When Petra, third year form captain at Medford Manor Boarding School, is hospitalised with appendicitis, her deputy Carla takes over. Carla enjoys the role so much that when Petra returns, Carla keeps sabotaging her so as to keep her position. But then Carla’s conscience begins to trouble her.
Lynn Walsh is bitter that everyone in the class has a friend except her because the only two she had have moved away. So she turns to breaking up as many friendships in the class as she can out of spite. She has a lot of fun and success in doing so, but then two of her victims compare notes and realise there is a troublemaker in class breaking up friendships. After investigation they find evidence that points to Lynn, and they set a trap – bait her into framing one of them for vandalism in order to split them up – to see if she is the troublemaker.
The trap is so successful that Lynn is sent to a new school. Lynn intends to start over with a new friend she has found and stop breaking up friendships. But an ex-friend is determined to break them up, so Lynn could get a taste of her own medicine.
New girl Josie Goulden looks so sweet and angelic, but Maria Campbell soon finds out that Josie is a nasty schemer who is trying to push her out of her position as class captain with a series of tricks and frame-ups to discredit her. Josie’s tricks have all but Maria’s best friend Beth Parker turning against her, and Maria is finding that Josie is too clever to be caught out.
In time, Maria learns that Josie’s over-indulgent father promises her expensive gifts and vast sums of money if she achieves any particular thing at school, which he sets. As a result, Josie cheats her way to achieve them and receive the rewards her father promises. The reason why Josie pushed Maria out of the class captain job was that her father had promised her a new stereo if she became class captain.
When Josie’s tricks get Maria suspended, Maria and Beth join together for a last-ditch plan to expose her, which succeeds. Josie is expelled and Maria is reinstated to both school and her former position as class captain. Maria forgives her apologetic friends, but doesn’t forget how Josie showed her who her real friends are.
Annie Armstrong’s elder sister Joy returns home with her daughter Tessa. This puts Annie and Tessa in the curious position of being aunt and niece, but they are the same age. The girls are finding this awkward and to make matters worse, Annie is finding her niece a sneaky little schemer.
Little Angela Lister wins the title of “Little Miss Loveliness” and is now in great demand to appear at public functions. Only Angela’s sister Karen knows that sweet-looking Angela is in fact a crafty schemer and troublemaker and when she puts on her sweet smile, it means big trouble. Later the story was reprinted with new names, Angela becoming Sue.
Other Appearances:
The parents of Heather and Carly Clayton have been missing for a year after a jungle air crash but have now returned. Heather is overjoyed but Carly starts causing trouble. She had enjoyed a luxurious life with the Warringtons, the foster-family the girls stayed with, but it made her spoiled and snobby, and she wants to keep in touch with them. The parents resent this and this leads to arguments. But when Heather tries to tell the Warringtons about Carly’s conduct they refuse to listen.
Susie Carr’s mother decides to try fostering and takes in Bettina Dickson, a girl from a broken home and once punished for shoplifting. But Susie secretly hates Bettina and is playing tricks to get rid of her.
Artist: Rodney Sutton
In Victorian times, Janey thought the Megsons were her parents until Mrs Megson confesses she stole Janey from Mrs Wellson, the wife of a wealthy mill-owner. Upon the death of Mrs Megson and imprisonment of Mr Megson, Janey goes to live with her real family. But Richard, the adopted son, resents Janey and is trying to get rid of her.
Dianne Moore falls for Paul Peters, the boy next door, but he does not take any notice of her except as a nuisance. Dianne tries to get closer to Paul by looking after his younger brother Terry. But Terry is a little horror. His tricks keep getting Dianne into trouble and each time, she drops lower in Paul’s opinion.
After Jane Croft’s parents die, she is taken in by her Uncle and Aunt. But Jane’s cousin Carol does not want to share her home with Jane, so she pretends to be friendly while playing tricks to get rid of her.
