Chapter 5

Penny Palmer and Paul Jennings were both now fifteen and in Year 10 of their schooling. When they returned after the summer break they would be starting their second year of GCSE's. This particular afternoon, mid-way through the summer term, they were in Miss Ellis' English class. She was young, in only her third year of teaching since qualifying, and very popular.

"As you know, English is one of the subjects that you have to take until you are at least 16, so I will be seeing some of your happy, smiling faces next year as well!" This statement was met with almost universal approval and a room full of happy, smiling faces.

"In preparation for this, several other of the English teachers and myself, have organised a trip to the New Globe Theatre, to see a production of Twelfth Night. Now not every class will be studying this play, but just going to this theatre will give you a good idea of how Elizabethan plays were staged. But probably of more interest to you all, the coach will be leaving at lunchtime, so any of you who go will have to miss your afternoon classes ... and I'm sure that idea fills you all with horror!" The humour of this remark wasn't lost on the class, as their laughter indicated.

"Okay ... settle down now, please!" she continued, "Although there are places available for everyone who wants them, I'm afraid there will be some expense involved, so we will need to know by Friday who wants to go. Now I appreciate that money is tight for some people, but don't be put off by that ... just come and see me in private and we'll see if there's a way round it."

The bell sounded for the end of the lesson, and the school day, so Paul and Penny made their way out of the room.

"I know you're not keen on Shakespeare, Paulie, but you have to come with me..."

"Well ... you know I wouldn't normally skip classes for something like that, but we aren't doing much at the moment and the real work starts next year, so I suppose it wouldn't hurt to come with you."

"Brilliant! I've got to see Cassie for a few minutes ... do you want to wait for me here or at the bus stop?"

"I'll walk on ahead."

There were always a lot of people waiting for buses, so missing one was no real hardship. It was nearly twenty minutes after he got there that he saw her coming!

"How many have we missed, Paulie?"

"It's not too bad ... just the one."

She put her bag down and stood in front of him and put her arms around his waist. It was the sort of thing that you'd expect any fifteen year old girl to do to her boyfriend ... except that he wasn't her boyfriend.

When Penny, with her parents and her older brother, had first moved into the house next to Paul's, ten years ago, she was just a very amiable little girl introduced to a new friend and to take his hand just seemed the natural thing to do. Her brother was two years older and by then they never held hands any more. That just left her parents ... but holding hands with some­one your own size was always easier than with someone twice or three-times as big.

It would be silly to say that it was 'love at first sight' between two five year olds ... but there was something ... some bond, that was established that day, which had persisted until this. And whether going to school, coming home, or just sometimes when they were together, she liked the feel of his hand against hers, or his arm around her shoulder or waist. When other boys did it ... and she'd had other boys who were so-called 'boyfriends' ... it was more a case of them demonstrating to the world that they could get a pretty girl ... but with her and Paulie, it was a sign of real affection between them.

So now when someone, or some thing had upset her; where once she had turned to her mum for sympathy and succour, now she turned to her best friend ... Paul Jennings. And also where she had always previously snuggled up against a parent at such times, now, whenever she could, she snuggled up against 'her Paulie'. But he was much, much more than her comforter, her security blanket ... although exactly what he was, was yet to be clearly delineated. He just was, in so many ways, much more than just simply a boyfriend.

"Are you coming round later ... there's no homework?"

"Aren't you seeing Kevin tonight?" Kevin, was her current, actual, boyfriend.

"No, I think we're over! I've sent Cassie to meet him for me ... she's going to flirt with him, to see how he reacts.

" ... Don't you look at me like that, Paul Jennings ... she actually likes him ... and isn't it better to end it like this than hurting his feelings by just dumping him."

"I suppose so. Now you know why I don't go out with girls! Have you decided yet how you'll get rid of me, Pen. She squeezed him a bit harder and laughed.

"No, not yet ... I think I might just keep you around until we're ninety ... then I'll probably look for a younger replacement!" He smiled.

"Okay! I'll go home and change and have tea, then I'll be round."

"Mum ... there's a school trip, to see a Shakespeare play in a few weeks time. Can I go? It will cost something and they want to know by Friday?" Paul said.

"Is it local, Love?"

"Yes, on the side of the Thames: they're organising coaches."

"Okay, Love ... tell me when you need to take the money in. Are you in or out this evening?"

"Out ... but only next door ... there's no homework to do."

Paul was now dressed in his usual after-school cargo shorts and T-shirt.

