ZENIA'S POV
Season two - Episode one - Burnywood menace
THE FOOD IN THIS PLACE HAD VASTLY GONE DOWNHILL. We were obviously making the most of it by creating a giant beans on toast stack.
"What are you doing?" Tracy asks amused
"Making a tower" I smile at her
"Why?"
"Well you don't expect us to actually eat this do you?" Saff questions back.
"They keep giving us these cheap beans that are most definitely past their sell by date" Carmen adds on
"Well only by a few days" says Tracy "We've got to save money".
"Mike cancelled my piano lesson!" Gus shouts walking into the kitchen. "I always have piano lessons on Wednesday. If i don't have piano lessons on Wednesday then Wednesdays won't work!"
Liam walks over "Look me in the eye Tracy Beaker, and tell me how this is fair".
A few minutes later Tracy breaks the news that the council is shutting us down to move us to a cheap place.
"Burnywood?"
"They can't do that, this is our home!" Tee exclaims.
"That's why we need to make these cuts work" Tracy persists.
"Nah don't get sucked in, if the want to shut us down they'll do it, no matter how much money you save" Saff leaves the room.
"I've done a stretch in Burnywood, i'm not going back and i don't want Zen to go there either" says Liam.
"Then help us make it cheaper her" Tracy retorts. "Then you won't have to go back, and neither will anyone else."
"Let's run this thing Dono" I encourage him.
He looks at me "Right everyone let's show these council muppets how to run things in the cheap"
And so it began. Everyone went around finding things we didn't need to sell. "We can get 20 quid for that sofa" I tell Gus.
"How do you know?"
"Because that's what the weird clearance man offered me and Liam last time"
"Turn of the lights" Liams tells Gus as he starts to write stuff down "Tell Johnny to take down the curtains and me and Zen will shift them"
"Right i've gone through everything and I've decided you can have this and this" says Carmen as she pulls out 2 individual socks.
"Carmen we need to make money" I say "We need at least 2 full bin bags"
"Two?!"
"Continue with that attitude and it'll be double" Liam tell her as he looks over at Tee, "what are you doing?"
"Oh I thought if we put these on her feet" she start as she holds up feel shapes she cut out of the carpet, " then we won't miss the carpets"
"Good thinking Tee" I comment
"Pointless" Saff drags as she walks past us
"Well at least she's trying"
We spend the majority of the day moving basically half the house into the driveway to sell it. After we sold it, Liam and I showed Mike Gina and Tracy around.
"You got rid of everything?" says Mike
"Apart from the important thing" Liam says as i point to the computer. "Don't thank us yet, there's more". We take Gina Mike and Tracy upstairs to show them a big combined bedroom where some people had a mattress on the floor.
"What is this?" Mike questions
"We would like to present to you are saving Elmtree house campaign" Liam replies.
"Tees going to move in with me and Lily so we can save in heating." Carmens tells them
Gina looks at the floor. "What have you done with the carpets?"
"Oh Tee if you will" i beckon her over.
"I made these, so we don't miss the carpets" She hands Mike and Gina their very own pair of carpet shoes.
"We've worked out the savings and adding savings savings Liam got from the house clearing man, means we're each going to cost £29.87 a week less matching the Burnywood price"
"Right we can see how hard you've worked but there isn't a council in the country that would let us run a home like this. I'm really sorry guys but you can have to buy the whole lot back" Mike breaks the news. Me and Liam push out the room.
"See i told you it was a waste of time" Saff comments
"At least we actually tried and didn't just give up straight away" I spit back
"Yeah we'll remind Harry how much you've helped when they cart him off to Burnywood" Liam adds.
Tracy liam and I got to my room.
"It's the first place that's ever felt like home" Liam sighs falling onto my bed.
"What are we going to do now?" I ask
Tracy looks up "plan B"
"We don't have a plan b"
"Neither have I yet but I'm not giving up until we get to at least plan F"
We ended up buying back all the furniture we sold and everyone pitched in to putting it back where it belongs. Frank Liam and I were setting up Liams bedroom again when Tracy walks in. "Right, who's ready to go to war?"
