The Sisters of Castle Stone

#4: The Call of the Highlands

The car carrying the Greyson family slowed to a halt. Charlotte sat in the back next to her sister Bethany, not wanting to be there at all. Her earphones were plugged into her ears and the music on her phone was turned up quite loud. The last thing she wanted to do was participate in any family discussion. The last thing she wanted to do was move.

As she watched the trees and the pretty patchwork fields go by, her thoughts turned back to when she first met her closest friend, Emily Philips.

Charlotte sat at the front of the class, her best friend at the time Kelly Harris sitting beside her. Their bags were packed as they waited for the coach to arrive to take them off on an outdoor adventure camp for part of half term. The teacher, Mr Larson, stood at the front of the class, his bald head shining as the sunlight beamed from outside. He held a red clipboard in his hand and pushed his glasses back up his rather large nose. In his usual Welsh boom of a voice, he called out the list of pupils that were to accompany him and a couple of the other teaching staff on the adventure trips.

By the time he'd finished, and ticked off all the other names, the door opened and in walked the head teacher, Mrs Callumfield. As the woman entered the room, a girl stood behind her, a small brightly coloured pink suitcase by her feet. She then introduced her as Emily Philips and announced that she would be joining the class on their trip.

No one turned up for school and immediately went on a school trip away for a fortnight. It was completely unheard of. Charlotte couldn't help but find this strange. However, when the class boarded the bus a few minutes later, Kelly Harris decided to sit next to her boyfriend James Jones, meaning the seat next to Charlotte on the coach was vacant. Charlotte, who had never been a fan of long journeys, sat and opened her book at the last page she'd read. She started to read, but then a strange American voice caught her attention and ruined her concentration.

"Hey," the girl said

Charlotte looked up from her book to see a tall slim girl with a mass of Afro curls standing in the gangway, her small wheeled suitcase in hand. Although she was pretty, with a high green bow in her hair, and wearing pastel purple jeans with a pink rainbow top on, no way was she possibly dressed for the great outdoors. Charlotte moved her bag off the empty seat, and the girl sat and introduced herself.

"You do know we're going to a campsite right, not Florida?" Charlotte replied, "your outfit may be cute but it's completely impractical."

"Oh. I see. I'm sure I got something else in here. My mom packed for every occasion." The girl paused for a moment, "I see you like novels. Whatcha readin'?"

And that was it. One conversation turned into a discussion and a bonding chat about their favourite books and authors. It turned out that Emily was also a fan of the series Charlotte was reading. It didn't take long for them to plan to go and see the film adaptation of it together once the camp was over. Four years of friendship finished in a blazing row about something that was out of their control. If Emily's mother wanted her daughter to live with her in the States, there was nothing anyone could do about it. If Charlotte's parents were moving her and her sisters to Scotland, then that was it. At the end of the day, both Charlotte and Emily were still teenagers and what their parents said went.

That was earlier, Charlotte thought, maybe Emily had calmed down by now? There wasn't any harm in trying. She got out her phone, switched the music off, and tried calling Emily. The phone rang and rang endlessly. She waited and expected to hear the funny giggling sound of her friend's voicemail message, but nothing. The phone just rang. She went on to the instant messaging app and typed out a long and heartfelt message to Emily.

Hey Em, it's Charlotte. I'm so sorry for what happened earlier. I shouldn't have had a go at you. It's not your fault your mum wants you to go home and it's not hers. I was so in the wrong saying that to you and swearing at you. It was a really stupid and immature way and I am so sorry. You're my best friend and it shouldn't matter if you're in America and I'm in Scotland, we can still be friends.