Where is this leading?
After another new year's eve together and celebrating Valentine's day, Rose and Alec's love for each other had grown and for some reason, in the school, no-one took any notice of them which proved John's theory somewhat that they were invisible to those who didn't want to see them though Rose had laughed at it.
It was now approaching Alec's sixteenth birthday and Rose was planning something, with a little help from John, who was still helping her catch up with school work and she was praying she would pass her exams so she could remain at the school and not have to either leave altogether or move to another.
It would be her last chance to apply for college and be accepted but she knew Alec wouldn't have that problem. Alec had already had some replies even though they had another year to go at school and he wondered why they'd had to apply so early.
John tried to explain it to them one lunchtime.
"Weeell," John laughed as Rose sat on the back of the bench with her arms around Alec's neck, since no-one said anything to them. "This is a grammar school, they have different ways of doing things. You will only be just over sixteen and not seventeen until it's the new term for college plus, for Rose, it's a chance to get more credits for her work. Don't worry Rose, I'll still help you and you didn't do too bad last time."
"I wouldn't have done it without you and Alec," Rose replied leaning her head on Alec's shoulder. "So, we apply earlier to make sure we'll get in? Alec's already had some replies."
"Yes, I know," John replied. "It doesn't mean you won't get any Rose, so don't worry just yet."
"I only just got by last year," Rose told him sadly, Alec trying to turn to her awkwardly.
"You will do better this time Rose," he tried to assure her.
"Yeah, well I hope so then. As long as you get in though, then ya can get in the police college."
"Rose, we talked about that," Alec reminded her. "You can come with me, I'll get a living allowance."
"Alec's right but maybe not the first year," John replied.
"I thought I would?" Alec asked him.
"You'll be expected to live in the college the first year or stay at home but it will be impractical for you to remain at home if you don't get in the Glasgow academy, you may have to go to one of the others."
"Geez, I hope not," Rose replied. "It'll be better if ya get accepted in Glasgow."
"Yes, then you will have already moved out of Bob's place. Rose, you still have to talk to my aunt about that," Alec reminded her.
"Well you'd best get around to it," John told her as he got up. "I can't ask her for you, it's up to you and it's only a few months."
Rose already knew that but she'd not got up the courage to ask Alec's aunt if she could have what had been Alec's room, before they had met. She had no means of paying her way unless she left school and got a dead-end job so asking if she could stay without being able to pay her way was a lot to ask.
Staying at what had become her home was getting her down and Alec and his family already knew there was something strange going on where Bob was concerned. Alec's dad had repeatedly told her to keep herself safe until Alec called for her on Saturday nights as Bob still insisted people came over and Rose was thinking about just going round for him but Alec was worried she would meet some of them on her way out. As John walked off, Rose sat beside Alec, taking his hand.
"Alec, how can I ask her? I mean she let me stay for a week at most, it's different me living there."
"Rose, she might let you work it off you know, by doing some housework and stuff. You won't know until you ask. It may not be as bad as you think. So, should I be worried what you have planned for my birthday this year?" he joked, squeezing her hand.
"You had better watch out, that's all I'm saying," Rose laughed, trying not to think what he'd do to get her back. "We went to the pictures for mine last year, remember?" she nudged him.
"Yes, I remember. Maybe we can do better this year?"
"Aw, I don't know, it was nice enough, then we started going nearly every week."
"Rose, you have to ask my aunt, maybe it should be this Sunday?"
"I don't know Alec. I mean I can't stay with my mum forever and she won't leave Bob, no matter how much I try and convince her to get a place of her own. I don t know how much of her wages Bob makes her either spend on food and stuff, she might be able to afford a tiny flat or something, she won't tell me. We'd have a better chance if I left school and got a job."
"Rose, you can't give up easily after how hard you've tried to catch up."
