Happy birthday Rose

A few weeks and several films later, Alec finding somewhere in the town that gave a free film replacement because of the alarming speed Rose was taking photos of them, he was debating to get her a camera of her own but doubted she would use it.

John had laughed when he found out.

"She's got you now Alec," John was telling him a few Sundays later as he'd picked up the second lot of photos the day before. "So, how have things changed between you two?"

"I'm going to need some albums at this rate," Alec replied.

"Well, buy her a nice big photo album for her birthday and maybe a nice frame," John suggested.

"She could maybe choose her favourite photo so far," Alec agreed. "I wanted to ask you something else though."

"Well you may as well," John grinned, seeing his young cousin was looking nervous. "I saw those photos last week, she looked happy. How are things at home with her?"

"She's not said anything but it doesn't stop me worrying about her," Alec admitted. "What I wanted to ask you was, well, I think my feelings about her are changing."

"It's to be expected Alec. You are starting to change, both of you and you can expect even more. Are you still allowed to take her up to your room?"

"Yes but we only have an hour, Rose likes to dance or lay on my bed listening to her records. She also seems to like spending time kissing."

John let out a laugh. "Of course she does. Still going swimming?"

"Not until the next holidays. She's talking about when she goes into town she gets some time to herself and wants to meet. We've not arranged anything yet though."

"Don't worry, she'll tell you. Maybe she's not ready to be seen in town with you yet? I mean it's one thing at school and locally but it can be a bit daunting. Just work up to it eh? Why not suggest meeting her and getting something to eat?"

"Yeah, she might go for that. There is one thing as well."

John seemed to know what was coming.

"You prefer it when you're on your own, just the two of you?"

"Is that normal?" Alec asked, watching the time. "I was thinking a while back, she seems to like it that way, well except at school. There's something else but I don't know if I should really ask you."

"About how you feel? You can ask me."

"Why do I like seeing Rose in her swimsuit? She made me try that t-shirt on, in front of her the other week, then she said it wasn't a bad fit, to say she got a men's size and pulled it down at the back."

John laughed again. "Don't worry about it, it's perfectly normal. Has she made you get changed again?"

"No, I just go off to the bathroom like I always do when we get back, will she be disappointed? When I put that t-shirt on, I thought she wanted me to stay and change into my jeans."

"Alec, Alec, Alec, you'd better get used to it," John tried not to laugh at the predicament his cousin had got himself into. "She probably was disappointed you ran off after she got to see you putting the t-shirt on."

"She sees me at the swimming pool," Alec tried to justify himself.

"Well that's different, you can't go swimming with your clothes on, can you? She expects that but seeing you getting changed in your bedroom, well that's something entirely different. Maybe you should start by asking her if she minds you changing into your t-shirt? She might have changed her mind about it, since you've been running off."

Alec thought if only he'd be that lucky she'd completely gone off the idea but he didn't think she would.

"Oh, I get it," John laughed. "You aren't allowed to stay at her place? Doesn't she go home first, to get changed?"

"No, maybe I should suggest it or get her to bring something to my house to get changed into?"

"Well, maybe don't be so enthusiastic about it?" John chuckled. "She still might run a mile if you suggest her getting changed at your house. See what she thinks about calling in, I can drop you at her place easily enough."

"I'll maybe ask her then? She'll probably make me wait outside her bedroom."

"Yes, I would think so," John agreed. "Well at first?"

There were now only a few days to go until Rose's birthday. Alec had been out the Saturday before, got a nice album and a nice frame for her to choose a photo and choose which ones to put into the album. John had finally got a pair of tickets for the concert Alec wanted to take her to on the Saturday night over in Glasgow but John would have to stay in his car or in a nearby caf since it was too far to go back for them.

Alec had told her he was taking her somewhere, Rose trying to find out where it was after John told him on the Friday before when Rose had agreed to meet him in a fast food restaurant at one in the town. They had got a table by the window and Rose was teasing him.

"So, is this another date then?"

"You mean after the school disco? I suppose so but you have to tell your mum we won't be back until late. Just say it's a birthday treat. Rose, why don't you start getting changed before we go to my house every night?"

"Yeah, I suppose so? Are ya tryin' to get me back for making ya put that t-shirt on?"

Alec almost slurped his drink. Rose saw the look on his face.

"Ha! Gotcha! I'm just messin' with ya. I don't mind if you get changed when we get to your house ya know? Ya don't have to keep sneaking to the bathroom just to change your shirt."

