Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

"I've got it!" exclaimed Isabel. Looking across at Ava, she had seen that her hands were still faintly blue. Valentina often boasted that she had a really expensive shower gel that left her skin soft and beautiful. What if she added some of Ava's dyer's knotweed to it? "Wouldn't it be funny if Valentina turned blue?" Isabel giggled as she shared her idea with Scarlett. "That's brilliant!" said Scarlett, her eyes shining. They sneaked outside into the rain to collect some leaves from Ava's garden. Wearing gloves, they picked the leaves, squeezing the dye from them into a tiny bottle. Giggling quietly, Isabel and Scarlett tiptoed upstairs to Emerald dorm. It wasn't difficult to find Valentina's things. They were much grander

than anyone else's. Shaking with laughter, Isabel added the blue dye to the posh gold tube containing Valentina's shower gel while Scarlett stood guard. Not long after, when Isabel and Scarlett were lounging around in Sapphire dormitory, they heard a shriek from the bathroom. "My skin! Oh nooooooo! Look at me!" Isabel and Scarlett exchanged looks and rushed to the corridor just in time to see Valentina running to Emerald dorm, blue legs and arms poking out from a huge bath towel. Isabel and Scarlett burst out laughing. Valentina continued to shriek as she stormed down the corridor. "Jacinta! Delia! Get my aunt right NOW!"

Just then the bedtime bell rang. Isabel and Scarlett hurried back into their dorm, still giggling. The other four girls were sitting on Sophia's bed talking about the mysterious incidents that had happened at the school. "What's so funny?" asked Sophia as they came in, but she didn't sound quite as friendly as she usually did.

"Nothing," said Isabel quickly. She'd tell everyone in the morning, once they'd got over the silly bad mood they'd all been in since the competition. The next morning, Ms Primrose asked Ava to stay behind after assembly. Isabel was wondering why when she saw Valentina arrive in the classroom for her first lesson. Her arms and face were still streaked with blue! Isabel giggled. "Hey, Valentina," she whispered. "Are you sure that shower gel of yours is working?" Valentina hissed back, "This is Ava's fault, as you well know. Ms Primrose is telling Ava off right now and Ms Nettles says if she plays any more tricks then she won't be allowed to keep her garden." "What!" Isabel stared at her in horror. "But it wasn't Ava's fault!"

"Who else would have done it?" snapped Valentina. Isabel raced out of the classroom and ran all the way to the headteacher's office. She didn't knock but just burst in. Ava was crying. "I did not expect this of you, Ava," Ms Primrose was saying sternly. "But I keep telling you, I didn't do it!" Ava protested. Ms Primrose swung round as Isabel barged in. "Isabel! Whatever is the meaning of this?" "Please, Ms Primrose, Ava didn't do anything to Valentina. It was me!" Isabel braced herself. She was going to be in a huge amount of trouble but there was no way she was letting Ava take the blame. Ava sent her a grateful look and Ms Primrose's face tightened. "I see," said the headteacher coldly, the usual twinkle absent from her eyes. "I apologise, Ava. You may return to class." Her icy glare fell on Isabel,