling on her way down the aisle. Cassie noticed that she gave Annabel a dirty look.

“You tripped me!” she hissed.

“Why are you looking at me?” said Annabel innocently. “I didn't do anything!”

“Settle down class,” said Ms. Olds. “Now who can tell me who
discovered
gravity?”

Lila raised her hand. “I can, I can!” she said.

“Yes, Lila?” asked Ms. Olds.

“Kristie did!”

Ms. Olds sighed. “Anyone else?”

“Actually, it was…” Lila started.

But Annabel spoke over her. “It was Sir Isaac Newton,” she said, giving Lila a disgusted look. “He published his finding in 1687,” she added.

“That is correct, Annabel,” said Ms. Olds. “Nicely done.”

“As usual,” muttered the boy who sat behind Annabel. She turned around and gave him a smirk.

Ms. Olds continued with a discussion of the force of gravity and Cassie tuned out, choosing to spend the rest of the class trying to figure out what Lila could be wishing for. She considered the evidence. She was clearly well liked by most of her classmates and she was certainly very funny. So Cassie could probably rule out a friendship wish. Could it have something to do with her family? A friend? A pet? Cassie sighed. It could be practically anything at that point.

Finally, it was time for lunch. “Annabel,” said Ms. Olds. “Will you please show Cassie to the lunchroom?”

“Of course, Ms. Olds,” said Annabel with a sweet smile.

Cassie followed her out of the classroom and they walked to the cafeteria in silence. Annabel paused at the entrance and turned to Cassie. Her sweet smile was gone.

“I hope you don't plan on sitting with me and my friends,” she said. “Because you are definitely not invited.” She turned and flounced off, waving to a group of girls already at a table.

Cassie stared after her, a look of disgust on her face. “That girl deserves a bowl of—” she looked at the menu offerings displayed on the wall behind the ladies of lunch—“vegetable chili on her head.”

A voice came from beside her. “Turkey tetrazzini would be better.”

Cassie spun around. It was Lila, grinning at her. “Or mac and cheese, alphabet soup, sloppy joes. But it's not worth it. You'll just get detention.”

“She's so awful,” said Cassie. She brightened. Maybe Lila's wish was to get even with Annabel. But how could that possibly be a good wish?

“Yeah, and the worst part is she has all the teachers fooled,” said Lila. “She's been the Student of the Month three times in a row.”

Cassie felt her face get warm. “That's so unfair,” she said.

“Tell me about it, sister,” said Lila. “Now let's get some lunch. You can sit at my table. Just keep that chili to yourself, please.”