Fifteen Going on Grown Up (5 page)

She mumbled hesitantly.

“Well…” Clia paused for effect. “…we just put it about that you have already grassed on Cobs and the police know everything.”

Hally had to try very hard to keep a straight face because Dana’s expression gave her a moment of pure pleasure.

“You do that an’ ‘e’ll kill me!”

Exclaimed Dana. Her eyes were so wide open they looked like two saucers.

“Well, you go to the police and tell them everything you know and they will lock him up; so he won’t be able to get at you will he?”

Clia told her firmly.

The girls could see Dana battling the problem over in her mind. For a full two minutes she remained silent and motionless except for the odd little frown that appeared on her forehead. Suddenly she just crumpled before them. Tears spilled down her face and she slowly sank to the floor wrapping her arms around her knees and hugging herself closely. Hally quickly dropped down beside her, the other two followed suit.

“Dana it’s not that bad, just tell the truth!”

Hally exclaimed in a very worried voice.

“You just don’t understand.”

Dana sobbed. All the hardness and cockiness had gone from her voice.

“What don’t we understand?”

Hally asked.

“Well just look at this place. I’m on my own here and I don’t know what to do. I needed…” her voice broke as fresh tears flooded down her face. “…need needed the money. There are bills all over the place, I just managed to keep the electricity on but I think, I think the umm gas has been cut off and the umm telephone.”

“But where are your parents?”

Hally asked, a look of astonishment on her face.

“My mum found another bloke, some American fella and she went with him to the States and my dad hasn’t been around in years. I don’t even know where he is.”

“Your mum just left you here on your own?”

Hally couldn’t believe what she was hearing and did wonder if Dana was making it all up to get out of the situation. She glanced at Clia and Corrinne and from their expressions thought they were thinking the same as her. Dana must have caught their suspicions because she quickly glanced from one girl to another.

“Honestly it’s true, I can show you all the letters asking for money and all my mum’s stuff has gone.”

Hally stood up and looked around her. The kitchen certainly did look as though it had been left unattended for some considerable time.

“When did she go?”

She asked without looking around. At first there was no response, and then as Hally turned and looked at Dana she saw her staring at a calendar on the wall and then she spoke in a flat sad voice.

“One month, three days and five hours.”

All three girls let their eyes wander to the calendar and there marked in red marker pen was a large circle around a date. Corrinne walked over and read aloud the words written next to the circle. ‘MUM GONE’

Hally glanced down at Dana and back at her friends. She felt useless and desperately sorry for the girl who had caused her so much hurt and suffering over the past years. She had no idea what to say or do. Dana was no longer crying she simply sat huddled with her chin resting on her knees. Hally looked at Clia.

“What should she do Clia?”

At first Clia shrugged her shoulders then she chewed lightly on the corner of her bottom lip, a sure sign that she was mulling over an idea.

“Well I think maybe she should call social services.”

Dana’s reaction was totally unexpected, she just froze. Hally kneeled down in front of her, fearful at the look of pure terror on Dana’s face.

“What’s the matter?”

“Please not, no not not social services. They’ll just put me into another foster home and I can’t bear that!”

Dana pleaded.

“What do you mean again?”

Corrinne asked.

“I had to go into foster care two years ago ‘cos mum left me on my own and went on holiday. Some neighbour I think reported her and social services came and took me away. When mum got back she had to go to court and everything to get me back. The people I got put with had three kids of their own and it was just horrible being with people I didn’t even know. Besides I’m gonna be sixteen in just four months, so if I can just hang on ‘til then…”

Dana shrugged and her meaning was quite clear to Hally and her friends, she wanted them to stay out of it. Hally hated the idea of not doing anything but knew Dana would not thank her for interfering.

“Alright Dana, we won’t say anything about this to anyone but will you please go to the police and tell them what really happened?”

Dana looked at the three girls sadly and then slowly nodded her head.

“Might as well ‘cos my life can’t get any worse than it is now.”

“Thanks Dana and if you need any help please come and ask, my mum’s great at giving advice and stuff like that.”

Dana didn’t reply she just stared at the floor. Hally signalled to her friends and they turned towards the door. As they reached the front door Hally paused, she then went back to the calendar and using the large marker pen hanging from a string wrote down her mobile number in large writing, Dana watching silently. She then turned and with her two friends left, quietly closing the door behind them.

“Well what do you make of that?”

Clia asked.

“I don’t know but it doesn’t seem right to just leave her to it.”

Hally replied, a note of helplessness in her voice.

“I know what you mean Hally but she was quite insistent that we don’t get involved.”

Corrinne told her.

For a while the girls walked in silence, each deep in their own thoughts about Dana’s predicament. Hally especially couldn’t stop wondering if she should tell her mother about it and risk upsetting Dana if social services got involved. In the end she told herself that she would keep Dana’s secret for now but if she thought things were getting worse later on she would tell her mother then. With that she linked arms with Clia and Corrinne.

“Come on let’s get back to mine and do some more revision.”

For the rest of the week the girls studied hard and had little time to think about what was happening to Dana. Hally and her family heard nothing from the police until Friday evening. Hally and Nathan were sitting in the lounge watching television and their parents were in the study. Both heard the door bell but neither moved to answer it. After a short time they heard voices from the hallway and curiosity won over the programme they were engrossed in. Quietly, they moved towards the door which stood slightly ajar and leaned into the gap to listen. Quickly they realised it was the police and boldly moved into the hallway to find out what was happening.

