Chapter 2
It was 9:30 the next morning. Tilly had awoken to find Jen in the chair in the corner of her room. Tilly got out of bed and went to have a shower and get changed before awakening Jen. "Jen, babe wake up. Have you been there all night?" whispered Tilly. Jen's eyes opened "I never meant to stay here all night, you looked so peaceful so I thought I'd come and watch you." Jen explained. "You need to stop being so cute. What do you want for breakfast?" Tilly asked. "I'll grab something on the way back. I'm late as it is Diane will wonder where I am." Jen answered. "I'm not letting my beautiful girlfriend leave here without a change of clothes and breakfast. Besides don't you get up early to watch the sun rise?" Tilly insisted. "Fine, you win. And yes I do get up to watch the sun rise, for artistic purposes." Said Jen, sarcastically. Tilly went over to her wardrobe and picked out some clothes for Jen to wear. "Here's a cardigan, skirt and a shirt. You get changed while I make breakfast." Tilly kissed Jen on the cheek and made her way down stairs to make a start on breakfast. Jen started to look around Tilly's bedroom. There was a painting on the wall and sketches pinned up on a notice board. Jen walked over to the notice board and noticed some sketches from there day at Crosby Beach. Flashbacks of this day raced through Jen's mind. She loved that day more than any other day of her existence. She got to know the wonderful red head that she now had fallen in love with. Jen sat reminiscing about that day for a couple of minutes before she was interrupted by the sound of Tilly's voice. "Jen, breakfast is nearly done." Jen quickly jumped up and quickly changed her clothes before walking downstairs to see what wonderful creation Tilly had created for breakfast. Jen walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table. Tilly brought over two plates and two cups of coffee. "Jen, Maddie wants me to go and meet her later." said Tilly. "You should go, I've got to go home in a bit and start on some marking. Besides I don't want anyone to get suspicious." replied Jen.
After the couple had finished their breakfast Jen started to gather up her things and put them into her car. Jen went up to Tilly's room to get her bag and return the pyjama's Tilly had lent her. "Sweetie, here are the PJ's you lent me." Jen handed Tilly the PJ's. "Well that's all my stuff packed up so I guess I'd better go before you get any surprise visitors." Jen kissed Tilly's forehead. "Babe, after I've finished with Maddie I'll text you maybe we can meet up?" said Tilly. "Of course we can meet up. I'll see you later." Jen made her way downstairs with her bag. She opened the front door and closed it quietly as she left. Tilly walked over to her window and watched Jen drive off down the street. Jen had only been gone a matter of seconds and Tilly had already started to miss her. Tilly didn't have to meet Maddie till 3.30 so she could leave after she'd gotten ready and had lunch and meet Jen before she had to go and meet Maddie. Tilly pulled out her phone and Text Jen:
Just moved meeting Maddie, back to 3.30, so I can spend some time with you. Tilly X
Tilly just wanted to spend every second she had with Jen. Jen was the first girl Tilly had a proper connection with. Everything felt so different when she was with Jen. It was like no matter what was going on in her life, whenever she was with Jen they were in there own little world where nothing else mattered apart from each other.
Tilly finished applying her makeup and fixing her hair. She had also decided to change out of her jogging bottoms and t-shirt into a nice pair of jeans, a blouse and some sneakers. Tilly grabbed her bag and walked downstairs to grab her keys and lock up the house.
Jen had been at home for over an hour doing marking and looking for another placement seeing as she was no longer Tilly's teacher. There was a knock on her bedroom door. "Come in." said Jen. The door opened and Diane walked in. "Aye, you alright love?" asked Diane. Jen got up from her desk and went over to Diane. "I'm fine Diane, just doing some marking." Jen answered. "Well I wondered if you wanted to go shopping with Sinead, Maddie and me." "No, thanks Diane I think I'll just finish off all this marking." Jen's phone buzzed. Jen went over to her desk and read the message:
Come and meet me at 2:00 at the Folly. Tilly X
"Is this your secret boyfriend?" giggled Diane. "No just a friend, asking if I wanted to meet up, for a drink and a catch up." Jen blushed. "Right well see you later love, I'd better be off." And with that Diane left Jen alone in her room. Jen rushed to her desk to pick up her phone and reply to the red heads text:
I can't wait to see you, I'll be there soon. Jen X
Jen decided to change out of Tilly's clothes so she could return them to the girl. Jen had finally decided on a floral dress with and grey cardigan and her signature boots. Jen grabbed her bag and put her phone inside. She walked down stairs to make sure everyone was out, locked the door and of she went to meet Tilly.
