Fifteen Going on Grown Up (9 page)

By five when the shoppers began to go home and the town began to get quiet, Wes told the girls he had to head off home. Hally felt a jolt in her heart and a churning in her stomach. She was enjoying herself so much she didn’t even consider the day could be over. She tried a smile and found it worked.

“Oh, ok, well I guess we’ll see you then.”

Wes’ smile faded and Hally realised she had made a mistake. For a moment they looked at each other and then Hally took a deep breath to speak and Wes did the same.

“I…”

“Would…”

They both burst out laughing and then Hally said.

“You go first.”

“Well, I have to get home, my mum will be expecting me, but I would like to see you again. So can I have your number and I will call you.”

Hally was sure if she gave him her number she would not hear from him again but she knew she would give it to him anyway. Wes seemed to understand this and said.

“I will call, I just need to check when I’m working ‘cos I don’t have regular hours yet and will need to check with Bob.”

Hally looked at him and this time the churning in her stomach was excitement.

“I’ll give you my home and mobile if you want.”

Wes nodded and took out his own mobile ready to key in Hally’s numbers.

Corrinne and Clia stood either side of Hally as Wes walked away, turned and walked backwards as he waved and then turned and began to jog towards the other side of town to where the girls lived.

“Well.”

Corrinne said.

“Well what?”

Asked Hally dreamily. Her friends linked her arms and turned her around in their direction. She went reluctantly, she wanted to stand and watch the exact spot when Wes turned a corner and went out of her site. She felt the girls tug her and slowly let them lead her towards home.

Chapter 6

Parents’ Approval

They all strolled into Hally’s kitchen still chatting about the day. At least Corrinne and Clia were chatting, Hally had said very little on the way home. She had mostly listened to her friends’ conversation, occasionally adding a bit to it herself, but much of the walk home she had spent thinking about Wes. Once or twice one of the others had tried to ask her a question or get a
response from a comment but had given up trying when she just replied with am “Um” or “Mmm”. Now they stood in Hally’s kitchen and watched their friend gently sit down at the table and rest her chin in her hands.

“Hally, Hal. Wake up girlie.”

Clia said to her friend. Hally looked up and blinked.

“Yes, it’s us, your best friends. Are you back on earth sweetie?”

She said with a smile and no malice. Hally giggled, which made the other two giggle too.

“Oh, I’m so sorry you two you must think I’m terrible.”

“Yeah you’re really awful Hals.”

Said Corrinne with a smirk.

“So give. When he calls what are you going to say to him?”

As if on cue Hally’s mobile rang. It took a moment for Hally to realise this, then she fumbled around trying to get it out of her bag. At last she grabbed the phone, didn’t recognise the number and answered it.

“Hello.”

“Hi, it’s me Wes.”

Hally felt her face getting warm. At once her friends realised it must be him and began bouncing up and down silently clapping their hands. She grinned at them and tried to keep her voice normal when she spoke.

“Oh, hi Wes. Did you get home ok?”

She saw the look on Corrinne and Clia’s faces and squirmed at her own question. She felt like an idiot, he was a guy, well almost a man and she was asking him if he got home ok. She thought he would probably bail out of the conversation and find a girl who didn’t ask stupid questions. Wes, however didn’t seem to mind.

“Yes thanks. So how would you like to meet up with me tomorrow evening?”

Hally’s ability to speak left her and she sat holding the phone and willing herself to respond. What seemed like hours later but was actually just a few seconds, she finally managed to voice a reply.

“Um, uh… that would be…I mean, yes ok.”

“So, shall I pick you up at seven?”

Wes asked. Hally began nodding and realised he couldn’t see her. Her friends were creased up with silent giggles and Hally placed a hand over her face in embarrassment.

“Ok.”

She said, her voice little more than a whisper.

“Sorry, I didn’t get that.”

Wes replied.

“Um, I said ok. Yes tomorrow evening at seven.”

“We can decide what to do when we meet up.”

Wes told her. Hally was still finding it difficult to speak in a normal voice and found herself nodding silently again. This time Clia nudged her and this seemed to bring her back to her senses.

“Ok, that sounds good. I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

“Tomorrow at seven then…”

Hally didn’t let him finish, she was so nervous that she hurriedly mumbled a goodbye and hung up. Clia and Corrinne eagerly started talking at the same time wanting to know what Wes had said. Hally took a deep breath to begin relaying her conversation, at least Wes’ side of it since she had barely spoken when her mobile rang again. As she was still holding it, it startled her and she dropped it on the table. She grabbed it up and answered.

“Hi it’s me again. You didn’t give me your address.”

He spoke so calmly and gently that Hally knew he wasn’t teasing her or upset with her and at last she found the same confidence she had in the café.

“Oh, I am so sorry. Look you probably think I’m a right idiot I…I was just surprised that you called and was a bit nervous too.”

“It’s alright, I was nervous calling you too.”

This shocked Hally as he had not sounded in the least bit nervous. It also made her smile. She couldn’t imagine how she Hally Mackeller could make any boy nervous. This news boosted her confidence.

“Well at least you managed to speak to me normally.”

Wes laughed a deep resonant sound and Hally felt her insides wobble.

“So, let’s start again. Hally would you like to come out with me tomorrow evening?”

“Yes I would like that very much.”

She felt very proud of herself that she could now speak normally.

“Good. I will pick you up at seven so long as you tell me where you live.”

