It was the day I had been dreading, the start of the Summer holidays and the start of a new adventure. Not that I wanted an adventure, what I wanted was a holiday, a proper holiday with sun, sea and sand, maybe Dad's yacht. Although that's what happened last year, this year I would not be so fortunate. This year my parents were going to send me off to stay with my batty great-aunt Eliza, hundreds of miles away in a boring little village.

The hot morning sun beamed in through the thin voils as I finished packing. I had almost finished packing when my mum entered my bedroom.
"Clem, hurry up." She said, "let's not keep Aunt Eliza waiting."

"I'm coming to Annie," I replied, calling my mother a name she hated.

Mum's blue eyes rolled in her head and she tutted, pushing strands of free light brown hair back behind her ears, pearl earrings glistening in the sun.

I glanced over at a family photo of our summer holiday in France last year. We all looked so happy, Mum, Dad, Seb, Will and I standing at the foot of the Eifel Tower, younger brother Will doing bunny ears behind my eldest brother Seb. It was one of the best holidays I had ever been on, such a shame it couldn't be repeated this year.

Due to the fact great grandma Nellie wasn't very well, Mum, Dad and Seb were off to Scotland to look after her. I didn't think she would live much longer, and the last thing I wanted to do was to help nurse a dying woman during the summer holidays. So I was off to spend the summer with great aunt Eliza, who happened to be Nellie's nuttier slightly younger sister.

My oldest brother Seb, (it's short for Sebastian), an A grade university student who training to be a nurse like Mum, so he decided to accompany them. He said he wanted to go to look after our great aunt, but I knew my brother. It may have been part of the reason, possibly half, but great grandma's ladies maid's daughter was the rest of it.

I picked up the happy family photo and shoved it into my bag before taking one last look at my room. I wouldn't see it for six weeks, I thought about taking a photo, but quickly decided against it. I had packed everything I wanted to take, well sort of. One thing I knew I wouldn't be able to take to my aunts were my friends.

Maria Withers, Sophia Beckett, and Rose-Marie Philips, we're my three best friends, but they all had their own things going on. I knew how much I'd miss them, I'd promised to email them every day, although I didn't think I'd really have anything to say to them, aunt Eliza was so boring, but knowing they were having amazing times would hopefully ease my boredom.

From my bedroom, I could hear Dad's voice from the hallway.
"Where is that girl?" He complained, "Anne, do go and see where she is?"

Footsteps echoed up the stairs and they didn't sound like Mum's. I grabbed my suitcase and waited until the door opened to reveal a rather cross looking Seb.

"Are you coming or not?" He said, "this is a life or death situation, Clem. If we don't get there soon she could be dead."

Typical Seb, being melodramatic as usual. He wasn't talking about great grandma and I knew it.
"Phillipa will still be there," I said, "she'll be able to introduce you to her new boyfriend Sammy."

Seb's eyes widened as he glared at me.
"It's not true Clem, she doesn't have a boyfriend!" He protested, unsure if I was lying or not.

The funny thing was Phillipa Gerald, the daughter of great grandma's ladies maid just so happened to be a friend of mine, so for all my idiotic brother knew, it could have been true.

I watched as he grabbed hold of one of my suitcases, moving it on its wheels before calling out in pain.
"What on Earth have you got in here?" He moaned, "you can't really need all this stuff!"

I looked at him and smiled, God he's so weak.
"Fine, I'll take some things out and pack it all again," I replied knowing he would rather carry an elephant down the stairs than wait until I unpack and repack the suitcase.

"No no, I'll be ok. Let's go."

Seb managed to carry the large heavy floral print suitcase down the twisting flight of stairs without moaning as much as I thought he would. I took my handbag, laptop, makeup and a smaller matching suitcase

Outside Mum and Dad waited for us, Dad reading the Financial Times inside his silver Mercedes, his pride and joy, while Mum sat on one of her suitcases talking on the phone to my younger brother William.
"Clementine come and talk to your brother!" She called.

I left the bags near the boot of the car for Seb and Dad to load. Mum handed me the phone and I spoke to Will. He was on a school trip to Australia, paid for by Mum and Dad.
"Hi, Will how's Aus? Have you seen a kangaroo yet?"

"I've seen two. Today we've been to a shark sanctuary and we were allowed to swim with them in special cages." Will explained.

"Wow, that's amazing." I replied, "I can't believe my baby bro swam with sharks. Hey, I don't suppose you want to swap holidays do you? I'd rather swim with sharks than spend the holidays with aunt Eliza."

Will laughed and I could hear his teacher tell him to hurry up and go to bed.
"I'm gonna have to go now Clemmy, I'll talk to you when I can." He said.

"Ok Will, have a great time, good night."

Will cut off the call and I smiled at the phone, even my fourteen-year-old little brother would have a better holiday than me.

Dad and Seb had finished loading the suitcases in the boot of the car. I climbed in the back and plugged my music into my ears as Dad started the engine ready for the three-hour drive to the village of Little Hampton.