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“See! She knows I’ll carry her!” Zara leaned down and scooped Pixie up. “Come and see our room – Mum made us tidy it for the party.”

The two girls sat on the floor, leaning against Zara’s bed, and Pixie clambered around them, chasing a piece of sparkly ribbon that had come off one of Zara’s birthday presents the day before. It bounced and twirled as Zara shook it and Pixie did huge leaps into the air trying to catch the end.

[Êàðòèíêà: img_27]

“She’s so funny,” Billie gasped, out of breath from laughing. Pixie slumped down on her stripey leggings. She kept just missing the ribbon and she was worn out.

“Awww, Pixie. Here you go.” Zara laid the ribbon in front of her nose and Pixie rolled over, scrabbling at it fiercely with all four paws. Then she stopped, frozen and peering at the door.

Someone was thumping up the stairs.

[Êàðòèíêà: img_28]

“What are you doing up here?” Amina said. She was standing in the doorway with some of the other girls behind her, peering in.

“We’re just playing with Pixie.” Zara looked at her sister in surprise. She wasn’t sure what Amina was so annoyed about.

“The party’s downstairs!” Amina had her arms folded now and she looked cross. “We’re doing the treasure hunt!”

“I know, but me and Billie couldn’t see what the clue said and you took it with you…” Zara’s voice faltered a little bit as she saw Amina scowl. “We didn’t mind!” she added quickly. “I wanted to show Billie our room, and Pixie…”

Amina came further into the bedroom, staring down at Zara and Billie.“You’re spoiling our party! And I wanted to show Pixie tomyfriends too.” She looked strange, Zara thought. Her eyes were big and shiny with unhappiness, almost as if her feelings were hurt. But that didn’t make sense.

“Hey…” Billie said, gently steadying Pixie as the kitten wobbled to stand up, clearly startled by Amina’s sharp voice. “Zara hasn’t done anything.”

“Mind your own business!” Amina said, glaring at her. “I’m talking to my sister, it’s nothing to do with you!”

“I bet Billie made her come upstairs,” one of the others said from the doorway. Zara still mixed them up but she was pretty sure it was Mia. “That’s just the sort of thing she’d do.” There was a nasty little smirk on her face. Zara glanced at Billie and saw that she looked sad – really sad, as though she thought Zara might be about to agree and say it was all her fault. Very gently, Billie put Pixie on to Zara’s lap instead. So she could get up and go home, Zara realized. Pixie had her ears flattened down and she looked miserable too. Mia and Amina had upset Billieand Pixie.

“She did not! Here.” She handed Pixie back to Billie and the kitten let out a worried little mew. “You look after her. I said I wanted to come upstairs because you all ran off and didn’t let us join in. Don’t you dare speak to my friend like that!”

Mia looked quite surprised that Amina’s shy sister was suddenly standing there talking back at her – but it was nothing compared to how shocked Amina looked.

Mia’s mouth twisted in a sneer. “I can see why Billie wants to be friends withher,” she said, nudging Amina with her elbow as though she expected her to agree.

[Êàðòèíêà: img_29]

Zara blinked. She couldn’t help wondering what they’d been saying about her and Billie when theyweren’tthere to listen.

Amina shifted from foot to foot, looking uncomfortable, but Mia was watching her, waiting for her to agree– and at last she nodded.

Zara caught her breath.“Get out of my bedroom!” she snapped.

“I think everyone needs to get out of this room,” Mum said, from behind Mia and the others. “Right now.”

Everyone slunk back downstairs, looking embarrassed. Some of Amina’s friends were giggling but Amina had dark flushed patches across the tops of her cheeks. Which always meant she was upset…

“I’m really sorry,” Zara whispered to Billie, who was walking down in front of her, still cuddling Pixie. “Amina – she’s – she’s not usually mean,” she added, shrugging helplessly. Amina wasn’t, was she? Zara didn’t think so. Amina was always telling her what to do, but not tobe horrible, just because Zara wasn’t very good at making decisions for herself. Zara had never known her speak to anyone the way she had to Billie.

Maybe she doesn’t like it that I’ve got a friend of my own, Zara realized as they followed Mum into the kitchen where the pizzas were laid out on the table.

“It’s OK.” Billie half-smiled. “I told you Mia didn’t like me. She probably said something to Amina.” Then she nudged Zara and her smile turned into a proper one. “I’ve never seen anyone stand up to Mia like that before!”

Zara tried to smile back. When she’d been telling Mia to leave Billie alone she’d felt brilliant, as if she was unstoppable and didn’t care what anybody said. Now that was all seeping away and she was shaky and miserable instead.