by Holly Webb
Lucy could hear her parents coming up the stairs, talking in low, worried voices, and she knew she had to explain how she was feeling. The trouble was she wasn’t sure she could. Maybe it would be easier just to say she’d changed her mind about wanting a cat?
Her parents came in, and sat next to her on her bed. Her mum put an arm round her, but Lucy sat stiff and tense.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t want a kitten,” she said tiredly when Dad asked what was wrong.
Her parents exchanged confused glances. “But Lucy, you’ve begged for one for years!” Mum protested. “Every Christmas and birthday, a kitten’s been top of your list. Now we’ve finally moved to a house big enough to have a cat, and on a nice quiet road, and you’ve changed your mind!”
“Yes, I’ve changed my mind,” Lucy echoed.
“We thought you’d love a kitten,” Dad said, shaking his head. “I just don’t understand. All that time you used to spend playing with Nutmeg and Ginger next door. Mrs Jones used to joke that they were more your cats than hers.”
Lucy’s eyes filled with tears again at the thought of Nutmeg and Ginger. She missed them so much.
There was another mournful cry from downstairs. “That poor kitten,” Mum said. “She doesn’t know what’s going on. We’d better go down so she isn’t all on her own. Lucy, I know you’re missing our old home, but we thought Sky would cheer you up. She really needs someone to look after her.”
Lucy didn’t answer, and kept her eyes fixed firmly on the floor. She knew that! She was desperate to go and cuddle Sky, and tell her everything would be all right. But things weren’t all right, and it was no use pretending.
Lucy glanced up as her parents shut the door. As soon as she was sure that they were both at least halfway down the stairs, she buried her head in her pillow and cried and cried. A kitten! At last! And she couldn’t keep her!
Eventually, Lucy dragged herself up from her bed. She wanted someone to talk to – she wanted Ellie! Lucy took out a pen and her favourite cat writing paper from one of the boxes, and started to write to her about everything.
Lucy started to cry again, and her tears smudged the ink on the page. She scrunched up the unfinished letter and threw it in the bin. It was just so unfair! A beautiful kitten, just like she had always wanted, but her parents had only got Sky to make Lucy forget her real home.
“Well, I won’t!” Lucy muttered fiercely, gulping back sobs. “They can’t make me! Not even with a kitten…”
By now Lucy had cried so much that she was desperately thirsty, and her head ached. She threw on some clothes, and opened her bedroom door quietly. Kieran had gone out to play football, and Mum and Dad were in the garden, looking at the rickety old shed. She could creep down and grab a glass of juice without having to talk to anyone.
Upstairs in her room it had been terribly difficult to tell herself she didn’t want a kitten. Downstairs in the kitchen, with Sky staring at her with huge, confused, sad blue eyes, it was completely impossible. Lucy held out for as long as it took to go to the fridge and pour her juice, and drink a few thirsty gulps. But the sight of Sky lost in her too-big basket was irresistible. Lucy put the glass on the table and knelt down beside Sky.
“You don’t know what’s going on, do you?” she asked gently. “I’m not trying to be mean, honestly,” she sighed.
Sky just wanted someone to play with her. She stood up, stretched, and put a paw on Lucy’s knee. She gazed at her, her head on one side questioningly. “Maaa?” she mewed pleadingly. Lucy’s mum had left a cat toy in the basket, a little jingly ball with ribbons attached to it, and Sky pawed at it hopefully.
Lucy shook her head, smiling. “OK. When it’s just you and me, I’ll play. But we have to pretend, all right? When Mum and Dad are around, I won’t be able to play at all.” She looked at Sky. She knew a kitten wouldn’t understand that sort of thing, even if she did look very intelligent.
Sky batted at the ball again. Enough talking. She wanted to play.
Lucy danced the ribbons in front of Sky, bouncing the little ball up and down, and sending Sky in crazy, skittering circles all over the kitchen. It was so funny! Lucy hadn’t known Nutmeg and Ginger when they were kittens, and she hadn’t realized how much more playful a little kitten would be than her two middle-aged, rather plump cat friends. Sky danced, she jumped, she tumbled over and over, attacking the fierce ribbons. “Oh, Sky!” Lucy giggled.