"Really? I thought it was just the once, for me to try that t-shirt on?"

"Yeah, well so did I but maybe now I'm your girlfriend, I mean properly?"

Maybe it wasn't that difficult after all, he thought.

"Ah, come on Alec, I see ya in the swimming pool," she reminded him. "Rather recently," she added since they had gone in the recent school holiday that Alec hadn't wanted to admit to John because he was liking Rose in her swimsuit more and more and he knew it.

He thought at this rate, by the time they went on holiday, he'd be a wreck if they went swimming every day. He tried to change the subject.

"Are you looking forward to your birthday now?" he asked her.

"Yeah, a bit more than I was, now I know you're planning something. Don't get your own back on me for springing that party on ya."

Alec already knew his aunt was making a cake for her but it wasn't an actual party as such. He just hoped she wouldn't be tired from the concert he was taking her to. Now he was having trouble keeping it a secret, Rose knew how to get him to admit something.

"Hey, this is nice ya know, getting to eat out on my own instead of being dragged for a pub meal with mum and Bob."

"Did you have any trouble getting out of it?" Alec asked her.

"Bob huffed a bit, going on about I already got time on my own but mum told him I was old enough now to eat out on my own. Actually, there was something I wanted to talk about tomorrow so when you call for me, can we go to the park first?"

"Sure, if you want? I picked some more photos up, want to see them?" he asked, since they were in his inside denim jacket pocket.

"Just leave them until tomorrow?" Rose tried not to blush as some were probably embarrassing of her kissing his cheek with her arms around his neck in the park or on the swings. "Are you meeting your dad?"

"Yeah, then I'm off to get your birthday present, no point in me getting it before, you would have been trying to see what it was."

He saw he was right as she just grinned at him. They went outside, Rose going off to where she had arranged to meet her mother before they went back and Alec to meet his dad,

"See ya tomorrow then?" Rose told him as they stood outside.

She just squeezed his hand and said goodbye, Alec watching her walk down the street. What was she doing to him? Had she been right and the fact he was another year older had suddenly caught up with him? He went off to meet his dad wondering what she wanted to talk to him about. Surely it wasn't the fact now they were talking about him getting changed that he was inferring he wanted her to do the same?

She'd never go for that, would she?

Sure enough, all the following week until Thursday, Rose's birthday, she was trying to get him to tell her what he'd bought her and Sandra was making her laugh trying to guess what it was the day before as they met as usual in the girls room.

"So you have no idea?" Sandra was asking her what Alec had bought her.

"Well I got him a t-shirt with his favourite band on it for his," Rose revealed, never having told anyone.

"Do you think he might buy something like that for you?" Sandra wondered. "Who's his favourite group anyway?"

"Aw, you know, those two brothers from Glasgow," Rose laughed.

"Oh, those? Do you like them?"

"He's trying to get me to, I'm not sure but their latest one's a bit catchy, he keeps playing it. Want to know something?" she asked Sandra, making sure everyone had left. Sandra nodded. "He says he's taking me somewhere on Saturday night."

"No way!" Sandra laughed. "Wow, is that like a date then?"

"Well, I suppose so? I mean it's one thing going to the school disco where we know everyone but where could he be taking me? Plus he said we'd be late back. I wonder if we're going to see a film or something?"

"Yeah, that makes sense, I mean you'll both be old enough to get in on your own now," Sandra told her, already passing her fourteenth birthday last week when Rose had got her a card and a bracelet. "Now I'm fourteen, I hope Matthew in the year above us starts taking more notice of me. He's a real dream. Mind you, you and Alec? They say he was so quiet before you came here, you really brought him out of his shell."

"Well he'd just lost his mum and that stupid Billy and his bunch of dumb apes were always on at him. They soon stopped when I put Moira and Kristy in their places and when I got Alec to stay away from them."

"Yeah and drove Jamie away," Sandra reminded her. "Not that it was such a big deal, he's better off without him, Jamie was always siding with Billy anyway. Remember when Jamie started to have a go at Alec?"

Rose remembered all too well and no-one picked on her friends, no matter who they came with. She had dealt quickly and swiftly with the former school bullies and no-one had dared take their places. Alec was waiting for her coming out, John already passing him.

"Where's Rose?" John asked him.

"Talking to Sandra, probably," Alec replied.

"Now Alec, she has to have other friends," John teased him. "I'll wait in the car. Still want dropping at her place? How's that going?"

"Stop it John. She's here now anyway. She'll be even longer tomorrow night, talking about her birthday."

