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Post by sophie on Apr 15, 2011 21:32:28 GMT
Thanks!
Before India could start to walk the rest of the way home someone shyly came back onto the street and India realised that it was Sarah, the girl whom Theo had turned down. India watched her as she walked back up the street, looking hopeful and then stopping by India with a crest-fallen expression on her face.
“Are you okay?” India asked and the girl said, “I thought he might still be here,” in a quiet voice.
“He’s gone home.”
“I wanted to see where he lived.”
“I think he wants to be left alone.”
“I wasn’t going to talk to him,” explained Sarah. “I was just going to follow him.”
“I see. I don’t think that sounds like the greatest plan either.”
“I just wanted to see where he lived,” Sarah said defensively. “Then maybe we can walk to school together...”
“I don’t think Theo’s very interested,” said India gently and Sarah looked upset.
“He might be when he talks to me. Why won’t he talk to me?”
“Boys can be dumb sometimes.”
“He doesn’t know me,” sniffled Sarah, sounding upset. “But I know he’d like me. That’s why I wanted to know where he lived...”
“So you could hang round his house?” asked India and she smiled, but not in a cruel way and Sarah nodded.
“Do you know where he lives?”
“I do,” India told her. “But I don’t think I should tell you. I don’t think he’ll like you any better if you hang around all the time. Maybe you should cool off a bit.”
“How else is he going to notice me?” wailed Sarah and India sighed.
“Just...be you,” she said, feeling awkward giving out romantic advice to an eleven-year-old. “Theo’s a nice boy. I’m sure that he’ll notice you even if you’re not following him around.”
“I don’t think he noticed me before,” said Sarah sadly. “He likes an older girl, Jessie said that Alicia said she heard him saying, but she turned him down. I don’t know why.”
“She was much too old for him,” said India firmly. “He’ll realise that. How old are you?”
“I’ll be eleven next week,” said Sarah shyly. “I want him to go to my party.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” India said. “But don’t keep on following him around so much. I’m sure he’ll want to go to your party when he thinks about it.”
Sarah suddenly gave her a wide smile.
“Thanks!” she said, and then looked embarrassed and shy again, and ran back the way she came and India watched her, amused. She had forgotten that it was a complicated business being eleven, let alone seventeen, though she couldn’t remember liking anyone when she was that age. Boys had just seemed stupid to her back then, and they still did, she thought wryly, going inside. But she wouldn’t choose to be that age again, she thought, going into the house. Declan was already there and had changed into jeans and a sweatshirt, watching some television and drinking a beer.
“There’s my natural disaster!”
“Huh?”
“First you cause a flood in the bathroom and then you were like a hurricane when you left!” exclaimed Declan. “All we need now is for you to start a fire!”
“That happened with the barbeque, remember?” asked India, remembering an incident where she had set the grill aflame last year and had never been allowed near it again. Declan groaned, having found it a lot less amusing.
“You didn’t have to race off this morning,” he remarked. “If you’d stayed to eat some real breakfast I could have given you a lift!”
“I didn’t know,” said India, feeling embarrassed. “Sorry. But I probably would have been late anyway...”
“How was your day, anyway?” asked Declan as India went to sit down beside him on the sofa and she shrugged.
“Bad?”
“I just had a fight with Jamie,” she said, looking down.
“What about?”
“His girlfriend. If she is his girlfriend. I don't know, it doesn't matter. It was really dumb.”
“You look really upset,” frowned Declan, and India shrugged. “Was it a bad fight?”
“No...yes....I don’t know. It wasn’t a long one. We’ll make up. He called me a –“ India bit her tongue and Declan demanded, “What?”
“Nothing, it doesn’t matter.”
“It matters if you’re this upset.”
“It was nothing terrible,” said India quickly.
“What was it?”
India didn’t like to say the word in front of her father, even though it was only a mild swear and even though she felt annoyed, she didn’t want him to be angry as well and she thought she might start crying if she thought about it so she said, feeing weary, “It really doesn’t matter. I don’t want to think about it anyway.”
“Okay,” sighed Declan and there was an awkward pause.
“Are you sure you’re okay from last night?” he asked suddenly and India said, “Of course I am.”
“That was a terrible scream,” said Declan fervently. “It sounded like someone was in your room or something; you scared me half to death.”
“Sorry.”
“Don’t apologise. It must have been a really bad dream.”
“Mm.”
“Can you remember it?”
“Not really,” lied India, feeling uncomfortable.
“I think I’d remember a dream that made me scream like that,” remarked Declan and India sort of shrugged and then got up.
“I’m going to change.”
Declan frowned as she went to do so, feeling as though she hiding something, but why would she lie about a nightmare, of all things? It must just have been her fight with Jamie, he thought, and as India told him about seeing Theo and Sarah over dinner both were able to laugh and forget about what had bothered them before.
The next day India planned on apologising to Jamie. Their argument felt stupid now, and childish, and India hoped that they could both just easily forget about it yet, at recess, when India, having taken a deep breath and rehearsed her apology in her mind, went over to find Jamie she saw that he was not alone and was sitting with Stephanie. She stopped in her tracks and stared at them, unable to apologise to him in front of her, and Jamie looked up, caught her eye and glared at her, putting an arm around Stephanie who grinned and giggled. India glared back, feeling like he was only doing so to spite her, and turned around to sit with Lydia instead, already feeling less sorry. The day was warm and sunny, without a cloud in the sky, and tempers as well as temperatures rose as the day wore on and India felt herself getting a splitting headache, not aided by Jamie and Stephanie acting as though were stuck together by glue, or the surprise Maths test which India knew she had failed after she had given it in. Seeing Jamie and Stephanie sitting across from her couldn’t help her wish she had a calculator handy, like all those years before, and then she felt ashamed and childish, and as everyone packed up to go home, India took a deep breath and decided to do the grown-up thing. She wasn’t twelve anymore, after all it was, as Jamie had said, five whole years ago and she ran after him when school had finished.
“Jamie!” she panted and he turned around looking annoyed.
“What?”
“I was rude yesterday,” said India, feeling rather out of breath.
“Yeah, you were,” said Jamie shortly, and he turned around again.
“Hold on!” snapped India, and he turned around again. “Is that it? Yeah, you were?”
“What else is there to say?” asked Jamie. “You said you were rude and I agreed.”
“Don’t you want to talk about it?”
“Not really.”
“But it was just a dumb argument!”
“Look, I don’t have time,” said Jamie irritably. “I’m meeting Stephanie for a milkshake.”
“Another one?” asked India childishly and he looked annoyed.
“Not that it’s any of your business, but it’s just a milkshake!”
“I thought it was never just a milkshake?” quipped India, throwing back his advice from all those months before.
“I’m late,” said Jamie again and India couldn’t help saying, “You didn’t need to call me a bitch.”
“You deserved it,” snapped Jamie and India didn’t know what to say for a moment.
“Wow,” she said eventually, and folded her arms. The day, which had been so warm, had suddenly dropped in temperature and a cloud had come over the sun.
Jamie looked slightly ashamed, but tried to hide it, shrugged and walked away again and India shouted, “Enjoy your milkshake! I hope you choke on it!”
“Indy!”
India jumped, turned around and there was Elliot, looking anxious and confused.
“Hey,” she said and ran up to him and gave him a hug and a kiss.
“Hey,” he said fondly back. “What was that about?”
“What was what about?” asked India, taking his hand.
“That argument with you and that guy.”
“Jamie,” said India irritably. “He was being a jerk.”
“You always seem to think he’s being a jerk,” remarked Elliot, sounding annoyed. “It’s hardly as if you’re friends.”
“I don’t always think he’s being a jerk,” said India defensively, and she felt troubled. “Well. It was different this time. It was like a real argument.”
“Right,” said Elliot, looking a little tight-lipped and India decided to change the subject to safer ground.
“I don’t want to talk about it anyway,” she said, leaning against his arm.
“What do you want to talk about?”
“I don’t know,” India sighed. “Nothing. It’s just nice being with you.”
Elliot gave her a kiss on the side of her head and the two walked in silence, but it didn’t feel uncomfortable, and though the sky was still cloudy, the day didn’t feel ruined. That dream didn’t mean anything, India found herself thinking. It hadn’t anyway, but now she knew for definite. Elliot would never call her a bitch. And why was she thinking of Jamie anyway? India felt troubled again and shook her head.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” said India, looking up and smiling, but when she looked away again she caught sight of a woman pushing a crying baby along in a pram and India stared at her, the rest of the dream back in her mind. She had almost forgotten it but really it had only lain dormant and India bit her lip.
“What’s up?”
“Nothing.”
“You’ve gone quiet.”
“We were quiet anyway!”
“It’s a different quiet; you seem bothered,” said Elliot, stopping and frowning and India tried to give him a reassuring smile.
“It’s just a headache.”
“Sure?”
“Mm.”
They kept on walking, past the shops and then past a playground and as India glanced towards it she saw a mother trying to placate a howling toddler and quickly looked away again, feeling anxious, but not quick enough for Elliot not to notice her expression.
“What?”
“What do you mean?” asked India, letting go of his hand.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing!”
He snorted.
“So how come we just walked past a playground and you looked like you were about to throw up?”
“I didn’t!” protested India feebly. “It was my fight with Jamie...”
“Not, it’s not,” snapped Elliot, sounding frustrated. “God, you’re always talking about him.”
“I’m not!” contradicted India, feeling like she was about to cry and she desperately looked down, not wishing to resemble a fountain again.
“I’m sorry,” said Elliot, feeling alarmed at how upset she looked. “I’m not trying to argue with you. Look, let’s forget it,” and he took her hand again and they kept on walking in silence. India couldn’t feel better, however, babies seemed to be everywhere, on every street corner, in prams, in slings or just being held by their mothers and the dream taunted her until India couldn’t take it anymore and suddenly blurted out, “What would you do if I got pregnant?”
“What?” exclaimed Elliot, letting go of her hand again and staring at her.
“What would you do?” asked India, her heart thumping.
“I...I don’t know," said Elliot, sounding bemused.
“Would you support me?” India demanded. “Would you support whatever choice I made?”
“Jesus, Indy!” exclaimed Elliot, cutting her off and looking alarmed. “Why are we talking about this?”
“I have to know,” said India, staring at him and Elliot stared back.
“Are you trying to tell me something?” he asked desperately.
“No.”
“Do you promise?” demanded Elliot. “Are you worried that you are?”
“No,” said India, beginning to feel like an idiot and he exclaimed, “So why did you freak me out like that then? Why are we talking about this?”
“I didn’t mean to freak you out,” said India, wishing that she hadn’t said anything.
“What did you expect if you started asking me about what I’d do if you were pregnant?! Look, did your dad say something to you? I know he’s paranoid about the whole thing.”
“It wasn’t Dad,” said India, looking down. “It wasn’t anyone.”
Elliot sighed and walked over to a bench, sinking down on it. India followed him.
“Did you freak yourself out about it?” asked Elliot, taking her hand and she shook her head.
“No. Not really. I guess. I had this dream...”
Elliot didn’t say anything and India took a breath and continued, “I dreamt I was pregnant. It was awful.”
Elliot let out a deep sigh of relief and then put his arm around her.
“Indy, it was just a bad dream.”
“I know...”
“You know you’re not pregnant, right?” he asked, looking at her for confirmation and India nodded. “We’ve been really careful and we’re not going to stop being careful. Nightmares are just nightmares. It’s natural to dream something like that, if you’re worried about it. I mean, what else did you dream about?”
“Something stupid,” said India, thinking back to the part with Jamie and he exclaimed, “See, it doesn’t mean anything.”
“I’m sorry I freaked you out,” said India, feeling relieved and embarrassed. “I’m sorry I blurted it out like that in the street.”
“You should have told me before,” said Elliot, tracing her fingers. “If it was bothering you.”
“It was just a dream,” said India. “I was trying to forget out about it.”
“Well, if you got pregnant, we’d figure it out,” said Elliot. “But it’s not going to happen, I promise!”
“Figure it out how?” India asked and he shrugged, looking uncomfortable.
“I don’t know. We’d think of something. I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”
“Okay,” agreed India, but the mood felt awkward again and the sky finally broke as small drops of rain began to fall, splattering their clothes, coming almost as a relief.
“It’s going to storm,” said Elliot quickly, jumping up and handing his jacket to India. “Come on, let’s get back before it gets heavy,” and they ran back, sharing the jacket to cover their heads as the rain fell heavier and heavier, instantly drowning the grass and shrubs with a month’s want of water.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Elliot promised, kissing India, and she nodded and watched him run away for a moment before running inside her own house drenched within moments.
“Hey Dad,” she gasped, and ran to get changed,leaving raindrops everywhere, causing Declan to shout, "Hey, Natural Disaster, you're flooding again!"
“There’s going to be one hell of a storm,” remarked Declan, as India came out of her bedroom a little while later.
“Yep,” India agreed, joining her father at the window. “There certainly is.”
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Post by Bee on Apr 16, 2011 0:59:55 GMT
Great update sophie you've captured all the characters really well (: can't wait formore
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Post by sophie on Apr 17, 2011 9:51:48 GMT
Surprisingly, however, the thunder and lightning storm that Declan had predicted did not come to pass and instead it rained hard throughout the night, lashing the windowpanes, before gradually decreasing, falling lighter and lighter, until it was merely a drizzle and the sky was clear again. Unlike everyone had hoped, however, the rain did not clear the air and instead it hung close and still, without even a breeze to ease the temperature and it was hot even in the early morning, as India and Declan prepared for work and school and they returned feeling sweltering and parched.