Then she heard voices coming up the garden path. Mum and Dad! Swiftly she stood up, and dropped the jingly ball back into Sky’s basket. Sky watched her, puzzled. Was this a new game? Was she supposed to jump into the basket and pull it out again? She dived in, and popped up with a mouthful of ribbons. But Lucy had turned away. She was standing by the table, drinking her juice. Sky waited. Maybe she was supposed to creep up on Lucy, and give her a surprise? Yes! It was a hunting game! She dropped the ball and leaped sneakily out of her basket. Tummy low to the ground and ears pricked with excitement, Sky crept across the kitchen floor – slowly, slowly, now pounce on Lucy’s foot!
Just then, Lucy’s parents came back into the kitchen. They saw Sky standing on her hind legs, her paws on Lucy’s jeans, gazing pleadingly up at her. Lucy was ignoring the kitten entirely, not even looking at her.
Lucy’s mum sighed, and went to pick Sky up and stroke her. Sky gave a tiny purr – it was nice to be cuddled – but she was still gazing at Lucy. She was confused. Why didn’t Lucy want to play any more? What had gone wrong? It was as though Lucy was a different person. And not a very friendly one.
Chapter Four
By Monday morning, Sky was even more confused. Lucy gave her lots of cuddles and was wonderful to play with when they were on their own, but as soon as anyone else came into the kitchen, she would pretend that she couldn’t even see Sky. It was horrible. Sky couldn’t help feeling that she must have done something wrong, and she was desperate to make it better. Lucy’s mum was trying to keep her in the kitchen until she settled in, but Sky had other ideas. She wanted to follow Lucy everywhere. She trailed determinedly round the house after her, and tried to climb into Lucy’s lap every time she sat down.
Lucy was sat at the table eating breakfast, so she tried it again now. But Lucy gave her one quick, unhappy glance and slid her off. Sky crept back to her basket, her whiskers drooping. Kieran made a huffing noise at Lucy, as though he thought she was being stupid. “Here, Sky,” he murmured, holding out his hand. “Kitty, kitty.”
Sky sniffed his fingers politely, but it was Lucy she really wanted. She gave him a little purr as he tickled her ears, though. Then she looked up hopefully at Lucy one last time, but she was staring firmly at her cereal bowl.
Lucy’s mum was watching them as she buttered some more toast. “We’ve got to be really careful not to let Sky out of the house today when our new sofa is delivered. She isn’t big enough to go outside yet.”
Lucy shrugged and saw her mum give her a worried look – she was obviously thinking that Lucy still hadn’t changed her mind about Sky. She stared into her cereal, not feeling hungry. Things were going just as she’d planned, and she’d never felt so miserable.
School seemed even worse on Monday. A few times during lessons Lucy glanced at the red-haired girl, hoping she would look back, but she never did. It would be so good to have someone to talk to, and the red-haired girl – Lucy was pretty sure she was called Izzy – had seemed friendly before.
At home time Lucy trailed silently down the road after her mum.
“Did you meet anyone nice today?” her mum asked cheerfully.
“No,” Lucy sighed. “There isn’t anyone nice.”
“Oh.” Her mum looked upset, and Lucy felt a bit guilty.
Lucy glared at the new house as they turned into their road. Then she grinned. Sky was perched on the back of the new sofa in the front room, peering out. Lucy blew her a kiss behind her mum’s back as Mum fumbled for her keys, and Sky made a flying leap off the sofa. Eventually, Lucy’s mum opened the door, an
d Sky shot out…
“Oh, catch her, Lucy! We mustn’t let her go into the road!”
Lucy tried to grab the kitten, but Sky was too fast for her. Sky danced about all over the garden, enjoying the game of chase. She hadn’t had any time with Lucy today, and now Lucy was giving her lots of attention! She hid behind a large plant, her tail swishing excitedly, waiting to jump out.
“Sky! Here puss, puss…” Lucy was creeping closer, hoping to take the kitten by surprise and grab her. She could see Sky’s whiskers twitching from behind those big leaves. She jumped behind the plant and her hands closed on nothing as Sky clambered on to the garden wall.
“I’ll go and get some cat treats,” Lucy’s mum said. “Just try to keep her in the garden, Lucy, please!”
