Ready to go
Rose was driving Alec crazy during the next week. They mostly went to the park or down by the river, even wearing their swimming things and going further down the river to where it was shallow and splashing each other. On the Friday though, Rose was getting nervous and Alec noticed.
"What's bothering you?" he asked her as they were in his room after they got back from the park, having banned Rose from using the new film he'd put in his camera.
"What if something goes wrong tomorrow?" Rose replied.
"You worry too much Rose, they set off before you don't they? We're not leaving until late, dad says it won't take us long to get there. Your mum will be long gone when I call round for you."
"Yeah, I hope so but their flight's at twelve or something though they have to check in before eleven, it'll be typical of Bob to leave the taxi until the last minute. I know my mum's gonna make a fuss about leaving me."
"Rose, you said it's the first time she's left you," he reminded her as she flopped onto his bed, Alec being careful to stay away from her.
Rose noticed yet again.
"Whatcha sitting on the end for?" she teased him.
"You know why Rose, every time I sit near you, you pull me down and start messing around."
"Aw, not every time," she smiled, leaning on one elbow. "Why don't ya put some records on and we can dance?"
Alec thought that was just as bad recently, since she'd started putting her arms around his neck and he thought she was going to start kissing it or was she hinting she wanted him to lean over and kiss hers? How was he supposed to know, she was his first girlfriend and he'd no-one to ask, he couldn't just come out and ask John. He may have been better asking Peter but he was always away.
Maybe after the holidays, spending the whole week together may slow things down? His dad still wasn't sure what type of caravan they would get though he had booked one with at least one bedroom for Rose. He remembered the last time they'd been on a caravan holiday with his mum, there had been a curtain divider or was that the time before? He supposed they were all different, depending on how much you paid. Maybe by now they were all standard?
Before he knew it, Rose was off the bed and they were dancing to some songs Rose liked that had sort of grown on him and she was resting her head on his shoulder.
"Will there be some sort of entertainment on the caravan park?" Rose wondered.
"Dad didn't really say, I expect there will be something? So, how many days are we going to the holiday park? How much money have you saved up?"
"Enough to go a couple of times, if ya want? There must be something else to do as well?"
"We've not been there before, we'll have to wait and see? Maybe when we get there you'll stop driving me crazy?" he smiled as they stopped.
"Yeah, I bet I've been drivin' ya nuts all week?"
"Just a bit. It's okay, it's going to be different from just spending a few hours with each other so no kissing in front of my dad."
"Right, that would be bad? Just keep reminding me," Rose smiled, kissing his cheek.
He could tell that was the sort of person she was becoming but he didn't think his dad would appreciate him having to fend Rose off him all week. Without realizing, Rose had pulled him to sit on the bed and put her arms around him.
"We can when we're on our own though?" she asked him, fingering his cheek and feeling the dimple in it then going to kiss it again.
Alec wondered what she found so fascinating about it but he supposed it was a girl thing. He had no-one to compare her with though so he had to resign himself to getting used to it, not that at this present time he wanted to compare her to anyone else.
Rose eventually went home to pack what she needed, careful not to let her mother see even though she knew where Rose was actually going.
"You make sure you behave," Bob reminded her before she went to bed. "How did you get them to agree to let you stay?"
"It wasn't difficult, I get on well with his aunt and uncle," Rose replied, which was true, though his aunt had been a bit annoyed she'd told him she was staying there before asking.
"I hope you're not going until we leave?" her mother asked.
"No Mum, Alec's coming round to help me over there. So what time will ya be back next Saturday?" she asked, trying to make it sound innocent.
"Our flight's not until two, is it Bob?" Jackie asked him.
Rose was trying to work out how long it took to get back and the time difference. She had no idea what time she'd be back herself but it would be sooner than that, she hoped.
"Well if I'm not here, I'll probably be in town with Alec and his dad," Rose replied, getting a frown from Bob.
Rose supposed that was because of last week when she said she'd be going home with Alec instead of joining them in the pub.
"We still have to discuss that," Bob replied. "It's bad enough you were rude last week by arriving late then leaving without saying goodbye."
Rose wondered if he'd ever understand teenagers?
"Well it might be alright for the other kids but I'm not playing stupid video games, I'd rather be with Alec."
"You spend too much time with him," Bob told her.
"I expect she'll be spending all the holidays with him," her mother joined in, Rose silently thanking her for it.