“I reckon summer’s come early,” remarked Declan, pulling his blazer off and going to the sink to pour himself a glass of water.
“Mm.”
“Makes you wonder what it’ll be like at Christmas.”
“Awful!” exclaimed India, wiping some perspiration from her forehead and Declan looked sympathetically at her.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes,” said India in frustration. “No. I don’t know. It’s too hot, I can’t think.”
“It’s only a heatwave. When it storms the air will feel clearer.”
“You said it would last until Christmas!”
“I said it would probably be hotter at Christmas!” exclaimed Declan. “Not that the air wouldn’t clear. It’s only been a day, Indy, give it longer than that.”
“It hardly ever rains,” said India irritably. “I bet it lasts the whole time and doesn’t clear once.”
“What’s wrong?” demanded Declan. “You’re in such a bad mood.”
India felt miserable and looked down.
“It’s just the weather,” she said finally.
“Sure?”
“Yeah...” India got up. “I’m going to get some water too,” she stated, and went to the sink, having told only half the truth. It was true, she was too hot, but she kept thinking back to the conversation with Elliot, and how she had asked him about what he would do if she fell pregnant and that he’d had no real answer. Nothing except we’d figure it out. What the hell did that mean? she thought, holding the glass under the tap. He’d been right, she thought, it didn’t matter, it was only a dream, but it still bothered her. He had met her after school but the conversation had hung unspoken, Elliot determinedly avoiding it and laughing harder than he needed to at her jokes and being affectionate, and India had been guilty of the same. She hadn’t wanted to talk about it either but now she wished that she had. There was a rumble in the sky and India looked up, wishing that the storm would come, but it didn’t, and the heat haze continued.
On Saturday morning when India was at work, Declan didn’t know what to do with himself. He had been to the shops, been back, had a large glass of water and tried to do some chores but had failed. It was too hot and he sat back, sweltering, not envying Indy at work where Mr Wheezer didn’t even have air conditioning. Being outside was too hot and being inside felt stifling and Declan felt bored and irritated. He got up from the sofa, feeling sick of being still, and then, without intending to, caught the eye of Bridget in her photo and he picked it up, smiling slightly and then replaced it, feeling ashamed. He knew where to go and it had been a while. Declan grabbed his keys, not bothering with a note, and headed to his destination, the heat not even registering. “Hey Didge,” he said fondly, kneeling at her grave. “I’m sorry I haven’t come for a while...I don’t know why I haven’t. You can be mad, I don’t have an excuse.”
Of course there was silence, the whole world felt dead, tired and still, and Declan wished it wasn’t. He wanted Bridget to be there in her worst mood ever, yelling at him and calling him a lousy husband. Didge could be at her most irritating and Declan wouldn’t care because she would be there, alive and there, and not silent and lying in the ground and Declan took a deep swallow to try and rid the big lump in his throat and then took a deep breath.
“Well...you know what’s been going on. I know you do but I’ll tell you anyway, even if you do know....it’ll make me feel better. I found out India’s been sleeping with Elliot.”
It felt strange to say it out loud in the empty cemetery but Declan didn’t care. It felt better to have said it, to have said to her even if she wasn’t there...he found that once he had said it the lump had eased slightly and almost felt as though Bridget was there, listening sympathetically and able to give out some advice.
“And everyone’s basically told me to get over it,” he continued. “Because she’s old enough, he’s old enough, they’re in a relationship and they’re being careful. But I can’t see it like they do. I can’t think that way, think that India’s grown up suddenly but she’s being responsible because she’s our daughter. I reckon you’d understand. Mum understands but she thinks I’m too upset about the whole thing. If it was Chloe or something it wouldn’t bother me half as much because she’s my niece, not my daughter. If she was being careful and was happy then it wouldn’t upset me at all but India’s my little girl, she’s our little girl, and even though you’re more relaxed than I am about this sort of stuff, I know you would be, I know you’d feel as worried as me. It feels like you’re the only one I can talk to about it properly and you’re the only one who could see where I’m coming from and agree a bit instead of telling me off for overreacting and being overprotective. It’s not that I don’t want her to grow up and it’s not that I even think she’s done something wrong, I’m just so worried. You know what I mean. And it doesn’t matter how nice Elliot is or how much he cares about her, he still slept with her, and I know that it was mutual and he didn’t push her at all, I can’t stand him because I’ll always see Indy as my baby. And that’s why I’m freaking out. I keep imagining her having a baby and I know you wouldn’t tell me I’m being stupid. You’d feel worried too but you’d still make me feel better. What do I do, Didge? What are we going to do if she comes up to me and says that she’s pregnant? We know how hard it is. God, Didge, I don’t know what to do,” said Declan, feeling upset again. “I know it’s dumb to think like that and like I said, if it was Chloe or someone else I wouldn’t feel that way at all, but it’s Indy. And even if that doesn’t happen I just don’t want him to hurt her. I know I can’t tell her not to go out with someone in case he breaks her heart but he’s older and he might leave town. He’s nineteen and India’s only seventeen. I keep worrying that she’ll get hurt.”
Declan paused for breath, leaning back on his heels.
“I just wish you were here,” he said, holding back tears. “It wouldn’t matter if you didn’t have anything to say. You’d still be there, you’d still make me feel better. You always did, you always have. I can’t do the teenage stuff alone. It’s all moving too fast and now I don’t even know what rules to make. I said she couldn’t be alone in her room with him and that didn’t exactly work out, but what do I do now, just let them be alone whenever they want and leave them to it? God, that makes me feel sick. I swear Didge, if he comes to our house again someone’ll have to restrain me and for once I don’t even think it would be you. I reckon you’d feel as mad at him too, even though you’re so much better at me at this stuff. I still can’t imagine you mad at Indy though.”
Declan tried to, resurrecting a scene he had thought of years ago when India was a baby. They’d talked about teenage years after an especially hard night.
“She’s a daddy’s girl already,” Bridget had said, half-amused and half-disgusted as Declan held her in her arms and making faces at her. “I’ve been doing that for the past hour, and sang, too, and she howled worst than a demon and the minute you started she shut up and now she’s happy as anything.”
“She just knows her daddy will protect her,” Declan had said, grinning down at India and tickling her nose, making India squeal. “Don’t you, Indy?”
Bridget had rolled her eyes but couldn’t stop herself smiling.
“This isn’t going to change, you know,” she had said and Declan had looked up, confused.
“When she’s a teenager,” Bridget had continued, “or even before, and we have a fight, you’re the one she’ll go to if she’s in trouble because she knows you can’t stay mad at her.”
“That’s not true!” Declan had exclaimed, startling India a little. “Shh, sweetie,” and India had closed her eyes again.
“See, you’re already spoiling her rotten,” giggled Bridget. “And she’s always going to be your little girl and even if she’s so naughty and I won’t know what to do with her you’ll still be buying her icecream and giving her cuddles because you can’t bear being angry with your little girl.”
“No, I can’t,” admitted Declan, a goofy grin spreading across his face. “How could I be mad at you, huh? You could never be naughty. You could never be a horrible teenager.”
“Say that again in fourteen years!”
“I can’t imagine you mad at her either,” said Declan, looking up and sounding more serious and Bridget shrugged, looking slightly troubled.
“I can’t either, not now, but say that again in fourteen years. It’s a horrible age and I always took out whatever I was mad about on Mum. I always felt that she babied me and I bet India will too. We’ll clash over something and then she’ll go running to you.”
“Clash over what?” crooned Declan and Bridget had shrugged again.
“Hair. Staying up late. Boyfriends.”
“Boyfriends?” exclaimed Declan sharply, and held India protectively. “No way, she’s not seeing anyone until she’s at least eighteen!”
“Good luck!” Bridget had said, trying not to laugh and Declan had declared, “No boy is ever getting his mucky paws on our daughter!”
“Well,” Bridget had smiled. “Maybe you’ll fight about that.”
Declan had looked down again at India, his innocent little baby, and could never imagine such a day.
“Teenage girls get on so much worse with their mums,” Bridget had added, sounding a little sad, and India had started to squeal slightly, wanting a feed. “They’re so complicated.”
“Here,” said Declan, handing India gently over to Bridget and as she had sat with her and fed her with a gentle expression on her face Declan could not help saying, “You and Indy could never fight,” and Bridget had not contradicted him.
Neither had realised how true that had been. Declan had had to be like both parents, had to be firm with her even when he hadn’t wanted to, like, when Bridget had so wisely said, had really only wanted to buy her icecream instead, but instead had had to be firm and discipline, even when he hadn’t wanted to and, as Bridget had said, India had argued about hair, staying up late and boyfriends and all sorts of other things besides, only she had argued with him instead and the image Declan had of Bridget, hands on her hips and with an angry and disappointed expression (the expression that had always shamed Declan), telling off India, who looked so alike, did not feel real and that was because it wasn’t, Declan thought firmly and sadly and got back up. Contrary to what he had said all those years ago he did want Bridget and India to fight because that meant she would still be there, still be figuring it out with him, and he could have consoled India when she felt wronged rather than be the tough parent. “Bye, Didge,” said Declan softly. “I’ll come back soon,” he vowed. Declan walked home with a heavy heart.
India finished her shift in a bad mood. The fan, which was instead of real air conditioning, was no use at all unless you stood directly by it and, for the millionth time that day India brushed sweat off her forehead, feeling sticky and vile on her hand. “Mr Wheezer, why isn’t there any air conditioning?” she couldn’t help asking and he said pompously, “Expensive and unnecessary. I never had any growing up and there’s a fan – it would mean shutting the store to install it which takes far too much time and money. If the customers can handle it, so can you,” and India refrained from adding that the customers were only inside for five-minute stretches, not four hours, and that most tried to leave quickly after realising that the shop was not much cooler than outside. Finally India’s shift finished and she stepped out into the waves of heat, thinking about all those northern countries heading into Autumn. India wouldn’t mind paying a visit. As her train of thought ended, she looked up and saw Jamie again. India opened her mouth to call out to him and began to walk towards him but then she saw Jamie’s mouth open in greeting and it wasn’t to her, it was to Stephanie instead and she watched in disgust as they kissed each other, took the other’s hand and walked to the cafe. So much for just a milkshake.
“India!”
India looked the other way, glad to have had a distraction, and Elliot was jogging up to her and she went over to join him.
“How was work?” he asked after they had kissed and India made a face.
“Hot!”
“Yeah, let’s get out of this heat,” said Elliot, looking around. “How about a milkshake?”
“No!” exclaimed India. “No, not there.”
“How come?”
“Bad smell,” said India, thinking of the unromantic couple.
“Huh?”
“Haven’t you noticed? It got right up my nose.”
“You never said.”
“Left a sort of after-taste.”
“Look, I don’t care where we go as long as it’s out of this heat,” said Elliot bluntly.
“Let’s go to yours then.”
Elliot shook his head.
“Why not?” exclaimed India. “I thought you didn’t care?”
“Maddie and Leah are having a pool party,” Elliot said irritably. “A paddling pool party.”
“Not a bad idea,” remarked India. “So what? That means we can be in your room without being disturbed.”
“Indy, you don’t know what they’re like. The minute they know we’re there they’ll nag at us to join in and I don’t have a lock on my door. I don’t want them bursting in on us.”
“That doesn’t appeal to me either,” sighed India. “It’ll have to be my place.”
Elliot’s eyes widened.
“What?”
“No, no way,” he said fervently. “Not if your dad will be there.”
“Oh, Elliot, come on..”
“He’ll kill me!”
“Look – you’ve got to go back to my house sooner or later,” said India reasonably. “And I can handle Dad.”
“From strangling me?”
“Look, we don’t have much of a choice!” said India in frustration. “The cafe’s...unhygienic, Maddie and Leah will be at us the whole time at your place, probably with water pistols and my place is the only other place I can think of, plus it has air conditioning.”
“But your dad’s there!” exclaimed Elliot. “And it’ll be weird! We won’t even be alone together!”
“He’s relaxed the rules a bit.”
“He’ll still be there and it’s weird, you know it is.”
“So we won’t do anything,” said India. “It’s only one afternoon.”
“I wish we could be alone properly,” said Elliot irritably and India sighed.
“Me too. But it won’t be too long. Come on, I’m dying in this heat,” and they walked back as quickly as they could.
“Hello?” called India as she opened the door. “Dad?”
There was no response and Elliot’s face split into a wide smile.
“He’s not in?”
“Dad?” India called out again, checking the rooms, but all were empty.
“He’s not here,” she confirmed. “But he might not be long –“ India was cut off by a kiss and they went in her room, giggling and feeling dangerous and not caring and India broke the rules and shut the door.
