Short Stories by Hope/The Doll/The Doll Chapter 5

When you get home, the pink bath is in the skip and there is the sound of banging and men swearing floating down the stairs. "Lets go out for dinner, Mum says.

You go upstairs to change, and have to skirt round a man's bottom that's sticking out of the bathroom door. Mum follows with the bags of uniform and starts putting stuff away. Stevie is sitting on your bed again and seems to be watching. "You like Stevie" don't you," Mum says.

You shrug. "She's nice," is all you say as you strip off down to your knickers.

Just then, one of the men comes in the door. He is younger than you expected, with short curly hair skin the colour of milk chocolate, and bright blue eyes. "I just wanted..." He stops when he sees you, almost completely naked, standing there. "Oops! Sorry," he says, and turns to Mum. "Could you just say where you want the bidet?"

Mum follows him out and you wonder if he is used to seeing nearly naked little girls, or is he one of those perverts. When you're dressed, this time in a pretty dress, you look in to see what they are doing. The bathroom is completely gutted, right back to the brick walls and several floorboards are up, revealing ancient pipes. An older version of the young man from before spots you and holds his hand up like a policeman stopping traffic. "Best not come in here luv," he says in a deep voice with a West Indian accent. The younger version, his son most likely, looks round and grins at you. You smile back.

Aunty Jean used to bring me here," Mum says as she leads us into a small Indian restaurant hidden up a side street. There are only six tables and you and Mum are the only white faces. The food is yummy - you don't like it too hot, and the chicken whatever it is, is warm and spicy but it doesn't burn. Mum bought a bottle of wine in a shop nearby, and the restaurant supplies glasses. You get half and half which makes you feel quite grown-up.

In the taxi on the way home, Mum asks you if you are okay. "All this upheaval; new house, new people, new school. It's a lot for a girl to take in."

You want to tell her about how you feel different; about Stevie and the man on the bus. Especially about Stevie, but somehow you can't. "I'm a bit nervous about school tomorrow," you say.

The school is close enough to walk and Mum comes with you to the gate. Your tummy is full of butterflies as you walk in. The girl who did the tour is waiting for you and runs over to greet you. "Seems I drew the short straw. I'm your designated mentor for the rest of term," she says with a gap-toothed grin that matches yours. She's called Cynthia, but winces when she says it. "Call me Cyn," she says with a giggle. It seems you are instant friends.

The day goes past in a blur. English first (your best subject) then maths (okay) and games on the field at the back in the afternoon. Fortunately Mum knew to pack your kit, so you didn't have to play hockey in your underwear like one girl. There's a road at the far side and you can't help noticing that there are a couple of cars parked with men sitting in them. "We play hockey in short skirts and long socks. Even though we have bullet-proof knickers on, it's no surprise that the local pervs like to watch," Cyn says when you ask.

When you finish, there is a communal shower. This is a first for you. The old school didn't have them and you had to go home to clean up. With twenty naked little girls all jostling to get under the half-dozen showers, there is a lot of laughter and giggles. Cyn stays close and you share a shower. She is very pretty and her tummy doesn't stick out like yours. As you go to grab a towel, a girl slips, or trips over with a squeal. She ends up on her back with her legs spread and for the first time, you get to see another girl's winkle.

Chapter 6