Hi, I don't write stories very often but i decided to post one. I'm not really sure how good it's going to be and i'm only 13, so if you have any advice please let me know. Thanks.

Chapter 1 - Brand New Holiday

The number of times in school Emily had come back from the summer break listening to endless conversations about her friend's holidays and meaningless flings they had had was slowly but surely getting more and more boring than she thought possible each year. Ever since her mother died, she had lived with George (her supposed step-dad) and his - "interesting" to say the least - choices of girlfriends which seemed to change every few months because he'd found a distinctive flaw in them he didn't like or he had simply just got bored. She really hated him for it. Ever since her mother had passed away, all he had devoted his life to, was trying to find a replacement woman who could live up to his pathetic and poor excuse of decent standards which he definitely did not deserve. It was a slightly sickening sight to watch.

Emily finally got the courage to ask if she could go abroad, alone, (because Emily didn't think she could stand going on holiday with him and try to enjoy myself at the same time, it just wasn't possible. It would be too strained and fake), with a couple of her friends.

"Um…George, can I ask you something?" Emily started awkwardly. George pulled away from the women he'd been fondly gazing into the eyes of who she assumed was Sue or it might have been Katherine. It was more than a common appearance that she never knew the name of her step-dad's latest women he had hanging around the house, much to her discomfort. Emily quietly suppressed a sigh. George - who had half of his attention now on Emily as she spoke,

"Sure," he replied distractedly and in a little sterner voice said "and I thought we agreed on dad from now on."

"Yeah, sorry dad," Emily replied strained, "anyway I was wondering if I could go on holiday to somewhere like America with a few friends because I'm old enough now and there's more than enough time with me being off for 11 weeks and-"

"Yes, of course, you can darling, I always knew there would be a time when this would happen." He cut her off and shot her a forced smile which made it clear that he was slightly agitated at her for interrupting whatever he was doing with his new girlfriend.

"Yeah, thanks Geo- I mean dad," Emily said uncomfortably before jogging up the stairs into her room excitedly.

Immediately, she texted her friend - Lizzy - to tell her the good news and ask her if she wanted to come with her. She briefly informed that she ask her parents and reply to her as soon as she knew. Lizzy and Emily had been best friends ever since year 2. They grew really close and have maintained it for all these years. They are now in Year 11.

The reason Emily wanted to go on holiday this year was because she knew they could have more than six weeks in whichever country they had chosen because in Year 11, well in the UK that is, you left school 5 weeks early. This meant they had more than enough time to go on holiday even for only a week or two, which is what Emily was planning on doing.

Lizzy and Emily spent a week finalizing over the specific details and choosing the destination out of the few they'd narrowed it down to. They had managed to narrow it down to Los Angeles, California, and Santa Carla. For Emily, there was one option that stood out the most. It was home to an amazing funfair which was in the middle of the famous Santa Carla boardwalk. She hurried quickly down the hallway in excitement to tell Lizzy with this new found information.

"Hey Emily," Lizzy greeted as soon as she walked into the library.

"Hi," she replied unable to hide her excitement from her voice and keep the smile off her face. Lizzy looked at Emily with a confused yet intrigued manner and gestured for her to spill. That was all the prompt she needed. Emily effortlessly told her about Santa Carla and its awesome boardwalk, funfair, how it's a huge tourist's attraction and that they should definitely go there. Although, Emily purposely missed out about the rumors of 'the murder capital of the world'. Judging be Lizzy's reaction, she liked the sound of this town as much as Emily did.

With only 1 week left 'til the end of the school year and 2 weeks 'til their flight to Santa Carla, Lizzy and Emily waited as patiently as they could with the exhilaration slowly ebbing away at them.

Emily and Lizzy had decided not to leave on the first week of the holidays to enable some time with their families and friends and the same with coming back. They had decided to come back after two weeks in order to sleep off any jet lag, late nights (which somehow Emily suspected there would be a lot of), and just to settle back into the simple routine again for when both Lizzy and Emily had intended to go to 6th form in year 12 and 13 after the summer break.

Emily had finished packing all of her belongings and was more than ready to get on that plane to Santa Carla with her best friend but unfortunately, Lizzy had used the week that they had left free in the hopes of getting some actual goodbyes. Emily didn't doubt that Lizzy was making the most of her time with her family and she couldn't help but envy her sometimes. Emily had always wanted a loving family, even if it meant only having one person who truly cared like her mother did before she died. Emily's father never cared and she knew that. Otherwise, he would have stuck around when she was younger. Although, Emily had grown into a girl who also preferred people to be brutally honest, no matter how harsh it may be, rather than sugar coating the truth because it's what she wanted to hear.

"Hello, you still there?" said George pulling her from her thoughts. Emily had completely forgotten that she was sat at the table with George and the women who just appeared to temporarily live here. She stared down at her pretty much untouched roasted potatoes and parsnips.

