Sleepless in Manchester

by Woods, Karen

  “Oh, you won’t miss me that much Maria. I’m coming to London every other weekend, so it’s not all doom and gloom, is it?” Maria looked lost for words and darted her eyes to her son. Dalton could see the evil look in her eyes and knew she was ready to tell Fallon that she would never be able to afford the money for the fare.

  He cut her short before she could speak. “Well, I’m going to be working aren’t I mother? I’ll be able to pay for her to come down to London, won’t I?” Lesley was at Fallon’s side; she dropped her head and looked deflated. It was obvious that she hated Dalton with a passion and her slow grinding teeth told you she was upset.

  Maria sighed loudly, she wasn’t bothered who heard her either. Without a further word she went into the living room shaking her head. “We’ll see about that,” she whispered under her breath.

  One last kiss and the teenagers parted. As Fallon walked away from the house Lesley was at her side offering support, she played the part of a concerned friend well. Great big bulky salty tears fell from her eyes at speed. Lesley’s hand touched her shoulder softly. “Fucking hell Fallon, he’s only going to London. It’s not as if he’s emigrating is it?”

  Fallon sniffed and wiped her eyes with the cuff of her sleeve. “Well it feels like that to me.”

  “Oh get a grip, you’re like an old married woman you are,” Lesley hissed. “Now’s your chance to have some real fun instead of being on lock down all the time, enjoy it while you can.”

  “What do you mean by that?” Fallon snapped.

  Lesley took a deep breath and opened fire, she was sick to death of pussyfooting around her all the time. She needed to tell her the truth; she couldn’t hold it any longer. “I’m just saying that since you’ve been with him, you’ve changed. You never chill with me anymore, and it’s all been about what he wanted.”

  Fallon’s face dropped. “It’s not like that at all, so wind your neck in. Dalton didn’t stop me from doing anything. I choose to be with him all the time, that’s all.” Fallon gasped her breath and stressed her words as she spoke into her face. “That’s what you do when you’re in love, don’t you? Not that you would know.”

  Lesley was right back at her and held nothing back. “Well it’s time to start living again isn’t it? Because once lover boy gets to London, do you think he’ll be sat in every night crying over you? I doubt it?”

  Fallon was angry her voice was shaky. “Yeah he will. He’s not like the nob-heads from round here. He does love me you know.” Fallon’s eyes were wide open and her nostrils were pumping at the sides.

  Lesley held her head back laughing sarcastically. “That’s what they all say when they’re getting into your knickers. I can’t believe you’re so vulnerable. Get a grip, girl”. Lesley was on a roll now and didn’t hold back. “Look at that John Barrow with me, he told me the same thing until my drawers were around my ankles, then he was off like a shot. He loves you, my arse.”

  Fallon chewed on her bottom lip, her temper was getting ready to explode. “Well, John was only after one thing from the start, we all know that. He was shagging anything with a pulse, remember?”

  Lesley knew she was telling the truth but stood her ground well, she wasn’t backing down for love nor money. “Orr I knew you would say that, just forget it ay, the truth hurts doesn’t it?”

  Fallon was a white as a sheet as she stood there cracking her knuckles. “You’re just jealous. You’ve always had it in for Dalton since I first met him.”

  Lesley was in her face, their noses were touching. “Jealous! Don’t make me laugh. Dalton’s stuck up his own arse and he thinks he’s better than all of us. You need to see him for who he really is. Do yourself a favour and take your head out of your arse and you’ll see what everyone else sees.”

  Fallon had had enough; she blew her breath hard and stood waving her hands about in front of her. Lesley was her best friend and she needed her now more than ever. She backed down. “Can’t we just stop arguing? I’m not arsed what you think about him anymore. He’s gone now hasn’t he, so what does it matter?”

  Lesley could see she was at breaking point, and tried to make amends. Her friend needed to hear the truth and she just hoped she’d taken onboard everything she’d told her. “Okay, let’s forget about it, but I want to see you being the Fallon from Collyhurst that I know, not that miserable pensioner you’ve turned into.” Lesley pointed up and down her friend’s body with a cocky look on her face.

  Fallon was forced to smile and she knew she was right. “Okay, okay, I get your point. I’ll get back to being me; just give me a bit of grieving time, ay.”

