Chapter Twenty Six
I’ve got a boyfriend, even seeing it written down in this diary looks odd. Me, with a real, proper, boyfriend, like older kids have with proper kissing, and everything. Wow! And he’s got these big brown eyes that go all soft when he looks at me, and he’s proper fit when he’s not being an idiot or pretending to be a monkey, or something. But you know the best thing of all, apart from the kissing, because that’s the very best thing of all—he makes me laugh.
I can remember once, I asked Mum what she liked best about Dad and I thought she was going to say his eyes or his chest or his bum or something, though she probably wouldn’t have said his bum to me. She said that he makes her laugh and I thought that was really lame. When she said that, I figured that she liked his willy best really, and that is just the most grossest thought in the whole, entire world, but she clearly couldn’t say his willy to me. But I get it now, having a boyfriend that makes you laugh when you’ve had a horrible day is the best thing ever. For those two hours I forgot about all of Mum’s problems and the baby and everything. I worry a lot about the baby and of course, I worry a lot about Mum, too, and with all that worrying I don’t get a lot of time to hang out. Maybe I don’t have time for a boyfriend and he’ll drop me because I can’t come out every night.
Danny walked me right up to my gate. We stood there talking some more like neither of us wanted to leave. I hope he didn’t want me to invite him in. I just couldn’t, not with Mum the way she is. He’d dump me for sure. I told him that it’s my Birthday in three days just in conversation like, and he said the best thing, he said that I hadn’t given him a lot of time to make it special for me. I said that he didn’t have to make a fuss and then he pretended like he’s a cool dude and said, ‘Oh, okay then, I won’t bother spending all my money on a present for you.’ But then he winked at me, so I don’t know if I’m going to get a present, or not. If I do it will be the best present in the world and I’ll keep it forever. I’ll keep it until the day I die and then have it buried in my coffin with me. I don’t care what it is, even if it only costs fifty pence, even if it’s just a Mars Bar or something, I’ll keep it forever. I can’t wait for my Birthday now.
I rang Sal to tell her and she was absolutely gobsmacked.
‘No way.’
‘Yes, way.’
‘You’re joking, Danny Peterson—he’s.’
And I cut in on her in case she was going to say something horrible about him. ‘Yes. Danny Peterson, he’s my boyfriend.’
‘Wow, congratulations, Kate. He’s really nice. I’ve never thought about him as anybody’s boyfriend before, he’s just daft Danny, but I suppose he’s pretty fit really, isn’t he?’
‘Yes, and he said that he’s fancied me for ages.’
‘No.’
‘Yes.’
‘That’s so cool, all that unrequested love and he never said anything to a soul, his heart must have been breaking for you. It’s so romantic.’
‘It is isn’t it?’
I told her about what he’d said about my Birthday.
‘What do you think he’ll get you?’
‘I don’t know. We’ll only have been going out for three days, so nothing much. He might finish with me by next week.’
‘I think he’ll get you something boss. What if he gets you a necklace with a love heart on it? That means it’s serious. Oh, I’ll be sick with jealousy.’
I told her about our first kiss, not when he kissed me on my head, the real one and the oddest thing happened. I felt this little bubble in my stomach when I was talking about it and it grew and grew and it turned into a scream and when it came out of my mouth it was a squeal and I was so excited and I liked kissing him so much and I can’t wait to see him tomorrow. Sal was still excited for me too, at first. ‘And will you be telling everybody at school or is it a secret? Will you be like snogging in the cloakroom, that’s so cool? Will you be hanging out with him all the time?’
‘I don’t know. I won’t, like, go up and speak to him first tomorrow in case he’s changed his mind. He’ll have to come and talk to me.’
‘But what about breaks and lunch will you be having your dinner with him, now?’
‘I don’t know. We haven’t talked about it.’
‘Oh, thanks very much Katie, just drop me now that you’ve got a BF. What am I supposed to do?’
Suddenly, having a boyfriend seemed very complicated. ‘Well, I’ll still hang out with you, of course I will, but I might hang with him sometimes, too. Sal sounded all moody after that until we started thinking about lads that she could hook up with. Then, because she seemed a bit sad about me having Danny, I told her all about the baby kicking and talking about the baby always cheers her up.
And he is kicking a lot, and hard, too. I can put my hand on Mum’s bump and he nearly kicks it off. That bubble that I get in my stomach when I think about kissing Danny feels a bit like the baby kicking.
And talking about babies, are you ready for this? We have a name for the little one. He is going to be called—ta dah—Andrew. I know, it’s a dorky name but let me tell you how it came about.
We were sitting watching telly and me and Dad were arguing about names. Every time I said one he pulled a face and every time he said one I just wanted to kill myself, Laurence and Robert and Alan and he even suggested Victor. Victor, can you even believe that?