"Sorry, did you say something?" She said quickly as she attempted to recover from the unfamiliar haziness which had occurred during the time she was deeply lost deeply in her thoughts.

"Yes, he did, good gracious Emily, you better not have been lost in thought! I've been told that you are a bit of a dreamer," the lady with George teased, however, she did not look at Emily while she talked.

"Indeed, Emily, that is very rude. How many times have I told you not to do that while we have company," George's stern voice replied though his gaze was fixed on the women beside him. His eyes had the same familiar gaze, which looked at the women with pure adoration, even though it was used many times before, with many other women.

This only made Emily more irritated by the second. Sure it was fine for them to kiss every now and again but pretty much pretending she's not there and just blatantly ignoring her was rude. This had more than just crossed the line, even for her and she only blew up on special occasions. Lucky them, they get to witness her "wrath", having successfully made her very, very angry.

Emily took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself so her "wrath" would be as brutal, but she knew it wouldn't do any good.

"Y'know what? I've just about had it with you George. You can't just come here claiming a bunch of girls just 'cuz you can't handle being alone. Y'know, I guess the fact that my mother always saw the good in people made her blind to what an idiot people - like you - can be." Emily inhaled deeply, preparing for the next part of her mini rage. Slowly, she counted the points made on her fingers, "first you go around sleeping and "loving" every woman you find as well as luring them in and acting like you care so you can use them for money and food because you are too lazy to get a job. When you found mum she was so kind to you. She was the one who went to work and fed you like a baby, while you sat on your backside, then you get married making you my official step-dad and guardian if she dies (which she did) and then you treat me like a piece of rubbish from the bin which has been stepped on 10 times and left carelessly in a tip, and finally you have no respect what so ever and invite your girlfriends over and completely take over my personal space and you pretend I don't exist. You are a sick man and I. DO. NOT. LIKE. YOU!"

And with that Emily stood abruptly and marched out of the kitchen with a mix of anger and hurt evident on her face.

"AND CAN'T WAIT TO LEAVE!" she shouted back before grabbing her phone, bank card, and purse, and then Emily stomped out of the door leaving it with a huge slam behind her. Unfortunately, it had only just dawned on her that she just stormed out of her own house and there was no way she could go back in there, hell, she wouldn't let herself go in there for at least a couple of hours.

Emily suddenly felt the need to be overwhelmed and cry but she wasn't going to let herself do that. In the end, she decided to walk to Lizzy's house and see what she was up to. Emily just hoped Lizzy wouldn't mind her dropping in without warning.

A little later…

Emily had taken her time when making her way to Lizzy's house, quietly commenting on the pretty flowers and trees she saw as she took the route through a common place in there village known to the locals as horseshoe hollow. Emily would definitely miss England when they went to America on holiday. The little village they lived in was quite unique and by far the biggest village in England reaching up to 3,000 people. However, Emily suspected that their little population would seem very small compared to the one of Santa Carla's.

Emily often let her mind wander while walking because it always seemed such a relaxing time to do so. Because of this she usually ended up in the most random of places as she did not pay any mind to where she was walking but instead her thoughts. Emily's mother had always told her she was a bit of a dreamer. That might've explained why when George's lass had called her that it hit a nerve.

Emily scrunched her face up at the thought. She no longer wanted to think about George and his lady.

Emily's gaze had landed on a very familiar place which was a cobble-stone wall, with a side door entrance which read number 19. In the driveway was a silver Audi A5. There was a mini bush with no leaves planted on a patch of dirt in the front garden and a couple meters back was a wall with a huge window going across the entirety of the length meaning if you walked by their house you could very, very easily see into their kitchen which usually had a person washing up at the sink.

Emily smiled at the familiar sight of Lizzy's house. After not seeing the girl for a number of days, she felt inclined to at least go and say hi if she couldn't stay.

Emily knocked on the dark oak wooden door, which had blurred windows - like the ones you get in a bathroom - and there were two superman stickers on the bottom left of the window on the right-hand side. She stood back waiting hopefully for someone to come and answer the door. If she was hopeful, it may end up being Lizzy herself.

Finally, the door opened after what had felt like an eternity and to Emily's surprise and relief it was, indeed, Lizzy. As soon as the small brunette girl saw Emily, she ran from behind the door outside to give Emily a hug.

"Hi! How are you? I haven't seen you in so long! It's so good to see you. How are things at home? Are they alright?" Lizzy greeted Emily with a huge load of questions. Unsure of which one the answer she just said,

"I'm great! Are you looking forward to our holiday? Only two more days!"

"OMG! YES! I can't wait what do you think I should bring, I packed mostly summer clothes assuming it's going to be hot but I brought a few warm things just in case they have cold night temperatures." she replied excitement clear in her voice. Emily smiled, remembering Lizzy had a tendency to ramble on and on about everything and nothing.

Eventually, Lizzy did invite Emily in but only after they'd had a good few conversations on the doorstep completely forgetting where they were.