Fifteen Going on Grown Up (42 page)

“Do you like it?”

He asked his voice getting louder the more excited he got. Hally pulled her little brother into her arms and hugged him, unusually he didn’t resist.

“Natty I love it. It’s gorgeous and I’m going to wear it all of the time.”

She slid the bracelet over her wrist and for a moment Nathan twiddled with it. Then he whipped out of her arms and gleefully headed off to the garden to his dad.

Once again Hally stood in front of her bedroom mirror examining the way she looked. She recalled doing the same thing the year before but then had doubted the reflection that looked back at her. So much had happened since then and though she was still surprised at her shapely figure, she was so used to it now that she took it for granted. Besides, she had Wes; in fact they had been together for almost a year now and what a year it had been. She leaned toward the mirror checking her makeup. Using her thumb she removed a tiny speck of stray eye shadow and then smoothing her dress she flipped her hair over her shoulder and spoke to her reflection.

“You look pretty good.”

She giggled to herself and slipping on a pair of flat ballet shoes practically skipped from her room.

The barbeque was smoking gently dad standing over it with some of the meat already beginning to cook. Granddad stood by his side each of them holding a bottle of beer chatting whilst dad turned chicken drumsticks. Mum had covered two garden tables with paper cloths, one for drinks and the other for salads, rolls and various other tasty foods. Nathan had a handful of crisps and was running around the garden chasing butterflies. The afternoon sunshine was now very warm and without a cloud in sight promised to stay for the whole day. Hally stepped onto the deck and both her parents smiled at how beautiful their daughter looked.

Wes arrived first telling Hally that his parents were bringing Ellie in a little while. He told her that his mum had just started getting the toddler ready when she pulled the lid off her beaker and spilled juice all down her. Luckily his mum had not put her in the new outfit he had bought for the party. So he decided to walk over and leave them to come when they were ready. Hally laughed imagining the scene, but secretly pleased that he was with her alone for a short time at least.

Not long after Wes arrived Clia and Corrinne turned up with their families and then Rhys with his parents and twin sisters. Nathan was not impressed, then Gregg arrived with his family and Nathan was appeased to find a new male to play with, even though he was a bit older. Finally Kate and Michael walked through the back gate, Ellie waddling along grasping Kate’s hand. She spotted Wes and slipping her fingers from Kate’s bounded across the garden calling ‘Pappy Es, Pappy Es’. Wes caught her just as she stumbled and lifted her into his arms where she buried her face in his shoulder, suddenly becoming shy.

“Hello Ellie.”

Hally said to the little girl. Ellie looked through a mass of curls at her and gave her a cheeky smile, then without warning she launched herself out of Wes’ arms towards Hally. Wes reacted quickly as did Hally and between them they prevented the child from falling, Hally catching her. Ellie thought it was a hilarious game and giggling tried it again, this time towards Wes, but this time they expected it and Hally held on. Ellie squirmed in her arms, so she relinquished her hold and handed her back to her father, where this time she stayed.

A few more family friends arrived and eventually when all of the guests were there milling and chatting with drinks in their hands mum brought out a pile of presents. She called for everyone’s attention and the conversations died down and the guests moved closer to the bench where she had placed the gifts.

“First, Colin and I would like to thank you all for coming to our daughter’s birthday celebration.”

Dad handed the barbeque tongs to Granddad and put his hand on his wife’s shoulder smiling at everyone.

“We wanted Hally to open all her gifts at once and with everyone.”

Mum carried on. A little voice popped up from the front.

“She opened mine already.”

Nathan announced importantly and mum smiled and nodded to him.

“Yes she did Nathan.”

Then she turned to Hally and handed her a beautifully wrapped present. Hally became excited and quickly unwrapped it. Inside she found a small box with a hinged lid and lifting the lid found a gold ring with a gleaming rich emerald stone at its centre. Hally was speechless, she took it out of the box and eased it onto the third finger of her right hand, it fitted perfectly. Hally hugged both her parents tightly, then Granddad stepped forward. He lifted a present from the top of the pile and gave it to her.

“This is from me and your Gran.”

He told her emotionally and Hally had to bite back tears. She didn’t want to cry, not today but as she took the gift she thought it was going to be impossible not to. Gently she unwrapped the package and again found a box. It was small and made from lacquered wood with a simple picture of a lily of the valley flower on its lid. Carefully and with everyone looking on in anticipation, she lifted the lid. A gold heart shaped pendant with an emerald nestled in the centre sat on a cushion of green velvet.

“It was your Gran’s. I gave it to her just after she had your mum. The heart for our love and the emerald for your mum, born in May and named May.”

Hally couldn’t stop the flow of tears as she wrapped her arms around Granddad. Mum put her arms around her dad too and for a moment the world shrank to just those three. Finally, Hally backed away wiping her eyes and turning back to the guests.

“I’m sorry about that.”

She said meekly, trying on a tiny smile and finding it fit quite well. There were lots of murmurs and mumblings of ‘That’s fine’ and ‘It’s ok’ when mum said with a big sigh.

“So the rest of the presents.”

Hally opened gift after gift thanking each person who had given it to her. There was a new bag from Wes’ parents, perfume from Corrinne and Clia and various other gifts from the guests. After opening the last on the pile and finding a huge box of speciality chocolates from Rhys and Gregg, Wes took her arm and led her to a quiet spot in the garden.

“I wanted to give this to you myself.”

He whispered, taking a small box out of his pocket. Hally lifted the lid and saw a pair of gold and emerald drop earrings that perfectly matched the ring from her parents.

“I checked with your mum and dad and these are from the same collection as your ring.”

He told her. Hally pulled his head towards her and kissed him lovingly.