"Hello, Mrs Palmer!"

"Hello, Paul! Do you want tea or coffee? You can take one up for Penny when you go..."

"Tea for me, please, Mrs Palmer."

He put his tea down on the floor outside Penny's room while he knocked and then opened the door. She was sitting on her bed in her underwear, texting, but a look and a smile acknowledged his arrival and patting the bed was his invitation to join her. As he sat next to her, she leaned forward so that he could put his arm behind her back.

"You never did tell me how Cassie got on with Kevin," Paul said, as they waited with the others to get on the coach to go to the New Globe Theatre.

"He was fine! They've been going out together since then. Kevin's okay ... he isn't one of those clingy boys who think you want to spend all your time with them, just because you go out a few times. We're just growing up, aren't we ... we don't expect boyfriends and girlfriends to last. We have some fun, then we move on. Friends can last for ever ... but boyfriends rarely do!"

"You're being very philosophical today, Pen." She smiled.

"But you're the clever one who's always got their nose stuck in a book, Paulie ... I'm sure you know that girls are supposed to mature sooner than boys ... and not just physically. That's because men might rule the world ... but women have to tell them how to do it..."

Penny led him by the hand onto the coach, where they were greeted by the smiling Miss Ellis.

"Ah! Miss Palmer and Mr Jennings! Perhaps a production of 'Romeo and Juliet' would have been more appropriate for you two!" Penny returned her smile.

" ... But they both died, Miss! What are you trying to say!" Miss Ellis laughed.

"Yes ... I forgot that ... perhaps not such a good choice! Find yourselves seats, please, we need to be off, soon."

Penny slid into a window seat, with of course Paul next to her, where­upon their fingers intertwined. It was about fifteen miles from their school in Harrow to the theatre, but coaches were logistically the easiest way to get everyone there together. Penny, a true romantic, was subse­quently enchanted by the acting, the ambiance, and the way that the theatre had been recreated; and even the more pragmatic Paul was impressed by the recreated theatre's architecture.

It was, as expected, a very good performance and after looking around the theatre's gift shop they all boarded the coach for the return journey. As they passed through Harrow, they were able to drop some people off before they got back to school: including Penny and Paul.

"Coming in, Paulie?" Penny asked as they neared their adjoining homes. "You can ring your mum and tell her you're in here and eating with me."

"How was it, Love?" her mother asked her.

"Fantastic ... like going back in history! Is it all right if I just make Paulie and me some sandwiches for tea?"

"Of course! Just help yourself."

"Thanks, Mum! We'll take them upstairs to eat."

Paul carried the two mugs of tea, while Penny took the plate of sand­wiches. Once in her room they took off their shoes and she also removed her skirt and leggings, then they sat together on the bed. When they'd eaten and drunk, they settled down with Paul propped up on pillows, on his back, and Penny on her side, lying on Paul's shoulder. Her left hand was up inside his shirt.

"Do you think you'll get a hairy chest, Paulie?"

" ... Not sure! My dad's is quite hairy, isn't it?"

"It would be a shame, in a way: you've got lovely soft skin! Like a baby's bum..."

"I've always thought that that's a silly thing to say: most people have soft bottoms, I would imagine. They're usually covered up and pro­tected: and even skin that's exposed doesn't necessarily stop being soft." Penny laughed.

"You're right, Paulie! What about mine ... is that as soft as a baby's?"

"Well I know yours is soft ... but I've never felt a baby's."

"Well, now's your chance ... I'll be your baby. Seems like a fair trade: I stroke your chest; you stroke my bum."

She wasn't wearing her usual knickers: the ones that were practically non-existent at the back, apart from a thin strip of material that fitted between her buttocks. The ones she had on today were more like his boxer shorts; only with a low-cut waist. She reached down and pushed them down onto her thighs.

"Go on! I hope you've got warm hands!" Paul put his free hand onto the small of her back and then slid it very slowly onto her fleshy behind, tracing the contour.

"Mmm, very soft!"

"And it feels lovely when you do that, Paulie!"

With a little effort she'd pushed her pants lower and then kicked them off. She settled back on Paul's shoulder. Then she lifted her leg onto his.

"Do it again, please, Paulie!"

As he put his hand on her raised thigh, she slid hers up under his shirt again. It was obvious that she wanted him to be more adventurous, so as his hand moved over both soft hemispheres, his fingers brushed against parts of her that weren't, strictly speaking, part of her gluteal muscles: but Penny wasn't objecting!