Chapter 3

Harry's POV

I froze on the balcony for the entire night.

By the next morning, I had developed a mild fever and felt lightheaded and unsteady on my feet.

But Dad didn't care. He was too busy grooming Gary, getting him ready for an expensive coat treatment at the pet store.

I had to dig out two expired cold pills, swallow them down, and head to school with my backpack.

Unable to hand in my homework, I was scolded by the teacher in front of the whole class and given detention as punishment.

My classmates' whispers stung my pride like needles.

"I heard he doesn't even have a desk."

"He smells like cat pee, too. It's so gross."

I kept my head down, biting my lip so hard I could taste blood.

That evening, I dragged my exhausted, burning body back home.

As soon as I opened the door, I heard a long-lost, cheerful laugh.

Mom was back.

She worked on engineering projects out of town and only came home once a month. The moment I saw her, a faint spark lit up in my dull eyes, and I rushed into her arms.

Mom always brought me good food whenever she returned, and she never favored Gary. Right now, she was my only hope.

Smiling, she patted my head and pulled a fancy cake box from behind her like a magic trick.

"Harry, you've grown so tall! Come see what I got for you. Your favorite strawberry mousse cake. I stood in line forever to get it."

As I looked at that pink cake, the weeks of grievance, hunger, and cold felt instantly comforted.

"Thanks, Mom!" I took the cake with both hands, carefully placed it on the coffee table, and got ready to open it.

Just then, a blur bounded down from the cat tree.

It was Gary.

He landed squarely on the table and stepped right into the newly opened cake box. To make matters worse, he shook his paws in disgust, flinging sticky cream and strawberry jam all over my face and clothes.

The once-delicate cake was instantly ruined into a pile of mush.

I froze.

The cream on my face smelled sweet, but my heart sank straight into an icebox.

"Gary! What are you doing?" I finally broke down and shouted as I reached out to shoo it off.

"Why are you yelling at him?" Dad's anxious voice came from the kitchen. He rushed over and shoved me aside.

Already weak from the fever, the push sent me crashing hard against the sharp corner of the coffee table. A sharp pain shot through my lower back, making me gasp as tears burst out instantly.

"Dad… Mom bought that cake for me…" I clutched my side, crying in despair.

Dad, however, held Gary's cream-covered paws with pain in his eyes.

"Oh, sweetie, this cream is way too sweet. Cats can't eat this. It'll make you sick. Come on, I'll go wash you up."

He turned and glared at me viciously. "It's just a stupid cake! What's wrong with your brother taking a bite? Do you really have to scream like that? If you scare him, I won't spare you!"

I ignored Dad's cursing and turned my tear-filled eyes toward Mom instead.

The smile on her face looked awkward. She looked at Dad, then back at me. Finally, she rubbed her temples in annoyance and let out a sigh. "Alright, that's enough, Harry. It's just a cake. I'll buy you another one next time.

"Your dad still hasn't gotten over what happened to your brother. That cat is his emotional support animal. Can't you be a little more understanding and give in to him? Things finally quieted down at home, so don't go making your dad angry."

Waves of pain throbbed from my back, and cold sweat soaked through my shirt.

In a haze, I finally realized that I had been completely abandoned by this family.

I lowered my head and stared at the ruined pile of strawberry cake on the floor. It looked just like my pathetic, desperate heart craving to be loved.