“SQUUUUUUUUAAAWW!”
Oh my god what was that! What a sound to wake you up in the morning. It must have been the loudest sounding chicken I had ever heard. But then what would a chicken be doing in a five star complex in Cyprus. I went to the balcony and began to open the curtains expecting to be blinded by the light that was about to strike. But I was extremely amazed as it looked like a damp day you expect to have back in Birmingham. My eyes scoured the complex to see what that dreadful sound was actually coming from. I was astounded to see that it was coming from what looked like a donkey on its last legs. Why on earth was a donkey in our complex would I be awakened by that appalling noise every morning.
I decided not to go back to bed but to explore the apartment. It was huge! We even had a Jacuzzi and the whole apartment was situated on two floors. After spending what seemed like an hour exploring the apartment and taking in all the weird and wonderful features (we even had a back garden) I went and got changed into my shorts and vest and waited for my parents to stir from there sleep. It didn’t take them long and soon they were ready too. We headed off down to the welcome meeting although they usually are always the same my father insists on going to them he is fascinated for the two hours we are there. When we arrived the room was huge and extremely grand. I didn’t feel worthy of sitting there. But then again I should I’m grown up now I should feel comfortable wherever I am. Dad got us seats at the very front, how embarrassing!
Well the meeting started and was all going well until the rep mentioned kids clubs, you know those annoying clubs you go in when you are smaller on holiday where you have colouring competitions. Oh what fun! I was happy this year as I thought I wouldn’t have to go in one as they usually stop when you are fourteen. Boy was I wrong. Our hotel happened to be a super family holiday campus. If you ask me it’s just a way of the tour operators of get a couple of extra hundred pounds out of you. But nevertheless this “super family holiday campus” had an extra club for terrific teens! The name stated it all and you can imagine my reaction when my parents volunteered me to go to the meeting in their instead of the adult one. I was so annoyed I had told my family before I went away that I wanted to be treated as an adult, as an equal. But as usual they didn’t listen and told me if I didn’t go they would embarrass me in front of everyone. If this wasn’t enough embarrassment. I dragged my feet all the way to the “terrific teen” clubroom. But when I got in there I was pleasantly surprised to see loads of teens in there relaxing on brightly coloured bean bags just chatting to one another. The leader Kate introduced me to the group and I started chatting to a lad called James straight away. He was a lovely lad and wasn’t that bad looking either he had brown floppy hair that was messed up but looked great nevertheless he was just a bit taller than me and was wearing a baby blue adidas t-shirt. Although he was lovely there was a lad just opposite me whom I couldn’t take my eyes off his name was Aarron he was gorgeous but he didn’t know I existed. He looked over a couple of times but didn’t really take any notice of me he was talking to what seemed to be his mates. I just wished he’d look over. He never, and I continued talking to James he was lovely and we had loads in common. I spent the majority of the day in the clubroom, as the weather wasn’t nice enough to swim or sunbathe in. At about five o’clock there was a knock on the clubroom door Aarron shouted them to come in. You couldn’t imagine my embarrassment when my mum appeared from round the door.
“Stacey honey, are you coming to dinner?” she bellowed in her embarrassing mummy voice.
The whole group minus James burst into laughter. I could feel my face gradually getting hotter. I grunted “bye” to James and headed off with my mum to dinner. I spent the whole of dinner just sitting there refusing to talk to my parents as they had embarrassed me so much and it had only been my first day in Cyprus. Straight after dinner I went back to the apartment read my book and fell to sleep. Maybe tomorrow will bring a better day well nothing could be as bad as today.
The next few days flew past the sun had came out and James and I got to know each other while hanging out at the beach and the pool during the day and the arcade at night, he was lovely but nothing more than a mate. Although mum constantly insisted he was my life-long partner! As if! Aarron was definitely my life-long partner; well he would be if he knew I existed.
