After that first brief meeting with Jay something changed deep inside me,
something stirred and woke. So subtly though that in the beginning I didn't
even notice, but looking back now I know.
I saw Jay around quite a lot after the day on the beach and I wondered if it was on purpose…or only because he was one of the few faces I recognised in the sea of students.
As it turned out, girl from school, Bethany Williams, who I'd fallen in with, knew Jay really well and as I became a bigger part of her group I started to hang out with Jay much more too…
Beth was funny and smart and outgoing in a way that sometimes scared people or made them back away from her, but I liked her happy-go-lucky attitude – and we got on really well.
She was very obviously pretty, the kind of girl who you'd hate if she wasn't so much fun – and the kind of girl that other girls would kill to look like. She had large green eyes and dead-straight shoulder length dark blond hair that swished when she spoke. Her and Jay went back a long way and for a while I was so scared to ask her about them…perhaps I was worried what I might hear – I didn't want to know that the one guy that made me tingle all over without even touching me was in love with this blonde would- be model…
It's funny how things work out though, it was as if all these vital coincidences were fixed or planned and I couldn't help feeling then – and still do now - that Jay and I were meant to be friends.
We were similar, liked to laugh; but not at the expense of others, loved the beach and the sea…tried our hardest to be kind and helpful…but in other ways we were poles apart. I was quieter than Jay – only speaking when I felt it was needed, but he was the natural leader of our group. Whenever there was a problem Jay had an idea or an answer, a lot of us looked to Jay for guidance and he was always the voice of logic.
Because he was part of the same friendship group as me, and because of something I felt I had no control over, we became…
"Grace…" She was shook gently. "Gracey…?"
Grace jumped lifting her head from the desk and instinctively shutting the diary. "Dad?" She blinked sleepy eyes adjusting to the light again. "What time is it?"
"2 a.m…I've just got back from work. What are you doing up so late? Not waiting to greet me I hope?!" He laughed crinkling up his eyes.
Grace smiled and held his hand for a moment, looking up to his eyes. He looked sick, older and frail…but still his bright eyes shone on.
Her stomach suddenly turned with fear. "Dad…" She whispered.
"Yes love?" He stroked her hair softly.
Grace's eyes stung with sleep and tears. "Dad…you and mum…ya' know I love you don't you?"
He didn't stop smiling. "Of course we know Grace – we can see it in your eyes – it your smile. And we love you. I love you." He kissed her cheek.
Grace lurched forward and wrapped her arms around his legs, squeezing away tears. "Thank-you…"
"Hey pet, what's all this?" Her father lifted up her tear-streaked face. "What's wrong?"
Grace shook her head, and strands of hair fell from her messy-bun. "I don't know dad…I'm just scared."
"There's nothing to be afraid of." His voice eased her suddenly. "I'll always be here if you need me kid. Now try and get some sleep, it's too late to be writing – you'll strain your eyes…"
Grace looked at him and nodded as he left the room whispering a gentle 'good-night'.
When he was gone, Grace picked up the diary and crept into bed – she had to keep writing…
She put her walkman on and hummed to her favourite song…"You Look Wonderful Tonight"…as she picked up the pen and carried on.
We became close, she finished with another flourish as a-million-and-one thoughts came rushing into her mind.
I saw Jay around quite a lot after the day on the beach and I wondered if it was on purpose…or only because he was one of the few faces I recognised in the sea of students.
As it turned out, girl from school, Bethany Williams, who I'd fallen in with, knew Jay really well and as I became a bigger part of her group I started to hang out with Jay much more too…
Beth was funny and smart and outgoing in a way that sometimes scared people or made them back away from her, but I liked her happy-go-lucky attitude – and we got on really well.
She was very obviously pretty, the kind of girl who you'd hate if she wasn't so much fun – and the kind of girl that other girls would kill to look like. She had large green eyes and dead-straight shoulder length dark blond hair that swished when she spoke. Her and Jay went back a long way and for a while I was so scared to ask her about them…perhaps I was worried what I might hear – I didn't want to know that the one guy that made me tingle all over without even touching me was in love with this blonde would- be model…
It's funny how things work out though, it was as if all these vital coincidences were fixed or planned and I couldn't help feeling then – and still do now - that Jay and I were meant to be friends.
We were similar, liked to laugh; but not at the expense of others, loved the beach and the sea…tried our hardest to be kind and helpful…but in other ways we were poles apart. I was quieter than Jay – only speaking when I felt it was needed, but he was the natural leader of our group. Whenever there was a problem Jay had an idea or an answer, a lot of us looked to Jay for guidance and he was always the voice of logic.
Because he was part of the same friendship group as me, and because of something I felt I had no control over, we became…
"Grace…" She was shook gently. "Gracey…?"
Grace jumped lifting her head from the desk and instinctively shutting the diary. "Dad?" She blinked sleepy eyes adjusting to the light again. "What time is it?"
"2 a.m…I've just got back from work. What are you doing up so late? Not waiting to greet me I hope?!" He laughed crinkling up his eyes.
Grace smiled and held his hand for a moment, looking up to his eyes. He looked sick, older and frail…but still his bright eyes shone on.
Her stomach suddenly turned with fear. "Dad…" She whispered.
"Yes love?" He stroked her hair softly.
Grace's eyes stung with sleep and tears. "Dad…you and mum…ya' know I love you don't you?"
He didn't stop smiling. "Of course we know Grace – we can see it in your eyes – it your smile. And we love you. I love you." He kissed her cheek.
Grace lurched forward and wrapped her arms around his legs, squeezing away tears. "Thank-you…"
"Hey pet, what's all this?" Her father lifted up her tear-streaked face. "What's wrong?"
Grace shook her head, and strands of hair fell from her messy-bun. "I don't know dad…I'm just scared."
"There's nothing to be afraid of." His voice eased her suddenly. "I'll always be here if you need me kid. Now try and get some sleep, it's too late to be writing – you'll strain your eyes…"
Grace looked at him and nodded as he left the room whispering a gentle 'good-night'.
When he was gone, Grace picked up the diary and crept into bed – she had to keep writing…
She put her walkman on and hummed to her favourite song…"You Look Wonderful Tonight"…as she picked up the pen and carried on.
We became close, she finished with another flourish as a-million-and-one thoughts came rushing into her mind.