"Plan B?" I ask
"Did they really think they could get away with dragging out of our home we're going to tell the world what really is going on" says Tracy.
"We're in" Liam says.
"Me too" Saff says from the door
"I thought you didn't want to know" Liam asks
She looks back at Harry who is currently having a piggy back "Well we've got nothing else on"
plan B was underway. We had created banners and posters and decorated the outside of the house with balloons in order to catch the eye of citizens hoping they will come over and sign our petition to try and keep Elmtree house open. Carmen runs out and tells us that Lily is moving in with Rosie and poppy which will in the long run save us money and maybe keep us open.
"How much money will it save?" Liam asks
"I don't wanna go!" Lily cries.
"Have you lost it?" Saff asks as we all start talking to her baffled about why she wouldn't want to go.
"It's not up to you" She says
"Yeah? Well you've got a home to go to, we're loosing ours and getting sent to a prison" Liam tells her
"Why is Tracy up on the roof" Gus says whilst looking up.
"Save Elmtree house don't let the council shut us down!" Tracy shouts down a megaphone from the roof.
"TRACY!" Mike yells "COME DOWN FROM THERE!"
"That looks well fun" I say nudging Liam
"I wanna get up there" Liam adds
"You two will stay down here!" Gina tells us
"What is she doing?!" Mike questions
"I don't know but its working Mike" I reply as i watch a Tv news channel van pull into the driveway.
As time went on many people had gather round to see what the commotion was about. I look back to the roof to see how Tracy's doing when i see Lily up there as well.
"LILY, GO BACK INSIDE ITS DANGEROUS" Mike yells "LILY PLEASE. LILY GET OFF THE ROOF NOW"
The tension rises as we watch Lily try and stand up on top of the roof. She turns around to try and walk to Tracy but that's when she slips and falls all the way off the roof into the driveway. We're all in shock as we see Lily being put on a stretcher and into an ambulance.
The mood in Elmtree house had completely changed. We were all sat around the kitchen table nobody saying a word when we heard the clicking of a camera coming from the doorway. Liam and I got up immediately swinging open the door and yelling at them to go away. Mike walks in with this lady.
"I'm Leanna Spinx and i have been sent by the council. I Will be leading a full investigation about how this accident happened. Whist that's happening Elmtree will be closed and you will be placed elsewhere"
"You can't do that!" I yell at her
"The decision has been taken and its final" With that Tracy Mike and Leanna left.
"Right boys and girls" I say and they all look at me "We aren't going down without a fight. I think it's time to pay the basement a visit" and they all follow me to the basement apart from Saff and Harry who have just accepted their fate.
Liam finishes blocking the door with a chair "You really think that's going to work?" johnny asks
"Have you got any better ideas?" I retort
"We're going to stay down here until they agree to keep this place open" say Toby
"Or until they break the door down and drag us all out" Johnny says
Liam scoffs "I'd like to see them try"
"Come on Zen, Liam open up" Mike says whilst knocking the basement door.
"You going to keep Elmtree open?" Liam asks
"You know we ca-"
"Then no" I cut in
Mike knocks again "Zenia Adelin don't make this harder then it already is"
We hear another knock "Liam? Zen?" Sapphires voice rings out "Open the door, it's me"
I nod at Liam and he goes and let's Saff in
"She's going to call the police" She says "You can't win this one. Look there going to shut us down so you can either be dragged out here kicking in screaming or-"
"They'll be the ones kicking and screaming" Liam interrupts
"-Or we can control how it happens, so we can go out of here with a bit of dignity. With our heads held high because I don't know about you but I want to show them that they don't own me even if they think they do."
Everyone follows Saff out leaving me and Liam.
"You know i'm going to go for a runna, i'm not going to Burnywood" Liam tells me.
"I thought you might do that"
"Come with me" Liam says. I turn to face him.
"I cant" I whisper
"Why not?"
"Because i have to got with them, to protect them especially the younger ones"
Liam takes a breathe and slowly walks over to me cupping my face with his warm hands. "Are you sure?"