Declan walked slowly in the heavy heat, feeling miserable. He could go for weeks where he just felt fine and then there were days where it felt so real again. It always felt real, of course, but in different ways. Sometimes it felt there, but faraway at the same time, and he felt more accepting, and then there were days like today but it was there, direct, as though a cruel voice was whispering she’s gone and she’s never coming back. As he wandered aimlessly home he went past the community hall and something made him stop and stare and look up. It was a large poster, but not just any large poster, it was a large poster of him, reading can you take the glare? with an action shot of him holding the sunglasses. Declan stared at it; it was almost like a car crash. It was a disaster. He could never wear sunglasses again. Donna would have to die, he thought angrily, and on any other day, when he was in a better mood, he would have stormed over and yelled at her, in a friendly sort of way of course, and she would have laughed, and he would have laughed, though would have tried not to and India would have teased him, but Declan wasn’t in that mood. He couldn’t laugh at himself. Bridget would have done, he thought miserably and so tore his eyes away and started walking back home again.
“God, I feel even more hot,” grinned Elliot. “But it was worth it.”
“Mm,” giggled India, but it was a far away giggle, and she quickly looked away.
“What?”
“Nothing,” said India absentmindedly, snuggling under the doonah.
“Why are you hiding under there? You can’t be cold!”
“I’m naked!”
“There’s no one here.”
“It feels weird,” said India shortly and a silence fell again.
“Look, just tell me,” said Elliot finally. “It can’t be that bad. If you want to dump me just do it.”
“What?” exclaimed India, sitting up. “I don’t want to dump you!”
“So tell me what’s wrong! I can’t help you with it if you don’t tell me.”
India was silent for a moment, looking away, and then she finally said, “What would you do if I was pregnant?”
“That again?” exclaimed Elliot. “We talked about that the other day!”
“No, we didn’t,” said India, her heart beating. “We didn’t even cover it. You just said we’d figure it out.”
“And we will! We would!” blustered Elliot. “Look, why are we talking about this?”
“We have to,” said India stubbornly.
“Now?”
“It’s been on my mind.”
“You didn’t say anything yesterday.”
“I didn’t want think about it.”
“But why worry about it?” asked Elliot in frustration. “If you were pregnant, it’d be different, but you’re not.”
“That’s not the point,” retorted India. “I have to know that you’d be okay with it.”
“Be okay with it?” exclaimed Elliot.
“You know what I mean! I need you to know that you’d be there for me!”
“Of course I’d be there for you,” said Elliot, sounding confused and annoyed. “It was just a dream.”
“I know it was,” said India. “But I need to know that.”
An awkward silence fell between them and the mood was changed. Even the air felt cooler and India looked away feeling upset.
“I just don’t see why you should worry about things that might happen,” said Elliot eventually. “You can’t control everything.”
“I know,” sniffled India.
“And we’re being so careful,” said Elliot, putting his arm around her. “It’ll be fine.”
“I still need to know what we’d do,” said India obstinately and Elliot looked frustrated. In their argument they had not heard the front door open.
“Indy?” said Declan but there was no reply.
“It’s not that I worry too much,” India was saying. “It’s having a plan!”
“But why do I need to know exactly what we’d do now?”
“I just need to know that you’d support me,” India said, leaning towards him, unaware that there were more than two people in the house, and neither she, nor Elliot after her quick glaze at him, knew what to do or say when the door suddenly opened and Declan walked in.
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Post by Bee on Apr 17, 2011 22:20:18 GMT
oooh cliffhanger!!
cant wait for more
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Post by sophie on Apr 17, 2011 22:43:52 GMT
Thanks!
Declan and India stared at each other in disbelief for a moment and then India yelped, "Dad!" sitting up in shock and holding the doonah tightly around her.
"India!" shouted Declan furiously. "What the hell is this?"
"You could've knocked!"
Declan wished fervently that he had, but decided not to say so.
"Get dressed and get out," he said to them. "Five minutes or I will come back and personally throw you out myself," he added, looking at Elliot who was trying to avoid his gaze.
"Dad!"
"India, I don't want to hear it!" Declan snapped. "You're in so much trouble!"
India looked away, still clutching the doonah and Declan bit his tongue and quickly left the room before he could start yelling at Elliot, or lose his temper any further.
"Oh Jesus," groaned Elliot, who had gone bright red. "What's your dad going to do?"
"Nothing...it'll be okay," said India, trying to convince herself.
"Didn't you see his expression?"
"Whatever he does, it'll be a lot worse if you don't get dressed and go," said India, quickly picking up their clothes and chucking his over. "We've only got five minutes!"
"Is he going to go off his head at you?" asked Elliot anxiously, pulling on his jeans and T-shirt. "Maybe I should stay."
"No, that'll just make things worse," said India fervently, tugging her shirt on as well. "I know he can be scary when he's angry but I can handle him. He's my dad. If you stay here he'll be even worse."
"Sorry about before."
"About what?" asked India, looking at him and fastening her pants.
"You know, what we were talking about before your dad came in..."
India looked at him and wished they were alone to talk about it properly, but there wasn't time.
"Look, we'll have to talk about it later," she said, standing up. "We don't have time now."
"But –"
"Elliot, it's okay," said India, trying to smile, and they both took a deep breath, held each other's hands and came back out. Declan was sitting at the kitchen table, trying to control himself but when he saw Elliot it was difficult to keep it up and he longed to punch him in the face. Elliot stopped nervously smiling when he saw his glare and looked down at his shoes. India had never felt so embarrassed in her life and wished that the earth would swallow her up.
"Elliot's going to go now," said India in a deliberately loud voice.
"Is he?" growled Declan. "I thought we could have a quick chat."
"Dad," said India, trying to sound reasonable, "I don't think you need to talk to him."
"I think we do seeing as he disobeyed my house rules!"
"It was my fault, not Elliot's!" cried India. "Be mad at me!"
"I already am, don't worry about that," snapped Declan and Elliot, feeling frightened of the somewhat murderous look that was growing in his eyes and the rolling pin that was next to him said quickly, "Mr Napier, I really have to go. My mum needs help cooking..."
"Really?" asked Declan. "You didn't seem to be in any hurry when I came into the room."
"Dad," said India in a warning voice but Declan ignored her.
"I forgot that she needed me to go to the supermarket," said Elliot, very aware of how clear it was he was lying and Declan glared at him even more strongly and put his hand on the rolling pin.
"Dad, Elliot has to go," said India quickly, looking nervously from one to the other. "It's not fair to make him stay."
"Maybe he should go," agreed Declan. "I'll walk him to the door," and, before India could stop him, he had scraped back the chair and stood up, still holding the rolling pin and Elliot, casting a nervous glance at his girlfriend walked with him to the door. Declan opened it and Elliot started to breathe a sigh of relief but then Declan grabbed his arm in a tight grip and said in a low voice, "I'm going to make a few things clear."
Elliot didn't dare answer but gave a quick nod and Declan continued, "I swear to God, if you hurt her or if you get her pregnant I will put you in the ground."
"I won't," gulped Elliot, his eyes firmly on the rolling pin and Declan continued, "And if you do get her pregnant and you run off on her I will personally hunt you down and hurt you. Severely. Are we clear?"
Elliot was wise enough not to point out that he couldn't leave India if he had already been put in the ground and instead nodded and gulped.
"Good," said Declan, clapping him on the shoulder and helping him out with a shove. "And don't you ever let me catch you in bed with her again."
Elliot nodded again, watching him tap the rolling pin into his palm and then turned and ran away as fast as he could, wary of an irate father at his footsteps, his fear not entirely unfounded as it was only India marching up and grabbing the rolling pin that stopped Declan from doing so.
"Dad!" she shouted. "What did you say to him?"
"I just made a few things clear," said Declan, still looking out on the street and India slammed the door shut.
"Like what?"
"Like he knows where he stands where he does something to you."
"Oh, great!" groaned India. "Thanks heaps!"
"Don't get sarcastic with me," snapped Declan. "You're already in trouble."
"We weren't doing anything wrong!"
"I told you that you couldn't be alone in your room when I'm not there!"
"You could have knocked!" India said again.
"Christ, India, it's the middle of the day!" exclaimed Declan in disgust. "I wasn't expecting to walk in on....that."
"I thought you'd be here!"
"You could learn some self-control," said Declan, feeling disgusted again and India rolled her eyes.
"I saw that," warned Declan. "I wouldn't recommend being rude to me, you're in enough trouble as it is."
"There was nothing wrong with what we were doing," snapped India, flaring up again and Declan exclaimed, "Well, I don't want to see it!"
"Knock on the door then!"
"India, that's enough!" Declan shouted. "This is my house and my rules and if I say he can't be in the room with you when I'm not there then he can't! End of!"
"You're treating me like a child!" said India angrily. "At Elliot's we can be alone in the room together and if his mum walked in on us she wouldn't be threatening me!"
"Elliot's older," retorted Declan. "And I wasn't threatening him, I was letting him know where he stood!"
"Threatening him then!"
"He's too old for you," Declan added and India groaned.
"I thought you'd dealt with that! I'm old enough too!"
"Not about that," said Declan, feeling embarrassed. "I mean in general. India, where do you see this relationship going?"
"I don't know," said India hotly, folding her arms. "I don't care."
"India," said Declan in a warning tone. "I'm being serious here. Have you talked about what will happen if he moves away or something? Or if you just split up? How are you going to feel then? You can't go back to just holding hands, not now."
"I'm just enjoying being with him now!" snapped India, feeling upset. "Why do you have to spoil everything?"
"Indy!"
"This is all because you walked in on us," sniffled India. "I'm sorry that you did, I didn't mean that to happen, but you don't need to be horrible about us. You don't need to hate him! Anyway, I don't want to go back to just holding hands."
"India, this is because I care about you," exclaimed Declan, feeling hurt. "And I don't hate him..."
"Like heck!"
"I might want to hurt him a bit," admitted Declan. "But I don't hate him. I just want to know that you know what you're doing."
"I know my own mind!" exclaimed India, knowing she was going to cry. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry I broke the rules. Ground me."
"India –"
"Just ground me!" she said quickly. "I don't want to talk about this anymore," and before Declan could say anything else she turned and slammed herself in her room.
Declan sighed in frustration. He hadn't wanted to make her cry, he had just wanted to make her think. He didn't want to see her get hurt and though he had told India that he didn't hate Elliot Declan couldn't help fantasising about hitting him around the head with that rolling pin...that would teach him. That would teach him about taking his daughter to bed in the middle of the afternoon, that would teach him about sleeping with her in general...Declan wished he could turn back time and not walk in their room in the first place. He could never get that image out of his mind now. Part of him wished he could turn back time and never let her go to that party in the first place so none of this would have happened. Eventually Declan got up, knowing India wouldn't be going out of her room anytime soon.
"Indy?" he called. "I'm going out."
There was no reply and he repeated, "India?" and this time there was a disgruntled, "Fine!" in return and Declan raised his eyebrows and went outside.
Once he had left the house, however, Declan felt at a loose end. He didn't know where to walk or where to go and so wandered along, kicking a stone to try and ease some frustration. It felt like everything was out of control. Declan knew he couldn't stop India from growing up but it was a shock all the same...who wants to walk in on their daughter doing that? And he was still so worried about what could happen...Declan kicked the stone a little further and it fell into the road. He wondered what Bridget would have said about it all. Would she be fuming too or would she be getting him to calm down? Maybe both. Bridget could fly off the handle but she could keep calm when she needed to. Declan thought back to the early days of their relationship and, though of course he would never tell India, he guessed he shouldn't have been so disgusted at it being in the middle of the day...he remembered he and Bridget's very first time being in the afternoon and then they had stolen time together whenever they could and the thought of Steve ever catching them made Declan shudder. He probably would have used the rolling pin and done other things besides.
"Dec!"
Declan looked up to see a smiling Donna waving at him.
"Oh," he said grumpily. "Hey."
"Wow," remarked Donna. "Someone got out of the wrong side of bed this morning," and Declan scowled at the use of the word bed.
"Jeez, Declan, what's wrong?"
"I got back from....going out," he said irritably. "And I went into India's room...only she wasn't alone."
"Elliot was there?" Donna asked and at Declan's curt nod she put two and two together and clapped a hand to her mouth. "And they were...? Oh, Dec!"
"Don't you dare laugh," warned Declan, seeing Donna's mouth twitch slightly behind her hand. "Don't you dare."
"I'm not laughing," said Donna weakly, removing her hand and trying to keep herself under control. "Poor India!"
"Poor India?" demanded Declan. "I'm scarred for life!"
"It must have been so embarrassing for her. What did you do?"
"What do you think?"
"Threw him out of the window?"
"Tempting. No, I just yelled at them and let Elliot know some things."
"Like what?" asked Donna suspiciously.
"That if he hurts her or gets her pregnant he's dead meat."
"Dec!"
"He deserved it!"
"You're as bad as Didge's dad."
"If I was Steve he really would be dead," contradicted Declan. "Though saying that, I don't know how he didn't kill me when Didge found out she was pregnant."
"I'm impressed that you didn't," admitted Donna. "My father went ballistic when he caught me and Ringo in the car and we weren't even doing anything!"
"I went ballistic enough."
"Come on," sighed Donna. "Let's go and get a milkshake and you can tell me the whole story."
"All right. And I've got a bone to pick wit you about a certain poster..."
India lay on her bed, still crying slightly. Everything had been spoilt. What did her father know? she thought angrily. Why was it his business anyway? They should never had had sex, she thought, not that afternoon then none of it would have happened. Or maybe she should never have started the argument about being pregnant. But her dad still would have caught them. It was his fault, she thought angrily. He should have knocked on the door. India didn't think she could ever look her father in the eye again. She should have thought about him coming home early. Suddenly her phone rang.
