Lorraine looked outside, just staring into the distance, not much of a view. There was a knock at the office door, Lorraine quickly wiped her tears and opened the door.

"Hey sis, was that Brooklyn Lerenn I just saw running out" Sonia knew all too well who Brooklyn was, she had always supported her sister's decisions.

"Leave it Son, now really is not the time" Lorraine tried fighting back the tears, Sonia rested one hand on her sister's arm and reassured her it's going to be ok.

"Look Son, tell Michael I've got some errands to run, if he asks questions, tell him it's important" Lorraine left swiftly from the room and found her way out of the maze she called Waterloo Road.

Brooklyn had found a teacher to show her where she was supposed to be, the kind and old teacher directed her to the PRU, even she had no idea where Brooklyn was supposed to be. They entered the room and Nikki Boston looked up from her papers she had on her desk.

"I have no idea where this poor wee girl should be" Mrs Mcfall politely said

"I just left her in Michael's office a while ago, are you telling me no one told her where she's supposed to be? Ridiculous" Nikki trailed off and told Brooklyn to take a seat. Brooklyn walked over to the table with the least pupils around it, she sat next to Rhiannon and admired her crimson red hair.

"Thank you Audrey" Nikki went to close the door behind Audrey and then came over to Brooklyn.

"So, why don't you just write 400 words telling me about you" Brooklyn looked at Nikki as if the teacher were crazy. Brooklyn did as she was told, but writing down words to explain who she was, felt uncomfortable and difficult, but she proceeded.

Lorraine had just gotten to her house after a short journey in her expensive car. She pulled in her drive way and got out.

Carrying her bag and the even heavier feelings, she made it up the steps outside her front door. She fiddled to find the right key to get in, finally found it and made her way into her lavish house. She crept not even a foot in and crashed to the floor in tears, the heavy load on her shoulders crashing down with her. She couldn't keep her emotions at bay, but she was alone so let it all come out. Lorraine looked around her empty house, that never felt like a home. Lorraine got up from the floor and decided to get in her car again, this time not knowing where she was going, just to drive to anywhere; to nowhere.

Lorraine drove for three hours in total, even circling the same places she had just driven past. She didn't care whether Michael would have a go, she was used to it anyway. She had just past a little shop, when she thought it would be a good idea to go in and get a drink and something to eat, Lorraine hadn't eaten anything all day and was starting to feel queasy. She walked in through the shop door, her heels clicking on the cold flooring. Lorraine looked in the fridge where they kept the sandwiches, but nothing took her fancy, she finally resorted to a bag of Walkers crisps and a cherry Cola. She got to the till and paid the shopkeeper, barely saying a word, she managed a thank you. Lorraine felt so blank and emotionless, even though there was so many things going through her head. Lorraine got back into her car to drive to somewhere quiet, where she could enjoy her snacks. Lorraine found a quiet place by what looked like an abandoned park, it really did look as if no one had used it for years. There were swings that were intact, they were usable, so she got out and went to sit on the swings. Lorraine rocked bak and forth, trying to force herself to eat, as her empty stomach was now rumbling. It felt nice to feel the breeze on her hot face, her cheeks slightly pink from crying. The cool air hit Lorraine's face, making her feel more at home even though she wasn't at home. Memories running through her mind, twirling round like a tornado; causing destruction. The thoughts became almost impossible to ignore, every inch if Lorraine twitched with fear, because remembering the good and the bad times, made Lorraine want to run away from who she was even more. She had to face them, she had to look back, for her own sake.

I woke to the sound of birds chirping outside my window, they sounded as if they were making their own album out there. I giggled to myself, also at myself for how pathetic I sounded. I rose from the now tangled sheets and the first thought that entered my head was Brooklyn. Her lips on mine, mine on hers, bliss. We had been dating for about a month, things were going great. I went to turn the shower on, cold so I could create a layer that made me no longer feel. I grabbed the towel and moved myself towards my bedroom, opening the wardrobes, which was difficult considering my towel was hanging on me loosely. I grabbed the nicest clothes I could find, which happened to be a pencil skirt and a blouse. I got dried and dressed, then sorted my wet and messy hair out. I'd only just gotten into the kitchen to make myself a coffee, (strong and black) when I noticed I hadn't even checked my phone. I went into the bedroom where i'd left it on charge and unlocked it. There were messages from work and my sister, then one lonely message from Brooklyn. My heart literally jumped out of my chest, hands shaking as I struggled to open the message. It read

"Hey Lorraine, just wondered how you were doing. Id love to see your morning smile right now. I hope we can meet soon, as there something I need to tell you.

