Power Play Read Online Free Page B

weakly.
    â€˜Sorry!’ said Vera with a bright smile. She didn’t look particularly sorry, thought Twink. Nor did Zayna, for that matter.
    Twink hesitated, wondering whether she should say something. But Vera and Zayna had taken seats beside Romi in the front row, folding their wings back and looking at her attentively, and she decided to let it pass.
    â€˜Right! I’d, um – like to welcome you all to our first team meeting of the new year,’ said Twink. Her voice sounded unnaturally loud to her, but she kept on. ‘I’ve got lots of new ideas for the team, and I’d just like to –’
    Twink broke off. Romi’s hand had shot into the air. ‘Er . . . yes, Romi?’
    â€˜I know a glimmery set play we can do,’ said Romi. ‘I went to a special Fledge Camp over the hols, you know, and –’
    â€˜That’s great,’ interrupted Twink. ‘But I just wanted to go over a few things first.’
    â€˜This won’t take long,’ said Romi. ‘Then you can work the rest of your plans around it.’ And without waiting for an answer, she leapt up from her bench and grabbed the chalk from Twink’s hand.

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    Chapter Four
    â€˜It’s called the Power Play,’ said Romi, beginning to sketch on the oak leaf. ‘See, usually when you’re Guarding you’re on the defensive, right? You’re having to watch the Flea, and guard it from the Stealers. Well, with the Power Play, you make the Stealers go on the defensive! The three Guards all band together like this, and –’
    Twink thought angrily that she might have known Romi’s great idea would place the Guards in starring roles, since that was the position she herself played! She snatched the chalk back from her. ‘Thanks, but I don’t think we’ll be doing that.’
    The team grew very quiet, watching the scene. ‘But why not?’ burst out Romi. ‘It’s a brilliant set play!’
    â€˜Because I’ve got other ideas in mind,’ said Twink. ‘Maybe we’ll look at yours later.’
    Romi sat down again crossly. Trying to smile, Twink quickly brushed away Romi’s sketch. ‘Right, where was I?’
    The meeting fell a bit flat after that. Twink described her own plans, drawing on the leaf, and although the team seemed interested, she couldn’t shake the feeling that they were all thinking about Romi’s Power Play. Why couldn’t Romi have spoken to Twink in private about her idea, instead of just taking over?
    Gritting her teeth, Twink tried to push Romi out of her mind – which wasn’t easy when the purple-haired fairy was sitting right in front of her, scowling!
    â€˜So, um, those are some of my plans,’ concluded Twink at last. ‘Now, you all know that we’ve got to beat Sparklelight at least twice this season if we’re going to make the Fairy Finals. So I’d like to schedule three practices a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and –’
    â€˜ Three? ’ echoed Vera. ‘We only ever had two with Madge!’
    â€˜I know,’ said Twink. ‘But we’ve got a lot of new players now, and –’
    â€˜Twink, I’m sure that I speak for all of us older girls when I say that we just don’t have time for that,’ said Vera firmly. ‘We’ve got our Acorn Exams coming up, you know.’
    â€˜Yes, and I’ll have my Sapling Exams this year,’ pointed out Twink. ‘But I still think it’s important that we . . .’ She trailed off. Zayna and Vera sat side by side, shaking their heads. The rest of the team looked undecided, glancing from Twink to Vera and back again.
    Twink bit her lip. ‘Well . . . what do the rest of you think?’
    â€˜ I think two is plenty,’ said Zayna immediately. Cassi and Kym chorused agreement. Romi sat silently, gazing up at the ceiling with a knowing expression.
    â€˜I’m happy