“Oh, Sky,” Lucy whispered, as Mum disappeared into the house. “I know I haven’t been very nice, but don’t run off, please. Come on…”
Sky stretched out to sniff Lucy’s fingers as Lucy moved slowly closer. Lucy’s eyes were bright and wet, and she looked so sad. Sky rubbed her head against Lucy’s hand, hoping to cheer her up, and Lucy smiled a little.
“You’re just so beautiful,” Lucy murmured, as she scooped the kitten gently off the wall and into her arms. She brushed her cheek against Sky’s face, and Sky purred happily.
Gazing down the road, Lucy blinked in surprise. There was Izzy! Just turning the corner, with a bigger girl who had the same red hair. They looked so alike that they had to be sisters. Did Izzy live in this road, too? Lucy watched hopefully as the two girls walked along the other side of the road, and stopped at a house a couple of doors down. Izzy suddenly looked round and caught Lucy’s eye, and Lucy blushed, embarrassed to be caught staring.
Izzy gave Lucy a quick smile and a tiny wave, almost as though she was shy, too. Then she followed her sister up the path.
Lucy held Sky close, imagining how great it would be to have a friend living just across the road. They could walk to school together. Maybe have sleepovers at each other’s houses. She’d always gone by car to her old school, and none of her friends lived anywhere close, not even Ellie. Without thinking, she rubbed Sky gently behind the ears, making her close her eyes and purr with delight.
“So you caught her then?” Lucy’s mum was now standing right beside her, holding a packet of cat treats, and smiling.
Lucy looked up, still lost in her thoughts. Then she remembered. Ellie was her friend, not Izzy. She didn’t want a kitten to make her forget. She didn’t want a kitten at all. She’d told her parents that… She stuffed Sky into Mum’s arms, and dashed into the house.
But she could hear Sky mewing, and she longed to rush back and cuddle her again…
Chapter Five
Lucy was staring gloomily at the bean plants in the school garden, and wondering why they bothered growing beans when nobody liked them. Suddenly, somebody tapped her on the shoulder and she jumped.
Izzy grinned at her. “Sorry to scare you. I guess you didn’t hear me coming up behind you!”
“Um, no…” Lucy murmured.
“I’m Izzy. Do you live in our road, Hazel Close? I saw you yesterday on the way home from school.” Izzy stared eagerly at Lucy.
Lucy nodded. “Yes, we’ve just moved there,” she said quietly.
Izzy didn’t seem too bothered by Lucy’s flat tone of voice. “That’s brilliant. There’s no one else my age in our road – well, only Sean Peters and he’s worse than no one. It’ll be really good to have another girl around.”
Lucy smiled. It felt so nice to be wanted!
“So is that gorgeous kitten yours? Is she a Siamese? Have you had her long? You’re so lucky, having a kitten!”
Lucy said nothing. She didn’t know what to say. Sky was her kitten, but she wasn’t going to be keeping her, was she?
Lucy stared at the ground. There was an uncomfortable silence. Izzy turned to go.
“Orla said you were stuck-up,” she said. “I told her you might just be shy, but maybe she was right.” She shrugged, and marched off across the garden.
Lucy stared after her, her thoughts racing. Izzy was really nice, and seemed to want to be friends. But now she thought that Lucy was stuck-up. As Izzy opened the garden gate, Lucy dashed after her, trampling most of a row of carrot plants in her rush to catch her up. She caught hold of Izzy’s sleeve.
“I’m really sorry, I’m not stuck-up, honestly. I just didn’t know what to say.” She sighed.
Izzy just looked at her. It wasn’t a very encouraging start, but Lucy took a deep breath and began to explain.
“Look, I really didn’t want to move here. We had to because of my dad’s job. I just kept hoping and hoping that my mum and dad were going to change their minds. It’s not that I don’t think Hazel Close is nice,” she added quickly, not wanting to be rude about Izzy’s home. “And I guess this is probably a nice school, but I’m really missing my old school, and it’s just not the same.”
Lucy stopped for breath. Izzy looked curious, so she kept going. “Mum and Dad are trying to persuade me to like it here. They gave me Sky on Saturday, to make me feel better about the move. That’s what Mum said.” Lucy’s eyes filled with tears. “She’s supposed to help me forget my old house and my friends and everything.”
