CHAPTER 9

Bookball, Anyone?

Prudence and Cupid danced until they were both hexhausted. They decided to take a little break, and Cupid walked over to the window for some fresh air. She saw a girl sneaking out of the house, looking around nervously. Cupid put her face right up against the glass to get a better look.

“Hey… isn’t that Charlotte?” Cupid asked. “Where do you think she’s going?”

Prudence rolled her eyes and shrugged her shoulders.

“She looks nervous,” Cupid said. “Aren’t you the least bit curious about where she’s sneaking off to? She’s your sister, after all.”

Prudence glanced out the window, but it was obvious she wasn’t really interested. “I love my sister, but she’s a fairy private person—she’s always sneaking off places and hiding things in her room. Even though I think we’re pretty close, I really have no clue.”

“Charlotte doesn’t confide in you?” Cupid asked.

Prudence looked sad for a moment. “I wish she would confide in me more. She doesn’t allow anybody in her room without her being there—not even me, not even for a second! Like I said, I love my sister, but I really don’t know that much about her. It kind of makes me sad sometimes,” Prudence admitted.

After a while, Cupid told Prudence she was tired, but she promised they’d practice dancing again tomorrow. Prudence happily agreed, and Cupid left.

As she walked back to her own room, Cupid thought back to the pile of clothes hidden under Charlotte’s bed. Fairy strange indeed. Cupid called on Maddie for some help again, and the two of them decided to track down Charlotte. Maddie, as usual, was up for any adventure.

“This is fun.” Maddie laughed. “It’s so hexciting!”

“Look, there she is!” Cupid said, pointing to a nearby field. They watched Charlotte meet up with some boys from the kingdom who were playing bookball.

One of the boys said, “Charlotte, you’re finally here! Come on, let’s go!”

“Just give me one minute,” Charlotte replied. She started searching through her bookpack for something but came up empty-handed. She looked upset.

Suddenly, Cupid figured it out. She knew exactly what Charlotte was looking for! “Maddie, go find Hopper,” she said excitedly. “Bring him to the house right away—I know how we can make this a Happily Ever After for everyone!”