bound to happen | complete

chapter one | a new start

M E L A N I E L E I G H T O N

JANUARY 4th 2008 ...

The music blares through the car speakers. Naive by The Kooks, fills the space as my three sisters fill out the seats of my car.

Seren is up front, my phone in her hand as she chooses what song to play next, although her feet are put up on a few bags of mine underneath. Eilonwyn and Leilani are in the back, the middle seat separating them, some more of my things filling the back of the car and the boot.

I never expected to be moving across country at seventeen. Packing up my whole life from the big city, well, as big as a South Wales city can get. But yet, here I am.

My parents and brothers set off a few minutes before us with all of the bigger household things with the moving van, and the boys all in my brothers car, but it took the girls and I a little while longer to set off. Something about me having a lot more boxes and bags to bring.

Now that I look at how rammed my car is, I understand why.

My father at age forty-two finally decided that it was time to retire in the jersey and watch his fellow teammates on screen now. Of course we all supported his decision, but we never thought it entailed moving across country.

He could never fully leave it behind though, the rugby. So he's moved us to a small town with a private school that's full of teenage boy rugby enthusiasts. Just the thing I despise.

Filling the car with the sounds of our voices, I drive up to the welcome sign. "Welcome to Cwmllyn." And as I pass it, it all becomes real.

The atmosphere completely changes as we drive pass farmland and make our way into the middle of town. I turn down the volume slightly and follow the Sat Nav as it directs me through town.

I follow it right the way through, passing all major parts such as schools and shopping centres. Although it's in the country side, the place is relatively big, but smaller from where we've lived all our lives.

The Sat Nav then takes us to a small part, houses now. Driving up a long road towards what seems as an estate. And just as we enter I can immediately see the moving van down the very end of the road.

The very last house, the biggest too, but I'm sure that's just because there's ten of us.

I can see people looking out of their windows and their front doors, or gathering in a front garden like I see a small group of people doing. They can't be much older than me, maybe even my age.

I pull up on the driveway next to my brothers car, and then kill the engine. The girls all start to undo their seatbelts and get out of the car, but I just stay still. Taking it all in.

I'm not upset about the move, I'm just nervous. It's all new, there's no more going to stadiums and watching dad play, not more travelling the globe and getting up early to run around with a ball. No more painting our cheeks with a dragon and the little ones wearing those stupid daffodil hats.

No more of that. Just... this.

A home in the countryside, a new school, new people, a new life.

It's with that, that I take the key out of the ignition and climb out of the car. The cold winter air hits me as I walk from my car and into the house.

Boxes already fill the hallway and some rooms I can see through with the doors open. Keys jingling in my hand, I walk through and meet the rest of my family in the kitchen. As I do, I take in the parts of the house I can see.

It's a very old build, but beautiful. A lot of windows to let in natural light, but not too many. It's a big house too, but not too big.

The back kitchen wall is filled with full length windows and glass doors too. And my whole family stands in the centre.

"Are you ready for this?" My father is the first to speak when I enter, my mother attached to his arm like she always is. I stand close to my brother Ben. Although same age, he's still a whole foot taller than me at 6'2. His height from our father, and mine being 5'2, from my mother.

Ben pulls me closer to him, his hand resting on the side of my shoulder as I nod along as everyone chimes in with a yes. I'm not so certain I'm ready for this, but it seems too late.

❦ ❦ ❦

A FEW HOURS later, every box inside and in the right rooms, bed frames up and mattresses on, I'm now stood in my new room, my hair now up in a very messy and loose ponytail, I stand right in the centre looking at the mess.

As well as my bed and mattress up and ready, my chest of draws, and desk have been put up. Most of it is all filled up now, boxes empty and my suitcases thrown into the walk in wardrobe I've somehow managed to get, as well as all my toiletries in the en-suite.

I'm hot and sweaty, definitely in need of a shower, but I still have a long way to go before I can even think about that. My bed needs making, and my TV needs setting up, because in no way am I going to bed in a silent and dark room.

Right now though, I need a break. So standing in the middle of the mess will have to do.

My bedroom door opens up and I turn to see Ben walking in. He comes to a halt next to me, and stands looking at what I am. The window.

"You've done well. All I've done is make my bed." Ben admits, crossing his arms as he does.

"Yeah." I breathe "I can deal with the mess, unlike some of us." I add and rub my hands over my head as I do.

"New start, aye." He pokes his elbow into the side of my arm.

" 'bout time." I add, we've needed it for a long time, I'm just not sure now is a good time.

"Private school tomorrow too." He adds and i sigh. I completely forgot about starting school tomorrow.

"Don't remind me." I groan, dropping to the floor and piling out the box of books next to me. "I'm not ready for the private school boys. Especially the ones who are obsessed with rugby." I joke and he laughs. But then I take a serious tone "what if they know who dad is?" I ask, putting down a few books and looking up at Ben.

He sighs, before leaning against the bed frame. "It's like you said, they're obsessed with rugby, of course they're going to know who dad is." He stops for a moment and runs his hands through his golden hair. Blonde, once again like our father. All the boys in the family take over dad, and the girls take over mam. Even if Ben and I are twins, we couldn't look any less alike. "Just don't mention it until they ask, that's what I'm going to do." He adds and I sigh.

"Good idea." I reply. Let's just hope they don't ask, don't recognise and don't use.