A Walk On The Beach

Chapter 1

Girl

SO ONE DAY my mum and my dad announced that we’re going on holiday. We haven’t been on a holiday for a while. They said it was a treat – a bribe – before moving to England. Mum said we’re going to Hong Kong. We’re to visit our aunts and uncles in Hong Kong. Uh, yeah, it’s that bad. You don’t know our relatives. For one thing, they can’t speak a word of English apart from hello and goodbye. I'd rather stay on our lovely Island with the sun and the beach. Why would we want to go on holiday in Hong Kong?

Mum is sitting on the armchair – the only thing in the living room that hasn’t been packed yet. We’re moving...to England. Yes, another place without the sunshine. It’s going to be rain for most of the year. What is wrong with our parents? They’ve obviously got something against the lovely sun. Sure, Hong Kong has sun.

(Oh, and just as a note, I’m not usually like this, but my brother Jasper has dared me not to be me. And apparently I’m not like this – whiney and sarcastic. Yeah, I know. Why does my brother want a whiney and sarcastic sister? He says it’s because I’m always too ‘weak’, as in drifty. Like a ghost. Huh.)

(He also says that I’m ‘too full of emotion’. Yeah, direct quote. I ask him if he wants me to be like this for the entire holiday. He says, no. Brothers...)

“Ally? What’s wrong with you?” Mum asks me now.

I frown. “What’s wrong with me? Why, Mother?”

“It’s not like you moan about things like this. Thought you’d be excited about this? A holiday?” Mum says, flicking through her magazine.

I want to say, “Yes, I am excited!” but Jasper is looking at me with this wicked grin. Somehow, I know not to say that.

He says, “Mum, Ally’s all moody. What’s wrong with her?”

Then I get it. I get why Jasper has suddenly ‘dared’ me to be the opposite of me. He’s trying to get me into trouble! The devil!

Mum glances at me. “Hmm, I doubt she’s moody, Jasper. Your sister just thinks too much.”

“Why do we call her Ally anyway?” he asks.

“Because that’s my name, Jasper,” I say quickly.

“But it isn’t your name!” he says.

Mum glares at him. “Jasper, it’s about time you shut up, honey. Ally’s Ally now, like how she was Greta last month.”

“I thought it was Treasure last month?” he asks.

Mum doesn’t look too happy. She doesn’t normally like it when Jasper’s being cheeky. If I was the old me, however, I might just deal with it. But nope, Jasper just likes to spin things around until it gets nasty. You really don’t want to see Mum when she’s nasty.

“Is the dare over yet?” I ask.

“Why are you being silly with him, Alana?” Mum says irritably.

I shrug. “I thought it’d be fun. It’s not. Being this other Ally is not fun.”

“You’re no fun when you’re abnormal, either,” Jasper hisses.

“Don’t be so spiteful!” I say.

He sticks out a pink, pointy tongue. I narrow my eyes and we have a spite war for about a minute. Then Dad comes into the room. But he just stares, amused.

“What are my two angels doing now?” he asks. He whacks Jasper – gently – on the head with his newspaper.

Jasper and I both exclaim at the same time: “Jasper/Ally started it!” and “What?” and “Dad! Jasper/Ally’s being spiteful!”