AMSND 2 —The War of Crooked Burrow School

(Josie Sayz: This is the second story, from my ‘AMSND’ series that I initially wrote when I was 13 years old, and I re-write when I was 17 years old. As I said with my previous upload, this is nothing like the way I write now, but I thought it would be fun to share it. This story was also based on a Shakespeare play, but I don’t actually remember which one – it might have been ‘As You Don’t Like It’, but don’t quote me on that. I did not create the plot; I just edited characters in, around an already existing Shakespearean story.

You can find the first story in the AMSND series here:
A Magic School’s New Dream: https://josiesayz.blogspot.com/2025/01/ansnd-1-magic-schools-new-dream.html.)

The War of Crooked Burrow School

 

“Not another meeting! Shada, I’m sick and tired of walking up all four flights of stairs to Music for all these Arian meetings. Why can’t the meetings ever be in Art?” sulked Samantha.

“Because…they just can’t!” Shada didn’t actually have an answer, she didn’t even know herself.

“Now quit complaining. You’re Second-Best Se’enarian and if you don’t stop complaining, I can easily let Bonnie take your place,” Shada snapped, a little more annoyed than usual.

“Yes, and you’re Best Se’enarian, therefore Pete’s more likely to listen to you than he is me. That’s why you have to announce the changes that need to be made,” whined Samantha. They were already running late. This meeting wasn’t too important though, because Bert (Best Ninarian) and Gertrude (Second-Best Ninarian) wouldn’t be there because they had a class trip and would not be returning to school until late.

Once they arrived Shada took her seat at the front of the main Music room dumping her coat and bag on the floor, then the meeting began. Pete, who was Best Itarian and sitting next to Shada, started the meeting. “Are there any issues that anyone wishes to discuss?” Once Pete had asked this question Samantha turned her head towards Shada and stared at her. Shada rose up from her seat. “I do,” Shada began. “Why do all these meetings have to be up in Music? Why can’t any of them be in Art?” Shada smiled at Samantha.

“What? Art? Shada, you can’t be serious!” Luke laughed.

“Well that is highly unethical Shada. You, yourself, as Best Se’enarian, should know that Arian meetings are always held up in Music and shall continue to do so,” Pete explained slamming his fist down on the desk in front of him. Everyone began to discuss the matter, loudly and uncontrollably. Pete could no longer control them and was worried that he could lose his post as Best Itarian, so he picked up two cymbals, stood on top of a tall table and crashed them together. Everyone jumped. All fell silent. Luke made his way to the front of the room.

“Now obviously, Shada was only joking…weren’t you…right, Shada?” Luke paused worriedly.

“Yeah, I was only joking,” Shada forced a smile and sat back down (now embarrassed because of the argument she had caused and that all eyes were now on her). There was a small sigh of relief – mostly from Pete and Luke.

“No, she’s not joking!” shouted Samantha, as she stood from her seat. Everyone in the meeting gasped with surprise, and turned towards Samantha. Everyone that knew Samantha knew her as being very shy and quiet; half of the people in the meeting had never even heard her speak before. “Shada was telling the truth about Art. I speak on behalf of a huge bunch of people here. And if you don’t believe me, maybe I don’t want to be here with you!” Samantha explained. “Anyone who wants the meeting to be in Art, raise your hand,” she announced. But everyone who was in favour of the meeting being in Art was too scared to raise their hand.

“Ha, overruled!” laughed Pete.

“Fine, then this meeting can go on without Samantha!” Samantha picked up her bag and her coat, and then stormed out of the room.

“And without Shada,” Shada stormed out too, slamming the door behind her. The majority of people began to argue, this time louder than before. Soon everyone but Pete and Toby had left the room. They had left the meeting because they were frustrated with the argument and didn’t understand why some people didn’t like going to Music or Art after school for the meetings. This argument then spread outside of the Arian meeting and to other people in the school. Others who stayed after school in either Music or Art were beginning to dislike the people who stayed in the opposite faculty to them. This then created the war of Arts and Musics. Pete sighed and looked around at the almost empty room.

“Yey! We won the war!” cheered Toby to Pete. “Well I think we did. A lot of people seem to be in the Music practice rooms.”

