Bondi by request

Chapter 1

Poppy opened her eyes and looked around the room, temporarily forgetting where she was. Smiling as she remembered arriving in Bondi the night before, she grabbed a bottle of water from the small fridge in her studio apartment and slid open the doors to her balcony. She took in the amazing view as she leant on the balcony wall and watched the early morning surfers, wondering to herself if it was possible to learn how to surf in three weeks.

She heard stirring from the appartment next to hers and hoped it was her Dad who was awake, not her Step Mum Beth, or her annoying little sisters Natalie and Kate. Her Dad had agreed to her having her own apartment but only on the condition that it was right next to theirs which had annoyed Poppy but as her Dad was paying, she had to grin and bear it.

She sat down in one of the chairs on her balcony and decided to send her best friend Sarah an email. They had decided to send each other emails while she was away as they knew that neither of them would remember the time difference and would end up calling each other at ridiculous times of the day.

To: Sarah

From: Poppy

Subject: Arrived!!!!

Hey!  So we finally arrived last night, no pics yet though as went straight to bed but will take some today. Flight was ok, the brats were as annoying as ever and Beth is still trying to be BFFs – I mean come on, it's been 8 years since she managed to con Dad into marrying her – if we aren't mates now then we aren't gonna be! She just doesn't get it!

Anyway, hope you aren't all missing me too much, 3 weeks will probably fly by so I'll be back before you know it.

Now not to gloat but think I'm gonna head down to the beach in a bit so email me back soon and I'll make you hate me with all the pics I'm gonna send :-)

Poppy xx

As she pressed send, she heard a knock at her door and she sighed as she went to open it

"Morning Poppy-Poo" sang her father as she opened the door to let him in

"Dad" she sighed "Can you not just call me by my name now I'm an adult"

"You'll always be my little Poppy-Poo" he laughed, pulling on her high ponytail

Poppy couldn't help but smile at her Dad, he always knew how to get her out of a bad mood. When her Mum had upped and left them with no warning just over twelve years ago they had stuck together and managed to make a life together for a very happy four years, until Beth came into the picture. Her Dad had met Beth at a mutual friend's party and that's when Poppy's perfect world had come crashing down. Suddenly her Dad was out most nights of the week sending her to sleep over at Sarah's and then one afternoon he sat her down and told her about his new "friend". Beth came round that evening and pretty much moved in.  Then they were engaged and quickly married and before long came the twins Natalie and Kate.  So now here they were, one big happy family, except for Poppy who couldn't wait to move out and start University.

Beth was constantly trying to bond with her and since the twins came along it had got even worse with Beth trying to arrange girls days out and nights in together, which Poppy was getting very good at avoiding.

"So fancy a day at the beach today love?" her Dad asked as he sat next to her on the bed

"I was hoping to do some exploring on my own Dad" she sighed

"Look Poppy" he said, turning her to face him and holding her hand in his "I don't know what else I can do to get you to accept Beth and to join in and be a part of this family"