IGCSE FLE Narratives & Sample Responses

things were going to be different from now...

The battered door creaked open, it was my cue to rise for another boring, yet productive day. My

father barged in and playfully yanked off what was meant to be a blanket- a tattered rag. Yes,

we weren't very well to do, but really, my dad was all that I needed. My mum passing away had

taken a heavy toll on him and he certainly was very stressed out. However, he still tried to make

me laugh whenever memories of the past hit me. It was the little things that he did for me which

made me feel very lucky, even though I couldn't afford a lot of things other children had.

It was my thirteenth birthday, so I was really excited to see what was in store for me- was it ice

cream after lunch? Or a new backpack maybe? I had really wanted a new one for myself, not

cheap ones that tore in a weeks' time, though I honestly didn't have a choice either.

"Put on something appropriate, we're going out for lunch!", my father exclaimed, with a hint of

uncertainty in his voice. I had not noticed that though, the mere thought of him giving me a

surprise lunch was enough to make me jump with joy.

As soon as I heard the rattling engine of the car in the driveway outside of our gloomy

apartment, I wasted no time in leaving the dull, grey horrors of the house. It was more like a

room though, with a slight extension to the right which served as a kitchen. Squeezing myself

into the tiny automobile, I immediately asked where we were headed. Eyes brimming with tears,

he clasped my tiny hand as whispered something that sounded like "surprise"; The only word I

could make out from his shaky voice. Soon, I found myself eating my favourite chocolate ice

cream. It had been quite a long time since I had eaten ice cream, so I had been so engrossed in

satisfying my taste buds that I hadn't even noticed we passed the rundown structure we resided

in.

The abrupt halting of the car was what knocked me out of my reverie. We stopped at a decent

bungalow, the kind which appeared in my dreams. But my mind was too busy racing with

thoughts of what was to happen next, than to admire the beautiful decorations of the house.

"Were these some of his friends he had never told me about?", I muttered to myself. The next

thing I knew, I was standing next to a bunch of strangers.

"We'll be glad to have her over! She looks like such a sweetheart.", the lady told my father. They

then exchanged a few words before I could utter anything. The last thing I could remember was

tears gushing down my father's face and cheeks as he turned to leave. I knew things were

going to be different from now.