Piper's Perfect Dream by Ahmet Zappa Read Free Book Online

walking by, a girl Piper doubted Clover even knew.
    Pointedly, Sage moved a cloth napkin through the air, then onto Piper’s lap. “See, Piper?” she said lightly. “I haven’t used all my wish energy laughing.” She giggled loudly and clapped a hand over her mouth. “Sorry,” she said.
    Sage didn’t sound angry at her, and Piper sighed with relief.
    â€œI was a little star-crazed myself last night, Sage. The sleepover helped us connect. Let’s try to hold on to that feeling.”
    Piper waved to a Bot-Bot waiter to take her order. She wasn’t very hungry, and she still felt a little tired. Clearly, Libby did, too. At some point during breakfast, she had put her head on the table and dozed off.
    â€œI’ll just have a large cup of Zing,” Piper told the Bot-Bot.
That should help,
she thought as it zoomed off.
    Vega’s eyes widened in shock. “I can’t believe you’re only having Zing. You know it’s not the healthiest thing.”
    Piper nodded. “I know, I know. But I really need to wake up,” she explained. Her stomach grumbled. “Where is that Bot-Bot waiter?” she said. “Maybe I will order something.”
    Astra handed her a plate of astromuffins. “Go ahead, Piper, take one,” she said. “Tessa will be back in a minute, but she won’t mind.”
    Piper bit into the soft muffin. “Hot! Hot!” she cried, waving a hand in front of her mouth.
    â€œOh, sorry,” said Tessa, who had just returned to the table. “I slathered them in starpepper jelly to cover up the moonberry taste.”
    Luckily, a Bot-Bot waiter had just brought over Piper’s Zing. Gratefully, she took a long, deep gulp. “What?” she sputtered, spraying the drink everywhere. “That’s not Zing!”
    Clover leaned over to take a tentative sip. She made a face. “It’s hot-spring tonic. Nobody likes it except—”
    â€œAstra!” Piper finished.
    Astra burst out laughing. “Okay, okay, Piper. I switched our drinks.” She passed over the real cup of Zing. “I thought it would be funny.”
    Sage giggled.
    â€œSee? Sage thinks so.”
    â€œSage thinks everything—and everyone—is funny,” Leona said.
    Piper took a sip of Zing. Nothing had been making much sense lately. But Piper tuned everything out, took a few deep breaths, and felt her shoulders relax. It was still early. What better incentive was there to stay centered when her Wish Mission could begin at any moment?

For Piper, the starday passed slowly and peacefully. She took a long quiet walk and an afternoon nap that stretched till dinnertime. Still, she had a slightly fidgety feeling, a sense that something was about to happen.
    During Star Darlings class, Piper had trouble paying attention to their guest lecturer, Professor Eugenia Bright. Professor Eugenia Bright taught Wish Granting. She stressed the importance of understanding the emotions behind a wish. Normally, Piper hung on her every word. Now she forced herself to focus as Professor Bright said, “You need to be sensitive to your Wisher to pick up on feeling and—”
    â€œDesire,” Piper interrupted automatically. The other girls seemed distracted, too. Sage kept giggling to herself. Cassie took a lot of holo-selfies. Once again, Libby had her head on her desk. The class seemed to go on and on.
    But time did pass, and by lightfall, Piper was already in her nightgown, studying her holo-books.
    Stars crossed, she’d get enough done that she wouldn’t have to listen to lectures while she slept. She wanted to keep her mind open, ready to receive the next dream message. Still, interpreting dreams could be tricky.
    One time, while Piper was living with her parents, her mom had dreamed their door scanner kept announcing, “Guest! Guest!” She thought they’d wind up having hydrongs of Starlings for dinner that