Chapter 5

Mariah had no idea what Tish's phone was doing in some shrub in a place she had never been. Mariah put the phone in her pocket and discreetly walked back to the house. Grayson had beaten her to it.

"What were you doing over there?"

Mariah quickly thought of something. "Oh I was just taking a look around the local area."

"Excellent, you will love living in Emmerdale, come I must show you your new home."

Grayson took Mariah inside and showed her around. The decor was mainly green and creme, not to her taste a bit depressing. The kitchen looked modern.

"Princess, how do you like it?"

"I can get used to it."

That wasn't the answer he was expecting. Grayson then showed Mariah to her bedroom. Her room was facing the back of the house, not much sun light got through. The view looked onto some woods, she never thought she would say it but she missed the view already from the apartment. The view of the housing estate, the burnt out cars and underage drinking.

The room was medium sized. There was a wardrobe in one corner, an armchair, bookcase, dressing table and a bed. Mariah would have to redecorate; at least it would cheer her up.

"How do you like your room?"

"Lovely," she tried to make it sound convincing.

She then shut the door and sobbed into a pillow.

Mariah decided to look around the house a bit, she wanted a drink. When she went downstairs she saw Grayson at the dining table working on something. He noticed her.

"Hello, princess, everything alright?"

"Its fine, look I just came down for a drink."

"Sure, go ahead, look are you hungry it's almost dinner time?"

"No, I ain't, really."

Mariah sat down as far away from him as possible.

"Listen, Mariah, I've been thinking, about your education, Leeds is an awful long way for you to travel every day, I've found a school nearby, in Skipdale, and I've spoken to the head teacher, she would be glad for you to start soon."

Mariah wasn't sure she liked the sound of it.

"What, a different school."

"Of course, has an excellent reputation."

"I bet it is, tell me is it a private school father," Mariah said the father bit sarcastically."

Grayson picked up on this.

"Mariah, don't mock it, you're my daughter and I want what's best for you, you must understand that."

"Fine," she snapped going upstairs and spending the rest of the night up there.

Mariah had decorated her room with posters, it looked busy. Mariah then filled the wardrobe and found a school uniform.

"What the hell is this..." she muttered.

There was a knock at the door, it was Grayson. He saw her holding up the uniform like it was some horrible thing.

"You expect me to wear this hideous thing."

The uniform had a medium length acid green skirt, white shirt and yellow spotted tie. There was a dark yellow jumper and a red blazer with the school logo which was decorated with orange stitching; there was also a hat to go with it.

"That is the uniform of your school, now I'm taking you to the school now and you will come."

Mariah shut the door in his face and bolted it across. Mariah noticed the change in Grayson's behaviour.

She put the uniform on, the sight of it made her wanna puke. "I look a bloody mess," she said to herself.

Grayson drove her to the school. It looked really posh. The school was like
a manor house; Mariah was shown around by the head teacher. Mariah thought to herself

"Well I only got to do my GCSE's then I'm out of here."

Once Mariah's exams were over she had the summer. All over the summer she was wondering what happened to Tish and why her phone was in a shrub. It didn't make sense, Tish wasn't the kind of girl to leave stuff lying around, especially not in places she never been to in her life.

Even if Tish had lost her phone, she knew Mariah's number off by heart; Tish would have phoned her from another phone. Mariah decided to report her friend missing.

Mariah dialled the police on her mobile. She spoke quietly. A policeman answered and Mariah gave all the details to Tish. The police were officially reporting Tish missing, but would she be found?

-------------------------------------------------------

Mariah was very lonely all through the summer. Tish still hadn't been found. One thing was looking good for Mariah. She had a place guaranteed at college to study dance, she just hadn't told Grayson yet.

Mariah walked downstairs.

"Dad can I talk to you?"

"Of course you can."

"Well it's about college. I've been thinking and I really wanna study dance, I've got a place guaranteed at a college."

Mariah got excited and started jumping about. The same wasn't said for Grayson.

"Calm down Mariah, so you want to do dance, I don't think that's a good idea."

Mariah's face dropped.

"What."

"Well how many jobs is there with dance, Mariah, it's not a very promising career, is it now."

"Look I really don't understand you, don't you want me to be happy, I want to study dance."

"We can't always have what we want now can we."

Mariah looked sad she couldn't find words to say.

"I'll tell you what, why don't I put you an economics course."

Mariah's mouth was wide open.

"Yes, I think I will, economics will give you a good job."

Mariah stamped her foot and screamed and ran up to her room.

Mariah started sobbing in her room, she didn't want to study economics, but she was being forced to. She wished Tish was there. Mariah wanted some fresh air, so she went to the window to try and open it.

To her surprise the window was locked. Mariah went downstairs.

