Sorry I've been absent a while, I've been really busy, I'll try to update more often. Response to someone's review, yes, you should always keep reviewing, I love nothing more than knowing my work is appreciated and that people really do enjoy it, writing it far easier when you have someone to write for.
Weslie was excited for her family to go away. A few days after her mother asked about it, they booked the flights and the hotels and had agreed to let Weslie stay at home alone, despite her only being 16. Amelia wasn't going, and had agreed to check on her whilst they were away, though both girls knew there was no need for her to do so.
It had taken some time, but eventually she had talked her father round to the idea of her having friends over for a BBQ, she had initially wanted to have a party, but Paul and Bolton had convinced her a BBQ was a better idea, and she liked the idea of it being a smaller affair than a party.
The only problem she could foresee was having a BBQ in the middle of November, inside her house she could keep her guests warm, but outside was a different matter, and after much complaining, her father had caved and bought three expensive patio heaters.
She had also asked Bolton to stay overnight with her and Paul, who would both be arriving early to help her get things ready, but he'd had to decline, as Mr Cleaver had put him on a strict training regime and he had to be early to go for a run, so he couldn't drink either, though his best friends both knew he really wanted to.
……
Weslie was texting and wasn't paying attention to where she was going, relying on Paul, who had his arm hung loosely around her waist, his hand on her hip, to make sure she didn't walk into anything.
'Who're you texting?' he asked, steering her out of the way of an excited group of year eight boys running down the corridor after each other, she felt the wind move as they raced past and looked up, scowling at then, surely it wasn't a requirement of theirs to be that annoying all the time.
'Oh, just a girl I used to go to school with' she shrugged, wearing a bored expression.
'She hot?' Bolton asked, looking over her shoulder in the hope she'd show him a picture of the girl.
'I guess' Weslie shrugged 'but she has a boyfriend' she said, looking up at Bolton and smiling. She knew Bolton was very popular amongst the female students at Waterloo Road, most of them there had thought him hot at least once and more than a few had a crush on him. He loved the attention, it wasn't hard to tell, and he revelled in it. Weslie could see it in his face when he walked past girls checking him out; see it in the way he swaggered around them.
But what she didn't know, and nor did Bolton, was the secret fear Paul was harbouring about his two best friends. He had always felt inferior to Bolton when it came to looks and girls, and he felt deeply for Weslie, but she was a frightfully beautiful girl, with clear white skin, perfectly plump lips and green eyes and surely out of his league. And he also knew how handsome Bolton was, with a strong jaw and dark brown eyes and a strong, muscular frame. It seemed only inevitable to him that at least one of them would develop feelings for the other, and he was dreading the day in which it would happen. He couldn't think of any reason why they wouldn't work together, they were both popular and good looking and the very idea of it terrified him so much when he thought about it, he couldn't bear to look at either of them.
He cared for her, he cared for her so deeply just being unable to kiss her was like agony for him, he wanted her so badly, but he knew she would never be is. He couldn't possibly ever see a future in which she was his, because he just couldn't see why she would ever be interested in him.
Bolton made a noise of disgust and looked away. Weslie looked at Paul and smiled, rolling her eyes. He smiled and nodded, silently agreeing that it was just typical Bolton.
Just as Bolton looked up, Maxine Barlow and Janeece Bryant passed them, the girls waved to Weslie, and Janeece, very surprisingly, checked Bolton out. He'd thought her hot for a long time, but she'd never shown any interest in him.
Weslie laughed loudly once the girls had passed 'Oooh Bolton!' she exclaimed excitedly, dropping her phone into her bag, abandoning the unfinished text 'she was checking you out!' she said, Paul nodding beside her, tightening his grip on her, she clearly wasn't bothered by Janeece's interest in Bolton.
Bolton scoffed 'Obviously man, I knew she was into me' he said, waving away their surprise with a confident smirk.
Paul laughed and clapped him on the shoulder 'course you did mate' he smirked. Weslie chuckled and looked at her watch.
'I've got to go' she said, dislodging herself from Paul, who looked dejected but let her go anyway 'football practice' she said, giving them both a quick hug 'I'll see you later' she said, leaving.
The team had been put back together at the start of term, under the supervision of Mr Cleaver, who admittedly, was not paying the girls' team as much attention as he should. She pushed the door open and hurried inside, muttering an apology to Miss Koreshi and getting changed quickly.
'I'm sorry girls' Miss Koreshi said in her thick Scottish accent 'we're going to have to use the gym today'
'Why can't we play outside miss?' Danielle asked, leaning against the side of the changing hooks, already in her kit.
'Mr Cleaver's booked the pitch for his boys' team' she sighed.
'That's well out of order' Aleesha said, stood beside her.
Miss Koreshi nodded 'well, unfortunately not everyone's as keen on girls' football'
'That's dead sexist that is Miss' Janeece complained, Chlo agreeing.
'Exactly' Weslie added 'he can't do that' she said, pulling her shirt on over her head.
'Exactly Janeece' Miss Koreshi agreed 'and do you know what he suggested? That we get rid of the girls football team' the girls started to mutter angrily 'and, wait for it, form a cheerleading squad'
Janeece laughed and got up onto her feet 'what? Us? Cheerleaders?'
'Like in Bring it On?' Maxine asked, smirking 'that'd be mint' the other girls started chattering, agreeing excitedly, seemingly a lot more keen on the idea than Miss Koreshi had thought they would be.
'Please Maxine' Koreshi called, trying to restore calm.
'Wait, but everyone knows the cheerleaders get all the fit blokes' Janeece said.
'And the fit gear' Weslie said, smirking 'we need costumes'
'Definitely' Maxine said, nodding 'we could use the old gymnastics team's gear, it's all in boxes at the back of the gym' she said, grabbing Weslie and Janeece, dragging them off to find it.
……
Weslie and Paul were walking home together. The girls had abandoned their own football practice and had dressed up as cheerleaders, performing a short routine for the boys, who had been impressed. Bolton and Janeece had flirted afterwards, and he'd promised to text her later, and was currently busy walking home with her and Maxine.
So Paul and Weslie were left to walk alone, and he didn't mind one bit. She was still wearing the tight blue costumes, which he had been greatly fond of, but was also wearing his jacket over the top, as her blazer was buried at the bottom of her bag. He couldn't stop himself smiling; she looked adorable in his jacket.
'I can't believe Bolton's binned us off for Janeece' Paul grumbled, trying to make conversation with her after they both fell silent.
Weslie laughed and shrugged her shoulders 'Oh I don't mind, he's busy trying to pull her isn't he' Paul laughed nodded. She looked at him for a moment; she loved how blue his eyes were and said 'what about you Langley? You interested in anybody?'
'You' was what he wanted to say, but of course he never would, so instead he shook his head 'Nahh, you?'
She shook her head too, biting her lip 'Not right now' she said.
Relief washed over him; no one was far better than Bolton 'I have a bad track record with boys' she smirked.
'Oh?' he asked 'like how?'
She shrugged her shoulders 'I don't know, just everyone I ever like either treats me like dirt or doesn't know I even exist' she said with a sad smile, Paul reached out and took her hand.
'Tell you what Wes, if we're both single by 40, I'll marry you' he promised.
She beamed and nodded 'deal'