Hello!

So, I'm so sorry for not updating but as some of you may already know I (being the clumsy clutz that I am) spilt diet coke all over my beloved laptop that has been repaired so many times, I was actually skyping at the time and I started screaming for Larry (I name my devices okay because when you have no social life you get bored and yes I know 'Larry' please don't remind me of what this could be referring to I don't hear the end of it at school, if you don't know then you have no idea how lucky you are!

Okay so for the first time ever I experienced what they call 'writers block' I have tons of ideas but they are not supposed to happen this early on in the story so I thought of something that happened to me in the past and I thought that it might work, so don't judge this one wasn't exactly planned, and I'm not sure about this chapter honestly, but it kind of fits.

Thank you for 8K! :) I'm shocked! Thanks! That's like (Uh maths?) in a few days.

Can I just say that my chapters are unedited and I do actually triple check and spell check, I'm only human! I've received a few complaints, so I'm very very sorry about that, I turn 14 next week...wait no that's this week? Oh god here we go again. But I'm hoping my writing skills will becoming more mature with age.

I've changed the authors note's a little bit, just the song choice, there's now two.

Be honest with me, and don't forget to comment, vote and send me a message of what you think!

Lauren :)

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Daniel P.O.V

It's been about two days since we got drenched (hey I got to hold Hazel's hand claiming it would get us there faster so I'm not complaining) and just yesterday Ellie and I got a little anxious when Murray didn't come hurrying through the cat flap like he usually does, and now it's getting late and I'm really confused and...scared, you don't realise how much you love something until it's gone.

But Murray's not gone.

I need to keep telling myself that or fate will doom us all.

Twice I've thought that I heard his bell jingle; but both times it's turned out to be the wind chime that we bought in France that is decorated with blue beads in shades from periwinkle to cornflower and from royal blue to baby blue. It hangs in the kitchen, opposite the birch cupboards on a hook hanging over the double glazed windows, the breeze from the open window makes it sway every now and then making it ring. The sound is now like an alarm for me.

It's 10PM and we're all sitting in front of the TV watching a chat show where the host constantly digs at the celebrities driving them over the edge by being asked personal questions.

"That's it!" exclaims Mum making us all glance at her.

"What's it?" El questions from where she sits cross legged on the carpet.

"We need to look for Murray at night, it's the only way! It's quieter and everyone online suggests it" she says with a grin.

"It's worth a try" Dad says from his arm chair, although he looks sceptical.

We're split into two groups to make sure we cover everything.

So, James and Laura are staying home as Laura is feeling unwell and James wants to look after her. Mum and Clarissa are searching the wooded path and the local nature reserve, I think Ellie is going with Dad and Graham who are going to the woods and all the nearby streets and that leaves...Hazel and I.

Oh that's just great.

I'm extremely upset as it is and I don't think I'm going to able to act happy for her sake much longer. What? I'm a sensitive person!

***

"Okay, so we're going to drive down to the nature reserve, you guys okay searching the park here?" Dad asks, pivoting round in his chair to face us.

Hazel glances at me; her chestnut hair is braided over her shoulder, secured with a tiny white ribbon, a jean jacket is buttoned up her torso...wait, is that my jean jacket from the other day? I must've handed it to her by mistake, she didn't say anything. She also wears black and white tribal patterned leggings that end at a pair of simple blue vans.

"Is this okay with you?" I ask, searching her eyes for any signs or fear, doubt or insecurity.

She nods, yes and smiles.

"Yep this should be fine"

We're each handed a torch, Hazel a simple black novelty penguin, eco friendly, wind up one, that I believe belongs to Ellie and me a heavy grey rubber one.

"Oh and Danny?" Says Mum making me halt and Hazel to spin around from where she stands outside.

"Yeah Mum?" I reply, the tense atmosphere and the car beginning to make me nauseous.

"Good luck"

"Thanks" I say with a smile

I climb successfully out and the dusty red car door is closed by Ellie who waves at me; a sad look in her pale blue eyes. It makes my heart ache to see my usually so mischevious and jolly sister in such a stat.