"Will she now?" Bob questioned her. "What about your other friend?"
"I expect I'll meet up with her, she may have her own plans," Rose replied, not that she'd made any such arrangements with Sandra.
"Well maybe we can arrange for you to meet up with those you see on Saturday?" Bob asked her.
"What? Why do ya think I avoid them? That Jimmy's a moron to start off with and the others are scared stiff of him. You know he cheats on the video games and takes their money off them?"
"That's enough Rose," Bob warned her. "It's time you made other friends besides Alec."
"Well I don't need any more friends that are chosen for me," Rose replied defiantly.
"Be very careful Rose or you'll be coming with us on Saturday nights instead," Bob warned her.
"Bob, don't make her go, she's old enough to stay on her own," Jackie pleaded with him.
"Yeah, I am but if Alec came round or I went to his house, I wouldn't be on my own, would I?" Rose pointed out.
"I said you're spending too much time with him," Bob reminded her. "I'll think about it on the condition you show your face when everyone comes round. Then I may consider letting you go out as long as you are back when they are leaving. You had better get used to them Rose."
Rose went off to her room, Bob questioning Jackie.
"I thought we'd agreed Jackie?"
"I know Bob but she's getting older, she just doesn't like Jimmy or the others," Jackie dared reply.
"No-one's asking her to like them Jackie, she doesn't have to, to join in. You know what the others think?"
Jackie had no idea but she smiled and nodded her agreement. What had Rose said to her a while ago? Something about what was she getting her into? Bob just had different ideas, she tried to convince herself. Just because Rose grew up without her dad, she wasn't used to having one.
Rose had not given Alec a time to come round for her the next morning so she'd have to ask her mother if she could call him. She decided not to say anything to him about what Bob had just told her, well not until after the holiday and hopefully, Bob would have forgotten about it. She certainly wasn't going to attempt to make friends with any of them.
The next morning, Alec was anxiously waiting for Rose to call and his dad noticed.
"Alec, she'll call when she can," his dad smiled as Alec stared at the phone and willing it to ring. "Are you all ready to go?"
"Yes. Maybe I should just go round? Rose said she told her mother I'd be calling for her."
"Well go on then, if she calls, I'll tell her you're on your way shall I?"
"Thanks Dad, it's just making me nervous," Alec admitted.
"As if you've not been nervous since I asked Rose to go with us," his dad just laughed.
Alec felt himself go red. He supposed he had been but back then, they'd only kissed under the mistletoe and now Rose was initiating them for no reason and she was making him the same.
He set off just after ten, since his dad said they'd set off some time after twelve but as he got to the corner of the driveway, her mother and Bob were just getting into a taxi, their luggage being put in the back. Jackie saw him.
"You re early Alec," she told him as Bob was fussing over something.
"Rose wasn't sure what time I should call for her Mrs Tyler. Enjoy your holiday and don't worry about Rose, I'll look after her," Alec promised, hoping it didn't sound wrong.
"I expect ya to," Jackie replied as Bob joined her.
"Come to collect Rose?" Bob asked him.
"Yes Sir, I was just telling Mrs Tyler I would look after Rose while you are both away."
"She should be going with us," Bob reminded him. "She's only staying for you, why aren't you going away?"
Alec wondered if the man was trying to catch him out.
"It's not been the same since my mum died, holidays remind us of her," Alec replied, which was true enough and he was sure his dad had only suggested it to get Rose away for a week.
He now intended to make her remember it. He pressed the buzzer, interrupting Rose on the phone to Alec's dad.
"He's already set off for you," Alec's dad was telling her. "He should be almost there now."
"Okay, thanks, I just heard the buzzer, it's probably him unless it's my mother reminding me yet again to switch everything off and make sure nothing will spoil in the fridge," Rose laughed.
Alec's dad knew Rose was just as nervous as Alec was but it would do them both good in a few ways. One to see how they got on being with each other all the time and two, to prove to Rose what being with a real family was like because he was certain that his ideas and this Bob's were two entirely different things.
John had called him the night before, saying he wished he was going with them but after seeing Rose and Alec at school every day, thought they needed a break from him.
"You should have said," Alec's dad had told John.
"Nah, it's fine, they see more than enough of me. Rose needs this more than Alec does, not that Alec doesn't need to get over missing his mum quite so soon but Rose does him the world of good."
