The Pi Sisters at Malory Towers

BIRTHDAY SPECIAL: PART TWO

The day of the Pi Sisters' birthday dawned nice and bright, perfect for a party. But the first thing that greeted them when they woke up was Alicia's loud, domineering voice.

'WAKE UP girls, Miss Grayling is calling you to her office immediately,' she bellowed, trying to get the lazy Pi Sisters to budge from bed.

Doris and Fanny blearily got dressed, took a peek to make sure their birthday frocks designed by Versace were still in their closets, and then bumbled down to Miss Grayling's office.

'Golly, I wonder what the Head wants!' exclaimed Fanny.

'Most probably wants to personally wish us happy birthday, and give us expensive presents and a cake,' yawned Doris. 'Perhaps she doesn't want to show us any special treatment in front of the other girls.'

'How nice of her!' trilled Fanny. 'I can't wait.'

The girls knocked on the Head's door and entered.

'Good morning, Miss Grayling,' they chimed in their most pious voices.

'Girls,' Miss Grayling cut straight to the chase. 'I woke up this morning to see these permission slips lying on my desk: permission to build a marquee, permission to bring a hundred limousines onto the school drive, and – most ridiculous of all – permission to cut down the old oak near the drive way! Could you please explain this?'

'Well, we are having a birthday party, and wanted to put up a dance floor on the grounds. But that nasty old oak tree was blocking the way, so we're getting it cut down,' said Doris with a satisfied expression.

'And those were stretch limousines, not just limousines,' put in Fanny helpfully. 'I believe you just said limousines.'

Miss Grayling's rising irritation showed on her face.

'Girls, how could you plan such a large-scale party and not even ask me for permission! I'm afraid that you'll have to have it in the school hall now – it's just not allowed to use the grounds. But you can bring all the food that you've bought if you like'

Doris and Fanny stared at each other incredulously, and then simultaneously burst into loud sobs.

'You're being dreadfully unfair!' shrieked Doris between sobs.

But the Head remained resolute, and watched the two girls sob until they ran out of tears. Really, they were dreadfully spoilt!

'You can leave now,' said the Head in a gentler voice. 'And Happy Birthday.'

'You forgot to give us our presents!' glared Fanny, her eyes looking at the trinkets on Miss Grayling's desk greedily.

Miss Grayling was utterly nonplussed. Never in her time as a teacher had she given a single girl a birthday gift, but she couldn't exactly say 'no' to these obstinate girls; that would seem frightfully rude.

'Here,' she said when she recovered her voice. 'My two favourite pencils!'

Doris and Fanny stared at the pencils in disbelief. Was the Head barking mad? The least she could have done was bought them some Chanel perfume!

'No thank you,' the girls refused the pencils rudely. They briskly walked out of Miss Grayling's office, leaving the Head shocked and disappointed.

'Really, those girls have no manners!' she thought.