Twirling Tails #7 (3 page)

Mrs. Blake laughed. “Thanks, Storm, but I've already showered today! I like his name. It really suits him,” she said to her daughter. “I'll call Paws and let them know that we've got a puppy that needs a permanent home. We'd better put a note by the newsstand, too, just in case an owner's looking for him.”

“Good idea,” Kirsten agreed, feeling confident that no one was going to be claiming this particular puppy. “And if no one comes for Storm, we could keep him forever, couldn't we?” she said in her best pleading voice.

Her mom frowned. “You know the rules, sweetie. We take care of animals until they can be adopted. If we kept every stray, we'd be overrun with cats and dogs.”

“Okay,” Kirsten sighed, knowing that she'd have to be satisfied with that for now, but she secretly promised herself to work hard to change her mom's mind. “I'll take Storm into the kitchen and get him some food. I bet he's really hungry.”

“Food?” Storm barked eagerly, his ears twitching. He started squirming to be let down.

Mrs. Blake smiled as she placed the wriggling little puppy back on the floor. “I could swear he understood every word you just said!”

Kirsten bit back a grin as she went out with Storm ambling after her. “If only Mom knew how right she was!” she whispered to him.

In the kitchen, Kirsten scooped canned dog food into a bowl and stood watching as Storm scarfed it down in about half a minute.

“Thank you. That was delicious,” he woofed, licking his chops clean.

After she'd washed his bowl, Kirsten let Storm out for a short run in the garden and then got herself a drink and some cookies.

“Let's go to my room and I'll show you where you can sleep,” she said, heading toward the stairs. On the way, Kirsten popped her head around the living room door and spoke to her mom and dad. “I'm going to finish my art homework and then get ready for bed. See you later.”

“All right, sweetheart,” her dad said.

In her bedroom, Kirsten spread an old blanket on her duvet and then lifted Storm onto it. “There you are. A cozy bed, especially for you.”

With an eager little whine, Storm began sniffing around and scrabbling the blanket into messy folds. Once he was satisfied, he plunked down and rested his button-like black nose on his front paws.

“This is a good place. I feel safe here,” he yawned.

“Glad you like it,” Kirsten said. She smiled at the sleepy puppy, feeling a surge of affection for him. She took a folder and pencil case from her school bag. “We're studying Van Gogh in art. I'm making a copy of his painting of sunflowers with markers . . .”

But Storm wasn't listening. He sighed contentedly and moments later, tiny snores rose from his curled little form.

 

The next morning, Kirsten was almost ready to leave for school. She felt a bit nervous about seeing Tracy. This new friendship with Helena was playing on her mind and she wondered whether she should talk to Tracy about it or not say anything.

Kirsten sighed as she packed her folder and the finished sunflower picture into her shoulder bag. Storm sat on the frontdoormat watching her as she reached for her coat.

“I hope you won't be too bored while I'm away,” Kirsten said as she fastened the buttons. “I'll take you for a great long walk as soon as I get back—promise!” she said, smiling at him.

Storm jumped up and wagged his sturdy little tail. “We can go for a walk right now. I will come with you,” he woofed eagerly.

“I really wish you could, but we're not allowed to bring pets to school,” Kirsten explained regretfully.

“But I am not a pet!” Storm yapped. “And no one will know that I am there.”

Kirsten remembered that Storm could make himself invisible, but she was still unsure about having a lively puppy in the classroom. It could lead to all kinds of trouble.

“Well . . . okay, then. But you'll have to be extra careful to stay out of everyone's way,” she decided. “Our teacher, Miss Strong, is really nice, but she's really strict.”

Storm's eyes sparkled with triumph. He turned and began pawing the front door impatiently.

Kirsten laughed at his mischievousness. “Hey! Hang on, you! I think you should get in my shoulder bag. We have to cross some busy roads.”

“Okay,” Storm yapped. As soon as Kirsten opened her bag, he scrambled inside.

Kirsten said good-bye to her mom before they set off for Chaucer Crescent, where Tracy lived.

“Tracy's house is number thirty-seven,” Kirsten told Storm as they walked along the sidewalk. “There she is now.”

Tracy was just coming out of her house. A tall girl with long blond hair and a thin face was with her.

Kirsten recognized Helena Simpson. She stopped in dismay as her suspicions seemed to be confirmed. “Why is she picking up Tracy? Everyone knows that Tracy's
my
best friend!”

Kirsten and Storm waited for the two girls to reach them. “Hi, Tracy. Hi, Helena,” Kirsten said, trying to sound a lot more cheerful than she felt.

“Hi, Kirsten,” Helena replied.

“Helena just got here. She thought we could all walk to school together,” Tracy said.

Kirsten shrugged. “Okay.”

“How did it go at majorettes' practice last night? Did you do tons of prancing on tippy-toes?” Helena asked, smirking.

Kirsten was taken aback and took a moment to reply. “That's ballet. We do marching routines with twirling batons and stuff. It's more like cheerleading.”

“Sounds okay. If you're about six years old!” Helena said, rolling her eyes as if she'd just made a clever joke.

Kirsten didn't laugh. “You can be any age over five. Some of the seniors are eighteen. I like being a majorette. It's fun.”

“You like showing off, you mean!” Helena crowed.

“No, I don't!” Kirsten felt her jaw drop.

“Kirsten's not like that,” Tracy defended her.

“Whatever,” Helena drawled. “Anyway, last night I thought you said that baton twirling and marching were pathetic.”

Tracy looked uncomfortable. “You said that. I only agreed with you because I thought you were joking!”

“You were with Helena last night?” Kirsten said to Tracy, trying to sound casual.

Her friend nodded. “I went to help Helena with her homework. I was going to tell you. But after Molly yelled at me for being late for practice, I didn't get around to it. You don't mind, do you?”

Kirsten did mind, but she didn't want to show it. She made herself shrug. “ 'Course not. Why should I?”

Tracy looked relieved. She smiled at Helena. “I told you Kirsten would be fine about it.”

“Oh good,” Helena said, smiling sweetly. “Then we can all be best friends, can't we?”

No we can't
, Kirsten wanted to shout. She and Tracy had been best friends since forever. They didn't need anyone else.

As they all made their way to school, Kirsten slipped her hand into her shoulder bag and gently petted Storm's fuzzy little head, trying to ignore the horrible sinking feeling in her tummy. She was really glad that her new little friend would be with her all day.

 

Kirsten sat staring into space, gloomily twiddling her thumbs. She was at her usual desk behind Tracy, near the back of the class. Helena sat a couple of desks away from them both, closer to the front.

Storm was off somewhere, sniffling around and exploring the classroom, invisible to everyone except Kirsten.

Miss Strong took attendance. She was small and very pretty, with stylish hair. She had lots of pairs of designer glasses. Today she wore narrow, purple ones.

“Here, Miss,” Kirsten answered when her name was called out.

As Miss Strong put the class list away in her desk drawer, Kirsten caught sight of Storm.

The tiny puppy was just backing out of an open cabinet that he'd been investigating. Storm saw Kirsten looking at him. He gave an excited little woof and almost fell over his own paws as he came trotting toward her.

Storm plunked himself down at her feet, his pink tongue lolling out. Despite herself, Kirsten couldn't help smiling. “Having fun?” she whispered.