The Runaway Kids  1. News (Preface) May 13th, 2011. Officially the worst day of my #life. That was the day my parents, Mike and Liz, sat me and my younger sister, Rosie, on the sofa and tell us "Girls, me and your dad have decided to split up." I didn't understand. Split up? Everything was going fine! We were one big happy family, living in the jncredible 3 storey house in a village called Newwell, just outside Cork City. It was the most beautiful house I had ever seen. It had everything. 6 bathrooms, 10 bedrooms, 3 kitchens, a swimming pool, office, and best of all, a music room. I loved this room, especially the grand piano. When I was younger, I used to mess around with the keys, trying to make up unknown melodies. Now, everything's changed. Dad's gone to Edinburgh to live with hid brother, James; Mum's gone off the rocker. She keeps going out at night, and comes back a few days later, drunk and messed up. We now live in a two bedroom apartment in a grubby estate. There's just about enough room for the three of us. There's a small kitchen containing a kettle, fridge, sink, and an oven. There's a bathroom containing only a toilet. The walls are completely covered in dirty marks, the windows are filthy, and the beds haven't been washed in months, maybe even years. "Will you still take care of us?" I asked Dad on that dreadful day. "Of course, Ellen honey, don't you worry." All lies. I haven't heard or seen him since he left to go to Edinburgh. He promised Mum that he'll "take care of everything", and that he'll give us money for a deposit on a proper house. Not one check has been sent to us in the post. I hate my name. Ellen Louise Brown. I hate Dad for leaving us. I hate Mum for leaving Rosie and I to fend for ourselves. I hate my school, Newwell Community College. I hate all of my teachers, except for Miss James, my English teacher. I've always liked her. She always says that I could easily become a writer, if I wanted to. Then there's Layla Thomas and Lauren Wilson, my friends. I haven't seen them since Dad left. In fact, I haven't been to school since Dad left, because I'm afraid everyone will find out about everything that's happened. Rosie has a much easier #life. When Mum and Dad told us about the split, Rosie just looked at her blankly, said "OK", and went to her room. Mum & Dad knew that she wouldn't understand it properly, but a part of me knew she did. Rosie's a smart kid, she's not dumb. A few hours later, she came downstairs to me. Her eyes & cheeks were red, and her blonde curls tousled. She was holding Mr. Snugglebear, her favourite teddy, close to her chest, never wanting to let go. "Why is Daddy leaving?" she sniffed. Then I had to explain to her that sometimes, marriages don't work out. She understood it a bit better afterwords. I'll never forget what Dad told me before he left : "Everything'll be fine, I promise." What a load of rubbish. Now, enough with the past, and back to the present, as the worst has yet to come... Thank you for reading. Feel free to comment! The second part of 'The Runaway Kids' will be uploaded as soon as possible. Thank You, Emma xx