Fifteen Going on Grown Up (32 page)

Nathan was being difficult and mum was trying to get him ready for school. Then it was Hally trying to feed him his breakfast and Wes sitting across the table drinking coffee and reading a newspaper. Nathan was her child and mum was nowhere. She was still fifteen but somehow Nathan was her son. It all seemed perfectly normal. She felt something move and looked down, her swollen belly was shifting, the baby was kicking. There was a bang as Nathan knocked his cereal bowl onto the floor and Hally woke up. Relief flooded through her as the dream faded and she realised the bang was her little brother pulling his bedroom door shut.

Hally climbed out of bed and pulled on her dressing gown. It was still slightly dark outside, the winter hanging on. She looked out into the garden and saw frost covering the lawn, the weekend signs of spring pushed back. For a moment she simply looked, letting the dream wash over her and wondering what if anything it meant. Could she really see herself and Wes together for that long.

“Oh I hope so.”

She said out loud. Then turning from the wintery scene outside she began to ready herself for school, which seemed very strange after the dream.

Corrinne and Clia met Hally at their usual spot, the pavements white and the air crisp. A watery winter sunshine was trying to force its way out and as the girls chatted and made their way to school it finally won and shone brightly. So by the time they reached the school gates the frost was already beginning to melt. Hally had given her friends a detailed account of the dream and all three had spent the journey offering up meanings.

“Well I think it means you two are going to get married and have loads of children.”

Corrinne said matter of factly. They all laughed, but inside Hally was thinking exactly the same thing, or rather she was wishing that it would be that way. She hadn’t heard from Wes since his text the previous day, but he had said he would see her today so she put her worries aside.

The school morning was as normal as it could be, registration, assembly, first lesson, break then a double before lunch. The last lesson had been Maths, so Hally and Clia went to Corrinne’s Maths room and met her there. They all three made their way to the dining hall as it was still too cold to sit outside to eat their lunch. They found a table that was occupied by two year seven girls who gave them a frightened look and shoved the lids on their lunch boxes preparing to get up and leave.

“It’s ok. Stay there, we are just going to sit at this end.”

Hally told them gently. They gave her a shy smile and re-opened their lunch boxes and continued eating and chatting.

“Were we ever that small?”

Clia quietly asked the other two.

“I suppose we must have been.”

Hally replied.

“It seems so long ago doesn’t it?”

Corrinne said.

“Mmmm…and this is our final official year. Weird isn’t it?”

Clia said pensively.

“Do you think we will miss it? You know if we go to college rather than sixth form.”

Corrinne asked.

“I won’t.”

Hally stated.

“I mean it’s a great school and we all know some really nice people here, but well, for me too much bad stuff over the years. I think I need the change.”

“So you’re definitely going to college then?”

Corrinne asked her a note of fear in her voice that Hally noticed immediately.

“Um…I think so, but well I don’t want to be anywhere you two aren’t. So, well we don’t have to decide now anyway.”

Hally replied. Corrinne smiled her warm caring smile that Hally loved so much.

“Well I know I am going wherever you two go. I really don’t think it matters if it’s sixth form or college.”

Clia nodded.

“Me too.”

They smiled at each other and tucked into their lunch, swapping and sharing as usual.

“Hi babe.”

A voice very recognisable came from behind Hally. She turned and saw Wes standing with a smile on his face.

“Hi.”

She said back, her heart racing with joy. He leaned over her and gave her a peck. They were not supposed to do this in the dining room so he did it quickly before a lunch time supervisor could pounce on him. Then sitting by her side he took a bite from her sandwich.

“Mmmm… your mum makes lovely sandwiches.”

He said.

“Actually I make them myself. She has enough to do getting Natty’s lunch together.”

Wes grinned.

“Oh well in that case, maybe they’re not so good.”

Hally took a little swing at him and they all laughed. Then Hally noticed the year seven girls were staring at Wes in open admiration and she whispered to him.

“Looks like you have a little fan club.”

Wes looked up and blushed which made Hally, Corrinne and Clia laugh and the year seven girls to hurriedly look away.

After lunch Wes walked some of the way to their lessons with them then headed off to his business studies class. He promised to wait for Hally after school and walk her home as he didn’t have to work. Hally’s last lesson was English, they were reading Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ and Hally loved it. Mr Austin had set them written tasks alongside the reading of the play and Hally thoroughly enjoyed the work. Mr Austin had quietly asked how she was getting on with everything and she was able to tell him honestly that she was doing well.

Wes was waiting in the corridor as promised at the end of the lesson. Without asking he took her bag from her and threw it over his shoulder with his own backpack. Clia smiled cheekily and piled her own bag onto him too, Corrinne then followed suit. Wes grinned and pretended to be weighed down.

“What, so I’m a pack horse now am I?”

He said good naturedly. The girls laughed and Hally lifting her head in a haughty fashion looked down her nose at him and said.

“Why of course man servant. Do you complaineth?”

The corridor suddenly filled with loud laughter from all of them, Wes dropping the school bags as he bent over creased with laughter. The girls had tears running from their eyes as Mr Austin came out of his classroom to see what was going on. His raised eyebrows asking the unspoken question.

“It’s…it’s…ok Sir, Hally just got all Shakespearian on us.”

Corrinne told him through her tears of laughter. Mr Austin looked at them in complete confusion, as an adult he simply could not relate to the joke, so instead he just smiled, nodded and said.

