Chapter 1 - The Next Day
I woke up and got myself ready for school. I wondered if Aunty Tyla was okay seeing as yesterday her worst nightmare came true. If we knew about what Kyle did to her, we wouldn’t have led him right to her, but we didn’t. I’d just got out the shower so went into my bedroom. I put on my new school skirt, my school top, my black cardigan, black tights and my underwear before starting on my hair. I’d gotten Mums thick and straight hair. I put on a headband which separated my fringe from the other bit of my hair before I started on my make up. I then got my school bag and put on my body warmer before looking in the mirror. “DAYUM GIRL YOU FINE!” I said to myself. I had a reputation to protect after all. I knocked on Mum’s bedroom door and she didn’t answer. Mum was a heavy sleeper, especially on Mondays as she had the day off but she hadn’t left my money on the side so more fool her. I jumped on her. “ARGH!” she screamed, swinging for me. “MUM!” I shouted as I held her down. She was strong but I just about held her down so she didn’t hit me. She woke up and opened her eyes. She’d thought I was a burglar or something. She sat up in bed. “WHAT IS THAT?! I sent you to go buy a SCHOOL SKIRT not a BELT” Mum said looking at my school skirt. “It IS a skirt!” I said to her. She looked at me with a stern look on her face. “Give me my money or I’ll be late” I said to her. She gave me a tenner and put her head back on her pillow. I then went downstairs, grabbed a cereal bar and a carton of Um Bongo before walking to meet my best friend Jenelle. I waited for her for about 5 minutes before ringing her. “Where are you?” I asked her. “Coming man, I’m coming” she said, locking off the phone. 10 minutes later and she was there. We then jumped on the bus and went to meet Shania and Sherelle. They were twins and even I, after knowing them for so long, had trouble telling them apart sometimes. We met them and then got on the bus towards school. As we got off the bus I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. My blood started to boil and I could feel myself about to snap. It happened a further time and I snapped.
Chapter 2 - Trust
"Was this bitch for real?!" I thought. She'd just kissed my boyfriend twice. He looked at me. "Alisha! I'm sorry!" He said. I stood there and cried before running up to the girl and smashing her head against the wall a few times. "Get off me you slag!" She shouted. I punched her a further 4 times before I began to kick her. A car screeched to a halt on the road and a female got out. "STOP IT!!!" Mia, my godmother and cousin shouted. She got me off of the girl. I kicked the girl once more before going with Mia in her car. I told her what had happened and she hugged me as I cried. "Come on, let's get you home" she said. I nodded still sobbing in the passenger seat. We got to mine and I gave Mia my key to let herself in. "SHARNA!" She shouted. Mum appeared at the top of the stairs half asleep but soon woke up when she saw I was sobbing. She ran downstairs and held me. I loved my Mum, she made me feel so safe and wanted. Mia filled Mum in. "Aww, heartbreaks not nice, I know, but it gets easier" Mum said before kissing my forehead. "How about we go Birmingham today? Go see the family?" Mum suggested. "Okay" I replied. "Let's go to Asda and get a car munch first though!" Mia said. I got changed and re-did my hair. Mum still had to get ready so she told us to come back for her. As we were on the way to Asda we saw a couple kissing. "Aww! Soppy gits!" Mia said. As we got out of the car the girl turned around. She looked shocked. Holly was the one locking lips with Elliot.
Chapter 3 – Not Again
"HOLLY WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Mia shouted. My cousin Holly was with Elliot then her best friend Shanice got pregnant and it was Elliot's kid. Both Holly and Shanice are pregnant now. So why Elliot was fucking with Holly when he and Shanice are married, with 2 kids and another on the way, I will never know. It’s messy shit. I stood there in shock. After Mia had had a go at Holly, Holly got in her car and drove off. We went to Asda and got what we wanted, both in shock still I might add. As we were walking out, the worst possible person for us to see walked out too. Shanice. She smiled at us. "Aup you two" she said. "Aup" Mia said. I just smiled. "Say hello Armarni" Shanice said to her 2 year old son. Armarni made a noise that sounded like a hello. "Is Holly okay? She's not been answering her phone to me" Shanice said. Mia looked at Shanice. "What's up with her?! It’s not the baby is it?!" She said alarmed. "Can we go back to yours? I need to tell you something" Mia said. "Yeah, I'll meet you there" she said. "What am I doing Alisha?" Mia asked me. "The right thing?" I said. Mia smiled at me. Shanice was already there by time we got there. Mia told her what she'd seen. "I KNEW SOMETHING WAS GOING ON!!" Shanice shouted. She went upstairs and Mia followed her, she appeared later with a bag for Elliot. Moments later Elliot came through the door. "GET OUT!" she screamed. "No, I'm not leaving, why you believing her for?" He shouted at Shanice. "Fine, I'll go then with the kids! Sure Mum and Dad won't mind!" Shanice shouted walking up the stairs. I heard shouting and Shanice screaming at Elliot. She came to the top of the stairs holding 3 bags. "Put these in my car please babe" she said to me. I did as I was told. I came back inside to them arguing at the top of the stairs. "You're not going anywhere!" Elliot shouted at Shanice. "Oh, aren't I?!" She shouted. Elliot got his hand on her arm. "LET ME GO!" Shanice shouted. She pulled again just as Elliot let her go. I watched in disbelief as she fell down her stairs and landed on the hallway carpet. Unconscious. Elliot stood looking at his hands. Did he just push her or did she fall? I asked myself that question over and over again.
