Young Writers Society

(I know that the argument between the mum and dad needs to be improved, but i can't work out how 2 do it. if u have any suggestions about that or another part of the story, please let me know. Please crique if you have the time to)

Wednesday, Dear Diary,

Ok, that was weird. I went round to April’s to give her the homework and at first it was fine, but then her dad got home and started rowing with her mum. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but they were talking really, really, loudly and I just couldn’t help it. I’ve noted down a transcript of what they said for future reference.

Mum: Honey, let’s talk about this later. April’s got a friend round.

Dad: I don’t care if I embarrass April in front of her friends, she embarrassed us in front of all of our friends. She goes out every night, god knows where, doing god knows what. We changed our whole lives for her, and what does she do? She gets into a fight with some nobody from school and gets herself suspended. I’m telling you now, if she gets expelled again, that’s it. She’s out on the street.

Mum: And you’re a fine example aren’t you? Got a job yet? Or couldn’t you find anyone willing to take on a stupid, drunken lout like you?

Dad: Well maybe if I hadn’t married you, I wouldn’t have so many reasons to drink.

Mum: Fine, blame it all on me. God forbid that you should take responsibility for your own problems.

Dad: This is not my fault.

Mum: Well I don’t see anyone forcing you to drink. Don’t see anyone begging you ‘oh please spend all your family’s money on booze’. You made that decision yourself. And even now when we are on the brink of having our house taken off us, you still spend every penny we both earn on booze. Even when April needs you now more than ever, you’d still rather be out at a pub than spending time with her.

I quickly rose to shut the door, to shut out anymore of their harsh words. April sat there, staring at the door, blinking back tears. I wanted to give her a hug and tell her that everything was going to be ok, but how could I promise her that? So for ages we just sat there in an awkward silence. Eventually I could take no more and asked her gently:

‘Are you ok?’

‘Yeah, I’m fine’, she replied in a voice that told me that she was not at all fine. That she was nowhere near being fine.

‘Are you sure? That seems like a pretty intense argument you’re parent’s are having’. I bit my lip as if by that action I could take back my words. I glanced shyly at April waiting for her response.

‘That? That’s nothing. You should see them when they’re really mad.’

I looked up at her, my feelings of pity and sorrow must have been evident in my eyes if her next reply was anything to go by.

‘I don’t need you to feel sorry for me Jo. I don’t need anybody. This is my life and I’m handling it just fine, no matter what you, my parents or anyone else thinks. Now if you don’t mind I have homework to be getting on with’.

Understanding that I had been dismissed I rose from my seat and headed to the door. I stumbled down the stairs and then looked back to see her shut her bedroom door behind me.

Thursday, Dear Diary,

You will never believe what happened today. Sam came over to me in form room again and we were just chatting normally – this time about whether Superman or Batman would win if they fought. A very intellectual conversation I know, but anyway, Sam then suddenly turns to me and says:

‘Wouldyougooutwithmethisweekend?

Of course I couldn’t actually understand any of that and had to make him repeat it. When I finally understood what he was saying, I blushed bright red and very articulately answered:

‘Um, well, um’ Then he did the sweetest thing, he looked straight into my eyes, took my hand in his and said:

‘Please, don’t say no. This is the first time I’ve ever asked a girl out and I’ll be crushed if you reject me.’

So guess what? I have a date for Saturday! Yay for me!

I’ve got to go call everyone I know and tell them I have a date.

On second thoughts maybe I’ll just call April.

Friday, Dear Diary,

April’s back in school today. She seems to have put her parent’s argument behind her and is back to her normal chirpy self. She was being really nice about my whole first date thing as well. Well okay, she did make fun of me for getting to 15 without ever having been kissed, asked out or having gone out on a date. But other than that she was really nice and kept suggesting things for me to wear. None of her suggestions were at all appropriate, but it was really fun talking to her anyway.

At lunch April and I were discussing where Sam might take me and whether if he leans in for a kiss at the end of the date, I should kiss him back. You know all the important stuff. Matt then went really quiet, I swear that he said nothing except for hello in that first twenty minutes. Then suddenly he said really quietly:

‘You don’t mean Sam Morgan do you?’

‘Yeah, why?’

‘Because he’s a right jerk and has been out with practically every girl in this school’

April told him to shut up and asked how he knew that. He said that he just did, and that I shouldn’t get my hopes up because Sam is probably just using me as a way of showing that he can get any girl he wants.

‘Well then doesn’t that still mean that he wants me? What is with you today? Why do you have to keep ruining everything?’

‘Maybe I just care about you and don’t want you to get hurt by some creep that isn’t good enough to lick the mud off your shoes’.

‘Or maybe you’re just being a jealous cow’.