“We’ve not quite won yet my friend, but we’re not far off,” Pete replied. “You did well in battle Toby. After I talk to Bert I think you may have earned yourself a promotion. I’ll see what I can do about appointing you the place of Best Se’enarian”.

“Wow!” gasped Toby. “Really?” Pete nodded. “Thank you Pete,” Toby said.

Once the Arian meeting was over Toby decided that he was going to make his way home. This was early for him as he was usually one of the last people to leave the Music department, but after the fight he was glad to be leaving. Toby walked down the Music stairs and along the Art corridor with Shada’s friend, Larissa. As they got to the Art room that Shada was in Larissa peered in to see if Shada was ready to walk home. But she seemed far too busy with her new friends, who she had stolen from Music (most of which were boys). Toby peered in the classroom and stared over at Shada. Scared that someone would see him, Larissa quickly pulled Toby away from the door. “What were you doing?” whispered Larissa harshly.

“Erm…” paused Toby worriedly.

“You like-like Shada, don’t you?” giggled Larissa. Toby blushed. “Why didn’t you tell her that you liked her at the Valentine’s dance?”

“I was scared,” mumbled Toby. “I’d only just managed to talk to her, since the soup incident; I could never tell her that I like her.” Then the  came out of the classroom and shoed them away.

The next morning Larissa made her way to Music, as she often did every morning. She was in search of her friend Bonnie. Bonnie was in one of the Music practice rooms flirting with a group of boys, who were Jay (one of Larissa’s good friends), Nicky (Jay’s friend), Drew (who was also Jay’s friend), Luke, Louis and Robin. “Hi!” Bonnie cheered as Larissa entered the room.

“Hey!” she replied miserably.

“What’s wrong?” Jay asked her.

“Shada’s not talking to me,” she sulked. “And it’s all because of this stupid war. Who cares about Art anyway?”

“I’m gonna try and make our Art teacher cry,” laughed Nicky.

“That’s harsh,” Louis exclaimed with shock.

“It’s true though, she’s awful, just ask Larissa!” Nicky replied trying not to laugh. Larissa smiled and nodded her head.

“Anyway, guess what I heard yesterday?” Larissa asked feeling a little hyper with her news and cheering up a little.

“Musics are going to take over the world?” Luke guessed excitedly.

“I’m gonna become rich and famous?” hoped Louis.

“Me and Louis are gonna be together forever?” Bonnie fantasized.

“Ariel’s finally going to like me?” said Robin amazedly.

“That Jay’s gonna ask you out?” Drew guessed forgetting that Jay was in the room.

“Shut up, Drew. I never said that,” Jay whispered harshly.

“No, but you thought it,” Drew replied.

“GUYS!” Larissa shouted. “Can you stop guessing? I –”

“But you did say –” Nicky began.

“Forget what I said,” Larissa sighed impatiently. “Toby like-likes Shada.” Everyone, but Luke, began to laugh.

“I’ve known that for ages,” mumbled Luke not impressed by Larissa’s ‘amazing’ news. Larissa mocked Luke, who folded his arms in a sulk.

As tutor time came, Bonnie sat in her form room staring out of the window. She was thinking about the conversation that had taken place earlier up in Music about Toby and Shada. She was about to get her mirror out of her pencil case, when Toby sat down beside her. “Hi,” Toby sighed happily.

“Hi Toby,” sniggered Bonnie daydreaming about Toby and Shada. “What d’you want?”

“I just wanted to ask you what you think about Shada,” he said. “You two are friends and I wanted to know –” he babbled.

“You like Shada. I know,” she stated.

“You know?” whispered Toby worriedly. Bonnie grinned nodding her head. “How do you know?” Toby asked harshly.

“Larissa’s not a very good secret keeper,” she giggled.

“So… does Shada ever mention me?” Toby asked eagerly.

“Yeah,” Bonnie gasped excitedly. “She talks about how annoying you are, when you spilt soup in her lap and how she doesn’t want to be near you ever,” Bonnie laughed evilly.

“You’re horrible,” snapped Toby, feeling hurt. He quickly got up from his seat and changed where he was sitting, he no longer wanted to sit near Bonnie if she was going to pick on him. Toby decided that he would rather sit on his own and daydream about Shada than get picked on by anybody. He sighed happily to himself, “I am determined to go out with her… she is the most smart and most beautiful girl I have ever seen.”