"Hello?"
"It's me," came Elliot's voice. "Are you okay?"
"Of course I am."
"Are you in heaps of trouble?"
"I think so. I don't know. Dad's gone out."
"Can I see you?"
India hesitated and then she said firmly, "Yeah, I'm on my way."
"I didn't mean now if you're in trouble."
"I know. I'm coming anyway. Dad can't tell me what to do," and with that, India hung up and looked at her phone and the picture of her and Elliot as the background. What did her father know?
"We won't split up," she mumbled out loud. "We won't," she said, in a firmer voice, put the phone in her pocket and climbed out of the window.
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Post by Bee on Apr 19, 2011 10:22:40 GMT
great update Sophie (: cant wait for more!
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Post by sophie on Apr 19, 2011 21:14:19 GMT
Thanks!
“...and there they were,” concluded Declan grumpily, stirring his drink. “Lying in her bed completely naked.”
“And were they, you know...” Donna trailed off and Declan looked disgusted.
“No, but it was pretty obvious that they had.”
“Why didn’t you -?”
“Don’t ask me why I didn’t knock on the door,” said Declan, cutting her off. “I wish I had, believe me, but I didn’t think that I would be walking on that. It’s the middle of the day!”
“They’re teenagers, Declan,” said Donna, trying not to giggle. “You know what it’s like at that age. They’ll take any chance they get. Hormones all over the shop, I know I –“
“Yes, thank you,” interrupted Declan quickly. “I’m not completely naive! I didn’t even know he was going to be there and I heard them in her room – not in that way – but they were arguing so I didn’t think I was going to need to knock, I just opened the door without thinking.”
“What were they arguing about?”
Declan shrugged wearily.
“I didn’t hear that much and I couldn’t hear them very well. Indy was saying that she’d need a plan or something.”
“A plan for what?”
“I don’t know,” said Declan, sipping some his drink. “I didn’t ask.”
“What did you say to her? Did you argue? Actually, don’t answer that,” added Donna as Declan opened his mouth. “I think I can guess.”
“I was pretty mad,” said Declan defensively, “but who wouldn’t be? She’s my daughter! No one wants to walk in on that and anyway, I’ve told her a thousand times that he can’t be in her room with the door closed, especially if I’m not there.”
Donna bit her lip and managed not to comment that that horse had already bolted, but did say, “You can’t be that surprised though?”
“No, I’m not surprised,” snapped Declan. “I just feel annoyed. And I upset Indy.”
“How?”
“I asked her where the relationship was going,” said Declan and Donna gave him a look.
“Oh come on, I had a point!” protested Declan, seeing her face. “He’s nineteen. I know that’s only two years but it’s more at that age...Indy still has two whole years of school left and he’s already finished and has applied to all these art courses! How’s she going to feel if he moved away? Or even if he doesn’t,” he said quickly, before Donna could answer, “he’s still a lot older. They could split up over anything. I just want her to think things through. It feels like all of this has happened in such a rush.”
“Declan, she’s seventeen,” said Donna gently. “Everything is more passionate then. This is her first real boyfriend.”
“That doesn’t mean that she can’t think anymore!” exclaimed Declan. “India’s always been sensible. I know she’s got that gene from me and Didge of acting first and thinking later but she’s not foolish and if she’s had a big decision she’s never rushed into it.”
“She’s seventeen,” Donna said again. “Even when you’re our age it’s different with boyfriend but it’s so much more intense at her age. Remember what you and Didge were like?”
“Yeah, I do,” said Declan sulkily. “Too well. And remember what happened when we rushed into something?”
“Yes,” said Donna patiently. “But India’s been more careful than you, you know how responsible she is. It’s like you said: she’s never rushed into something big without thinking it through.”
“But this is something big!” exclaimed Declan. “I have a bad feeling about this whole thing. I know, I know, it’s because he’s older and I’m her father, but I feel like that apart from that. I don’t know how long it’s going to last and India is point blank refusing to listen to me. She hasn’t thought it through.”
“Declan, India’s only seventeen.”
“That’s the third time you’ve said that.”
“Yeah, for a reason! She’s very mature for her age but she’s still only a kid, at the end of the day. Not a little kid, but she’s not an adult – not like you and me. She’s a teenager who’s fallen in love for the first time.”
Declan stared at her.
“Indy’s not in love!” he exclaimed.
“Okay, maybe she’s not in love, but she’s definitely in lust,” said Donna and Declan had nothing to say and fell silent. “She’s not seeing straight, especially not now. This is her first boyfriend and her first...you know. India’s not going to want to think about the future. She’s seventeen. Maybe she knows at the back of her mind that you could be right but she’s enjoying where she is right now. Not all first boyfriends become your only one and Declan, that’s okay.”
“I don’t want her to get her heart broken!”
Donna smiled slightly.
“That’s not really something you can control. Even if she went out with someone the perfect age, the most secure guy and the nicest guy in the world he could break her heart too. You can’t predict these things and you can’t wrap her in cotton wool.”
Declan felt a little stunned.
“I don’t want to do that,” he protested, feeling a little shocked. “I want Indy to experience everything in life; I just want her to be happy.”
“We can’t be happy all the time. Being hurt is part of life.”
“I know,” said Declan, sounding worried. “But I don’t think she’s thought about she will feel if she does get hurt. I don’t think she’s even considered it.”
“She’s seventeen,” reminded Donna. “Let her enjoy it. Teenage love is like that...it’s exciting, it’s new and it doesn’t feel real, in a way. You never feel so intensely again.”
Declan stared at her and Donna felt embarrassed.
“What?” she asked, going slightly pink.
“When did you get so wise? How do you know all that stuff?”
“Life experience,” said Donna, still feeling embarrassed. “And I read a lot,” she admitted.
“I guess you’re right though,” Declan sighed. “I just want her to be okay.”
“She’ll be okay. Are you okay, more to the point?”
“Yeah,” grimaced Declan. “Not really. I don’t know. It helped scaring him with the rolling pin.”
“What?” asked Donna, laughing, and Declan launched into the story again.
“Should you really be here?” asked Elliot, after he and India had kissed. They had arranged to meet in a small clump of trees on the edge of the field and it felt hot in the thicket, and dusty, but at least it was private.
“No,” shrugged India. “I don’t know. I don’t care.”
Elliot looked at her and India looked down for a moment, realising that she had sounded childish.
“I shouldn’t have to ask if I can see you or not,” she tried to explain. “I’m not a child. I’m tired of Dad trying to run my life. I’m eighteen next year and he still acts like I’m five.”
“Are you surprised he went off like that?”
“No,” admitted India. “But he didn’t need to hit the roof so much. I’m sorry he was such a jerk to you.”
“He’s your dad,” said Elliot awkwardly. “It’s not surprising that he wants to kill me.”
“He doesn’t want to kill you,” exclaimed India and he raised his eyebrows. “Well. Maybe a bit, but he doesn’t hate you...why are we talking about this anyway? I didn’t come here to talk about Dad.”
“Me neither,” said Elliot, and he sat down awkwardly in the small space on the ground, India sitting next to him. Apart from the faroff shouts of children and their parents on the other side of the field, it was very quiet and still and in the thicket it almost felt as though they were alone in the world.
“I’m sorry if I was being weird before,” said Elliot, looking at his hands.
“I’m sorry if I was nagging.”
“You weren’t nagging,” said Elliot, looking at her. “I was just surprised.”
“You knew I was worried about it!”
“But you never said anything yesterday! It just felt sudden!”
“I didn’t say anything about it yesterday because I didn’t want to think about it!” exclaimed India. “It was still on my mind!”
“But –“
“I know it was just a dream,” said India, cutting him off. “I know. That doesn’t stop it being an issue. I get that there’s no point in worrying about stuff that might never happen, but I’d rather know where you stood rather than find out if and when something does happen and we’re both in shock.”
Elliot was quiet for a moment and then said, “What would you want to do?”
“I don’t know,” said India. “I wouldn’t know how I’d feel.”
“I don’t know how I’d feel either!”
“Great,” sighed India, and an awkward silence fell. Elliot looked away and India picked up a twig and started snapping it into different parts.
“Look,” she said eventually, dropping the pieces and taking his hand. “All I want to know is this: will you be there for me? I’m not saying that you’d have to be happy, or anything like that and I’m not saying that you’d have to know exactly what you’d want, I just want to know that you’d support me, whatever I decided.”
“Of course I’d support you,” said Elliot, and he put his arm around her. “You don’t have to worry about that.”
India breathed a deep sigh of relief and they sat quietly for a moment.
“When you said that we’d figure it out...”
“Yeah?”
“What did you mean?”
“That we’d think of something,” said Elliot, sounding confused.
“Would you want me to keep it?”
“I don’t know. Would you want to keep it?”
“I don’t know,” confessed India, her head feeling hot. “I don’t know if I’d even want to go through with it. Do you think that’s terrible?” she asked, after a pause.
“No,” said Elliot, and India felt relieved again. “But I don’t know how I’d feel if you got pregnant.”
“Neither do I,” sighed India. “It has to be an option though.”
“Look,” said Elliot, after another pause, “Whatever you decide I’ll support you. I’m sorry if I seemed mad at you before.”
“You didn’t,” said India gratefully, and she threw her arms around him and kissed him. “That’s all I wanted to hear. And you know we’d decide it all together.”
Elliot kissed her back and then said, “So are we okay now?”
“Were we not okay before?”
“I mean, are you still upset?”
“No,” said India, and it was true: it was as though a great weight had been lifted. “It was just a stupid dream. Let’s talk about something else, I’m tired of thinking about that.”
“Let’s not talk,” said Elliot, kissing her, and India, giggling, fell on the floor beside him.
“You love it.”
“What?” exclaimed Declan, trying not to laugh as he finished his second milkshake. “I do not.”
“I always knew you’d be a fame wench.”
“A fame wench?” exclaimed Declan is disbelief, before catching Donna’s grin and realising that she was winding him up. “Oh yeah. That’s right. I want to be on the biggest billboard in town outlined in glitter.”
“Be careful what you wish for,” teased Donna, but she had a glint in her eyes and Declan pointed at her.
“I don’t trust you Freedman. All right, I’m going home, India must be wondering where I am.”
“She’s probably lying on her bed listening to depressing music,” commented Donna. “Like a certain boy I know, longing for the same girl.”
“Theo’s still devastated?”
“It’s worse than when I was fourteen and my favourite boy band split up,” said Donna in amused disgust. “Still, at least Theo has someone. Well, someone who likes him.”
“Who?”
“Some girl in his grade, I keep seeing her hanging around the street but whenever I smile at her she runs off. Theo says her name’s Sarah but he doesn’t want to know.”
“Young love’s so problematic,” joked Declan. “Oh well, at least that means Zeke won’t be getting out a rolling pin yet.”
“Yet,” agreed Donna and Declan got up, grinning.
“I really am leaving now. Thanks, Donna, I’ll call you.”
“They all say that,” teased Donna, and she waved. “See you!”
Declan walked back in a much better mood. He wasn’t exactly walking on sunshine, so to speak, but Donna had made him feel a lot better. You could criticise his friend for a lot of things, Declan thought, but you could never fault Donna for knowing how to help when you had a problem. Even if she didn’t know how to solve it she knew what to say to help, if not make it totally better, and you always felt in a better mood after talking to her and Declan laughed a little to himself, suddenly remembering her radio show all those years ago and how her advice, if somewhat quirky, had definitely fit the bill. The argument he had had with Indy didn’t feel so terrible now, and he felt a lot more at ease and almost cheerful as he went to the house and opened the door.
“Indy!” Declan called, coming inside and pulling the door to. “India!”
There was no reply but Declan wasn’t too surprised.
“I’m sorry if I upset you before,” he continued, putting his things away. “It’s not that I want to spoil things, I just don’t want you to get hurt. I’m not trying to run your life though and I know it sounded that way.”
There was still silence, and Declan, feeling slightly hurt, said, “I know it’s a teenager daughter’s right to be mad at her dad but I am sorry. Come on Indy, please come out.”
More silence and Declan frowned. Even when he and India had had terrible arguments she had never sulked in her room for that long. India wasn’t a sulky person – she had never gone for long periods of not speaking to her father, they were both the same: they shouted whatever had upset them, sulked a little and then got past it. They didn’t hold out for long and even if this was the one time she was, it sounded suspiciously quiet and Declan, frowning, knocked and then pushed open the door.
India emerged nervously from the thicket. The sun had slid behind the trees and the sky had darkened slightly. She had no idea what the time was. The field was deserted.
“That wasn’t supposed to happen,” she said out loud as Elliot came out as well, rubbing his head.
“No, but I’m glad it did,” grinned Elliot, hugging her from behind, and, as India was silent, he added, “Aren’t you?”
“Yeah,” said India, sounding distracted and Elliot frowned.
“Very convincing.”
“No, I am,” said India sincerely, turning around and trying to smile. “Or rather, I’m not sorry that we got carried away.”
Elliot smiled too and took her hand but India couldn’t relax and thought out loud, “Dad’s going to kill me.”
“It’s not that late,” said Elliot in confusion. “Anyway, I thought you didn’t care what he thought?”
