What next?

The next few days, with Rose's mother being back at work but Alec's dad having a few days off, Alec went round to Rose's place then they'd have lunch with his dad and go out, mostly to the library and squat in a corner with either a history or geography book as Rose was still panicking.

"You'll be fine, don't worry so much," Alec kept trying to tell her.

"That's okay for you to say Alec, you've been doing this since junior school," Rose sighed, trying to look at pictures of Scottish lochs, since she got caught out about them a few times.

"You can't just look at the pictures Rose," he smiled. "You have to learn how big they are and their features you know?"

"Huh? Yeah, I suppose I should? Let's have a day off tomorrow and go swimming?"

"You want to go swimming, with me?" he asked nervously.

She had never suggested such a thing before, even when the weather was warmer. It meant a trip into town, since there wasn't a pool near where they lived.

"Well duh, yeah, I want to go swimming with you. We should start doing things like that ya know? We'd not decided what we were gonna do before, had we? I've got a bit of spare money but I'll ask my mum for some more. She was giving me a lecture the other day about how much better off we are, now's her chance to prove it."

"Do you think you're better off?" Alec wondered, not that she looked scruffy or anything, quite the opposite.

He thought she looked good in just her jeans and jumper or t-shirt when it was warmer but most of all, she'd looked amazing at the school disco and had been surprised no other boy, the same age or not hadn't tried to steal her away from him. If they had done though, he was pretty sure he would have started a fight over her.

Looking at her though, he didn't think she would go off with anyone else, considering he didn't think he had any rivals. Those in their class hardly seemed to notice her and at break times, everyone carried on with what they were doing and ignored them. He still couldn't figure out though why that was, it was like they were invisible or something.

Rose looked up from the book on the table.

"A bit, yeah but poor mum has to go out to work, I've no idea if Bob gives her any money. She worked at home before, friends and neighbours, friends of neighbours would ring for her to do their hair and she'd sometimes go to them if they couldn't get out. She was always there when I got home and all I did was get changed and go out. I feel really awful about it now."

"I'm sure everyone else does the same," he tried to assure her, putting his hand on hers and hoping to be ignored like they were at school.

He had a theory about that and wondered what Rose would make of it.

"Maybe? Anyway, I don't see her for long before he gets home, then they're all over each other, it's sickening."

Alec had to smile. "You are all over me when we get to my house," he reminded her, since before the holidays, she had hugged him when they put their school bags down and kissed his cheek until he tried to get her off him and get his homework out before his dad got home.

"I never thought you objected Alec," she smiled. "I can always stop?"

"I never said that," he replied, not liking the idea and figured he'd miss it if she did.

He saw her smiling and knew she was just teasing him again. Rose knew he didn't mean that but she now enjoyed teasing him to a certain extent. She thought she shouldn't go too far though, just bit by bit to see how far he would let her. Now they'd shared their first kisses though, how often would he want a repeat? Well at his house, that was out of the question while his dad was there.

"Alec, there are other things we should be talking about ya know?"

"I know Rose, there's no going back now, is there? Things are changing."

"Yeah, I know that too Alec and I know we both thought we were too young but it seems we're not, are we?"

Alec knew she was clever in her own way, whether she knew Scottish history and geography or not.

"Seems not? We should get some advice from John, I can't ask my dad," Alec replied.

"Geez Alec, if I mention it to my mum, she'd go crazy. I'm afraid she'd tell Bob I have a boyfriend."

"He can't do anything about it Rose, he's not your dad," he reminded her as Rose closed the book. "Had enough?"

"I can only look at so many pictures of lochs Alec, I have enough trouble remembering not to call them lakes. Would I get mobbed if I did?" she smiled.

"I won't let them mob you Rose. Ready for a history lesson?"

"Okay, if ya promise to go swimming with me tomorrow?"

"I suppose so? We should still get in as students, if not, we'll have to go another time. No messing about though Rose or we may get asked to leave," he warned her, trying not to smile.

"Don't know what ya mean," Rose did smile at him.

He knew very well that she did, she was sometimes more mature than he was despite being slightly younger but when he'd mentioned it to John, he'd told him not to worry and girls were usually more forward than boys in general.

They left the library and decided to see if John was at home. He was and let them into the kitchen.