Chapter 4 – Second Time Lucky
Mia ran over to Shanice. “ALISHA RING AN AMBULANCE NOW!” she shouted at me. Elliot ran down the stairs. “I’M SORRY! I didn’t mean to” he shouted. “What do you mean you’re sorry?! Sorry for which part of this exactly?!” Mia asked. “I didn’t mean to do it...SHANICE...I’M SORRY” Elliot shouted. “I can’t be bothered with your code talk! You know if she wasn’t in this state I’d actually fuck you over, she’s been like my little sister ever since she was like 7, both her and Dominique are! You’re such an idiot! Get out!” Mia screamed. He did as he was told. The ambulance arrived just as Mum rang my phone. “Where are you two?! I’m ready and waiting” she said, oblivious to what had gone on. “Mum, there’s been an accident” I said crying down the phone. “What?!” she said alarmed. “Mum, it’s Shanice, she’s in a bad way...” I said to Mum. “Okay, want me to ring her brother? I’ve known him since way back” Mum said. “Yeah, thanks, tell him to ring her Mum and Dad and meet us at the hospital please” I said. “Okay, I love you” Mum said. “You too Mummy” I said locking off the phone. We got to the hospital and waited in the waiting room. Mia’s phone went off. “Yes Mum...WHAT...NO...SHUT UP...SHE’S LYING! DON’T TRUST HER THE STUPID LITTLE BITCH! BECAUSE OF HER, SHANICE IS IN HOSPITAL...YES...NEVERMIND, SHE’S DONE ENOUGH....SHUT UP. BYE.” She shouted in her phone. Dominique came running into the room tears in her eyes. Mia got up and hugged her. The doctor came into the room with a grave look on his face. “We’ve managed to save them both, but she will need to stay in for a few days” he said. “What’s happenend?!” Mia said jumping out of her seat. "Are you related to Mrs Hunter?" He said. "She's been like my little sister since we were little" Mia replied. "You can go see her if you want...sure she'd be glad to see a friendly face" the doctor said. "You go, I'll wait for her parents" Mia said to Dominique.
Chapter 5 - Dominique's Chapter
Shanice just lay there in the hospital bed, still. She didn't even move her head to look at me when I walked in the room. It hurt seeing my best friend like this. She didn't even look at me or even say a word. I sat there just staring at her. I went to hold her hand, she moved it quickly and made me jump. “I’m sorry” she said finally looking at me. She began to cry. I got up and hugged her. “Don’t cry baby girl, it’ll be okay, see, the Lord let you keep this little one same he did with Aaliyah...it’ll be okay” I said hugging my best friend. “It’s not that...” she said. “What then? You have it all, 2 soon to be 3 beautiful kids...a wonderful husband” I said. “NO I FUCKING DON’T! ME AND HIM ARE OVER! IT’S SHANICE CARTER NOT HUNTER! FUCK HIM! WATCH WHEN MY BROTHER HEARS ABOUT THIS! AND I’LL HAVE HOLLY TOO!” Shanice screamed going mental. Nobody even told me what had been going on and why Shanice was in hospital, I just sped to the hospital when I heard my best friend was here. I held her as she cried. I’d never ever seen Shanice cry like this, in all the time I’d known her. We’d been close ever since we were babies, as our Mums went school together and then when Holly moved to Birmingham we became a troublesome threesome. She explained what had gone on. She began to cry even harder as she got to the end. “He pushed me Dom, you can’t tell anyone though, he’d go to prison, even though he’s a lying, cheating, selfish idiot, my kids still need a Dad” she confessed. I sat there in disbelief before holding out my pinky finger. “Pinky promise” I said. She held hers up too. She smiled at me and then wiped away her tears. “Listen, I’ll take care of Aaliyah and Armani if you like” I said to Shanice. “No, you can’t look after 3 young kids in your condition babe...they can go to my Mum and Dad’s” she replied. “No, think about it, you were a toddler a long, long time ago, they’d have forgotten by now” I said. “True...but it’d only be until I got out of this place, promise, and thank you, you’re such a good best friend” she replied. “Okay, and it’s okay beautiful, you’d do the same for me, in fact you have done the same for me” I said smiling. She smiled back and I decided to go as soon as Shanice’s Mum and Dad, Amanda and Carlos arrived. Shanice gave me her door key so I could get some bits and bobs for Aaliyah and Armani. I got in my car and went to Shanice’s to get some stuff for her, Armani and Aaliyah. I got out my car and a person’s car who I really didn’t want to see right now was parked outside of Shanice’s. Holly was here with Elliot.
Chapter 6 - Dominique's Chapter Part 2
I opened the front door with the key Shanice gave me and found Holly crying on the sofa. I didn’t feel any sympathy for her. “You know, because of you two and your silly antics my best friend nearly lost her baby...or YOUR WIFE” I shouted at Elliot. “OR YOUR BEST FRIEND” I shouted at Holly. I went on and on about how foolish they’d been. “Shut up” Holly had the nerve to say. “WHAT?! ME?! SHUT UP?! WHY SHOULD I SHUT UP?!” I shouted back at her. “Who was Elliot with first? Before SOMEONE got herself pregnant by him?! She didn’t even want that mistake for goodness sake, she only kept it to keep Elliot” Holly said. What she said made me mad but I wasn’t about to fight my husband’s twin sister, especially not when we were both in no condition to fight. “Funny, you’ve never said that to Shanice have you? You know why Holly? You know she’d knock you the fuck out...you know full well Aaliyah changed her, made her a better person, she loves that little girl just as much as I do!” I shouted at her. “Yeah, you go ahead, side with her like you always do anyway, nothing new there!” she shouted back at me. “Why are you doing this? You’re with Jamie? Why do you want Elliot? He has 2, soon to be 3 children with Shan, why the fuck you gonna wreck that Holly?” I asked her. She looked at Elliot. “Are you gonna tell her or am I?” she asked Elliot. “Holly shut up, not yet, let me tell Shanice first” Elliot said. “What, so earlier you were all up for it? Now you wanna duck out? You’re such an idiot” Holly said. She’d changed big time and I didn’t like this new person she was. I wanted to knock 7 shades out of her but I knew I had to just keep my cool. “No, I’m not with Jamie no more, he found out the truth, found out this baby I’m carrying couldn’t be his” Holly confessed. “Who’s is it then?!....OH HELL FUCKING NO HOLLY WHY DO YOU DO THIS SHIT?! PLEASE TELL ME ELLIOT IS NOT YOUR BABYFATHER!” I shouted at her. “If it’ll make you feel better, but I don’t lie so...YES HE FUCKING IS...WE’RE MOVING AWAY FOR GOOD...I GOT MY OWN BACK!” Holly shouted. “Elliot you can’t do this to Shanice, it’ll tear her apart!” I said to Elliot, tears in my eyes because I was that mad. “There’s only so much you can love someone, also, you never stop loving your first” he said kissing Holly infront of me. I ran to where Shanice said the bags were. I then got them and put them in my car. By this time, they’d got in Holly’s car with all of Elliot’s stuff. I made Harvey come round and change the locks. “Why does Shanice want her locks changing though?” he asked me. “Nevermind, just do it Harvey” I said. I didn’t want to tell him and I wasn’t going to tell him. He did as he was told and changed all 3 locks which included the front door, the back door and the patio doors. That way Elliot couldn’t make his way back into Shanice’s life whenever he wanted to. I sat on the step staring into the air. “What’s up?” Harvey asked me. “Nothing” I said. He looked at me and I began to cry. He pulled me up off the step gently and held me tightly in his arms. I cried for my best friend the most. How would I tell her that her other best friend who she’d known 14 years had gotten pregnant by her husband and her husband had now runaway with her for good? I had no idea how I was going to tell her, but it wouldn’t be until she was out of hospital as I didn’t want her to worry herself and make herself worse, I just knew I had to be the best friend I could to support her at this difficult stage in her life.
