Secret Life of Pixel

I kept my pet a secret for **2 years**. My parents run the strictest, no-nonsense,

*no-pets-ever* household on Earth. When I was little, they made my brother return a goldfish

because it was “too emotionally distracting.” So when I found a terrified stray kitten outside my

apartment freshman year, I knew what I had to do—**hide him**. I named him Pixel.

Tiny, quiet, perfect. At first, keeping him secret

was easy. I tucked him in my hoodie during video calls home. My parents thought

the purring was “air conditioning.” But Pixel grew… and so did the chaos. He once knocked

over a lamp during a call with my mom. I lied and said the “wind” did it. Inside.