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“It’s just going to be at our house, with pizza and games and stuff…”

“That’s much better.” Billie nodded. “If it was at the swimming pool or something I wouldn’t get to meet Pixie, would I? You’re going to have to come to mine some time and see Biscuit too.”

Zara felt herself smiling.

But then Billie glanced at the little group around Amina, opening their invitations, and Zara thought she looked worried for a moment.“What’s the matter?”

“Nothing…” Billie shrugged. “Just Mia doesn’t like me much, that’s all. But I can stay out of her way, don’t worry!”

[Êàðòèíêà: img_4]

Amina dashed past, running to ask Mum something vital about the cake, or the party tea, or the treasure hunt– Zara wasn’t sure what. Amina had been wound up all day, too excited to sit still. Now the party was due to start in half an hour, she was non-stop.

Zara felt like curling up with Pixie somewhere quiet and out of the way, but Pixie had sensibly disappeared already. Instead, Zara sat on the stairs, watching the front door and worrying. Would Billie enjoy the party? What if Amina got upset because the party wasn’t the way she wanted it to be? So many things could go wrong…

“Do you know where Pixie is?” Amina called as she hurtled into the hallway.

“No… Why?”

“Iris really likes cats, I wanted to show her Pixie. Oh, why isn’t it four o’clock yet?”

“It’s only five more minutes— Ah, the doorbell!”

“Someone’s early!” Amina shrieked, racing for the door. She flung it open and hugged Lucy and a couple of the others – they must have all come together, Zara realized. Suddenly frozen with shyness, she stayed huddled on the stairs, trying to smile.

[Êàðòèíêà: img_25]

“Come into the kitchen! Mum’s got biscuits for us to decorate!” Amina squealed and three girls raced after her.

The doorbell rang again and Zara looked round anxiously. No one else was coming to answer it… She brushed imaginary dust off her sparkly skirt and went to open the door, sighing happily as she saw it was Billie waiting on the doorstep with her mum.

“Hello! I brought you a present – and this one’s for Amina. Are you OK? You look a bit…”

“Billie…” Her mum made a face. “You look great, Zara. Lovely skirt.”

Billie sighed.“I was only going to say you looked worried.”

Zara beamed at her.“A bit nervous, that’s all. But I’m not now. Thank you for the presents!”

Suddenly, it felt like the party was going to be OK.

[Êàðòèíêà: img_4]

Pixie snapped awake. She’d been dozing, snuggled up in one her favourite hiding places – the bookcase in the living room. There was a tall book leaning over that made a perfect kitten hidey-hole. But now there were footsteps clattering past and high, excited voices.

“It’s in here, it’s got to be! Look, there, behind the curtains!” Amina whirled in, snatching a piece of paper from the windowsill and a crowd of girls leaned over her to look at it.

[Êàðòèíêà: img_26]

“The next clue’s in the garden,” one of the girls yelled and they all raced off again, leaving Pixie blinking and confused, the fur standing up along her spine.

“We could just let them go and find it,” someone suggested quietly. “I don’t mind if I don’t win any treasure. And it’s so windy out there today, I’d rather stay in!”

Pixie edged forwards a little. She hadn’t realized there was still anyone in the room.

“Me neither.”

Zara and another girl were standing by the sofa, quite still. They didn’t look nearly as loud and worrying as the others. Pixie stepped slowly out from her hiding place.

“Hey…” Zara tapped the other girl’s arm. “Billie, look. I thought Pixie was hiding upstairs because everything was too noisy but she’s here.”

“Awww. She’s got a little nest in the bookcase!”

“She has hiding places all over,” Zara said, crouching down and holding out her hand. “She’s so tiny, she can squeeze in anywhere. Dad found her in the pan cupboard yesterday. Pixie, come on… Come and meet Billie…”

Pixie padded cautiously across the carpet to nestle against Zara’s hand and then she sniffed Billie too. She could smell another cat on Billie but she hadn’t met enough other cats yet to be nervous. It was just interesting. She licked at the girl’s fingers. Billie laughed. “I forgot how small kittens are – and Biscuit’s got so much fur I don’t think he ever looked that teensy. Can you smell Biscuit, is that why you’re licking me?”

Pixie closed her eyes as Billie stroked around her ears and then tickled under her chin. She liked this girl.

“If you don’t mind missing the treasure hunt, we could take Pixie up to my bedroom,” Zara suggested. “Pixie, come on, want to come upstairs?” She stood up, patting her leg and makingpuss-puss-puss noises, and Pixie followed her and Billie out to the stairs.

“Can she get all the way up there?” Billie asked.

“I think she probably could if she really wanted to but usually I just let her do a couple of steps and then I carry her. She’s growing so fast though. Soon she’ll just race up.”

Pixie hopped up the first step, scrabbling to get her back paws on, and then looked hopefully at Zara.