Chapter One

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Maddie

You know most people think that being sixteen, seventeen in a matter of weeks, would be a wonderful thing. Well for most teenagers I guess it would be, but of course for me it truly sucked. Instead of being out partying with my friends, hanging around at home with my brother and chilling with my boyfriend I’m currently not allowed to party/drink due to being four months pregnant with my best friends ex-almost-boyfriend who slept with me only because of said best friend being pissed at both of us and kissing someone else at the time, I’ve been kicked out of my home and am forced to live with my best friend (which isn’t that bad, Diana was pretty kind to offer me a place to stay until my mother got over herself) because of said pregnancy and the boyfriend thing…well I’m 100% single and will be forever knowing my luck.

I must say that my life at the moment is so tragic it would make a wonderful film on the Lifetime Chanel; currently my favourite channel which I happily watched sprawled on Sabrina’s sofa much to the annoyance of Anna who hated people who sprawled even more than she hated the Lifetime Channel. So yes I quite content with sitting around moping over how truly terrible my life was. Oh the joys of being sixteen.

So here I was sitting on my best friend’s cream sofa (Seriously what a stupid colour for a sofa, I was so nervous about spilling things on it that when I sprawled I did it without my darling lovers Diet Coke and cheesy chips) watching an über depressing film about a cloned baby (really wasn’t the best film to watch for me, I cried buckets when the original child died. Either The Sabrina Effect (crying at every film she ever watched) was rubbing off on me or I was getting really hormonal because of my pregnancy.) when the front door opened and the voices of Diana, Anna and one Sabrina Mary Alice Andrews (Named after her awesome Great-Grandmother who threw a vegetable at Prince Charles) came wafting into the lounge. I leapt up off the sofa and raced into the hall to see Sabrina placing her coat and scarf onto the coat rack (Another thing I amazed by, we didn’t have a coat rack at home, we had pegs).

“You’re home! I thought you weren’t coming back until tomorrow. How are you feeling?” I asked smiling down at my best friend, at least I hoped we were back to being best friends. When Sabrina had woken up it was clear that her memory had returned, the doctors had explained that sometimes amnesia patients regained their memory through situations like this. Sabrina was finding things a bit weird but it was clear she was happy to back and I was happy of that too.

“Who the hell are you?” Sabrina asked glancing me up and down, her gray eyes full of judgemental bitchiness. Ok maybe not then… Before I could scream and have a fit over her losing her memory again Sabrina burst out laughing. “Your face!” She giggled walking over to me and hugging me tightly.

“That wasn’t funny!” I snapped glaring down at Sabrina.

“It was and you know it was, now who do I have to murder to get a cup of tea around here?” Sabrina asked smiling at her mother.

“Teabag in the water for two minutes, half a teaspoon of honey and splash of lemon?” Diana asked, I stifled a snigger. This was how Sabrina always had her tea. She’d drunk it like this since she was little and it drove most people insane but I found it endearing…and slightly annoying.

“Like always” Sabrina said smiling. “So…what you watching?” Sabrina asked waltzing into the lounge, she took a running jump and leap onto the sofa gracefully which was quite surprising as Sabrina is anything but graceful.

“Sabrina don’t jump on the sofa, how many times do I have to tell you?” Diana called fro the kitchen. I could tell that even though Diana was scolding her daughter she’d missed this weird tea drinking sofa bouncing on version of her daughter.

“Umm...a Lifetime Channel film…” I said sitting down onto the sofa careful not make sure that my socks weren’t grubby.

“No wonder it looks like you’ve been crying, what's died so far?” Sabrina asked snorting. Before I could answer Sabrina had the remote in her hand and was flicking through channels until she got to a random fashion channel that was talking about ‘Fall trends’ “I’m not sitting here watching women cry over something that’s died. Plus I need to find out if high heeled boots are in for this season, if they are then I’m so going to pretend to be fashion forward and wear flat boots.” Sabrina said resting her feet on my lap. I rolled my eyes at my best friend’s attempt to say that she wasn’t going to be wearing heels for some time because of the accident. On the TV screen a pale woman was finishing talking about something called ‘Cosy chic’ then moved onto the shoes.

“And for the next season boots will be making a big come back. Doc Martin’s are going to be massive as part of the Rock Grunge look that has been sweeping the catwalk-” The peppy blonde presenter said with way too much enthusiasm. Come on, they were shoes, howe can you be that peppy about shoes?

“Well thank God for that!” Sabrina said turning the TV off and leaping up from the sofa just as Diana walked in with her drink.