Tilly was walking around in the Folly went Jen got there. Tilly was so consumed in her own little world she hadn't even realised Jen had been standing there. Jen grabbed Tilly's arm and pulled her over to be closer to her. Jen and Tilly sat down on the bench and just talked. Whenever they were together they always had a lot to say to each other.
Maddie was waiting in the coffee shop for Tilly. She was half an hour late and this was hardly like her. Texas had overheard Maddie's concern for Tilly and suggested they organise a search party to look for her considering a murder was still at large. They all split up into pairs to look for the 'missing' teen.
Tilly was completely oblivious to the search party that was looking for her. She was too wrapped up with Jen to even notice that her phone had been going off for the last thirty minutes. "Jen, can't we just stay her all day like this?" asked Tilly. "I'll stay here as long as you want me to." said Jen. Jen leaned forward to give Tilly a kiss on the cheek. As she did so, Diane appeared out of nowhere. "What do you think you two think playing at?" "Diane, we didn't know you were here." Said Jen. The two girls knew they had been caught out. "Jen, I expected more from you. You told me nothing was going on." Diane was clearly angry. "Well there wasn't anything going on then. We saw each other in town last week. This just happened." said Jen defending herself. "And there's only a few years between us." added Tilly. "Something like this doesn't just happen. You two have to stop this now otherwise I'll have no choice but to report you Jen. You're taking advantage of a child. You're in a position of trust." argued Diane. "I'm 16 Diane, I'm sure I can make my own choices and Jen is not taking advantage." Jen smiled at the fact Tilly was defending her. "Tilly, come with me now and you two stop this whole mess or I'm serious Jen I'll have to report you." That was then end of the argument. Diane escorted Tilly through the village to show the search party she was safe. Then left her at the coffee shop and told her "I'm serious Tilly you need to stop this, what Jen is doing isn't okay." Tilly grabbed her phone to text Jen:
Jen meet me under the archway, we need to talk. T X
Tilly walked over to the archway. She stood beside it looking around for any sign of Jen. A hand came out and grabbed her and pulled her into the alley way underneath the archway. Tilly took a moment to find her feet again and realised Jen had pulled her into the alley. "Jen, what are we going to do now? Diane knows about us!" said a worried Tilly. "Does this mean we have to stop seeing each other?" "Tilly, I never listened to my own mother when I was a kid so why am I going to listen to someone else's mother now? We just have to be more careful." said Jen. Tilly grabbed Jen's hand and held it tight. Neither of the women wanted to let go. "Meet me tonight, at Chez Chez. 8'clock sharp." requested Jen. "Well seeing as you asked so nicely Miss Gilmore I would love to see you tonight." And with that it was decided. Tilly said her goodbye and went home to get ready for her date.
Jen had just walked to the front door to be greeted by a lecture from Diane. "Jen, you do know what you've done don't you. You've put me in an awkward position now love." "Diane I never planned any of this. I know it's hard to believe but it just happened." "You're not in love with her are you Jen?" Jen couldn't look Diane in the eyes. Of course she love the teen but she wasn't going to admit it to her if she did that her career would be over and she'd be behind bars before she could say I love you Tilly. "No Diane, of course I don't love her." Jen's heart sunk. Having to like to everyone like that was just so painful. She loved Tilly and all she wanted to do was shout it from the roof tops so everyone would know. After a while Diane let her go upstairs and get changed. Diane was going out tonight so all she need to do was get round Sinead.
Jen had spent the last hour trying to look perfect for her date with Tilly. She had waited till Diane had just walked out the door to emerge from her bedroom and go downstairs. "Where you going miss?" asked Sinead. Jen put the phone down she was clutching on the table. "Just going to meet a friend in town." Then Jen's worst nightmare happened Sinead spilled her coffee all over her phone. Her only means of communication with Tilly was destroyed. "Sinead you've just ruined my phone." "Jen you've got my bag." "Sorry Sinead but all mine are filled with marking and coursework." Jen walked out the door before Sinead could start an argument. She got in the line to get in the club. The bouncer asked to search her bag. Jen handed the bag over thinking there wouldn't be a problem and she'd be with Tilly in a matter of seconds. How wrong she was. The bouncer found weed in the bag. Jen pleaded with him to let her in and that it wasn't hers but the bouncer wasn't having any of it and he turned her away. Half an hour later Tilly tried to call Jen but it just went to voicemail. "Jen, it's me. I've got a feeling I've been stood up or did Diane send you to your room. Call me okay? I'm worried about you."