"Then remind her you have a present for her before she goes off," John replied.

Alec somehow doubted it would make any difference. They'd gone to the park the previous Sunday, Rose still not saying what she wanted to talk about and she'd talked him into putting yet another film into his camera that anyone would think it was hers and how did she think they were getting paid for?

Rose knew she was liking Alec changing out of his school shirt more than she should do but he didn't seem to mind, she thought. He still left her though while he went to put his jeans on, which always got a sneaky smile out of her.

The next morning, having to leave before the post arrived, she got a card and present from her mother and Bob, saying she'd open them later but Bob had something to say about it.

"Open the card at least," he told her over breakfast, something Rose didn't have to prepare since her mother could manage scrambled eggs and toast without burning anything.

"It's okay Bob, she can wait," Jackie replied to him. "Hope you like the present Rose."

"I'm sure I will Mum. You did remember I'm going out on Saturday night?"

It was Bob who replied to her.

"How late are you going to be?" he asked Rose.

"Not too late, Alec has to get home as well. I've no idea where he's taking me, maybe to see a film?"

"Well make sure you have your key, your mum and I are going out to meet some friends. From next Saturday, I expect you to come with us."

"What?" Rose asked in surprise. "Where to, I'm not old enough to go into pubs at night."

"We know that," her mother told her, wishing Bob had kept quiet since they'd recently come to a compromise about some of his plans for Rose. "We're just going around taking it in turns to have a few friends getting together, they'll be others around your age, you've already seen a few at the pub. I'm sure we've mentioned it to ya before."

Rose had met the other kids and thought for their ages, they were still acting like kids, especially one boy who thought it was funny to order the younger ones around, though he'd left her alone after she bragged she'd brought her school's two bullies down. She also had tried to forget Bob had mumbled something about it a while back.

"Did ya mention it before?" Rose asked, wanting to be ready to leave.

"I'm sure we did," her mother replied, not remembering herself, since Bob's plans seemed to change on a weekly basis.

"You can get to know everyone better," Bob told her.

The company he kept, she didn't want to get to know them at all, they were all as bad as him after a few drinks in the pub on a Saturday afternoon, let alone in their own homes.

"Then I'd rather stay in, or in my room if they come around here, you can't just drag me along," Rose complained.

"Watch it Rose," Bob reminded her. "Don't think you are going to see that boyfriend of yours every Saturday night. Where did you get to last Saturday anyway?"

"Just to a takeaway, we just had lunch," Rose replied, washing her dish.

"Well Saturday lunchtimes are enough. You can go out this Saturday but if you don't come with us, you can stay in, no sneaking off, understand? When we have them over here, I expect you to show your face, not hide in your room all night like you did for the Christmas party."

Rose was relieved she had still got away with that. After Bob left and they were getting ready to leave, her mother gave her a warning.

"Don't go getting him mad by refusing to go out," her mother warned her.

"Sorry Mum but I am not going to a bunch of strangers houses for Bob to get totaled and show me off. What does he think I am?"

Her mother shook her head. "He won't let ya go to Alec's, you know what he's like?"

"Well if you're going out, he can't make me stay in, can he?"

"Don't be too sure of that," her mother replied as they left.

As they got in the lift, Rose wasn't letting it rest.

"Well I'll go round to Alec's for a while, I'll be back early."

"Rose, you're asking for trouble," she was warned.

"Well it's that or Alec comes round," Rose told her defiantly. "I'm not a little kid any more Mum."

Jackie knew Rose wasn't a little kid any more. She had grown up since arriving here and Alec was partly responsible. Rose greeted Alec when her mother had gone off, this time Alec kissing her cheek.

"Happy birthday Rose."

"Yeah, thanks, did ya leave my present at your house?" she asked, hoping he wasn't taking it to school.

"Yes, don't worry," he laughed. "We don't want everyone to know, do we?"

"Alec, they already know," Rose laughed, putting her arm in his as they crossed the road a bit further up than the bus shelter. "Hey, do ya know what would be an extra present for me?" she teased him.

"Rose, I'm taking you somewhere on Saturday night, remember?"

"I know but maybe tonight, just this once, well don't run off to change into your jeans," she giggled as John's car came around the corner.

"What?" Alec managed to reply, wondering if she was being serious or not.

Rose refused to answer him but he saw the smile on her face through the mirror.

"Happy birthday," John greeted her.

"Thanks. Did Alec tell ya he's taking me out on Saturday night?"

