Amelia's story (25 page)

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The day of the
big football match had arrived.
A
ll of us girls had made a big effort with ourselves, searching through our clothes to find the best outfit w
e could and ensuring our makeup
was applied to perfection. I
,
of course, decided to wear the new white cotton dress I had been given by Kiss Kiss fashion house. I looked at myself in the mirror once I wa
s ready and took a deep breath;
this was actually the first time I really saw myself as a young
woman
, very slim with long
,
dark hair
and flawless skin.
I liked what I saw and felt very grown up.
The grounds in Westbrook Hall had been transformed into a f
e
te
-
like affair
.
T
here were banners and balloons everywhere, an ice cream van was situated on the drive,
and
there were long benches laid out side by side for everyone to sit
on
and observe the game. It looked quite amazing
,
and a lot of people had been very busy earlier that morning to transform the grounds. We all looked out of the window as the coach arrived c
arrying all the footballers.
I actually felt nervous but had no reason to. The coach parked
and all the boys climbed out.
T
hey were a very handsome bunch indeed,
and as the last person
stepped out I instantly recognized
him;
it was Damian, as handsome as I had remembered him, looking all athleti
c and strong in his football uniform
.
I could feel the
butterflies circling inside me.
I joined everyone else and
started walking to the benches.
W
e all sat down in a line and watched all the footballers while they were doing the pre-match warm
-
u
ps. Damian glanced over at me and winked at me. He
then smiled
,
not taking his eyes of
f
me for what felt like ages. Even as the match started he kept glancing my way, and throughout the match we caught each other
’
s eyes frequently. It felt like he was playing the game for me personally,
and
I
could not take my eyes off him.
I knew right there and t
hen that he was the one for me.
I had never felt like this before and I liked the way I was feeling a lot!

Once the match had finished (Westbrook Hall had lost), everyone was f
ree to mingle for a short while.
Damian made his way straight over to me and smiled
,
dis
playing his perfect white teeth.
He said he thought I was beauti
ful and could he see me again.
I agreed of course
,
and we arranged to meet during my lunch break at Kiss Kiss
,
which was the only time we could meet. My insides felt like they were on a treadmill!
I could not wait for Monday morning to arrive; I made an extra special effort to look nice for work
,
ready for my lunch date with Damian. The hours passed by slowly at work that morning and I was willing the clock to speed up
.
I had n
ever felt so anxious in my life;
I kept popping into the ladies to check my face and give myself the once over. Then it was lunchtime, and I practically ran out of the door! I stood outside of the building staring up the road waiting for Damian to arrive. As promised he was on time and rac
ed
down the road on his push bike. He had that great big smile on his face again,
and
he climbed off his bike
,
and for a w
hile we were both a bit awkward.
I could not believe he was giving me the time of day, especiall
y as I was in a children’s home.
W
hat on earth did he see in me? I thought surely he could have any girl he wanted.
He asked me how long I had been in Westbrook
.
I gave him a brief overview of my past
,
and all the time I was talking he just looked deep into my eyes. I had fallen hook
,
line
, and sinker;
he was still interested
even
knowing I came from nothing, knowing I was stil
l tied to the state care system.
I
n fact, he was totally undeterred by it all,
and
this just made me want him even more.

He told me he was a semi
-
professional footballer and his dreams were to make it big one day so everyone knew his name. He came from a good solid family and had several brothers and a sister. He told me he had to go as he was football training and asked if we could meet at the same time the next day. He never tried to k
iss me or assume he could;
he just smiled that gre
at, big, beautiful smile and peda
led off down the road. My stomach was doing summersaults,
and
I al
most felt dizzy with excitement.
I could not stop thinki
ng about this beautiful boy who
had noticed me and w
anted to get to know me.
I was in seventh heaven.
I met Damien
most lunch times.
W
e got closer and closer
as
we talked about
our lives and hopes and dreams;
strangely enough our dreams were not to
o
different. He was obsessed with his dream of becoming a premier league football player a
nd was already making it happen.
H
e told me that he had been scouted already and I was so proud of him. I was adamant I was going to be somebody one day! Our relationship was a v
ery innocent one to start with. H
e was such a gentleman and I was falling in love with him.