"Alec, I can always go to college later and study in my spare time? Maybe that would be better anyway, if I can talk mum into leaving him but not going back to London. I think she misses our old life sometimes but obviously not enough. Did ya see anyone when you were calling for me last Saturday night?"
"Why, who was there to see Rose? We got out before anyone got there because I was early. Who was there when you got back?" he asked worriedly.
"Well that Jimmy was there with his parents and I heard them say it was his birthday in a few weeks, it must be around the same time as yours. Then while I was in the kitchen, I heard a girl's voice so that was a first time in a while. I hate to think what they'd been talking about."
"So do I," Alec agreed. "If my aunt says yes, you won't have to put up with it much longer."
"Geez Alec, do ya think something's gonna happen with them, when they get to sixteen?"
That was exactly what Alec was worried about and the sooner Rose got out the better.
"You have to promise you will do something Rose, I don't want you getting involved if something is going to happen," he replied as everyone made their way back inside.
"You're making me nervous," Rose tried to joke as they followed.
He thought she had every right to be as they went to the geography room for a double lesson, which Rose now didn't dread when getting asked to name Scottish locations. As the lesson began, Alec had to smile as Rose was the first to put her hand up when the teacher asked how deep Loch Ness was.
"Well answered Rose. How did you know that?" their teacher wanted to know.
"Miss, I went near there on holiday last year, we went to the museum," Rose replied.
She was just glad the teacher didn't ask who she'd gone with.
With it being a Monday, they dashed into Alec's house after school and up to his room, kissing when they got inside. Alec had something to tell her though.
"Rose, my dad mentioned something about changing his hours, now I'm older. He only did it to be here for me after school so he might be home later. If he is, well we can have more time together, if you want?" he asked worriedly.
"Oh. Well yeah, if you want to as well? If he does, well we should get our own tea, well I can get it ready, save him doing it. He's done it all this time for us."
"You, Rose Tyler, are something else," Alec replied, unfastening her school shirt as she lay on the bed, Alec just to the side. "Well maybe when we go away, we can do it as well?"
"Yeah, we should. Alec, he did do it for you, to make up for your mum not being here, it's time to give back and everyone's been so good to me."
"Yes, everyone knows how things are for you, they want to make up for it. If you could just get your mother to see what's going on and get her out as well but she's being fooled by him, what is he telling her?" Alec wondered as he reached to unfasten her bra strap.
Rose put her arms around his neck.
"Whatever it is, I'm out of it Alec. He can't say anything to me any more and he's deluded if he thinks I'm ever gonna join in. Geez, that time you were late was bad enough."
"Don't think about it Rose. You need to get out of there and I wish dad would let you stay here, in the loft but he'd never agree so my aunt is your best chance."
"Have you ever asked your dad?" she asked him as he got up to take his school trousers off, something he thought Rose seemed to enjoy, well that and him putting his jeans on and leaving them unfastened.
"Rose, he feels sorry for you but having you stay here is another thing, when there is an alternative. Maybe if my aunt says no but you have to ask her first. Rose, I have this awful feeling what will happen when every teenager who hangs around with their parents at your place and everywhere else they go, when they all reach sixteen."
"Yeah, so do I Alec and I don't like it any more than you do. They're being groomed, aren't they and Bob's annoyed he can't get me involved. That was his plan, so he could take part and he picked my mum because he thought he could groom me. What's he been telling my mum though?"
"Hush Rose, don't think about it. We don't have much time, remember?" he asked, going to kiss her top half and noticing how perfect she looked, with her hair fanned out across the pillow and her now smiling at him. "You are beautiful Rose."
When the weekend came around and they had spent Saturday afternoon mainly with Rose trying to get his birthday card and present, she was about to set off when Alec buzzed to say he was downstairs later on when Bob called after her.
"In a rush tonight are you?" he asked her.
"Alec's a bit early, we thought we'd get an earlier bus into town, so we don't have to rush to the cinema."
