Fifteen Going on Grown Up (6 page)

“Well I think you have worked really hard this past couple of weeks, so take this and get yourself something nice.”

She pulled a twenty pound note from her purse and handed it to her daughter.

“I don’t need that mum. I still have some birthday money to spend.”

She had been brought up to accept praise and pride for working hard at school and didn’t believe in financial rewards for doing her best to learn.

“Hally, I know we don’t give either of you money for being good, but just today I want to give you this. OK, it’s not for doing well at school then, I’m just feeling generous; and before you say anything (Hally had opened her mouth to interrupt) we’re taking your brother into town for new football boots.”

Hally grinned and took the money from her mother. She stood up and taking her mug with her leaned over and planted a kiss on her mum’s cheek.

“I’m off to get ready.”

Chapter 4

Summer Begins

For the next few weeks everything at home and school was normal. Each day came and went with school, homework and friends. The usual name calling had restarted at school now the exams were over but without Dana’s input the impact was less. At times, when the group
of girls who delighted in teasing Hally were nearby; she noticed that as they started to shout abuse they looked towards Dana for encouragement, and when they didn’t receive it closed their mouths as though they had been struck dumb. This amused Hally and her friends but they made no comment, simply enjoying the bemused and somewhat agitated expressions of the name callers.

The last week of term was given to sports day, the six form barbeque and various other events including the teacher’s show. This was always an event to look forward to. Miss Drayman, the head of Drama, along with Mrs Walker, the head of English put together a show that consisted of various comedy sketches and acts (talented and untalented) played by the teachers. The untalented usually being the funniest along with scenes such as the whole IT department (which just happened to be all men) dressed as Can Can girls trying to do the splits.

At the end of the day and after the usual speech from Mr Hopkins about being sensible young adults in the community, Hally, Corrinne and Clia left the school premises for a long and hopefully enjoyable summer. They began by heading for the Hotspot café that all the teenagers loved, where they ordered coffees and muffins to celebrate the beginning of the holiday.

Hally noticed there were several boys that she didn’t recognise and very soon the three girls were huddled together discussing which of the boys was the fittest. One boy in particular caught Hally’s eye and he seemed to be glancing over at her frequently too, but Hally shyly avoided these gazes. Corrinne noticed this and tried to engage Hally in a conversation about the boy but Hally wouldn’t be drawn in. Instead she tacitly avoided the subject by asking Clia if she was going to Corfu with her parents. Clia gave a small frown and said.

“You know I’m not Hally. Don’s home from uni and mum and dad said I could stay at home this year with him.”

“Oh yeah, I remember now, just forgot. You know I haven’t seen your brother in ages.”

Clia looked at Corrinne and gave her a very small frown. Corrinne gave an almost indistinct shrug back, both girls were confused at their friend’s behaviour, they both knew that Hally had seen Clia’s older brother just four weeks ago when he had been home visiting from university. He had taken all three girls to the cinema and thoroughly spoiled them for the day. Neither mentioned this to Hally and Hally didn’t seem to notice anything amiss, so they ignored it and turned the conversation to what they planned to do that evening. Hally’s parents were going out so the girls were staying at Hally’s to look after Nathan.

“Shall I bring that new DVD mum bought me?”

Corrinne asked the other two.

“Ooh yes please.”

Hally quickly replied. Corrinne giggled.

“Thought that would get your attention Hally.”

“What do you mean?”

Hally asked, blushing as she said it.

“We both know you’ve got the hots for that well fit actor in the movie.”

“Yeah” Clia added nodding her head. “You couldn’t stop talking about him the last movie we watched him in.”

“I wasn’t that bad…”

She stopped as she saw her friends break out into giggles and quickly joined in.

“Well, so what, he’s an actor, not like I’m gonna meet him or anything is it.”

Hally managed to say in between giggles.

The girls finished their drinks and cakes and stood up to leave the café. Hally took a little longer than usual to straighten her top and pick up her bag, which Clia noticed but didn’t comment on. They then made their way out. Just outside the coffee shop the girls stopped suddenly when they heard someone calling out.

“Girls, hey girls, wait!”

All three looked around to see who was calling them. Hally blushed to the roots of her hair when she realised it was not just one of the boys they had been discussing, but the very one she had been looking at.

“You left your jumper.”

The boy said looking directly at Hally.

“Oh, erm.” Hally mumbled, trying to hide her blush with her hair. “Uh thanks.”

The boy held the jumper out for her to take. She didn’t move. Corrinne gave a little cough and Hally jumped slightly. This seemed to shake her out of her embarrassing freeze, and quickly she held her hand out for her jumper. As she took it her fingers touched his very lightly and Hally felt her insides go to mush. She just didn’t know what was happening to her. Holding the jumper tightly to her she mumbled a hurried thank you and turned to walk away. She felt as though she wanted to run, but managed to keep to a fast walk as Corrinne and Clia caught up with her.

“What?…”

Clia began.

“Don’t, please, I know I just made a right plank of myself.”

Hally replied. She hugged the jumper to her and looked at the ground as she walked.

“But why were you so embarrassed?”

Corrinne asked.

“I don’t know. I just…” she sighed deeply “he was, um, looking at me in the café and…oh look can we just forget it. What a great start to the hols.”

Her friends just nodded and accepted what she said knowing she would explain later.