I need to find this cat.

The two cars (Clarissa and Graham are using Ollie's black mini) reverse from the car park one at a time from the car park they were previously parked in and they drive off leaving a small cloud of dust behind them.

"Dan?" Hazel says

But I'm starring at where the car was, completely unfocused.

It's just a cat...he's just a cat.

Pull yourself together Daniel!

"Yeah?...Sorry, I zoned out"

"I do that" she replies with a understanding smile.

"Oh yeah, that time at the café!"

She looks at the grass beneath our feet and smiles shyly as if the memory is a scene in a movie that is being played in her head and I have just pressed play.

"Okay, so which way do we go first?" she says, her head examining the park.

"I don't think we should split up"

"I'll get lost"

"Exactly, we need to go...for now...in one direction"

"Sounds good to me" She says nodding with a determined look.

I hear the tiny click of her torch switch and a small beam of light sparkles on the grass, I switch on my own and we venture into the heart of the park.

"Murray!" I yell

"Murray?!" she repeats

"This is hopeless" I say dropping to sit in a cross legged position. I rest my head in my hands; my fingers scrunching at my hair, my eyes shut.

"Don't say that!"

I shake my head and I pick up my torch to click it off and then I slide my legs out, then I lower my back down so I'm lying down and staring at the stars.

"Daniel!"

I sigh in response, my eyes gliding over each constellation that is looks to me like each star was individually placed in the night sky.

"Dan!" She tries again/

Yet again I don't respond, I let the torch fall from my hand and it hits the grass with a small thud.

"Daniel Foster, you look at me right now!"

I raise my head and a smirk spreads across at her attempt to get my attention, she looks a little bit mad, her cheeks red and her eyebrows narrowed over her angry-looking eyes.

"You can't do that if you don't know my middle name" I say

"What is it then?" She asks, her voice irritated and louder that usual.

"My middle name? Its Neville after my great grandfather"

"Daniel Neville Foster?"

"That's me, what's yours?"

"My full name is Hazel Joanne Robinson, Jo's my grandmother"

"I like Hazelnut"

She rolls her eyes and a smile replaces her glare, she walks over, playing with her plait and sits next to me, then she too lies back to settle on the grass.

We both lie here looking at the fairy lights in the sky, it's a perfect moment and I feel relaxed until I think of Murray again.

"Hazelnut?" I ask, breaking the peaceful silence.

"Yeah Dan?"

"Do you think we'll find Murray?"

She remains silent, I imagine her thoughts processing in that mysterious mind of hers.

"Yes, I'm sure he will"

I take in her words, hmm....that's been said a lot recently.

"Everybody says things like that though, things like the phrase 'I'm fine' when it's said 80% of the time the person saying it isn't telling the truth"

"I get what you mean, but I actually meant that, Murray loves you and he'll come home okay?"

"I don't know"

"Dan..."

"But it's exactly like when you kept telling yourself that Harv-"

"Please don't use that example" she says, smacking a hand over my mouth, her voice trembling, she inhales and exhales a breath then continues:

"Don't use any example for that matter"

Haze's perfume, that has been sprayed on her wrist, makes me drowsy and puts me in a blissful state of mind that makes my body relax, it's lavender, I recognise it from my Nan's garden.

"On that note, I'm going to actually search for Murray instead of dawdling here with you" she says removing her sweet-smelling wrist from my nose.

"I'll help"

She smiles and I pull myself to my feet, she starts to stroll away and I stop her.

"Hazel?"

She shines her torch back in my direction, I can just see her eye brow rise in confusion.

"Can we do this again sometime?" I ask

"What, search for a cat?"

"No, I meant...you know...have a little talk under the stars"

"It's happened twice already...remember the roof top?"

"That was serious, we can do that but with a nice talk, like we did just then"

"Yeah sure, Summer's not going to last forever"

Her words seem to burrow deep into my brain and I quickly follow her further to the clamp of trees, the leaves in all different shades of green due to the lack of light that reflects on some of them.

