Cat's eyes suddenly open, the brisk coldness prickling at her arms, already littered with goosebumps. She scrunches her eyes shut again, holding her sore, heavy head. She sat there for a while, just breathing slowly and taking in the scenes around her. She blinks away the hot tears and claws at the flushed skin on her neck, leaving little scratches. Slowly, Cat tries to stand and steady herself. She still feels woozy, but at least the headache has lessened. Looking around, Cat realizes she doesn't actually know where she is. Yes she does. She's outside Mrs Sera's house, the next neighbourhood. That's a long way from home for Cat. She walks over to the door in a daze and knocks.
"Yes? Look, if you're here about-" Mrs Sera stops as she sees Cat. "Oh, my! Come on, dearie, come inside," Cat looks up at her, her eyes showing no emotion, and steps inside.
"I don't know," Cat sighs for the seventh time, shaking her head. "Where's mommy?"
"I don't know, dear, I'll find out. You be a good little girl and stay there, okay?" Cat nods, watching Mrs Sera walk out of the room, eyeing Cat as she left. Cat plays with her fingers nervously, twitching every now and again. She sniffles, but can't seem to be bothered enough to concentrate on crying. Her little panda eyes have seen too much pain. She sips the glass of water slowly, breathing deeply with every gulp.
Mrs Sera comes back in soon, a gloomy look on her face. "Well, darling, the good news is that tonight is going to be very….interesting for you." Cat raises her head, almost nodding.
"I think I understand," Cat says softly. She lets her hair fall in her face once more. "Is daddy with mommy now?" Cat asks slowly. Mrs Sera's mouth forms and O shape and she hurries round the table, avoiding the question. "Well?" Cat repeats.
"Oh dear, dear," she says, "don't expect the worst, sweetheart." Cat bites her lip.
"Why would that be the worst?" Cat sits up straighter. "She loves him." Mrs Sera raises her eyebrows.
"Well, yes." She stops, pausing to think. "You don't think about joining your daddy now, do you?" Cat shakes her head, her floppy curls bouncing on her shoulders.
"No, not really – I don't know how to anyway. Do you?" Cat looks hopeful. Mrs Sera shakes her head quickly.
"No, Cat, I don't."
Jade cocks her head to the side, looking up at Madeline. "Yes, but why?" Jade asks for the millionth time. Madeline raises her eyebrows and grins. She shoves the last piece of toast into her mouth and gets up. She grabs Jade's arm and hops over to her bedroom, where she dresses Valentina.
"How long have you been here?" Jade asks, passing the little red baby gro. Madeline smiles sadly.
"Not too long," she answers, picking up Valentina. Jade narrows her bright blue eyes.
"How long is not long?"
"Too long," she says, not missing a beat. "Now come on, it's time for your breakfast." They walk hand in hand to the kitchen where the food is being given out. Jade loops her hand out of Madeline's and picks up a plate, putting bacon and eggs on it.
"Why don't you eat at the same time as me?" Jade asks. Madeline smiles down at her.
"What's with all the questions?" She says. "It's because I can eat without spilling things down me. You're not dressed yet so it's okay."
"I can so eat without getting anything down me," Jade protests. Madeline laughs.
"Sure, little one. Now eat, it's almost school, so scoot."
After breakfast, Jade waved Madeline goodbye and got on the bus. It would be her first day at the new school and she was nervous to say the least! Soon, the short ten minute journey was over and she stepped off of the bus. She hadn't even figured out where the entrance was before someone grabbed onto the arm of her dark purple jacket.
"Hey, watch it!" Jade yelled, turning to face the person brave enough to touch her. It turned out to be an elderly lady, peering down at Jade softly.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart; I didn't mean to frighten you!" The old lady chuckled. She took Jade's hand. Jade stared at her weirdly but didn't take her hand back. She was led to a colourful classroom where she was sat next to a skinny little girl named Becky. She seemed to think she was the best thing that ever happened, and Jade screwed up nose looking at her bright pink UGG boots. Her long blonde hair fell from her shoulders in a wave and Jade thought that it must be dyed.
Luckily for Jade, she didn't have to talk to her much, and due to that only called her Barbie once. She didn't mean to call her that, honestly!
Her teacher, the one that led her in, is called Miss Rodowsky. She's nice, though Jade doesn't like the way she hovers. It's a huge relief for Jade when it's finally break-time. She breathes heavily and sits down on an old swing, slowly rocking back and forth, kicking the dirt with her tiny combat boots. When she gets bored of swinging, she jumps down and grabs a stick from the grass, poking the mud around again.
She jumps when she gets patted on the shoulder. "What do you want?" She snaps at the boy, who's tanned, with short fluffy brown hair.
"I just wanted to know if you're okay."
"I'm dandy." She answers, rolling her blue eyes. Beck steps back, a preventive measure.
"I know what it's like to be new," Beck says softly, brushing he mud with his own foot. Jade drew a big letter J in the ground, her little tongue poking out of the side of her mouth in concentration. Beck dithered, wondering what to say to the little girl with the big attitude.
"You don't know me." Jade answers harshly, throwing her stick back into the grass and dusting off her skirt.
"I'm Beck," he says, trying to ignore her tone. "What's your name?" Jade rolled her eyes once again. She stepped away, heading for the main part of the playground.
"None of your business," she shoots back, but then she pauses. "Who would call their kid Beck?" Beck brightens, even if it is an insult.
"Marie and John Oliver, that's who." He says proudly. Jade looks back him with a strange glare, but there's a hint of a smile on her face.
Jade turns away to walk back to class, but out of his view, she's got the biggest smile on her face.
A/N: So here you go :) I kept getting distracted…but anyway :p Also what do you think about the lines splitting up time? Better? Annoying? Tell me in a review. :) (That's a ploy to get you to review. ;))