“Oh good.”

Then turned back to his classroom. This of course gave cause for more laughter which slowly subsided as they all finally managed to exit the building.

As the four walked away from the school Hally felt too relaxed and comfortable to worry about anything between her and Wes. He had his arm over her shoulder and was chatting normally to her, Corrinne and Clia.

“So, Scott thought a flow chart was something to do with plumbing…”

Wes told them, which they all found amusing.

“Well what’s he doing A level business studies for then?”

Corrinne asked quite indignantly.

“Haven’t you been listening Corrie?”

Wes asked her gently.

“Well, I was kind of off in a little daydream.”

She replied with a grin. They all laughed and Hally went on to explain what Wes had been talking about.

“Scott Andrews, you know, the little guy with learning difficulties. He somehow found his way into Wes’ class and sat at the back thinking he was in his vocational study group.”

“Oh I get you now. Poor guy what happened?”

Hally gave a deep sigh and smiled at her friend patiently explaining further.

“Mrs Bates, the special needs teaching assistant?….You know her?”

Corrinne’s frown became a huge smile.

“Oh Yeah!”

Hally giggled.

“The penny drops. Well she tracked him down eventually and took him to his own lesson.”

Corrinne, smiling brightly replied.

“All’s well that ends well.”

Clia burst out laughing.

“Corrinne, what is it with you today. Sweetie what planet are you on?”

Corrinne looked at all of them with a wide innocent expression.

“Planet Gregg.”

She simply stated.

Hally and Clia linked their arms through hers and with Wes with his arm still over Hally’s shoulder they clumsily plodded on home.

The early morning sunshine had stayed and now the sky was completely blue and cloudless. Corrinne and Clia went their way as normal and Wes and Hally continued on to Hally’s house. The rest of the trek home was filled with chat about the rest of their school day and especially about Corrinne.

“She really has got it bad for Gregg hasn’t she?”

Wes said to Hally.

“Yes, even though she has other friends at school, she never hangs out with anyone except Clia and me. And since she’s an only child I think she’s sometimes lonely at home. I mean her parents dote on her and her mum has only really gone back to work in like this past two years, and that’s still only part time, so she’s mostly at home when Corrie gets in, but I suppose it’s not the same.”

Wes nodded in understanding.

“I know where she’s coming from. I spent most of my life as an only child and even though I had loads of mates it wasn’t the same.”

“Bet you were the popular one at school, with the popular group, girls scrambling to get you to go out with them.”

Hally stated without any malice in her voice.

“Well…I suppose I was…”

Wes pulled her to him with a wide smile.

“But…I grew up and now I have all I want.”

Hally felt like she was walking on cloud nine as they arrived at her house and walked in the back door.

Mum was at the sink rinsing potatoes and Nathan was playing at the table with an action figure, his homework book open by his side. Hally leaned over to see what her little brother should be doing and saw a list of words that he was obviously meant to be learning how to spell. Mum turned, drying her hands at the same time.

“Hi you two, how was your day?”

Hally and Wes both answered that everything had gone well and then mum said.

“Nathan, put that toy away and look at those words.”

“Awww…but…”

He complained.

“No buts, this is the second week you have not learnt your spellings.”

She gave him a very serious frown but as Hally looked at her she smiled as she turned away from her son. Hally knew mum wasn’t really cross with him but could act that way and it worked. Nathan trying to show protest plonked his toy down and picked up his pencil.

“I don’t know this one.”

He mumbled. Hally took off her coat and draped it over a chair then sat next to her little brother.

“I think I’ll get off home if that’s alright Hally?”

Wes said. Hally smiled up at him.

“Ok, call me later please.”

Wes leaned down and kissed her.

“Yuk!”

Came loudly from Nathan and Wes laughed ruffling his hair as he turned and left Hally to her task.

“So, let’s see how you can remember this word.”

She told Nathan.

Wes called later that evening and they spent an hour on the phone chatting about nothing in particular. Clia had phoned earlier and told Hally that Rhys, Gregg and she were meeting up at Corrinne’s and would she and Wes be coming too. However, Wes explained that his parents had to go out and he had to babysit Ellie. Hally felt a little peeved by this as it would be the first time her two friends had spent the evening with their boyfriends as a foursome. So far, they had managed to either spend time as couples or the whole six had got together. But she pushed her feelings aside and told herself she was being selfish. Just because Wes couldn’t be with her didn’t mean her friends couldn’t enjoy a night as a foursome.

However, as much as she tried, she felt left out. What would they be doing? Would they be curled up watching television? No, more likely sitting in Corrinne’s bedroom talking about all sorts of things. Things her and her two friends always talked about.

Folded into an armchair with her head buried in ‘Macbeth’ Hally tired to concentrate on the text. But it kept escaping her and she found herself reading the same lines over and over and not taking them in. Her parents were in the study chatting online to friends so she felt very alone. She knew her feelings were somewhat irrational, but she couldn’t shake the deep fear that again invaded her; that the knot that held her, Corrinne and Clia was slipping. She could not imagine her life without that connection. Memories flooded through her. They had all been through many things together, their parents were friends, they had spent birthdays together since they were tiny. They had been on days out together, and oh so many other memories that she couldn’t track them in her brain. She felt overloaded as she laid the book down and put her hands over her face rubbing to relieve the tension that had crept over her.