Fifteen Going on Grown Up

by Stephanie M. Turner

  “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.

  “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 touche
d 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.”