"Really? Well have fun then," John replied, wanting to give Alec all the credit and not knowing if Alec had mentioned he was actually taking them.

"Well I'm really looking forward to it, it'll be my best present ever, whatever it is."

"I'm sure it will be," John smiled.

A few others wished her happy birthday but it didn't mean as much to her as Alec saying it earlier. When they finally got to his house later and she opened her present, she flung her arms around him.

"Oh, they're just great. So, can I choose a photo for the frame?"

"Sure, maybe pick a few to start your album though I should have bought you a camera of your own. I decided not to, you'd still use mine."

Rose nudged him.

"Well, go get changed then? Want me to stay down here?"

"Stop with the teasing Rose. If you're coming up, we have less than an hour."

"Oh, does it take more than an hour for ya to get changed?" she teased him as she followed him

"No, should it?" he wondered, opening his bedroom door and going to the drawer to get a t-shirt. "Well, do I leave before I change into my jeans?" he teased her back, taking his time taking his school shirt off after he unbuttoned it and seeing she was taking more notice than usual.

He swore she'd said it took a while to adjust to being older but she was having no such difficulties. She watched him take his shirt off which to Rose seemed too fast, though Alec was taking his time he thought, then he went for his jeans.

"So?" he asked her as he stood near the door.

"I was being daft," Rose admitted, a slight smile on her face.

"It's your birthday Rose," he reminded her.

"Yeah but you might regret it if you stay," Rose admitted.

"I would do anything for you Rose, you know that," he reminded her.

"I know ya would. Well, maybe just this once?"

"No giggling, Rose," he warned her. "No taking photos either."
He saw the look on her face and hoped she wouldn't grab his camera from the desk by the window.

"Spoilsport," she laughed. "Ya said I could have any photo I wanted for my frame."

"I mean of me or the both of us. What am I going to do with you?"

"Give me a birthday kiss maybe?"

"I was going to, when I'd got changed."

"Well get on with it then, don't mind me."

"Last chance to let me go to the bathroom," he warned her as he unfastened his belt.

"Ha, you wish!" Rose just laughed.

"Are you sure you're not older than fourteen?" he asked as he put the belt on the chair.

"Nope, I'm waiting."

Alec stood still, wondering if he should be actually doing this.

"Well?" she asked impatiently as he delayed.

He made a start and just replied with "Happy birthday Rose."

Once Rose had got over it, teasing him he should have some cartoon shorts, which she teased him she was getting him some for Christmas, Rose picked a photo for her frame, the one his dad had taken in the garden a few weeks ago, she told him of the conversation that morning.

"Rose, he can't be serious?" Alec asked her, trying not to spoil her day but it seemed Bob had already done that.

"It's nothing Alec, I'm not going to be put on show with the other kids, I don't even like any of them. So when I find out what time they're going out, you can come round for an hour or so."

"I hate to think what will happen if they come back early," he replied. "What about when they're at your place? Don't risk sneaking out again, promise me Rose."

"Then I'll stay in my room. I don't know why he's doing this."

Alec had a good idea but she still wouldn't like it.

"Forget it Rose, I'll come round but there will be trouble. Just tell your mum, she can maybe make him go easy on you, I don't want him stopping us seeing each other at weekends, do you?"

"No. Come on, it's time to go downstairs, you owe me a birthday kiss," she reminded him.

Even when they met for lunch on Saturday, Alec was giving nothing away as to where he was taking her later, despite Rose's best efforts.

"Just be downstairs at six, okay?"

"Okay then, are we getting the bus into town?"

"You will find out," was all he would tell her.

As she was leaving later, her mother caught her in the doorway.

"Well have a good time. Don't be too late back."

"Don't worry about me Mum. I want to ask ya something tomorrow."

"Well I won't be up until late but yeah, we can talk."

"I'd best go, Alec will be outside soon, see ya."

Surprised John was also waiting as Alec greeted her, they set off towards Glasgow, Rose seeing the signs.

"What are we doing going to Glasgow?" she asked, seeing how many miles it was.

"We wouldn't need a ride if we were going into town," Alec replied as they both sat in the back, John keeping an eye on them.

John had decided to go see a film while he waited for them. He supposed he could have gone back but there didn't seem much point and he'd told Alec where to meet, since they'd probably be hungry after dancing around to the music.

"Well, this is where I leave you," John announced as he found a car park near to both places. "Don't you two go getting lost. Alec, meet where I told you and stay there if you get there before I do."

"I know, we will do. Come on Rose, we should get going."

"Are we going to see a film?" she asked, seeing the cinema.

