Strange beginnings

A new year and a new life, ever since I was 12 my dad my brother and I had to move house, not just house sometimes to a different and now for the first time we've had to move to a new country.

Chapter 1

I sat in my room for over two hours packing, I didn't have many possessions to show for my life here in Florida, clothes make up the usual's, but I did have a class photo that I would treasure forever, it was the one thing I actually had grow an attachment to.

There we were smiling happily, mostly we were delighted to get out of class and hoping for this photo to take forever no one wanted to go back to history, but I remember this was the first school I actually liked. Everyone got along with my brother and me which I have to admit wasn't that unusual; he was a big hit with all the older girls, which had its advantages for me. Popularity, fashion advice and hot fellas but I wasn't interested I already had my man well I thought I did, I sighed at the thought of leaving him.

My family was put into witness protection so we had to move location every 2 or 3 years if possible. I was sad to move again, I loved it here I was happy it was sunny all the time, I had lots of friends and an on off boyfriend. It was perfect.

I wasn't allowed to say goodbye or tell anyone where I was going, it was one off the many rules, I hated it I was lie to everyone pretending to be someone I wasn't, I was afraid I would forget how I really was it was only a matter off time I knew it.

'You ready sweetheart?' my dad whispered. He always knew how hard it was for me to leave and especially now as I grew so attached to everyone and everything. I tired to pretend wasn't bothered but he saw right through me, I was such a bad liar

'Ye coming now' I sighed

He took my bag of the bed and carried it down to the living room with the rest of our luggage.

'jezz Jake you taking the kitchen sink to? I thought girls were meant to be the ones who over pack!'

'Yea well I'm not forgetting anything this time. Do you know how long it took for me to get the cash to replace my drum kit! I'm not doing it again' Jake shouted defensively

'How could we not know you complained about it every evening after work' my dad cut us short before it turned to into a row.

My dad's called Charlie, he always gets me and my brother to call him Dad in public but he doesn't like being called dad at home he thinks it makes him sound old, and like he has some sort of responsibility, - he knows he does just doesn't want other people to know it – weird I know

He's a pretty cool dad to be honest for a retired cop, we don't have curfew or house rules, and everyone looks after himself or herself and that's basically it. Its like we all share a house like not a family as such, dads really a big kid at heart, we always used to stay up until 3 or 4am watching movies eating sweets and chatting at weekends but that's all changed now since we started changing schools, we have to study harder to catch up with the other kids in class.

'Right lets go kids' Charlie said as he picked up my very small and very light suitcase and tired to sound upbeat.

We all took one last look at what I thought a least was the best home we had so far, it was a happy place full of happy memories which we don't have very often, I was sad to go but I knew this day had to come soon much to my disappointment, but it didn't mean I had to like it.

I sulked in the car all the way to the airport - this was the one place I really and truly wanted to call home- I hadn't done that since I was a five so Charlie told me, and I quickly snapped out of it and put a normal expression on my face, I knew it would only hurt him to see me unhappy but he wasn't buying it. 'So where are we going then Charlie?' I tried to interject a note of excitement into my voice but I don't think I managed to choke it out. Jake looked at me and flashed a grateful smile at me; there had being an awkward silence for a long time and when there was no chat Charlie began to talk about before all this shit with moving and changing happened. Whenever dad brought up the old days when Jake and me were kids and when mum was around, he always he always got down and depressed.

He missed my mum, as do Jake and me but she's not around anymore, when I was 12 and Jake was 13 mum was murdered, an armed robbery gone wrong so we were told but I think there was something more dad and the cops weren't telling us but I never had the courage to ask Charlie.

My mum was called Renee; she was 38 when she died. Mum was very special to us there was something totally different about her compared to other mums, it was something I could never explain - like magic you know its there but can never understand it - she was very proactive as every mum in the world is but she also let us have our freedom and trusted us completely so we could do what we wanted within reason of course, but we were good kids so it worked both ways. She was also a big child at heart so her and Charlie were perfect for each other. Their first date was to a funfair I laughed so hard when Jake told me, how much more kiddyish could you get, Charlie and Renee were childhood sweethearts, they only ever had eyes for each other. I always found it special how they stayed together that long and anyone could see that that level of love and devotion never went way, they had a 'unique bond' mom once said to me.