That day at Crooked Burrow School was a particular long day. Everyone was avoiding people who were on a different side of the Art and Music war to them. Life was already confusing enough for Toby without being told not to talk to Shada and with her not wanting to talk to him because he was a Music and she was an Art. When lunch eventually arrived Toby sighed with relief, because he had lunch with his best friend – Luke. Luke and Toby sat in the corner of the canteen in a hushed discussion.

Meanwhile Louis and Robin had been talking to Jay, Drew and Nicky. They were talking about spells, which were Robin’s specialty. “Robin, could you do me a huge favour,” Jay begged.

“What’s so huge that you need my help?” Robin asked confusedly.

“I need to get Larissa back because she used magic to turn my pet dog into a goldfish and forgot how to change him back,” Jay explained feeling annoyed. Drew and Nicky began to snigger. “It’s not funny!” Jay snapped.

“How did she learn how to do that?” gasped Louis. “That’s a really hard spell, and you need a lot of Frandadis fruits.”

“Since she’s been hanging round with Ariel she’s been learning all sorts of magic tricks. Anyway, I was thinking of revenge…” Jay paused.

“You know Jay I could change your goldfish back into a dog, once I borrow the spell from Bert – the Best Ninarian.”

“Well, thanks, but I still want to get my own back,” Jay stated.

“What can I do to help?” Robin asked, surprised.

“Make her fall in love with that annoying guy, Aidan, in my Year,” Jay instructed.

“But doesn’t she like him?” frowned Louis confusedly.

“No!” replied Jay with frustration. “She doesn’t like him; I should know I am her best friend!”

“Hello… what about us…” Drew replied feeling left out, pointing at himself and Nicky.

“Yeah, you’re my best friends. I said I was her best friend. There’s a difference you know,” Jay replied fiercely.

“I’m still sure they like each other,” Louis said trying to return the conversation back to the point that made him confused.

“Yeah, I even helped them out with a spell, so they could dance together back in February,” Robin told Jay.

“Well that was then and this is now. A lot can happen in a matter of months. So are you going to help me or not?” Jay was beginning to lose his temper. He was Larissa’s best friend (in his own mind) and according to Jay nobody knew her better than he did. So he was annoyed when Louis and Robin were trying to tell him that they knew Larissa better than him.

Toby had decided that if anyone was going to talk to Shada for him it was going to be Luke. Luke may have only been Toby’s best friend since the beginning of the academic year, but Toby really trusted him. They had partly fallen out because of Toby’s love for Shada before; this was back in February, the week of the Valentine’s Day dance. Toby had wanted to ask Shada to the dance, but she had fallen in love with Luke – because she was under a love spell (which was eventually put right). Luke and Toby had been discussing Toby’s problem of getting nervous around Shada. Every time he tried to speak to her he began babbling and she became bored. Luke was much better at talking to girls than Toby was, it may have been because Luke was a year older than Toby. Nevertheless Luke agreed to help his best friend out. “Pete’s not going to like this Toby,” Luke sighed to himself.

“But he’s not going to find out is he?” Toby said hinting.

“No,” Luke sighed again. “Just be careful when talking about Shada around Pete. He may accuse you of being a traitor and kick you out of Music.” Toby nodded, taking a sip out of his Cola can. As Toby put his can down Shada walked past. With a push from Toby, Luke quickly got up from his seat and followed Shada through to the playground.

After school was over Jay met with Robin upstairs in Music to see whether Robin was willing to go through with his plan to make Larissa fall in love with Aidan. Robin had given this a lot of thought. He didn’t like meddling with peoples’ lives. But he was still sure that Larissa and Aidan liked each other, but knew that a) Jay would never believe him and b) if they did like each other then he wouldn’t mind going along with Jay’s plan. “Okay Jay,” Robin said at last. “I’ll put a spell on Larissa for you.”

“Thanks Robin,” Jay grinned.

“By the way I’ve got the spell from Bert to turn your goldfish back into a dog,” Robin announced waving a piece of paper in the air. Jay snatched the piece of paper and smirked. Robin got out his mobile phone and texted his good friend Lyra telling her to find Larissa and bring her up to Music so that he could make her fall in love with Aidan. Jay then followed Robin into another Music practice room where they located Aidan.

