It was the fourth week of the Top Kitten competition, and we were ten weeks old. I pushed to the front to see the Director’s list of top videos for the week. Someone shoved me hard. Looking around, Jazz was straining to read the list.
There it was. Top video of the week: Jazz’s pirate video.
I’d seen that dress-up video and thought it was spectacular. Her costumes were amazing. Jazz was acting with great emotion too. It deserved to be the top video.
As usual, I was fourth. Quincy was eighth, and PittyPat was ninth. Filling in were kittens who had never been in the top ten before. The top ten videos each week always included Jazz, Quincy, PittyPat, and me. But after that, the spots were filled with random kittens who appeared in the top ten one time and didn’t come back.
“Jazz,” I said. “We need to talk.”
She followed me to a quieter spot. Jazz’s face was tight. I didn’t know if she was worried about Top Kitten or something else. But I had to ask her anyway.
“Um,” I said. “Next week, we turn ten weeks old.”
“Yes, me too.”
“That means we move into the kitten dormitory.”
“Okay.” Jazz raised an eyebrow.
She wasn’t making this easy. “I wondered, you know, if you might…you know…” I waited.
“No, I don’t know.”
I blurted out, “Would you be my roommate in the dorm?”
For a moment, I was afraid that Jazz would laugh. Obviously, she was struggling with a strong emotion. Her jaw tightened, and her ears flattened.
Finally she said, “Why me?”
“Because I think we can be friends.”
“What about the Top Kitten competition?”
“I think we could help each other,” I said. “You challenge me to do my best. After I watch your videos, I try to think of new ways of acting.”
Jazz spun around like she was chasing her tail. “Don’t you care about winning? Or losing?”
I thought about losing. It would be the hardest thing I’d ever done. But by now, I knew I was out of the running. In the last four weeks, I’d never had the top video. Jazz had gotten the top video three times. Her family had hired Miss Emily Doodle to design and sew her costumes. Each outfit had a hat. The outfit covered only the front legs and chest. Miss Doodle sewed tiny human arms into the costume, so Jazz looked like a person from the front. She could attach things to the fake arms, like a sword, a hook for a pirate, or a guitar. It looked so realistic. Jazz had found a great niche for her videos.
She was bound to be Top Kitten. Could she put aside the competition and just be friends? Could I?
“Of course I care,” I said. “But put it into perspective. It’s a Top Kitten competition. Kitten. It’s a big thing for us right now. But we won’t be kittens forever.”
Jazz’s eyes were wide and scared. “I’m not sure I’m as nice as you. If I don’t win Top Kitten…” She shook her head and looked back at the Director’s office, where the list was posted.
“I can’t give up trying to win, either. But we have to move to the dormitory next week. That leaves MamaGrace all alone. Watching videos of MamaGrace and DaddyAlbert, I can see what she’s lost. She needs DaddyAlbert. If I make Top Kitten, I can bring him home.”
Jazz turned back to me and nodded. “I understood that you have to keep trying. I’m just not sure I can be a friend no matter what.”
“If you win, I’ll celebrate with you. But inside, I’ll be jealous,” I said. “Just being honest.”
“I’m not sure I could celebrate with you,” Jazz said. “Just being honest.”
“I’ll take my chances. Maybe I know you better than you know yourself,” I said. “Would you be my roommate?”
“We may regret this,” she whispered. “Yes. Roommates. Friends.”