This story is inspired by Kathy’s attitude toward her classmates in the twentieth chapter of Louis Sachar’s Sideways Stories from Wayside School, as well as throughout the rest of the book. Before we dive into the fan‑fiction, let’s take a look at Chapter 20, “Kathy.”
CHAPTER 20. KATHY — SUMMARY
Kathy doesn’t like anyone in her class; not even Mrs. Jewls, whom she blames for misleading her about a pet tomcat named Skunks. Mrs. Jewls had reassured Kathy that the cat wouldn’t run away if she took good care of him, but he fled anyway. Kathy especially dislikes Dameon, who tried to teach her how to play catch. She didn’t move when he tossed the ball to her, and it hit her. She also dislikes Allison, who offered her a cookie. Kathy kept the cookie in her desk for weeks, and when she finally took a bite, it tasted like dirt. And that is why she doesn’t like anybody.
It was “happy Friday.” When the last bell of the day rang, Kathy slipped on her backpack and hopped out the classroom door. She almost bumped straight into Dana, who was standing frozen at the top of the stairs.
“Did you just turn into stone?” Kathy snapped. “Move aside, Dana, or someone might push you down the stairs!”
Dana quickly stepped left, pressing her back against the wall.
“Thank you, Kathy,” she gasped. “Actually, I have a question for you.”
Kathy frowned. “For me? What question?”
“I’m in the acting club, and we need one more person for a play we want to put on stage,” Dana explained. “I was wondering if you’d like to join us.”
“Why should I join you?” Kathy sneered.
“Because you’re one of the best students in Mrs. Jewls’s class,” Dana said. “You know a lot, and you have a strong personality. We have the perfect role for you.”
Kathy snorted. “Out of curiosity, who else is in this acting club of yours?”
Dana thought for a moment. “Bebe, Leslie, Paul, and Myron. But Myron doesn’t act—he’s very good at directing.”
“I bet he is,” Kathy muttered, trying not to burst into laughter. “And Paul? Is he supposed to pull Leslie’s pigtails again?”
“That was an accident!” Dana protested. “So, what do you say? Could you come to school on Sunday? We’re going to discuss our parts, and Myron will give us the text we’re supposed to learn.”
Kathy shook her head. “I have better things to do,” she said with a laugh, already heading down the stairs. “Good luck finding someone else.”
A black car was waiting outside the school. Kathy opened the door and slid into the back seat.
“You’re late,” her mother said as she pulled away from the curb. “Is something wrong?”
“No problems,” Kathy replied. “Someone offered me a part in a class play or something.”
Her mother glanced at her in the rearview mirror. “Do you plan to join the acting club?”
“No way,” Kathy chuckled. “I don’t have time for kids’ play.”
Her mother checked the clock on the dashboard. “I hope we won’t be late.”
Luckily, they weren’t. Traffic was lighter than expected.
The car stopped in front of a tall gate. Kathy’s mother rolled down the window, showed a special badge to the guard, and he nodded.
“The producer is waiting for you,” he said as the gate opened. He waved at Kathy. “Hi, K.”
Kathy didn’t wave back.
This was WDY Prime, a small TV station known for its game shows. For several weeks, Kathy had been competing in a difficult contest. Even though she was the only child contestant, she had made it all the way to the finale. Her stage name was Knowledge K, and everyone knew she had a real chance of winning the grand prize: one million dollars.
Tonight was the finale.
“You look just like a princess!” the producer exclaimed when Kathy stepped out of her dressing room.
Kathy smiled and gave a small bow. She looked adorable in her silver dress, complete with a sparkling tiara.
“Thank you,” she said.
She didn’t like the producer—he reminded her too much of her grandpa. But she knew she had to act nicely if she wanted that million dollars.
It was a long, exhausting night. But in the end, Knowledge K was declared the winner. Her mother rushed onto the stage and hugged her tightly. Kathy had won a million dollars.
There was almost no traffic on the way home. Her mother grinned at her in the mirror.
“We should celebrate.”
“Of course,” Kathy said. “But first let’s call the agent. I want to see the house again tonight.”
“You still want to buy that mansion?” her mother exclaimed. “I thought you were joking.”
Kathy snorted. “When do I joke?”
The agent was thrilled to meet them, even on a Friday night. Kathy and her mother signed the papers, and the house became theirs. It looked like a small castle.
Kathy spent the next day buying furniture and decorating every room. She hired a gardener to trim the bushes and plant more roses. She also told him to find a tomcat for her, and he said he knew just the one.
“You know you can’t live here by yourself,” her mother reminded her. “You’re still a child.”
“I just won a million dollars,” Kathy replied. “I’ll spend my weekends here and pretend I’m a princess.”
When Kathy returned to the mansion on Sunday, the garden looked perfect. The roses smelled heavenly.
She went inside to check on the tomcat in his special room—but he was nowhere to be found.
She called the gardener, who arrived as fast as he could.
“Where’s Skunks?” she demanded.
“Who’s Skunks?” he asked.
“I named the cat Skunks,” Kathy said impatiently.
“Does he smell?” the gardener asked.
“I don’t know!” she yelled. “I can’t even find him!”
After searching under every bed and behind every curtain, they finally found the cat hiding in a closet behind several shoeboxes.
“Take him back,” Kathy muttered, scooping him up and shoving him into the gardener’s arms. “He’s stupid.”
Suddenly she remembered Dana and the acting club.
She took a taxi to Wayside School and told the driver to wait. She ran to the playground.
Dana and Jenny were jumping up and down on the basketball court while Myron watched from a bench. Bebe, Leslie, and Paul were playing on the monkey bars.
“What kind of acting club is this?” Kathy mumbled.
She considered telling Myron to let Stephen direct the play—he was a better class president, after all. Or maybe she should encourage Paul to pull Leslie’s pigtails again. Leslie had the best scream Kathy had ever heard.
“Looking for something?” a voice said behind her.
“Oh my gosh!” Kathy exclaimed, spinning around. It was Louis. “My heart almost jumped out of my chest. Why are you sneaking around like that, Louis?”
“It seemed to me that you were the one sneaking,” Louis chuckled. “Are you planning something evil?”
“Why would I plan something evil?” Kathy blurted out.
“Because that’s what people do when they don’t like their friends,” Louis said. “They start doing bad things.”
“If you must know, Dana invited me to act in their play,” Kathy replied.
“Are you going to accept?” Louis asked.
“No way,” Kathy muttered, turning away. “I don’t have time for this.”
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