Holly wanted to go straight over to Lily, but there were still loads of girls wanting to talk to her. Lots of them wanted to help with the tree-planting idea, and others just wanted to say they’d voted for her.

Some wanted to know how long it would be before the watermelon would be on sale at the canteen, and how much she thought it would cost.

Nothing like it had ever happened to Holly before. It was incredible to see how things she had imagined in her bedroom could become actual plans.

She’d never thought of herself as someone with something to say, but suddenly everyone in her class wanted to listen to her.

And tree-planting and watermelon is only the beginning! she thought. If we all work together, we could really change our school forever! It was such an exciting thought that she just had to share it with the girls around her.

‘After all,’ she explained. ‘Only one girl was voted class captain, but that doesn’t mean we can’t use all the girls’ ideas! We should try to do all the things we thought up for the election.’

‘Gloves for the rubbish duty!’ grinned Isabelle.

‘Free-dress Fridays once a month for charity!’ beamed Aysha.

‘Exactly!’ said Holly.

There was so much to discuss, and Holly was dizzy with the possibilities. By the time she looked up again to find Lily, lunchtime was almost over. The boys were still playing football, but Lily wasn’t watching anymore.

No longer paying attention to the conversations around her, Holly began to turn a slow circle, scanning the whole playground from where she stood.

Not at the mulberry tree … and not at the canteen, Holly thought, feeling worried again. Where could Lily be?

‘Excuse me, guys,’ she said to the girls still talking beside her. She walked off to see if Lily was down behind the tennis court, or perhaps in the girls’ toilets. I can’t believe I’ve let almost the whole of lunch go by without talking to her.

She walked past Zoe and Iris, who were spitting their mandarins pips into the rubbish bins.

‘Hey, have you seen Lily?’

‘No, sorry,’ said Zoe. ‘I haven’t seen her since the beginning of lunch.’

I can’t believe this, Holly thought angrily. I knew Lily was upset, and I knew I needed to talk to her at lunchtime. So what have I been doing? What kind of a best friend am I?

I should have talked to her straightaway. All that chat about being class captain could have waited until later!

Holly strode through the playground, feeling cross with herself.

She was really worried that she might not be able to find Lily before the bell rang again for class. But she was sort of mad with Lily, too. I get it that she’s disappointed, but she shouldn’t take it out on me.

Just as she marched by the staff room door, Mr Mack stepped out. ‘Holly! The very person I was looking for. I need you to do something for me.’

Holly had been walking so quickly that she went right past her teacher, and had to come back two or three steps to stand in front of him.

‘I want to talk with you and Oscar about our school assembly next Monday,’ said Mr Mack. ‘Do you think you could find Oscar and tell him I need the two of you in class, ten minutes before the bell?’

Holly nodded. Sorry, Lily. Looks like I’m not going to get a chance to talk to you at all.