wild child (A Tony Perry love story)

chapter 14

TONY

I now have the most beautiful, daring, sweet and shy girl as my girlfriend. And it feels so good. She's practically moved in with me too. We really need to get her van moved onto my drive. I don't like it being left unattended with all her stuff still there. I'm glad she will be here with me for the winter. She would have froze to death in the van. We've been together 4 months now. Lowri is still making her jewellery and surfing. Not as much as before being as it's much cooler but pretty regularly. She was featured in a few magazines after the surfing competition and has been sponsored by a few companies so is doing really well.

LOWRI

I've moved in with Tony. Officially. The van has been moved to his drive and what few possessions I owned brought inside. We've been together 6 months and our first Christmas together is approaching. His mum has invited us there and it will be my first Christmas without my parents. I'm trying not to think too much about it but it never goes away. Mike has become my best friend. If I'm not with Tony, I'm with him. He's been teaching me to play drums. I'm not very good but having fun learning. Tony did try teaching me guitar but I was hopeless. I'm going shopping today with Mike for Tony's Christmas present. I have no idea what to get him and it's driving me crazy thinking about it. That's why I've hijacked Mike. He's known Tony longer and I'm hoping he can give me some ideas. I know he loves star wars and turtles. But I can't find anything I think he'd like or that he hasn't already got. I'm getting frustrated now and that's making me upset, so Mike takes me to get some lunch. I sit there and sigh. We've been in so many shops already and my head hurts. We eat our burgers and as we go outside for a cigarette I see a jewellery shop. In the window I see a carved wooden figurine of two people hugging, looking at each other. It makes me think of driftwood and the beach - the place where we first met and where we are so happy. I go in and buy it, hoping he will like it.

TONY

While Lowri is shopping with Mike, I've gone to buy her present. I saw a necklace with a dolphin on it a few weeks ago and I think she'll love it. I also buy her some new hoodies as she really doesn't have many clothes. I see a canvas of a campervan similar to hers with a sunset behind it so I get that too. I want to make this Christmas special - it's our first together and her first without her parents.

LOWRI

I found a star wars t-shirt that Tony doesn't have so I buy that too. And I see a few other things - aftershave, chocolate and a half size pool table. For those days when it's raining I guess. Mike takes me to his place so I can wrap everything up before Tony sees any of it. I've already got presents for the other guys and Jess who I've become pretty good friends with too. I've bought 2 helium balloons - one each for my parents, which I'm going to attach letters too before I release them on Christmas morning.

TONY

It's Christmas eve and we are at Jaime's house for a party. Jess and Lowri went shopping a couple of days ago for a dress for Lowri. She found one in turquoise, a colour that looks fantastic on her. She looks the most beautiful I've seen her yet. I feel like the luckiest man alive. There's quite a few people here and Lowri still hasn't overcome her acute shyness around strangers so she's spent a lot of time at my side, which is fine with me. The music turns to a slow number so I take her in my arms for a romantic dance. I reach down to kiss her and can't pull myself away. I love this gorgeous girl with all my heart. I've never had courage to tell her but I find I can't stop the words leaving my mouth.

"Lowri, my life has been so much better since meeting you. I love you."

LOWRI

I've known for some weeks that I've fallen in love with Tony. I just wasn't sure he felt the same. He'd never said it before. I look up into his beautiful brown eyes and whisper "I love you too" back to him. He kisses me again and I feel so much love, so much passion in this simple action that I feel like I'm dreaming.