I wish Honey was still here. She used to make me feel good about myself. She thought I had oodles of “inner glorwee” just waiting to burst out. I miss her.

You don’t notice people not being around for a bit and then you think, “What’s missing?”

And it’s them.

Honey is so, so . . . Honeyish.

I bet she has loads of Hollywood boyfriends. Ones who say, “Have a nice day.”

And what else do Hollywood boys say? Oh, I know. If you say anything at all, like . . . er . . . , “Is your tea all right?” they say, “AWESOME.”

Honey knows about boys.

She likes them.

Really.

As if they’re normal people.

When I got to Dother Hall, the Tree Sisters were hanging around the door.

Vaisey said, “Oooh, Lullah, did you have a nice weekend? Tell us all about it. We were soooo bored.”

I said, “Well . . . I ate some bread made out of snail shells.”

Flossie said, “Er, was that the highlight?”

I said, “No, lots of things happened but . . . Alex was at home and he said that he wouldn’t blame—er—a boy for wanting to kiss me, if I was a bit older!”

They all whooped.

Vaisey said, “What are you going to do?”

I said, “Get older?”

It’s drumming workshop day with Blaise and I’m really looking forward to seeing her because I want to tell her about my rap. And to explain the “winking incident” because Dr. Lightowler is sure to have told her.

I said to Flossie, “I think Blaise will appreciate my owl rap, unlike Dr. Lightowler.”

Flossie put her arm round me. “I don’t think Dr. Lightowler didn’t like your rap—it’s you she doesn’t like.”

Well, that gave me another lovely warm feeling.

Vaisey said, “Don’t worry, Lulles, she’ll see in the end how talented you are. And that you didn’t mean to wink at her.”

Jo said, “Shhh about Lullah and her winking. I need to drum. I am really good at hitting things.”

When we went into the hall there was no sign of Ms. Fox. Or any drums. Gudrun came in wearing a balaclava and said, “Rightio, girls. I’m afraid Ms. Fox has stepped in for Ms. Beaver, who has a migraine.”

Jo said, “Are you saying that Ms. Fox is having Ms. Beaver’s headache for her?”

Gudrun laughed nervously.

“No, no, girls—Ms. Fox has taken over at the ‘Zumba for the Mature Woman’ group in Little Waddle and I’m, well, I’m taking over for her! So let’s begin, girls, get into a circle.”

Jo said, “Where are the drums, Miss?”

Gudrun adjusted her balaclava.

“Well, the drum . . . yes, well, Ms. Fox has taken it with her to, er, to facilitate the Zumba.”

Flossie said, “Er, OK, but where are all the other drums for the drum workshop?”

“Well, this is the thing really, there is, erm, only one drum.”

Milly said, “So what are we going to be drumming with?”