"Well, lately, you've been avoiding our friends and they are not pleased. Jimmy's parents said they saw you walking down the street last Saturday as they got out of their car."
"I have to go, Alec's waiting," was all Rose replied.
"Hold on. Don't think because you are older you will get away with it. All the others do as they are told young lady and you are spoiling things."
"You mean these plans ya keep going on about?" Rose asked him, thinking Alec would come up to see what was wrong. "Well ya never told me they included me. Does my mother know?"
"Do I know what?" Jackie wanted to know as she came out of the bedroom, all dressed up, Rose thought a bit too much.
"Nothing Jackie, I was just telling Rose about leaving before our friends arrive."
"Yeah, I noticed. Rose, ya know Bob likes ya being here when they arrive and all you've done lately is stay out of their way. They just want to see ya for a while before ya go out," Jackie told her as the door buzzer went.
Rose hoped it was Alec who'd got tired of waiting and not some of Bob's creepy friends she couldn't remember the names of, except the even creepier Jimmy.
"Mum, I don't want to see them before I go out. I have to check if that's Alec at the door."
Bob saved her the trouble as he answered it, seeing Alec standing there.
"You are keeping Rose from meeting our friends," Bob reminded him, Alec having lost count of how many times he'd heard it before.
"I waited downstairs for her," Alec replied, seeing her talking to her mother. "We agreed I would come up if she was late down."
Alec was hoping for a fast escape before Bob's friends began arriving but he heard the lift door opening behind him.
"You let them in?" Bob asked him.
"No, there was no-one behind me, the door must not have closed properly behind me," Alec tried to explain, since Bob's friends had argued with him over it once.
"We saw him going in Bob," Jimmy's mother told him. "Our Jimmy here caught the door."
Alec thought at least he was off the hook about it but he'd not noticed their car parked in the guest parking space, he would have made sure the door was locked. Alec looked at the other teenager, who was grinning at Rose.
"Well we are going out," Alec replied, taking Rose's arm.
He wanted to say there was no way either of them were staying any longer than they had to. When they got outside, Alec wanted to know why she'd not gone down.
"He caught me as I was leaving. Something's gonna happen Alec, I know it is so you'd better start coming up for me or else I start staying at your house when we get back from town."
"Calm down Rose. What did he say to you?" he asked as they went down the stairs.
"He's gettin' more insistent I stay until his friends arrive," she admitted as they emerged downstairs. "Mum was acting like there was nothing wrong with them wanting to see me. Geez, he's been brainwashing her all this time to think it was normal."
"Well your mother had nothing else to go on Rose, did she?" Alec asked worriedly, getting into the street and seeing a bus passing so they had twenty minutes to wait. "Rose, wait at my house from now on, something is going to happen and I have a feeling I can press your door buzzer all I want and Bob won't let me in."
"You're scaring me Alec. I'll lock myself in my room if I have to, before they arrive but I thought I'd be safe enough in the kitchen, seems I was wrong."
"Yes, you are Rose. I wish I was older, then I could join the police and find out what's going on."
Rose squeezed his hand. "Yeah, I know ya would Alec. I'm sorry you walked right into that."
"There is nothing to be sorry about Rose," he told her as they crossed the road to the bus stop. "I am always here for you."
They sat in the bus shelter, Rose with her head on his shoulder.
"I know Alec but sometimes it gets a bit much. What the hell did he mean? Why are his friends so bothered, why does whatever they're up to have to involve me?"
"Rose, think about it? You were thirteen, your mother wanted to get out of the estate you lived in and she thought she was giving you a better life. Bob saw his chance and the advantage was, your mother had been single so long, she would go along with whatever his plans were. We just need to know what they are."
"Being a detective again?" Rose teased him.
"I wish I already were Rose, then I could spoil everything. Try talking to your mum again Rose, get her to see there is something wrong."
"How do I do that Alec? Ya know I've tried but I can't just say we think the others are grooming their kids and Bob was trying the same with me. What if we're wrong?"
