Flunked (Fairy Tale Reform School, #1)(49)

Flora looks mildly amused. “Apology accepted, and I promise to answer more of your questions when your professors are back. You know, Gillian, villains think they have power, but the mistake they always make is the same—they have no idea how to use it.” She scratches her chin. “True power is learning how to put others first and not judge a book by its cover, so to speak. I think you’re doing a good job of that here at FTRS.” She pauses. “But you still have a way to go before your stay is up.”

“That’s okay,” I say. “I don’t mind it here anymore.”

Miri’s mirror starts to glow again. “Flora? Call from the castle. Are you free to talk to Rapunzel?”

“Yes, please put her on hold, Miri.” Flora points to the door. “Now all of you go and let me worry about villains for the rest of the day.”

I watch Miri’s mirror glow green, then purple, and close the door.

“Ice cream?” Ollie asks.

“From curses and villains to ice cream,” Maxine says as her eye droops. “Kind of a boring afternoon, don’t you think?”

We walk toward the doors leading outside. When Ollie opens them, I bask in the warm sunlight on my face and the sound of laughter in the meadow. Balloons and bright pink tablecloths on the tables blow in the wind. As far as the eye can see, trolls, gnomes, fairies, ogres, and even the mer-folk have come up to sit on rocks at the lake nearby. It’s nice to see everyone in a good mood.

They’re happy.

At reform school.

Who would have guessed it?

I look to the right of the castle and see the crumbling exterior walls of the ballroom that are being redone. “I could use boring right now.”

“Me too,” says Kayla. For a moment, her wings appear, battered but resilient, and then they’re gone again. I know it won’t be long before they reappear. Or I want to snag something we could use in battle. Or Jax and Ollie sweet-talk their way into some intel we could use. The Hollow Woods lie in the distance, looking ominous and full of secrets that Maxine can’t wait to uncover. Like where Alva is hiding. And how desperately a trapped Harlow wants to help her.

But those are all questions for another day.

“Dudes, come on! They’ve got vanilla and chocolate!” Ollie has reached the ice cream table and is already dishing it out. The ice cream oozes over the sides of the cups onto the table.

“Let’s go be bored together,” I say, squeezing Jax tight as we head for the melted ice cream and an afternoon bound to give us the best kind of bellyache.





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Acknowledgments


Aubrey Poole, if I had a crown, I’d make you Queen of Enchantasia for all the work you put into this project! Thank you for helping me craft a richer story for our plucky heroine than I could ever imagine. I’m so lucky to be working with you and the whole team at Sourcebooks, including Adrienne Krough, Kelly Lawler, Kate Prosswimmer, and designer Mike Heath, who gave me such a beautiful cover.

There wouldn’t be an FTRS without Laura Dail, who found our fairy tale a wonderful home. Tamar Rydzinksi, thanks for introducing FTRS to the world!

To Dan Mandel, the future is bright because of you! Extra special thanks also goes to Julia DeVillers (from here on out known as my fairy godmother), Elizabeth Eulberg, Leslie Margolis, Sarah Mylnowski, Kieran Scott, and Jennifer E. Smith for all the feedback on my first middle grade project. A high five to Tyler’s friend Gilly Miller for lending me her name for this book (and for letting me borrow your mom, Marcy, who is the most voracious reader I know. Thanks for all the advice!).

Finally to my family, Mike, Tyler, Dylan, and even our Chihuahua, Captain Jack Sparrow—I couldn’t do what I do without you guys. Thanks for being my rock. An extra-special shout-out to Ty for all the suggestions with the gargoyle scene. It’s my favorite in the book and it’s all because of you.





About the Author


Jen Calonita is the author of the Secrets of My Hollywood Life series and other books like Sleepaway Girls and Summer State of Mind, but Fairy Tale Reform School is her first middle grade series. She rules Long Island, New York with her husband Mike, princes Tyler and Dylan, and Chihuahua Captain Jack Sparrow, but the only castle she’d ever want to live in is Cinderella’s at Walt Disney World. She’d love for you to drop her a line at jencalonitaonline.com or keep the fairy tale going at happilyeverafterscrolls.net.