Alone In The Night

Chapter Four

Jasmine started Star’s exercise routine the next day, when she got home from school. They had decorated the Christmas tree at the weekend, and Star had been fascinated by it. The moment Jasmine and her mum went into the kitchen for a drink, Star had climbed up it, then got stuck near the top, wailing frantically as she wobbled on her branch. Jasmine had had to rescue her, and ever since then Star had looked at the tree with great suspicion.

But Star had loved playing with the tinsel, rolling over and over and chewing it. Jasmine wasn’t sure how people got cute photos of cats wearing tinsel on their collars. Star would have eaten it before anyone had a chance to get a camera out. So tinsel seemed a good idea for getting Star to jump around. It was the end of term in a couple of days. She could do lots more exercising with Star when it was the Christmas holidays. She was really looking forward to being at home and being able to play with Star all the time.

Jasmine carefully unwound a bit of silver tinsel from round the back of the tree, where no one would really notice it had gone. She crouched down in front of Star, holding the feathery silver tinsel. It shimmered and twinkled, almost as if it were alive, and Star’s tail flicked back and forth as she watched it. She dabbed out a paw, and Jasmine twitched the tinsel away, so that Star missed it. The cat sprang forward, paws batting here and there, dancing and springing as Jasmine giggled and waved the tinsel for her. At one point Jasmine was sure that Star leaped at least a metre off the ground in a truly amazing jump.

Eventually Jasmine gave up as she was worn out, though Star was still full of energy. She lay on her back, tugging at the tinsel with her paws and shredding it everywhere.

“Well, that certainly ought to have worked off a few cat treats,” Mum said from the doorway, where she’d been watching. “But if you do it again tomorrow, can you use string instead? We won’t have any tinsel left at this rate.”

Jasmine looked at the silvery bits all over the floor. “Sorry, Mum. I didn’t know she’d tear it up like that. I was going to put it back on the tree.”

They looked at each other, and then down at the piece of silver string that was all that was left of the tinsel.

“Maybe not…” Jasmine said, giggling, as Star abandoned the tinsel, suddenly tired out, and climbed exhaustedly into her lap. She stretched herself out over Jasmine’s legs and went completely floppy, making just a very faint, wheezy purr, as though it was all she had the strength for.

Luckily, the cat dancing game worked almost as well with string, especially when Jasmine invented a brilliant new cat toy by tying some of the feathers and wool from a craft set she had on to the string to make it more exciting. They had a brilliant game with it after school on Thursday afternoon. Lara was there, too, to celebrate the start of the Christmas holidays. Mum had got them the ingredients to make some snowmen cakes, which Jasmine had seen in a magazine, and they sat in the kitchen taking turns to lick out the bowl while the cakes cooked. Lara offered a teensy bit of mixture to Star, who was sitting next to her on a chair, purring loudly.

Jasmine laughed as Star eagerly licked Lara’s fingers. “Don’t give her any more. She’s such a piglet. Even with all the exercise she’s been getting, she’s still got that little round tummy. In fact it seems bigger! But I know we’re not overfeeding her, I’ve checked the instructions on the cat food really carefully.” She sighed. “I wonder if she’s helping herself to food out of another cat’s house? I wouldn’t put it past her. She’s so cute she can get away with anything.”

Lara nodded. “I can’t believe she won over your mum and dad, after all you said about them not liking cats.”

Jasmine smiled. “It’s amazing. I’ve loved looking after Star so much, and I’m really going to miss her when the Murrays get back. I know she’ll only be next door, but she won’t be sleeping on my bed every night. I’ve been hoping Star might have charmed Mum and Dad enough that they’d let me have a cat of my own…”

“You really think they will?” said Lara excitedly.

Jasmine reached over and tickled Star lovingly under her chin. “I’m not sure… If the Murrays come home and say Star’s got fat because we’ve been overfeeding her, I’ve got no chance!”

“But I’m sure the Murrays will see how happy Star is and how well you’ve looked after her. You really love her, and she adores you – you can tell she does.” Lara licked her spoon. “You wouldn’t mind having a cat that wasn’t Star, though?”

Jasmine looked thoughtful. “It would be weird,” she admitted. “Star’s so special. But I know she isn’t mine. I’ve always known that. And you’ve not seen her with Helen and Andy from next door. She’s clearly their cat. I mean, she likes me, but it isn’t quite the same.” She grinned at Lara. “I need Star number two!”

Jasmine woke up the next morning feeling so happy. At first she couldn’t remember why, but then she realized it was the first proper day of the Christmas holidays, and she had a busy day of making Christmas cards and wrapping presents planned. The weather forecast had said there would be snow today, too, lots of it. It sounded as though it was going to be a real white Christmas. Jasmine smiled to herself, imagining Star chasing snowflakes, batting at them with her little paws.

She yawned and sat up, ready to stroke Star. But she wasn’t there. Surprised, Jasmine looked under her duvet, in case she had crept underneath. She did that sometimes. No Star. She wasn’t hiding in Jasmine’s wardrobe, under the bed, or on her beanbag, either.

Jasmine threw on her dressing gown, and went downstairs, feeling worried. Star was always there when she woke up! Or sometimes she got sick of waiting and rubbed round Jasmine’s face until she woke up. But she’d never gone downstairs without Jasmine before.

She found Star in the kitchen, mewing at her mum, who was scooping cat food into her bowl. She didn’t even look at Jasmine, just danced and hopped round Mum’s legs until she put the bowl down.

“She seems hungry this morning!” Mum commented.

“Mmm.” Jasmine didn’t want to say anything. She felt a bit silly, as if she was making a fuss about nothing.

But it was the same all day. Star didn’t seem to want to play. She ignored the string and feathers toy when Jasmine waved it in front of her nose, and she didn’t seem interested in present wrapping at all. She went and slept on the sofa for the whole afternoon, and Jasmine felt really lonely. It was stupid, because she’d only been looking after Star for a couple of weeks – but now Star didn’t want to be with her it felt awful.

Jasmine watched Star anxiously as she bolted down her tea. It was the only time Star had been friendly all day – when she wanted Jasmine to feed her.

“She’s starving again,” Mum commented, smiling as she watched Star gobbling her food.

Jasmine nodded. “Mum, do you think Star’s all right?” she asked worriedly. “She hasn’t been very friendly today, not like she usually is. And she slept all afternoon!”

Mum looked at her in surprise. “Well, I don’t think she’s ill, not the way she’s eating!”

Jasmine sighed. “I suppose not. Maybe I’ve been fussing over her too much.”

Mum gave her a hug. “Don’t worry. Maybe cats have moods just like people. Perhaps Star just feels like some time to herself today.”

Star licked all the way round her food bowl, and looked at it for a moment in case it magically refilled itself. Then she turned round and walked out of the kitchen, without even looking at Jasmine.