Lyra came up to Music a small while later with Larissa. She had found her sitting cross-legged on the floor in the library reading ‘Magic and Potions’ with Ariel and Bert. Lyra and Larissa were now looking through the windows of the Music practice rooms looking for Robin. “Finally,” sighed Jay as he spotted the girls. “You pair have been ages.”

“I had to find Larissa first. She was with Ariel and Bert in the library,” Lyra replied.

“Great, more ways to turn my dog into a fish,” mumbled Jay. “Robin, let’s get this over with,” Jay instructed.

Meanwhile Shada and Luke were sitting on a picnic bench under a blossom tree in the quad talking quietly. “Luke, it is nice sitting here with you,” Shada said softly. Luke looked away awkwardly and sighed with frustration. “What’s wrong?” Shada asked Luke worriedly. Luke ran his fingers through his hair as he searched for the words he needed to say to Shada. Her face was worriedly staring back at his.

“Shada… I like you but…” Luke paused trying not to upset her. “I like you more like a cousin, like Lyra.” Shada quickly looked away so Luke couldn’t see her disappointed face. “But I know someone who does like you,” Luke said hopefully. Shada looked up again trying to smile.

“Who?” she asked shyly.

“Toby.”

That night there was a masquerade party to raise needed funding for Crooked Burrow School. Pete (wanting to show to Bert how good he was at being Best Itarian) took up the job of being the welcomer. He was wearing a Dracula costume and was collecting everyone’s ticket as they entered the Drama Studio and stamping their hands, so that if they left they could still come back later. Shada and Toby entered the Drama Studio hand in hand. Shada was dressed as Cinderella and Toby as a Medieval Knight. They were dancing together and were near a group of people who had sided with the Arts during the Arian meeting earlier on in the week. Pete saw Toby dancing with Shada and talking to people who left the Arian meetings to go to Art (who Pete and several others who stayed in Music called ‘Arts’). Pete was furious. How dare Toby betray him and befriend Shada who started the feud? Pete was thinking about giving Toby Shada’s post as Best Se’enarian (which he had now taken away from Shada because she disrupted the peace between everyone at Crooked Burrow School) but why should he now? Toby had been one of Pete’s best fighters when the war started and now he was siding with the opposition. Then Pete realised something – the Arts were actually listening to Toby. Since the war broke out they hadn’t listened to Pete and he was the one in charge, well when Bert and Gertrude weren’t there. “I’m the important one. I’m far better than Toby,” Pete grumbled to himself. “The only way to make myself more popular than Toby would be to…” pondered Pete, “make him think Shada likes his best friend…Luke,” Pete grinned evilly to himself. With the help of an evil Ninarian, Gertrude, Pete started a rumour that Shada was in love with Luke, and it spread really fast.

“Shada!” gasped Toby tearfully when he heard the rumour. Toby ran off and out of the Drama Studio. Murmuring filled the room as everyone began to spread the rumour further (adding in their own details as they told it) and discussing what had just happened.

Before Toby had run off out of the school building Larissa, who was wearing a Tinker Bell costume quickly followed him. “Toby!” she called after him.

“What?” he snapped nastily.

“It’s not true,” Larissa insisted.

“What’s not true?” Toby asked sniffing.

“Shada liking Luke. It’s not true.”

“How would you know? You haven’t exactly spoken to her since the Art and Music war, have you?” Toby stated.

“So? I’m still her best friend and I know that she likes you way more than Luke,” Larissa explained. “Haven’t we had this sort of talk before in February?”

“That was different. Shada barely knows I exist and probably doesn’t even remember the Valentine’s dance,” Toby sulked.

“You’re overreacting,” Larissa sighed. “She likes you, she remembers the Valentine’s dance and she still goes on about it. It didn’t happen that long ago. She – likes – you – Toby – not – Luke.” Toby half smiled at her. “Come on, let’s go back inside. You can dance with me and Aidan.”