"So, you two then?" he just laughed at them as they sat down. "What do you intend doing about it eh?"

"What can we do about it?" Alec asked him. "We've not really talked about it yet, have we Rose?"

"That's why we're here. What do we do about it?" Rose wanted to know.

"Well, you need to discuss that yourselves but most of all, do you want anyone else to know? I know how you behave at school, though why no-one's said anything is beyond me, it's like the two of you are invisible or something. Really, I see you all the time with your heads together and laughing over something, Rose nudging you, Alec. What is it that others don't see?"

"I have an idea about that," Alec replied. "It's like in the stories I write."

"Really?" John asked, since Alec had never talked about them other than he wouldn't admit they were based on him when he used to travel around all over the place.

"Well yeah, I sometimes wrote that the transport that's used, that police box, not everyone can see it. Only kids and those looking for it can see it. It's like it's there but not everyone can focus on it."

"Ah, a perception filter!" John laughed.

"What's one of those?" Rose asked, not having heard Alec mention one and it had to be something geeky if John knew about it.

"It's there but you don't want to see it. It's like if you look at me, you see me, right?" Rose nodded, thinking he was crazy. "It's your perception of things, like if Alec sat next to me, who would you look at?"

Rose thought that was a trick question and was glad he'd not asked her that in class.

"Oh, I get it," Rose grinned. "I'd ignore you because Alec was next to you. I'd only see what I wanted to see. So when we're in the playground, everyone doesn't just ignore us, they don't want to see us?"

"Well something like that, it's hard to explain really, it just happens but getting the whole school to do it? That takes some doing."

"But the teachers never see anything either," Alec told him. "Well except you. Oh, you want to see us?"

John grinned at him. "Come on Alec, I'm on your side, remember? When I took that teaching job, well I could have ended up anywhere but your school, it was pure luck but now, I'm beginning to wonder about that. I never knew Rose would be there and you two would become best friends. It's really quite strange the way things turned out."

"In what ways?" Alec asked him, glancing at Rose, who was trying to keep up.

"Think about it? Rose moving here, getting into your school and me getting a job there and pretending not to know you on the first day," he grinned. "You knew it was me though, despite me trying to deny it but you'd not seen me for a while, with travelling around."

"Geez, Alec does base his stories on you," Rose suddenly realized.

"I think we all knew that Rose," John grinned. "Don't we, Alec? Rose, he's read you some, right?"

"I wrote some just for her, where she's in them," Alec admitted. "Rose, he's right. What were the chances your mother would move up here and you'd be accepted to my school? You said you only just got in."

Rose looked at him, did he have to remind her?

"Yeah, thanks for that, Alec," she told him, looking at John.

"I already know Rose and I can't figure out how they accepted you, unless they have a policy of accepting so many who would otherwise get sent to the comprehensive school? You must have had something about you though but what is it?" John wondered, Rose giving him a scowl.

"Geez, thanks for that John. That makes me feel better."

"He didn't mean anything, did you John?" Alec asked him.

John looked at Rose. "Sorry. Maybe like I said, they had a place left and offered it to you, with you being new to the town?"

"That has to be it Rose," Alec agreed. "So, we carry on as normal at school? I mean Rose and I? Maybe if we change things, everyone will start to notice?"

"Yes, maybe?" John had to agree. "So, no going behind the bike shed for a snogging session, got it?" he laughed.

Rose just burst out laughing, making Alec join in.

"Don't you two think that's funny," John told them off. "If you're going to, first don't get caught but maybe you should wait a while, until you get a bit older eh?"

"Ya mean until our next birthdays?" Rose asked him, trying to straighten her face.

"That might be a good idea," John agreed. "Just keep it quiet at school and when you're out and for goodness sake, not near either of your parents eh?"

"Dad knows," Alec confessed. "He said he was going to talk to us about it, sorry Rose."

"It's okay, I don't mind but I can't tell my mum. I used to think it was all her, when I couldn't go out and that but it's not, she told me it was Bob. He's trying to act like a dad to me, mum admitted it to me. I think Bob wants to adopt me, eventually."

"You mentioned it before," John reminded her. "You're not keen on that, are you?"

"How did ya guess?" Rose tried to smile. "I can't stop him, can I?"