Chapter 7 – Back to Alisha’s Story
Mum decided it was time for us to head on home. We popped into the corner shop on the way home for a munch. “Get what you want” Mum said. I walked into the shop and brought what I wanted and then came out. Mum was stood talking to a guy I’d never seen before. “Ahh, here she is now, this is my daughter Alisha” Mum said smiling at me. “Alisha this is my friend Tanaka from school” Mum said smiling at me. “Friends are we now?” Tanaka said. Mum shot him a look. “My daughter mustn’t know about her Mummy and our past” Mum said winking. “Well, I’d love to take you out for a drink tonight, get to catch up properly?” He asked Mum. “Okay” Mum said forgetting about our little date we had infront of the telly with our munchies and our girly films. She looked excited so I decided to just let it go, we could do it another night after all. “Oh crap! I can’t go, we have our little date” Mum said whilst she was driving home. “No, it’s okay Mum, you go out, have fun I’ll be fine” I said to her getting out the car. “Thank you sweetheart” Mum said hugging and kissing me. “NOT IN PUBLIC!” I shouted. She laughed at me. She got ready and looked so beautiful. I sat on my bed just chilling deciding what to do. I then remembered my phone had been off all day. I had missed calls from my main 3 girls. I rang Jenelle. “I’m fine babe, honestly, fuck him, I’ll move on” I said. “Well you know that nice looking boy, the one you always see on the bus, after you left he came up to me like “arr is she okay” and I was like “arr i dunno” and basically he likes you, said someone so beautiful shouldn’t be crying like that over such a stupid boy, and he’s added you on Facebook” Jenelle said. “You mean the one I always smile at on the bus?” I asked. “Yes, him, the nice looking one” Jenelle replied. I felt a little smile form across my face as I went on Facebook and saw the one friend request. My ex had hurt me, but I was sure this nice dude would be my next.
Chapter 8 – Romance
I looked at the clock, I’d been on the phone to Riley, the nice looking guy, for about 5 hours straight. “That guy’s stupid man, I’d never let something so beautiful walk out of my life like that” he said. I smiled to myself. Mum still wasn’t back and it was getting to 3am. “What you even doing up so late?” Riley asked me. “Mum’s gone out, so I’m waiting for her to come back, she met a guy today, she’s know him for ages and decided to go out for a drink with him” I explained. “Ah, your Mum wasn’t the only one to strike lucky today then was she?” Riley said cockily. “Yeah, I’m still a bit cut up about my ex though” I said. “I understand, I’m patient though, we can be just friends if you want” he said. “I’d like that” I replied. I heard the front door swing open. Mum came running up to my room. “I gotta go yeah, text me, Mum’s back, she’ll have a hissy fit if she finds out I’m on the phone this time of the night, bye” I said. “Alright, bye beautiful” he replied locking off the phone. I put my phone on my bedside table and pretended to be asleep. “I KNOW YOU’RE NOT SLEEPING YOUNG LADY!” Mum said. I opened my eyes. “I have had the best night in a long long long time!” Mum said sitting at the end of my bed smiling at me. “Have you? Spill!” I replied sitting upright in bed. “He took me for a drink as promised; I’d never laughed like that, ever since your Dad was around” Mum said. This guy made her really happy. 3 months later and they were an official item. He spent most nights at ours and knew how to keep me happy always buying me and Mum presents. Mum popped to the shop and I thought Tanaka had gone with her. I went downstairs all ready as I was going to meet Riley. “Where you going looking so stush?” he asked me. “Erm...” I said. “I won’t tell your Mum, don’t worry” he said. “This boy, his name’s Riley, we’ve been talking for ages....” I replied. “Fine, bring him here, I wanna be meeting him” he said.
