Taming of the Tom

Chapter 6

I wait for Ara to pick up the phone, the dialling annoying me.

"Hello?"

"Ara, it's me."

"I know, I saw on the caller ID."

"Of course you did," I joke. "So when are you free this week?"

"I actually have a non-pupil day on Thursday, and then the weekend."

"I can't do Saturday, because I have quartet practice. Thursday sounds good, poppet."

I ride in a cab to Lucille's house, remembering to wear the Marc Jacobs bracelets we both own. 

I stop outside her house and buzz the intercom. She's already waiting in the hall, wearing a Marc skirt.

"You're all ready?" 

"Uh-huh," she says with a smile.

We get back in the cab and head to Bond Street. Our first destination is the shops, and then we head to our favourite cafe on the corner to have lunch.

"Jen, can I ask you something?" Ara says after we've ordered.

"Anything." I smile.

"Well, have you ever had a boyfriend?"

Great. By far the worst question she could've asked me. I can't treat a 12 year old girl like a 30 year old man, even if said girl is one of my favourite people on the world.

But I can't lie to her.

"Why do you ask?"

She fidgets the napkin that has been placed on the table. "I was just wondering." I raise an eyebrow, and she looks up. "Well, okay... There's a school ball between ours and the neighboring boys school. I just wanted some advice - just in case."

"Well, you shouldn't go out with any boys just yet, trust me on that one, please." She nods. "I was with one boy when I was about your age. All I'll tell you at the moment is that I regret it. What do you want to know?"

"What do you do? Do you go on dates? Do you kiss like they do in the movies?" I have a flashback, making my stomach churn.

"Later on. When you feel comfortable with them and like you can trust them, you can take it slowly. Just remember that you don't have to follow the other girls, okay?"

"Okay."

"Do whatever you're comfortable with."

She smiles. "Do you have a boyfriend now?" A mischievous grin plays upon her face.

"No, honey. I guess after that boy I've never really been interested."

We get our drinks and she stirs her hot chocolate with a long spoon.

"Not even in Tom?"

I roll my eyes. 

"He's going to be at the wedding you know. I've seen the guest list."

"Don't you go putting me next to him, you little munchkin," I joke.

We take sips from our drinks and watch a policeman on a horse trot down the street outside our window.

"Do you have a dress yet?"

I bite my lip and lower my voice slightly. "Nope. Don't tell Lucille."

"You should've been her maid of honour. At least then you could have gotten a dress without even thinking about it - then I could've had the responsibility of buying my own."

"You're her sister. Her family. Anyway," I say, leaning back in the chair. "I can be trusted to buy my own dress."

"Oh really?" She raises an eyebrow. "I bet you haven't even thought about it yet."

I bite my lip again. "Maybe I haven't."

"That means this is the perfect time for us to look for one here. I can supervise you."

"Oi missy! I've taught you the ropes of the fashion world, have respect for your style elders."

"What about that dress you wore to the dinner party?"

"It's old, but it's not like it's not in style!"

She laughs. "Oh come on, I'm kidding around. It'll be fun."

"Okay then," I grin, knowing we were joking all along.

So, to keep the continuity of chapter lengths, there's yet another chapter before any Tom. But, it's still an important chapter! I hope you liked this one, and I hope it's building up to the good part :)

And thank you so much for reading! I've gotten some pretty rave comments on Twitter, which mean more than you can ever imagine, especially at this point in my life. 

Again, comments are more than welcomed, and any feedback on any social website I offer will rightly earn you a shoutout on my Twitter account (@cumberblue).

Have a good day! xxx