Matt flinched like I had just punched him in the face. Then he ran off before I could apologize. Of course I don’t really think that he was jealous of Sam. What is there for him to be jealous of? Other than Sam’s gorgeous looks, incredible intelligence, fantastic wit and delightful charm. But I wouldn’t have thought that Matt would care about any of those things. And really when you think about it Matt and Sam have a lot in common. I mean they’re both funny and smart and cute. Although I’ve never really thought of Matt in that way. Ok, maybe once or twice. But what on earth has Sam got that makes Matt hate him so much?

My brain hurts, I am going to go to bed and then get up bright and early tomorrow so I can prepare for the big date.

To do before big date

 Wash and style hair

 Give my fingers a French manicure and paint them

 Wax legs, unless decide to wear floor-length trousers or tights

 Find a suitable outfit in closet that does not have ‘I’ve spent hours searching for the perfect outfit, but in the end this was all I could find’ practically written on it.

Saturday, Dear diary,

Why is it that on the exact day that you would like nothing more than to look nice, you break out into zillions of spots and you’re hair turns into a wild frizzy mess? I swear that the world is conspiring against me. Anyway, only two hours now until the big date. Should be just enough time to try and tame hair and select an outfit.

[/b]Later[/b]

Ok, I’m 15 minutes late now, but I look great. Or at least not repulsive which is what I normally look like.

Much later

Wow. That was the best date ever. Not that I have a lot to compare it with, but that should soon change as Sam is taking me out tomorrow as well. I know, two days in a row, it must be love! Anyway he took me to a cheap and cheerful restaurant (my favourite kind), and we chatted and laughed for ages and it was so much fun! Then when he walked me home he kissed me. Not a kiss on the cheek or anything like that, but a proper on the lips, tender, sweet, kiss. And then he asked me to come on a picnic with him tomorrow! A proper, chocolates and sandwiches, little wooden basket, picnic. I can’t wait!

Sunday, Dear Diary,

I’m in Hyde Park waiting for Sam to get here and just thought that I’d get you up to speed on the recent events in my life. Well, literally just as I was heading out of the door, April called saying she really needed to talk. Here’s a little record of our conversation:

‘Jo? Is that you?’ April voice came crackling through my practically prehistoric phone.

‘Yeah, it’s me, but I’ve got to go. I’m meeting Sam soon’.

‘Can’t you be late or something? I really need to talk to you.’

‘I’m sorry, but no. Ooh, that’s my dad calling me, got to run. Bye.’ Then I rushed out the door and into my dad’s waiting car.

Ok, I feel really, really, guilty now, but she’ll understand and I’ll call her as soon as I get back from my date. Which reminds me, where is Sam? I will so kill him if he stands me up.

I don’t believe this; Sam turned up half an hour late without even a proper apology or a decent excuse. Then when we got in the car for him to take me home, he kissed me and then asked me if I wanted to go ‘park’ with him. Seriously some guys just do not have a clue about girls. And didn’t using the phrase ‘park’ go out in like the 60’s? So then I very politely went:

‘Um, no.’

‘Why not? I thought you liked me.’

‘I do like you, but I barely know you.’

And then he kissed me and it was really nice and romantic again until he started trying to put his hand up my SHIRT! I turned and slapped his hand away. And then as he is obviously completely clueless he tried yet again to feel me up. So I slapped him across the face and yelled at him:

‘Get off me’.

‘Oh come on, I know you like me.’

‘Well, I’m not sure what sort of girls you are used to dating, but I’m not going to let you feel me up on only our second date’.

‘What about on the third?’

‘You’re unbelievable’.

‘Thank you, I know’.

After that I finally managed to get into his thick head that unless I had a lobotomy there was no way that I was going to ‘park’ with him in the near future. Strangely, he did not take this very well and basically chucked me out of the car and said that he was going off to find some girls that weren’t such frigid cows.

Then I faced the lovely problem of being miles away from home with no car. I had three options, call my parents, call April or call Matt. There was no way that I could tell my parents what had happened, my dad would never stop laughing. So I chose to call April, where there was no answer, so that crossed that option off the list.

So feeling like the biggest heel in the world I called Matt.

‘Hello? Matt speaking’.

‘Hi, It’s – it’s Jo, I have a bit of a problem’, she told herself off for the shake in her voice, after all it was only Matt, she talked to him all the time, why should it be weird now?

‘I’m stranded in Hyde Park and I have no way to get home. I know this is a lot to ask, but could you come and pick me up?’

‘Do you want to tell me why you’re stranded at Hyde Park?’

‘No’.

‘I’ll be there in 15 minutes.’

So that was how my second date and first ever relationship ended. I think I preferred being a dateless freak.

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