Plus, I can't STAND school assemblies. They make me feel as if l can't breathe. I have to tune them out or I'd scream with boredom.

　　I caught major yawn-words like "team work", and even (yikes!) "responsibility", and carried on scrutinising my split ends. But now and then, a more worrying word caught my attention. Michael used it more than any person I'd ever known. After a while it started getting to me like a dripping tap. Angel tradition. Angel skills. Angel Handbook. Angel angel angel.

　　Something deeply weird is going on here, Melanie, I told myself. Better check it out. I sneaked a look at Lola. She immediately pulled a silly face.

　　No way, I thought. Far too normal.

　　I cautiously scanned the hall. it was true all these kids had an unusual glow. But that didn't mean it was a supernatural-type glow. Probably their parents made them eat their greens and run around out of doors, you know, constantly.

　　Just one final itty bitty check. Twisting round in my seat, I gave the kids at the back of the hall a nervous once-over.

　　Melanie, I know this feels scary, I said to myself, but try to answer truthfully. Do any of these kids look like, erm, angels to you?

　　I had no idea. What did angels look like, assuming they didn't come with wings and halos like the one on our Christmas tree?

　　Oh-oh, I thought in a sudden panic. They'd look like hell

　　Behind me was the most angelic-looking being I'd seen since Venetia Rossetti. She had pale, almost silver-blonde hair, with cute little flowery slides fastened in it, and skin so pure and peachy, it looked totally unused.

　　The girl caught me staring and nudged the spookily identical boy beside her.

　　I quickly turned round.

　　It is! It's an angel school, I thought. That rosy glow isn't vitamins and fresh air. It's heavenly radiance!

　　A terrifying question slid into my head. Why was I hanging out with some bunch of angels? Unless...

　　Somewhere far away, I heard myself squeak with alarm.

　　100% brain freeze! Did that mean I was an angel too?

　　Like, did that mean I was...

　　我赶紧竖起耳朵，听他在讲什么，也许能从中找出点珠丝马迹来！

　　这样的讲话，真让人打瞌睡，就像我在以前的学校听校长训话一样，听到的尽是一些 “团队合作”啦，“责任心”啦之类让人烦透顶的词，它们不断地考验着我少得可怜的忍耐力。

　　不过在我没有睡着之前，听到了一个让我的心都快跳出来的词。迈克尔使用这个词的频率，比我认识的任何人都要高。它就像拧开水龙头的水一样，滴滴答答地敲打在我的心上：

　　“天使”、“天使”、“天使”……

　　——这是“天使”们的传统，这是“天使”们的技巧，“天使”们的手册……

　　这究竟是怎么啦，我一定得搞明白。

　　我瞥了罗拉一眼，她马上装出一副没事人的表情。

　　她肯定什么都不会说的。

　　我扫视了一下大厅，这些孩子的身上，似乎真的都发出一种特殊的玫瑰色的光芒。

　　那些光芒，就是超自然的天使之光吗？不一定啊，也有可能是他们的父母一直逼着他们吃青菜，进行户外运动，才会让他们这样容光焕发的吧！

　　我朝坐在大厅后面的孩子看过去，绝望地做着最后的证实。

　　我对自己说：

　　美兰妮，也许是有点吓人，但你必须老老实实地回答问题——你觉得这些孩子像天使吗？

　　天使是什么样子的呢？我想，一定是跟那些挂在圣诞树上，长着翅膀戴着光环的木头天使一个样子的吧！

　　那么——噢，那她就是那样的！

　　我都快吓晕过去了。

　　我身后的这个人，长得正像天使，除了维尼西亚，我没见过有谁比她更像天使。

　　她的头发白得近乎银色，用几个精致的带花的小发卡扎着，肌肤干净透明，白里透红，就像新生的婴儿一样。

　　女孩发现我盯着她看，用胳膊推了推身边的男孩，那个男孩像幽灵一样看着我。

　　我的天啊，我飞快地转过脸来，手心全是汗。

　　天使学校！

　　这里，真的是天使学校！那些孩子身上的玫瑰色光芒，不是维他命和新鲜的空气，而是天堂的光辉。

　　那么，我怎么会和一堆天使呆在一起？除非……

　　从远处传来我的尖叫声。

　　我的大脑百分百完全凝固！

　　难道，这意味着我也成为天使了吗？

　　也就是说，我已经……