“Maddie dear would you like an herbal tea or something. I know you’re not particularly fond of milky tea at the moment. I remember I couldn’t even hear the word tea when I was pregnant with Sabrina, Anna on the other hand, I couldn’t stop drinking tea! Particularly ice tea…would you like some ice tea?” Diana gabbled smiling down at me. Seriously can she adopt me? I thought, Diana was a hell lot nicer than my own mother even if she was a bit scary sometimes.

“Mum give Maddie some space! I’m sure she doesn’t want to hear about how you hated tea when you were having me” Sabrina laughed.

“No no I really wanna know” I said smiling up at Diana. “Did you hate the smell of tomatoes as well?” I asked, usually I love tomatoes…but now I couldn’t stand them.

“No, but I found that when I was pregnant with Anna I couldn’t stop eating bananas and peanut butter which is very odd as I dislike peanut butter.” Diana said.

“That’s why Anna is nuts, cause Mum ate nuts.” Sabrina sniggered.

“I’m not nuts!” Anna snapped from the kitchen. “You’re the one who won’t let me go on a date with Ryan Porter.”

“With good reason as well. He’s far too old for you Anna” Diana said with a roll of her eyes

“Sabrina’s going out with his brother” Anna quipped as if that would change her mother’s mind.

“Correction, I’m going to the cinema with Justin and that is all.” Sabrina sighed also rolling her eyes.

“So would you like a drink Maddie?” Diana asked interrupting her bickering daughters.

“Could I have some ice tea?” I asked.

“With lemon?” Diana asked. I nodded. “I’ll be right back.” She said smiling. Once she was gone Sabrina groaned under her breath.

“She’s going to be a NIGHTMARE now that you’re here. She’ll be getting all the old baby clothes and photos out, and then she’ll be picking out furniture and wallpaper swatches from Laura Ashley” Sabrina said throwing herself back into the sofa. “You’re not going to get a moment’s peace now I hope you realise that” She added. I laughed at the thought, heck at least someone’s Mum was being decent towards me. Mum had kicked me out three days ago and she hadn’t phoned me to say sorry once, I’d left countless messages trying to explain about the pregnancy but she’d ignored them all. Dad had rung me every single day and Rob had been round yesterday but Mum…nothing and it hurt, it hurt deep.

Dinner that night was interesting and not interesting in the ‘it’s not edible’ way but in the ‘huh…cool’ way. Sabrina had won the battle against her mother and was cooking Pad Tai in the kitchen while she sang loudly along to Bruce Springsteen classics. Something that Diana, Anna and I all weren’t too trilled about, the Bruce Springsteen classics that is not the Pad Tai.

“I’m sorry.” Diana said placing a hand on my arm. “Her father played Bruce Springsteen songs constantly when she was younger, well that and Mozart and Beethoven, but ever since then she’s been addicted to his music.” Diana said laughing slightly. “I promise I’ll hide the CD’s from now on” Diana added. I’d only been living in Sabrina’s apartment for three days but I was already in the love with the place, Diana was more like the older sister you’re best friend has, you know the one’s that have the amazing shoes you and your best friend steal and wear out somewhere and completely ruin the heels on. Yeah Diana reminded me of one of those older sisters, yet she was Sabrina’s mum…yeah it was hard to get used to but in a good way.

“Dinner’s ready!” Sabrina yelled from the kitchen. We all walked into the dinning room (which Sabrina had decorated with candles and classical music) and sat down, the table was groaning with the most amazing Pad Tai, rice, salad and home made prawn crackers I’d ever seen. Plus a massive pitcher of ice tea which I found quite amusing.

“Whoa Bri, since when could you cook like this?” I asked sitting down.

“I’m a genius in the kitchen you just never knew it.” Sabrina said grinning as she sat down.

“Well you certainly put me to shame.” Diana said smiling while she added liberal amounts of Pad Tai to her plate. “I really must take a course in cooking otherwise I’ll be mortally ashamed of seeing Anna do all the cooking once you’ve gone away for college dear.” Diana said.

“That’s if I don’t’ choose to stay and go to Stourport” Sabrina said.

“Well we’ll see about that” Diana said. “Well let’s dig in then” Yeah we soon found out that Sabrina was a damn good cook. I was shocked as I’d never really seen her cook like this before and I never ever knew that she could cook Pad Tai.

“Oh by the way Mum, Anna and I are seeing Dad in October, we booked the flights the other day” Sabrina said casually as she poured herself a glass of rosé wine and me a glass of ice tea. I loved how she could casually mention she was going to Spain, my Mum used freak if I went camping let alone to another country. Also she was pouring herself a liberal glass of wine, something my own mum would have freaked about.

