by Nora Shkodra
IN MY ARMS
A NOVEL
BY NORA SHKODRA
Dedication
To all teenagers: just don't be afraid to tell. Choices can change lives.
Acknowledgements
This book wouldn't be in your hands if it wasn't for the lovely Ava Brown who helped my dreams come true. She inspired me to believe that I can do anything if I just believe in myself. So, thank you Ava.
My mother, who didn't get the life she dreamt of, but who never gave up and worked to give my sisters and I a better life than she had. Thank you for everything you have done for me mum, I wouldn't be where I am without you, literally.
My father, who is more like my best friend, thank you for buying me more books than I could read, and thank you for listening to all my crazy ideas for life.
My big sisters Vjosa and Rina, even though we fought, and even though you’re both bossy, I understand now that you just care for me and have my best interests at heart.
My spectacular best friend Adela; thank you for that ray of positivity shining out of you, no one has ever understood me the way you do. Thank you for all the support and comforting words.
And you reading, who will flip through page after page, I hope you feel all the emotions I did when writing.
Thank you. Nora x.
Acknowledgements | i
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements ......................................... i
Chapter 1: The Perfect Party................................. 8
Chapter 2: Back To School .................................. 14
Chapter 3: Meeting Trey .................................... 17
Chapter 4: I Discover Some News ............................ 20
Chapter 5: Liz Has A Crush.................................. 24
Chapter 6: My Brother Is In Love............................. 28
Chapter 7: The Nightmares Returned ......................... 31
Chapter 8: I Attempt Being A Superhero ...................... 36
Chapter 9: The Plan ........................................ 42
Chapter 10: Drugs.......................................... 46
Chapter 11: What Is Happening To Me? ...................... 50
Chapter 12: The Old Jacob................................... 54
Chapter 13: Promises Never Last, Right? ...................... 58
Chapter 14: Halloween Horror............................... 60 Chapter 15: The Night From Hell............................. 62
Chapter 16: The Aftermath ................................. 65
Chapter 17: Back Home..................................... 67
Chapter 18: Seeking Victory ................................. 69
Chapter 19: Friends Forever ................................. 72
Chapter 20: Ninja Style ..................................... 75
Chapter 21: Finally, It’s All Over ............................. 81
Epilogue .................................................. 85
About the Author........................................... 87
How far would you go to save your sibling? Amber has always thought the sun rose every morning and set every night because of her twin brother Jacob. He was her guide to life. The light she followed whenever she was lost in the dark. But you know, like everything that is perfect, it doesn't last. Jacob, golden boy, is not who his sister thinks he is.
Oh no. There is a whole other story to her brother, and it all unfolds when she finds out he is part of one of the most dangerous gangs in London, and leader, Trey Smith, is not ready to let him go. So, there's only one thing left to do. Amber decides to put up a fight for her brother, because, that's what sisters do, right? But, how can she save
her brother from a gang, who are after her too? How far will Amber go?
Chapter 1 The Perfect Party
“Jacob!” I screeched. “Stop it or I will dunk your head in the pool later!”
We were in the kitchen making muffins for my family’s party later in the evening, with my baking skills and Jacob’s artistic hands; our muffins would look like Grandma made them.
Oh, I’m being rude; my name is Amber Rose Jones. I have that posh name don’t I? Well, that’s because I am posh, my father is that guy that ruins nature and builds shopping centres that have water fountains, which I guess is pretty cool, but then it’s bad because he’s destroying natural beauty.
You’re probably also wondering who Jacob is, that’s my twin brother. He’s five minutes older than me and tries to act as though its years between us. It doesn’t work; I’m more mature than him.
“It’s just flour, don’t be such a girl!” I raised my eyebrows. “You’re going to shower later anyway,” he added before I went into rage mode.
Five minutes later I was hanging up Christmas lights in the garden to make it look prettier in the dark. Jacob had walked out and was watching me.
“When I was your age...” He started and I sighed, putting a hand on my hip. “I was doing something productive, and helping my sibling bake some muffins,” he finished.
“No Jake, when you were my age, you were throwing flour in my hair!” I replied as I furiously wrapped lights around the tree trunk.
Jacob had this thing that he did to me; he’d say ‘when I was your age’ and then describe what he did five minutes ago. It might have been funny the first few times, but when he repeated it every day it got really annoying.
“Is Mum finished with the quiche?” I asked my brother and he nodded.
I ran back into the house and charged into the dining room. I was wafted in by the smell of my mother’s cooking which was like eating in paradise. The dinner table was filled with every finger food you could imagine!
“Do NOT enter this room with your hair flying around like that!” she ordered me. I gave her my puppy eyes.
“You are not 5-years old anymore, that no longer works with me young lady! You may have Joe wrapped around your little finger but I am not your father!”
