Sky the Unwanted Kitten (2 page)

Chapter Two

Lucy stared out of the classroom window, trying not to catch anyone’s eye. She’d been at her new school for nearly a week now, but she still hadn’t settled in. She couldn’t forget the way Orla had talked about her. The awful thing was, Lucy knew she probably had seemed stuck-up and unfriendly, and all those things Orla
had said. But it still seemed unfair. Didn’t they know how lonely she was? Couldn’t they see how difficult it was being the new girl?
At least it’s Friday
, Lucy thought.

“Hey! Pssst…”

Lucy jumped slightly as someone prodded her hand. She looked up, confused. The pretty red-haired girl who sat across the table from her in her maths group had poked her with a pencil.

“Mrs Walker’s watching you,” the red-haired girl whispered. “If you weren’t new, she’d have had a go at you by now. You’ve been looking out of the window for ages and we’re supposed to be drawing that hexagon shape. Are you stuck? Do you need a rubber or something?” 

Lucy shook her head, and gave her a tiny smile. “I’m OK, thanks,” she whispered back, glancing quickly over at Mrs Walker. It was true – the teacher was looking her way. She bent her head over her book, suddenly feeling a little
less miserable. Maybe there were some nice people in her new class after all.

When the bell rang for break, Lucy watched as the red-haired girl wandered out of the classroom with a group of other girls, all chatting excitedly. Maybe she should say something to her? But that would mean going up to her in front of the whole group. She would have to try to say something interesting, or just hang around on the edge of the circle until someone noticed her. She couldn’t face that, what if they all ignored her? Lucy gave a little shudder and stayed put. She’d go to the school library. Like she had every other day this week. 

The next morning, Lucy lay in bed, hugging Stripy, and feeling grateful that she didn’t have to drag herself out to get ready for school. She’d tried to go back to sleep, but it wasn’t working. She sighed, and looked round her room. So far she hadn’t even bothered to unpack all her boxes. She was still hoping that somehow things would change and they could go home, but the hope was draining away with every day they stayed.

Kieran wasn’t helping, either. He was loving his new school, and last night he’d spent most of dinner time talking enthusiastically about going to play football with some really cool new mates he’d made already. Mum was really excited about all the decorating 
that needed doing, and Dad had started his new job… Only Lucy was desperate to go back to their old home.

“Lucy! Hey!” It was Kieran, banging on her door.

Lucy ignored him, but he didn’t go away. “Lucy! Get up, lazy!” He opened her door a crack, and peered in.

Lucy sat up. “Out! You’re not allowed in my room!”

“OK, OK! But get up. Mum and Dad have got a surprise for you in the kitchen. You’re going to love it!” he called, then thumped off back downstairs again.

A surprise! For a tiny moment Lucy’s heart leaped. They were going home after all! She jumped out of bed and raced down after Kieran. 

“Are we going home?” she gasped excitedly, catching him just at the bottom of the stairs.

Kieran gave her a strange look. “Of course not, silly, this
is
home now.”

Lucy’s shoulders slumped again. She trailed into the kitchen after him.

“Lucy!” Her parents were smiling happily at her, which just made Lucy feel more alone than ever.

“We’ve got a surprise for you, darling. Remember we said you’d have a special treat when we got here?” Mum pointed to a large box on the kitchen table.

Lucy stared dully at it. When her parents told them about the move, they’d said they would get Kieran an iPod, and that they had a special 
present in mind for Lucy, too. She’d been so sad missing everyone at home that she’d forgotten all about it.

She stared at the box, feeling just the tiniest bit excited. What could be inside? Suddenly the box started squeaking.

Lucy moved closer, curious despite herself. She opened the top flaps, which were attached together to make a sort of handle, and peered in.

Inside the box was the most beautiful creature Lucy had ever seen. A kitten with soft creamy fur, huge blue eyes, a chocolate-brown nose and gorgeously oversized brown ears.

Lucy gasped. A kitten!

