You know that feeling when you're at a themepark, in line for the biggest, scarriest ride in the whole place, and you get really close to the front of the line, but no matter how nervous you are, no matter how terrified you are to get on that large death contraption, you do it anyway because no matter how scarred you are, you know you are going to end up having an amazing time and months worth of bragging rights?
That is not how I feel right now. Actually, there is nothing exhilirating about my current situation.
Moving schools sucks; especially when that school is on a different continent to your old school, your old friends and your old home. We read novel after novel, somehow glorifying this huge, abrupt change to our lives, romantising it even, and I honestly do wish that was the reality of it all, but it isn't. The poor orphaned child being thrown into a strange city on their own, finding love and living happily ever after, forgetting their parents exsistance completely. Not that I'm an orphan, I mean, I still have my father, but there is just nothing like losing your mother. When she died, it felt like she took everything with her; my heart, my soul, my life, only leaving behind my body, my empty exsistance. Dramatic I know, but she meant everything to me, and now I feel like I have nothing.
A light tap on my door shakes me back to reality. Without waiting for me to let him in, my father opens the door and steps inside my room, glancing around the unfamiliar setting. After a moment, he speaks.
"I like what you've done to the place, T. Really, it suits you."
I glance around the large room, admiring the clean look of the crisp white furniture, blue, pink and white quilt, and blue and pink decorations. My eyes narrow when they reach the smallest wall in my room, the one in the small hall leading towards my bathroom. This wall is covered with my polaroids.
"Thanks Dad, I think Mum would have liked it."
"Yes she would have." My Dad smiles at the mention of my mother, the woman he continues to love and cherish, despite her absence. When my mother was pregnant with me, they decided that Westminster, the place in which they had both grown up, was not ideal for raising children. So they packed up and headed off to Australia, no word to anyone, and raised me in the foreign country, never taking me back to see my grandparents whom I've been told to never speak of. Reason? Unbeknowst to me. Though I do agree with them on one thing; this town does not seem child friendly. It has such a dark aura about it, I don't know why anyone would leave Australia for here.
"Dad," I peak up at him through my lashes, "why are we here?"
He looked at me with a strange expression, twisting his wedding band around his ring finger, before releasing his hand and walking over to my bed. He takes a seat.
"Your mother and I decided this years ago, that if anything happened to us, this is the safest place for you to be. This is where you should be." They discussed this? Without me? So what I thought was a midlife crisis, newly-widowed, 'want to see my parents again' impulsive decision made on my father's part, driven by a new-found lonliness due to the absence of his wife, was actually a pre-meditated plan; one that affected me greatly, and they never thought to tell me?
"I think I was perfectly safe in Australia, Dad. This was the worse possible thing you could've done! I just lost my mother, and you thought the best thing to do would be to uproot my whole life, make me leave my friends, my neighbours, my town, and everything else important to me, and drag me to a foreign country where I know no one!? I have nothing now Dad, nothing at all."
I take in a deep breath after my rant, looking up to see my father's hurt expression. What did I just do? God, Tori, how could you be so selfish? He probably thinks I don't care about him, which could'nt be further from the truth.
"And you lost your wife. And your friends. And all you have left is a selfish, ungrateful daughter, who doesn't deserve an amazing father like you. I'm sorry Dad, I didn't think." I say softly, something I tend to do when I am either sad or apologetic, or in this case, both. My dad has tried so hard to help me with everything, and I really am thankful for him. He is my rock; he has been since the day we lost mum.
He nods at me, showing a weak smile to let me know I'm forgiven. I look outside the window, there is still light outside, even though it's already 4:30pm.
"I need some fresh air, I'm going for a walk, if that's okay."
My dad nods again, telling me he won't be home for dinner. I grab my house keys and phone, and leave behind my new home, ready to explore the imfamous Westminster.
Hi everyone! I know this chapter was short, but they will get longer as we get further into the book. I may upload again tonight, so you can expect to see another chapter soon. Also the book will improve as it continues, obviously.
Please either vote or leave me a comment if you are enjoying so far, it would mean the absolute world to me to get feedback from you, and to know if you're enjoying TWOW so far!
*Picture of Bed hopefully attached if I did it correctly, lol. Not the rest of the pic though, btw.*
Thanks for reading darlings.
Alanah xo