I ignored her and grabbed a chocolate finger before running back outside as my mother shouted at me.
“You stole food that’s for the guests, didn’t you?” my father asked after I bumped into him in the kitchen.
I nodded feebly which made him smile; my father still treated me like I was his baby, even if I was going into Year 10 in the following month.
“Be careful, you know her OCD acts up when we host the annual party,” he said, serious this time.
I nodded again, gesturing that I understood. I went back to my job of decorating the garden. I put white cloths over the tables, arranged the glasses neatly and I placed little jars of flowers around the garden. I went over to the pond and threw petals in the water to make it look prettier.
I glanced back at the kitchen and watched my brother through the glass doors. He was delicately drawing patterns on the muffins with icing; the way his hands moved around as he used the piping bag mesmerised me. There was something about my brother that I adored; he was not like other brothers.
A few hours later I was freshly washed and in my new dress that my mother bought me in River Island. It was a pale blue skater dress with a white ribbon around the waist. I was wearing ballerina flats and my hair was pinned back. Jacob was wearing a matching coloured shirt and white chinos.
“Hey twin, you look great!” I told him as he put on his trainers.
“Thanks, are you only saying that because we’re matching and I am the boy version of you?” he asked as I fiddled with his XBox. “Hey, don’t touch my baby,” I stepped back, chuckling.
“It’s just a game dude,”
I said, smiling. “Oh, and Mum wants you downstairs because people will be arriving very soon.”
He followed me downstairs and we smiled at the sight of our house and how beautifully it was decorated. Jacob and I have always loved these parties. My parents’ friends and work colleagues came bringing their children and especially because I had a crush on my Dad’s boss’s son. His name was Adam; he had blond hair and blue eyes and also plays the guitar so he is immediately in the crush zone.
The doorbell rang and I went to answer it with Jacob at my heels. I opened the door to reveal Adam’s parents. Immediately I smiled.
“Hello Mr and Mrs Lawson, we’re so glad you could make it,” I said as I shook their hands; first Mrs Lawson then Mr Lawson. Jacob took their coats and hung them up just as Adam walked in, and as usual, had his guitar with him. I smiled and took his jacket.
“Hey,” Was all I could manage, and when I recall this incident, I realise I was pathetic.
“Hey Amber, you look really nice.” He winked at me and then greeted my brother with a fist bump. I felt my cheeks go hot as blood rushed up to my face.
We followed the adults into the back garden; my Mum had already poured them champagne. Jacob and I took turns getting the door; by the time all of our guests had arrived I was worn out from saying ‘hello’ and ‘good to s e e y ou’.
I was standing in the garden, eavesdropping when my mother walked towards me with a woman who looked about forty years old. She had blonde hair held back in a ponytail and wore a red velvet dress which fell just below her knees.
“Amber dear, I’d like you to meet Lindsay Brown, she’s a book publisher. She works for ‘A Good Read.” My mother smiled as my jaw dropped.
“A Good Read is my favourite publishing company ever!” I told her as I shook her hand.
“I’m glad you like it.” She said, smiling as her perfect white teeth gleamed. “Your mother has told me a lot about you, she said you’re a writer.”
“Well, I’m not a proper one,” I said quietly.
She shook her head. “There is no such thing as a proper writer; there are good writers, and there are bad. Some writers are just published.”
“That’s what I’ve been telling her these past years!” My mum never said that to me, she must have dreamed it.
“Amber, how about we sit by the pond and you can tell me what you have written so far,” Lindsay offered.
“Yes, I think that would be great!” I replied enthusiastically.
We walked towards the pond and sat on the bench by the rose bushes, I didn’t think sitting there was a good idea because the rose thorns would poke us, but we sat there anyway.
“So what type of stories do you like to write then?”
“Well, I usually write sad romance stories, however recently I’ve gotten into crime; something which teenagers can relate to, things like peer pressure, alcohol, drugs and gangs,” I explained as she nodded looking at me intently.
“That’s amazing; we really need more things like that in this world. A book can change someone’s life.”
I nodded because I knew from experience. “The Chronicles of Avery Blue changed my life,” I explained.
And then I told her the story of Avery Blue.
“Now, you might be wondering, what that is about. Well, it’s a book series about a girl who has a chip in her brain. She was given away for adoption at a very young age however her parents were always there for her. They were running away from the Russian Mafia, so to protect her, they had to change her identity, and theirs. Avery’s mother ended up being her English teacher. She never knew her real background until she found a letter in her bag that had mysteriously appeared there, she read it and discovered who she really is.”
“How did it change your life Amber?” Lindsay asked, pulling me away from my thoughts.
“Because, Avery is such a heroic young girl who risked her life for the goodness of humanity. It made me want to be like her; I want to help change the world through my stories,” I explained; pouring out my biggest desire to a complete stranger.
“You are one amazing young girl, and I’ve only known you for five minutes,” she complimented me.
