Hello! I'm so sorry that I haven't updated in a while, I've just been so busy with revision for my January exams and coursework that I haven't had any spare time to write anything but I'm going to try and get into a routine of updating more often! I hope you enjoy this chapter! Also thank you for the reviews you have been leaving – they are deeply appreciated.

Chapter 14

The door unclicked as Taliah turned the key in the lock and entered the house. She looked around the familiar hallway and looked up at the photo on the wall. She heard Imogen closing the door behind her but it didn't distract her attention from the photo. The last photo that was taken of her full family together, everyone happy and smiling without a care in the world. All Tally could think is that she would never see a photo like this again, even if her brother, Gran and Mam did make it as her little sister and Dad wouldn't be in it and she was convinced that they surely wouldn't be happy anymore after this.

Taliah made her way upstairs and into her room, closely followed by Imogen who was hot at her heels. Taliah rummaged under her bed and pulled out a pink holdall before placing it on the bed. As she unzipped it, she spotted something in one of the corners and found another photo, this time of her and Millie when they went on holiday to the south of France. The last holiday they went on as a family.

"Is that from when you went to France in the summer?" Imogen asked gently as she was unsure about what to say to her as she didn't want to upset her anymore than she was.

"Yeah, if someone had told me then that it would our last family holiday together, I would have told them to go away and not to talk rubbish." Taliah said quietly as she tried her best to compose herself. She really didn't want to cry again as her eyes were already red and sore as it is and she didn't want them to get any worse.

"Just try to think of all the good memories you all had together. I can't imagine how hard it must be for you but I definitely know that they wouldn't want you to be upset and just remember, I'm here for you and so is Mr Byrne, Mr Clarkson and Mrs Diamond. We all care about you and want to help you in any way we can." Imogen said gently before giving Taliah another cuddle.

An hour passed as Imogen helped Taliah pack what she need such as all of her school books and fresh clothes and finally she was finished. They carried the holdall and Taliah's school bag down the stairs and were just about to leave the house when Taliah dashed back up the stairs. She ran into her parents room and went into the chest of drawers where she rummaged around in the top draw and finally she found what she was looking for. A small leather-bound notebook that seemed well used as the pages had turned a creamy yellow colour over the years. Taliah held it tight in her hand as she raced back down the stairs and placed the notebook in her school bag, not even opening it as she obviously knew what was in it.

"Are you ready to go?" Imogen asked as she watched her friend have one last glance around the hallway ensuring that she hadn't missed anything.

"Yeah, I think so and I can always come back if I've missed anything important." Taliah said before wheeling the holdall to the door where Imogen assisted her in carrying it down the steps. Taliah walked down the street wheeling her holdall behind her, school bag on her shoulder. She really wanted things to be normal but she knew it wasn't going to happen. She was really grateful to Mr Byrne for offering her a room in the school house but she didn't want everyone there to be pestering her about why she is there. All she wanted was to be alone but for now, she carried on walking to the school house with Imogen who respected that she wanted to be alone so she didn't try to engage her into a conversation but instead left her to her own thoughts as she knew her thoughts would be elsewhere.