"It would make him responsible for you, until you reach eighteen and even then, he'll still be your legal guardian, if your mother gives him parental rights. Sorry."

"Yeah, I know. They've not said any more but I dread to think what they're planning for me. It was like that party, Bob wanted me there to meet his friends. Goodness knows why."

John had a good idea but she wouldn't like being told. Maybe he should keep it to himself or talk to Alec's dad about it?

"Well, don't worry too much until it happens," he advised her instead. "It may never get to that."

Rose just hoped he was right. That still didn't help her and Alec though.

"Come on Alec, let's see what your dad wants to talk about?" Rose asked him.

John had a good idea it would be the old 'no messing about in your room' lecture he'd had long ago from his own father when in high school. It seemed his brother had got out of it by choosing to leave home and as far as he knew, Peter's girlfriend had stayed in the spare room Alec used from time to time, that was if she'd stopped there.

They held hands on the way back to Alec's house but were careful to let go as Alec opened the kitchen door.

"You said you wanted to talk to us Dad," Alec reminded him as Rose followed him into the living room.

"We need to talk with Rose here, it concerns her as well."

"I know Mr Hardy and if it's about me being Alec's girlfriend, then I know they'll be some sort of rules."

"You seem quite sensible, the both of you so yes, there will be a few rules and while I'm not in, I expect them still to be followed, understood?" he asked them.

They both nodded.

"Alec, Rose can go to your room, for not more than an hour, see how you get on but I expect to hear you moving around. I know you're both young and this is all new to you but it still applies. I expect you both downstairs when I get home or Rose on her way down if she needs the bathroom. I know about the mistletoe, I also know you'll be tempted when it's not there but keep in mind, the novelty may soon wear off. If it doesn't, I expect you both to behave in company, understand?"

"Yes Dad," Alec replied, thinking they'd got off fairly lightly.

"Rose?" his dad asked.

"Yes Mr Hardy, I understand. We've not really talked about it, have we Alec?"

"No, we haven't Rose, we need to. We have time before we go back to school though, when you're not catching up on your work."

"What do you need to catch up on Rose?" his dad asked her.

"Dad, she learned English geography and history at her old school. I'm helping her with ours," Alec replied for her.

"That's very commendable of you Alec. Rose is very lucky to have you."

"Yeah, I am Alec, I never told ya," Rose agreed, making Alec blush.

They went back to the kitchen, his dad knowing they still needed to talk about the subject.

"So, when we go back to school, are you wanting to go to my room or stay down here?" Alec asked her.

"I don't know? We always did our homework first," Rose reminded him.

"Well maybe we can change that, during the winter anyway when we can't go out? I'll get some money from my dad for tomorrow, if you want to go swimming?"

"Yeah, I want to go swimming, it can be our second date," Rose smiled.

"Our second one?" Alec asked, wondering if he'd missed something.

"Yeah, our first one was the disco, remember?"

How could he possibly forget that night? She had been amazing and she knew it. He still couldn't understand why no other boy had tried to get her to dance with them. She had stuck with him the entire evening and neither of them had wanted to leave.

The next day, they met later, Alec calling for her then getting the bus to town just after twelve as Rose wanted to catch up on a few things and it seemed like an age to Alec, who was sat trying to write down his new story for Rose. How it was going to turn out, he had no idea but he was keeping the main character out and making it mostly about her. Maybe he could make it so she rescued him for a change?

His stories had become more about them than anyone else and Rose seemed to love them. As they set off towards town, Alec just hoped Rose wouldn't run when she saw him in just his swimming shorts and he would surely be embarrassed when she appeared in her swimsuit. They paid to get in, saying they were still at school when the prices were for under 16's anyway and went off to their respective changing rooms.

It had been a while since Alec had been swimming, he and Jamie used to go with Jamie's older brother. He thought he had best not dwell on that, given what Rose thought about Jamie. He went to a locker and heard Rose behind him.

"Come on then," Rose called out as she went to the locker next to his.

They soon relaxed around each other, Rose proving to be quite a good swimmer, telling him that was something she paid attention to at school, to which he laughed. He did try to stay mostly under the water, trying not to let her see him too much out of the water. Rose though was determined to get him to come out, sitting on the side.