The summer appeared very quickly
.
I had spent the last few months totally consumed by Damian; I lived for the next time I would see him again, spending endless hours after work lying on my bed thinking about him. I had just
one week left in Westbrook Hall;
it felt so surreal that my
release date was finally here.
I had spent years and years dreaming of this moment,
and
it always seemed so far away
,
so far out of my reach, but here I was preparing to leave once and for all.
When the day finally arrived
,
my Social Worker came to pick me up and sign me out of Westbrook
C
hildren’s
H
ome for the very last time. My small bag was packed and I hugged and kissed the girls goodbye. The head of Westbrook Hall sat me down to i
m
part some pea
rls of wisdom before I departed.
H
e told me to be careful, that I was a very pretty
,
young
woman
and there are people out there that w
ill try to take advantage of me.
“
Y
ou will be very vulnerable out there in the big world, so please
,
take care
,
Amelia.”

I listened and nodded, but to be honest I could not wait to go through the gates for the last time. I hopped into my Social Worker
’
s car ready for the short drive to Mr
.
and Mrs
.
Price’s house to start the beginning of my new life. I felt like
I was dreaming—
it was one of those “pinch myself to be sure it was all real” moments. I had informed Damian of my release date and we had agreed to meet the follo
wing weekend in the town center,
my first date as a completely free woman. Amelia now owned Amelia and not the state, not Bryn Tyn, not Westbrook Hall, not Colton Hall, and not Breeton House.
Amelia owned Amelia.
I said it over and over again in my head to make myself believe it
.

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Broken
T
rust

As we approached Mr
.
and Mrs
.
Price standing at the end of their road, waiting eagerly for my arrival, I took a deep breath and now believed it was all real
:
this was actually happening to me. I climbed out of the car and was greeted by the biggest hug I had ever received from Mrs
. Price. S
he held me so tight I thought I might break!
Mr
.
Price greeted me with a big smile and said
,
“W
elcome home.
”
We all went in
to the house where the two boys,
Trond
and Segour
,
were waiting and they welcomed me with open arms and referred to me as sister. Everything was just perfect, almost too perfect
,
really.
After my Social Worker said goodbye for the very last time I knew I had entered the world finally without the restrictions placed up on me under the care system. This fe
lt great—no, more than great—
it felt amazing; it was a surreal moment in my life. I was asked to go upstairs and look in my room as a house gift had been place
d
there for me from the whole family.
I entered
my bedroom and closed the door. I looked at
my bed and there was a lovely large box
with a pink ribbon in the center
set out in a bow. I pulled the
ribbon loose and opened the box.
I gasped in amazement at my new beautiful red coat. It was the most beautiful coat in the whole world; there was also a pair of jeans
,
a red sweater
,
and some socks and knickers. There was also
a smaller box and when I opened
it
,
I almost stopped breathing for
a split second. In a
beautiful black velvet box sat a silver
Saint Christopher pendant, the Patron S
a
int of T
ravelers, a good luck charm to guide you on your travels through your life. I sat down on my bed and finally was overcome with emotion
.
I broke down in tears
,
and once I started I could not stop.
Mrs
.
Price, who I was to call Torwen
,
opened the door
and came to sit down beside me.
S
he held my hands so tight with tears in her eyes and told me I had nothing to fear anymore
,
that she would always be
t
he
re for me. I loved her already;
she was like the mother I never really had and always wanted. She wiped my eyes and informed me we were all going out to dinner to celebrate my arrival.
Over the n
ext week I settled in very well.
Torwen worked nights for a local company down the road
,
which was within walking distance. I still worked at Kiss Kiss
F
ashion
H
ouse
,
but my apprenticeship was coming to an end
,
sadly. They informed me I had been a great appr
entice and learned very quickly;
however
,
there was not a permanent position available as they were already overstaffed. I was informed if one came up in the future I would be the first on the list. Torwen and Jason were very sympa
thetic and told me not to worry.
I was fretting over not being able to pay
Torwen the £20.00 a week house
keeping I had agreed to. She advised me it was one of those things and something else would come along.