"Dad, I need a key to open my window."

Grayson looked down. "Oh I'm terribly sorry, I don't have one, must have got lost."

Mariah nodded, really fed up; she went to go for a walk outside. Grayson stopped her.

"Where are you going?"

"For a walk, dad, I haven't even seen the village yet."

"Well I'll take you tomorrow I promise, why don't you go and watch some television."

Mariah walked into the living room and switched on the TV. She noticed there were no family photographs, she thought it was a little strange, but Mariah said nothing.

Mariah was watching Midsomer Murders. Halfway through the door bell rang. Mariah wondered who it could be. She continued watching TV.

Grayson went to get the door. "Oh hello, come in," it was one of Grayson's friends. Mariah was more interested in the TV.

The man was in his early fifties and spoke with a posh accent.

"So who's that girl," he said to Grayson.

"That's my daughter."

"I didn't know you had a daughter."

"Mariah, come here."

She didn't want to; she was more interested in Midsomer Murders. Mariah thought she better had go over anyway. The man gave Mariah the creeps.

"Mariah this is my lawyer friend Richard."

"Alright," she said shaking his hand.

"So Mariah, how old are you?"

"16"

"Excellent, so are you in school still?"

"Nope, I've finished but I'm off to college in a few weeks."

"I bet you are glad, what are you going to study?"

Mariah was going to say dance but Grayson gave her a look not to.

"Economics, It sounds very interesting."

"A fine choice Mariah, will give you great job opportunities."

"Yes, I'm sure it will, can I go now dad."

"If you must."

Mariah went back in the living room and watched the TV; she had missed the bit that was getting interesting. Mariah could still hear them talking but she couldn't exactly here what.

Grayson went into the kitchen. His friend sat down in the living room opposite Mariah. She deliberately ignored him. Then Grayson appeared.

"Dinner is ready."

Mariah sat down at the table really depressed. Mariah just sat there saying or doing nothing. She was in a trance.

"Are you alright Mariah?" said Grayson's friend.

"I'm fine, look I'm feeling tired, so I'm going upstairs."

Mariah went up to her room, trying to figure a way out.

---------------------------------------------------

The next day Mariah went downstairs. Grayson told her he would show her the village today and he did, however Mariah wasn't expecting it to be done the way it was.

Instead of walking, they went in Grayson's car. It was a nice warm day too. The village had a pub, cafe, shop, church, garage and playground.

Mariah wanted to walk around.

"Look I don't see what's wrong with taking a proper look."

"Princess, there's not much more to see, its nothing special."

"Well let me be the judge of that."

"We should be getting back home."

"Dad, you're making a big deal of something so small, now I want to see the village."

Grayson looked worried. She was suspecting things. He gave up.

"Very well, then."

Grayson drove to the end of the road, by the bus stop and stopped the car.

Mariah jumped out, glad to be finally outside.

"It's a great view, I don't know what's wrong dad, you were keeping this from me."

"I was not."

"Whatever, hey who's she over there."

"Princess, no," before he could stop her she was running downhill very fast towards a girl that looked a few years older than her.

Grayson jumped in his Range Rover and sped after Mariah.

Mariah ran to the girl.

"Are you alright," the girl said surprised.

"Sure, I am, I'm Mariah, I'm new to Emmerdale."

"That's nice, oh my name is Gabby, my dad is the vicar round here, oh look here comes that Grayson bloke, come on he doesn't look pleased."

Gabby pulled Mariah along; she didn't know she was Grayson's daughter.

"Where are we going?"

"To the cafe, hurry, he's coming."

Mariah and Gabby ran to the cafe.

Grayson ran after Mariah and Gabby, he wasn't fast as them.

Once in the cafe, Gabby and Mariah stopped for energy.

"Don't think he'll see us again, where you from anyway?"

"Leeds, look Grayson is my dad."

"That's nice,, whoa...your dad, I didn't know he had any kids."

"I didn't even know I had a dad until recently."

"He hasn't been married for years, well according to my step mum Laurel, so are you in college or school?"

"I've finished school, I want to go to college and learn dance, but my dad is stopping me, he's signed me up to economics. I don't wanna do it though."

"So don't, you know what's best."

"Wish it was that easy, you said my dad was married before."

"Well yeah, that's what Laurel told me, she was always sad. His wife had one of them posh voices, had long black hair too, she killed herself apparently."

"Oh my god."

Then they were interrupted.

"Mariah, princess, so this is where you ran off to," he didn't seem too happy, but he hid his disappointment.

"Hey dad, this is Gabby."

"I know who she is, we best be going."

"It was nice talking to you Gabby, see you around."

"You too Mariah."

Mariah walked to the car wondering what on earth was up with her dad.