EUPHORIA || L. MESSI

Part 1: Babysitters and New Beginnings

{phrases spoken in spanish or another appropriate language will be in italics to save confusion}

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"I miss you munchkin." My brother's voice rang out from the other side of the phone, causing a smile to cross my lips at the familiarity of the sound.

"I miss you too..." I replied "I promise I'll come and see you soon!"

He chuckled, and even from the other side of the phone line I could sense him shaking his head in amusement. "No you won't." Although I had anticipated his reply, I still didn't have the time to give an answer as he immediately reinforced his case "You always say you will, and you never do."

I sighed in defeat, knowing that he was right. Thomas had an ability to be able to tell me anything and I'd accept it, maybe it was simply the fact that he was my older brother, or that he just had a way with words.

"I love you," he continued, the sympathetic smile on his lips evident in his tone "I'll speak to you later, give my love to RIley."

"Love you too Tommy." I replied, hanging up with another sigh. I missed my family, but moving away from England had given me the new start I needed.

I had been born in Nottingham in England, but my dad died when I was four, Tommy eight, and my younger brother Harry merely 6 months. Unable to face the city where her husband passed, my mum moved to Liverpool, where she met my now step-father, David. They had twins together, Troi and Violet, and haven't moved from the city ever since.

I, on the other hand, couldn't wait to leave the city. England never held good memories for me, from my father's death to my inability to ever fit in to the system I grew up in.

When I was 16 I ended up pregnant, giving birth to my first child just after turning 17, a result of my own stupidity, but all the same the best thing to happen to me. Riley, my son, was one of the only things that had kept me going - determined to get what I wanted. And once I qualified in my course at university, I made quick work of leaving Liverpool, and England.

The change I made was quite drastic, but one that was proving to benefit me, despite the distance between me and my loved ones. Ending up in Spain was a decision that was easy, for I had always aimed to move there to teach English in local high schools. My mother was Spanish on her father's side, having moved to Nottingham when she was in her early twenties, so moving to El Masnou in Barcelona was like coming home.

It was hard, nonetheless. I always felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb here, even if no one could tell I didn't belong.

"Momma," a small voice came from the door, and I looked over to see Riley peering his head around the frame, the same cheeky smile on his face that always reminded me so much of my younger brother Harry. "Cece is here."

I chuckled upon hearing the way he spoke his teacher's name, standing up and walking to the door to let her in. Cecelia was a wonderful woman who I had hired as Riley's carer and teacher after moving to Spain. As he wasn't confident with his basic Spanish, as I had made the mistake to not teach him as much as possible when I had the chance, I chose to homeschool him for the time being. Cecelia offered both education in the basic Literature and Mathematics, as well as Spanish lessons and general care. Although my mum always told me I shouldn't homeschool my child, it felt the best option for now as Riley loved Cecelia, and she was a truly incredible carer and lady - plus he still built his social skills at his football club that he adored.

I had known the man who ran the club for a long time and he used to work at Liverpool FC where Tommy worked as a physio, and had left a few years before me to set up a local club in El Masnou.