Feeling

Chapter 10 - The first Day

Natalie spoke to the strange man for about 20 minutes before dad came over with her drink, the seller smirked as dad spoke. "Don't want to buy anything today thank you, go bother someone else" Dad never even looked at the guy, he focused purely on sitting on his sunbed as he spoke. The man walked away and winked at Natalie, she blushed and took a sip from her pink cocktail.

I decided to make my way over to the sunbeds. The man selling was at the next young lady just a bit down the beach, but Natalie didn't seem to notice. I saw a piece of yellow paper buried in the sand. I leant forward and picked it up brushing the sand off the crumpled page. "FERRARA HOTEL DISCOTECA PRIMAVERA" read the headline. That roughly translated to a spring disco. Beneath were details of the hotel that we passed on our way down. I asked dad if we could try to get in, he said no but promised to take me into the town.

Of course I don't count on dad keeping his promise, being as at one time he vowed to love my mum and only my mum, and promised he would until he dies. Off of that subject. So that afternoon after having lunch I decided to head to the town.

Cala D'or was around 3 miles away, but it was about half a mile or so to the hotel with the bus stop. So I started to wheel myself out of the hotel. I had put a rucksack on the back of my wheelchair filled with water bottles, paracetamol, an umbrella, a hat, suncream, my room key and a small amount of cash.

Going up the wobbly pathway in the dirt field made my hands ache. As the tyres got hotter my hands started to hurt, and my skin was burning. I could feel the sun beaming down onto me. I grandually started to loose energy, but kept on going with the thought of reaching the town. Once I got to the alleyway I had a headache so I took a paracetamol and sat in the shade. I was relaxed by the shade. The heat and humidity of the air buried me in thought. It wasn't long before my excitement to get to the town took over my need for a rest and I carried on up the alleyway. Luckily the whole alleyway was in the shade, so it gave me a chance to cool down a bit.

As I went along a few stray cats started to follow me, Their fur was mangled and their skin was dry. some of them looked ill, and were stumbling over the stones and pebbles. I tried to not feel sorry for them, they meowed at me and I started to speed up to get away. I could see a lot of sun ahead, and knew I was nearly at the hotel. It had only taken me about 40 minutes to get there, so I hadn't really wasted much of the day travelling which was good. I went over to the bus stop and shoo'd the cats away from me. There were a few typically English people stood around, and a large Canadian family queuing for the bus, I could tell from their accents.

I decided to test my luck with the Canadian family first. "Hello" I spoke confidently and loudly, a young boy looked at me and said "hey" he smiled at me then turned to his mum. "mum mum, I've made a friend!" as cute as it was his accent was so piercing I couldn't help but squint a little. His mum turned to me with a large grin.

" Well hey there hun, you out travellin' alone?" I let out a little giggle before replying shyly to her

"The people I came with aren't too keen on the town, so I'm just venturing out today"

She looked at me puzzled. "Where you from girl? Australia?"

I laughed loudly before explaining to her that I'm English. Her whole family reacted. The young boy even seemed excited, I doubted he even knew where England was. She chatted to me for ages about the queen and royalty, and what it's like living somewhere that's so cold. There was very little that she knew about England, she thought we all cared about the royal baby, when in fact it was really just the papers that made a big deal out of it.

Her whole family were asking me question after question, fascinated with this 'land' that I've come from. I was just confused as to why they were in Spain when they could probably have a nicer and hotter holiday out on the coast of Canada.

When the bus arrived after what seemed like hours, the kind lady offered to pay for my bus ticket. Overwhelmed with her kindness I couldn't say no, so she helped me onto the bus and offered to take me with her and her family around the town.

I had a blast with this family. We went around all the small shops. We met loads of people, I had a purple and black braid put in my hair, and best of all, the lady's daughter, Marilyn, was in love with me. She was about 11, and just couldn't get enough of me, she often sat on my lap, and she got a hair braid to match mine. She was the loveliest little girl I'd ever met.

Marilyn offered to me to visit her in her hotel whenever I liked, she said I was allowed to use the facilities there, and she could get food for me because she had an all-inclusive wristband. The idea sounded rather risky but I couldn't say no. I got invited to the spring party with them, I'd have to pay but at least I'd have someone to go with that wasn't my dad.

Marilyn insisted on us getting friendship bracelets so we'll never forget each other. At first I objected at risk of getting a tan line, but what was a tan line compared to making a little girl happy. The family bought me snacks and drinks, and then the mother, who by the end of the day I found out was called Tamarra, pushed me down the alleyway and across the dirt path back to my hotel.

"Don't forget about the party tomorrow at 6! Be at our room at 4, we're in section B room 32, don't you be late now!" she shouted as she walked off back towards her own hotel. The family had put me in a fantastic mood, nothing would change it.

I walked into my room to find Natalie and Dad being romantic and such, I dumped my bag and went to the Italian restaurant that was in the hotel. It was the cheapest of the restaurants and at least here I could have Pizza. I got a table for just me, and didn't expect dad and Natalie to show up. I ate my food silently with a grin on my face, and tipped the waiter before wheeling myself speedily down the access slope, and back to my room.

Dad wasn't in my room but that didn't bother me, I dragged myself out of my chair and crawled into the bed, I took off my clothes and slept in my underwear, it was far too hot to sleep in the pyjamas I'd brought. I was so excited about the party, and fell asleep almost instantly.

The holiday had started pretty well, and I hoped that it would stay the same. I was woken by Dad stumbling in drunk at 1 in the morning. Still really happy I ignored him and went back to sleep.