Chapter 9 – The In-Laws
“Okay, be back in 10 minutes” I said to him. “Alright, don’t worry, I just wanna make sure he’s legit and what not” he said smiling at me. I walked out the door and down to meet Riley. “Hello beautiful” he said when I got to where he was. “Hello mister” I said smiling. I told him about Tanaka wanting to meet him. “I’m okay with that” he said smiling at me. He took my hand and I led him to my house. Mum was back. “My Mum’s in too...” I said. “Even better” he said smiling at me. “You’re such a babe” I said to him. He kissed me on the cheek. I smiled and kissed him back but on the lips. I could feel him smiling as we kissed. He looked up and pulled away from me. “Your Mum’s there, I’m not kissing her daughter like that in front of her” he said. He was such a gentleman. I smiled at him and he smiled back. “Ready?” he asked me. “Hold up, I should be asking you this...” I said to him. “Yeah but, I’m not scared, I know I’ll be fine, your Mum looks nice, and her boyfriend does too” he said smiling at me. I smiled back before opening my door. Tanaka got up. “Nice to meet you” Riley said holding his hand out to shake Tanaka’s hand. Tanaka clenched his fist. “None of that posh foolishness with me! A respect is fine mate” Tanaka said. Riley did as he was told and did it like the mandem. “Nice meeting you too, I see where Alisha gets her beauty from” he said kissing Mum on the cheek. “Oh, I like this one Alisha, keep hold of this one” Mum said winking at me. We all sat down and Riley answered their questions. “What do you do then?” Tanaka asked Riley. “I go to college at the moment, first year A Levels, I wanna be a doctor when I get older, helping people gives me some kinda buzz, you know what I mean?” he said. “You’ve got my approval mate” Mum said smiling like any fool. “Hmmm...no sex either you know boy” Tanaka said. I felt myself going bright red. “Wouldn’t dream of it, not until she was ready anyway” he said truthfully. “You have my approval too” Tanaka said smiling. Riley smiled at me, he wasn’t out of the fire yet though, he still had my Uncle Shaquille and my Aunty Neveah to take care of, also my grandparents who still called me their little granddaughter. This, I feared, would be very difficult. Finally my Godmother and cousin Mia who after seeing the way my ex got to me so bad, vowed never to let me see another boy for as long as I lived. That would be impossible.
Chapter 10 – 1 Month On
Today was the day Nana, Granddad, Uncle Shaquille and Aunty Neveah was meeting Riley for the first time. We made our way to Birmingham speeding down the motorway. “SLOW DOWN YOU SPEED DEMON!” Tanaka said to Mum. “NO! I LIKE SPEED! Stop being a big baby!” Mum said. I was just on the back seats with Riley laying on him. “Your hair smells bum” he said to me. “That’s because I’m a bamting!” I replied in my cockney accent. My new cousin, Aimee had taught me how to speak cockney when I slept at hers not long ago, so I was exceptionally good at it. We finally got there and Aunty Neveah answered the door. “Little sister!” Mum said smiling at her. “LITTLE?! I’M 17 MAN! NEARLY 18!” she shouted. “Alright, calm down; remember you’re never too old for a pasting” Mum said to Aunty Neveah who then stepped aside to let her in. “Listen, you know if you hurt my big sister, I will murder you” she said looking at Tanaka. “Don’t intend to” he said smiling. She let him in. Next it was Riley’s turn for the interrogation. “Listen, if you hurt my niece, I won’t just kill you, I will make it a slow and painful death” Aunty Neveah said smiling at him. “I won’t, I promise, I’ve seen her cry and it wasn’t nice, I’d never hurt her like that idiot hurt her, I give you my word” Riley said smiling. “Alright, I believe you” she said letting us both in. Mum, Tanaka, Granddad and Grandma were in the kitchen. I went and kissed them both. “This is Riley...Riley this is my Nana and Granddad” I said. “Nice meeting you” Riley said shaking Granddad’s hand. Granddad smiled. “You too, not many gentleman about these days! It’s nice to see the young ‘uns being a gentleman” Granddad said. Riley smiled before kissing Nana on her cheek the same way he did with Mum. “Nice meeting you aswell” Riley said to Nana. “Ooo! I see what you mean now Jamilah!” Nana said. “If you end up looking like your Nana when you get older, I could get used to that” he said winking at my Nana. This wasn’t so bad after all, by time we left it was still early, so Mum decided to go and see my Aunty Tyla who was also her best friend. Me, Riley and Tanaka went with her. Ellie answered the door. “Yes cuz!” she said looking at me. “Safe cuz!” I replied. Everybody else looked gone out as they didn’t get the reason to why we did it. It was a cousin thing between me, Ellie and Aimee. I heard shouting. It sounded like Aimee. I ran out of the garden and onto the pavement. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Rage started to bubble in my veins.
Chapter 11 – Dominique’s chapter
I put Ria, my 9 week year old daughter, into her car seat before going upstairs. “You ready?” I said to my elder daughter. “Yes Mummy” Amelia said. “Come on then, let’s go and see Aunty Shanice, where are her presents we got for her and your new god brother Andre?” I asked her. “Yeah!” she said getting her coat on, then getting the presents before coming downstairs with me. Shanice had Andre 4 days ago, with me and her Mum by her side. Every time I spoke to her she sounded tired and fed up, so I decided today, we should have a nice long girly chat to try cheering her up a bit. I put Ria in the passenger seat whilst Amelia strapped herself in on the back seat on her booster seat. Amelia knocked on and Shanice came to the door. She looked like a zombie. She used to stay up for days on end when she was younger, but I guess it’s different when you have 3 kids under 6 to look after. “Aaliyah’s upstairs sweetheart, her and Armani are playing in her room, want to go and play with them?” Shanice asked forcing a smile. Amelia nodded before giving Shanice the presents we’d both brought her. “Aww thank you, you haven’t seen Andre yet though have you?” Shanice said. Amelia shook her head. She took her hand and led her to the bottom stair gate, she let Amelia go through first before locking it behind her, and she did with the same at the top aswell. Shanice was such a safety freak when it came to her kids and their welfare. Ria woke up and smiled at me. “Hello gorgeous” I said to my daughter. I got myself comfy. “You lot play nice okay, I and DommyDom are downstairs if you want us just shout” Shanice said before coming downstairs. “DommyDom? What kind of...” I started. Tears were streaming down my best friends face. I put Ria back into her car seat before hugging my best friend. “What’s up?” I asked her. “Amelia said he looked like Elliot, I miss him so much” she said. She cried like I’d never seen her cry before in my whole entire life. This wasn’t the Shanice I knew. He’d broken her down. “I feel like such an idiot” she said through her tears. “Don’t cry babe” I said holding her. “I can’t do it...I can’t be a good Mum to these kids, they’d be better off without me” she said. “WHAT?! Do not EVER talk like that again” I shouted at her. “It’s true though!” she screamed back at me. I slapped her. I don’t know why I did it, I thought it might have slapped some sense into her. She broke down into my shoulder, and I could do nothing more but be a friend to her and hold her as she wept.
