Anywhere with you

The next day, they went off to visit another castle then after getting back, Rose went to pack. Alec knocked on her bedroom door, John watching him.

"Rose can I get my things?" Alec called out to her.

She shouted for him to enter, Alec seeing clothes all over the bed.

"I needn't have brought so much," Rose complained.

"My dad tried to hint for me to bring more with me. They should have told us before we set off that it wasn't wise for you to go back with us."

"Yeah but maybe they were tryin' not to spoil the holiday and have it looming over us?" she asked.

Alec went to the drawer Rose had let him use and picked up his remaining items.

"Don't worry Alec, we have a washing machine," Rose grinned. "Though why she rents it, I don't know, she could have just bought a second-hand one cheaper. She keeps complaining that at least when we were living with Bob, she had everything she needed."

"I hope you pointed out the consequences of living with him?" Alec asked. "Come on Rose, start putting things in your case, or you'll be still doing it in the morning," he joked, trying to cheer her up.

"Very funny Alec. What would I have done if your dad didn't agree you should come back to London with me?" she asked him, sitting on the edge of the bed.

Alec moved some t-shirts and sat next to her.

"He probably already knew he wouldn't be able to stop me. Cheer up Rose, at least we'll spend the rest of the summer together. You can show me around London," he suggested.

"Yeah, there's lots of things to do. You'll have to get a new film for your camera," Rose smiled, putting her arm in his.

"Want some help packing?" he offered.

"Nah, I'm fine. It's just, well I was looking forward to spending the holiday up there."

"Maybe another time? Rose, he may get tired of waiting for you going back? Let's see what my uncle can find out but he'll have to be very careful. He can't give any details, he won't want your name mentioning, maybe he's only getting information as hearsay? We can ask my dad, if you want?"

"No, just leave it Alec. I won't give Bob the satisfaction of going back there so he can carry out what he had planned. Did he seriously think that as I got older that I'd want to join in?" she asked him.

"Who knows what he was really planning?" Alec asked her. "Maybe in some weird way he thought that was what would happen? He maybe thought you were like him, then he saw his friends and wanted in?"

"Well he had a funny way of doing things. I tried to warn my mother right at the start," she reminded him.

"I know you did Rose. I know things were bad for you when you first got there."

"They got better though," Rose smiled. "I met you."

"You helped me get over losing my mum. I don't know what I would have done without you either. I love you Rose."

"I love you too. Well, this lot ain't gonna pack itself," she declared.

"I hope they are packing in there," Alec's dad asked John after Alec had gone in Rose's room.

John had to smile. Would his uncle constantly wonder what they were up to when they got back to Rose's flat?

After they had eaten, Rose and Alec went back to the beach for the last time.

"Hey, maybe while you're in London, mum can get one of her friends to take us to Brighton for the day?" Rose suggested.

"Yes, that would be good," he replied, one eye on kissing her neck and one of the rest of the beach. "So, are there no places near you where we can sneak off for a while?"

"No, I wish there were though. Never mind, mum will be out most of the day, it's rare her clients come to our place. It'll be just our luck she'll start though. Come on, we'd better go to the main building and use the phone, since I didn't feel like calling her last night."

Once they'd waited for the phone to be free, Rose got through to her mother.

"Rose! Are ya having a nice holiday?" her mother asked her.

"Yeah, it's been great but I've got some news for ya."

"Gone on. You've not spent up already?"

"No Mum. It's just I can't say much on the phone but there's been a change of plans. Alec's coming back to London with me, instead of me going up there."

"Oh. Is it to do with why we left?" Jackie asked her.

"Yeah, I'll explain when we get back. Mum, all ya need to know is I can't go back so Alec said he's staying with me. How's things anyway?"

"Well, you know Howard from the market?" she asked Rose.

Rose mouthed to Alec this could take a while.

"Yeah Mum, what about him?"

"Well, I went to get a few things and he offered to bring them over after he finished work. I mean he's never offered before but when he arrived, he stood there grinning at me."

"Well, what did ya do about it Mum?" Rose wanted to know.

"Well I thought ya were gonna be away the rest of the summer? I think he's gonna ask me out. Do ya mind?" she asked Rose.

