I search through my backpack as I sit on a bench, trying to find the quiz sheet to show my mom when I get home. I finally find it and pull it out of my folder, smiling at the one hundred percent on the top of the paper. I put my folder back in my backpack and zip it up. A person bumps into me and I jump in shock.
"Damn it!" I grumble as my paper slips out of my hand. I sling my backpack back over my shoulder and run through the crowd of people, apologizing as I bump into people. A few people from school wave to me as I run by, but I keep my eyes on my paper.
The paper turns into an alley and I quickly turn and run into it. I see it float to the ground in front of some old bricks and a rusty bicycle. I stand in the front of the alley for a minute, resting my hands on my knees as I try to catch my breath.
I walk over to the paper and pick it up off the ground, wiping the dirt off the back of it. I take off my backpack and set it on the ground, putting the paper inside my folder. I close my backpack and along it over my shoulders, standing up.
I turn around and go to walk out of the alley. I stop as I hear a small cat-like noise from behind me. I slowly turn around and eyeball the alley, trying to find the source of the noise. I hear it again and walk over to the old bricks, pushing the bicycle out of the way.
I look down into the small box that the bricks create and see a baby lion sitting in the middle of the bricks. I step back in shock and stare at the tiny lion. It lifts its head from where it's lying on its paws and stares up at me with it's large green eyes.
"What in the world?" I whisper. The lion gets up and stretches before jumping out of the bricks, padding over to where I'm standing. I slowly crouch down, not wanting to disturb it, and sit down on the alley floor, waiting for the lion cub to make it over to me.
It lays down beside me, resting its head on its paws and staring up at me. I put my hand out in front of it and let it sniff my hand. It moves its head under my hand and I scratch them behind the ears. It's golden fur is as soft as silk and the cub purrs as I pet it.
It gets up off the ground and I quickly move my hand away from it. It seems unfazed by me being scared and jumps into my lap, curling up into a spiral. I chuckle and keep petting the small cub, smiling widely.
"How do you like the name Gold?" I ask the small cub sitting on my lap. It lifts its head and licks my hand. I smile and decide that it likes the name Gold. I'm really going to have to figure out if Good is a girl or a boy at some point.
"What would mom think of I brought you home?" I ask Gold, picking them up and lifting them in front of my face. Gold licks my face and I giggle as their rough tongue brushes on my cheek. I look into their eyes and decide that I can't risk my mom wanting to throw Gold out or give them to a zoo.
"Yeah, I shouldn't tell her, " I finalize as I look at Gold. I set them back down on my lap and take my backpack off my shoulders, setting it down beside me. I make room for Gold to sit in there and then look down at them with a serious face.
"I need you to go in the backpack and stay quiet, okay?" I ask Gold. They get up from my lap and walk back over to the bricks, jumping back into the small box.
"Wait, where are you going?" I ask, standing up and walking over to the bricks. I look in and see Gold with a small bag in their mouth. I reach down and take it from them, finding two bracelets and some other miscellaneous stuff.
Gold jumps back out of the bricks and walks over to my backpack, climbing in and curling up on top of my folder and books. I put the bag in my pocket and walk over to my backpack, patting Gold on the head and zipping it up, leaving part of it open so they can breathe.
I grab my backpack off the floor and sling it over my shoulders, looking back to see Gold's nose poking out of the backpack. I laugh and walk out of the alley, quickly walking to my house. My phone starts ringing in my pocket so I take it out and answer the call, making the mistake of not checking who's calling.
"Cloud! Where are you? It's already five and you aren't home. Did you get a bad grade on the test?" My mom tells through the phone. I wince and pull it away from my ear, bringing the speaker up to my mouth.
"No mom, I just got a little lost after school. I'll be home in fifteen minutes," I tell her. She tells me okay and hangs up. I put my phone back in my pocket and keep walking towards the house, trying to get home as quickly as I can so I don't worry my mom.
I get a street away from mine when I realize that my mom will want to see the paper as soon as I get home and that Gold is in my bag. I set my bag down and open it, Gold poking their head out to look at me.
"Sorry Gold, just have to get my paper," I tell them. They duck back into my bag and I hear them rustling around in my backpack. I go to look in but suddenly they pop their head back out of the bag, my paper lightly held in their jaws.
"Thanks Gold," I say after I get over the shock. I close my backpack partially and walk the rest of the way home, making sure to hold tightly into my paper. I make it to the front door and try it, pushing it open as I realize it's unlocked.
"I'm home!" I yell into the house. I hear my mom reply from the kitchen so I walk in there, handing her my paper from where she's stirring chili at the stove. She turns and takes the paper, smiling as she reads over it and sees the marking.
"Good job! Asking the teacher did help then?" She says, setting the paper down on the counter beside her. I nod and she smiles at me, pulling me into a hug. I panic for a moment, thinking she might feel Gold in my backpack but she soon pulls back and smiles at me.
"Go wash up, dinner will be ready in a few minutes," she says. I nod and walk upstairs, pushing my door open. Moving boxes are still strewn around my room, and I have to push a stack of them aside to close the door all the way.
"Okay, you're staying in my closet until I can find a better place for you," I whisper, taking Gold out of my backpack. I make a small bed out of extra blankets in the closet and pet Gold before turning off the light and closing the door.
"Cloud! Time for dinner!" My mom yells from downstairs. As I run downstairs I make a mental note to grab some food to feed Gold.