Sunday 25 March 2012

Me and Wild Boy (4): Love Hurts

Wild Boy is expelled from school and goes back home to the Midlands.  His mother invites me to spend New Year with them; I don't want to go, but don't know how to say no.   On arrival I am surprised to find that he lives in a house not unlike mine and that his mum and sister are not unlike my mum and sister.  I think I imagined he either lived in something akin to Blenheim Palace or a crack den - so my months of worrying he'd think me too ordinary were wasted.

It has been arranged that we are going to a New Year's Eve party.  I wear a turquoise cheongsam dress that is so tight I can't bend down to do up my sandals without assistance - I think I look mighty fine (mighty cold actually - it has been snowing and my mottled blue legs tone well with the dress).

The party is at WB's Dad's golf club - the ultimate in middle class, middle-agedness - where has my wanna-be rock god gone?  Dad - all sheepskin coat and flash car - drives us there and Mum stays at home. I am surprised (and a little shocked - I have led a sheltered life) to be introduced to Dad's girlfriend - she is probably no more than 6 or 7 years older than me.

Just before midnight the DJ announces the next song is dedicated to a lucky lady whose boyfriend is intending to propose to her that night.  All the party guests say how romantic and on New Year's Eve too.  The song comes on and it is 'my' song (well, the one WB says is my song - we never agree on music).  I am embarrassed that in front of a crowd of people WB gets down on one knee and asks me to marry him - I say nothing and this is taken as grateful consent.  I am sixteen, scared of him and just want to go home - even if my parents do say 'I told you so'.

His Dad's girlfriend says that I am a lucky girl and if I ever decided I don't want him she'll have him - she proceeds to give him a congratulatory kiss that morphs into her eating his face.  Strangely I just don't care.


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