Libby and the Class Election Read Online Free Page A

“Aren’t they amazing? They smell just like punkypows.”
    Libby and Gemma stared at each other. Now that was very odd!
    Scarlet sat down on Libby’s pristine pink bedding. “So when I came out of the sparkle shower this morning, what do you think I found?”
    “A hungry glion, eating your flowers,” offered Gemma. Libby knew her roommate was trying to be funny, but nobody laughed.
    Scarlet gave Gemma her patented disdainful look, and Gemma, embarrassed, immediately busied herself with her Star-Zap.
    “Nooo…” Scarlet drew the word out scornfully. “I found my roommate wearing my grandfather’s top hat, that’s what,” she said. “Again! And again I
told her to keep her hands off it. I remind her all the time that it’s special, not to be worn, ever, and as usual, she just ignores me.” She scowled. Before Scarlet’s grandfather
had completed his Cycle of Life, he had been the greatest and most famous magician Starland had ever known. He had been known as Preston the Prestidigitator, and Starlings had come from near and
far to watch him perform. Preston had left his granddaughter his top hat, which Scarlet kept in a glass case, as if it was in a museum. Rumor had it that the end of his life cycle had been staged
and that as part of an elaborate trick, he would reappear on his next Bright Day. But Libby was too intimidated to ask Scarlet if it was true.
    Scarlet shook her head. “You guys are so lucky, you get along so perfectly. What’s your secret?”
    Libby bristled and heard herself say, “We take turns deciding who gets to take the first sparkle shower in the morning.”
    Gemma narrowed her eyes at Libby. “We always listen to each other,” she said.
    Scarlet didn’t notice the tension between the two girls. “Well, that’s great,” she said. “In any event, I’m hungry. Time for breakfast?”

    The Star Darlings tended to sit together in the Celestial Café, at a table by the window overlooking the majestic Crystal Mountains. Libby always tried to grab a seat
facing the view. Although Libby was friendly with many of the regular students, she had discovered that it was just easier to spend most of her time with her fellow Star Darlings. You could never
let your guard down around the others, in case you accidentally let some top secret information slip. Libby plopped herself down on the seat next to Gemma’s sister, Tessa. Scarlet sat on
Libby’s other side, and Gemma sat across from her, next to Tessa’s roommate, Adora.
    Tessa turned to them with a grin. “I just ordered the zoomberry pancakes,” she said. “You should get them, too!”
    “Whatever,” said Gemma dismissively. “You know they’re never as good as the ones Dad makes on the farm.”
    “I know,” Tessa told her sister sympathetically. “The zoomberries aren’t as fresh. But try them—they’re still pretty good.”
    Adora, who sat across from Tessa, rolled her eyes. “Do you think I could sit through one meal without hearing about how much better everything is on the farm?”
    Tessa gave her roommate a hurt look.
    Libby was surprised to hear Adora’s words. She was usually so calm and collected.
    The sisters looked at each other and shrugged. It was nearly impossible to ask the chatty sisters to stop talking about a subject that interested them. And farm-fresh food was one of their
favorite subjects.
    “May I take your order?” asked the Bot-Bot waiter, hovering by Gemma’s shoulder.
    “Hmmm,” she mused. “I’m not sure what I’m in the mood for.”
    “I really think you’ll like the starcakes, Sis,” said Tessa. “And you know how important breakfast is.”
    “It’s the most important meal of the day,” Gemma and Tessa said together. They laughed. “You sound like Mom!” they also said in unison.
    “I was considering tinsel toast with bitterball preserves,” Gemma said after a moment.
    Tessa made a face. “I’m not sure if they put in enough sweetener,” she said. “You know how