I cover my ears with my hands but they do nothing to block out the noise from downstairs. I can't make out what's being said, it's a collision of screams and shouts and I hug my knees into my chest. I take hold of the fluffy pillow on my bed and I plunge my hands into the soft fluff and pull it closer into my body. It's always been like this, the arguing. But today is different, their voices are louder and I can hear things shattering. The overwhelming feeling of sadness washes over me like a black cloud, this is the end. I've never had a good relationship with my mum, I wasn't a planned child. I'm close to my dad, and the thought of losing him is enough to cripple me. Suddenly there's silence and I remove my hands from my ears. I hear feet thundering up the stairs and my heart leaps into my mouth wondering if it's mum coming to shout at me now she's finished with dad. But my door doesn't open and my thumping heart tries to settle itself inside my rib cage. I sit for a few moments in silence, straining to hear a sound. I build up the courage to move, although I daren't make a sound, in case I disturb the deafening silence that has fallen. I creep towards my bedroom door and open it slowly. I almost feel the anger hit me in a breeze when I open the door and I have to push through it like a cloud of thick smoke. My feet surge forward into mum and dad's room, where dad is hastily packing his clothes. My heart almost falls out of my body, this can't be happening. Dad can't be leaving; he can't leave me here all alone with a woman I'm sure hates my existence. "What are you doing?" I whimper, my voice cracking at the end. Dad turns quickly on his heels and I can see the pain on his face, his eyes are red and puffy and his cheek is red with a white handprint on it. His features soften from anger to sadness as he shuffles over to me as I stand in the doorway. His hands fall to my shoulders and I instantly feel comforted, his presence being enough. "I'm sorry sweetheart, I'm sorry you always have to listen to this" a tear rolls down his cheek and he wipes it away with his sleeve. "But your mum has made up her mind" he continues "she no longer wants me here anymore" there's suddenly a lump in my throat and I try everything I can to swallow it, but it feels like its coated in glue, it sticks to the walls of my throat and refuses to leave. "I don't want you to go dad" I whimper, wrapping my arms around him and pulling myself into him. His arms wrap around me tightly and he hugs me close. "I'm sorry Bella, I'm so sorry. But your mother just doesn't love me anymore; I don't think she ever did. I can't stay here anymore, I have to respect her wish for me to leave" he explains as he strokes my hair. I clamp my eyes shut, forcing the tears away, trying to stop the burning feeling in my stomach. "I want to come with you" my mouth says before I've even thought about it, but I don't try and take it back. Dad unwraps his arms and holds me at arm's length, searching my face for any sign that I might be joking, he can't find any, because I'm not. He sighs and rubs his forehead. I haven't noticed until now that he's aged considerably in the past few months. There are speckles of grey in his brown hair and the lines and wrinkles in his skin have become deeper. "I don't think that would be the best idea Bella, I have no clue where I'm going to go. And you're mum would never let you come with me" "Of course she would" I argue "she doesn't love me dad and she never will. She never wanted me" I bite my lip to stop new tears forming, every time I say it, it makes my heart break a little more. Dad sighs and pulls me back into him, his warmth and the smell of his aftershave engulfs me. "You know that I'd do anything to have you with me Bella, but how can I give you what you need without your mum?" "You already give me everything dad, don't you see that? You come to everything at school, you pay for everything I want, she doesn't do anything for me dad" he sighs in defeat, knowing I'm right. He pulls my hair away from my wet cheeks and puts it behind my ear. "Go and pack your bag sweetheart. But lightly, I'll get you some new stuff. We'll stay at a friend of mines while I try and sort us a place out. Remember that you will always be able to come back ok, your mother is still your mother and she loves you. Regardless of how she shows it" He squeezes me tightly before I rush to my room to pack. I do as I am told; packing the things I will need most, leaving the non essential stuff out. My mind races as I zip up my bag, even though my heart knows this is what I should be doing, my mind still doubts whether this is the right decision. What if this all goes horribly wrong, what if dad and I don't find anywhere to live? Would mum take us back? I silence my thoughts, dad will look after me, I reason with myself. He always has. I haul my bag over my shoulder and go back into my dad's room. He sits on the bed, a framed picture in his hand as he stares down at it. The black cloud of sadness seems to rumble with thunder as I sit down next to him and I see that is mum and dad's wedding picture. I notice that mum is smiling, something she rarely does. "She isn't the woman I married Bella. The woman I married was always happy and smiling, she hadn't a care in the world" dad says and I believe him, she looks so happy in the photo. "Her eyes don't show love anymore, and I don't want to be with a woman who doesn't love me when I love her with all of my heart"Dad wraps his arm around my shoulder and pulls me into his side with a large sigh. "We'll be alright sweetheart. As long as I've got you, I'll be ok" he says as he kisses my forehead. I believe him, as long as I have him, everything will be ok. He places the picture back on the bedside table and we get up from the bed together. My heart pounds as I follow dad down the stairs, I know am making the right decision, but how will mum feel knowing I'm leaving too. "Bella, Bella what are you doing?" I hear her say as I reach the bottom step. I close my eyes to hold back more tears. Although she's never shown me much love, never acted like she ever wanted me, she's my mum all the same. "I'm going with dad" I say, my voice cracking. I momentarily see the hurt flicker through her bright green eyes. It disappears as soon as I see it, but it's like a knife being drove into my heart at the speed of light. Dad looks away nervously and opens the front door. "I'll call Tony, you say goodbye to your mum Bella" Dad closes to door slightly as he steps outside. I hear mum sniffle and I turn towards her, she has wet cheeks and her make-up is streaked around her eyes. It's the first time I've ever seen her cry. She steps towards me slowly and pulls me into her, cradling my head against her chest. "I'm sorry Bella, I'm sorry. It wasn't meant to turn out this way" She starts to say, but I don't listen. Because it has turned out this way, she told dad to leave. I hear the front door open again and I pull away from mum, wiping the tears away from my eyes. I pick my bag up from the stairs and follow dad out of the front door. My head spins with thoughts and my legs feel week. Dad opens the boot of the car and we throw our bags inside. I look at the house I've called home for the past sixteen years and say one final goodbye in my head before slipping into the front passenger seat. "I called Tony and he said we could stay as long as we like. Don't worry you'll have your own room, his sons the same age as you, I think you'll get along" Dad says as we pull away from the drive. I nod, but my insides start to build with nerves. I've never met Tony before, although I've heard dad talk about him many times before. The drive from the house to Tony's doesn't take long, half an hour at the most. It's a medium sized house in the middle of Trenthill estate; I've heard stories about it, about how it's the rougher part of the area. It doesn't look like what I've been told, it looks a little run down but nothing a fresh coat of paint couldn't help. "Come on you; let's introduce you to our new family for the next few months" Dad smiles and gets out of the car. I slowly open my own door and get out, looking around. I swallow the lump in my throat and follow dad up the path to my new life.