"So, I survived going swimming with ya," she teased him as they went to get changed. "So, we come again?"

Alec was hoping so now he had found it more enjoyable splashing around with her then Jamie trying to dunk him under the water all the time. He now wondered what she would suggest they did together next. During the warmer weather, would she suggest sunbathing together or swimming down by the river, on their own? Would she even suggest they went in the woods beyond the park, away from everything? Did he want her to?

She was doing all kinds of things to him that he knew he liked and would never admit it to anyone. They went back to Rose's flat first for her to put her swimming things to dry then walked to his house, since her mother had said she wasn't to bring Alec back for too long.

Rose took his hand as they walked along.

"Were you shy about today? I mean you, in your swim shorts?"

"A little, you never seemed bothered. I expect we'll have to get used to each other?"

"That was the idea Alec," Rose smiled as they reached his house.

Alec knew she would want to find any excuse now but maybe not until they got a little bit older? Rose though may have other ideas. They sat in the kitchen, glad to be warm again when Rose pulled her chair over.

"Alec, do you want us to, you know, get used to each other?"

"Well yes but maybe just swimming for now? I mean later we can, like in the summer maybe?"

"When we're both fourteen ya mean?" she asked him.

"Well yes, that's probably the best Rose but until then? We could maybe kiss now and then?"

"We don't have long before your dad gets home when we get back from school," she reminded him.

Alec wondered whatever for?

New Years Eve, Rose was getting excited as it was her first real party away from her home where it was just friends and family. Alec had told her there would be even more of his family for the party, some more coming from Glasgow and even further that Rose thought it was a good thing his aunt and uncle had a big house.

Alec and his dad were going to walk her home just after midnight then Rose was going to try to go to their house the following day in the afternoon providing Bob was too drunk to notice she was missing. The question was though, were they going to admit she was Alec's girlfriend or not? When she'd decided what to wear, her dress from the disco coming out on top, she waited not so patiently for Alec to call for her but it had been snowing most of the day. She was going to have to wear her boots and take her shoes with her, much to her annoyance.

John had rung Alec to see if he wanted him to go pick Rose up with him an hour before Alec was setting off.

"You won't get your car out," Alec told him as he'd looked outside.

"A good point Cous, I hope it doesn't stop the others from coming? Maybe it's okay on the main road though?"

"We'd better hope so," Alec told him, hoping Rose wouldn't be put off.

Ten minutes before Alec was due, Rose had her coat and boots on, a carrier with her shoes and was sat in the kitchen, not wanting Bob to go on about her forgetting what time she had to be back, not that they would be she expected. She had hoped they'd be going out before she did.

"Thought you'd be gone by now Mum," Rose told her as she left the kitchen and her mother was going to the phone.

"Just checking on the taxi, have ya seen it out there?" her mother asked.

"I know Mum but I don't have far to walk, Alec's coming over then he and his dad will walk me back. I hope his relatives don't get stuck on their way over."

The door buzzer sounded and Rose just beat her mother to it, thinking their taxi was early. Rose hoped not to be going out at the same time but it was Alec. Rose said she'd be right down and warned her mother to be careful getting to where they were going and back.

Stepping out into the snow, having been out to the local shops earlier when it hadn't been too bad, Alec greeted her and took the carrier bag from her. His dad had gone directly to his aunt's house, Alec saying he wanted to get Rose by himself. His dad had smiled as they'd parted on the road his son was growing up fast and taking responsibility.

The party was going well, Rose being introduced just as Alec's friend to those who had made it there and there was no chance of them escaping until much later when Alec followed her into the hallway.

"Are you okay Rose?" he asked her as she put the stairs light on.

"Yeah. Great party, I'm so glad I was invited."

"My aunt thinks of you as part of the family, why wouldn't she invite you? John left the mistletoe you know?" he hinted, since they'd not had much chance to kiss again, with Alec's dad being at home before Rose left in the evenings.

They had at least agreed they wouldn't show themselves up when they were out. Alec took her hand and pulled her to the doorway, just below the mistletoe. Rose figured they deserved it as he leaned forward, before anyone came looking for them. Not even John would be able to hold anyone back if someone decided they needed the bathroom.

"Happy new year Rose," he told her, brushing her lips.

"Yeah, happy new year Alec, it's gonna be great."