Study hall was a place where Aoife felt obliged to study but in reality she ended up doing everything except that. However this time things would be different, Aoife was sure of it. All it would take was a lot of perseverance this time she was going to learn something! Shuffling into the reference centre Aoife tried to feel excited about learning she really did. It was harder than she had expected though. Her spirits were lifted the moment she saw the baskets. Sugar! Sweets! Chocolate! Aoife’s mum had always been strict when it came to what she called rubbish that rotted your teeth. Therefore the second her mum let her off the leash Aoife gorged on all the sugar she could get. RMI was no different.

Perhaps the librarian wasn’t so bad after all. She had always believed her slight fear of madam Toladaeri was without reason now she was certain of it. Anyone who gave children sweets couldn’t be that bad! She eagerly stuffed her hand into a basket and grabbed a box of Nerds and some Laffy Taffys. Then she decided the Pixi Stix’s looked nice and snatched up a few of them too. Later if she was still temped she could go back for some Gobstoppers! Here at RMI it was easy to forget the disapproving looks her mum would surely be shooting at her if only she knew what her daughter was up to. Of course Aoife had read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as a child and loved it! Never, not once had it ever occurred to her that it could all be true! Fuelled with sugar and the notion that Willy Wonka could be real the young cetus was ecstatic.

She was finding it difficult to sit still and continually bounced up and down on her seat while munching on her goodies. Then she caught sight of the kneazels. Her eyes grew round as she took in the creatures. A strangled squeak escaped her mouth and she tried to banish her anxiety. Subconsciously she had pulled her legs off the ground and now sat curled in her chair so as to prevent them getting the chance to touch her.

“It’s just a few kitties no need to be afraid...” she whispered to herself in an attempt to calm her nerves.

She closed her eyes shut tight and breathed in slowly.

“They aren’t anywhere near us are they?” she said quietly to the other person at her table and bit down hard on her lip.