5c1567efd9323ad9db7ca4ad6851d075

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.

[Ęŕđňčíęŕ: img_15]

“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, Ireally 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. Itdid sound stupid. She blushed miserably.

“Iguess 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.

[Ęŕđňčíęŕ: img_4]

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 on Lucy’s knee, gave a huge yawn and went to sleep.

[Ęŕđňčíęŕ: img_16]

Chapter Six

[Ęŕđňčíęŕ: img_2]

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.