THE GIRLS GOT to work on their posters, and chatted and laughed their way through the beauty treatments, which made a terrible mess, then practised their dance routines and songs. Later on Poppy’s mum brought them a delicious, very healthy supper, which was balanced out by Sweetpea’s treats.
Poppy’s parents did have to tick the girls off a couple of times for making too much noise and disturbing Poppy’s baby brother and sister, Angel and Archie, but apart from that they were allowed to do as they wished for the whole evening, which they all thought was utter bliss!
Once the girls had changed into their night clothes, they sat nibbling on fudge and sipping creamy hot chocolate while listening to spooky stories. Poppy had asked Mum if she could light scented candles, which Mum had agreed to as long as Dad lit them and blew them out. Honey and Abigail put on earphones and listened to CDs instead, flicking through their own non-spooky magazines.
“Time to settle down now, girls,” said Mum as she popped her head round the door. “And don’t forget to brush your teeth.”
“Aww, ten more minutes, Mum,” complained Poppy.
“Five!” Mum said firmly. “Then I’m sending Dad in to put out the candles.”
When the candles were out and the lights were off, none of the girls felt ready to go to sleep. They were having way too much fun and they didn’t want the sleepover to end. Ever. So they carried on whispering and giggling in the moonlight that shone through a chink in the curtains.
Suddenly Sweetpea sat up and pointed at the window. “Look out there. I think it’s snowing. Wow!”
Poppy pulled the curtain right back to get a better look. Sweetpea was right. The garden of Honeysuckle Cottage was covered with a thick layer of snow and more was falling. The girls couldn’t believe their eyes. Surely it was much too late in the year for snow.
“It’s amazing,” said Honey sleepily.
“Let’s go out and dance in the snow,” said Poppy. “We’ll be the first people to step in it. We can make a snow princess with a tiara and beads and a feather boa.” “But it’ll be freezing out there,” said Abigail.
“Just layer up – I’ve got lots of hats and scarves and socks. We can put our coats on over our nighties. We won’t be out for long. Come on, it’ll be fun,” pleaded Poppy.
The girls stirred from their lovely cosy sleeping bags and flung on as many warm things as they could find in Poppy’s wardrobe. Then they sneaked out into the garden as quietly as possible so as not to wake up Poppy’s mum and dad or the twins.
“Let’s be snow princesses!” said Poppy as she ran out into the fresh sparkly snow.
Soon the girls were rolling about making snow princess shapes and throwing snowballs at each other. Just as Poppy was forming the body of a snow princess, Mum stormed out into the garden in her dressing gown and slippers with a huge woolly scarf round her neck. She looked very cross.
“Poppy Cotton! What are you thinking of, bringing your friends out here in the freezing cold? You’ll all catch chills. I’m responsible for everyone, you know. Your parents won’t thank me if I send you home ill. Come on in, girls. I’ll make some hot drinks to warm you up and sort out your hot-water bottles – then you must go to sleep. It’s very late. Honestly, Poppy.”
As the friends reluctantly trooped inside, they noticed that it was snowing even harder now. What luck! They couldn’t wait until morning.