The next day the regular Arian meeting was held in the Ask Studio (that nobody ever used), behind the Main Hall. It was Bert’s idea to hold the meeting in the Ask Studio in hope that all of the Arians would turn up. Bert was a great magician and Best Ninarian and was in charge. A smile came upon Bert’s face as his plan worked and people from both Music and Art began to enter the room. Pete gave Bert an evil look as Toby walked into the room in the hand of Shada. As more Arians entered the room Bert was astonished to see that everyone hadn’t come because of him, they had all come because of Toby. Toby had asked both groups of people (the Musics and the Arts) to attend the meeting and they did. Pete slouched down on the floor next to Ariel and Elly who were best friends and Itarians, like him. “Why are you so sad?” Elly asked Pete, seeing his gloomy expression.

“Toby,” sighed Pete.

“What’s Toby ever done to you?” asked Ariel. “Didn’t he help out in the fight the other day?” Pete nodded sadly.

“But now he’s going out with an Art, Shada. How could he do this to me? How could he do this to us, the Musics?” Pete exclaimed feeling frustrated.

“Don’t worry Pete,” sympathized Elly, patting Pete on the shoulder. Ariel giggled to herself, but Elly and Pete didn’t notice. Just then Gertrude, an evil and bossy Ninarian sat down next to Pete.

“Well this is the worst idea Bert’s had in ages,” she said to Pete.

“Yeah, so… why are you talking to me about it?” he shrugged.

“’Cause you’re Best Itarian and there aren’t any other Ninarians and Caleb’s not here yet either, so you’ll have to do,” Gertrude sighed (Caleb was Gertrude’s boyfriend). She glanced over the room and saw Shada in the hands of Toby. A smile crept onto evil Gertrude’s face.

“Why are you so happy?” Ariel asked her.

“Nobody told me that Se’enarian, Shada, was going out with what’s his name,” Gertrude said pondering over Toby’s name.

“Toby,” Ariel replied plainly.

“Yeah, that’s right. Toby…”

“What cha thinkin’?” Pete asked interestedly.

“Just that that Shada isn’t going to be able to get her hands on my Caleb if she’s going out with Toby now, is she?” grinned Gertrude evilly.

“Why would she like Caleb, she barely knows him?” Elly frowned. Almost everyone was now inside the Ask Studio and ready to hear from Bert. As everyone quietly spoke to each other Bert took to the stage and smiled to himself at the amount of people in the room. He cleared his throat and the talking died down.

“First off I would like to thank you all for attending today. Secondly, thank you Toby for convincing everyone to turn up, I am rather proud of you,” smiled Bert. Pete scowled at him.

“Gertrude,” Pete whispered while Bert continued the meeting. Gertrude looked towards Pete.

“Want to help me make Toby unpopular and Shada miserable all at the same time?” Pete asked her. Gertrude smirked as she stared at Pete.

“Okay,” she agreed slyly.

“Really?” said Pete surprised that Gertrude would help out an Itarian.

“Yeah, I’ll help you… if you pay me five pounds,” she replied cunningly.

“Five pounds!” exclaimed Pete in a whisper. “But you want to upset Shada more than anyone. She fancies your boyfriend and she’s a traitor, she started the Arts and Musics war. Why should I pay you?”

“‘Cause, I’m bigger, better and smarter than you, so if you want me to do your dirty work, you’re going to have to pay me,” she beamed. Pete shook his head in disbelief.

“Fine,” he whispered giving in, “I’ll pay you. But only when you’re done.”

After Bert had made his announcements some people left the room and others began discussing what Bert had just said, and others just started talking about stuff. Luke had been sitting with Louis and Robin who had been talking about a giant apple pie, when Shada ran past them in tears. Luke quickly ran after her. She had gone to sit on a bench behind a tall fir tree in the girl’s quad. Luke sat down beside her and put his arm around her shoulder for comfort. “You okay?” Luke asked her.

“No!” she sniffed. “If I’m crying do you think I’m okay?” she snapped sarcastically.

“Erm…what’s the matter then?” he asked caringly. “Do you want me to beat somebody up?”

“No,” she giggled. “It’s… Toby.”

“Toby? What did he do?”

“He dumped me because he said that I was bad and he hates me because of the Arts and Musics war and that he doesn’t like me anymore,” she cried.

“That’s not like Tobe. He’d never do anything like that – usually. He must have been manipulated…” Luke paused to think who would be so cruel. But he was partly enjoying comforting Shada. He had spent so much time with her this week, trying to find out what she liked and whether she liked Toby that he had developed a small crush on her himself. He gave Shada a hug and she thanked him for being so nice to her.

