Festival

Part 1

Festival

TILLY

It was summer. Festivals are always in the summer. You can lie out in the sun getting tanned. Doing what you want because you are free. Away from your parents watchful stare. I already felt free. I felt like I'd finally been released into the wild. That's how I see it anyway.

It was hot and sunny. That was good otherwise the dirt roads would be muddy. They were dry and dusty now, making me sneeze.

I swung my strawberry blond hair over my shoulder and turned round to see lots of people. Some getting out of cars and some walking to get their tents put up. Or going to the portable toilets.

I couldn't believe that my parents had actually let me come to this festival. And to double that, on my own. When I say on my own I mean not with them but with my best friend Lizzie. Being 16 and at a festival makes you think you can do anything you want. Lizzie's 17. But it doesn't matter just as long as we are together and don't go off wandering alone at night. That's one of my parent's strictest rules. No doing this, no doing that. That's what made me feel not free, all the rules.

I stepped back as the car revved up ready to set off back home. Dad rolled his window down. He looked at me and then shook his head.

"I know this is really cheesy Tills, but I can remember when you were just a little toddler crawling around with just a little tuft of ginger hair..."

I stopped him in mid sentence. "Strawberry blond, dad!" I sighed. How many times did I have to remind him?

"Oh, sorry hon, a little tuft of strawberry blond hair on top of your head. And now look at you." I sighed again.

I was in my combat trousers and a black vest. My arms were covered in handmade friendship bracelets. My hair was in two plaits. The only makeup I was wearing was mascara. My mum doesn't like my 'grunge look' as she calls it. Homemade patchwork trousers. Bright coloured jeans and lots more.

"Um, yer dad." I think I saw a tear in his eye but he looked away and when he looked back it was gone.

"Well, bye Tills. It won't be same without you. We will miss you."

I went up to the open window and reached into hug him. He pulled me close."Bye dad!" I whispered in his ear.

Excitement churned round in my stomach as dad drove away. I waved till are car was a spot in the distance.

"Right" said Lizzie suddenly. I jumped; I'd forgotten she was with us. We linked arms giggling happily.

Lizzie looked at me "Excited?" I nodded with as much enthusiasm as I could. She burst out laughing. "Let's do this thing then." And we were lost in the crowd following the flow of the people.

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I felt a little faint as we pushed past people trying to get the front of the crowd.

"Are you ok?" I looked up into Lizzie's worried eyes.

"I just feel a little nervous."

Lizzie nodded in an understanding way, "We're nearly there".

We stopped at a gate which had two men in fluorescent jackets. Lizzie showed them are tickets they inspected them and then us. Lizzie smiled at me as they inspected my bag. They nodded and let us pass.

"What was that for?" I asked.

"Just checking to see if we have guns or drugs" Lizzie answered making a fake gun with her hands and pretended to shoot at me.