She could hear the humour in his voice and this made her smile too, it also gave her enough confidence to tease him a little.

“Well, you know my father might object to me giving out my address to a stranger.”

Both Clia and Corrinne frowned, not understanding what Hally was doing and wondering why she should be saying such a thing. They both knew Hally’s dad would not be like that. However their dismay turned to humour when they realised Hally was grinning widely.

“So should I call him and ask his permission then?”

Wes asked Hally, completely taking her by surprise. She then burst out laughing.

“No, I’m only teasing, my dad is well cool, my mum too. So, I live at twenty two Oak Road. Do you know where that is?”

Hally went on to give Wes directions on how to find her house. The conversation ended and her two friends both started speaking at the same time wanting to know what had been said.

Hally felt like she was walking on air as she bounced across the kitchen to put the kettle on. Corrinne and Clia were still rapidly asking questions.

“Come on Hal, tell all, stop keeping us in suspense.”

Clia finally managed to get across to her. Hally turned and looked at them whilst taking mugs out of the cupboard.

“Coffee?”

She asked, holding up the jar. Both girls sighed deeply.

“Oh come on MacKeller. Stop being so annoying.”

Corrinne exclaimed. Hally finally gave in and with a smile told her friends the whole conversation.

Handing each of them a mug and sitting at the table with her friends, Hally sipped her drink and smiled contentedly. The day could not have been more perfect. At least the outcome of the day couldn’t be more perfect. Her face flushed as she remembered all the embarrassing moments.

“Hey, what’s up sweetie?”

Clia asked. Hally put her mug down on the table and smiling told her friends why she was suddenly blushing, shortly after all three were giggling and retelling each other Hally’s moments in the café.

A few minutes later the giggles eased off and they sat quietly with their empty mugs in front of them. Hally stood up and switched the kettle on again. As she was spooning more coffee into their mugs Corrinne suddenly spoke.

“Oh yeah, what was going on with Dana and Penny in the Hotspot?”

Carrying fresh mugs of coffee to the table Hally relayed the events in the café toilet.

“Well what do you make of that?”

Corrinne asked.

“Sounds very weird to me.”

Clia said with a frown.

“I wonder what’s going on with her now? You know I still feel really bad about just leaving her that day and not telling anyone.”

Hally told the other two. The excitement of the day and the warmth she felt from her interaction with Wes was pushed to the back of her mind. Clia noticed her change of mood and quickly tried to ease her distress.

“Hey Hally, sweetie, Dana is not, absolutely not your problem. She and her little pet bitches have given you grief for a very long time. Whatever is going on in her life she has to deal with.”

Clia told her very firmly. Hally nodded and sipped her coffee but didn’t really feel any better. She tried to push Dana to the back of her mind as they chatted and since the other two were determined to chat about Wes, found it not too difficult.

“Well, home for dinner, I think.”

Corrinne announced a short while later.

“Yep, I’ll walk with you.”

Clia said. So Hally walked her friends to the door and arranged a time for them to come around the next day.

Later that evening mum had the usual battle with Nathan over his bath.

“But muuuum!”

“No buts Nathan. It won’t take long if you do it now and then you can have free time until bed.”

She told him in a firm but soft voice. Nathan turned to his father but before he opened is mouth Colin spoke.

“Don’t even try it son. Do as your mum tells you.”

Hally could see he wanted to smile and turned away so she wouldn’t giggle. It was the same every night, even worse in the holidays. Nathan simply hated having a bath or shower. He loved the swimming pool, the rain, puddles, in fact any other water except where he had to get clean. Putting on an exaggerated sulk and stomp Nathan headed for the stairs, mumbling and grumbling under his breath. As soon as he was out of hearing range mum turned to Hally.

“Well?”

She asked. Dad stopped reading his paper and looked at his daughter and wife.

“Going to let me in on this?”

He asked with a smile.

“Hally’s met a lad.”

Dad raised his eyebrows but waited for Hally to speak.

“Well, his name is Wes and he’s eighteen…” She paused but her parents didn’t comment. “and he’s taking me out tomorrow.”

“Well, just be careful and keep your mobile switched on. Oh, and let us meet him before you go out.”

Dad said. Mum nodded in agreement and Hally knew her parents were giving her the go ahead to go out with Wes, but were still keen to see him and check out who he was. Hally didn’t mind this at all. She knew her parents loved her very much, and felt she was a lot better off with her parents taking an interest in her social life than not. This brought back thoughts of Dana and she opened her mouth to mention it when dad spoke again.

“So, how did you meet this lad then?”

Hally went on to explain and was soon deep in conversation about Wes with her parents, all thoughts of Dana gone from her head.

After spending the evening pretending to watch the television, when really she was day dreaming about Wes; Hally stood in her bedroom looking out of the window. It was still light but she could see the sun was beginning to go down. The sky was a beautiful red orange with streaks of tissue like cloud. She had always loved sunset even in the winter, she opened her window wide and breathed in the summer air.

There was a small tap on her door and mum came in. She had two glasses of iced fruit juice, she handed one to Hally and sat on the edge of the bed and sipped her own. Hally stayed by the open window but turned to her mother.

“So, I expect you are excited about tomorrow are you?”

Mum asked gently.

“And nervous. I’ve never been on a proper date.”

Hally replied. Mum nodded but didn’t speak straight away. Then she asked.

“Is there anything in particular you are nervous about?”

“Well, I suppose ‘cos he’s so much older.”

Hally confided.