“Wow,” Izzy muttered. “I suppose I’d be miserable if I had to move somewhere totally new.”
Lucy nodded.
“But at least you’ve got Sky. She’s gorgeous!” Izzy smiled.
“She is,” Lucy agreed. “You’re going to think I’m stupid. But – well, I’m pretending I don’t like her. That’s why I just didn’t know what to say when you asked if she was my kitten.”
Izzy looked confused. “But why?”
“If Mum and Dad see I really love Sky, they’ll think I’ve stopped missing home and I don’t mind staying here,” Lucy explained. It did sound stupid. She blushed miserably.
“I guess that makes sense,” Izzy said rather doubtfully. “So your mum and dad think you don’t want her?”
“Whenever they’re around I don’t play with Sky, or even look at her,” Lucy admitted.
Izzy nodded slowly. “But … what’s going to happen? If your parents think you don’t want her, won’t they give her back? You’re going to let them?”
“Yes. I mean, I thought I was. I was missing home so much.” Lucy sat down on the bench by the gate, and heaved a huge sigh. “Only now I’m not sure I can!”
“Mmmm.” Izzy sat down next to her. “I can’t imagine giving her back. She’s so cute!”
Lucy smiled. “She is, isn’t she?” Then she put her chin in her hands and sighed again. “But I can’t just change my mind now…”
“You might end up having to stay here, and not having a gorgeous kitten,” Izzy pointed out.
“I know,” Lucy said gloomily.
That night, Lucy waited until her parents were both in the front room, and then crept out of bed. She stole quietly down the stairs, not wanting Kieran to hear her either, and along the hallway to the kitchen.
Sky looked up hopefully as she opened the kitchen door. Lucy had stroked her quickly a few times that evening when no one was looking. She did wish that Lucy would be nice like that all the time. Sky waited anxiously. Was Lucy going to ignore her again?
Lucy came and sat down next to her basket, and gently stroked the top of Sky’s silky head. “Izzy thinks I’m stupid not telling Mum and Dad how much I like you,” she told the kitten. “She said she doesn’t know how I can pretend. I’m not sure I know either,” she added sadly.
Sky climbed out of her basket and clambered up Lucy’s leg. She stood on Lucy’s lap and butted her chin. That was sure to make her feel better. She licked Lucy, too, just to be certain. There.
Lucy giggled. “Oh, Sky, your tongue’s really rough!”
Sky purred as she heard Lucy laughing. It had worked. Lucy was feeling better. She’d seemed so sad before, but now she felt warm and friendly. Sky curled herself into a comfortable ball o
n Lucy’s knee, gave a huge yawn and went to sleep.
Chapter Six
Sky woke up and yawned, stretching her paws lazily. Then she opened her eyes wide, remembering where she was. Lucy’s house. The thought of Lucy made her sit up eagerly. Lucy! Where was she? Last night Lucy had cuddled her to sleep on her knee – but now she was back in her basket. Sky hopped out and went to sniff at the kitchen door. She looked up at the handle thoughtfully. Her mum could jump and open door-handles, but Sky wasn’t big enough yet. She prowled up and down impatiently. Maybe Lucy would be down soon, and she’d have someone to play with.
When Lucy’s mum came downstairs, Sky wove around her feet, nearly tripping her up, but Lucy’s mum just laughed. “Are you starving, Sky? Poor kitten! Here you go.” She placed a full bowl of kitten food on the floor, and Sky settled down to eat it, keeping one eye on the door.
When Lucy finally came into the kitchen, Sky danced over to her delightedly. Where were you? I’ve been waiting for you! Cuddle me! she mewed.
Lucy gulped. She cast one quick glance at Sky, her tail pointing excitedly straight up, her whiskers twitching with happiness, and then dragged her eyes away. It was so unfair to keep doing this! Sky didn’t understand that she could only love her when no one was around. Quite soon, Lucy thought sadly, Sky’s going to give up on me…
Lucy’s parents watched as the kitten pawed eagerly at Lucy’s leg, and Lucy ignored her again. Lucy’s dad gave her mum a serious look and shook his head.
Sky gazed up at Lucy. After last night, she’d been sure that Lucy wouldn’t act all strange and cold again. Her tail hung low now as she slunk miserably back to her basket, ignoring the rest of her food.