"No Mum, 'course not, I've got Alec. You go out if he asks ya. I'd best go now, before my money runs out but we'll see you some time tomorrow. Bye Mum, luv ya."

"What was that about" Alec asked as they moved away from the phone.

"I'm not sure but I think she may have just got herself a new boyfriend," she replied. "Shame he didn't ask her out before she met Bob."

"Rose, if she hadn't, we'd never have met," he reminded her.

"Yeah, hey, sorry. I didn't mean anything by it, ya know how much I love ya. It's just after Bob used her because of me, well she didn't deserve that, she deserved better. It was all a show, he was tryin' to get to me."

Alec had known that for a while and he still wasn't happy about it. He led her to some tables and chairs and sat her down, offering to go get her a drink.

"No, I'm okay, sorry. It just gets me mad now, that mum thought she was happy with him. She said she doesn't miss him but I think she does. Maybe Howard will take her mind off it?"

"Then let's hope so? Maybe you should give them a push when we get back?" Alec smiled.

They were about to leave when his dad and John walked in. John noticed Rose had an annoyed look on her face.

"Okay Rose? Why don't we go inside and you and Alec can do some dancing later?" he suggested.

"It will cheer you up," Alec agreed, taking her hand.

"Well, if you two think it'll cheer me up, who am I to disagree?" Rose replied.

Alec didn't know how to take it, until she squeezed his hand. As they danced later, she told him she wasn't taking it out on him because she couldn't go back to Scotland.

"Don't worry about it Rose, I know you're disappointed," he told her as they danced to a slow tune.

"I was so looking forward to it Alec," Rose replied, leaning into his shoulder.

"I know love, sorry. We'll make up for it, you can show me around London, remember? It's not forever, we'll find a way so you can go back. Just think though, I get to look around London, I can learn so much. It'll be great Rose, I'd spend the rest of my holidays anywhere with you."

"Aw, thanks Alec. Yeah, it'll still be good, I just thought it would be better up there, that's all. We could have maybe got John to take us a few places."

"He would have done, I'm sure. There are lots of places we can go in London you know? We can get day tickets and ride the subway maybe? We can go to the Tower of London and places?"

"Yeah, that's a good idea? This will be your first time away from home, for more than a week, won't it?" she asked him.

"Yes, you know that Rose. I thought I would be all apprehensive about it but I'm not."

Surprisingly, Rose was up early the next morning, despite her having to go home instead of back home with Alec.

"So, see you after the holidays?" his dad asked as John crammed all their luggage in the back of his car and wishing he'd bought a bigger one last time."

"Dad, you know I have to go with Rose. I can't let her go back on her own," Alec replied while Rose was putting her jacket on.

"I know Alec, I was expecting it, you're right. Here, take this money, if you need any more, just ring and I'll see if I can get to the bank and put some in for you."

"Dad, I've got some of my own," Alec insisted.

"How long will that last eh, if you're going out every day? I know Rose may have some money of her own, if she's been saving but you can treat her a few times maybe?" his dad smiled.

"Okay then Dad, thanks. Tell Aunt Mary Rose is sorry she can't stay."

"She knows Alec. She knows how difficult it is but Rose will be welcomed back at any time. Go on, she's waiting for you."

Alec glanced over as Rose held the car door open. When they'd set off to get Rose last Saturday, he'd not been expecting this but it was the only way they could spend the holiday together.

"I love her Dad, I can't spend the holiday on my own."

"I know Alec. You know why I had to impose those rules on you? You're both sixteen now but you're both growing up fast, there's plenty of time so don't rush things."

Alec thought it was too late for that. When Rose had left, every day, he'd felt empty without her and he didn't like it. It would be the same when he got back and they would both have to deal with it the best way they could. Rose went over to see what was delaying Alec.

"Bye Mr Hardy and thanks for letting me come with you," she told Alec's dad.

"That's okay Rose, we were glad you were still able to join us. We would have missed you if you'd not been able to come. You two have a lot to make up for while you've been away."

"Come on you two, we have a long way to go," John reminded them. "Not forgotten anything Rose? Not left your lipgloss in the bathroom?"

"Bloomin' cheek," Rose called back, seeing he was just grinning.

