Belinda

Freddie Gordon

Interview participant: Freddie Gordon (Childhood friend of Miss Turner)

Interviewed at: 20 Capper Street, London. [Office of Interviewer] 17th June 2015

This is a really nice office. It was hard to find though. Oh no it's fine, I asked this really nice lady and she helped. I was surprised that you wanted to see me. I heard about Belinda running away. Oh, I thought the news said she ran away. Missing? Why can't you say runaway? Well what else could have happened? Sorry this is your interview, what did you want to ask?

Oh that's easy. I was worried you'd ask really difficult questions, I'm not the cleverest of people. No really I'm not, I know I went to University but that was to study mathematics. I understand numbers. Sorry, I'm babbling again. What was the question? Oh, well I first saw Belinda on September 6th 1993, I was playing on the playground with my friends and watched as the new children entered in a line behind their teacher. She was stood at the front with her red hair in two pigtails. The teacher dismissed the class and they all went running in different directions towards the swings and slides. But Belinda stayed stood at the side watching everyone as they played. She spotted me and my friends sat at the top of the big hill, she smiled and then joined two girls who had called her over to the swing set. That was the moment I fell in love with Belinda. It took me a while to talk to her, she was always surrounded by other children playing games. I ended up just watching her from my spot on the hill. I knew she saw me sometimes, she'd look at me and smile. I'd just look away my face turning red. My friends teased me but I knew they all liked her just as much as I did, everyone liked her. When I went to high school I felt lost without her, I ended up following her home so I could see her. I didn't have to wait long before she moved to my school, she walked down the halls that first day without a hint of fear. At lunch she took her space on the middle table with her friends. I got much better at watching her without her noticing and spent my classes thinking about what she was doing.

My friends encouraged me to ask her out and after planning it out in detail, I made my way over to her as she was putting her PE kit in her locker.

"Hi Freddie" she said smiling brightly at me. It was a disaster. I couldn't speak. I had written a speech and everything and now that I stood in front of her the words wouldn't leave my mouth.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

"Did you want something?" she asked after a short silence.

"Yeah" I said, and she waited for me to continue.

"Well I have to get to class in a min so..." she told me and I started to panic more, this was my chance and I was messing it up.

"Date?" I blurted out and she frowned in confusion.

"Oh, it's the 9th of November" she provided with a smile.

"No, a date with me" I tried to explain but the bell rang cutting off half my words.

"Sorry Freddie, I have to go," she called before closing her locker and walking away.

The next day I tried again, this time I brought a piece of paper with my speech written on it, just in case I lost my words again.

"Belinda, I think you're the most beautiful girl in the world, I have been in love with you from the moment I saw you and would very much like it if you would agree to go on a date with me." I read from my paper. When I looked up I saw her staring at me with wide eyes, she fiddled with the strap on her bag.

"Oh, well that's really nice Freddie, but I'm busy with school work at the moment. I don't really have time to go on a date," she told me ending with her beautiful smile.

"That's fine, maybe when you aren't busy anymore we can go-" I started as the bell rang once again.

"Sure, see you around Freddie." She said before running down the corridor to her class.

Every day I would ask her on a date, but each time she was busy. I promised myself I would wait till she was free. Then I would take her on the best date ever and she would enjoy it so much she'd fall in love with me and we'd get married.

My friends said I was being stupid and that I couldn't take a hint. But I knew they didn't understand, they said she wasn't really busy and didn't want to go on a date with me but I knew Belinda. I would wait.

Every day she would make me smile. The way she walked down the corridors, she was so confident and beautiful. I remember one day she saw Sam and his friends picking on this new lad, Jack, they knocked his lunch on the floor and started laughing. Belinda walked right up to the new kid and helped him pick his lunch up and let him join her at her table. No one picked on him again after that. She made everyone's lives better by existing.

I once followed her and Jack to the cinema, they often went together after school. I sat behind them as the film played. I don't remember what it was about but I remember how Belinda's shoulders would move as she laughed and how she would eat her popcorn one piece at a time. I noticed how she kept looking at the couple a few rows in front of her as they cuddled. She would always do that. Watch people around her. It was like a hobby of hers, I guess it was something we shared. I would watch her as she watched everyone else.

I got accepted to university a couple of years later, I was so happy cause I didn't think I'd get accepted, I didn't have the best grades but I'd been working really hard over the last year, getting help from my teachers and concentrating more in class. However up until the moment I held my acceptance letter in my hand, I hadn't considered the fact that I'd have to leave Belinda behind. I quickly decided that I'd reject my offer and told Belinda my decision the next day.

"Why would you do that?" she said shocked by my decision.

"I don't want to miss out on our date," I told her and she looked sad for a moment before taking my hand in hers.

"Freddie, I will go on a date with you if you promise to go to university." She said.

"You will go on a date with me?"

"Yes. But you have to promise."

"I promise." I told her so fast that she let out a small laugh.

"Okay we can go to get something to eat. It can be a celebration for your acceptance as well."

"Okay." I was so shocked I didn't know what to say.

That day was the best day of my life. We went to dinner and then went for a walk around the park before saying good night. I think Belinda had a good time as she smiled the whole night. Her smile is still the prettiest I've ever seen in my life.

I kept my promise and went to university, but kept in touch with Belinda by sending her letters every couple of weeks. I guess she was a bit busy though as I only got a few in return.