Brooklyn xx"

I read the message over and over, worrying about what she had to tell me. I put it to the back of my mind for the rest of the day, I had to be professional. It was soon the end of the day, but the meetings dragged on, more than I'd have liked them to. I said goodbye to my colleagues and left. I got into my car and pulled my phone out of my bag and began to ring Brooklyn.

"Hey how are you, you seemed concerned and needed to tell me something" I tried not to sound desperate for the truth, but I like to know everything.

"Oh yeah hey Lorraine, I wanted to tell you in person, it's a little awkward over the phone" she sounded nervous, so I agreed to meet her that night.

"How does 7pm sound?" I asked lightly

She accepted and I hung up.

I pulled up just around the corner from her house, for some reason she always liked me to park a bit further away from her house. I walked up towards her drive way, but she was already standing outside. She smiled awkwardly and asked if we could go and sit in my car. We both got to my car, then got in. It went silent for a while, I was begging for something to break the silence, so I did.

"So what was it you wanted to tell me?"

"Ok, Lorraine please don't be mad. I can't lie anymore" her words echoed in the silence as they made the hairs on my arms stand up. She carried on

"Lorraine I'm so sorry, but I'm not actually twenty" she started to cry, I turned my head away to look out of the window.

"So what are you then? 18, 19?" I asked trying not to sound angry, It wasn't working.

"No, ugh Lorraine. I'm 16 ok!" Her words cut like a jagged edge. My blood ran cold and I saw my skin turn pale in the rearview mirrors. She's 16! I had been with this girl a month and obviously we had slept together, I know she's legal, but I felt so dirty. I couldn't even look her in the eyes.

"Lorraine?!" She started crying more hysterically, I really wanted to hold her, but the thought of me and her made me sick. I was so much older than her. She played me, she told me she was twenty and looked twenty. I met her in a bar for goodness sake! I couldn't get a word out, I couldn't move. I stayed still in shock staring out the window.

"Lorraine please, just listen." I couldn't even hear her words anymore, I couldn't take it all in. I felt like I was dreaming and I was going to wake up from this nightmare. I finally had the courage to look her dead in the eye and told her to leave. It hurt like a burn to skin, I knew what I had just said and a part of me died a little. I watched her look distraught walking slowly back to her house. She's just someone's teenager who obviously doesn't want her mum to know about me, because I was parked around the corner. I wouldn't blame her mum if she wanted to murder me, I felt disgusting.

Her words were still echoing in my mind when I got home, 'I'm 16' kept going round and round. I had even taken a bath four times, just to make me feel clean. Even though I felt so disgusting and guilty, I had such love for this girl. I think I'd fallen for her, hard. We spent nearly every night and free day that I had together. I got to know her, I let her in. I let her into my heart, I never let anyone past my locked gates. I felt violated, played, just like the men who wanted to get into my knickers, just because I have money. Betrayed is a strong word, but I hate people who lie, I'm the worlds bluntest woman. I cupped my head in my hands, sitting on my plush sofa, it didn't even feel comfortable anymore. I didn't know what to do. A month isn't that long, but it's long enough to get to know someone inside and out. She didn't lie about who she was, just her age, but it was still wrong.

I needed that glass of wine I poured myself, the dry crimson liquid sliding fast down my throat. I liked my whiskey and I liked my wine, but wine went to my head faster, good in situations like these I thought. I brought the bottle over to where I was siting on the sofa and put it down on the coffee table. The liquid becoming less visible as I drank more and more. My vision blurred slightly, I was drunk it was safe to say. I hobbled over to my kitchen cupboards to find something to eat. Alcohol makes me so hungry, I fancied a take away, but that greasy shit made me think about my figure. I avoided all the takeout menus I had and opted for a tuna sandwich, I have no idea how I managed to make it. I had just eaten the sandwich, when I thought it would be a great idea to turn the radio on. Music blared out, swimming around all of the rooms, my ears filled with joy. I soon dropped to the floor laughing to myself and at myself, I felt a little sleepy also dizzy. My head began to spin and the walls now became abstract, I closed my eyes to stop the feeling, then I woke up with the sun shining into my face. I had forgotten to close the curtains and the sun was now blinding. My face was slightly stuck to my wooden floor and I rubbed my head to soothe the splitting headache I had. I wish I had never of woken up, because everything was now coming back to me. What to do?