A Sea of Stars by Kate Maryon Page A

and fly. Our garden is this amazing tangle of flowers. Dad’s colourful pots are everywhere, bursting like crazy with blooms, and there are Alfie’s shrubs and the big red hammock that’s good for reading in. Mum’s best silvery mermaid stretches across the lawn like a beautiful sea queen, shimmering and blinking in the sun.
    â€œLook,” I say, grabbing Cat’s arm when we’re out of the car. I try to pull her round to the side of the house.
    She shrinks back, clutching her ‘Life Story Book’ thingy to her chest.
    â€œDon’t touch me!” she shouts.
    We freeze and stare at one another. A little pulse starts throbbing in my cheek. Cat fixes her eyes on Alfie’s shrub number two, a glossy-leafed rhododendron. She starts nibble-nibble-nibbling on her nail. Her eyes are glued to the ground.
    â€œI’m sorry,” I say. “I just… I’m so excited to have you home, I just wanted… to show you… this.”
    I point at the bright ‘Welcome Home’ banner that Dad and I strung across the porch this morning. It’s flapping and fluttering and dancing in the breeze. Cat’s eyes burn through the banner and I feel stupid and small again, like I’m five or something. And the banner looks stupid now too – really babyish. The letters are all wonky and the colouring in is all wrong – nowhere near as neat as Cat’s. And it wasn’t even my idea. It was Mum’s.
    â€œI don’t like being touched by strangers,” Cat says, nibbling and nibbling, “that’s all. And stop saying ‘sorry’.”
    I glare at her. My heart’s on fire. Her words cut through me like broken glass.
    â€œI’m not a stranger, Cat,” I shout. “I’m your sister! And I’m trying really, really hard to welcome you and be friendly and nice, which is more than I can say for you!”
    â€œI don’t need a sister!” Cat shouts. “I’ve got a brother of my own, I’ve got my own real family. And I don’t need you to be my friend. You don’t mean it, anyway. No one ever does. You’re just pretending.”
    Her eyes twitch around the garden. My mouth is dry.
    â€œI don’t even care about the stupid banner,” I snap. “It doesn’t even matter. I was just trying to be kind.” I kick a stone across the patio. “I don’t understand you,” I say. “You’re up and down and all over the place. You’re really, really weird!”
    â€œI know I am!” snaps Cat. “Everyone tells me, even my own mum! But I can’t help it, can I? You don’t know what it’s like being me.” She spins round and faces Mum. “Why don’t you just call my socialworker now, before it’s too late? Why don’t you just send me back to Tania’s? I don’t care what happens to me and I don’t care about you. Not any of you.”
    She looks at Dad, then she starts running. She bashes Alfie’s shrub number five out of her way, leaving a trail of bright red petals, like big blobs of blood, on the path. Her legs move faster than the wind, through the gate, along the track, heading straight for the lane.
    A storm brews across Mum’s face. “I can’t believe you just said that, Maya,” she says. “We haven’t even got her indoors yet.”
    And then we start running after her, calling, “Cat! Cat! Cat!” Her name chinks on our tongues like silver. “Cat! Cat! Cat! Come back!”
    My cheeks are burning with shame. I didn’t mean to call her weird. I didn’t mean it! The words just popped out. I didn’t mean to upset her.
    â€œI’m sorry, Cat!” I shout, “I didn’t mean it! I just…”
    Cat turns to look at me, scalding my face with her sharp emerald eyes, her strange red dress flappingin the wind.
    â€œCan’t you say anything else but