Summer isn't going to last forever.

That's depressing, really depressing.

And I still haven't figured out how I'm going to fulfil Hazel's dream she told me about on the boat.

Well, that's on my to-do list.

"Murray!" Hazel yells.

"Murray!" I repeat

Hazel whistles a single lingering note, she then sucks in more breath and starts whistling 'oh when the saints' and flicks the gleam of her torch over the bushes.

That's when I hear it. A bell, a single jingle.

"Did you hear that?" I say, throwing out my arm so she hits it and comes to halt, then she glances at me curiously.

I look at her, the stars make her deep chocolate irises glitter and I take my time staring into them.

"Hear what?" she questions, not breaking the gaze.

"A bell, you know...a jingle, like Murray's collar"

She shakes her head, the plait gently brushes my denim jacket that us a little too big on her.

"Oh" I say disappointed, I return my attention to the trees, but then I turn in the opposite direction and she does the same.

Then it rings again.

"I'm going insane"

"No, no, I heard that too!" she says almost excitedly.

"Murray?" I ask loudly.

Then there's a rustle in the bushes coming from directly behind us.

We both jump and shine our touches back on the bushes.

Two bright eyes shine in between the bushes, they squint and then blink. Their owner lets out a loud meow.

"Murray?" Hazel asks, her voice quivering slightly, but I get it. How would you react if a pair of huge amber eyes appeared in a random bush that you were starring at? Pretty terrifying, right?

Then Murray emerges from the bush, his black and white fur now muddy, his collar threading, he limps slightly and then comes to a halt and rests his backside on the ground. He tilts his head to the side, his tail flicking curiously.

"Murray, do you want to come home?" I ask

He rises again and as soon as he reaches us he rubs against out lower legs and I smile at Hazel who smiles back.

***

Hazel P.O.V

We climb the crème carpeted stairs, all of us completely exhausted after an hour of searching.

My hand reaches out for the brass door knob that feels cold against my fingers as I grasp it.

"Hazel?" says Dan from behind me.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for helping me find Murray"

"No problem"

He nods goodnight and then strolls away to his room.

I watch as he closes the door and then I too walk into my room and I close the door behind me.

So I had another chat with Dan again and he thinks I did it for a cat?

All this for a cat?

Hmmm

And I thought I was making it obvious? I guess that's a good thing if I'm not.

A scratching noise that comes from the door distracts me from my thoughts.

Murray sits on the other side and starts purring as soon as he sees me, the pupils in his eyes are huge and surrounded by amber.

"Murray!" Ellie yells, running up the landing wearing a pair of black pyjamas that are decorated with tiny white polka dots and her hair is tied back in a fishtail plait, not unlike my own but mine is a plain and simple braid.

"I'm sorry Hazel, he didn't wake you did he?"

"Oh no, I haven't tried sleeping yet"

"Good" she says, scooping him up.

"Did you find out why he was limping?"

"Yeah, a thorn in his foot, he ran off in fright"

"Poor thing"

"We're going to the vets tomorrow so we can get it properly removed"

"Oh okay"

She goes to walk away but then turns back.

"Oh and Hazel?"

"Call me Haze, most people do"

"Haze then?"

"Yes?"

"I just thought I'd mention that you being around has made Dan a happier person"

"You think so?" Yes I'm beaming, I don't see anything wrong with that!

"I think he really likes you"

My eyes go wide and I feel like asking her to repeat the sentence, but no she definitely said that.

"What do you mean?"

She shuffles on her feet awkwardly. brushing Murray's fur gently.

"How else can I rephrase it...uh, he likes your company, he is enjoying your presence?"

"Oh"

"What did you think I meant?" she asks, raising an eyebrow and smirking exactly like er brother did earlier.

"Oh nothing...well goodnight!"

I close the door quietly behind me.

So is Daniel just being flirty? And I thought he liked me.

I sigh and get into bed, pulling the blue and white striped duvet over myself.

These things happen, but for now, I'm keeping my hopes up.