"Rose, you'd best go check," Alec agreed, not wanting to point out she may have left something else though he assumed she kept the pill she took in her purse.

"Fine, since you two don't trust me," Rose huffed and went off to the still open chalet, as Alec's dad was dropping the key off.

"Oops!" John laughed as she went inside.

"You've done it now John," Alec told him. "She'll be in a mood now."

Rose looked around the empty chalet, knowing she'd not left anything but wanted to prove a point when she went out empty handed. She'd tried to hide her disappointment of not being able to go back to Paisley but maybe it wouldn't be too bad?

Going back out and getting in John's car, Alec wondered if she'd be mad with him if he sat with her, after agreeing with John. He looked at her as he debated and thought he'd only make things worse if he sat in the front. Rose nudged him as he put the seatbelt on.

"Sorry," he leaned over to say, John speaking to his dad.

"Plum," Rose replied.

"So, are you staying down there overnight again?" John was being asked.

"Yeah, it's a bit far to attempt to drive back. I think they'll both be a bit relieved actually, Rose won't be wondering if anyone saw her, they'd tell on her. I know my dad will try and find out what's really going on. I hope we're not keeping her away for nothing."

"No, I don't think we are John. We'd best be on the safe side. I'll see you when you get back," Alec's dad told him.

Stopping only once, mainly for Rose, they arrived behind the Powell Estate late in the afternoon, getting everything out apart from most of John's things. Rose got her key out as they reached her floor in her block of flats, the next door neighbour coming out.

"Been away?" Sandra asked her. "Not been to Scotland again then?"

"Not quite," Rose grinned. "Oh, these are Alec, my boyfriend and his cousin John, they brought me back but Alec's staying, you might see him around."

Sandra just smiled at the two of them as they followed Rose inside.

"Mum, we're back," Rose called out.

Jackie came out of the kitchen.

"Rose! I was just getting tea ready, I hoped you wouldn't be late back. Well, put ya things away, it's nearly ready. I saw Mickey earlier, he asked about ya."

"I can't think why," Rose huffed, picking up her holdall.

Alec assumed she wanted him to carry the rest of her stuff to her bedroom, John grinning at him and raising his eyebrows.

Once Alec was in her bedroom, he put everything on her neater than usual bed.

"Rose, you said you'd been avoiding him," Alec reminded her.

"I have, I swear Alec. I've completely ignored him when we were walking past."

"Well maybe that made him worse?" Alec suggested. "Don't worry though, he'll get the message while I'm here?"

"Yeah, I hope so. I was so stupid, the way I used to torment him, he was just too easy to wind up. Hey, just think, we can share my room now, instead of me staying at your aunts? I mean I would have stayed there, I'm grateful she'd agreed."

"I know you were Rose. Let's unpack later, I'm hungry. So, your mum learned to cook?" he smiled.

"You saw that last weekend," Rose laughed. "Yeah, I've managed to teach her a few things since we got back. It wasn't her fault, she'd just been trying to impress Bob and he thought she'd done it all. How could I say it was me?"

"Rose, you did what you thought best, how were you to know how it would turn out? Come on, I really am hungry."

"Geez Alec, how can ya eat and still stay so skinny?"

"I'm just lucky? John says it's my metabolism, he tried to explain."

"Well, my mum will try and fatten ya up before ya go back," Rose laughed.

Alec just smiled, he didn't doubt she would try. They unpacked after they'd eaten then went to watch TV with Jackie and John, who had been grilled over how Rose had been on holiday.

"They were fine Mrs Tyler," John had tried to tell her.

"Oh call me Jackie. You looked after Rose in school with Alec, didn't ya?"

"Yes, I was really lucky to get sent there and I'm sorry I was the one who made her talk," John replied. "She had to, sooner or later but I knew something else was wrong. We all tried to help her Jackie."

"Yeah, I know ya did, she told me," Jackie replied. "How's Alec been then?"

"Miserable. I tried to cheer him up but as the holiday got nearer, he seemed happier. You know we brought Rose back for her own safety?" John asked her.

"Yeah, she blames me for gettin' her into it but I swear I never knew what was going on."

