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F r i d a y, 29/3/19

Dear Diary,

The loud roll of drums. The deafening sound of up-beat music. The obnoxious laughter of flirty girls. The typical yells and jeers of jocks.

This was all that filled my ears when Dad pulled up in front of a huge, three-storey building bustling with teens and bar-tenders.

As everyone started to get out of the car, I could do nothing but gape at the wide, candle-lit porches, the gardens decorated with roses and fairy-lights, the colourful water fountain displays and the bright, revealing dresses and suits of the occupants.

I was so screwed.

"Welcome, m'lady."

Startled, I turned my head to see Dad open the car door for me.

Sending him a small, nervous smile, I took his hand and hopped out of the car. "Thanks, Dad."

He didn't get a chance to respond before Andrea slipped her arm through his and towed him away, giggling and flicking her hair around like an immature school girl.

Dropping back to walk behind Tiffany, I brushed past Spencer and whispered in her ear, "This place is enormous."

Spencer nodded. "I know. Their net worth rivals even that of your father's and that's saying something as he's considered the most successful businessman this side of the equator."

I let out a low whistle. "Whoa. So I guess jeans doesn't really make the cut here, huh?"

Spencer glanced down at my clothes and chuckled. "Nope."

As we entered the fancy, sparkling plaza out front of the house, my eyes scanned the swarm of dancing teens and drinking youths.

I stopped stock-still.

I didn't belong here. I didn't want to be here.

This ... all of this ... was way too much for my small, anti-social brain to handle.

"C'mon!" Spencer grabbed me by the arm and hauled me forward. "Don't chicken out now. Let me introduce you to some of my friends."

Reluctantly, I allowed Spencer to show me around. She even introduced me to a tight cluster of girls donned in glittery dresses and wearing bold shades of lipstick.

As she stayed to talk, I quietly excused myself and wandered over to a row of outdoor tables for some punch. I had just filled my glass with the red-orange liquid when someone's shy, feminine voice piped up from beside me.

"It's all a bit much, isn't it?"

Surprised, I turned around to see a younger girl, who looked like she was twelve or thirteen, standing next to me holding a plate of goodies. Her black, curly hair was done up into two buns and her short, denim skirt was embroidered with strands of colourful thread.

I smiled.

"Yes. It really is."

For the rest of the evening, I stayed with the girl, who introduced herself as Daisy. She wasn't like the others, all ditzy and vain and conceited. She was actually a real, sweet, genuine soul. I was relieved to find someone who didn't judge me just because of how I looked.

As the hours dragged on, I learned that Daisy, too, lived along the Hawaiian shore-line with her brother and father. Even though her father made a living from selling surf-boards she was not allowed to participate in the sport when summer came around. Her brother, especially, was worried for her welfare and safety and although I thought that was nice of him to look out for her, I also couldn't help but wonder if that was a little too over-the-top.

But it wasn't my place to say anything so, shortly after, I went about informing her of my temporary stay on the island. However, I deemed it best to leave out the part of Earnest Marsden, the most successful and wealthiest businessman around, being my father. I didn't want that to cause any awkwardness between us.

It was nearing ten o'clock and the two of us were reclining on a garden swing out the back of the house. Absolutely parched, I decided to do another drink-run for Daisy and myself. Trying to avoid the dancing mass of teens crowding the front yard, I decided to take a short-cut through a hallway leading out onto the opposite patio.

I closed the door after me and softly made my way down the polished oak floor-boards. Suddenly and out of nowhere, the dark figure of a man crossed my path.

I let out a startled cry and stumbled backwards in shock, only to trip on the slippery floor and fall, SMACK BANG, onto the ground.

"A-are you alright?"

Gasping in astonishment and embarrassed at my own clumsiness, I tilted my head up to look at the speaker and froze.

It was Camden Foley.

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