Miss Honey didn't like to nag but Robyn was the fourth kid who'd not wanted any lunch that day.
"Come on, you don't want to be so weak when you're on stage that you mess up!" she exhorted.
Several little white faces looked at her.
"Now come on" Miss Honey repeated, "I've made soup. You can all eat soup - and then there are some nice new smoothies for after."
Ethan, because he hated to say 'no' to Miss Honey, tried the soup. It was really good and soon he'd cleared his plate, and was asking for his smoothie. The others followed suit slowly.
Robyn and Louise rehearsed their song for the ballroom scene in the gang hut:
"If my jewellery seems to flash for you, and my colours seem to clash to you,
Nobody's business but my own.
If us girls aren't understood enough, that's because the boys aren't good enough.
Nobody's business but our own."
In the store cupboard, Mrs Beauchamp and Miss Freeman sang the naughtier verses that had to be left out of the song:
"Those who're scared of sex will ration it, we're two girls will still get passionate,
Nobody's business but our own.
Some girls weep at the juice they're stewing in,
Us girls cry ALOUD for ruining,
Nobody's business but our own."
A soft movement behind them.
"What a pretty song, but it'd sound much better without Rita's skirt over her head."
"DYLAN! Will you learn to knock-?"
Meanwhile, the kids managed to keep their soup and smoothies down but they were becoming more and more nervous.
Noel taught them a new game, which they were to play on the last day of term…
And the hours ticked on.
Mrs Beauchamp organised an afternoon tea session for the parents while the kids got ready for their performance, during which she discussed their childrens' progress.
"My Taylor says there's a mean little fat girl in her class who picks on her", Taylor's mum said officiously.
"Well I'm afraid your daughter must see that from a different viewpoint from the rest of us. Your daughter actually was the one who was mean to Robyn. To be honest, I'm a bit concerned about your daughter's behaviour."
"WELL!" stormed Taylor's mum, "If my little girl wasn't in the show tonight I'd be taking her home right now."
Mrs Beauchamp looked down at the woman's plate; there were two of Miss Honey's finest cream scones piled on it.
"But of course, you wouldn't want to abandon your free meal. Now if you'll excuse me, I have other parents to see."
Mrs Beauchamp rose gracefully and went to where Mr and Mrs Chiltern were drinking tea and nibbling home-made biscuits. She couldn't wait to tell them how well Ben had looked after the school rabbit.
Lofty was actually becoming very anxious about the school rabbit.
"Big Mac, you won't make a big loud magic noise when Ethan comes on, and scare Flossy, will you?"
"No, Ben, don't you fret. Ethan's just going to scatter some magic dust and it'll be behind Flossy so it doesn't get her eyes."
"Should we practise our kiss one more time?" asked Max. To Zoe, not Lofty.
Zoe was just about to answer when the bell went for them to get in position on stage. The kids did a quick group hug and crept down to wait in the wings.
They were very pleased to see Mrs Beauchamp and Miss Freeman coming into the wings and hiding. The little innocents thought they'd come down to give them support…
And up went the curtain, and there was Ethan saying his opening rap poem about how mean the sisters were to Cinderella:
"Those harpies are so mean to Cinders, they make her scrub and clean the winders,
And walk the dog, and feed the cat. The rotten blighters! Fancy that!"
All the mums in the audience, and some dads, cooed over Ethan.