Chapter One
My Name is Celine Barton, I'm seventeen years old; I live in Emmerdale, a village in Leeds. I live at Butlers Farm with my mum Moira, Brother Adam, sister in law Victoria and younger sister Amelia. I study at Emmerdale College, learning Health and social care as I want to be a nurse and I also have three cousins, Pete, Ross and Finn. My life used to be happy and full of laughter even though there were problems along the way but then, five years ago, my life changed forever. My dad, John, was killed in a car accident which broke my heart because I loved him so much and I knew that my Mum was absolutely distraught, they had been married twenty two years. Mum married again two years later, Cain Dingle. I didn't like him and felt as though he was replacing my Dad, I hated him even more when he cheated on Mum with Charity, I got on well with my step sister though, Debbie is nice and a good laugh and her kids are really sweet. Holly came back from London last year and I was overjoyed to see her but then she got involved with drugs and I was gutted because I thought she had overcome that. Then, she was gone too. A drug overdose killed her, Mum found her in bed with the blanket over her. After the funeral, I barely left my room and thought about Holly a lot and the fact that she was with Dad. Then James was killed when he fell off the bridge above the motorway, I remember Finn telling me what happened and I held him as he cried.
Three family members gone.
I barely see Hannah now, she still lives in London, Victoria and Adam have split up because Adam cant have children and now I don't see Victoria much and Mum is practically a recluse, she had a terrible Christmas, trying to keep a brave face for me and Amelia as we opened our presents and watched films, she also drunk a lot and that really worried me. I feared she was going to do something stupid and that meant Amelia would be taken away but thankfully, she's over it now and works everyday and acts as if everything is ok.
I walk downstairs and see Mum eating breakfast, dressed in her blue overalls while Amelia is putting on her blue school jumper and brushing her hair. I see a lot of Dad in her, she has black hair and hazel eyes like he did and she also has his laugh, loud and upbeat. I smile at her as I put on my boots over my jeans, adjusting my top in the process. I take after Mum only I dyed my hair blonde two years ago.
"I will come and help you later Mum, I promised Stacey I would meet her at the post office first." I say as Amelia eats her breakfast and drinks her orange juice. Mum nods and smiles,
"That's fine sweetie. Ive managed to get most of it done though. Adam helped out." She says as she puts the kettle on, I smile back.
"Mummy, can Lily come back for tea tonight?" She asked as she got up, Moira nodded,
"She cant stay more than an hour though. Ive got lots to do." She added and I nod as Amelia finishes her breakfast and looks at Mum,
"Mummy Im ready to go now." She said sweetly and Mum helped her get her coat on and they headed off to school while I waved at Amelia.
I headed to the post office with Stacey, whom I've known since when I first came to Emmerdale, she's my best friend and my confidant. We talked about everything and anything just to keep our minds off things that bugged us.
After coming out of the post office, we waited for the bus, Laurel walked past with Dotty and Arthur, I smiled at her, I could tell that she was still upset over Ashley's death and that was understandable giving the circumstances.
"How's your mum?" Stacey asked, chewing bubble gum as she winked at Jacob who smiled back. I sighed,
"Still the same. To be honest I don't think she'll ever get over losing Holly. It was bad enough when Dad died but when Holly died, it's broken her to pieces."
"Did you hear? We got a new health and social mentor, Mr Manning, Natalie says he's well fit." Stacey said as I look out the window of the bus, Emmerdale such a small village but the drama was massive and I mean massive.
Murder, Scandal, Affairs, Crime. You name it, the village has done it.
My thoughts go back to my mum again. I've worried about her a lot the past couple of months and the fact that she's recovering from alcoholism made it ten times worse, I felt she was in danger of relapsing. My thoughts of her cause me to not listen to Stacey's ranting about her little sister Becky who is a little tart in the making if you ask me, given the fact that she's only fifteen and already no longer a virgin having lost it in the bike sheds after school.
When we get to college we wait for Mr Manning. I'm already liking him and I haven't even met him. Maybe he isn't nice looking and Natalie was exaggerating. She has a habit to do that but shes a lovely girl all the same.
Finally, he arrives and for once Natalie was right.
Mr Manning was the most sexiest man I'd ever seen.
"Good morning everyone, my name is Mr Jake Manning and I will be your mentor for Health and Social care and I'm sure we will all get along like a house on fire." He announced as he turned his laptop on.
Something tells me that Mr Manning and I will get on just fine.