AUGUST 1984

SAN FERNADO VALLEY - CALIFORNIA

To quote Baby from Dirty Dancing, this was the summer of nineteen-eighty-four when my father and I packed up our life in Pennsylvania to reside in the San Fernando Valley, for the summer... So I could embrace the classic teen eighties summer... on the beach and in arcades. But I really think he's doing this for him... My father grew up in California, in Encino, so this is more for him than me.

The wind blew through Samantha's brunette hair as she and her father drove from the airport at LAX to the Valley. Samantha sat in the passenger seat of the blue sedan rental car, with her Walkman in, whilst her father drove. As they drove through Encino, Samantha watched the views go by, and witnessed the beach packed with teens and families enjoying the summer heat, the arcades and internet cafes full from open till close with teens actively communicating online.

"We're almost there!" Her dad said, as they drew closer to the Van Nuys town that was centred in San Fernando Valley.

"Great" Samantha rolled her eyes, sarcastically. She didn't appreciate the sudden move to the West Coast. She adored her life in Pennsylvania, and being close to New York City... But after her mom died in 1982, everything changed. Her dad worked more, to rid the pain of grief and Samantha... well she struggled a lot. She had such a tight group of friends and now, she had to start again... In a new city, a new state, a new school, a new house... Everything she once had was wiped clean and forced to recreate everything again.

"Sammy, I know this move wasn't ideal for you... But this is important for my firm. This move to Los Angeles could be huge for us" Her father said, sincerely as he shifted his gaze for a moment towards his teenage daughter, "And don't worry, we're in this together. Dad and Sam... We just to make pretend adventures"

"I know, daddy" She smiled, "I understand.. It's just... After everything with mom's death. Don't you feel like you've left her behind?"

"Sam, darling. Doesn't matter where mom died or was buried, she's always with us."

They finally arrived at their new house in Van Nuys. It was a fairly large house, well it should be given the amount her father's company has paid for him to relocate and build a new firm in Los Angeles.

"Holy sh-"

"Impressive, huh?" Her father chuckled at her response

"Impressive ain't even the word... Can we afford this?"

"Of course we can. The company is paying for this" he said, before getting the keys and unlocking the door.

"It's bigger than our home in Pennsylvania, how is that possible?" She exclaimed

Her father simply chuckled, watching his daughter admired the house which was now their home.

Upstairs was 3 relatively large sized bedrooms, one that had a ladder which connected it to a loft conversion. Samantha immediately confirmed that this was her new bedroom before her brother could get the words out. She dumped her bag down on the hardwood floor that was there in place of carpets and rugs, and admired the room and the view from her large bedroom window. Pennsylvania was beautiful, of course, but Van Nuys... Holy shit, it was by the coastline of California and without a shadow of a doubt, the sun shone everyday, away from the smog like curtains that clouded over major cities that she once resided in.

"Hey Sammy?!" Her father called out from the staircase

"Yeah?" She responded, walking out of her bedroom door.

"I gotta head into the office to meet the team.. Do you want dropped off in town? Or do you want to stay here?" Her father mentioned, giving her two options. Go out and potentially meet people and see the sights of her new hometown, or stay home alone, with no WIFI and limited activities to entertain herself...

"Yeah, I'll go into town for a while.. Might get me used to the Valley" Samantha said, before grabbing her bag and following her father down the stairs and out to their blue sedan rental.