“Luke, you don’t hate me even though I started the war thingy, do you?” Shada asked shyly. Staring at her he slowly shook his head.

“No, I –” Luke began to say.

“Shada!” came a voice from not too far away. It was Bert. Luke jumped and both he and Shada looked up. “Are you alright?” he asked her.

“Yeah, thanks,” she nodded. Bert patted her on the shoulder and crouched down to her level (because she was sitting down). “Toby never meant what he said to you.”

“Yes he did,” she sulked. “He meant every word. He hates me.”

“No, no he doesn’t,” Bert began sensitively. “Pete and Gertrude influenced him. They told him loads of terrible things about you and he believed them. He didn’t know any better.” Shada tried to smile and wipe away her tears. “Do you want me to take you to your friend Sam, who didn’t turn up to the meeting I might add?”

“Yes please Bert,” Shada whispered. Bert stood back up and held out his hand for Shada to get up. She took Bert’s hand and he led her off to the Art department where Samantha was, sitting in a classroom painting a picture. Luke felt annoyed. He was the one talking to Shada. He was the one trying to cheer her up. Then happy, friendly Bert just had to come along and talk to her. This was not fair in Luke’s mind.

Yet again the day felt long. Despite Bert trying to bring the peace between the Arts and Musics they were still avoiding each other. The Musics had even come up with a chant that they sang around the Arts:

“Arts’ magic is quite bad,

The magic fruits they’ll never have.

We stash them in our secret pot,

Far away from them lot.

Our side’s better; we have Bert,

Arts will vanish in the dirt!”

It wasn’t a particular musically creative chant, considering they were Musics, but it made the Arts scared of trespassing on Music territory. The Arts didn’t bother making up a chant for the Musics, they thought of themselves as far more superior than them and didn’t want to stoop down to their level.

After school, the Arians all met up in the Ask Studio, again, to come to an agreement of where the meetings should be held and on which day. Pete thought that this was far the most stupid idea he had ever heard of. “Why can’t the meetings just continue up in Music with just the Musics? The Arts can have their own meetings in Art and then we never have to come into contact with each other,” Pete complained.

“Now Pete I would have thought that you as Best Itarian would be more mature than this. Seriously, we all go to the same school, so we’re all going to have to respect each other’s decisions and learn to get along. So things are changing, so’s technology and magic. Everything changes. We just need to compromise a little here and there,” explained Bert taking charge as always.

“I like it when Bert takes charge,” Ariel whispered to her best friend, Elly.

“You’d like chocolate covered vegetables if Bert said he did,” Elly giggled. Ariel poked her.

“Pete, are you okay?” asked Ariel changing the subject.

“What?” Pete snapped. “Don’t talk to me. I don’t want you talking to me. I’m trying to figure out how to end this stupid war, and it’s all because of that stupid girl – Shada. Argh! I hate her and I hate the mess that she’s made, she should have her post as Best Se’enarian stripped away from her!” ranted Pete. (Bert had returned Shada’s post of Best Se’enarian once he had found out that Pete had removed it).

“So you’re just in a little bit of a bad mood,” Ariel said slowly. Gertrude pushed Ariel to the side to sit next to Pete. “Ouch!” yelled Ariel. “Bully!”

“Oh shut up Itarian. Pete I believe you owe me money, and I believe the deal was five pounds. Pay up,” demanded Gertrude squeezing Pete’s wrist hard. Pete squirmed free and reached into his pocket for a five pound note, shoving it in Gertrude’s face. Just then Samantha burst into the room.

“Everybody,” panted Samantha. “Shada’s committed suicide.” The room went silent. Everyone looked at each other in fright. Toby broke down into tears.

“It’s all my fault,” Toby cried to Luke. “It’s all my fault.” As Samantha quickly left the room Bert thought he saw Shada standing outside waiting for her. He was confused. He had a million and one thoughts spiralling through his head and he had to make sure that he dealt with them all properly.

“Pete, Gertrude…” Bert called over. They followed Bert’s orders and went over to him. “I know that you two are behind this. You paid her five quid to upset Toby,” Bert said pointing to Pete.