“Oh say hello to Michael for me. How was Autumn when you saw her the other week?” Diana asked sipping from her own glass of wine. Autumn was Sabrina and Anna’s half sister who lived in Spain with their Dad and his new girlfriend.

“She’s fine, she’s grown so much since last time I saw her” Sabrina said. She turned to me. “Dad would have been happy for you to join us but I guessed that you’ll either be on your final month or you would have the baby by then. I would have asked you to come with us otherwise.” Sabrina said.

“Thanks fine.” I mumbled shrugging. I wasn’t too fussed about thinking that far ahead. I less I thought about it the less I freaked out.

“So…” I said later that night as Sabrina and I got ready for bed. “Happy to be home?” I asked. Sabrina smiled widely at me.

“Feels like I never left.” She said happily. I smiled at her, truly happy that at least some things were getting back on track.

The next morning I woke at the stupid hour of 6:30 because I heard someone walking about mine and Sabrina’s room. I opened an eye to see that Sabrina was whirling around the room rearranging things, pulling clothes and shoes out her wardrobe and throwing them onto a massive pile. Groaning I sat up and stared at her for several minutes. “What are you doing?” I asked as she threw more clothes onto the pile, I recognised many of them as designer pieces she’s brought over the past years.

“Rearranging my room.” Sabrina said simply.

“Seem more like your waging war against your wardrobe.” I said as she threw a pair of jeans onto the pile I knew had cost her £150. Why was she throwing all this into a pile in the first place?

“No I’m just sorting out my clothes. I’ve decided that I’m going to start my life all over again. These past few months have really changed me. I’m not the same trusting fool I was several months ago.”

“No you’re now someone who is throwing out a pair of jeans that I would have to save up my allowance for over six months to buy.” I said.

“All the clothes I wear or don’t want to wear anymore will go to the charity shop then I’m redoing my whole wardrobe. I’m going to start afresh.” Sabrina said smiling a dazzling smile at me. I rolled my eyes and lay back down.

“Well when you’re done ‘refreshing’ your wardrobe wake me up.” I mumbled going back to sleep.

She did indeed wake me as well. At nine o’clock she poked me awake, told me to get dressed and help her carry a few bags to the charity shop. I opened my eyes to see eight bags full of clothes that were to be taken to the charity shop.

“Come on get dressed then we’re getting the train into Warrington to go shopping. I want to find an amazing outfit I can wear tonight for my date with Justin.”

“Is that still on?” I asked.

“Yeah I spoke to him when I was in the hospital, I didn’t mention anything about the hospital so don’t say anything about it ok. I want to find a great pair of jeans that make me look tall and a cute shirt, I’m thinking something with lace so we’ll go to TopShop and then we can get a drink of something and look round all the shops…hey what’s up?” Sabrina asked me as she saw my worried expression.

“Oh it’s just I have a scan tonight at the hospital and until yesterday I forgot about your date, I was going to ask you to come with me but I’ll ask Dad or Rob if they want to come.” I said.

“I’ll cancel with Justin if you want me to come with you.” Sabrina said but I shook my head. Harriett would just complained that I was getting in the way of Sabrina’s love life again.

“No, you go. I wanna see Dad and Rob so I’ll ring them in a bit” I said climbing out of my bed. “I’m going to get a shower then we can go shopping ok.”

“Yeah sure” Sabrina said smiling

“Oh and by the way it’s good that you’re home and everything” I said, I hoped Sabrina would understand that the ‘everything’ meant that she had her memory back and that she was happy. She nodded and her smiled widened.

“Yeah, it really is great to be back” She said.

Author’s Note: I’m quite happy to be back writing this story. I’m certainly making some big changes; one of them is how I write the chapters. So far I’ve written about five chapters; the dramatic chapter, Two Tyler/Sabrina chapters that I LOVED writing, A chapter where we see Ed again and The First Day of College chapter. You can see that I’m not writing them in order, I stopped doing this as I’d get a good idea for a chapter then forget about it by the time it came to writing it because I was busy writing chapters in order. Well I’ve stopped doing that and I’m writing chapters when they come into my mind. But I have written nearly four first chapters so they’ll be up quicker.

Another change is a part of the plot that was rather dramatic in the original. I won’t say which as there were several dramatic parts but you can guess which one I’m talking about. We’ll meet new characters in this, ones that were mentioned but we hadn’t seen and the return of two characters (One you can guess obviously)

Anyway so I hope you like this version of the story :D