"Yes, I know John and Rose does need this, a week away from what's been going on. She came out with something disturbing last week. I'll tell you when we get back."
"Then have a good time, take both their minds off everything, they help each other," John had told him.
So when the phone had rung not long after Alec had set off to get Rose, he knew it had to be her. Rose had ended the call and gone to the intercom, telling Alec to come up. She was already at the door and greeted him.
"I thought they were never gonna leave," she told him. "They'd better not miss their flight."
"Relax Rose, you may have got the times wrong, I'm sure your mother won't let them miss it," he tried to assure her.
"Well Bob probably wouldn't want to waste his money either but he was gonna waste it getting me to agree to go with them. What was he thinking?"
Alec still had the idea Bob wanted to just watch her by the pool, something he himself was looking forward to but had Rose sussed him out why he delayed getting out himself? If she had, she'd not said anything to him about it, maybe she enjoyed teasing him a little too much?
"Leave it Rose, are you ready to go? We have plenty of time, have you checked everything?"
"Did my mother tell ya to ask me that?"
"No. I saw them getting in the taxi though, she said I'd better look after you," he admitted.
"She knows ya will Alec, she was probably saying that for Bob's benefit. I'm just glad I got away with it."
Alec thought she was more than good at getting away with things but like everything else, it could all come to an end. Had Bob suspected Rose wasn't really staying at his aunt's house? When they got back to Alec's and put Rose's things in the car, they set off, Alec thinking he'd be best off sitting in the front seat and eying Rose though the mirror.
It reminded Rose of the trip on her birthday to see Alec's favourite group, which she wouldn't ever forget, he'd really managed to surprise her and so far, she'd not got him back. Maybe while they were away she would? When they arrived at the caravan park, Rose was eager to get out, making Alec smile.
"I'll go see if we can get the keys," Alec's dad told them as he found a space to park. "You both stay here for now."
Rose could see why as the office looked full.
"We could go find the beach later," Alec offered as Rose looked around.
"Are we near the sea?" Rose wondered, Alec having looked up the place on the map his dad had.
"It's not far, there may be a path to it. I think we're quite close to that holiday park though, we could maybe go tomorrow?" he suggested.
"Yeah, then maybe go back on Wednesday? We could get some leaflets and see where else there is to go," Rose replied eagerly.
Alec's dad had got the keys and a map of where they were going and they all got back into the car to find it and after a short drive he pulled into the side of theirs. Both Alec and his dad had to smile at Rose being the first out again.
"What?" Rose asked as Alec watched her looking around.
Alec shook his head as his dad opened the caravan door. They saw a kitchen area as they entered, a storage cupboard opposite the door and two doors to the left, one turning out to be the bathroom and one a small double bedroom.
They soon got organized, Rose making up her bed and letting Alec hang some of his things in the wardrobe, his dad telling her not to worry about the rest.
"Do you two want to walk back to the store?" he asked them.
When they got back and made something to eat, they all took a walk to the entertainment centre and Alec knew he was doomed if there was dancing later and she would show them up. Alec's dad had to smile when she dragged Alec up after the entertainers left the stage and put some music on. Alec was just glad the smaller children's entertainment had finished before they'd got there.
After a hot drink when they got back, Rose was about to go to her room when Alec followed her to the kitchen area while his dad was watching TV.
"You seemed to enjoy yourself earlier," he told her.
"Yeah, it reminded me of the school disco a bit. This is gonna be a great week Alec."
She kissed his cheek when they'd washed the cups, Alec hoping his dad wasn't taking any notice but thinking he'd best get used to Rose doing things like that. The next morning, Alec had to knock on her room door to get a clean t-shirt from the wardrobe.
"Come on Rose, I need to get in the wardrobe," Alec was trying to tell her as his dad was getting the breakfast things out of the cupboard.
"You should have left one out last night Alec," his dad smiled. "I thought she would have been up by now?"
"She's never late for school," Alec told him.
"Well we can make allowances for her, just keep the bathroom free for her eh?"
Rose had heard him while she was getting out of bed and wondered if he was going to be like that all week.
"I heard ya," she called as she came out to go to the bathroom, still in her pyjamas, making Alec turn away.
"I just wanted a t-shirt," he replied, gulping as he'd expected her to be dressed. "I'll remember to get what I need out tonight for tomorrow morning."