“Hally, Nathan, the sergeant has some news” and looking towards the police officer, “shall we go into the lounge?”

Holding her arm out to show the way, mum led them all back into the lounge. She indicated a seat for the police sergeant who sat down and looked towards the family.

“We have apprehended Martin Cob and have found a large quantity of stolen goods, including some of the alcohol and cigarettes from the recent burglaries in a lock up he has been using. There were several other youths involved who are also being questioned but Martin will be appearing in front of the magistrate tomorrow.”

Hally let out a long breath.

“Did Dana Edwards have anything to do with this?”

She asked softly.

“I can’t discuss the details I’m afraid. I can only let you know about Martin Cob because he is over eighteen and has been linked with the trouble you had at your party.”

Hally nodded and her mother turned to the officer.

“Well thank you for letting us know what you can. At least one of these hooligans will be off the streets.”

Hally stood up.

“I think I will go to my room, ok.”

Her parents nodded and she quickly left, anxious to phone her friends and tell them the news.

The following week was too busy and full of exams for anyone to gossip about what had happened to Martin Cob. Hally heard a few whispers around the school and Dana seemed to be keeping a distance. Even the usual name calling and teasing that followed Hally around had ceased. It seemed everyone was concentrating hard on their work. Even during break and lunchtimes year ten students could be seen dotted about the school with their noses buried in books for last minute revision.

At the end of the week the year tens had a special assembly half an hour before school finished. Mr Hopkins stood at the front of the hall and the murmur died down as he prepared to speak.

“We realise this has been an extremely stressful time for you all, made even more so by the events of late. However we would all like to congratulate you all on a week of very hard work and concentration. We have not seen such effort put into mock exams for several years at this school and we are sure you will all put as much into the finals next summer. The next few weeks will be hard as you will be receiving your results and will know what level of papers you are likely to be entered into for the GCSEs, but please be assured the final decision will come later.”

Students from all year groups flooded the gates of the school as they all left for the day but none were as pleased as the year Tens. Hally, Corrinne and Clia filed out amongst the crowd which began to thin outside the gates as students departed in different directions and towards the school buses. Most of the conversations were about the exams and how each thought they had either done well, not bad or that things had gone horribly wrong. Hally and her friends had already discussed their feelings about the exams and were now planning the weekend.

“We could go shopping, I need some tops.”

Corrinne suggested to the other two.

“Yeah and we could go for pizza after, then back to mine.”

Clia said enthusiastically. Corrinne laughed, pizza was Clia’s absolutely favourite food especially from Pepe’s Pizza in the town. Hally made no comment but asked.

“So, we staying at your house this weekend then?”

Clia nodded yes in reply.

“I thought we were staying at yours Corrinne?”

“Well remember, mum and dad are going to Nan’s ‘cos she’s not well. I told you yesterday.”

Hally frowned ever so slightly.

“I must not have been listening.”

“Hally, is something up?”

Corrinne asked worriedly. Hally didn’t reply and Clia had to nudge her with her elbow.

“Mm what was that?”

Hally asked. Her two friends looked at her with puzzled expressions on their faces.

“OK Hally spill.”

Clia told her firmly. Hally looked at both her friends. Then with a big sigh she said.

“I just keep thinking about Dana. You know it’s only a few weeks until we finish for the summer and then she will be stuck in that house on her own all the time.”

“Well knowing Dana, she will be sleeping all day and out most of the night.”

Clia replied nonchalantly.

“I know that’s how it probably will be, but…”

Hally didn’t get the chance to finish. Both her friends linked her arm and chimed.

“Don’t worry about her!”

The three girls giggled and marched off with their arms still linked in the general direction of home. At the junction where their roads crossed Clia and Corrinne parted from Hally and she continued the short way down her street home.

Although not one of those teenagers that spent half the weekend in bed, Hally did usually enjoy an extra hour on a Saturday morning. However this Saturday she was up much earlier than usual much to the surprise of mum. The piece of toast was half way to her mouth when her daughter walked into the kitchen.

“Are you feeling alright Hally?”

Mum frowned putting the toast back on the plate and rising to place her hand on Hally’s forehead.

“Mm you don’t seem to have a temperature.”

Hally giggled.

“Very funny mummy.”

Mum smiled and switched the kettle back on adding a teabag to a mug at the same time.

“So why up so bright and early?”

She asked. Hally slid into a chair at the table, her mother poured boiling water into the mug and placed the freshly made tea in front of her. Just like her, Hally couldn’t get motivated in the morning until she had drunk at least one cup of tea.

“I just don’t want to miss the day. It’s so nice outside and the last week has been chaotic. It feels like I’ve been stuck inside for ever doing the exams.”

Hally explained to her mother. Mum was again taken aback by how mature her daughter was becoming. For a moment she bit back a feeling of tears as realisation came that her baby girl was closer to womanhood than childhood. So not to let Hally notice she quickly said.

“So what have you got planned for today?”

As she sipped her tea, Hally imparted the plans she had made with Corrinne and Clia. Mum smiled and then reached across the table for her bag.