  The girls flung their arms around each other, the fight was over. Lesley and Fallon had been friends ever since nursery school and before Dalton came along they had been inseparable. Lesley chuckled and looked at Fallon. “Right, there’s a party tonight at Buzzar’s, there’s going to be pure lads there. Are you coming or what?”

  Fallon wanted to say no, you could see it in her face, but Lesley was pressing her for an answer. “Erm, I don’t know yet. Let me have a think about it first.”

  “Nar you’re coming. I won’t take no for an answer,” Lesley ranted. Fallon really wanted to go home and wait for Dalton’s phone call all night long, but by the looks of things there was no getting away from her best friends demands. “Say yes Fallon, come on we’ll have a buzz, remember like we used to do, we were ruthless.”

  Fallon smiled from cheek to cheek. It was decided, she was going to the party after all. Lesley leaped for joy; she was punching her fist into the air. “Lock your sons up ladies, because Lesley and Fallon are back in business. The girls headed back home huddled together.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Lesley stood in Fallon’s bedroom twisting and turning her body in the full length mirror at the side of her; she was sucking her stomach in and out admiring her slim waistline. “I look mint tonight, don’t I?” she giggled.

  “Yeah, you’re a hotty. Look at the state of me, help me out will you?” Fallon dragged her hands through her thick crop of hair. Lesley took one last look in the mirror and came to her friends side. Touching the top of her head with one hand she lifted it up, her face was serious.

  “You need to backcomb it or something. It just looks flat. Get me a comb or something while I sort it out.” Fallon bent down and searched under her bed. She remembered she’d seen a comb there the other day when she was searching for her hairgrips. Her hand stretched out and her face was on the floor as she located it. “Here it is,” she gasped. Her face looked creased as she clasped it in her hands. Pulling out a pink comb she passed it to Lesley.

  “What the fuck is that?” Lesley cursed as she examined it closer. “My Nana has got more teeth than this,” she giggled as she bent the comb over with her two hands.

  “It’s all I’ve got, it’s my Mam’s old one. It’s better than nowt, stop moaning.”

  “Right park your arse here and let’s see what I can do with this big bush.” Lesley huffed as she perched on the edge of the bed and Fallon sat between her legs on the floor. She held pieces of her hair up in the air and dragged the comb through the top of the roots. “Oi... take it easy,” Fallon moaned as she looked behind her. Lesley was concentrating and ignored her completely. After five minutes her hair looked like a masterpiece that any hairdresser would have been proud of.

  Lesley stood back admiring it with one finger hanging from her mouth. “There you go. you tart. You look like a classy chick now.” Fallon stood to her feet and checked herself out in the mirror. Lesley was right; she’d transformed her ball of fluff into a neat hairstyle. Fallon reached for her skinny faded jeans from the side of the bed and a bright red belly top. Once she put them on, she found her scraggy red high-heel shoes from the floor and placed them on her slim feet. Both girls stood in front of the mirror and smiled from ear to ear. They looked like members of a girl band; they were pushing and shoving each other out of the way trying to get the best view in the mirror.

  Bi
lly entered the bedroom, his eyes shot straight to Lesley’s cleavage and he stood drooling. His pink tongue slid across his top lip as he looked at the pair of beauties. He’d always had a bit of a crush on Lesley but he was five years older than her and classed her as jailbait. Controlling his throbbing penis in his pants he slid his hand down the front of his tracksuit bottoms and patted his manhood down. It was out of control for sure and it was standing to attention like a soldier on parade. Lesley pushed her perky breasts out in front of her and walked slowly towards him. She knew he was watching her, she could feel his stare. Her inviting eyes were firmly fixed on him.

  “Are you alright Billy? I’ve not seen you for some time. How’s it all going?”

  He looked flustered, this girl always made him feel uneasy. “Yeah I’m still grafting. You know me, ducking and diving, wheeling and dealing, anything to earn a quick crust.”

  Lesley smiled and turned her head back to Fallon. “He’s still making money but he never gives me a ring to take me out, does he?”

  Billy held his head back laughing. “Ay, you’re still a baby. I’ll go to the nick if I’m seen out with you. I’m no kiddy-fiddler you know.”