“Apologise to Toby and I’ll think about forgiving you,” he ordered.

“How do you know it was us?” Gertrude asked.

“I’m not stupid Gertrude. Now apologise,” Bert said as he turned to leave the room.

“Where are you going?” Pete asked.

“None of your business. It’s between me and them. Now apologise to Toby and you better have by the time I get back!” Bert told them.

“Bert’s in more of a bad mood than I thought he would have been,” Pete said.

“Probably because of Shada’s death,” Luke mumbled.

Bert had spotted Shada walking quickly down the corridor. “Shada!” he called. She stopped walking and slowly turned around to face her punishment.

“How much trouble am I in?” she asked nervously staring down at the floor.

“You’re not in trouble. Why did you get Samantha to announce to everyone that you had died?” asked Bert concernedly.

“How do you know that I got Samantha to do it?”

“Because you were standing by the window looking in,” Bert said leading Shada to a seat outside in the quad. Shada wouldn’t look at him; she was too ashamed of what she had done. “Why would you want people to think that you were dead, Shada?” Bert asked her trying to think of answer to his own question. Shada shrugged.

“Nobody cares about me. I just wanted to see the reaction everyone would have if they thought I was dead,” she replied coldly.

“Shada how can you say nobody cares about you? Everybody cares about you. Samantha cares about you, your friends care about you, all of the Arians do, I care about you,” Bert froze realising what he’d just said and how that could easily have been taken the wrong way. Shada slowly smiled at him. “Now why would you think nobody likes you? You gave a lot of people a scare in there. Come back inside with me and I’ll sort this all out,” Bert told her. Shada thought that he reminded her of a doctor asking a child, after he’d just given them an injection, if they wanted a lollypop – which made her smile (because she liked lollypops). But the smile soon faded.

“I can’t. I can’t go back in there. They’ll hate me, all of them, especially Toby,” Shada sobbed.

“Fine, meet me outside the front gates tomorrow morning, promise?” Bert begged. After a little hesitation Shada slowly nodded her head. “Good,” Bert smiled. “I’ll see you missy tomorrow morning. Don’t be late.” Bert jumped down from off the picnic table, which they had been sitting on and began walking back to the Ask Studio. He turned back round to wave to Shada and then carried on his way.

On the way home Jay, Drew and Nicky walked with Robin, Louis and Lyra. “Robin, will you end the spell please?” Jay pleaded.

“So you want me to turn your dog back into a goldfish again?” Robin replied confusedly. Jay frowned at him.

“No,” sniggered Drew. “He means Larissa and Aidan.”

“Why? I thought that was what you wanted?” Louis gasped sarcastically. Robin, Louis, Lyra, Drew and Nicky started laughing.

“I guess I can see who my real friends are then?” snapped Jay.

“We were only jokin’ Jay,” Louis laughed.

“Well it’s not funny!” Jay grumbled. “Robin, Ly’ can you just end the spell on them. I’ve got no one to play with now that Larissa’s in love with Aidan, she’s always with him.”

“Aww… little Jay’s all lonely,” sniggered Nicky.

“Shut it, anyway I’m taller than you!” Jay snapped. “Robin,” Jay sighed feeling frustrated. “Can you end the spell?”

After thinking about it Robin slowly nodded his head, “If you’ll stop being so moody, yes, I’ll end the spell – tomorrow morning, promise.”

“Hey,” Bert smiled as he met Shada at the front of school the next morning.

“Bert, aren’t people going to see me if we’re standing outside the front gates?” Shada asked worriedly.

“Nope. Follow me.” Bert led Shada by the hand past the front of the building and down a small path next to the building’s edge.

“Where are we going?” Shada giggled.

“You’ll see!” he sang. Bert secretly knocked on the back door to a Design and Technology classroom. Mr. Tonka opened the door.

“Bert! Nice to see you,” Mr. Tonka smiled. “Come in. Who’s your girly friend?”

“This is Shada, she’s a Se’enarian –” Bert explained.

“A little young for you don’t you think?” Mr. Tonka chuckled.

“She’s not my girlfriend,” Bert sighed. “I’m just sorting out a problem for her. Besides, you know I’m going out with Ariel.”

“Ooow!” said Mr. Tonka.