She was absolutely stunning a trait I never got. She had short brown hair with a few sparkles of copper running through. She had a perfect figure another trait I never got, but the one trait I did get were her piercing chocolate brown eyes, every night as I said goodnight to dad I could tell he was looking, searching me eyes now I no he was looking for mum in my eyes.

I could feel my eyes filling up with water as I remember the past, I tried to loose my train of thought and looked out the window at the passing cars

'Where are we going dad?' I asked as I remember he never answered me the last time.

'Em I'll tell you when we get to the airport sweetie' Charlie said softly. I didn't like when Charlie did this to me he knew I didn't like surprises, after the big fit I threw when he got me a car for my 16th birthday.

Jake was very thick band I couldn't understand why he would be upset, he wasn't leaving everyone he had grown attached to . . Ok well maybe he was but he was older than me he could handle it better, or so I thought. He turned up the radio full whack ultra beat doing a remix of use somebody by Kings of Leon; Charlie didn't like having the radio on while driving especially to 'our kind' of music so he, quickly turned it down.

'Eh what the fuck Cha?' Jake spat. His eyebrows creased down as if in pain not anger

' You know I don't like music especially that muck!'

'Oh well I'm sorry its not fukin Elvis Presley or some other old timer like that!' Jake tried to be sarcastic but his anger over shadowed it.

'Don't speak to me like that!, I'm still your father and deserve more respect, it not easy for any of us ok just deal with it and stop being a moody bastard right?' Charlie shouted back, I never ever herd him lose it like that before and I never thought how it did affect him, he was always I don't know strong and chirpy. Charlie was a good actor I'd give him that.

'Bella give me your phone' Jake barked at me

'Eh no, I no what your like Jake you'll just read my messages, like you always do'

'No I wont I'm getting rid of it'

Every time we moved we always got new phones, we weren't allowed to keep in contact with anyone from the past; it would put us at risk of being found out. Dad saw who killed mum and not long after the funeral we stared getting death threats and people throwing brick, rocks anything they could get there hands on really, to put through our window. It was very scary, we were afraid to leave the house and even more scared to stay in it, we didn't know what else would be thrown in. So that's why were in witness protection.

After about an hour of silence I saw the aeroplanes flying above the car and realised we were near the airport so I decided to quiz Charlie and find out more information about where our new lives would be

'Is it hot?'

'Bella its Florida of course its hot. Pease don't tell me you're coming down with something?' he sounded worried, I forget that no-one could read my mind, I often blurt out things that I'm actually thinking of it can be embarrassing most times.

'No dad I'm fine, I meant our new home is it hot?'

'Eh yes sometimes I'd say more warm than hot' he skimmed over the details, I wasn't having any of it I wanted to no more

'So it isn't Hawaii then?' all hope gone in my voice

'Ha-ha no its not' Charli said he and Jake both started laughing, it was always my dream to go to Hawaii every since I saw Lelo and Stitch. I loved that film; it lived in my DVD player

' I have a slight confession to make I've actually known about where we are going for about two weeks' Charlie admitted sheepishly

The shock on our faces must of panicked him as he started to speak faster and tried to defend himself for not telling us sooner, at least we would have longer to say goodbye to my friends I thought selfishly,

' I didn't want to interrupt your studies and since its near the end of the school year I thought it would be the best time to leave and you can start in your new school after the holidays' he paused for a bit to let us take in what he just blurted out. When some sort of understanding started to show he continued

'So are you ready for the big news now it's about where were going?'

I couldn't understand what else could there be? I knew why dad didn't tell us where we were going but what could be bigger? What could be so important that he had to wait until now to tell us? I didn't get it, he was going to tell us where, that's what I had being wanting to know the hole bloody journey! I was so confused.

'I don't know how to say this' he stopped

'Just tell us dad' Jake said sounding nearly as frustrated as I was

'Ok were moving out off the States . . .. To Ireland'

'WHAT!!!'I shrieked.

'Look I no it's a long way away but the W.P.A think it's a good place for us to go at least we can stay longer there'

What . . . Ireland . . .but. . I.. . . . I don't wana go to stupid Ireland !!!

Charlie always had a good knack for timing and by the time he finished his little speech we were at the airport, lucky for him this was the time Jake and me had to be quiet so he could concentrate but what he didn't know was we would probably be able to see the check-in number before him, but we let him be the grown up for a change and take control.

'Wait here and I'll find out where to go'.