  Lesley blew her breath. “Never, you fool. I’m eighteen now and I’m legal for some adult fun,” she held one hand on her hip. Her face was cocky and full of northern attitude. “When you find the courage to take me out, just give me a shout, ay.”

  Fallon pushed Lesley past him. “Come on you horny bitch, leave my brother alone. Like he said, you’re too young.”

  Lesley held a look at Billy and winked at him before she left. “He knows he wants a piece of me Fallon, he just needs to up his game and get things moving.” Billy was blushing; his cheeks were bright red. This young girl was making his hormones fly all over the place. She was right though, he did fancy her like mad.

  Beryl looked at the teenage girls as they entered the living room. “Fucking hell,” she choked. “Where are you two going dressed up as prostitutes? Is it a fancy dress party?”

  Fallon screwed her face up and walked to her mother’s side. “Mother, this is the fashion. We don’t look like brasses at all.”

  Beryl yanked her cardigan tightly around her body. “You need some clothes on lady, look at you both, showing all your tits and arses.” Lesley looked down at her clothes. Perhaps her skirt was a bit short, but she wasn’t showing anything out of the ordinary, she defended herself.

  “Beryl, I’m not showing any flesh. A bit of leg maybe, but that’s all.”

  Fallon’s mother reached over for her cigs and popped one from the packet. “In my day women were covered up from head to toe. No wonder you young girls are all getting pregnant. Men are dirty bastards and they don’t care how old a girl is as long as there emptying their sacks.” Lesley and Fallon giggled as they left the room, Beryl had such a way with words and she didn’t hold anything back.

  “Right Mam, we’re off out,” Fallon announced when she’d got her breath back, “don’t wait up for me. I’m staying at Lesley’s tonight. If Dalton rings back tell him to phone me tomorrow.” She looked pleased and smiled at Lesley. She’d already spoken to Dalton earlier that evening and he’d told her he was knackered and he was going straight to bed, so there was no chance he would be ringing back tonight. She didn’t tell Lesley that though, she wanted to pretend that she’d hardened up and wasn’t bothered about her true love anymore.

  Beryl chugged on her cigarette and nodded her head. “Don’t be getting into trouble you two, just bloody behave yourselves. I don’t want any dibble knocking on my door tonight, I couldn’t handle it.”

  Billy walked into the front room. Lesley smirked at Fallon’s mother knowing he was listening. “Trouble is my middle name Beryl,” they both walked out of the back door with a wiggle in their walk.

  Billy shook his head and yelled after her. “Yeah we all know you’re trouble Lesley. Just you keep my sister out of it.”

  Lesley bent her middle finger up and shoved it over her shoulder at him. “In a big ‘un,” she chuckled. Billy shook his head and rolled his eyes at his mother.

  Lesley and Fallon walked over the grass verge towards Rochdale Road. They needed to get their beers before they headed to the party. Checking her money in her hand, Lesley worked out that she had enough money for half a bottle of vodka and some cigs. Fallon stood counting her money looking flustered. The girls put their cash together and they had enough for everything they wanted.

  In the background kids were playing football. The foul language they were shouting made the girls smile. The children were only about ten years old, but they were acting like kids twice their age. Walking into the shop Fallon grabbed a bar of chocolate from the side of the till; her eyes were all over the place searching for the shopkeeper. She held it tightly in her grip and frantically shoved it down the front of her jeans. Nobody saw her. This was normal behaviour for Fallon and her friends and she didn’t ever fear getting caught. Lesley was at it too, she sneaked a packet of chewing-gum from the box at the side of her and bent down to stroke her leg. The chewing-gum was now out of sight. Lifting her head back up, she winked at Fallon with a cunning smirk. The Asian shopkeeper stood in front of them looking suspicious, his eyes were all over the place. He didn’t trust them one little bit. After requesting the alcohol and the cigarettes, Lesley spread the money out on the counter. Her finger touched each coin as she slid it across towards him. “There you go,” she chuckled. He sighed and started to pick the money up; he hated being paid in loose change, it did his head in. The teenagers left the shop with their goods concealed inside a white plastic bag.