Chapter 12 - Back To The Drama
I ran up to Aimee, Riley following me. "Aimee, what's up? What's he done?" I asked her. She shook her head and cried. "What have you done to her?!" I asked the boy. He didn't answer me. "She asked you a question" Riley said stepping to him. “Riley it’s okay” I said to Riley. He calmed down. “Look, I’m sorry Aimee, ring me when you’ve calmed down, I love you” Aiden, Aimee’s boyfriend said to Aimee before kissing her. Ellie came running down the road. “Aimee come on, it’s okay” Ellie said holding out her hand. Aimee took it and walked back. “Who are you then?” Ellie said smiling at Riley. “Riley, and you?” he asked. “I’m Ellie, this is Aimee” Ellie replied. We all went back. “What’s up?” Aunty Tyla asked Aimee. “Nothing...it doesn’t matter” she said. She let Ellie take care of Aimee whilst she and Uncle Jason asked Riley their questions. He passed the test. I went to go check on Aimee and Ellie also spend some time with them whilst Riley got to know the family a bit better. I knocked on Ellie’s bedroom door. Aimee was sobbing into Ellie’s shoulder. “I just want it all to stop, I still get nightmares! I miss my Mum and Dad so much! Even though I never knew my Dad, but you know what I mean” Aimee said crying. Ellie went to get some tissue for her face. “Thanks” Aimee said. “It’s just when he got on top of me, to you know, it reminded me of Calvin, and I just couldn’t” Aimee said crying even more. I hugged her. “You’re safe now Aimee, your Mum and Dad are watching over you from Heaven, making sure no harm comes to their beautiful little girl...the same way my Dad is with me” I said to Aimee. She smiled. We went back downstairs and I sat on the sofa next to Riley, with Aimee sat next to me on the other side and Ellie perched on the arm. After a while we set back off home. Mum said Riley could stay as it was a Saturday night. Tanaka then called us both downstairs. He then called Mum in from the kitchen where she was washing up. She was wiping her hands on a tea towel when we got downstairs. He got down on one knee. “I’ve been crazy about you ever since I set my eyes on you the first day you came to our school” he said. Mum began to cry. “Marry me?” he asked.
Chapter 13 – A New Family
“YES I WILL BLOODY MARRY YOU!” Mum said in a high pitched squeal. Tanaka got up and she kissed him. Me and Riley went upstairs into my room. We put a DVD on and I got comfy on him. I was playing on my blackberry Facebook app. Mum had already posted a Facebook status declaring that she was now engaged:
Sharna Hayden
T asked me to marry him! Now I’m wearing his promise ring..in other words, I’M ENGAGED :D
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You, Sharna Hayden, Mia Robinson, Jamilah Hayden and 23 others like this.
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Aimee Mills
YAY! Wedding cake. Congrats cuz. Love ya xxx
5 minutes ago · Unlike ·
Mia Robinson
Finally, he’s been putting it off for time man! Gonna ring you in a minute x
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Jamilah Hayden
Aww! My little girl is all grown up *cries* :( no longer my little baby anymore are you?! Mum xxxx
2 minutes ago · Unlike ·
Sharna Hayden
@Aimee – Yes, wedding cake! I love you too sweetie. x @Mia, shush man, leave him, yeah do that. x and @Mummy, I’ll always be your little girl, so quit crying! x
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I loved it when Mum was happy, and she loved it when I was happy. I looked up at Riley and smiled at him. “You’re so beautiful you know boo” he said. “I know....I’m joking before you go all difficult with me, you’re a bamting!” I said in my cockney accent. He laughed. I fell asleep on my boyfriend that night feeling the happiest and luckiest girl in the world.
Chapter 14 – An old flame
I’d had the best day yesterday, I spent most of the day in my pyjamas, with Riley, my Mum and Tanaka. I met Riley on the way to school and walked hand in hand with him down the road whilst he sang to me. He was a good singer and every word made me fall in love with him even more. I finally had to leave him and I walked up to meet Jenelle. “OI!” I shouted at her. She turned around. “Yes Leesh!” she shouted back hugging me. We spent the day like we usually did, drifting from classroom to classroom, I then met Tanaka on the way home. Whilst walking to meet him I saw my ex, the one who’d broken my heart. “ALISHA!” he shouted after I’d walked passed him and halfway down the road, I didn’t even turn round, I just carried on walking. I began to cry as I remembered the day I caught him cheating on me. He ran up towards me and grabbed my arm. “GET OFF ME” I screamed. “No, if I can’t have you then nobody will” he said to me. I screamed. A woman came out of her house to see what all the commotion was about. It was Shanice. “GET OFF HER INIT” she shouted. He gripped tighter. She pounced on him. I’d never seen this side to her, but heard about it. She fucked him over then took my hand and led me into hers, before closing back the door and locking it. I was in a state by this point. “What did he do to you babe?” she asked me making me a drink. I couldn’t even speak. I just sat there and cried, I told her what was up after 10 more minutes of me crying and her holding me. “I got memories of him and her kissing, him cheating, the rat” I finally managed to say. She looked at me and a stray tear fell down her cheek. Me and my big mouth, the same had happened to her, except, her ex now had a baby with his new girl, who was also my cousin. She also had 3 kids to take care of. I stopped crying immediately. “I’m sorry” I said to her. “It’s not your fault babe, I’m only crying because it hurts to see a boy make a girl cry now I know what it feels like, you’ve just gotta stay strong, I was weak at first, but I have 3 beautiful kids out of this, what more could I ask for? Just to hear one of them shout Mummy or to see their beautiful faces, that’s enough to keep me going” she said. Her strength gave me hope. She rang Mum again, but like the previous times Mum wouldn’t answer her phone and neither would Tanaka. Shanice wouldn’t let me walk home alone, seeing as I’d gotten upset so she decided to drop me home herself. Aaliyah was still at an after school club, so she only had to put Andre in his car seat and into the car, then strap Armani in the back seat in his car seat. She dropped me off and watched me until I got inside my house. I then turned around to wave and she smiled and waved back. She then winded her window down. “Don’t ever like a guy get you down!” she said waving once more and driving off. Shanice was actually an alright person and a very strong woman.