"No, I had somewhere else to take you, it's not far."

Rose held onto him as they crossed a road and hoped he knew where he was going until they came to the town hall, with a banner outside.

"No way!" Rose told him as he led her through the gathering crowds. "How did ya manage to get tickets?"

"I asked John to get them for me, since he could get here and I couldn't. Rose, will you go to the concert with me?"

"Well yeah but they'd better play that catchy tune 'cos that's the only reason I let ya play their music," she teased him as they joined a queue to get in since they were a bit early.

"Oh, so that's the only reason?" Alec teased her, Rose's arm already in his.

As they moved slowly as people were being admitted, he saw the look on her face. Things were changing rapidly between the two of them and it seemed he was only just catching on. He was sure Rose already knew. What they didn't know was that John had arranged a little surprise for Rose as a song was being introduced, the one Rose wouldn't admit to Alec she really liked it, one of the brothers called out her name, making her jump when Alec nudged her.

"Go on Rose, stand up."

"I can't, look at all these people," she replied as the spotlight was searching for her.

"Don't be shy Rose, we know it was your birthday a few days ago," the other brother joined in, Rose thinking Bob's accent was difficult to understand at times.

"Rose, I had no idea John had arranged this," Alec was telling her as the spotlight hit them and stayed as they were both talking.

"Stand up Rose," she was encouraged again, everyone looking on a big screen behind the band.

Alec finally got hold of her arm and half stood with her, not letting her back in her seat.

"Well, happy birthday for Thursday," one of the brothers told her. "This song is just for you as we were told it's beginning to grow on you."

Rose knew Alec must have told John. He let her sit back down as the spotlight went off and the big screen went blank.

"I'm so gonna get you back for this," she told Alec as the band prepared themselves and a few nearby were turning round or leaning over to wish her happy birthday.

"You're welcome to try, I told you to expect payback for that party and now I have something else to pay you back for. Think back to Thursday night."

It was a good thing no-one saw Rose going bright red as she'd maybe enjoyed seeing Alec stepping out of his school trousers, throwing them on the chair then stepping into his jeans, which was when she had teased him about his shorts.

The song started off fairly slowly, as it gained pace then people were beginning to stand up and start swaying, so Rose grabbed Alec's arm, holding onto him as they swayed to the music and he even got her to join in when everyone else did, though with some difficulty at first.

As the concert ended and they made their way to where they were meeting John, Rose stopped him.

"Well, how are you going to get me back for that?" Alec asked, feeling pretty sure she'd find it difficult.

"Oh, just you watch out, that's all I'm saying," she replied. "Come on, I'm hungry after all that and you're paying."

They walked off arm in arm, John having already arrived and was sat by the window. He saw them both, Rose resting her head on Alec's shoulder as he'd seemed to have grown over the last few months. John was pleased with himself and hoped that phone call to the concert organizers had been taken notice of but as Rose and Alec entered the fast food restaurant, looking for John as they'd been too busy on the way in, he waved them over, Rose flopping into a seat opposite.

"So, how did it go then?" John asked, getting some money out of his pocket and offering it to Alec. "Did you get any special treatment?"

Alec went off to order.

"So it was all you?" Rose asked him.

"Rose, it was Alec's idea, I swear it was. I just set things in motion, since they'd take more notice of me. Trust me, Alec would do anything for you."

"I know, he told me. Promise me it was all his idea?"

"Absolutely. How could he have got to pick up the tickets eh?" John asked her, not wanting to say he'd given Alec the idea.

Rose sat back and thought about it, glancing over where Alec was about to get served, though she'd told him he was paying.

"John, promise not to say anything to him?"

"Something wrong?" John asked her.

"Well, we've sort of been teasing each other and I think I might have gone a bit far the other afternoon."

"Really? Is it anything to do with getting him to try that t-shirt on?"

"Yeah, I think I went a bit far, with it being my birthday."

"Don't worry about it Rose, Alec wouldn't have let you if he hadn't wanted. He asked pretty much the same thing, he's not too sure either. Just go with it Rose, you're both growing up but don't let it get too serious eh?"

As they made their way back home, Rose leaning her head on Alec's shoulder again, John was smiling at them through the mirror, Alec seeing him.

"So did you have a good time?" he asked her.

"That was the best birthday I ever had, thanks for taking me."

"So, can I play their records now?"

"We'll see," she teased him, taking his hand.

"Did you miss your friends, I mean on the day?"

"A little but ya know what? I had you, didn't I?"