When I had finished, I stepped back admiring my handy work. It wasn't perfect, but it'd do.
'Here you go,' I said to nobody in particular as I carefully slid Brendon into his new home.
'Sorry, I know your other house was bigger.' I told him, holding the clear bowl up to eye level so I could see him.
'But don't worry; at least you don't have to look at that stupid plastic castle anymore. Anyway the ladies'll love this. It looks more open.' I tried my hand at comforting him. Stupid Kate, poor Brendon. It was at this moment Kate chose to make her appearance.
'Want me to flush him for you?' She asked, seemingly thrilled at the idea of disposing of my 'dead' pet.
'He's not dead, idiot.' I motioned to the bowl in my arms, with a very much alive Brendon swimming in circles inside. She looked almost disappointed.
'And you can buy a new tank tomorrow. And you probably should clean up that mess you made with his old tank, Mum and Dad should be home soon.' I breezed past her, Brendon's new tank cradled in my arms.
'Uhh, I'm not buying your fish a new tank. And no way am I cleaning that crap up. I might cut myself.' She ranted, following me up the stairs. I rolled my eyes at Brendon, who seemed to give me a 'she's such a pain in the gills' look. I wished I could get inside animals minds, I'd bet everything I owned that right then, those were his exact thoughts. Unfortunately, I couldn't read animals minds, I'd tried, but all it did was give me a nasty headache. Maybe someday...
'I think Brendon would like a tank with a backdrop, maybe an under the sea theme.' I mused aloud, enjoying winding Kate up.
'Did you hear me? I'm not buying your stupid fish a stupid tank. And I'm not cleaning up a mess I didn't make!' She had such a whiney voice. I turned to her, trying not to laugh at her obvious lie.
'Kate, YOU broke the tank. You buy a new one. And don't try and lie, you are the only person who could've broken it.' I pointed an accusing finger in her direction, which turned out to be a mistake. I fumbled with Brendon's new home, only just managing to secure him in my arms.
'I didn't break it moron, it was already broken when I got home.' She said, in a voice you would use to explain something to a toddler.
'Kate, how the hell does a wall break off a fish tank, BY ITSELF?' I yelled, she frustrated me no end. Did she really think I was that stupid?
'It was! I swear, why would I want to kill your stupid fish? You should be grateful; when I got home he was flapping around with hardly any water. I saved him.' She looked exasperated.
'Liar.' I finally managed to open my bedroom door, and placed Brendon, on my nightstand, turning to face Kate.
'I'm not lying!' She practically screamed, her face flushing a delicate pink colour. She looked quite deranged.
'So, what, BRENDON smashed the plastic wall of his tank, in order to stage his elaborate escape plan?' My voice dripped with sarcasm. I shook my head at her. Why did she have to be so difficult?
'I don't KNOW how it happened! But when I got home twenty minutes ago it was like that. End. Of.' She turned on her heel, and stomped into her (rarely used) bedroom, slamming the door shut behind her with enough force to send tremors through the whole house.
'Drama Queen.' I muttered to nobody in particular as I shut my own bedroom door and collapsed onto my bed. Why did I seem to end every school day this way?
A trickle of unease settled in my stomach. Kate had to have been lying, how else could a solid plastic tank have collapsed? Maybe a cat had gotten in somehow. Yeah, that was what must have happened. I kept up a constant stream of reassuring thoughts. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Silly, I was being silly.
I sighed and rolled over so my face was smashed into my pillow. No, I had read enough books and seen enough movies to know that usually, when people ignored these kinds of feelings, they had been right the first time. I didn't like it, well who would like the thought of some crazed lunatic breaking into their house and trying to kill their fish? The absurdity of this thought made me laugh (which came out as a snort thanks to my face being smothered against my pillow). I was getting seriously paranoid. Nobody was trying to kill my fish. Once again, I was unable to hold in my laughter, it burst from me, and once the giggling started, I was unable to stop.
'Girls I'm home - WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO THE FISH TANK AND WHY IS MY CARPET RUINED!' My Mum's angry yell echoed from downstairs. This sobered me up pretty quickly. I sighed and rolled off my bed, trying to shake off a cramp, and hopped downstairs as fast as I could. If I got there first, I could grass on Kate before she could grass on me. Living with Kate was just so tiring, I had enough on my mind..
Ok, thanks for reading! Comments and feedback are ALWAYS appreciated! I know some of these chapters seem a little random and like not much is happening but its all part of the bigger picture :)
THANKS! :)
Chapter 5- Stolen?- Part 1
Start from the beginning