Chapter 15 – Changed
I walked in the house to find Mum and Tanaka sat on my sofa. “Why did you not answer your phone?!” I shouted at Mum. “We’re watching a film, as you can see” Mum replied. I hated the way she acted now she was with him. She was always with him, never had any time for me anymore, and if it wasn’t for Riley, I bet I’d be left alone. “I SAW THAT TWAT OF AN EX! HE GRIPSED ME UP MUM! I SCREAMED I WAS SO SCARED! LUCKILY SHANICE HEARD ME AND DID YOUR JOB! PROTECTED ME! WHILST YOU’RE HERE WITH LOVERBOY!” I shouted at her. “You can’t talk to your mother like that!” Tanaka said. “OH SHUT UP. YOU’RE NOT MY DAD! YOU’RE JUST GONNA BE MY STEP DAD SOON!” I shouted at him. “How dare you speak to him like that!” Mum shouted at me. “What? I haven’t done a THING wrong Mum, we both know this, you’re just too cocky hungry for your own daughter, it’s fine, I SEE HOW IT IS” I shouted at her before running out the door. I ran as fast as I could down the roads to Riley’s house, tears streaming down my face and my eyes filling up with water so fast I couldn’t look where I was going. My phone began to ring. It was Mia. I answered it.”WHAT?!” I shouted down the phone. “Alisha listen to me, I’ve noticed it, but your Mums happy, that’s why I let it go...” she said. “She’s my MUM, he’s her BOYFRIEND for god sake! Does that not mean anything?!” I shouted at her. “Calm down, she’s happy babe, I know it’s hard, but I’ve never seen her so happy” she said. I locked off the phone and carried on running. I finally got to Riley’s house. I pressed his bell and his Mum, Maria came to the door. “RILEY!” she shouted as soon as she saw the state of me. “Come in Alisha, come in sweetheart” she said holding me as I cried. I heard Riley come out of his room. “Yes Mum....WHO’S UPSET YOU BABY GIRL?!” he said catching sight of me. He ran down his stairs and his Mum let go of me. I then let it all out as soon as my head hit his chest. He led me up to his room whilst his Mum made us both some dinner. I then told him everything. “Babe if I tell you something, you won’t get mad will you?” he asked me. “No, of course not...” I said to him. “That’s the reason I’ve been spending so much time with you, just incase you feel left out or whatever” he said to me. “WHAT?! SO YOU FELT SORRY FOR ME?! YOU DIDN’T WANNA SPEND TIME WITH ME NO?!” I shouted at him. “I didn’t mean it like that!” he tried to explain. I didn’t care, I got my bag and ran down his stairs. “Goodbye Maria, see you later” I said to Maria, I wasn’t rude so obviously I said goodbye. She looked at me. “Alisha, I know he has foot in mouth syndrome but, he means well” she said. I nodded. I then opened the door just as Riley came downstairs. I heard him shout after me. I didn’t care. What if he’d only been with me because he felt sorry for me? What if he never even really liked me? I cried and cried whilst I ran. I ran onto the park and found a secluded part. I then went into my bag and went into my pencil case. I found my compass and used it to make two incisions on each wrist. I watched the blood pour. I wanted to die. Nobody cared because nobody wanted to. I felt so alone, scared and depressed. I closed my eyes and waited to die.
Chapter 16 – Riley’s Chapter
I ran onto the park as I knew this is where Alisha would go, she told me about a little place where nobody else could see, so I decided to check there. I didn’t mean it the way I said it, and I had to explain. I really meant that I loved her so much that I didn’t want her to feel left out and out of place because with me, she never had to feel those things, she never had to feel upset, scared and lonely with me around. I’d like Alisha ever since I set my eyes on her, I remember, her smile and the way her eyes glistened in the sunshine as the sun hit her face from an angle. She was just crossing the road whilst I was coming out of the shop, my eyes caught hers and she smiled. She looked heaven sent. I was about to go up and say hello when I saw her walk over to a boy and kiss him. I didn’t believe how heartbroken I felt, but who’d know that a couple months later we’d be together? She’d be my one and only? She’d be the reason I woke up in the morning with a smile on my face? I wasn’t sure just yet, but I think I loved her, infact, I knew for a fact I love Alisha Mikyla Hayden. I loved everything about her, the way she screwed her nose when she was about to sneeze, and she had the cutest sneezes. I loved it when she used to get mad, and sometimes I’d get her mad, just to see her mad. She was so damn sexy when she was mad, all these thoughts were running through my head as I walked across the park to where she normally goes. I saw the bottoms of her ballerinas so I knew it was her. “Look baby I’m sorry...” I began. I then noticed the blood pouring from her wrists. “ALISHA!” I screamed at top volume. I got my phone out of my pocket and rang for an ambulance. They said to try and stem the bleeding. It was kind of cold, but I didn’t care, I took off my jumper and wrapped it around her wrists gently like the paramedics told me. The ambulance came and we got to the hospital where they attempted to save my girlfriend’s life. I don’t know what I’d do if she died, but I tried to not let that little thought in my head. Alisha and Tanaka were called to the hospital and arrived within 10 minutes of us getting here. I just sat there. Not saying a word, because I knew if I did, Alisha would never forgive me. A doctor came in with a look on his face. Sharna broke down on Tanaka whilst I began to cry. My girlfriend was gone, and I never even got to tell her how beautiful she was or that I loved her with all my heart. Most importantly I never got to tell her I was sorry.
