Paws by Kate Foster

Author:Kate Foster [Foster, Kate]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781760652685
Publisher: Walker Books Australia
Published: 2021-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

Kevin licks my plate, lick lick lick, around the edges and through the middle, even though there’s nothing left on it because I ate all the food and he’s already licked it once before. He even licks the fork until it falls over the edge and onto my blue blanket.

“Careful, Kevin,” I say, putting the fork back on the plate with a clink.

Mum made me pasta with red sauce and cheese grated on top for dinner – my favourite – and she even let me eat it in bed and watch a movie on her iPad. I chose Hotel for Dogs and it’s just finished and I’ve left the iPad on the blanket beside me because my leg hurts too much to reach over and put it on my bedside table. But Mum did tell me not to move and that she’ll be back soon to collect my plate.

My chest feels heavy and my face numb, and my eyes are sore and swollen. I cried a lot after Mum brought me home straight after PE, or it might have been in the middle of PE. I can’t remember because all my brain does remember is Jared telling me Ryan will be in the team for districts. Even thinking about it now brings new tears to my eyes but before they have a chance to fall Kevin is licking my cheeks.

“Ew, stop,” I tell him, gently pushing him back until I can see into his shiny, big brown eyes. He sits and his ears tilt forwards and he’s making my favourite type of dog face, the one where I know he’s waiting for me to speak to him.

I shudder in a breath, the type that only comes after I’ve cried a lot, and smile at him. “You can’t lick me now, because you’ve got pasta sauce all on your fur.” I tickle his chin with my fingertips, avoiding the tufts at the front that are stained pink from the pasta. It’s not a lot but he keeps licking his lips anyway so I think he’ll have licked it all off before Mum comes in and sees.

Kevin leans forwards a little, his head pressing down on my hand where I tickle him. He loves me tickling his chin, and after a minute he flops right down onto his tummy and across my left leg. He’s sniffed my right one a lot since I got home but won’t touch it.

I sigh and stroke Kevin’s head, swirling his soft fur around my fingers and staring at his paws and nose and his eyes, which are still watching me.

“I don’t think I will ever have a real friend,” I tell him. His ears prick forwards slightly and I know he’s listening. “I can’t complete Tunnels of Disaster and Doom Map 5 and now I can’t be in districts because of Ryan.” I take in another shuddering breath. “Maybe we shouldn’t enter the contests at PAWS . . . ”

Kevin’s head lifts and he tilts it to one side, and I grind my back teeth together.

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