The Wild Chicks Class Trip

‘In here! Quick!’ shouted Charlie, pressing the button to open the train door. ‘Hurry!’ She threw her bag on to one of the seats, put her jacket on another and plonked herself down on the seat by the window.‘Hey, what’s the rush?’ moaned Xa, her overstuffed rucksack briefly getting stuck in the carriage door. Xa, short for Alexandra, was Charlie’s best friend.‘Where are the others?’ asked Charlie. She was talking about Izzie and Hannah, the rest of their gang, the C.H.I.X. They had called themselves that after the the first letters of their names and the chickens that Charlie sometimes had to look after.

‘Coming’, answered Xa. She heaved the rucksack on to the luggage rack. ‘Put your jacket on that empty seat there,’ said Charlie. A few boys from their class squeezed down the aisle next to them. Freddie stuck his tongue out at Xa, while Tom and Olly pulled faces at her.

‘Look at those idiots!’ giggled Xa. She made her most horrible face back, all squinty-eyed. The boys barged their way into the next carriage, hammering tables as they passed. ‘Right,’ said Xa, dropping into her seat. ‘All the Piranhas are here. Except for Will, but he’ll probably show up soon.’ Olly, Freddie, Will and Tom were the C.H.I.X.’s biggest rivals, known as the Piranhas.

‘Great . . .’ muttered Charlie. She put her long legs up on the seat opposite. Someone else got on the train. Isobel, also known as Gorgeous Izzie, popped her head round the carriage door. ‘How about it? Room for two more C.H.I.X.?’

‘Come on in!’ said Charlie. ‘Is Hannah with you?’ ‘Of course.’ Izzie nudged a huge travel bag through the door. ‘Morning,’ mumbled Hannah, sleepily. ‘Oof!’ Charlie helped Izzie lug the massive bag on to the luggage rack. ‘What have you got in there? Your entire make-up collection, or something?’ ‘Ha, ha!’ Izzie sat down next to Xa and flicked her blonde hair off her face. ‘Clothes, of course. You never know what the weather’ll be like.’ Charlie shrugged. ‘Just as long as you’ve got your necklace.’ ‘Well, what do you think?’ Izzie pulled out the chicken feather that hung on a chain around her neck. The others all had them, too, only they wore theirs on leather thongs. The feather necklace was their C.H.I.X. badge, and only they could wear one.

‘I think we’re off,’ said Hannah. The train gave a lurch and slowly pulled out of the gloomy station into the sunlight. ‘Fab weather for going on a school trip, isn’t it?’