Page 103 of Christmas at the Movies
‘We’ll make it a special day,’ promised Mum. ‘No matter what.’
Yeah, right.
‘Happy Birthday, Holly,’ said Nick, jumping on her bed. He deposited a present tied with a ribbon on the duvet. ‘Does it feel different being a teenager?’
‘No,’ said Holly, sitting up.
It hardly mattered that it was her birthday – it wasn’t like she could do anything to celebrate. The national lockdown had been replaced with a new system of tiers. According to the newest set of rules, the cinema had to remain shut. Indoor gatherings were prohibited.
So that meant no party. No theatre trip to London. Nothing.
Well, therewaschocolate cake – she could smell it baking downstairs.
‘Open your gift, Holly,’ said Nick. ‘I made it for you.’
Jonesy padded into Holly’s bedroom and jumped on the bed, not wanting to be left out.
Holly unwrapped her present. Nick had made her a room sign spelling out her name in purple LEGO bricks.
‘That’s really cool, Nick.’ She put it on her bedside table and gave her brother a hug.
She played with Jonesy for a bit, dangling the ribbon from her present. Then Holly got out of bed and went to the bathroom. She looked in the mirror, wondering if she looked more grown-up. She turned to the side.Nope.Her boobs hadn’t magically appeared overnight. Mum had bought her a training bra, but she didn’t really have anything to fill it with. Holly hadn’t got her period yet either, even though Riley had had hers for over a yearandwore lacy 34C bras.
‘Everyone develops at their own pace,’ Mum had told her. But Holly hated feeling that she was being left behind.
The acne on her chin was the only sign of any hormonal activity. The pimples seemed to have multiplied overnight, like Gremlins who’d got wet. (That was one of the old movies Dad had showed her and Nick during lockdown.)
When she went downstairs for her birthday breakfast, the chocolate cake was on the table, as well as a small pile of presents and a huge badge Nick had made that read13 TODAY.
‘Aren’t you going to put your badge on?’ asked Nick after everyone had sung ‘Happy Birthday’ to her.
‘No,’ said Holly. She was too old for birthday badges.
She took her phone off the charger and checked her messages. None of her friends had bothered to wish her a happy birthday.
Oh, well,thought Holly. It was still early. Maybe they were all still asleep.
They had cake for breakfast, then Holly opened her presents. Mum had got her a make-up palette and a set of brushes.
‘Now that you’re thirteen, you can wear a bit of make-up,’ said Mum, smiling.
‘Thanks,’ said Holly. (Mum didn’t need to know she already applied mascara and lipgloss in the bathroom at school.)
Dad gave her a gold Claddagh ring – two hands holding a heart topped with a crown. ‘It was my mother’s. The heart represents love, the crown loyalty and the hands friendship.’
Holly slipped it on her ring finger. It fit perfectly. ‘It’s beautiful.’
Auntie Meg had sent her a gift voucher. Nora and Simon had, as usual, given her a book. It was calledHamilton: The Revolutionand was all about the musical.
‘This one is from Grandma,’ announced Mum, handing her the last present. ‘She said to give you a hug from her as well.’ Last year, her grandmother had been in hospital on Holly’s birthday.
Holly opened the box and took out a new pair of red high-top Converse trainers – the exact ones she’d wanted for months. She eagerly put them on and took a photo. She was about to share it with her friends, but when she opened her messages there were still no birthday wishes from her friends.
She started to cry, tears plopping on her phone screen.
‘What’s wrong?’ asked Mum. ‘Don’t you like your trainers? I thought those were the ones you wanted.’
‘They are. But I don’t have anywhere to wear them,’ sobbed Holly. ‘And all my so-called friends forgot about my birthday.’