“Thank you very much.”
“You are very welcome; I am only speaking the truth.”
I smiled before she said something that made me even happier. “Do you have any work that you would like me to read?” My jaw had dropped for the second time that night.
“Are you serious?”
She laughed and said she was. “When you go to get it, could you also give me your contact details?”
I nodded eagerly and rushed up to my room. I scribbled down my email and phone number. I picked out three of my best pieces of work and went back downstairs.
Happily, Lindsay took all three of them and put them in her bag.
The rest of the day at the party and even after seemed perfect to me; my stories were going to be read by one of the best publishing companies in the country, and Adam asked me out on a date!
It couldn’t have been a better day.
Chapter 2 Back To School
Adam took me to a concert for our date, we went to see the band, Arctic Blues perform, they are this amazing band Adam and I both love. Jacob had started to like them as well and was really bummed that he couldn’t go with us because it was a date.
My family had teased me endlessly when I told them about the date. It was really embarrassing. My mother gave me ‘the talk’ and Dad turned into this really strict man I had never seen before.
The concert was outstanding; the audience wasn’t huge because it wasn’t in one of those huge arenas. I think smaller concerts are better because the band members can actually see us and acknowledge us as their fans.
When we started the new school year it felt a little weird because I was now in Year 10 and that’s when we start our GCSE’s.
As well as having a change in my timetable, the doors in the school were freshly painted and the walls were different colours. Every teacher got to choose what colour they wanted their room to be which I thought was really nice because it felt cosier and homier, if you get what I mean.
In case you’re wondering, my brother and I go to a private school that has around one hundred students, including my best friend Liz. Her full name is Elizabeth de la Rossi, but no one calls her by that name, apart from
Back To School
her Mum. Liz is Italian but can’t make pizza to save her life. She’s the glamorous one in our friendship, with long black hair and bright green eyes which go blue in the sun.
I’m the one with icky brown hair and brown eyes, big goofy glasses and after brace retainers. Liz wasn’t cursed with needing braces and had naturally straight teeth. I had braces from the age of eleven to thirteen and a half.
If you don’t need them, thank the Lord every day, if you’re atheist, thank Mother Nature, if you don’t believe in her then, well, I don’t know but oh well.
I always had a feeling that Jacob had a crush on Liz, every time she came over to our house he would walk around shirtless just to see her reaction. It was pretty funny really.
I remember the day Liz moved into town and started school, we were in Year Seven, and I automatically told myself that she would be in the ‘cool girl’ group, but she didn’t even go to them, she sat next to me and we became best friends. Liz is like the sister I never had.
The main reason school was feeling weird was because Jacob was acting different than usual. My brother and I were normally well behaved, we always got to school on time, did all of our homework and handed it in on time. We were just generally goodie two shoes. However, Year 10 was different. Jacob tried to act older than his age. He started to talk back to teachers and not do homework. As time passed, he would skip school and I was really worried. For us Jones kids, things like that are big mistakes because it is embarrassing for us to do things that bring shame to our family, more importantly, ourselves.
By the fifth week of
school, Jacob had started to get friendly with the school ‘bully’.
Chapter Two | 15 “Jake, what are you doing? You know Dad hates Jodie’s Dad!” I raged on the bus home one afternoon. “Have you forgotten that he tried to sabotage Dad’s career?” I carried on, as he unlocked his phone. “Don’t ignore me! Family comes before anything!”
It was our stop then; I followed my brother off the bus and walked into him because he had stopped on the sidewalk.
“What are you doing?” I asked him.
“Why do you even care if Dad’s business fails, you’re the one who hates what he does?” he said, raising his voice.
“Jacob, why are you being stupid? Dad’s job is what pays for the food on our plates and clothes on our backs!” I shouted back as he flinched at my voice, which had gone as cold as stone.
“So what? We could still be living well enough if he had a job like the normal Dad’s do!”
I looked up at him; no matter how much I tried I was no longer able to be eye level with him.
“You sound like you want Dad’s business to fail! What has gotten into you? Actually, I don’t even want to talk to you at the moment!”
I turned around and walked in the opposite direction of my house. I ended up going to the park my Mum always took us to when we were little.
Chapter 3 Meeting Trey
A while later I heard my phone buzz, signalling that I had received a text message. I unlocked it and sighed at what I read; it was from Jacob.
Hey, Amber. Look, I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me. Just come home, it’ll be dark soon. I slid my phone back into my pocket without replying and watched the empty park for a little while. Just as Jacob promised, the sun had started setting over the view, it looked beautiful, taking attention away from the trashed park and graffiti covered walls.
The park used to be really nice a few years before; the climbing frame had rusted and lost its entire colour. The swings had been yanked off and the slide was dented. It was a chaotic picture of a child’s lost and forgotten dreams.