Chapter 17 – Riley’s Chapter Part 2
I walked into the room where my girlfriend lay. She looked so peaceful and was still hooked up to the monitors incase a miracle happened. I walked over to her and began talking about how much I loved her. I told her how I one day dreamed of marrying her and her having our kids with me by her side. “Why’d you do it Alisha?” I asked her. “I loved you and I forever will baby girl, just because you’re gone, doesn’t mean I won’t stop loving you, I love everything about you, and I didn’t mean it the way it came out by the way baby, I meant I loved you too much for you to feel left out, you’re my world Alisha, you always will be my world. Every time I look at you, it’s like I’m falling in love with you all over again, your eyes man, they’re the best thing about you, the way you smile and they glisten. They glisten even when you’re mad, they’re the bummest shade of green, I never even got to tell you all of this, just the little things, like how I loved the way you used to still to this day, cut off the crusts when you had a sandwich or toast, I found it so cute when you’d do that little mischievous face of yours, it was so scheming and I knew I was in for something but I loved it, just as much as I love you...I forever will baby girl, forever and ever and ever will I adore you, forever will you have a space in my heart, you was the girl who showed me love wasn’t just some silly little thing, you was the girl who showed me that all girls aren’t as bad, you was the girl I one day hoped to marry and have kids with, I love you so much Alisha Mikyla Hayden, so much, I’m gonna get your name tatted on my chest, so you’ll always be close to my heart, I love you baby girl” I said. Tears started falling even more when I got up to leave her. I walked towards the door. I turned around and looked at her, she looked like she was sleeping, I walked back over to her bed with a stray tear falling down my cheek. It fell onto hers as I leant down to give her the very last goodnight kiss she’d get from me. She always used to get them when we were together at night in bed, her wrapped in my arms. I wiped my eyes. “I love you Alisha” I said still looking at her. I heard a noise, a beeping noise. I looked up at the monitors and her heart monitor had started again. I knew she heard everything I said, and fought for her life as she now knew I was ready to face any battle in life she had. “Hold my hand, and I’ll promise I’ll never let you go...squeeze my hand if you’re still here baby girl” I said. She squeezed it. A very faint but I was 99.9% sure she squeezed my hand. My baby girl was back and now she really was an angel on earth. She opened her eyes and I saw the same green eyes I never thought I’d see again. “I love you” she whispered. “I love you too baby girl, don’t ever do that to me again, I wannabe with you forever, I know we’re young and I really don’t have anything else” I said. I got down on one knee and pulled out a Haribo ring out of the Starmix packet. “Marry Me” I asked her. The same green eyes I loved looking into began to fill with water. She looked at me. “Yeah” she let out in a quiet squeal.
Chapter 18 – 2 Days Later
They let me go home after I spoke to a counsellor. I was sat in my room on my laptop when there was a knock at my door. I looked up. My Aunty Neveah stood there tears in her eyes. “Why do it babe?” she asked me. “I just felt so unwanted” I replied beginning to cry. She ran over to my bed and hugged me. “Alisha I love you so much, I’d have died a little if you did!” she said. “I won’t do it again, promise” I said to her. “Good girl! I love you too much for that to happen to you” she said. “I can’t do that to Riley...” I started. Nobody even knew we were engaged, I wore the ring he got me on my finger but nobody thought we were engaged or anything. I decided to tell my Aunty Neveah. “I couldn’t ever do that to my fiancé now could I?” I said holding out my hand. “WHAT?! WHAT?! OMG!” she shouted. I smiled at her. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep it to myself! Congratulations!” she said smiling. I decided to get ready and go see Shanice. She’d helped me so much when I needed her, so decided to see if she was alright. I knocked on the door. She answered it and for once, I saw that beautiful smile of hers. “Alright babe?” she said smiling at me. “Yeah, just thought I’d come see how you were” I said smiling at her. “Oh, come in” she said stepping to the side and letting me in. Dominique, Shanice’s best friend, was here too, with her daughter Ria. They both gave me a lecture about how I should have come to them instead of doing something stupid. Shanice let me hold Andre, her month old son. “You’re so good with kids! I know exactly who I’m ringing next time I wanna go out!” Shanice said smiling at me. “None of your own yet though!” Dom said. Shanice nodded in agreement. We sat and talked about girl stuff for a bit. I now was playing with Ria. She had the cutest little smile I’d ever seen. After spending the afternoon with them, Dom said she’d drop me home. I’d never really spoken to her before so got to know her a little better. “Babe I cried when I heard about you in hospital you know, just know me and Shan are here if you ever need us...what’s your number? Wait you have a Blackberry right? Give me your pin!” she said handing me her phone. I put my pin in her phone then robbed Shanice’s. I now had 2 more people to depend on, who seemed like my big sisters almost. Riley was waiting for me in my room when I got back. He kissed me so passionately. I loved Riley, and I was 100% sure I wanted to Mrs Alisha Haughton.
