I woke up by the smell of breakfast. I sat up and looked through our room and into the kitchen.

-          It smells nice.

He turned around and smiled.

-          Well good morning.

-          Morning.

I dragged the quilt around me and walked over to give Niall a hug before I sat down by the table.

-          So what are we going to do today?

-          What do you want to do babe?

-          I walk?

-          Sounds good.

We both put some clothes on and it was raining but we didn’t care.

-          Melani, I have to ask. Why are you doing it?

-          What?

-          All the partying, the smoking how did you end up will of that.

*flashback*

It was after just a regular day. It was a really nice Saturday and I had spent it as usual on the beach. It was just I regular day. I walked home with a smile on my face, but as I stepped into the house everything changed. I saw mum lying on the floor with the phone in her hand, she was crying. I didn’t know what to do. I had never seen her like that. I pulled her up from the floor and into a hug. I pushed the tears back.

-          Mum what’s the matter? What happened?

At first she couldn’t speak. I wiped away her tears with the towel I had around my neck.

-          Mum, what happened?

-          It’s your dad. Nick, he, he was in a car crash.

From that moment I didn’t hear a word I just saw her lips moving and I let go of her.

-          No, no, no! He is my dad he can’t be, he can’t be dead. He can’t!

Something in my mum changed that day. She didn’t speak much to me. Even when stuff happened to me, she was just gone in a way. So she started giving me money. And after a while I noticed she didn’t really care or notice when I was gone.

 

I shoke my head and came back to reality.

-          I guess the smoking and all the partying was a way of seeking attention and for mum to notice me. And just forget for a moment that I was screwed up. But when you came along that changed. And I’m trying to stop smoking. And I have toned down the partying, I promise.

-          Melani, Melani! Calm down. It’s okay. It’s good that you are.

He stopped me when I was walking and put his hands on my cheeks. He dried away my tears with his thumb.

-          You’ll make it through, you’re strong and I’m here for you all the way. I love you.

-          I love you too.