Anyway, we were still arguing fit to burst and Mum was sitting beside me and staring at something a foot above the top of the telly where there isn’t anything. She hadn’t said a thing the whole time, even though Dad kept saying things like, ‘What about the name Victor, Annie, that’s a good name, isn’t it? Do you like Victor?’ Because it’s important that we keep talking to her, she might not often talk back to us but the doctor said that we have to talk to her and do what’s called engaging her. He said we’ve got to let her make her own choices where we can, but it’s all right him saying that but Mum doesn’t care about choices, you ask her if she wants beans or spaghetti—and since Dad started cooking we eat a lot of beans and spaghetti—so you ask her which one she wants and she just says, ‘yes,’ like that’s any help at all.
So, we’re still arguing about names and out of the blue, right in the middle of her staring at nothing she says, ‘Andrew,’ and then she rubs her tummy and says, ‘My baby’s going to be called Andrew.’ Well there’s no arguing with that, is there? I tried saying it was old fashioned and that nobody calls their babies Andrew, anymore, but Dad was having none of it.
‘Your mother has spoken, Katie,’ he said, like mum’s the flipping pope, or something. Then Mum really scared me, I was proper freaked out. She put on this little girl’s voice and started singing and it was like she was possessed, or something.
But the next thing I know, Dad’s laughing his head off and encouraging her. ‘That’s it Annie, that’s it, Little Andy, keep going.’ And he jumps up and runs over to the computer. He goes on u-tube and he sounds all excited as he’s doing a search and talking to me all the time,’ Katie, I can’t believe your Mum’s remembered this, it’s a song called Me and Little Andy, by Dolly Parton, your Mum used to sing it to you all the time when you were a baby.’
He turned up the speakers and the song began to play. The woman was singing the song and it was about a little girl and her puppy and when she got to the little girl’s bit she put on a kid’s voice, just like Mum had done. And this woman’s singing away and it’s as if my mum has woken up. Suddenly her eyes are all wide and bright and she’s singing along to the song, she knew every word. And I know every word too, now, it’s my favourite song, and Andrew is my favourite name in the whole wide world and Mum and I will play it on u-tube and sing it to our little Andy when he comes.
She gets up and sways from side to side as she’s singing. I look over at Dad to say something and he’s got these fat tears pouring down his cheeks. Then I’m crying too, and I don’t know if I’m crying at the sad, sad song or at my beautiful, sad mother.
Comments
pikeruk | July 27, 2012 - 14:55
I haven't read the previous chapters Sooz, but I liked this one. The insight into how young girls think and talk was excellent. When time allows I will have to look back and find out what the problem with your mother is.
Thanks for the read... ;-))
regards
Terry
jolono | July 27, 2012 - 15:41
Boss? Not sure i know that one but, you don't mean the label do you, just the word, as in street slang or something Sooz, look at you getting all down with de kidz!
This one really did sound like a 13 yeard old, the worrying about kissing and having a boyfriend and all the complications that come with it. Then you bloody well go and do it again at the end, with Andy!
I got something in my eye again and it started to weep a bit!
Another really good one, in fact for me, one of the best so far!
Sooz006 | July 27, 2012 - 16:46
Terry, thank you, great to have a new reader.Glad that you managed to pick it up okay.
Sooz006 | July 27, 2012 - 17:01
*sitting here doing that street finger thing* I'll have you know this ole lady has got it goin` on, dude. I was going to use sick rather than boss, but it didn't read right.
I stopped at traffic lights on Cruella once and this kid of about eleven yelled at me 'That's sick,' I rode home with a whopping great grin on my face and told my son, 'Some kid just said I'm sick.'
Mark: Sick's well cool
Me: deal with it boy, your mother's cooler than you are.
Mark: He was talking about Cruella, Mother, the only sick you are is sick in the head.
Charming!
But this is the same boy who wouldn't let me alone to have my own night out. If I went out I'd get a call 'Wherey'at?'(all one word)
'Robin Hood, why?' (old gimmer's pub, making a fool of myself on the karaoke)
'Come to the Palace.'
'No.'
'Aw, go on, there's a voddie on the bar for you.' the eternal bribe. I miss those nights. I miss my son.
You big wuss, bet your missus never takes you to watch Bambi.
I cried when I wrote it, too, but not because of my writing, just because I know the song and it always makes me bawl.
Thanks J, I preferred this one to the last too, funny I don't mind soppy when it's the mother, but can't do it when it's lovey dovey stuff.
The Walrus | July 28, 2012 - 00:57
Sooz, I feel really guilty because I've read half of the latest cherry picked list and stopped at yours, what with you reading my stuff so diligently. I promise to return tomorrow when I've had a kip, it's my birthday and it's been a long day.
Sooz006 | July 28, 2012 - 10:04
Happy Birthday, Dave, all the best, mate. don't worry if you don't make it back.
You'll never keep up, you know. Half a dozen times I've tried to keep up with every new post on the site, I think my record is about four days... it's impossible. You can't read everybody, and when it comes down to the core readers,and you're one of them, I would never mind. You're really good at reading for other people.