“I don’t,” said India, shaking her own head, but then said miserably, “Yes, I do. I didn’t mean that before. I was just angry.”
“I thought you were mad that he was being controlling?”
“I am, I...look, he’s my dad,” said India miserably. “And he can be a jerk sometimes and he can overreact but he’s still my dad and I hate it when he’s mad or when I’m a jerk. I shouldn’t have come to meet you.”
“You weren’t being a jerk,” contradicted Elliot and India sighed.
“I don’t know. Maybe not, but Dad’ll be worried and I’ll feel like a jerk for that.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself,” said Elliot, kissing her cheek but India still felt miserable.
“I’ll call you tomorrow,” she promised and began to run home before Elliot could stop her. The weight may have lifted from her mind but the air was still sultry and India wished that the storm would clear it. It felt oppressive and she ran as quickly as she could.
Declan was sitting on India’s bed, holding her teddy bear. He had been sitting there for half an hour and was beginning to worry, as well as feel angry, and Declan was just deciding to go out to look for her when suddenly India climbed in through her window, looking worried and then jumping when she saw Declan sitting on the bed, nearly falling back out again.
“You scared me,” she said but Declan ignored her and snapped, “Where the hell have you been?”
“Out,” said India, shortly and truthfully and Declan looked almost as angry when he had caught her with Elliot before.
“Out where?” he demanded and India guiltily brushed her curls behind her ear, only to find a twig in it which she tried to hide in her hand.
“Nowhere...”
“You were with him, weren’t you?” snapped Declan and India looked more guilty. “You knew you weren’t supposed to go out.”
“You’re treating me like a child,” snapped India back, her temper flaring up and Declan retorted, “That’s because you’re acting like one! How am I supposed to trust you and treat you like an adult when you keep breaking my rules?”
“The rules are stupid,” exclaimed India before she thought. “They make me feel like seeing my boyfriend is a crime and you treat us like naughty children!”
“Watch your mouth,” said Declan in a dangerously low voice. “Unless you want me to get more angry. I’m disappointed in you. I came to apologise for going overboard before and you weren’t even in your room and it wasn’t just that you disobeyed me, I’ve been worried. How long were you out for?”
“It’s not that late,” said India, evading the question and Declan exclaimed, “You’re not getting it! It’s not about what time it is, it’s that you just went off for ages without telling anyone where you were and I’ve been worried. Parents worry. You shouldn’t have gone out in the first place.”
“I didn’t mean to worry you,” said India in a small voice, looking at her hands. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think.”
“That’s not good enough! You keep telling me that I don’t treat you like an adult and why should I if you keep doing things without thinking first?”
“Because you always look at things from every angle?” India couldn’t help retorting and Declan’s eyes narrowed, making her feel anxious.
“Young lady, that’s enough. I’m going to ask you again: where were you?”
“I went for a walk,” said India vaguely. “With Elliot.”
“Right,” said Declan, sounding not entirely convinced and India went red, wondering if it was obvious what had really happened, but then her father said, “I don’t want to know, not after the day I’ve had. I’m going to make some dinner and yes, you are most definitely grounded.”
India was silent and he added, “For two weeks.”
Declan expected India to shout that it was unfair, too long and that he didn’t understand but she just shrugged and Declan looked at her. Sometimes it felt like I didn’t know her anymore, and he started to open his mouth to say something but then stopped himself before leaving her room and shutting the door. Declan walked down to the kitchen, feeling heavy, but before he got there he caught sight of Bridget’s photo again and he sighed, picking it up.
“I think I should have handled that differently,” he said quietly to her. “But I don’t know how. I need your help with this,” he said fervently, but Bridget stayed silent and smiling, as she always did, and Declan sighed and started dinner, hoping for a sign from her all the same.
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Post by Bee on Apr 23, 2011 19:30:13 GMT
great update sophie, cant wait for more
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Post by Bee on Apr 24, 2011 5:10:41 GMT
Sophie why did you post the same update twice? ^^
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Post by sophie on Apr 24, 2011 8:10:33 GMT
I got mixed up and forgotten that I'd already posted that one! I've deleted it now.
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Post by sophie on Apr 25, 2011 21:44:39 GMT
Right update this time!
India sat in her room feeling horribly guilty. When her father was angry with her on other occasions she could always make herself feel better by thinking that he had acted unreasonably but this time, in her hearts of hearts, India knew that he had been right to be angry with her. She shouldn’t have snuck out. She should have seen Elliot the next day, when her father had calmed down a bit instead of just going out because she felt angry. Oh, why did she always do things without thinking? India wouldn’t have minded so much is he had just shouted at her, but he had told her he was disappointed and India felt cold and ashamed. That was the worst thing he could say. India lay down on the bed, clutching her teddy bear to try and make herself feel better and tried to think about something else but her mind wouldn’t cooperate and the only other thing she could think of was her meeting with Elliot. India supposed it was good that they had settled their argument but she still shouldn’t have gone that day and sleeping with him, that definitely wasn’t supposed to have happened. They were supposed to have just discussed the argument before and then India would have gone home before Declan had found out, not let herself get carried away, and they hadn’t used a condom again...India bit her lip, feeling anxious, and tried to remind herself that it had been fine last time but she still felt uneasy. When she tried to stop thinking about that, she started to think about her argument with her father, and her mind wouldn’t settle on anything else and eventually India, feeling suddenly exhausted, shut her eyes and tried desperately hard to put all thoughts out of her mind.
Declan whistled under his breath as he prepared dinner, but it wasn’t a real tune. He was whistling to try and cheer himself up but it wasn’t working very well. He couldn’t help feeling incredibly angry and disappointed, as well. Declan had always thought that in spite of India inheriting the gene of doing before thinking and using it on occasion she had at least always known to never really push it. If he had told her that she couldn’t do something and she wanted to do it she would still listen to him, even if she shouted that it was unfair and unreasonable. Declan always listened to her side of the story and tried to be fair, but if he still said no India would do as he said, no matter how much she disagreed but this time she had just gone out anyway, and it wasn’t to a party, or to see a movie: it was just to see her boyfriend and she could do that any day of the week. What made it more infuriating was that Declan had thought he had honestly been reasonable. A part of him – a very, very big part of him – had wanted to tell India that she could never see Elliot again when he had found out that they had started sleeping together and when he had found them in bed together it was all he could do not to punch him in the face and throw him out, but he had managed to keep relatively calm and she had just thrown it back in his face. Declan knew all teenagers argued with their parents and sometimes disobeyed but it had always felt that he and India had an understanding and Declan couldn’t help feeling hurt. He shook his head, trying not to dwell on it, however, and took the pans off the heat, calling, “Indy, dinner!”
There was no reply and, frowning, Declan went to his daughter’s room only to find her curled up in a ball, holding her teddy bear and clearly fast asleep. Declan considered waking her but decided against it and put her food in the oven to keep warm and ate a lonely dinner, missing Bridget and her advice.
India blearily opened her eyes and looked at the clock before sitting up in shock. It was ten o’clock the next morning! She was still in the clothes she had worn the night before and couldn’t even remember when she had fallen asleep – not that many people do remember when they fall asleep, she thought wryly, but they normally remember what they dreamt or something. India didn’t think that she had dreamt at all and stood up and stretched, her arms and legs feeling somewhat stiff. Then India remembered her argument with Declan, and all of yesterday came flooding back, and anxiously she came out of her bedroom and through to the kitchen where Declan was sitting with a cup of coffee and the newspaper.
“Morning,” he said shortly.
“Morning,” replied India.
“I didn’t want to wake you last night,” continued Declan, not looking up from the paper. “So your dinner’s still in the oven if you’re hungry, though it must be cold now.”
“Dinner for breakfast?” asked India, almost smiling, but Declan looked up and didn’t seem to be in the mood for jokes.
“If you don’t want it you can chuck it out and make yourself some real breakfast. Just don’t be too long though because Grandma’s coming over in a couple of hours and I need to cook lunch.”
“Grandma’s coming over?” India echoed, having forgotten it was Sunday.
“It’s Sunday!”
“I know – I mean, I remember now. Do you want me to help cook?” India added awkwardly, but Declan just said, “You’re right,” and went back to the paper. India began feeling awful again. She would rather her dad was shouting at her rather than be calm and cold. It didn’t sound like him.
“Dad, I’m –“
“Look, Indy, make whatever you want,” Declan said irritably, folding the newspaper up but India lost courage and said, “I’m going to take a shower.”
“What about breakfast?”
“I’m not hungry,” said India truthfully and quickly turned away, expecting a protest from her father but it didn’t come. India wished she had the guts to apologise but she didn’t think she could bear it if he only said, “It’s okay,” in a blank voice, showing both that it really wasn’t, and, feeling upset. India went and stood in the shower for far longer than she needed to, practically a whole forest coming from her hair when she washed it out.
“Hello!” said Rebecca brightly as Declan opened the door.
“Hi Mum,” he said awkwardly, with a half-smile and Rebecca said, “Well, give me a hug then!” and Declan awkwardly put his arms around her.
“That’s not a proper hug,” said Rebecca, coming inside and shutting the door. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing...”
“So it’s something,” contradicted Rebecca, looking a little concerned. “And not something small or you would have told me without denying it.”
Declan looked at his hands and Rebecca looked around and asked, “Where’s Indy? Is she in the kitchen?”
“Her room,” said Declan shortly, going to the sofa and Rebecca followed him to it, her eyebrows raised.
“You fought with India then.”
“Yeah,” said Declan, wondering how she had guessed that so quickly. “How-“
“If you’re upset it’s normally something related to your daughter,” said Rebecca. “And you normally don’t want to talk about it then either.”
Declan was silent and Rebecca said, “Come on then. It can’t have been too terrible.”
Declan looked angry for a moment before saying, “I caught her in bed with Elliot,” in a lowered voice and Rebecca looked rather shocked.
“Here?”
Declan nodded.
“When?” Rebecca exclaimed and Declan said, “Yesterday afternoon.”
Rebecca felt a little stunned and, as she opened her mouth, Declan said wearily, “Please don’t ask me why I didn’t knock on the door. Please.”
“I wasn’t going to,” said Rebecca calmly and, as Declan looked slightly disbelieving, she said, “No, I wasn’t! I was going to ask what you did.”
“I didn’t know what to do,” said Declan, feeling embarrassed. “I was a bit in shock and then I got angry – that process didn’t take very long,” he added, rather needlessly, and Rebecca rolled her eyes.
“And what did you say?”
“I told them to get dressed and leave in five minutes or I’d come back and throw him out. I sort of wished that it had taken longer than five minutes.”
“Declan!”
“Mum, you know what I mean! But anyway, it didn’t and I didn’t and then I gave Elliot some advice.”
“Declan,” said Rebecca in a warning voice and Declan added, “With the help of a rolling pin.”
“Declan!” Rebecca exclaimed.
“I didn’t hit him with it! I sort of wish I had though.”
“What exactly constitutes advice?” Rebecca asked and Declan said, “I just let him know that if he hurts India or gets her pregnant he’ll be dead, and if runs off on India if she gets pregnant he’d feel the end of the rolling pin and it wouldn’t be a gentle tap.”
“Declan!” Rebecca exclaimed again but she did sound slightly amused. “You can’t threaten him like that!”
“He was lucky I didn’t carry it out then!” retorted Declan. “And besides, I think I was pretty lenient. What would Steve have done if he’d caught me and Didge?”
Rebecca couldn’t help wincing and Declan exclaimed, “See! Forget a rolling pin, Steve would have been chasing me down the street with a cricket bat, if I’d made it out of the room! He’d probably have killed me before I could even react to him being there!”
Rebecca tried not to smile and Declan said, “Oh, I’m glad you find it so funny!”
“I don’t find it funny,” contradicted Rebecca. “Only now I have a very strong image of Steve chasing you down Ramsay Street with a cricket bat shouting bloody murder.”
“Hilarious,” said Declan sarcastically and they fell silent for a moment, Rebecca still trying not to giggle.
“Mum...”
“Yes, darling?”
“What would you have done if you caught me and Bridget?”
“What a question!” exclaimed Rebecca, but she didn’t sound annoyed. “Well. I don’t know. I never thought about it.”
“It must have crossed your mind when we were going out.”
“It’s not something I especially liked thinking about,” remarked Rebecca. “I did worry when you both seemed so intense and it was so early on but I was thinking more about you getting too carried away than my walking in. I gave Bridget a talk and it eased my mind.”
Declan felt embarrassed.
“You know, she did listen,” he said awkwardly. “I wasn’t there but we did slow down a bit after...”
“Yes, I know,” said Rebecca quickly. “I wasn’t trying to sound critical. Anyway, I don’t remember ever really thinking about it.”
“Did you guess?”
“I had a feeling,” Rebecca confessed. “I don’t know exactly when but it did cross my mind when you both seemed more keen to be alone together and seemed to have different kind of closeness. It was only a feeling though, I didn’t know for sure and I didn’t want to ask. But I do remember hoping that, apart from you being careful, that I wasn’t going to come home and find you doing something I didn’t want to see.”
“So you did think about it!”
“It only crossed my mind once,” said Rebecca defensively. “I’ve just remembered it. I didn’t think about it in depth. I’m sure you didn’t either – no parent wants to think about that.”
“I definitely didn’t,” said Declan hotly. “So do you know what you would have done?”