“I take it you’re pleased with them then?”

He asked with a grin when the kiss ended.

“They are beautiful Wes. I love them and I love you.”

The words came easily and boldly, all her previous bashfulness gone. Wes held her.

“And I very much love you too my Hally.”

All the delicious smells of hot barbequed meat filled the air and drew the guests closer to the table where dad was laying out the cooked food. He told anyone in earshot to help themselves and seemed in his element with Granddad helping. Hally sat with Wes, Corrinne, Clia, Rhys and Gregg for most of the time, occasionally wandering about and speaking to the other guests. Kate and Michael were chatting happily to Rhys and Gregg’s parents and the afternoon moved lazily into evening. Dad had placed long garden candles on sticks in the borders and mum had put small tea lights on the tables. As the sun began to drop the candles were lit and a pleasant soft light was cast across the garden. Ellie had fallen asleep on Michael’s lap and the other children had quietened.

“Quite a big difference from last year isn’t it?”

Clia said to Hally and the others. Hally nodded.

“Yes, and you know, I think I prefer it this way. Just family and close friends.”

“Why what happened last year?”

Rhys asked. Clia went on to explain and Rhys and Gregg both looked astounded.

“That Martin Cobb was in the year above us. He was always in trouble; in fact I think he got permanently excluded when he was in year eight or nine. Something about trashing a classroom. Apparently Mr Hopkins was there, the teacher had to take the rest of class out and call for help. I think that’s the only time I’ve ever known someone to get that violent at the school.”

Rhys told them.

“Oh I remember that.”

Gregg exclaimed.

“The teacher was…umm…oh yeah, Miss Blake, she was new, just qualified, art teacher. I think she’s left now.”

The girls nodded.

“Yeah I don’t recognise the name.”

Hally said and Corrinne and Clia agreed.

Gradually guests came and said thank you that they’d had a wonderful time and departed. Stars appeared almost one by one in the darkening night sky and seemed to pop up as a guest left. It was as if they were leaving the garden only to appear against the velvety background of the night to continue observing the party from above. Finally it was just Wes, Corrinne, Clia, Rhys and Gregg left. Dad had left the barbeque to cool down and had gone inside with mum, Granddad and Nathan, so the six sat, each girl snuggled close to her boyfriend chatting quietly about the day. It began to get cool so eventually they moved indoors. Nathan had been put to bed and mum, dad and Granddad were in the lounge, so the six settled in the kitchen nibbling at the food that was left over. Corrinne yawned loudly which started everyone off.

“I think I need to go home.”

She said to Hally. They all agreed to call it a night and Hally and Wes walked to the back gate to see them off. Wes held Hally against him and she leaned back into him waving until her friends turned onto the street.

They made their way back through the garden to the door. Just before they reached it Wes stopped and turned Hally into his arms.

“I’ve waited all day to do this.”

He held her tightly and kissed her deeply. Instantly fire erupted inside her and her body responded as if by itself. She pressed close to him wanting to feel much more of him. She felt she couldn’t get close enough, and wriggled her hips against him. She knew what doing that would do to him and was unsurprised when it did. Wes pulled back a bit and took a deep breath, but she pulled him close again. She did not want any of this to stop. A noise from the kitchen made her look up and she saw mum moving about near the sink. Hally sighed and moved away from Wes enough to break the contact. She knew there and then in the garden, with her mum close by that it was not the right time.

“I’m sorry Wes. Mum’s just by the window; I can’t do this here and now.”

Wes nuzzled her cheek.

“It’s ok Hally, don’t apologise, I know. It’s just not the right time. We will both know when it is.”

He kissed her gently and together they strolled back into the kitchen.

It was late by the time Hally got to bed. Mum and dad had walked back with Granddad and Wes had gone home. Now with her parents in bed she stood at her window looking down into the garden where everything was quiet and still. She had stripped off her dress and stood in her underwear, aware of how her body still throbbed and burned when she remembered Wes’ touch and kiss. Yet even though she knew the garden wasn’t exactly the right place to take things further, she still felt uncertain that anywhere was. Yes she wanted to with every fibre in her body when Wes got so close. Also, she felt a glowing sense of power that she could make his body react too; but in the back of her mind, even when she just wanted him to take her clothes off and touch her all over and do more, she felt trepidation and uncertainty. So did that tell her that she was still not mentally ready even though her body told her she was? Hally climbed into bed feeling a mountain of confusion in her mind. She closed her eyes and tiredness took over and that night in her dreams all her reservations were thrown to the wind and she and Wes became one.

Chapter 17

Prom Night

The next few weeks were completely taken up with exams and Hally had little time for anything else. If she wasn’t actually sitting an exam she was cramming for the next one. The school library was often jammed with year eleven students, each one trying to fill their minds with as much information as possible to help them through the next paper. Although Wes had nowhere near the number of exams to sit as Hally, his were more difficult and had more papers per subject. Corrinne and Clia spent as much time as possible with Hally, together revising, or analysing the papers they had already sat.

“I’m sure I got that equation wrong.”

Clia told the other two after a Maths paper.

“Well what did you put down?”

Corrinne questioned, knowing she would be able to tell her friend if she was correct or not.

“Oh I don’t know now, it’s all muddled in my mind.”

She wailed.

“Clia, it’s done now, we can’t do anything about it, so stop worrying. I bet you got it exactly right.”

Hally told her gently, but silently worrying about some of her own answers.

“Yeah, I know and to think not long now and it will all be
over.”

Clia said with a big sigh. The other two laughed and agreed with their friend.

“Well I can’t wait. It seems like Gregg and me have hardly seen each other lately.”