"It happens. You were taken in by him, you wanted something better for Rose and she found it, she found Alec. Rose may not have told you but Alec was really down after losing his mum. She came along just at the right time."

"Yeah, that's Rose for ya. I shouldn't have mentioned that Mickey was asking about her, I don't think she'll ever leave Alec, even though they'll be apart."

"No Jackie, they're stuck on each other, that's for sure. I know it's a shame Rose can't go back but they can enjoy themselves down here as much as back in Scotland."

"I know. How come you talk with an English accent then?" Jackie wanted to know.

John laughed. "The same as Rose was trying to hide hers, I wanted to stand out and so did she when I got her to talk and no-one bothered about either of us. Alec will stick out down here but I don't think there's any need to be concerned, they'll watch out for each other."

"Rose lost a lot of her old friends when we came back," Jackie admitted. "She'd changed, she worked hard when she was at that other school and she stopped messin' around."

"She did, yes. Alec really loves her Jackie, just remember that."

Before Rose and Alec had joined her mother and John, they had kissed for a while, glad they could be alone again.

"So, am I staying in your room?' Alec teased her.

"Well, I hope so, I missed ya. Mum said she had something to talk about when we got back, I hope it's not she's makin' ya sleep on the sofa? She said something else, about this bloke she knows. I think she might be a bit more interested in him but will she trust anyone after Bob?"

"Let's hope so Rose, if she does, it may help her get over Bob. She may be out in the evenings Rose," he whispered in her ear. "We could have the place to ourselves."

"Hey, we'll have plenty of time while mum's out at work, if we don't go out every day."

"Yes, we can have a couple of days when we don't go far, can't we?" he agreed.

"Let's go watch TV then?" she smiled as Alec kissed just below her ear.

When they got to bed. Rose knew they had a week to make up for but they also had to keep quiet, Alec saying John may say something to his dad.

"He knows ya staying in my room," Rose reminded him as he propped himself on one elbow and looked at her.

Rose turned towards him.

"Yes, I know he does Rose, it depends how much my dad asks him."

Rose tried to suppress a giggle.

"It's not funny Rose," he told her.

Rose just pushed him on his back and sat astride him. He looked up at her, she was only wearing a silky strappy top and she'd not let him put his t-shirt back on so she was running her finger down him to his shorts. He reached up and put his hands on her hips, this was turning into something different for them, it was going to another stage in their relationship being together day and night.

The only drawback was, her mother was there so Alec wondered how that would work. Would her mother lay down a few rules, such as behaving in her company? As long as she didn't object to them sitting in the chair together, he could live with them being watched.

The next morning, they went to see John off, Rose giving him a hug.

"See you in a few weeks," John told them. "Though I may have trouble getting Alec to leave."

"We talked about it," Alec told him. "We know it will be hard for me to leave but Rose was right, I can't stay here. It was different when she arrived in Scotland."

"You could fit in, if you wanted to," John disagreed.

"No John, I wouldn't, Rose reminded me of a few things. I'd never get in school, being away from home. It's different to when Rose got in the grammar school. We'll just have to wait until it's safe for Rose to go back but she's going to try to get into collage, aren't you Rose?"

"Yeah, Alec's right," she told John. "I got lucky up there, I got to fit in but Alec wouldn't, not here. See you in a few weeks then?"

They waved goodbye and Alec took her hand. She led him to the playground and they sat on the swings, Rose surprised there was hardly anyone around.

"So, I guess things change now?" Rose asked him after they had established last night they wanted to do things other than have sex then usually, they had to rush downstairs for Alec's dad getting home or in case John decided to pay a visit.

They'd had some afternoons just kissing and Alec trying to get her bra off, which sometimes she'd let him and sometimes resisted but they both knew they now wanted some intimate contact. The question was were they ready for it?

"Yes Rose, things are changing. I'm worried though Rose. I mean if we let things change, well, we'll be apart for a few months at a time. Will it be enough, the times we are together?"

Rose took his hand and pulled her swing closer to him.

"We'll have to make it enough Alec, we have plenty of time. Right, when we go home, we decide what we're gonna do this week, right?"

Alec knew she already had it planned. He knew it would make her happy if he just went along with whatever she decided. He could do that.