“I was never in that situation, I don’t know if how I think I would have reacted would have matched up.”
“Well, what do you think you would have done?”
“I wouldn’t have been happy,” said Rebecca honestly. “Though I suppose that’s a bit of no-brainer. I would have been embarrassed and I would have told you to get dressed straightaway and that we were going to have a serious talk. And then I would have sat you both down and made you both promise that you were being careful and what you were using and asked you if you had thought about what would happen if Bridget fell pregnant. I hope I wouldn’t have flown off the handle but that’s easier said than done, I can’t say that I wouldn’t have shouted. Not at Bridget though, only at you. Knowing us we would have had a row when she had gone home. I don’t think I would have told Miranda and Steve, I can’t say whether I’d have gone ballistic but I think it’s safe to say that they would.”
“Steve would definitely have got out a cricket bat,” agreed Declan. “And I wouldn’t put it past Miranda either!”
Rebecca laughed a little and Declan wouldn’t help smiling, but then his mother asked, “So is that why you’re upset?”
“No,” said Declan and then shook his head. “Yes. No. Sort of.”
“Very clear,” said Rebecca sarcastically and Declan said, “It’s part of it. I was already annoyed. It was more what Indy did afterwards.”
“What did she do?”
“I was angry,” said Declan, avoiding his mother’s gaze. “And I told India that she was in trouble and she said that I was overreacting and finally I just asked her where she saw the relationship going and she got upset.”
“Oh, Declan!”
“I know, I know,” said Declan wearily. “I went out to see Donna and she calmed me down a bit and said that India probably isn’t thinking like that. But when I got back, ready to apologise and talk it out, she wasn’t there.”
“Ah.”
“And I didn’t exactly forbid her from going out,” continued Declan. “But she knew she wasn’t supposed to and she didn’t even leave a note so I waited for half an hour and I was worried, and she didn’t even seem that sorry when she came in.”
“I’m sure she was, Declan. Maybe she just didn’t seem it in the heat of the moment.”
“But even if she is now, she still went out!” exclaimed Declan. “And India’s never really disobeyed me like that before. I always thought she knew when not to push it.”
“Declan, she’s a teenager,” said Rebecca sympathetically. “And sometimes they do things they’re not supposed to.”
“I know!” exclaimed Declan irritably. “And I’m not saying that India’s an angel or that she’s never done anything wrong before, it just...it felt a bit like a smack in the face. I know I can be too strict about boys but I thought I’d been quite reasonable. I’ve tried so hard not to be the father from hell and then when I catch her in bed with him I managed not to punch him in the face, try and talk reasonably to her about it and what does she do? She climbs out of the window to meet him!”
Rebecca sighed.
“I’m not saying that what India did was right,” she said slowly. “And I’m not excusing her, but teenagers do stupid things, especially when there’s hormones involved. Don’t take it as a slam against you.”
“I guess,” said Declan unwillingly. “But India’s never followed the crowd. She’s always seemed so mature for her age and now she’s talking back and only ever seems to want to be with him.”
“Declan, that’s not a following the crowd thing, it was a hormonal thing. It was bad behaviour, I’m not denying that, but all teenagers do things like that, especially if it’s to do with a relationship. Anyway, India’s done something like this before, remember?”
Declan stared at her, clearly at a loss.
“When she was twelve,” said Rebecca with a slight smile. “Do you remember how you forbade her from going out with that boy in her class and lo and behold, what did you find her doing? Going out for a milkshake with him!”
“But...but that was years ago!” exclaimed Declan, the memory suddenly vivid in his mind. “Indy was just a kid! I thought she’d have grown out of that!”
“She’s only seventeen, Declan, and this is her first real relationship. Hormones can seriously cloud your judgement.”
“That’s what Donna said,” said Declan moodily. “I just thought India knew when not to push it.”
“Declan, I’m sure she still does,” said Rebecca gently, putting her hand on his for a moment. “Everyone makes mistakes, especially back then. I would call joyriding with a girl some serious pushing it, as is seeing her when you two were banned from doing so.”
“India always seemed more grown up than we were,” said Declan after feeling a little taken aback and Rebecca said, “She’s still your daughter – and Bridget’s daughter too. She certainly has both your genes of acting before thinking. Declan, I’m not saying that you’re not right to be angry and she is in the wrong, but don’t be too hard on her. Don’t you remember the feeling of really, really needing to see someone even if you’re not meant to?”
“Yes,” said Declan reluctantly, remembering the one or two illicit visits to see Bridget and Rebecca asked, “Where did she go?”
“To see Elliot,” said Declan angrily. “She said they went for a walk and I’m not going to ask any further. I don’t want to know.”
“What did you say to India anyway?”
“I shouted at her about betraying my trust,” said Declan, rubbing his head. “And she said I was treating her like a child, and I said how was I supposed to react if she kept breaking the rules, and she said the rules were stupid...you can guess the rest. I grounded her for two weeks. I didn’t know how else to handle it.”
“It doesn’t sound like you handled it too badly,” said Rebecca comfortingly. “I think I would have done the same.”
“It feels like I’m not getting through to her,” said Declan in frustration. “And it feels like I’m doing it wrong.”
“What are you talking about?” exclaimed Rebecca, making Declan look at her. “You are a fantastic father.”
“Maybe,” said Declan. “But it feels like everything is getting out of hand. Mum, I really miss Didge,” he blurted out and looked down again.
“Oh, darling.”
“I need her,” said Declan, trying to ignore the growing lump at the back of his throat. “I can’t raise a teenage girl.”
“That’s ridiculous,” said Rebecca angrily. “Look at what a wonderful job you’ve done so far and look at some of the teenagers you see today who are raised by both parents. Besides, you’re not alone in this - you have me and Miranda and Steve and your friends as well.”
“It feels like half of this is guess-work,” said Declan, feeling frustrated. “And I just miss her so much, Mum...”
“I know you do.”
“And I just wish she was there to give me some advice,” said Declan, trying to swallow the lump and failing. “Didge always knew what to do.”
“I don’t know about that, Declan,” said Rebecca carefully. “Bridget was only human. I’m sure she would have made mistakes too and wouldn’t have always known what to do.”
“Okay, even if she didn’t, she’d still be there,” exclaimed Declan. “And we’d be in this together. We’d both figure it out together. Maybe she’d get through to India more because she’s her mum.”
“You and India are a team,” said Rebecca. “I don’t think you get through to her any less.”
“Maybe not, but maybe Bridget would get through in a different way. I don’t know,” said Declan miserably. “But that’s why I was upset.”
Rebecca looked confused.
“I mean, I was upset already,” Declan clarified. “I went to talk to her. I went to the cemetery before I came home.”
“Sweetheart,” said Rebecca, and she gave him a hug and Declan finally let a few tears roll down his cheeks before rubbing them away.
“And it’s just always there,” he said angrily. “It feels like I’m in a circle. It feels terrible, and then not so bad as it did, and then I think of her again and it’s right there again. It’s always there, even if I feel happy, but some days it’s harder than others.”
“Declan –“
“And then I came home to that,” he finished in disgust. “It was like everything happened at once yesterday.”
“Did you tell India?”
“No,” said Declan miserably. “I didn’t want to think about it. It just had to happen yesterday. I mean, it wouldn’t have been good on any day, but...”
“Maybe you should have told India.”
“I was so mad already,” said Declan. “I didn’t want to bring that up as well. But the whole time I wished she was there to help me out and understand how I was feeling.”
Rebecca hugged him and they were silent for a moment and then Rebecca said, “You know, my father walked in on me once.”
“What?” exclaimed Declan, sitting up and staring at her. “When? What did he do?”
“I was sixteen,” said Rebecca, thinking back. “Oh, it was awful. I’ll never forget the look on his face.”
“What did he do?” Declan asked again.
“He looked furious for a moment but my father never let rip in front of other people, even my boyfriend. He seemed to compose himself and then he just looked stern and told the boy to go home. And when he did and when I was dressed again he told me I was behaving like a slut.”
“What?” exclaimed Declan furiously. “He called you that? I could never say that to India.”
“That wasn’t all,” continued Rebecca. “He said that if I married anyone I was damaged goods and that I had better not come crying to him if I fell pregnant. And I didn’t.”
“Oh, Mum,” said Declan, not knowing what to say. “He’s a bigger tool than Andrew Simpson for throwing out Didge when she was pregnant.”
“A tool is the word,” chuckled Rebecca and Declan added, “And Justine. I just....I was so mad at Indy but I could never say something like that to her. I don’t think that anyway. I would never want India to feel like she couldn’t tell me she pregnant....she had better not get pregnant,” he added darkly and Rebecca sighed slightly and they were quiet again.
“Whatever happened to that boy?” Rebecca asked suddenly.
“What boy?”
“The one she saw for a milkshake?”
“Jamie Adler,” remembered Declan. “He’s still friends with her but I don’t know. She hasn’t spoken about him lately. The last I know is that he’s seeing a girl India doesn’t like.”
“I see.”
“I guess I should check on lunch, anyway,” said Declan getting up, and Rebecca said, “Declan?”
“Yeah?”
“You’re doing an amazing job.”
“I learnt from the best,” Declan said and they both smiled.
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Post by sophie on Apr 30, 2011 13:45:09 GMT
Rebecca, Declan and India ate an awkward lunch. India had heard her grandmother come in but childishly felt too anxious to leave her room and then, as she had built up the courage, she had been able to hear her and her father talking and although India hadn’t been able to hear the conversation properly it didn’t take a genius to guess that they were likely to be talking about her and so had not left the room until her father had called that lunch was ready, Rebecca’s purposefully cheerful smile and greeting confirming India’s suspicions. Conversation centred around Declan’s work, Rebecca’s work, India’s work and when she would finish for Christmas and when they could visit Miranda and Steve.
“I’m calling them later,” Declan said. “But we’re thinking we'll stay for a couple of weeks or so.”
“It’s been ages since you’ve seen them, isn’t it?” asked Rebecca and Declan replied, “Longer for you!”
“Well, yes – I’m looking forward to seeing them too. You must be too, Indy. Indy?”
“India?”
“Mm?” India looked up, snapped from her thoughts. She had unwittingly tuned out and begun thinking about Elliot, and then she had found herself worrying again about what had happened the day before. It was a relief to have had her thoughts interrupted. “We were asking if you were looking forward to seeing Nan and Grandpa Steve,” said Declan and Rebecca asked, “What were you thinking about?”
“Oh – nothing...” said India, feeling her cheeks go red but before she could be questioned any further she added, “It’ll be great seeing them again,” and talk turned back to that.
“Coffee?” asked Declan after dessert had been finished but Rebecca said, “I think I might head out for five minutes, just to get some air.”
“Are you all right, Mum?” Declan asked, looking concerned but Rebecca quickly said, “Oh, I’m fine, just a bit hot. I won’t be long. Indy, do you want to come with me?”
“Okay,” said India, feeling a little confused and Declan asked, “Should I come too?”
“Only if you want. I thought we could have a girly catch-up.”
“I’ll get on with clearing up then,” said Declan quickly and, laughing, Rebecca patted his arm and she and India made their way out, calling, “Bye!”
“I want a word with you,” said Rebecca sternly when they were out of the house and India looked at her feet.
“Look at me,” said Rebecca firmly and India unwillingly looked up. “Now you listen. I know your father can overreact a lot and can be too strict around boys but he’s been wonderful with you and Elliot, especially seeing as how he didn’t even want to let you both go out at first.”
“I know –“
“And he didn’t even go ballistic when he found out you had slept together – not half as much as he could have done. All he did was tell you to be careful and I know that wasn’t easy for him, not after what happened to him and your mum. Imagine how it must have felt when he walked in on you and Elliot.”
“I didn’t mean that to happen –“
“I know you didn’t but it’s not good enough when he forbade you from being alone when he’s not there and it’s definitely not good enough to go running off to see your boyfriend when you knew you were meant to stay inside!”
“I know, but –“
“There isn’t a but!” exclaimed Rebecca. “Your father’s been through a lot lately and he’s handled this relationship very well, even if he is a bit strict. It’s not easy being a single dad with a teenage girl and he’d doing his best. He misses your mum a lot but he’s trying to be the best dad he can be. You might want to think about that before you keep going off to see Elliot, especially when you’re not supposed to. He could have been a lot worse about this, a lot worse, but he’s been very reasonable and I'm proud of him and I want to say the same about you.”
India’s lip wobbled and she felt a lump in her throat and tears pricking in her eyes. She hated crying and hardly ever did so if someone else told her off, but it was Rebecca. She was never angry with her, not really angry, and it felt terrible. It felt worse than when Dad had said he was disappointed and India tried to swallow and look back down. She wanted to say that she would make her proud of her but didn’t seem able to open her mouth.
“And I know parents can seem unreasonable sometimes,” Rebecca continued. “And it feels like they’ve forgotten exactly what it’s like to be a teenager but actually, it’s because we remember very well. Your father remembers what it’s like to get carried away and not be careful and he just doesn’t want you to get hurt and – India?” Rebecca stopped, frowning, as she noticed India was trying to make her hair screen the tears that had started dripping off her nose. “Oh darling, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you cry.”
“I’m not crying,” lied India in a wobbly voice but Rebecca said, “You can’t fool me,” and pulled her granddaughter into a hug.
