Changes

Summer tasted of ice cream, candy floss and lemon drops. How exciting was the prospect of no school, endless days and warm, sticky nights. Sally leapt out of bed, her hair tangled and wild and her cheeks, blush red, full of youth. She swept her locks into a rough ponytail, slipped on shorts and a loose t shirt. She didn't bother to look in the mirror, she was too young to really care about her appearance, but the novelty of shorts was exciting and she skipped down the stairs, her legs bare and free.

"Coco Pops?" Sally's mum grinned, grabbing a bowl and filling it with cereal.

"Can I not just go play?" Sally begged clasping her hands together as if praying to her mother. Her mum splashed cold milk into the bowl and set it on the table. "You must eat young lady, it'll make you grow up good and strong." Sally stuck out her bottom lip, sat at the table and demolished the food in seconds. "Has daddy gone to work?" She asked.

"Yes love."

"Can I go play now?"

"Yes love!"

The park was just down the road. Her mum trusted her to go that far but only with her friend, Jane. Jane was a small child with thick spectacles and amazing, colourful braces. Sally had asked her mum for braces but she explained that they are only needed for people with wonky teeth and to Sally's dismay, hers were fine. In school they had all had their eyes tested. Sally had mixed up all the letters on purpose. She had sobbed when they told her she didn't need glasses.

"Hey plain Jane!"

"Hey smelly Sally!" 

The two girls held hands and danced around in a circle. "Erm this is my cousin Tom" Jane announced. She grabbed Tom's shoulders and presented him to her friend. Sally flushed, "but he's a boy! She whispered.

"I know" said Jane " but mum says he gotta play with us."

"Well I don't even want to" Tom piped up crossly, folding his arms in protest.

"We don't play with boys" Sally announced and stuck out her tongue. Tom looked a little hurt, he shuffled nervously on his feet.

"He could maybe be the dad or something or like a monster if we play chase?"

"Ok" Sally shrugged her shoulders "Tom can be the monster."

The sun beat down on the children as they played. Tom was a good monster after all and soon the girls forgot their secret code of no boys.

At the end of the day the three of them strolled back down the street, knees muddy and t shirts stained with grass

"Bye plain Jane!"

"Bye smelly Sally!"

Tom eyed Sally nervously. "Well bye" he looked to the ground, his face the colour of plums.

"Well bye strong Tom" she giggled, blushing herself.

That summer was to be a summer of growth and a summer of change. By the end Sally's mother noticed how Sally cared a little more about how she looked, her clothes were becoming too small for her and the make up box she kept by her bed kept mysteriously disappearing.

The children got together on the last day of the summer holidays. Summer was almost gone, there was a chill in the air, the wind whipped up the leaves and the clouds moved swiftly across the sky. It was a time for them to reminisce on the fun they had and look forward, with nervous anticipation, to the new school year. Tom was to go home to his family.  He seemed quiet and contemplative.

"Well you was a real good monster" Sally admitted.

"You was real fun to chase" Tom grinned.

"Maybe I'll see you again next summer?"

"Maybe." Tom looked at his feet and then all of a sudden he leant forward and planted a wet kiss on Sally's cheek. Her heart fluttered a little and she smiled sheepishly "well bye strong Tom."

"Well bye smelly Sally." At that he turned on his feet and disappeared down the road.