2 ONE

It is another sunny day in Brighton. I was going to start with my summer agenda today but since I'm leaving for that stupid camp tomorrow, I have no choice but to stay at home and let time pass. But good thing my father called me during breakfast that he is picking me up in 10 minutes to spend the day with him and my little half-brother, Matthew, to go on a little road trip to Amazona Zoo in Cromer, which is 5 hours away from Brighton. It is going to be a long day with them.

At the moment, I'm at my dad's building at the lobby area waiting for dad to appear. He picked me up a few hours ago and left me in the lobby area to talk with his secretary about his absence for today. I told him, he could just call her and be done with it. But dad being him, he has to talk to her in person and deal with that matter face to face. Don't get me wrong, he is not seeing his secretary, he just has a very close tie with his employees that he treats them as family than employees. He's been up there for like 2 hours and we still have to pick up Matt from their house.

Dad wants me and Matthew to have a sister-brother-father time. And I was totally fine with it, since I'm pretty close to Matt, compared to my other two half-brothers, and dad is my dad. He still has a right to spend time with me, after he and my divorced a few years back.

My mum was also fine with it since she's packing for a trip. She's going to Japan for a search. She wants to manage Asian teens and train them to be the best that she knows they can be. And she doesn't want me to go with her. Well, I want to go with her but I'm going to camp tomorrow and she's leaving tomorrow, so I just had to say good by to that dream of going to Japan before college.

My mum and dad get upset when they can't give me enough attention and care, even if I'm already seventeen. I might be annoyed of it but I honestly love it. I don't want any material things from mum or dad, all I want is their presence and their love for little old Samantha. But this camp thing is really not my cup of tea. If they know me, I prefer travelling with them not being stuck in a camp with a bunch of crazy rich teens and celebrities. Like who wants that? Living with my mum, I get to see crazy teens and celebrities all that time. And I am already immune with those celebrities' charm whether they are new or not. My fangirling days were over 5 years ago.

"Hey, Sam." A cute male voice called out. I turned around and saw my half-brother, Matthew with dad right behind him.

"Hey Matt, I thought we were picking you up?" I said and pinched his always rosy cheeks.

"Mum went somewhere and decided to drop me here because dad is taking too long." Matt explained. For a 10 year old, he sure does talk too much. "Are you ready for camp, sissy?" he questioned. I like his little nickname for me but I prefer Sam, it's feminine at the same time can be a guy name.

"What ya think?" I answered sarcastically.

"I think you are ready." He said with a cheeky smile. The sarcasm is clear in his cute Irish accent. This 10 year old never fails to make me smile.

"Ya think?" I squealed. Then he chuckled. I looked at dad and he was confused. "Dad, you'll never understand us." I said and patted dad's shoulder.

"I'll never be able to understand the two of you." He smirked. "How come you don't have this thing with Stephen and Julian? Why only with Matthew?"

"To be honest, Dad, I don't know." I lied since I know the reason why. Both Stephen and Julian dislike me. They were both influence by their mum, who also dislike me and my mum. For sure, she can't accept that we are still dad's first family and she just came second. But I've been trying my best to be super nice to Aunt Angelica, Stephen and Julian but nothing ever works. Not even just keeping myself as quiet as a mouse when she's around. I don't want her to get all so arrogant and such a total bitch to me. "And I like it better this way." I said leaving dad confused again.

Don't get me wrong, I want to be in good terms with her, but she's not making it easy for me nor for mum. She knows that dad no longer loves my mum and that she's his family now. Dad is only seeing me because I am still his daughter and he still has responsibilities to me, not that I demand it. He just wants to provide me with everything a father could provide to his daughter.

We got to the floor where dad's big office is located. Once we were in my dad's office, Matthew pulled me towards a corner in the room where there was a table, two computer sets and some other things that aren't that important. Matt, as I called him, turned one computer on and pleaded for me to turn on the other computer as well. I did what he wanted and later on we played random games.

"You know, Sam, I'm gonna miss you..." He stated.

I might not spend a lot of time with dad, but with Matt, I do. I always go to his place and bring him along with me and mum to the studio. Mum��s completely okay with Matt being around. She doesn't care about the fact that Matt is dad's son with Angelica. Mum treats Matt the way I treated Matt and the way she treated me when I was a little girl. "I'll miss you too, Matt. I'll miss you a lot." I said.

"Sam, Matt, are you two just gotta seat there are not join me to Amazona Zoo?" Dad stated. "We need to leave now or else we will return late. Sam's still leaving for camp tomorrow."

"Let's go!" Matt exclaimed! Matt loves animals and the fact that we are going to the zoo excites him. I for one, I'm not excited to see tropical animals.

"Okay." Dad said.

"Dad, what about your meetings?" Matt exclaimed, remembering about dad's busy life as a fashion designer.

"Don't worry about it, I can reschedule it. I'll just talked to my secretary and told her to cancel all my meetings and reschedule it tomorrow." Dad remarked.

"Yey!" Matt cheered.

"And besides, Sam, I have to spend time with you since you'll be away for two months."

"Okay, Dad." I say forcing a smile.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Yeah, we're here!" Matt exclaimed as we stopped at the parking lot at Amazona Zoo. Matt instantly got out of the car and started jumping like crazy. I got out the car then dad followed. It was a very long ride but I love watching the beaches we get to pass by. I hope we get to at least swim in those beaches before I go to camp/

"Ready, to have some FUN with Daddy?" Oh my gosh, dad. You don't have to be so childish. Matt jumped even crazier while I just simply nodded.