It was much later when Hally finally had a chance to tell her friends how she was feeling. Mum and dad had been gone for half an hour and Nathan was in his room playing on his play station. He had strict instructions from his mother that he had to pack it away at eight thirty and could stay up until nine, so long as he didn’t annoy Hally. Downstairs the girls were settled on loungers on the deck. It was a hot summer evening and though they were keen to watch the movie the heat was too good to miss by sitting indoors. Each girl had a tall glass of lemonade with slices of orange and lemon floating amongst the ice cubes, a large jug with more of the beverage on a table in between them.

“I just love your mum’s lemonade Hally.”

Clia commented between sips.

“Well actually, I made it. With mum’s supervision.”

Hally told her friends.

“Well she taught you well. Is it some sort of family recipe passed to the girls?”

Hally giggled.

“Nah, nothing like that, she just sort of chucked it together once and remembered what she had put in. She showed me so we can take turns making it.”

“Well, I think you and your mum should keep quiet about how you make it ‘cos someone will find out and then mass produce it and make a mint.”

Corrinne said this so seriously that the other two burst out laughing.

“Well it’s true”

She exclaimed indignantly. This only caused the other two to laugh even harder.

“Oh go on take the mickey out of me.”

She told them sulkily. Hally and Clia knew their friend too well to know this was just a charade. This was confirmed when Corrinne looked up and burst into giggles too.

For a while the girls sat quietly sipping their drinks just enjoying the warm evening. Hally looked at each of her friends, hesitated a moment, took a deep breath and said.

“He’s gorgeous.”

Corrinne and Clia looked straight at her. They knew Hally would say more if they stayed quiet. They didn’t have to question her for information. After a short interlude Hally continued.

“That boy in the café, he is gorgeous. I have definitely fallen head over heels in love.”

Clia looked across the deck to Corrinne and raised her eyebrows. Both the girls knew this was unusual for their friend. Hally was always very cautious when declaring her feelings for any boy, let alone one she had only seen once and for a less than an hour.

“Hals, we don’t get it. Who are you talking about?”

Clia asked.

“You know, the guy that gave me my jumper.”

She stopped, again looked at each of her friends and then continued.

“I don’t know who he is. I just know that when he looked at me I…I…well, I just, I’ve never felt like this before. I know I haven’t had many boyfriends, well let’s be honest, actually boyfriends is an overstatement. I went out with Josh for a day and a half, and that was a joke on his part with his mates. Then I went out with Dan for a week. I saw him precisely three times, we had one date to the cinema and when he couldn’t get into my pants he dumped me. So, considering my limited experience with lads, well, I just feel completely different about this one.”

Corrinne sighed.

“Sounds like you really have it bad Hal.”

“Look, let’s just think about this a moment.”

Clia said.

“First we need to find a way of finding out who he is. I mean he could be visiting someone.”

“Don’t say anymore, please, Clia. He’s just got to have a girlfriend, a guy like that. No way is he gonna be interested in me.”

Hally choked back a sob and brushed a hand across her face. Her two friends looked at her with concern on their faces. They had never seen Hally this worked up about any boy before. Usually she just took a fancy to a boy but if he showed no interest she just giggled it off with Clia and Corrinne and moved on. This time was so different and Hally’s two best friends were unsure of how to deal with it. Clia, however soon took charge of the situation.

“Come on Hally, don’t cry darling. We can sort this out.”

Corrinne pulled a handful of tissues out of her bag and handed them to Hally as Clia continued.

“Right. This lad is obviously very important to you. So, I am going to find out who he is right now.”

Hally dabbed her eyes and in a shaky voice said.

“How are you going to do that?”

“Contacts my dear, contacts.”

She said this in such a grown up voice, even Hally, who was still teary laughed.

“What?…”

Hally began, but Clia held up a hand as she pulled her mobile from her bag. None of the girls spoke as she quickly scrolled to her phonebook and put the phone to her ear. After a short wait she spoke.

“Hi, how you? Yeah I’m good thanks. Listen can you do me a favour? There’s this new lad in town, prob’ about eighteen or nineteen, yeah that’s him. Do you know who he is? Hey, that is brill’. Look, Don’s home in a couple of days. Yeah, he did, but he went surfing with some uni mates for a bit. You know you should come round. I know, but he still chats about you. (she giggled) O.K ta for the info, see you soon.”

She hung up her phone with a satisfied look on her face.

“What was that all about?”

Corrinne asked.

“Tell all in a bit. The important thing is I know who he is.”

Hally gripped her hands together in front of her, her fingertips close to her lips.

“Go on.”

She said tentatively.

“His name is Wesley Robinson, he just moved here from Oxford, he’s eighteen and he’s going to sixth form in September. Oh, and he does not have a girlfriend.”

“How on earth did you find out all that?”

Corrinne asked, with raised eyebrows.

“Well, you remember that girl Don had a bit of a thing with a while back. The sister of one of his mates, well we sort of keep in touch, you know on the net and text. Well I figured she would probably know who this guy is ‘cos they would be about the same age.”

“You are such a genius Clia.”

Corrinne said. Hally had remained silent throughout. She sat with her hands in front of her as though she were frozen.

“So now we have to work out a plan to get you together.”

Clia stated matter of factly. However, Hally was not listening.

“Hey, Hally.”

Clia called gently.

“Oh, What? Did you say something?”

Her two friends burst into giggles.

“OK, back track. We know who he is, now we are going to plan a way for you to meet him.”

Corrinne told her.

“You’re gonna do what?”

Exclaimed Hally.