Who: Michelle and the boy next door What: Talking football. And kissing. When: August 26, 1996 (Narrative backstory) Where: A park in Crewe Rating: Innocent first kisses get G, right?
The summer had been hotter than most, which meant that the pickup football games that generally happened in the park ended early, or in some cases, didn’t happen at all. This particular afternoon had fallen into the 'not at all' category, and Michelle had spent about half an hour kicking the ball back and forth with the one other person who had showed, her friend Billy, before giving up and stretching out on the grass to discuss the Premier League.
"I know he made that goal from the half in the Wimbledon game," Michelle argued. "But I really don't think that Beckham will be for Man U what Wright has been for Arsenal. Or, at least, I think it's too early to tell." Arsenal vs. Manchester United had been a debate between them for as long as she could remember, and each summer they seemed to pick up where they'd left off the summer before. And though the banter between them had been going on for a long time, this summer there was a different quality about it, as if he’d only just realized she was a girl, and she’d only just realized just how fit he was.
"The problem here is that you're so in love with Wright that you're not seeing sense," Billy argued back, smirking. "Beckham's going to be the next big thing, trust me."
"No, the problem here is that you're so in love with Man U that you're not seeing sense," Michelle retorted with a grin. Flopping on her back next to him, Michelle made a face. "Though between Rioch being sacked and not knowing who the new permanent manager will be, you may end up besting us this year. Not for long, though!"
"Well if you didn't have to go off to that stupid school of yours, then you could come over for the games, and we'd be able to see them together." Billy shrugged, rolling onto his stomach next to her. He glanced down at her for a moment, and then looked away. "You should quit and come back to school, with me. We'll watch football every weekend."
"Right, because switching schools in the middle of my GCSE's is a good idea," Michelle said, using her arm to shield her eyes from the sun as she looked over at him. "You should quit and come to my school," she added, wondering what it would be like if he had ended up there. "I'd try to pull some strings and get you into my house, and then we could watch sports every weekend." Truthfully, Michelle suspected that Billy would probably be a Gryffindor, and that the sport they'd be watching would be Quidditch. But she thought that it would have still been fun, if it could have happened that way.
"How about we just settle for you letting me call you and send you letters," Billy offered, reaching over to brush away a fly that had settled on her outstretched arm. "Or does your school still not allow you to use phones and mail? And if you say that again, I'm going to really start thinking that you're in some sort of school that's training you to be the next James Bond."
"I've told you," Michelle said with a laugh. "The girls at my school prefer that you call us Jane Bond. And no, I can't use the phone." She toyed with the idea before adding, "Though if you really wanted to write me, you could give letters to my parents. They're allowed to send me mail every once in a while." Though the Campbells didn't have an owl themselves, they often sent letters back with the school owls Michelle used to send them things. Letters from Jamie tended to be her favorite, though she could see them being quickly surpassed by ones from Billy, if he was serious about wanting to write her.
Billy rolled his eyes and looked away when she said she couldn't use a phone, wondering like he always did if this was just her way of telling him that she wasn't interested. But when she offered the alternative of giving letters to her parents, he looked back at her, interested. It seemed like a bit of a convoluted process, to have to send letters through the parents, but if she was offering it, then it meant that she couldn't be completely uninterested. "And you'd be okay with that?" he asked, watching her carefully.
"I'd really like that, actually," Michelle said, blushing a bit under his gaze. "Plus, it'd convince Hazel that you're real, since you and your family were off in Spain that summer that she came to visit."
"So you've talked to Hazel about me?" he asked, breaking into a grin. "All good things, I hope."
"All good except for the fact that you're a Man U fan," she retorted with a similar grin. At that moment her watch buzzed, and she looked at it, noticing it was her alarm to head back home. "I need to get going," she said, pushing herself back up to a sitting position and glancing at the nearby playground for her sister. "Mie and I are due back soon."
As she sat up, Billy did as well, and then rose to his feet, holding his hands out to help her up. She took both of his, letting him pull her up. Once she was standing he didn’t let go, though, looking at her intently and giving her a gentle tug. Michelle followed his tug, taking a step forward and didn’t say anything, but her heart started pounding at the way he was looking at her. She blinked, and the next thing she knew, he was kissing her.
She had just barely enough time to register the kiss before he pulled away, looking away and muttering a quiet “Sorry.” Michelle just shook her head, cheeks pink, and leaned in to kiss him again, not ending this one as quickly as he did his. As his arm snaked around her waist, she dimly thought that this was something she could get used to, and one hand snuck up to touch his cheek lightly.
They were interrupted by Jamie’s voice, singing “Shelly and Billy, sitting in a tree…” She had made her way over from the playground and had seen the kiss, doing a little dance to go along with the song. Blushing, Michelle shot her sister a look that made Jamie dissolve into giggles and run back to the playground. “I’m gonna tell mum and dad…” she yelled back at them with more laughs.
“Sorry,” Michelle said to Billy. “She’s… well, she’s Jamie. I really should probably go,” she said, glancing after her sister, but otherwise not making any signs of moving.
"It’s okay,” Billy replied. He paused for a moment, before continuing. “We're going to visit my grandparents the day after tomorrow. And won't be back until after you're gone."
Michelle’s face fell a bit, but she was only five days away from leaving, so she supposed it made sense. "Then I guess we'll have to meet back here and play football tomorrow before you leave," she replied, giving a little shrug.
"Or maybe, if we're lucky, no one but us will show again," he replied with a smile that was hopeful, and almost shy.
"I'd like that." Michelle hesitated for a moment before leaning in to give him one more brief kiss, and then pulled away, facing him as she walked backwards towards her sister. "I'll see you tomorrow, then!" she said with a grin, before turning around to chase after her still giggling sister and take her home.