The Walrus | July 28, 2012 - 23:12
I tried reading the work of new members and offering advice where I thought it would help, and I couldn't even keep up with that. I came across a couple of new members that were in my mind struggling English as a second language students, and another whose story was so dire I slunk off into the sunset amidst an embarrassed silence - what is it polite to say in cases like that?
sid | July 29, 2012 - 18:18
Hi Sooz- I had a dream about you the other night! You came round my house for a dinner party with some other people I'd never met. Just thought I'd let you know!
I read a comment from you a while back saying you were doubting yourself and your writing and didn't know if people were bothering to follow your long books. I haven't been able to read much on here lately, but whenever I do I feel bad 'cause I always end up going straight round yours to see whats new, without looking round very much. But I haven't had much time and I am absolutely hooked on your two current stories. I feel compelled to keep up in case I lose my place like I did with Pedigree Crush, which I'll have to go back to one day. I love your writing. I dont know how you so consistently turn out quality. I might even venture to say I am enjoying these two stories more than the last, which is saying a lot. Sorry I'm a bit late, but don't be doubting. Your books read like published work to me.
The Walrus | July 29, 2012 - 22:38
I finally got around to reading this, Sooz. Like Pikeruk I haven't read the preceding chapters, but this is fantastic stuff, it runs really smoothly and naturally and you've transplanted yourself into the head of a 13 year old kid in a very convincing way.
Not many writers can do that anywhere near faultlessly, believe me. I've had a flip through some of my daughter's Jacqueline Wilson books, and for me it's an unsettling experience because 99.9 percent of the time when she's in Tracey Beaker mode she's utterly convincing, but every now and then she comes up with something that makes you think 'hang on, a kid wouldn't say/do that.....'
I must try to find time to read some of your other stuff. Partly because your fastidiousness and dedication fascinates me, but also because you've taken the time to read some of my work and given me so many useful tips and I feel I owe it to you. That's the way it works, though, isn't it?
Oh, and Sid hit the nail on the head in his comment - your writing reads just like high quality published work.
Sooz006 | July 30, 2012 - 14:39
Sid, thank you, love, I had a bad day, 'What's the point? Why Bother? I'm just wasting my time. Nobody will ever publish little old me' It lasted about two hours and, as I despise self pity, especially my own I gave myself a good kick up the jacksee and got on with it.
Let's make it reality sometime, let's meet up for dinner and invite all the other members, that would be one helluva dinner party (which is not an invitation for me to pay for three hundred restaurant bills)I'm hoping to make the York meet if it comes off. And I think it's high time that we had a Manchester one. And I'm so overdue a trip to London to see Tony and co. I used to make a lot of the ABC and UKA do's and haven't been to one for years so I'm really out of touch with everybody. I'd love to meet some of the recent members.
I met my best friend at a UKA do, he's living with me at the moment but thank God, thank God, thank God, he's got his own place now, and is moving out on Wednesday. I love him to bits but we're doing each other's heads in. Unlike most gay men, he is NOT fastidiously tidy.
Thanks for the lovely comment, Sid.
Sooz006 | July 30, 2012 - 14:48
Thanks Dave, hope the Birthday celebrations were all you could have wished for.
Thank you, I think because this story hasn't got much of a twisty turny plot you can just dip in and out and pick up the gist as you go along. I have to delve a long bay back to remember what it's like to be thirteen, and even then it's not much use because I wasn't a textbook kid. I've been taking note of what they've got to say in shopping queues and after that it's just a case of winging it, and hoping for the best.
I'm going to completely contradict myself here. Normally, I totally agree, if somebody reads and comments for you, you should return the compliment. I can be really pedantic about it because writing sites are selfish places and very few things piss me off but that does.
But, you and the the other dozen or so people, who know who they are, never need to worry about paying me back for a read because you do so much on the site anyway.
Thanks, you.
Denzella | July 31, 2012 - 06:51
Sooz,
Another great chapter and the bit about Sal getting jealous is so real and understandable because she's stuck by Katie and now just because Katie's got a boyfriend she, Sal, looks like being sidelined.
Keep 'em coming Sooz but forgive me being a bit slow at moment.
Moya
Edenfalls | July 31, 2012 - 08:49
Hi Sooz, catching up today, can only get on the site a couple of times a week at the moment but couldn't wait to see how your two stories are going.
This was great, humour as always and then you go and do the "tear jerker" at the end! On to the next one now.
Sooz006 | July 31, 2012 - 08:56
Don't worry if you miss some Moya just pick them up when and if you want to. I know you've got a lot on at the moment. Just remember to take time to breathe. Thank you.
Sooz006 | July 31, 2012 - 09:02
Eden, thank you, lovely. I'm really glad you're still enjoying them. I think I'm going to bring Sammy out to play today. And we need to get Carthenage back, the story's supposed to be his and he hasn't even been mentioned for ages. Bloody cameo parts, you pay them for a day's work and they bump off the hero and take center stage. And I realise I've probably just mixed every metaphor going.
Thank you. just read when you can and save plenty of time for putting your own stuff up.