"I'm sure, we'll see each other again soon enough, we always find a way back to each other"
Liams eyes flick from my eyes to my lips and i part them slightly. He starts to bend his head down and we press our lips together. The kiss is delicate saying things words just couldn't form.
After we pull away I look in his eyes "I've waited so long for that" Liam comments causing me to smile "So have I"
I wrap my arms around his neck as he slings his around my waist. "I'll miss you Dono" I whisper
"I'll miss you too Zen"
He presses his lips on mine once more and we walk out of the basement into the driveway.picking up our backpacks of stuff.
"Stay safe" I tell him as he starts to walk off. I watch him sling his backpack over the fence and he shortly follows after.
EPISODE 2 - DRAINED
I had a lot of time to think i'm Burnywood, well when i wasn't in fights. Majority of my thoughts constantly consumed with Liam. He is ethereal to me. The sculptured his face, his light brown shaggy hair and his eyes were a beautiful enigma. The weeks without Liam had felt unbearable, I often got into more fights then i needed just to divert my brain away from my solemn thoughts. Saff and Carmen noticed my change in attitude at burnywood. The noticed how i had become defensive rarely letting my walls down but that's what i had to do otherwise i would get ripped apart in that place. I knew that Saff would be ok but i has to be on guard to protect Carmen and Harry.
I had go into 9 fights in the couple weeks i had been there one of them being because someone punched Carmen and nicked her stuff. Obviously i wasn't going to let that happen so i fought the person who did it and managed to sneak most of Carmens stuff back. To try and reduce the chance of Carmen getting hurt again i taught her a few moves for her own protection.
Saff, Carmens, Harry and I were all finally going back home after spending time in burnywood. Carmen was bearing a black eye and i had a spilt lip from my most recent fight and many scabs peppered in my wrists from the punches. As soon as we've walked in we are met with Gina. She instantly sticks out her hand to the injuries we have acquired.
"What happened?" She asks
"Nothing i'm fine" Carmen says
"Are you-"
"She says she's fine" Says Saff whilst leading Carmen away.
"What happened there Zen?"
"I think you can probably guess. I'm glad i chose to go though because i think things would have been a lot worse" I tell her. She pulls me into a hug and strokes my hair
"Thanks Zen"
I walk upstairs to my bedroom to find Liam already in it. "Dono?!". I run up to him and jump on him, he responds by wrapping his arms around my small frame.
"I missed you Zen" He says as he puts me down finally getting a good look at my face. He moves his fingers gently along my lip. "This is why i didn't want you to go" He comments.
"Trust me it's really not that bad you should see the other guys".
"Guys? You had multiple fights?"
"Yeah nine in total, i won the all obviously" I laugh "Although one of them had a neat left hook causing my split lip. If i was there longer i would have asked them to teach me it"
Liam laughs as he pulls me closer to him "I've really missed you" he whispers as he softly kissed the side of my mouth trying not to hurt my cut.
At this point i didn't even know what we are, girlfriend and boyfriend? bestfriends? together? But i didn't mind. My mood had been severally lifted just because i caught a glimpse of Liam.
I had decided to hang out with Saff and Carmen. As i walked into the lounge area i saw them playing pool with Lily watching them in a wheelchair. I walked around ignoring Lily and picked up a pool cue as Tracy walked in.
"I'm sorry they sent you to burnywood" Says Lily
"You mean you're sorry you sent us there" Saff retorts.
"Woah it wasn't Lily's fault" Tracy tags in
"How's you figure that out? It's all her fault"
"Is that what you two think?" Lily asks me and Carmen and we both just shrug causing Lily to start crying.
"Now look what you've done" Tracy says.
"aw she's upset" Saff fakes "Is that because all her stuff got nicked and when she asked for it back she got beat up? If it wasn't for Zen, Carmen would have lost everything. Zen got into 9 fights there protecting Carmen and Harry, she basically owned the place within a few days."
"We never cried" Carmen adds, i keep my mouth shut not really wanting to be involved. I'm better in physical fights then verbal ones "Don't let me see you cry do you Saff?"
