Chapter Text
"HENRY IT'S TIME TO GET UP!" I heard mum's voice shout from downstairs but instead of getting up I covered my head with my covers, trying my best to drown out her voice.
"I SAID GET UP NOW!" she shouted as she came through my door "WE HAVE TO LEAVE!"
I groaned as she pulled my covers off me "But it's just not fair. I don't even want to go on this stupid holiday."
"Don't be horrid Henry," she replied with a sigh "Now, get up."
I let out my own heavy sigh as I sat in my bed rubbing my eyes as they adjusted to light in my room.
"I'm all ready Mum," my Wormy little brother Perfect Peter said cheerfully as he poked his head into my room.
"Get out of my room Worm!" I snapped
"Don't be horrid Henry," my mum repeated before turning her attention to my brother with a smile "Such a good boy Peter."
'Yuck!' I thought as I watched them leave hand in hand 'He's such a Smelly Nappy Baby.'
I grabbed the cleanest jumper off the floor and slipped it over my head followed by a pair of trousers. After getting dressed I slowly made my way across the hall to the toilet then downstairs where my family were all smiles and eating their breakfast. I poured a bowl of my favorite cereal and gulped it down.
"Eat properly!" Mum scolded waving her finger at me but I paid little attention to and continued eating.
"I'm eating properly," Peter chimed in.
"Shut up Worm!" I mumbled with a quick eye roll.
"Don't be horrid Henry!" Dad scolded from behind his newspaper.
After breakfast Dad and Peter packed the car while I sat moping on the stairs, I really did not want to go on this stupid holiday to visit relatives I have never even heard of that lived in the countryside. Once the car was all packed up we were on our way and believe me when I say the ride was pure torture, I was forced to listened to 'Frere Jacques' at least a million times and whenever I protested I would get yelled at. I finally got some peace when the Worm fell asleep, I breathed a sigh of relief.
"Mum who are we going to see again?" I asked looking out of my window watching the world pass by.
"We are going to visit Uncle Albert," she replied
"How come he hasn't invited us before or come to any of our family gatherings?"
She sighed "Uncle Albert is a very busy man."
"I'm bored," I complained.
"While why don't you take a nap like Peter?" Dad suggested glancing back at me through the mirror.
"Naps are for babies," I said under my breath as I leaned back into my seat wishing my parents had let bring my collection of comics. I sighed thinking about how much fun my friends were going to have on their holiday while I was stuck in a smelly old car going to see some smelly old relatives. Rude Ralph was going to spend his holiday some place way cooler than me. I don't know how or when it happened but I must have fallen asleep along the way because when I opened my eyes we were pulling up to a large iron gate.
"We're here," Mum said with a smile
"Yippy!" Peter cheered clapping his hands together.
Dad pushed a button on a box outside of the gate and some man's voice answered "How may I help you?"
"Ah yes," Dad said clearing his throat "we're here to see Uncle Albert."
"Yes," the box replied "he's been expecting you."
I watched as the gates slowly opened and Dad pulled the car forward, we drove up the long and winding driveway until we stopped in front of house that was at least ten times bigger than Rich Aunt Ruby and Stuck up Steve's house. Dad put the car in to park just as tall man walked out "Welcome sir," he said with a frown "would you like me to park your car?"
"Ah...sure," Dad replied handing the man his keys.
Peter jumped out of the car all smiles while I took my time.
"Hurry up Henry!" Dad hissed
"I am hurrying up!" I mumbled under my breath as I slowly followed my family to the door.
"Welcome," another man said as he opened the door to let us in "Mr. White will be with you in just a moment."
I stood next to my parents with my hands shoved deep in my pockets as my eyes wandered around the room.
"Don't even think about being horrid Henry," Mom whispered
Why do they always think I'm going to be horrid? I mean all I was looking around, it's not like I was thinking about doing something horrid.
"I'll be good Mom" Peter smiled
I just rolled my eyes as mum said "I know you'll be good my little angel," before she bent down and kissed the top of his head.
"Welcome to our humble home," a tall woman said as she entered the room "I am Catherine, Albert's wife."
"What about me Mummy?" a voice came from one of three boys that stood right beside her.