  The music was pumping from the house- party as the girls approached. People were stood in the garden swigging beer and talking. A motorbike screeched up and down past them with two youths hanging from it. One lad stood in the garden skinning a joint up on a bin with a gang of fellow weed smokers gathered around him. Craig Jones stood eagerly watching Fallon and Lesley pushing the wooden gate open. He nudged his mate in the waist. “Check out who’s here!”

  The lad smiled and nodded his head. “I knew she would get sick of that rich prick, it was only a matter of time,” he whispered.

  Lesley clocked Craig and quickly made her way towards him. “Get us some glasses to put this Vodka in,” she said. Pulling the alcohol out of the bag she shot her eyes at Craig. “Come on then, we want to get wrecked don’t we Fallon?” Fallon nodded her head slowly; she could feel his eyes all over her and started to fidget nervously. Craig ordered his wingman to fulfil the girl’s request. The other lad headed into the house with a bounce in his step.

  “Are you alright Fallon?” Craig stuttered.

  “Yeah, great thanks,” she replied. He stood kicking his foot to the floor, he looked nervous. He’d waited ages for this moment and he was crumbling as the girl of his dreams stood before him. Lesley took the glasses from Craig’s mate and poured two large shots of Vodka into them. Passing one to Fallon they both necked them with one fast gulp. “Party!” Lesley shouted as she punched her fist into the air. The tunes from inside the house were getting louder. Lesley was bumping and grinding her body to the beat of the music. This girl could dance and all eyes were watching her dance moves from all over the garden. “Come on Fallon let’s see if you can still shake your arse,” she shouted.

  Fallon looked at Lesley in shock; her cheeks were going bright red. She wasn’t ready to dance. “Nar let me get a few more of these down me before I start all that.” Lesley held her two hands over her head as she squatted down on the floor; her black lacy thong could be seen sticking out from the top of her skirt.

  Craig’s mate looked hypnotised by her, he covered his mouth with one hand and whispered to Craig. “Fucking hell, I’m going to burst if she carries on like that.” He wasn’t listening, Craig was more concerned with Fallon, and he was planning his next move. He stood cracking his knuckles and nodding his head to the beat of the music. He was trying to look cool. Searching inside his tracksuit bottoms
he pulled out a bag of weed. Lesley clocked him and stopped dancing, she loved to get stoned.

  “Skin-up then, I want to get twisted.” Fallon hadn’t smoked weed for ages. The last time she’d tried it she was sick and hated the way it made her feel. She felt like a zombie.

  Fallon stood looking apprehensive. “Nar I’m alright, I’ll stick with the Vodka thanks.” Lesley walked to her side and spoke so everyone could hear her, she was showing off.

  “Listen you, there’s no Dalton watching over you anymore, so you can please yourself whatever you do, live a little ay.” Fallon was crumbling, everyone’s eyes were on her, Craig was smirking.

  Frowning at Lesley she defended herself. “Ay, stop being a dickhead will you. You know Dalton doesn’t tell me what to do. If I don’t want to smoke weed, well that’s up to me.”

  Lesley gasped her breath, “Yeah, yeah, whatever.”

  The night was going well, everyone was pissed. Craig was all over Fallon, he never left her side. He was ready to make his move. It was warm and everyone was refreshed by the light breeze from the night air. Lesley was over the other side of the garden spewing her ring up in the corner, you could hear her retching. “Just look at her. I told her to take it easy didn’t I?” Fallon joked with Craig. “She’s a mad- head, she never learns does she?” Fallon chuckled as she sipped the rest of her drink. Her eyes looked glazed over and the moonlight shone right inside them making them look mystical.

  Craig’s nostrils were flaring at the sides as he inhaled a deep breath. He slowly moved his body in front of Fallon’s. Placing one hand on the wall he moved nearer to her face, she could feel his hot breath on her cheeks. “So, do you fancy a kiss or what?” She jerked her head back against the wall. Fallon had a double chin now.

  “What are you doing ya muppet. I’ve got a boyfriend, so do one, will you.” Craig screwed his face up and growled at her, he was pissed as a fart and his eyes looked menacing. “Who the fuck, do you think you are?” His hand gripped her cheeks and squeezed them together. Ramming his lips onto hers he opened his mouth and began to kiss her. Fallon was wriggling to break free.