“I’m sorry,” cried India and Rebecca said, “Hey, you don’t need to apologise to me,” and started feeling slightly guilty. She had wanted to get through to India but she hadn’t wanted to make her cry.
“I’m sorry,” gulped India again. “I don’t want you to be angry with me.”
“I’m not, not anymore. I just want you to think a bit, even though you’ve got that gene of thinking after you’ve done the stupid thing – sorry about that!”
India didn’t smile, however, and her tears carried on flowing and Rebecca started to feel worried. It seemed a little overboard for just being told off, even if it was by her, and she made India sit down with her on the grass that bordered the pavement.
“Is there something else wrong?”
“No,” lied India, bunching her hands in her lap, but it wasn’t true. It was when her grandmother had reminded her about being carried away and not being careful – it reminded India of what she had been trying to forget all day, or rather tell herself that it didn’t matter: yesterday in the park with Elliot.
“Are you sure? You can tell me.”
Part of India badly wanted to tell Rebecca her worries because it always seemed to help. Grandma always knew what to say. She could hug India and tell her not to worry, but the other part of India – the stronger part – couldn’t in case Rebecca wouldn’t do that. She might be worried too and at best would try not to show it and at worst would start asking India if she had thought about what she was going to do if something did happen and might even be angry. India didn’t think she could bear that, and she also might tell Declan. Rebecca had never betrayed other secrets India had told her but they had only been small ones and suppose she said that it was for her own good? India’s imagination suddenly went into overdrive and she imagined being sat at the table with her grandmother and father at the other side with stern expressions, quizzing India like in those detective shows. Dad would really go mad then...
“Indy?”
“Yeah?” India had started to daydream again and she blushed.
“Are you really okay?”
“I’m fine,” India said quickly, sniffling and wiping her eyes. “I’m sorry I was such a brat.”
“Oh, look, I’ve done much worse. It’s better to do stupid things in your teenage years and get them out of the way young than some people who have rebellions when they’re forty!”
“Is that an excuse to do more dumb stuff?” joked India and Rebecca laughed, feeling relieved that she seemed better.
“You wish. Come on, this ground’s uncomfortable and your father’s probably wondering where the heck we are!”
India smiled, got up and followed her grandmother and managed to compose herself before going back into the house, her father yelling, “Jeez guys, I could have made coffee for the whole street by now!”
“We had important girl things!” protested Rebecca and Declan groaned, “You know, it takes five minutes for blokes to catch up!”
“That’s because women have more to say,” retorted Rebecca and Declan said, “I won’t argue with that!” and protesting as his mother smacked him lightly on the arm. “You said it first!”
Rebecca stayed until the evening, hearing more about Theo and poor Sarah and India’s attempts to get Theo to talk to her, and about how Donna would be going home soon.
“Too soon,” said India gloomily.
“She’s been here for ages, sweetie.”
“Not long enough!” India exclaimed. “This is her home, anyway,” and no one argued. Eventually Rebecca got up, stretching, and said that she should be making tracks.
“I’ll see you soon, sweetie,” she said, kissing Declan on the cheek and Declan groaned, “Mum, I’m too old to be called sweetie!”
“Not by your mum,” retorted Rebecca, making her son pull a face, which made Rebecca pull one back, but both knew they didn’t mean it and laughed.
“Goodbye darling,” Rebecca said, hugging India quickly. “It’s okay,” she whispered in her ear, smiled quickly, before saying goodbye again and getting into her car.
“What did Grandma say to you?”
“Oh – nothing,” said India awkwardly. “She was just wishing me good luck with some schoolwork.”
“Right,” said Declan, sounding confused but shaking his head. “I’m going to clear up the kitchen.”
India sat on the sofa for a little while, not watching the TV and hearing her father load the dishwasher before suddenly getting up and going into the kitchen herself.
“You don’t need to help,” said Declan as India joined him at the sink where he was washing some pans.
“I want to.”
“You can dry,” said Declan after a short pause and India picked up a teatowel, the two working in silence for a while.
“Dad...”
“Yeah?”
“I’m sorry,” said India, turning to face him. “I’m sorry I broke the rules and I’m sorry I snuck out and I’m sorry I was rude about it.”
“Indy –“
“And don’t just say it’s okay,” said India, cutting him off. “I was being an idiot.”
“Hey, I’m the dad here,” said Declan sternly. “And I’ll decide if it’s okay or not.”
India waited and he continued, “And you’re still grounded,” Declan told her. “And it was still wrong of you. But it’s okay. We can just forget it.”
“Really?” asked India childishly and Declan said, “Really,” and took his hand out of the sink and put a soapy arm around India.
“I know I can jump the gun,” he said. “And I know I might seem unfair or oldfashioned about stuff sometimes but it’s just because I worry.”
“I know.”
“And it’s not I don’t trust you,” said Declan quickly. “Or that I want to stop you having fun, it’s just because I can remember what it’s like, even though I’m a guy...”
Declan started to tell some story about how he had never understood some of Rebecca’s rules about a campbed and India found herself zoning out again.
“...you’ll understand when you’re a parent.”
“What?” exclaimed India.
“When you have kids of your own you’ll understand,” said Declan, frowning. “India, is everything okay?”
“Yes, why?”
“You’ve been rubbing the same spot on the pan over and over.”
“Oh, I just....sorry, I went into a daydream.”
“Was it that boring?”
“No, I -” India exclaimed, ready to defend herself until she saw Declan laughing and she swatted him with the teatowel.
“I miss this,” he said fondly.
“Miss what?”
“Just you and me time, mucking around.”
“We still muck around a lot.”
“You never seem to be in the house much,” said Declan sadly. “You’re at school or you’re at work or you’re with Lydia or you’re with Elliot.”
“I’m not,” protested India weakly, looking down at the teatowel and feeling guilty again.
“Hey, the last thing you probably want to do is be bored stiff by your old man’s teenage stories,” said Declan, trying to sound upbeat. “I’m not trying to guilt you, it’s just that I miss you sometimes.”
“I like spending time with you,” said India. “You know I do.”
“Yeah, I know, but it’s still with your dad.”
“You’re a cool dad – sort of. When I’m not grounded I won’t be out as much,” promised India, feeling bad. “And I’ll stay in more and get bored by you – joke!”
“Good to know,” laughed Declan, but he caught sight of India’s expression. “Indy? Are you sure everything’s okay?”
“Yes,” said India quickly. “Dad...”
“Yeah?”
“Do you still miss spending time with Mum?”
Declan stopped and stared at her and India began to wish she hadn’t asked, until eventually he said, “Of course I do. You know I do. I miss having fun with her every day. I even miss her being crabby.”
“Mum could be crabby?” asked India and Declan said, “You wouldn’t believe how crabby she could get. She was worse than your bad days!” and India shouted and they both laughed, the mood feeling lighter for a moment, until India started to absent-mindedly dry the pan again. Declan started to wash again but suddenly caught sight of the look of worry on his daughter’s face.
“Indy? Are you okay?”
“Of course I am!” India exclaimed hastily. “I’m going to go and shower.”
“Okay,” said Declan, but he had noticed how quickly she had said it. He didn't say anything, however, wondering if it was because of missing her mother and so went back to the washing-up with just his thoughts for company.
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Post by sophie on May 15, 2011 10:49:15 GMT
The next morning India went to school and tried to put her worries out of her mind, though it had not helped when, that morning, she realised that she had forgotten to take the pill the day before. India couldn't believe herself and took it quickly, but couldn't worry about it for too long as she had things to do and school to go to. Still, it played on her mind, all through History and all through English and all through recess and by lunchtime she must have had a troubled expression on her face as Lydia suddenly said, "What's wrong?" making India jump, as she had not realised that she was there.
"Nothing..."
"Oh, you are such a bad liar."
"I got grounded by my dad and my grandma was mad at me."
"Why?"
India felt herself go red.
"Go on."
"He walked in on me and Elliot," India confessed. "After we'd...you know."
Lydia looked as though someone had hit her over the head with a sledgehammer.
"He walked in on you?" she exclaimed. "What did he do? My dad would have murdered me!"
"He was pretty angry," India said, still feeling embarrassed. "He threatened Elliot a bit."
"My dad would have killed him."
"I think Dad wanted to! I guess it could have been worse."
"And he grounded you?"
"No – yes – sort of. I wasn't exactly grounded but I knew I wasn't anyway and then I went out to see Elliot and we..."
India went red and Lydia grinned and said, "Yeah?"
"We ended up having sex in the park. Well. Not where anyone could see us," she protested over Lydia's laughter. "Stop laughing!"
"Nympho."
"Shut up. But I got home and my dad went mad at me."
"Did you tell him where you went?"
"What do you think? I just said we went for a walk. I don't think he wanted to know anyway. We've sort of made up, though I'm still grounded."
"So why are you upset?"
"I'm not upset," said India.
"Yes you are. Is it because your grandma was angry?"
"No! I mean, that upset me, but I'm not upset about it now. I'm not upset."
"So why do you look like someone cancelled Christmas?"
"I'm not upset," India said after a pause. "I'm just worried."
"Why?"
India was quiet for a moment and then said, "We did it without a condom."
"But you're on the pill," said Lydia, after looking a little worried. "It'll be okay."
"Yeah, I know...."
India gave her a quick smile and the girls fell silent again. India let her gaze wander across the playground: girls in groups talking about magazines, guys slapping each other on the shoulders and laughing, the odd couple here and there....
"What?" asked Lydia after she saw India staring at something. "What are you looking at?"
"Nothing," said India quickly, looking away, but not quickly enough.
"It's Jamie and Stephanie!" Lydia announced loudly and India hissed, "Be quiet!"
"Shall I call them over?"
"Don't you dare," said India furiously, before she noticed that Lydia was giggling. "It's not funny!"
"It's funny seeing you so jealous."
"For the hundredth time, I am not jealous!" exclaimed India, going bright red. "I'm with Elliot and besides, why would I want to go out with someone who called me that and then wouldn't say sorry for it or accept my apology?"
"Is it really the worst thing someone can call you?" Lydia asked reasonably and India stared at her, the wind taken slightly from her sails.
"No," she blustered. "But it's Jamie. He's never called me that, not even as a joke."
"Exactly. It's Jamie. Why else would it bother you that he's with Stephanie?"
"Because she's an idiot," said India irritably and standing up, brushing the dirt from her knees. "And he's my friend. Come on, the bell's going to go soon."
"Oh okay," sighed Lydia, and then she giggled again.
"What?"
"I can't believe you had sex in the bushes!"
"Shut up!" hissed India, going red again. "And anyway, it wasn't in the bushes, it was in the trees..."
Lydia burst into more laughter.
"Big diff! That's a crime, you know."
"No one could see," mumbled India trying not to laugh as well and Lydia exclaimed, "What a defence!" and, laughing, they made their way back into school, India's troubles feeling a little less worrying than they had before.
As the bell went to signify the end of school India still felt lighthearted but it was then quashed as she saw Jamie and Stephanie leaving together. India walked behind them and could hear their conversation slightly and so moved a little closer to hear better.
"Don't worry about her," sighed Stephanie. "I bet she isn't about you."
India saw Jamie shrug.
"Look, why does it matter?" she exclaimed. "So what if you lost her temper? She was asking for it and anyway, I never liked her, not after that thing with the calculator –"
"Don't say that," said Jamie sharply and Stephanie snapped, "Why not? She's not my friend and from what I hear she's not really yours either."
"She's still my friend..."
Jamie's voice trailed off and Stephanie made an impatient noise.
"Why are we talking about this anyway? I thought we were going for a milkshake."
"We are still going for a milkshake!"
"Maybe I don't want to go if all you're going to do is mope about her!"
"I'm not moping!" Jamie snapped and then India saw him turn to face Stephanie, and she shrunk into a doorway so he wouldn't see her.
"I'm sorry. I don't want to think about her anyway, I want to have a milkshake with you."
"Yeah?" Stephanie simpered and India heard them kiss and felt a little sick. She waited until she heard their footsteps fade away before walking quickly out of school, facing the ground, and feeling irritated, before she bumped into someone without looking where she was going.
"Oof!"
"Hello to you too!"
India looked up and saw Elliot laughing.
"Sorry," she said sheepishly and giggled a little as well, before leaning up to kiss him.
"I wasn't expecting that when I came to see you," said Elliot, leading her over to a wall where they sat down.
"Sorry, I was just thinking about stuff and I wasn't looking where I was going."
"Clearly," said Elliot, but he sounded amused. "What were you thinking about?"
India shrugged, not wishing to bring up Jamie in case he got annoyed.
"Nothing."
"It had to be something!"
"Oh, it was just boring school stuff," said India vaguely. "Something about someone you don't know."
That was true, India thought to herself and Elliot shrugged as well.
"Okay. What's up, anyway? What happened when you got home?"
"Dad grounded me," said India miserably. "And Grandma yelled at me the next day."
"That sucks."
"I deserved it."
"You didn't."
"Yes, I did," contradicted India, looking down. "I shouldn't have come to meet you, I should have waited until everything calmed down but I was just so angry, I....I can be really dumb sometimes."
"Hey, it was my fault too," said Elliot, tracing her fingers. "It was all my fault."
"How?" laughed India.
"I came back to your place and if we hadn't ended up in your room your dad wouldn't have seen us and got so mad in the first place."