"Oh yes," she smiled and pointed to the tallest of the boys "this strapping young lad is my son Brighton and his little friends James and Thomas."
"Why hello Brighton!" Peter exclaimed "I'm Peter, it's a pleasure to finally meet you."
"Hello Peter," the boy smiled holding out his hand for my wormy brother to shake before turning his attention to me and asking "and you are?"
"That's Henry," Peter explained "he can be real horrid."
"Really?" Brighton asked with a raised eyebrow and a crooked smile before holding out his hand towards me.
"Ha," I said quickly folding my arms across my chest.
"Don't be Horrid Henry," Mum sighed shaking her head.
I sighed and reluctantly held out my own hand to him. Brighton's smile widened before he grabbed my hand and gave it a tight squeeze "The pleasure is all mine, dear Henry."
"Ow!" I said pulling my hand away
"Sorry," Brighton smirked as his friends held back their laughter
Catherine led us to the sitting area where tea and biscuits were already waiting for us, In the corner of the room sat an older man about the age of Great Aunt Greta maybe even older. "Hello Darling," he smiled slowly getting up, grabbing his walking stick and walked over.
"Why hello Uncle Albert," Mum said giving the man a gentle hug and turning back to us "you remember my husband Simon?"
"Ah yes," Uncle Albert nodded before noticing my brother and myself. "And who are these strapping young lads?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.
"This is Peter," she smiled as my brother stepped forward.
"Hello Uncle Albert!" Peter said happily as he walked up and wrapped his arms around the man.
"Worm," I thought
"And this is Henry," Mum said nudging me forward
"Um...hello," I said awkwardly waving at him causing him to chuckle.
The adults sat down and sipped their tea slowly as they started up a boring conversation. I walked over to the assortment of biscuits "Yummy," I thought as I reached for the first one.
"We have twenty servants," Brighton bragged coming up behind me "how many do you have?"
"We haven't got..." Peter started to say but I cut him off.
"Fifty," I said proudly
"Really?" he asked smugly folding his arms across his chest and glancing over to his friends.
"But Henry..." Peter said but I quickly nudged him.
"And our house is way bigger than this dump," I continued seeing how far I could go.
"That's not what my mum said," he smirked "she told me you guys are poor."
I felt my face go red as he and his friends started laughing at us..."Arrrrh!" I yelled as I imagined turning into a giant dinosaur and squashing them.
"DON'T BE HORRID HENRY!" I heard Mum shout as I snapped back and noticed my tea cup smashed.
"Oops," I said as I looked up at my parents angry faces.
Catherine had her hand across her mouth with a stunned look on her face "What a horrid child," I heard her say.
"Go to your room," My mum said sternly quickly standing up
"I can't," I replied
"Why not?" she asked placing her hands on her hips and glaring down at me.
"Because I don't know where that is,"
"Right," she nodded looking back at everyone
Uncle Albert reached over and touched a button on the table and within seconds a woman came rushing in.
"Yes Sir?" she asked
"Amelia," Catherine said sweetly "could you show this horrid boy to his room."
"Yes M'Lady," the woman replied.
As I walked away I heard Mum say "I'm so sorry about that."
"Don't worry about it darling," Catherine said "some children are just bad seeds."
Once outside of the room Amelia was greeted by a girl around my age "Olivia," she smiled "will you show him to his room I have to get back to the kitchen."
"Yes Mum," she replied giving me a tiny smile.
"Great," I thought "a stupid girl."
"Follow me," she said "I'm sorry I didn't get your name."
"Henry," I mumbled stuffing my hands in my pockets and started following her up a giant staircase.
"Hello Henry," she replied sweetly making me feel sick "I'm Olivia and it's so nice to meet you." I just hate it when girls try to act all sweet, when they are really evil.
We walked in silence which was fine by me because she was a girl and I hated girls. "Here we are," she said gently opening the door to a room that almost as big as our entire house. "Wow," I thought as I looked around all the toys that lined walls
"These are all of Brighton's old toys that he doesn't play with anymore," she explained before standing back waiting for me to say something, which I did not.
"Well I best be off," she said "Mum needs my help in the kitchen.
I took another look around the room at all the toys. Maybe this holiday wasn't going to be as bad as I thought it would be?