“Stop it!” blushed Bert. “Now come on Shada, you still want my help don’t you?” Shada nodded trying to stop herself from giggling at Bert.

Before Bert came into the Ask Studio to commence the meeting, not just for Arians but all people involved in the Art and Music, Robin got ready to erase the spell that he had put on Larissa and Aidan for Jay. Larissa and Aidan were sitting in the far corner of the room holding hands and whispering to each other. “Are you sure?” Robin asked Jay finally.

“Yes!” Jay said positively. “Do it!” Robin poured the Frandadis fruit spell over his purple hand stitched ball and threw it at Larissa and Aidan.

“Ouch!” they both shouted as the force of the ball hit them. Then Aidan and Larissa looked at each other in fright and quickly moved away to opposite sides of the room. Immediately Robin felt guilty, he was sure that Larissa and Aidan being together was a good match, but now he wasn’t sure whether either of them were confident enough to tell each other how they really felt without a little help from magic. Jay smiled, satisfied with what had just happened and quickly went over to talk to Larissa, who now seemed lonely.

Toby sat on his own sobbing. He didn’t want Shada to die and he definitely didn’t want to dump her. The cunning Gertrude had manipulated him; she always managed to make Toby say the wrong things and get him confused. Bert came into the room and sat down next to Toby. “Toby, I’ve got a new friend I want you to meet,” Bert said. Toby turned away.

“I don’t want to meet your new friend,” sulked Toby.

“But she’s really nice,” Bert insisted.

“I don’t care if she’s nice or if she’s a monster. She’s not Shada, so I don’t care,” Toby blubbered.

“Why don’t you come with me?” Bert instructed grabbing Toby by the sleeve of his jumper.

“Looks like I’ve got no choice,” replied Toby. He let out a huge sad sigh as Bert led him out of the room and into the hallway. There in front of them stood Shada. “Argh! It’s the ghost of Shada; she’s come back to kill me. Bert save me!” yelled Toby, feeling scared and hiding behind Bert.

“I’m not a ghost, silly,” Shada giggled. “It’s me.”

“Shada?” gasped Toby in amazement. “You’re not dead…” Bert re-entered the Ask Studio and left Shada and Toby to talk in peace.

Pete was sitting smugly with Ariel and Elly. He was so happy now that Toby’s popularity had died. But he was beginning to feel a little guilty after hearing about Shada’s death. “Pete…” Elly sang.

“What?” he replied in the same song-like voice that Elly had.

“You’re happy today…” she said.

“Well done for noticing,” whispered Ariel sarcastically. Elly elbowed her.

“So, I was just wondering if maybe…” Elly blushed as she tried to think of what she wanted to say. Pete looked at her interestedly and smiled.

“Yes…” Pete said trying to make Elly carry on what she was going to say.

“Would you mind answering my questionnaire for Maths?” she asked sweetly.

“That’s it?” Pete replied feeling quite disappointedly. Elly nodded handing Pete her clipboard and pen. Just then the door burst open.

“Guess what?” Toby asked cheerfully. Everyone in the room looked towards him. “Me and Shada are going out!” he announced. Everybody looked at each other puzzled. Then Shada came in the room and everyone clapped and cheered because they were glad that Shada wasn’t dead and that she and Toby were going out and were both happy.

“Well guess what else?” Aidan announced. “Me and Larissa are going out too.”

“That’s impossible!” gasped Jay. “I talked Robin into putting a spell on you two to like each other then I told him to undo it.”

“Yeah, well you did us a favour,” smiled Larissa. “’Cause now we know that we do like each other. Thanks Jay!”

“That wasn’t supposed to happen,” Jay mumbled folding his arms in a sulk. Aidan and Larissa then went over to talk to Toby and Shada. Bert slowly walked over to Pete, looked back at the two happy couples and smiled.

“So, happy?” Bert asked Pete.

“No,” sulked Pete.

“Just because Toby has a girlfriend, Aidan has a girlfriend and I have a girlfriend doesn’t mean you need to be upset,” Bert said patronisingly trying to frustrate Pete. Ariel came over to them and kissed Bert on the check.

“It’s not fair,” Pete cried out. “I want a girlfriend! I want a girlfriend!”

- Josie -