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“She’ll be lonely,” Zara explained on their way back from getting their library cards. She had a huge pile of books and was planning to turn her duvet into a tent over the top of her bed and read them all. Maybe she could persuade Pixie into the tent too… The good thing about Amina being sobouncy and energetic was that she liked to dance around and get Pixie to chase her toys. Then once the kitten was properly worn out, she’d snuggle up and snooze while Zara stroked her.

“I expect she hasn’t even woken up from her after-breakfast sleep,” Dad said. “Cats sleep for about sixteen hours a day, did you know that? Pixie’s going for the record, I think.”

“She’s not lazy, Dad,” Zara protested. “Haven’t you seen her jumping after her feather toy?”

“And she’s growing,” Amina put in. “She’s much bigger than she was a week ago. Her coat’s different too, she’s not as fluffy. She’s turning silky instead.”

Zara nodded, realizing that Amina was right.“You’d sleep all the time if you had to do all that growing, Dad.”

“I know, I’m only teasing. Anyway, I think you two are going to be the experts on kittens, with all the cat books you’ve borrowed.” He looked thoughtfully at the shops they were passing. “Is there anything we need to get for school?”

“New lunchboxes?” Amina asked hopefully, looking at the Back to School display in the window.

“What’s wrong with the one you’ve got?” Dad asked and Amina shrugged.

“Nothing, I’d just like a new one!”

Zara looked at the school supplies too, suddenly feeling the weight of all the library books in the bag she was carrying. It was only a week now until they started their new school. They’d be going into Year Five, which meant that everyone else would have known each other for years and years. She really wasn’t very good at getting to know new people.

Dad nudged her gently.“What about you, Zara? Need anything? Do you want to get a new lunchbox?”

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Zara shook her head.“No…” she whispered. “I’d just like everything to stay the same.”

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Back at the house, Zara found Pixie still sleeping in her igloo bed in the kitchen and she lay down on the floor next to her, peering in. Pixie was asleep on her back, showing off her tummy. Zara stroked the soft white fur with one finger, and Pixie stretched a little and let out a breathy purr.

“I’d forgotten how close it was to school starting,” Zara murmured. “I’ve been too busy looking after you to think about it.” She stroked one of Pixie’s tiny paws and sighed. “I wish I could just curl up in a furry nest all day. Or hide under all the toys at the end of my bed, like you do when Dad shouts up the stairs.” Zara smiled, remembering Pixie’s tail poking out from underneath her toy octopus like an extra tentacle. Amina had been right about Pixie and Zara both liking small, dark spaces. Pixie definitely felt safe when she was somewhere dark and quiet and so did Zara. “Amina’s totally different,” Zara pointed out to the sleeping kitten. “I think maybe she just gets louder when she’s feeling worried…” She sighed. “I’m going to miss you so much…”

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“Be good, Pixie,” Zara whispered, cuddling the little kitten against her stiff new uniform cardigan as Amina raced around trying to work out where she’d left her pencil case. “At least we’ve only got to do three days this first week, and then it’ll be the weekend. I’ll see you this afternoon when I get back. Wish me luck.” She smiled faintly as Pixie nudged her cheek and purred – her purr was so huge for such a little cat.

“Time to go, girls.” Dad smiled at them encouragingly. “We want to be nice and early on your first day.”

One of the good things about moving was that their house was really close to their new school, only about a ten-minute walk. Once they were settled in, Amina and Zara might even be able to walk by themselves. Zara supposed it was good to be a bit closer– but right now she didn’t want to be at school at all. It didn’t help that they soon started to spot other children in the dark green uniform. There were some girls who looked like they might be in Year Five too, all walking together and chatting and giggling. Zara was sure they were pointing her and Amina out and talking about them. Shehated people noticing her. Now it was going to be happening all day.

Once they arrived at the school, they seemed to be swept up and away into a tide of niceness– the school secretary, and then the head teacher, and then their class teacher, all smiling and saying how good it was to have them there. Amina beamed and chattered about their old school and their move, and Zara managed a small, tight smile.

The two girls were sitting next to each other close to the front of the room when the rest of the class came in.

“Shh, sit down, everyone, please.” Miss Modha smiled around at them. “I hope everyone had a great summer.” She nodded to the twins. “We’re lucky to have Zara and Amina joining our class this year.”