Alec didn't think they were as he rested his head on top of hers. He wished they were though. They went off to the cinema then got the bus back, Alec wanting to take her back upstairs.
"No Alec, if they come out, I don't want them saying anything to ya. If they can't get the message I'm not gonna stay then tough, that's their problem. They might have gone anyway, they seemed a bit upset."
"Yes, they did from what I saw," Alec agreed. "Just stay away from them when you get back, promise me Rose."
"Yeah, I promise," Rose replied as they got in the lift, hoping Bob's friends weren't waiting for it. "I'll talk to your aunt tomorrow, don t say anything to her, I have to do it on my own."
"I'm sure she will agree Rose, after your birthday. You have nothing to worry about."
Luckily for Rose, she didn't get stopped going to her room, just hearing her mother laughing about something yet again. What did she find so amusing though? She wished Alec would call her when he got home, maybe it was time she started asking him? Did she want to stand in the hallway talking to him while everyone was leaving though? She thought if only the phone was portable.
The next day, she was keen to get to Alec's aunts to ask about staying there once she reached sixteen and could leave home legally. It didn't go quite as she expected as after Alec met her and they went straight there, she caught his aunt in the kitchen.
"You're early today Rose, any reason?" she was asked.
"Yeah, I wanted to ask something that I've been putting off. You let me stay that week when my mum was away and over Christmas last year and I can't thank you enough for that."
"You don't have to, we were glad to have you. What do you want to ask?"
"Well, you know how things are for me at home, not that I think of it as home," Rose began. "I'll be old enough to leave home soon and I was thinking of maybe leaving school and getting a job but I won't be able to afford a place of my own. I can't stay where I am and I was wondering if you would let me have Alec's old room you made for him. I'll help around the house, do my fair share."
She watched as Alec's aunt sat at the kitchen table.
"Have you talked to your mother about leaving home? I suppose Alec and John know?" she asked Rose.
Rose tried not to blush.
"I was a bit reluctant to ask you Mrs Smith," she replied, thinking she'd best not call her auntie Mary. "I can tell them at school I want to leave at the end of term, John said schools work a bit different up here or I could stay on and hope I get into the college Alec chooses, then if I can stay, I'll do the housework and stuff."
"I see then? You talked with Alec about it?"
"Yeah, sorry. I don't know what else to do really. I think something's happening at home, with those friends of Bob's, they're getting weirder, that Jimmy in particular. He was grinning at me last night, even when Alec was there and they'd followed Alec into the building without buzzing to be let in."
"Tell me Rose, what do you think they are up to? John and Alec don't say much else."
"Bob just keeps going on about me not spoiling his plans but I can't say much else, I have no proof. They scare the hell out of me after what I saw once when Alec was late. It's like they're playing some kind of game."
"I have a good idea what it is Rose. There is nothing anyone can do without any proof, to everyone else it seems like they are just friends getting together."
"Well Alec says when he joins the police, he's gonna find out, one way or another," Rose replied.
Alec's aunt smiled. "I have no doubt he will Rose, I know he loves you. Let me talk this over with Alec's uncle, it's a lot to ask. You know we all care about you though so we'll think carefully but if we decide we can do it, then we'll expect you to finish school, no leaving without trying to get into college, then you can apply for a grant. There's one thing though."
Rose had been expecting that.
"You mean me and Alec?" Rose asked. "We'll go by what you say Mrs Smith."
"That's not what I meant but since you have brought it up, yes, we would expect you to behave appropriately. What I actually meant was this Bob you live with, I don't want him coming after you."
"You think he would?" Rose dared ask.
"You'll be leaving home Rose and spoil whatever these plans of his are but surely he will realise you are too old now to go along with whatever they all have planned?"
"Too old?" Rose repeated.
"I think you had better get everyone in here to discuss that Rose, we all know where this is leading."