Fun? I don't have fun. I'm not being rude to Dad or Matt but fun isn't in my vocabulary. I have been trying to get away from that word since I failed to get what I badly wanted in school. What is it? Well, being part of the Volleyball team and being part of the low social class in school. I extremely failed those two. Those were the ones that would make me happy a lot and would really complete my definition of fun. Truth be told, being the daughter of a well-known fashion designer and a talent coach, has it's perks but I don't want that fame nor the fortune. I just want to have a simple life and travel the world, but that is not happening with me. I have to be in the limelight for most of my life because of them, not that I am complaining and ungrateful, but I know you know what I mean.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"That was fun!" I said. Dad and Matt looked at me with complete disbelief. I tried to recall what I said that made them have that look. Oh my gosh. I can't believe I said that. I had FUN? Maybe I did, I was spending time with my dad and Matt, so that would be fun. I think it was beyond fun. The entire zoo was amazing. We get to see animals that we don't normally see in Brighton nor in any areas of England.

After that zoo adventure, we went to the beach and just enjoyed the sun while it lasts not that it's already late but the sun around this time is great and probably the best time to get tanned naturally.

"You had fun?" Dad cried, shocked. Well, dad knows I don't have fun as most people do.

"Hahaha…I know. I was even shocked that it actually came out of my mouth." I said and let out a little giggle. Then Dad and Matthew burst out laughing.

"That's great to know, sissy." Matt stated and I giggled again.

I looked at my watch and it was already three o'clock. Oh, we forgot lunch, I wasn't hungry though. But we have to head home now and stop by at any fast food chain we see along the road.

We immediately got in the car that was park just a few meters away from the beach and drove off to Brighton

"Dad…I'm hungry!" Matt said with a weak voice.

"I know, Matt. Let's go and have a late lunch." Dad said. "So…where are going to eat?"

"NANDO's!" Matthew and I shouted together as we listen to some new boy group from America playing in the radio.

"Nando's it is!" Dad exclaimed.

Both Matthew and I love Nando's. Ever since I was 7, I was so obsessed with Nando's. I drool over Nando's chicken. Mum and I love to eat lunch there almost every day during her lunch breaks, if she doesn't have lunch breaks we order Nando's. It is mum and I's bonding place or the time we just feel like nothing matter else than the two of us. I can't imagine not being able to get a taste of their chicken for a day. Thinking of that, I can now imagine not tasting it for days, weeks, months. This really sucks. Maybe I can order some Nando's when I'm at camp, but I doubt we are allowed to do that.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"That was delicious!" Matt said.

"I second that." I remarked.

"I third." Dad declared and all three of us laughed.

"Dad?" I said.

"Yes, Sam?"

"I really had a blast. I hope we can do this again. Maybe after camp is over."

"Sure. That would be a beautiful idea."

"Thanks, Dad." I hugged him, after a while Matt joined the hug. "I love you, Dad." I whispered to dad's ear.

"Love you too, Sam." He whispered back.

"Umm…Dad, I better get going, I have to pack my things for the trip tomorrow to camp. I have to leave early for the airport." I remembered.

"I'll take you home, so you can prepare right now." He said. "I'll take you to the subway later with your mum."

"Sure."

"Can I come along?" Matt questioned dad.

"Sure you can, Matt." I say. I tried to ruffle his hair but he backed off.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"I'll call you later, dad." I said. "Bye Matt, Dad. Thanks for an awesome day."

I stayed at the sidewalk as dad's Range Rover drove off. I stayed a little longer until it was not visible anymore. As I watched it disappear, I made my way inside the house. I got to my room and took a quick shower. After, I grabbed some clean clothes out of my closet and got dressed. I didn't bother to look fancy or anything. I didn't even bother to apply make-up or style my hair, I just let my hair down, air dry it and my face looking as natural as it can be.

"I'm gonna miss this room. I won't be sleeping here for the next two months." I sighed as I took one last glance at my room. I'm getting a bit dramatic. I'll be back here after two months. Sam, you don't have to worry.

Yeah, I don't have to worry.

I grabbed my luggage and made my way downstairs. I saw mum enter the house and looked at me in the eyes. She walked to me and hugged me tightly, like she didn't want to let me go.

She finally let me go from the tight hug. I looked her in the eyes and saw she was starting to tear up.

"Mum," I stated. "Don't cry. Mum, it's not like I'll be gone forever. It's just two months. And after that, I'll be here with you again, promise. I'll never leave you, mum."

"I know. But it's just…you'll be away from me for two months and I'm not used to be away from you for such a long time." She said and at the same time a single tear fall from her crystal blue-grey eyes. "I won't be able to see you, I won't hear your laugh, your voice and even hear you sing."

"Mum…" I said and hugged her tight, tighter than her hug earlier. "You're making me cry. I'll badly miss you, mum." I pulled away from the hug and we were both crying. "Ok…I better call dad and inform him that I'm going. Mum, forgot to tell you, dad will come with us to see me off. And oh, Matt is also tagging along."

"Okay." She managed to say. I wiped away the last tear that fell from my eyes.

The entire night, mum and I decided to hung out because we both don't know if we can see each other while I'm in camp. We watched some romcoms and ordered my last taste of peri-peri chicken. I'm going to miss this place and my mum so much.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I woke up early the next day. I called dad that we're set to leave for the subway. While inside the car, I take in the beauty of Brighton. How weird that I'm being sentimental with this place knowing that I've been leaving this place almost every month for mum's job. I just don't get why I'm currently feeling.

Maybe it has something to do with the unknown with this camp thing. Let's just hope for the best.