Lights

2: Child's Play

"One, two, three, four five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty, Coming ready or not."

Turning, she didn't expect to find him standing directly behind her. In the nineties, to be playing hide and seek at the ripe old age of twelve would be regarded as being naff, not cool and childish, later it would be unheard of and at some point in time it might be regarded as a crime for the young to engage in the forgotten skill of playing a team game outside in the streets.Back when Jinni was twelve and John almost fourteen, teenagers found activities other than mindless vandalism, gang culture and petty crime to occupy their out of school hours.

"You're caught."She smiled.

"I wanted to be, by you."He revealed being caught had been his intention.

"You could have at least tried to hide."She laughed.

"I didn't want to.I don't ever want to hide from you." John could be romantic, a smooth talker and someone who knew what he wanted.Like every other teenage boy; John Dunkirk would keep hidden and deny his more gentle and caring side when in company.

"I best find the others."Feeling the glow of embarrassment beginning to rise up from her chest and across her reddening cheeks, Jinni reminded her companion they were in the middle of a game.

"Wait."John prevented her from passing."We never get chance to be on our own."He said.

"We can't just leave everyone."A young and flattered Jinni Harrison reminded a fast maturing John Dunkirk that they weren't by themselves because she had people to find.

"Do you remember saying you would go out with me?"He questioned.

"Yes."It was hardly the type of thing a girl would forget.'Her homework?Yes,Doing the washing up? Most definitely.'But having a date with a boy?'Never, a date was something she would always remember.Even when at school, John was referred to as being gorgeous, strong and handsome, a young Mr.Dunkirk had been described as the ideal boyfriend and every girls dream.His photograph wouldn't look out of place pinned alongside the vast arrangement of rock/pop star posters on any teen girls' bedroom wall.At school, every girl wanted to be with John.'Called lucky.'Jinni wasn't permitted into town after dark without female friends.'Miss Harrison couldn't go anywhere.'Without her father dropped her off and picked her up.How could a girl on the brink of becoming a teenager; admit to such facts? Jinni wanted, but didn't see how she could join John on any of his proposed dates.'Not unless she lied.'

For the entire week, for five school days the one intent on participating in what she'd agreed to had starved herself.Not because she felt the need to diet, or because she didn't like the way she looked.'John had chosen her when he could have chosen anyone.'Eating little more than an apple for lunch, the excited and flattered first year; was pooling her lunch money in attempt to keep and go out on her first ever date.'She couldn't wait.'

"He's bound to pay."Her pals said he was a gentleman in the making, but Jinni didn't want to risk being stranded with no entrance fee to the cinema or bus fare home.

"OH BOY!"Her grandmother shook her head."What kind of a name is that for a young girl's magazine?"She sighed while searching through the loose change in her purse for the requested fifty pence."You be sure to show it to me."Jinni's ageing relative instructed.

"Yes, gran."She promised.

"Not filled with gossip and talk of sex I hope."Her eldest relative shook her head at what she saw to be wrong with the youth of the day.