The kitten looked anxiously up as the box opened, and mewed. It was a 
strange noise, almost like a baby crying, and Lucy immediately wanted to pick up the kitten and cuddle it. The kitten seemed to think this was a good idea, too. It stood up, balancing its paws on the side of the box, and shyly put its head over the side, looking up at Lucy with its amazing sapphire-blue eyes. “Wowl?” it asked pleadingly. “Wowl!”

Lucy lifted out the kitten, and it immediately snuggled into her pyjama top and started to purr. “Hello, little one,” she said softly.

“Told you she’d love her,” Lucy’s dad said happily to her mum. “She’s called Sky, Lucy. She’s a Siamese. We know you’ve wanted a kitten for so long, and we think you’re old enough now to look after a cat properly.”

“Yes,” said Mum. “We know how upset you’ve been about us moving to Fairford. But you can’t be miserable with a beautiful kitten to play with, can you?”

Lucy stared at them in disbelief. The kitten was gorgeous, but it was as if her parents thought having a pet would suddenly make everything all right again. Lucy would forget about Ellie and all her friends, her school, her lovely old bedroom, and be happy for ever. Her eyes filled with angry, disappointed tears.

She carefully detached the kitten’s tiny, needle-sharp claws from her pyjamas, and put her back in the box. Then she ran out of the kitchen, her shoulders heaving. 

“Lucy!” Mum called after her, her voice shocked.

“Hey, Lucy, what’s the matter?” Kieran said. “Mum, Dad, can I pick the kitten up? It’s really cute, and it’s crying.”

Dad’s voice was worried as he answered. “Yes, give her a cuddle, Kieran. I need to go and talk to Lucy, and find out what’s wrong. I just don’t understand, I was sure she’d be so happy.”

Chapter Three

Lucy’s dad had picked up Sky from the breeder early that morning. Sky had only left home before to go to the vets, and she’d always returned to her familiar room, and the big basket she shared with her mum and her brothers and sisters. Today she’d had to stay in the dark box on her own for ages, and she was so lonely. She wished she could
go home, and snuggle up and let her mum lick her fur to make her feel better.

Where was she? It didn’t smell like the vets, and it certainly wasn’t home. She couldn’t hear any other cats, either. She had started to cry for her home and her mum, and then someone had opened the box.

Sky shrank back into the corner of the box and peered up at the girl, feeling scared. Who was this? It wasn’t one of the people she had met before. But then the girl, Lucy, had picked her up, and Sky had relaxed a little. She could see the delight in the girl’s eyes, hear it in her quickened breathing, and feel it in the thud of her heart as the girl held her close. She had nestled
snugly up against her, purring gratefully. She liked this person. The girl had stroked her, and nuzzled her ears, and rubbed her lovingly under her chin. But then suddenly she had taken her firmly round the middle, and put her back into that dark box.

Sky didn’t understand. She had
felt
how happy the girl was to hold her. Lucy had been full of love, she knew it. So why had she suddenly changed her mind? The soft, cuddly person had turned stiff and cross, and Sky didn’t know why.

Now she was sitting in a large, comfortable basket in the corner of the kitchen, with a bowl of kitten food and another bowl of water. There was a litter tray close by. She had everything
she needed. But no one was with her, and she was so lonely. What had she done wrong? When Lucy had ran out, the boy had cuddled her briefly, then everyone had disappeared, and the kitchen was empty.

Sky was not used to being on her own. Until early this morning, she had lived in a house that was full of cats – her mum, and all her mum’s sisters and their kittens, and her own sisters and brothers. There was a whole room full of boxes and big scratching posts and toys. Sky had spent most of her time with her mum, snuggling up in their basket, but she enjoyed being petted and stroked by people as well.

She wouldn’t have minded leaving her home so much if Lucy had stayed cuddling her, but now she was alone she felt desperate to go back. She howled her loud, piercing Siamese howl, crying for someone to come and love her.

Upstairs in her room, Lucy could hear Sky. The kitten’s sad, lonely wails made
her want to cry, too. She knew exactly how Sky felt – taken away from her lovely home, and brought somewhere she didn’t belong. She wished she could go and comfort her, but she just couldn’t do it.

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.