"Well" Lily sniffs "You'll be glad to know i'm not coming back here"
"We're not really bothered" I finally butt in
"That'll be nice for Poppy and Rosie" says Carmen
"I'm not going there, Cams fostering me"
"She's what!" Johnny yells from the doorway
"Hold on, so you throw yourself off the room because you don't want to be fostered and end up being fostered by someone else. What a joke" I scoff and roll my eyes.
"You stole that foster placement from me and Tee" Johnny continues
"I never!" Lily shouts
"You had a foster home to go to Lily!" I shout back "And now you've been offered another? May of us would dream for that opportunity for even one and you're hogging two?"
Lily starts crying.
"I've had enough" I walk up to her "Don't slip on your tears Lily, you might fall" And i walk out the lounge.
•••
Liam and I had played some football in the garden to try and calm ourselves down. As we walked back into the kitchen Tracy stops us "Zen, Liam we've got to do something otherwise Mikes going to loose his job"
I laugh as Liam talks "There is no we, you got us into this mess, you get us out"
"Why are you being like this?"
"I've known loads of Mikes, you get used to them, they leave, you get used to someone else."
I contemplate what Liam says. Mike is like a dad to me so i would give anything to save his job for him.
"You know if it was the other Way around he would fight for you" Tracy adds
"oh yeah like you did when they were closing us down"
•••
Frank had returned from seeing his grandad who was unfortunately getting worse. Me him and Liam were playing cards in this room.
"You stick up for mates?" Frank asks Liam
Liam looks up "I do stick up for mates, Mikes not a mate"
"Well if Mike isn't a mate, then what is?" I ask Liam.
"A mates someone who will stick up for you no matter what, someone who is always on your side"
"That's Mike" I tell him
"That's different, Mike gets paid to be your mate"
I sigh and look at Frank for him to start talking "No he does that bit for free"
"Look are we playing cards or having a girly gossip?"
"Cards" Frank and I say at the same time.
•••
I'm almost asleep when Liam and Frank barge into my room.
"Are you two crazy? What time is it?"
"Not important" Liam says "I've had an idea"
They both come and sit on my bed as Liam explains his idea.
"That's brilliant! Well done Dono" I high-five him.
•••
Mike was currently at the town hall for his hearing and Me, Liam, Harry and Frank were on our way to execute Liams idea.
"You can't sack Mike" Me and Liam say as we bathe into the room that Mike is in
"Liam! Zenia!"
"Elmtree house isn't be the same without him" Liam continues going right up to the desk
"No this is wrong you cant-" Mike starts
"We're begging you aren't we Frank? Zen" Liam adds
"You three this is not the time-"
"Look at Harry, he's only little" I exclaim bringing Harry to the front
"I must insist you all leave now" One of the men in the hearing demands
"I am really sorry the boys and Zen interrupted your honour" Tracy says walking in the room with Sapphire
"Tracy!"
"Look i know what they did was wrong but it just shows you how everyone-"
"Mr.Milligan's popularity is not in question"
"He's the best father figure i've had!" I complain "Please we need him back!"
"There seems to be a severe lack of discipline in Elmtree house and this it's clearly just another example of that" The man continues. We all exchange looks and sadly start to exit the room.
"Why won't you people ever listen?" Liam turns back around "You ain't got a clue!" I shout after
"Liam, Zenia enough" Mike says getting out his chair "I'm so disappointed in you two, did you ever for a second think this was going to work?" I look down.
"Our apologies" Mike starts talking to the honour "We won't make this any more difficult then it already is, we'll be leaving. Come on" He directs us out the room.
We've really messed this up for dad.
•••
It's lunch and we're all sat around the table when Leanne and Mike walk in.
"What's she doing here?" I spit
"Come to say goodbye?" Saff asks
"Actually thanks to Leannes report the disciplinary found in my favour!"
We all start to cheer
"So you're back for good?" I ask
"I'm back Zenia"
A large smile covers my face as i quickly stand up and run to Mike hugging him "Thanks for not just giving up dad" I whisper to him.
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