Cerise

13th of december 1989 ☆

12 days until Christmas and I have more inside info from Phil! According to him, Gary is trying to spend ALL his time with me because them lot are going on holiday for Christmas. It's sweet but it means I'll have no one to spend my time with at Christmas. Great. I was a bit of a loner if Gary wasn't there, I clung to him and his popularity. He'd become one of them cool football lads or whatever that was called. Yeah I had other mates but none were as close as Gary.

He was sat in his bedroom with his new girlfriend, Connie. She was sat in between his legs on the floor and I was sat on the bed, feeling like a proper third wheel. With their constant kissing and hugging I could feel the jealousy pumping through me most of the time I was near them.

Connie was getting ready to go home, leaving me and Gary alone. We said bye to her before getting back into conversation.

"Red?" Gary smiled softly at me.
I nodded, waiting for him to continue.
"I love ya, y'know? As a mate and all that." He grinned.

That's like a punch to the gut, well he obviously had a girlfriend and wouldn't get with me. Recently it was seeming more obvious that he was embarrassed to be with me. Around others he'd stopped calling me Red, he'd started calling me my proper name, Cerise. He obviously wanted to spend time with me, just not in public.
"Love ya too." I smiled back.

"Well, what do you wanna do? I've got all my records." I shrugged and smiled again. Gary nodded and I went to put one on. As I sat back down Gary leaned over to me. "Hold on, let me sort your hair out." He laughed, moving the strands that were out of places.
"You really like my hair don't ya?" I laughed. "Well obviously, it's all pretty and red." He smiled. "Thanks." I grinned as he continued to fiddle with my hair, as if he was playing with it.

Suddenly, Phil burst in. Just like he used to when they were younger. This time Tracey was stood with him. Tracey whistled at the sight of them. "Ooo, what's going on in here, lovebirds?" Phil laughed along with Tracey.
"Gary and Cerise, sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love, second comes marriage, third comes a baby in a golden carriage!" Tracey shouted, laughing loudly with Phil. Gary's face dropped immediately. "WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU LOT ABOUT LEAVING ME AND RED ALONE!" Gary shouted.

"Awh look, he's even given her a nickname!" Phil cooed. I was embarrassed I rested my head between my knees. "Just get out." Gary hissed at his siblings. "Look Tracey, he's trying to protect his beloved ginge." Phil grinned. "Don't call her that! Just call her Cerise." Gary seemed outraged at the insult to my hair colour. Too outraged even.

"Gary, it's fine. It's just some stupid name." I nodded. Phil and Tracey were still laughing. "Cerise, it's really not, I'm not letting Tracey and Phil insult you like that."
He sighed. "Especially when your hair is so gorgeous." He was grinning now, and running his fingers through my hair.

We spent the rest of the night just like that, Gary was playing with my hair for hours. We decided that we should have a sleepover, just like we did when we were really small. I wondered if it was normal for a fourteen year old boy and girl to have a sleepover. Maybe there was something more to it. I ended up brushing those thoughts aside.

Well, I did until...