"Sorry, don't mind me," she just grinned at him. "I'm not used to anyone now, my mum gave up trying to get me out early and since I moved up here and have to go further to school, well I just thought I didn't have to get up early for a change."
"It's okay, really. I'm just used to getting up early. We could start a bit later tomorrow?"
"I don't mind, I'll get used to it. I try to avoid eating at the same time as my mum and Bob these days."
Alec could understand that, seeing she didn't like eating in the evenings with them either and more recently, Saturday lunchtimes.
When they were all ready, they set off for the holiday park and Alec's dad paid for them all when they were directed to the visitor's car park, Rose offering him the money.
"Save it Rose for when you come back, I'll drop you both off next time."
Rose thanked him and hoped he wouldn't do that all week or she'd be feeling guilty, since he wouldn't let her pay for the food or do the cooking. She thought the least she could do was keep her bedroom tidy, since she'd got used to it the last year or so and offering to go to the store with Alec and anything else she'd get away with.
They decided to go on the rides first, Alec taking a photo of Rose when she got on the carousel then climbing up behind her, Rose trying to waft him away as he gripped hold of her.
"I don't want you falling off," he laughed, putting the camera in his jacket pocket and Rose wondering what he was even doing wearing it.
So this was him getting her back for what he'd mentioned on her birthday? She thought he'd forgotten about it. He hadn't when he saw the opportunity to get her back and got behind her and made her jump.
"I'm gonna get ya back for that," Rose laughed as the ride began to move.
"You can try," Alec laughed back, his dad seeing them.
When they ran out of rides, they all went off to a fast food place to eat then Alec's dad said he would meet them after they went swimming as he thought it was too warm to go inside and sit and watch them. Rose was pleased there were a few waterslides and intended dragging Alec on a few times to get her revenge for the carousel where she thought he'd gripped her a bit tighter than he need have done but had sort of liked the feeling.
Alec didn't think it was too bad as a punishment for gripping her tightly on the back of the horse on the carousel as she made him go first down the slide and held onto his shoulders the first time then him trying to get her hands off his back the second time, making Rose laugh as they landed in the water.
"Just you wait Rose," Alec warned her as she was still laughing as they got out.
"Ha, we're even now!" she replied as she tried to get out.
"Really?" he asked, raising his eyebrows like John did, which Rose had only just noticed.
Maybe everyone was right and he was turning into his cousin? He often mentioned it to her and she had tried to tell him there was no way. She thought he looked kind of cute doing it though but she would never tell him.
Rose went to get her towel from the locker and Alec stared after her.
"Had enough already?" he asked her.
"Nope, just thought we'd have a rest before we did some actual swimming?" she grinned at him.
"Rose, there's no room to go swimming," he pointed out as there were young kids all over the place either in plastic rings or throwing beach balls to each other.
"Ah, good point then? Looks like it's the slides again," she teased him since young children weren't allowed on their own and a lifeguard was up there on duty and their parents didn't seem to be bothered.
Alec felt like saying as long as she went first this time but thought better of it. He tricked her though when they got back up by getting her in front of him.
"Your turn," he told her from behind, putting his hands on her shoulders to sit her down at the beginning of the slide.
Rose didn't think she should be enjoying it so much as he held onto her. They decided they'd had enough, which was just as well as Alec spotted what time it was and he was waiting for Rose to get out for a change. To him, the clock looked a bit blurry but he supposed it was just the water that had got in his eyes. He didn't want to say anything to Rose, just in case that was all it was.
They met up with Alec's dad, Rose teasing him the next time she was going down the slide on her own.
"You don't mean that Rose, where's the fun in that?" Alec teased her back.
"You two had fun?" they were asked as his dad joined them outside the pool.
"Yeah, come on Alec, let's go back on some of the rides?" Rose replied as his dad took their swimming bags from them and shook his head.
He knew Rose had his son wrapped around her little finger and he didn't seem to mind one bit as Alec grinned at him and let Rose drag him off. He was going to have to maybe lay down a few more rules during the rest of the school holidays. He'd seen them through the window as he'd gone to wait for them, Rose nudging Alec as they were coming out.
Rose got more revenge by insisting Alec sat on the front of the horse, putting her arms around him and trying to rest her head on his shoulder by leaning round. His dad saw them and took a photo of them, smiling to himself. Alec noticed and any doubts his dad was having that Rose couldn't forget about home for a week disappeared.