"It was my decision too," argued India. "It was mine more because I didn't want to go to the milkshake place. But it's sweet of you."
"How long are you grounded for?"
"Two weeks."
"That sucks," Elliot said again. "Do you want to go back to mine for a bit or something?"
"I just told you I'm grounded!"
"It won't be for long – we don't have to do anything. You could be home before your dad gets back or you could tell him you were at the library."
"No," said India miserably. "I can't. I'm grounded."
"But –"
"I know I could go home before Dad knew," cut off India. "But I'd know and then I'd feel bad. I know I sound like a total goody two-shoes but it wouldn't feel right. I know my dad can be really strict sometimes but at least he's letting us go out and didn't try and stop it when he found out we had sex. I'd just feel like I was chucking it all back in his face if I went back to yours when I'm grounded, or vice verca. I'm sorry."
"It's okay," said Elliot, sounding disappointed. "It's only two weeks."
"It's not that long," said India, trying to sound cheerful.
"Yeah."
"What have you been up to anyway?" asked India, changing the subject and he said, "Not much...just sending more applications to schools, that sort of thing."
"Have you heard anything back?"
"Not yet."
They fell into silence again, holding each other's hands and India suddenly wished that she hadn't asked. She didn't like to think about him going to art schools.
"I should get home," she said finally, standing up again. "Sorry."
"Hey, it's not your fault. Are you sure you don't want to go for a milkshake or something?" Elliot asked hopefully but India shook her head.
"Sorry," she said, feeling relieved that she had an excuse, and they kissed once more and then India finally turned to walk away.
"I'll see you after school tomorrow!" he called and India nodded and blew a kiss, making him laugh, before finally walking down the main street and turning the corner onto the home stretch and it was then India only realised that she hadn't brought up her concerns with Elliot. Still, maybe that was for the best, she thought. There was no point in stressing him out over something that probably wouldn't happen anyway and he hadn't seemed worried...
"Just take it!"
India's head snapped up and she saw Theo Kinski trying to give something which looked like a piece of paper back to a girl whom India recognised as Sarah.
"No!" she exclaimed. "I gave it to you and you have to keep it!"
"I didn't know what it was!" Theo exclaimed. "I don't want it, take it back!"
"No, it's for keeps!"
"Well, I don't want to go to your stupid party!" Theo snapped. "And your stupid invitation won't change it!" and he dropped the piece of paper and stamped on it.
"Theo!" shouted India, running towards them. "Pick that up this instant!"
"But –"
"Now!" snapped India and Theo picked it up, looking a little guilty, especially as Sarah had just started sniffling loudly.
"What is it? Let me see."
Theo handed it reluctantly to her and India examined the piece of paper. It had a picture of a boy and a girl dancing on it with some musical notes on it, printed from a computer but with Theo, please come to my party, Sarah xxxx written in pen.
"That's nice," India said, handing it back. "Why did you stamp on it?"
"I don't want to go!"
"Theo, stop being rude," India snapped. "Apologise to Sarah right now."
Theo looked mutinous for a moment but then, clearly not wishing India to be angry with him said, "Sorry, Sarah,", though he didn't sound it, and then crumpled the invitation into his hand and ran away before India could stop him.
"I printed it out specially," sniffled Sarah. "All the other kids' ones had pictures of people dancing but I did a special one of just a boy and a girl...it was meant to be us!"
If it had been anyone else India would have felt tempted to giggle but Sarah sounded so crushed that it would have felt like kicking a puppy and she put an arm around her.
"Theo's being an idiot," she said. "Why do you want him to come? I wouldn't want someone who stamped on my invitation to come to my party."
"It's Theo," sniffled Sarah and India sighed.
"Sarah, I don't think he wants to come."
"Will you ask?" Sarah pleaded, her eyes brimming with tears and India couldn't stop herself from saying, "Oh, okay," which led to Sarah giving her a wide smile before running in the opposite direction.
"Kids!" India sighed to herself, marching over to Zeke's house. They were the death of her and she didn't even have any.
"Hey, Indy," said Zeke, sounding happily surprised after opening the door. The television was on and India could hear the boys playing and arguing over the remote. "Donna's at the studio."
"Oh, I didn't want to talk to her, not now, I mean. Is Theo here?"
"He's in his room," said Zeke, sounding puzzled. "He ran in just now and slammed the door. Indy, I don't know what I'm going to do at this rate – he's only eleven and is already acting like a sixteen-year-old!"
India laughed politely and he said, "Would you like a drink or something? Is Dec coming round?"
"No, I just wanted to ask Theo something," said India. "Can I go into his room?"
"Sure," said Zeke, sounding even more confused.
"Thanks," said India, and she made her way to his bedroom where loud music was playing. She knocked politely but Theo was unable to hear due to the music and so India pushed the door open, her ears already splitting, but Theo was lying on his front on the bed, singing under his breath with the crumpled invitation next to him. India turned the music off and he jumped.
"What are you doing here?" he exclaimed.
"You're going to Sarah's party."
"I'm not!" yelped Theo, going a deep red. "I don't want to!"
"She's invited you."
"She's a psycho!"
"Sarah is not a psycho," snapped India. "She just likes you a lot."
"I don't like her."
"Can't you give her a chance?"
"No," said Theo, sounding embarrassed. "I like you."
"Theo, we've been through this!" exclaimed India. "You know why we can't go out. It doesn't have to mean anything if you do go to her party anyway – it doesn't mean that you have to go out with her, and anyway, I think you should go simply because you were so rude to her."
Theo looked away for a moment and then muttered, "It wouldn't matter if it was someone else."
"What does that mean?"
"Sarah makes me feels weird," mumbled Theo, not looking at her.
"Weird how?"
"My tummy feels funny around her and when she does stuff I go weird."
"How?"
"Like today, we were playing basket ball and she jumped up and got the ball through the hoop and my heart beat really fast and I went red. She makes me ill!"
"Ah. I see," said India, trying and failing not to smile. "It's like that."
"Like what? If I go to her party I might get really sick!"
"You'll be the opposite," said India enigmatically and he frowned.
"Huh?"
"She won't make you sick. You'll have a good time."
"I don't want to go."
"Can you go for me?" asked India. "Please? If you don't have fun then you don't have to stay but please go, Sarah wants you to so much and so do I."
"Well, if you want me to," said Theo, in a voice that sounded as though he was doing her a favour. "I'll go."
"Thanks Theo," said India in relief, getting back up off the bed. "You're the man."
"There'll only be chicks there," added Theo in disgust and India laughed and made her way home. Children could be infuriating, silly and make you want to pull your hair out but they could also make you laugh in the best way possible
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Post by Bee on May 18, 2011 5:54:42 GMT
nice updates Sophie (: cant wait for more (:
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Post by sophie on May 18, 2011 11:04:11 GMT
"Hey!" India called, coming in, not really expecting a reply, so jumped when Declan called, "Hey!" back.
"You're early," remarked India, going and sitting next to him on the sofa, fanning herself. It was still too hot and India felt sweat trickle down her neck.
"And you're late!"
"I went to Zeke's house," said India. "I was on my way back when I saw Theo arguing with Sarah – do you remember me telling you about her? – and stamping on her party invitation, so I went back to his house and got him to agree to go."
"I bet he appreciates that!" said Declan sarcastically and India gave him a small shove.
"He was so rude that he should go anyway and besides, he likes her. He just doesn't know."
"How do you know then?"
"He told me he got funny feelings around her," said India with a grin. "Poor Theo."
"Poor Theo's right," remarked Declan. "He's going to feel tortured all though that party!"
"He'll have a good time," retorted India, but Declan didn't look convinced. "She likes him and he likes her!"
"Yeah, and they're eleven! They won't be able to talk to each other!"
"Maybe I shouldn't have talked him into it," said India, feeling doubtful. "I wanted to help Sarah out!"
"Look, don't start worrying," said Declan hastily. "Please. The worst that can happen is that they'll get a bit tongue-tied."
"I guess."
"Me and your mum got a bit tongue-tied around each other," said Declan with a smile. "Before we admitted our feelings!"
"Oh, not some long story again!" groaned India, but she smiled too.
"Don't worry, I won't bore you with the details now. How was school?"
"Not bad," said India simply.
"Learn a lot?"
"As always."
Declan laughed a little and asked, "When do you finish for Christmas again?"
"Um...week after next," said India, reaching into Declan's packet of chips that was lying on the coffee table.
"Do you mind, Miss!"
"No, I don't," said India cheekily. "And soon I can help you with your chips all day!"
"I'll send you to Queensland on your own at this rate," remarked Declan and India's face fell.
"What?"
"Nothing..."
"What's wrong? Don't you want to see Nan and Grandpa Steve?"
"Of course I do, it's just...." India trailed off and Declan guessed, "You'll miss Elliot?" and India nodded.
"Look, it's only for a few weeks," he said comfortingly.
"I know."
"And it's not like it will change anything – it shouldn't change anything, anyway. You've been going out for months, Indy."
"I know," said India with a smile and Declan added angrily, "But if he does change his mind I'll sort him out!"
"Dad!" India exclaimed. "He wouldn't, anyway. I'm going to get changed."
"Okay."
Declan was cooking dinner shortly afterwards when suddenly the phone rang. It was Miranda and Steve.
"Hey Dec," came Steve's voice. "It's not a bad time is it?"
"No," said Declan quickly, hastily looking over his shoulder to ensure that the pan wasn't boiling over. "What's up? How're you and Miranda?"
"We're fine...same as usual! What's going on with you and Indy?"
"The usual too," said Declan after a brief pause, but it wasn't brief enough.
"Sure about that?"
"Of course, why?"
"You don't sound that sure."
"Everything's fine," said Declan, going and sitting down on one of the kitchen chairs. "Me and Indy just had an argument, that's all, and she's grounded. We've made up though."
"Grounded?" echoed Steve in surprise. "What for?"
Declan paused again and wished that he hadn't said anything. It was one thing to tell his mother why but it was a whole different kettle of fish to talk to Bridget's parents about it and so he skirted the question with a vague, "Oh, we just argued about her boyfriend and the house rules."
"I see," came Steve's voice, sounding as though he were in the room as well rather than states away. "Kids, eh? Reminds me of a certain daughter of mine."
"Yeah," said Declan, feeling very glad that Steve couldn't see his face. "Anyway, we've sorted it out now."
"That's good. By the way, I never realised that my son-in-law was so famous!"
"Huh?" asked Declan, frowning, and Steve clarified, "Miranda and I got a very interesting e-mail from your mum yesterday to a very interesting website. I had no idea you had started a career as a model!"
"What?" Declan exclaimed, going bright red. "Mum what? I'll kill her, I'll kill her and Donna! Anyway, it was for charity, she made me do it –"
Declan stopped as he heard his father-in-law laughing.
"I thought you looked quite the professional," he sniggered and Declan mumbled, "You know, there's some pictures of Indy and Zeke too..." but it only resulted in Steve laughing more. Declan sulked and waited for his laughter to die down and eventually Steve managed to say, through a chuckle, "I was just wondering about Christmas."
"Well, Indy finishes in two weeks and I have a few weeks off. Should we come a few days before Christmas, something like that?"
"Miranda says that's too long to wait," said Steve, and Declan could picture him rolling his eyes. "And she's not listening to logic!"
Declan laughed as well and heard Miranda exclaim, "Oh Steve, let me talk to him!" and Declan heard the phone being given to her and Miranda saying, "Hello Declan. Don't listen to my husband."
"I'm not, don't worry!" Declan grinned.
"Anyway, I guess we can sort it out closer to the time," Miranda said. "What else has been going on?"
"Not much. Donna's going back to England next week."
Declan heard Miranda click her tongue.
"That's a shame. Indy must feel down?"
"Yeah," said Declan sadly. "Donna has to organise a heap of Christmas shows."
"And you must be down too," said Miranda, who never worried about tact.
"Yeah....she'll be back in February..."
"Not too long then. How's your mum?"
"She's fine. She came over for lunch yesterday."
"I can't wait to catch up with you all," said Miranda happily. "How's Indy? What was Steve saying about her being grounded?"
"She's fine....it was nothing really," said Declan, feeling slightly weary and felt relieved that Miranda was in Queensland and couldn't get the full story. It somehow felt more embarrassing talking to her about it than Rebecca.
"What was it about?"
"Just her boyfriend."
"I see. Can I talk to her?"
"Sure. Indy!" Declan called, going to her room, but there was no answer, and suddenly Declan heard water running in the bathroom.
"Indy!" he yelled. "Nan's on the phone!"
"I'm washing my hair!" Declan heard her splutter back but as he opened his mouth to tell Miranda she said, "Don't worry, I heard. I can talk to her another time. How are she and her boyfriend anyway?"
"They're fine," said Declan irritably and Miranda said, "Still not keen, huh? Sometimes I'd swear Steve was your father."
"Mm," grumbled Declan in a non-committal tone, not sure if it was a compliment or not, and Miranda added, "I suppose she'll miss him when she comes to Queensland?"
"Yeah," agreed Declan. "We were just talking about it before. She'll be right."
"I suppose it will just make it more special when she does see him again. A few weeks feels so much longer when you're that age, doesn't it?"
"Yeah," Declan agreed again, and, as he heard India begin to sing through the water, he added, "She'll be right though – no matter what."
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