'Kay dad' I said, Jake was to tick to respond. He didn't say a word after Charlie told us about Ireland unlike me letting out a big screech, so I was bracing myself for a full blown rant when the coast was clear.

Charlie was only gone 3 seconds when Jake started giving out I'm sure he heard the start off it.

'What the fuck! Ireland like why the hell would we go there!! It's a fucking bog hole!' He ranted on

'Keep your voice down Charlie can here you' I hushed him down

'I don't care if he does or not! There's no way I'm freezing my balls of every fukin day! Did u hear him'

'Yes I did in-case you didn't know I was in the car too.' I said,

'But Ireland like where is that like seriously!'

'It's the other side of England I think' I remembered reading something about it in geography but I wasn't too sure.

'It's meant to be horrible over there and it never stops raining'

'Jake to shut up ok' I shouted

I was finding it hard to let it really sink in and having Jake go on about wasn't helping me. He was the mature one not me, it felt weird having the roles reverse.

Ireland, I knew a girl once in one of my old schools and her great grandparents were Irish, she always said she wanted to visit Ireland one day and see what it was like, the Irish were said to be friendly and very welcoming. I wandered would that be the case for us being welcomed?

'Right lets go kids check-in 4'

'Em dad?

'Yup?'

How long does it take to get to Ireland?' I know I sounded so stupid but I didn't know and I wanted to.

'Eh I'm not sure maybe 9 hours maybe 10?'

'Ok'

10 hours, I really hoped I didn't have to sit beside some screaming baby I wanted time to think, I was freaking out about the move. You would think I would have gotten used to moving, I' been through the worst and then this happens. It wasn't long until we were at the check-in

'Passports please' the flight attendant was very cheerful and had a very welcoming smile; I wandered were her cheeks sore yet? Form all the smiling.

When we got rid of our bags we went get something to eat, we had about an hour to go until boarding and I actually didn't realise how hungry I was. As I queued up I started to day dream about all my classes I would have had today, teachers I was glad to leave, some I'd miss, and most importantly my mates I would miss them so much, I felt like I could be me around them of course I still had to pretend to be someone else but I felt like I could be that person, and I was surprised to find how much people took notice of what I was saying, they took my advice, come to me if there was a problem and I was a shoulder to cry on, It was a small school so everyone knew everyone but it was good, there was no bitchiness, no competition just real and genuine friendship.

'Sorry love, what would you like?'

'Um can I get a chicken burger and a coke please?'

I was still in my daydream when I got my food

I found dad and Jake sitting at a table the far side of the restaurant

'Did ye leave any food for everyone else?' I took one look at there plates.

They had everything and anything on them, fries, burgers, mushrooms, onions the lot. I felt sick in my stomach and lost my appetite,

The plane started to board at 8'o'clock and we were in the air by quarter past. The flight attendants were giving out pillows to people how wanted to sleep and blankets to people already asleep. I used Jakes shoulder and grabbed dad's jacket to keep me warm.

Jake was still in a mood and I tried to distract him about a movie I'd seen, but he told me to shut up shortly after. I was afraid to fall asleep and let him think about things that would surely make him worse.

'Come on Bells move' Jake whispered to me, I must have fallen asleep on the flight; I remembered waking up and seeing parts of the in-flight movie. When we got of the plane I was hit by d sudden wall of cold air. I saw a big red battered sign saying 'Dublin airport' we must be in Ireland so. It was so cold not the cold of night time at home cold but really really cold and I started to shiver.

'Guess I should have told you to wear warm clothes' dad said trying to lighten the mood.

'We don't need warm clothes, it's warm already at home' Jake spat.

'J just be quiet ok, I'm not happy about it either but we have to get used to it, this is our home now, don't mention Florida again ok, fresh start remember'

As we walked through passport control, I saw a long corridor and lots of people. I was sure I could get lost and head back to Florida if I really wanted but I knew I didn't have the gusts to and money, I really missed home, I missed the heat already.

We got our bags and went to the exit doors and there was a crowd of people waiting for the arrival flights to come through. We spotted a sign saying 'Swans' and went over.

I was so tick with Jake, this was hard for everyone but he was determined to make this change as difficult as possible and he didn't care how he was hurting Charlie, he felt guilty enough with out Jake adding to his problems, I was going to have words with him when dad was out of hearing range.