They got off the horse, Alec going first and helping her down the narrow steps that she went down sideways and Rose dragged him to what she called the parachutes because the tops of the ride were that shape and took his hands while they waited in the queue.
"Have you enjoyed yourselves?" Alec's dad asked as he stood on the other side of the barrier.
Rose nodded, putting her arm in Alec's.
"I just got a picture of you two on the horses, at this rate, I'll have taken more pictures of you both than you have Alec," his dad joked.
Rose tried not to look embarrassed, leaning her head on Alec's shoulder again as he tried to pull her forward towards the ride, his dad taking a picture as they pulled the safety bar towards them. After the ride, they went to get some cold drinks while his dad went to put their bags into the car as Rose wanted to go play crazy golf and his dad had left them mostly to themselves.
"Aw, he's been left out most of the time," Rose told Alec as his dad went off.
"He doesn't mind, I expect he's just missing my mum. She used to go on all the rides with me except the family rides. Did you see him taking that last photo?" Alec asked her.
"Yeah, I hope he doesn't show them to John," Rose laughed.
So did Alec, his cousin had already given him a warning before they'd set off. John had warned him to watch out now Rose would be away from home and she'd be herself and there would be no escape from her by her going home. Alec had just laughed and said he didn't really mind.
Even though Rose had never really played crazy golf before, she soon got the hang of it as Alec showed her how to hold the golf club properly, Rose grinning when she missed the hole going into the castle up a slope and the golf ball going down the side.
"How am I gonna get that?" she asked Alec as he was about to take his turn.
Alec just shrugged his shoulders, looking at his dad and getting his golf ball in one end and out the other.
Rose supposed she had to climb over to retrieve it, making Alec laugh and his dad smile as he completed his own shot.
"So are ya supposed to do it the first time?" Rose huffed as she saw others watching her go fish the ball out of the narrow space and Alec was grinning.
"Don't worry about it Rose," Alec's dad told her as she went to try again, swinging the golf club and the ball going all the way up the ramp and through to the other side, holding everyone up behind them.
She went to the next obstacle or whatever she thought it was called, catching up with Alec. When they had completed the course, Alec's dad counted up the scores, declaring Alec the winner with the least shots.
"Rose would have won if she'd not missed that ramp," Alec told them.
His dad knew he was just saying that as they went to hand in the equipment. They all got back into the car and were soon back at the caravan, Rose dying to be on her own with Alec to discuss their day out.
"Why don't you two go for a walk?" his dad suggested as he started to prepare their evening meal.
"We can go out afterwards," Alec suggested, glancing at Rose.
"Yeah and maybe tomorrow, we can hire some bikes and go exploring?" Rose wondered as they'd passed a shop on the way to their caravan.
"Well I was going into the town tomorrow to get some groceries," his dad told them. "Why don't you hire them for the morning and we'll go down to the beach in the afternoon?"
Rose was really hoping they could go on their own but supposed they had the rest of the week to do that, since they'd put their swimming things on the airer to dry and balanced it on the window ledge outside. After they had eaten, they had time to go walk around the camp exploring and seeing how much the bike hire for a few hours was.
"So, can ya ride a bike then?" Rose decided to tease him.
"I had one until I was nearly twelve but with mum getting ill, I never bothered asking for a bigger one. Did you have one? I mean since you lived in a flat?"
Rose wondered what he meant by that but knew he meant nothing personal.
"Yeah, I got one for Christmas when I was twelve. I always wanted one, mum kept saying no and there it was, outside the flat and she denied all knowledge about it. She said some of her friends must have got together, either that or it was left by aliens," Rose grinned.
"I bet you like to think it's the second," Alec teased her as they reached the swimming pool. "We could come here tomorrow?"
"Let's go to the beach first? This pool hasn't got any slides though."
Alec thought that would be a good thing but having Rose hold onto him had felt good. They went back to the caravan but Rose stopped near a building.
"When we go to the beach tomorrow, let's sneak off somewhere."
"What do you want to sneak off for?" Alec wondered.
Then she did that sway in front of him, the one that said she was going to get her own way.
"Do ya think I'm gonna go all week without kissing ya?" she asked him.
Alec didn't think she could but when he thought about it, neither could he. He was fairly sure there would be a lot of sneaking off during the coming week. He wasn't going to be wrong.