On about the fifth day of my holiday I was extremely happy as I had started to get a tan and had made such a great friend he also had a little brother called Joe, he was 7. They looked identical apart from the fact that Joe had a mole on his left cheek. He was exactly like his brother witty, caring, and a great listener despite of his age. We let him hang around with us as there were no boys there his age at the complex, well we said that to everyone else but deep down I enjoyed his company too. The only bad thing about Joe was that he was very insecure when it came to swimming. The swimming pool in our hotel had graduated steps leading into it and he wouldn’t go past the second step, as he couldn’t swim. I was determined that by the end of the holiday we would get him into the pool. Because the weather was a bit ropey so we decided to head over to the clubroom. I was so excited when a poster was on the note board saying that there was a disco on Saturday night for all of the “terrific teens”
I began to daydream wondering whether Aarron would be there. This was it if any night this would be the night when he would finally notice me. I began to plan my perfect outfit, as I wanted to impress him.
Well the night finally came; it took me hours to get ready, I wanted to make such an impact. James even came round to give me his advice. I finally came out the bathroom; I must admit I did look nice. I was wearing my little black dress with my gold shoes and matching handbag. You should’ve seen James’s face when I walked out he couldn’t keep his eyes off me.
“I hope I make this much of an impression on Aarron,” I said as my voice was quivering. I was so nervous.
The time finally arrived my big entrance. My heart was pumping fifty times faster than my normal rate I walked in my legs were like jelly. Oh my god he was there he looked over. He’s smiling!! I looked around to see If there was anyone around me but there wasn’t just James. He slowly walked over; it seemed to take him forever.
“ Hi I’m Aaron,” he whispered in my ear.
“I know!” I replied.
Just as I said that a slow slushy song came on. You couldn’t believe my excitement when he asked me:
“Would you like to dance?”
I quickly took him up on the offer. It was as if we were gliding having his arms around me made me feel so warm inside. The rest of the night was a blur but was so charming. We arranged to meet the next day Aarron didn’t like James that much so I let him down gently. He seemed to take it the wrong way but he knew how much I liked Aaron so he should’ve understood. I can’t believe he doesn’t understand what kind of a friend is he? The next few days were what I’d like to call interesting. Aarron was a great person to know he knew everyone. But I couldn’t help but feel that he was very shallow. He would constantly criticise everyone who wasn’t doing things he approved of. I must have looked even shallower agreeing with everything that was said. I was too scared to say anything in case he didn’t like me anymore. I suppose I was a coward. But for the first time in my life I actually fitted in. I know that it was selfish but this is all I had ever wanted. During the last couple of day of my holiday Aarron and I were sunbathing around the pool. When I notice that in the corner of my eye that Joe was wearing armband, he was going to swim! Aarron had noticed this too he had also noticed the armbands were bright pink and immediately hurled abuse at him. I was about to say something but stopped myself. This was the first time I felt disappointed in myself. But James didn’t just sit there he came over and started an almighty uproar. I was sick of being a helpless air head and Joe began to cry so I went to the shop he had previously bought them from to exchange them for a different colour Joe didn’t want to come. He was too embarrassed so I left him with Aarron and James who were arguing. I exchanged them for and orange pair and headed back to the pool. They were still arguing! But where was Joe? I must have walked around the whole complex twice and I couldn’t fine him. I went back to the place where I had left him. By the edge of the pool. It was near the deep end. I looked around I still couldn’t see him, I then looked down. My heart sank. If felt as If I had had ten rounds with mike Tyson. There he was on the bottom of the pool. I screamed so loudly my own eardrums nearly burst. James asked what was wrong, and then he saw. He just stood there while Aarron dived in. I felt so helpless. Was he alive? His weightless body lifted out of the pool and he was sent to hospital. The news must’ve spread fast there were so many reporters at our complex. We were all mourning. I couldn’t stop crying then it appeared on the news. He was dead.
I learnt so many lessons that holiday although it was one of my worst. It was the holiday where I did actually become an adult. But as I have learnt becoming an adult isn’t the best feeling in the world you should stay a child as long as you can you are carefree and that is why your childhood memories are the best. You only become an adult because the world gives you more worries and stress related problems. If you have confidence in yourself then you are cool no matter who you hang out with, what mobile phone you own or where you shop. Being cool is being comfortable with yourself and being happy if you’re happy the rest will be sure to follow.
I hope you all learn this as I had to find out the hard way and I have paid the consequences that holiday still haunts me to this very day.
