Chapter 1

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Chapter ONE It was the first day of a new term and when I arrived at school I was surprised to see a new girl standing at the front of the classroom. 'This is Ava,' said Miss Cherry. 'She's new in town and she'll be joining our class from today. Let's all welcome her!' 'Welcome, Ava!' chanted the class.

I watched as Miss Cherry led Ava to an empty desk at the back of the room and remembered how it had felt to be new in the class myself. It had been a bit scary!

I wondered if Ava felt scared too. She wasn't smiling and she kept reaching her hand up to her dress pocket. At break time everyone in the class swarmed over to Ava in the playground. We were all interested in getting to know her. 'I really like your shoes, Ava!' I said, pointing at them. 'Me too!' said my best friend Zoe. Ava was wearing a pair of super sparkly lace-up boots with silver stars. I wasn't sure if she was really supposed to be wearing them at school, but I wondered if Miss Cherry hadn't said anything because she was new.

Ava looked at me and Zoe, but she didn't smile or say thank you. 'They're nice, aren't they,' she said, sticking out her foot so that the glitter dazzled in the sunlight. Much better than any of your boring old school shoes!'

I heard Zoe gasp next to me and I stared in shock at Ava, but Bruno laughed. He didn't care that Ava thought his shoes were boring. 'Where have you moved from?' he asked. 'Was it from far away?' Far enough away to have to move schools,' said Ava and she sounded a bit cross. 'I was at a much better school before this. It had a swimming pool! And my friends there were fabulous!' She glared round at us all and I suddenly felt completely small and very un-fabulous. 'Oh, right,' said Bruno. He shrugged and then went off to play football with Jasper and Sashi.