Chapter 19 – I Miss You Daddy
I lay there on my boyfriend’s arm watching him sleep. I loved watching him sleep as he looked so cute when he slept. I saw something flashing out of the corner of my eye. It was my Blackberry. I carefully reached out of my bed and got it from my bedside table as not to wake Riley up. It was a Facebook notification. “I love you my little baby xxx” Mum had written on my Facebook wall. I tiptoed out of my room and went to find her. She was downstairs chilling out watching a film. She looked like she’d been crying. She got up without saying a single word, walked over to me and kissed me on my cheek. “I love you, and I’m sorry for not putting you first” she said. “Mum its okay” I replied. “No it’s not, from the day I had you, I promised myself I’d be the best Mummy I could to you, and I’ve failed at that! Obviously failed hard enough to make you want to do something to hurt yourself so bad” she said beginning to cry. I held her. “Mum, I was just being stupid, I know now that I’m loved, and I promise I won’t do it again” I said to my Mum. “The fact is you thought I didn’t love you enough, I’d have died if you did, you’re the last little bit I have left of your Dad, if I'd have lost you, I don't know what I'd do” Mum confessed. She told me about Dad. A stray tear fell down her cheek when she got to the bit about how he’d died. She’d never even told me about how he’d died before, but now I got to understand he died protecting Mum, and little did they both know, me too. She then smiled and said "But aslong as I have you, I won't forget your Dad, you remind me of him so much. I love you princess" Mum said kissing my hair whilst hugging me. After talking for a further 10 minutes, Mum sent me off to bed. Riley was still there looking all sweet and innocent. "I love you" I whispered before kissing him on his cheek gently. "Where you been? I know when you're not in my arms you know, you do weigh 50 million stone" he said his eyes still closed with a grin on his face. I punched him. “Don’t even boy!” I said. He grabbed me by my arm and I let out a quiet squeal. “SHH! We’re gonna wake Mum and Tanaka up!” I said to him as he tickled me in bed. “I’ll just blame it on you, its fine” he said. “My Mum knows what you’re like...she’d believe me” I said to him. “Fair enough, where you bin anyway?” He asked me. "Never mind baby" I said getting into bed properly. "Okay, night baby girl, I love you" he said kissing my nose. He put his big strong arms around me and pulled me in for a hug. I went to sleep that night an extremely happy girl.
Chapter 20 – 10 years later
My life had changed so much in the past 10 years. I now had two beautiful children and was married to the love of my life. We’d gotten married when I was 18 and on our anniversary of the day we were first officially together. We’d had Cameron 4 years ago and I’d had his little sister Chloé 2 months ago. I was driving home from dropping Cameron to nursery when I decided to go to Asda as it would have been quiet. I put Chloé in the trolley and bumped into Shanice whilst I was in there. She was with her soon to be 14 year old daughter, Aaliyah. I walked over to them. "Aup babe" Shanice said spotting me. "Hey" I said to her smiling. She had a sneaky peak at Chloé who was awake in the trolley seat. "She's gorgeous! I remember when you were that size Aaliyah!" Shanice said. Aaliyah looked at her Mum. "Mum, don't even" she replied. "Don't even steal my one liners!" Shanice replied. Aaliyah stood there all screw faced at her Mum. We spoke for another 10 minutes before I set off around Asda. I got thinking about how perfect my life was and how I'd very nearly thrown it away. I got back in my car. I moved my bracelets from my wrists and looked down at the cuts that nearly ended my life. I then looked at Chloé in her car seat, she smiled at me and a tear fell down my cheek. I cried for the fact I might never have had the chance to see my little girl smile like I just did. I pulled the bracelets back down, buckled my seatbelt and drove home. Today Riley worked from home so we got to have our little chilling out day; he looked at me whilst holding our daughter. "I love you baby" he said kissing me. “I love you too Riley” I said kissing him back.
Chapter 21 - Aaliyah's Chapter
"MUM!" I shouted down the stairs. "Yes sweetheart" she replied. "Can I go out? I'll be back for half 10, promise" I asked. "Alright then, a minute later and I'll come looking for your ass!" I said. I loved Mum. She always trusted me and was always the best Mum to me and my younger siblings. I can remember my Dad, only very faintly though. Mum told me he'd left, and I never really understood why. She told me when I was old enough she'd tell me but I never knew just how old "old enough was" so I guess I just had to wait. I got ready before going downstairs and kissing Mum goodbye. She gave me £20 and told me to be good. "Will do" I replied before leaving the house. I'd spent the time with my secret boyfriend. Mum always said I wasn't allowed a boyfriend until I was old enough to deal with one so didn't tell her I had one, just to save arguments. He walked me back after and it was a good job because there was a man shouting outside ours. "MOVE!" I heard Mum shout. I grabbed my boyfriend Connor's hand and we ran up to mine. "GET OUT! LEAVE ME ALONE" Mum shouted at the guy. He grabbed Mums arm which made me really mad. Mum always protected me so it was my turn to be protecting her. I let go of Connor's hand and pounced on the guy. "IF YOU EVER PLACE YA HANDS ON MY MUM AGAIN I WILL MURDER YOU! YA HEARD?!" I shouted at the guy swinging for him. My little brothers Armarni and Andre appeared at the door. Mum ran over to them and got them back inside whilst Connor got me off of the guy. He got up and looked at me. "You've turned MY little girl against me Shanice?!" He said asking Mum. "No! You did that all by yourself" she shouted at him beginning to cry. The man who I'd just beaten up was my own Dad. I stood there gobsmacked. Mum stood there and cried which then made me mad. I swung for him. Mum taught me how to throw bad boy punches so obviously he jolted back. “Aaliyah leave him! He’s not worth it!” she said to me. I went over and hugged Mum. “YOU! YOU’VE POISONED HER AGAINST ME! SHE WAS MY LITTLE GIRL!” Dad shouted at Mum. “No, you did that all by yourself the day you pushed me down the stairs, YES I KNOW YOU PUSHED ME, BECAUSE OF YOU ANDRE NEARLY DIED! AND THE DAY YOU GOT MY BEST FRIEND FUCKING PREGNANT AND THEN RAN OFF WITH HER! GO AWAY ELLIOT! THESE KIDS DON’T NEED YOU! AND NEITHER DO I!” Mum shouted at him. I stood there gobsmacked. Mum didn’t even tell me he’d left her for another woman; she just said he’d gone away. I didn’t even know my Dad all that well, and I didn’t want to. From what Mum said, he was a prick, who’d get what was coming to him. Soon enough.
THE END
