Do You Remember the First Time?

of.
    ‘Didn’t it even cross your mind to phone your mum and dad to tell them where you were?’
    Um, of course not.
    ‘No,’ I said. ‘I’m sorry.’
    ‘The young today,’ said the second policeman, who looked about twenty-two. ‘So selfish.’
    ‘Forgetful, not selfish,’ I said. ‘It’s not easy being sixteen. Growing a lot, you know. By the way, I am so hungry. Is there anything to eat, please?’
    ‘Huh,’ said my mother. ‘Eat! It’s a good crack round the ear you’re needing.’
    ‘Don’t say that in front of a policeman, Mum.’
    ‘This is serious, Flora Jane. Have you any idea how frightened we were? All those stories? Miss Syzlack phoned us after registration this morning. You didn’t turn up the whole day. You never miss school.’
    I must have done, surely. I couldn’t remember. Was I really that much of a goody-goody? No wonder everyone had hated us.
    ‘Your mother’s been driving up and down the streets looking for you,’ said my dad. ‘We’ve had the whole neighbourhood out.’
    I felt bad. They really were flipping their lids. Indeed, the people from the street were now hovering in the sitting room, looking awkward. Their promised evening of excitement was turning into a dull domestic.
    ‘Now, you can talk to me, darling,’ said my mum seriously. ‘Have you just been to have an abortion?’
    ‘Mum! There’s nine people here!’
    ‘You can tell us, you know. We’ll support you.’
    ‘That’s nice to know, but trust me, if I needed an abortion, number one, I’d make my own decision, and number two I would never, ever tell you about it. And I certainly wouldn’t be drinking alcohol afterwards. Or standing up, in fact.’
    A complete and deadening silence fell over the room.
    ‘Quick, Martin. Um … a burglar!’ said one policeman to the other, and they left hurriedly, followed by the rest of the street.
    ‘Go to your room,’ said my mother. ‘I can’t even look at you at the moment.’
    This was my mother? For a horrible, heart-stopping moment I felt like saying, ‘Well, see if you want to look at me when he disappears with Superbitch Stephanie and it’s your turn to beg for help.’ But, oh goodness, she looked so fragile. Her arm was reaching out as if she wanted to lean on my dad for support, but couldn’t bring herself to.
    ‘OK,’ I said contritely. ‘Can I have some dinner?’
    ‘You’ve been to a restaurant and now you want to eat?’
    ‘Um, let’s not concentrate too hard on the restaurant,’ I said. ‘Just an omelette? I’ll make it myself.’
    They both started laughing.
    ‘God, that’s the first smile I’ve had all day,’ said my dad and, too late, I remembered I learned to cook when I went to university.
    ‘I mean … a cheese sandwich of some kind.’
    ‘Where were you?’ said my mother, getting up with a sigh.
    ‘I went into town to see a friend.’
    ‘A male friend or a female friend?’
    ‘A female friend.’
    ‘What’s her name?’
    ‘Tashy.’
    I watched them closely, hoping they’d say, ‘Oh, Tashy’, but they didn’t. They had no idea who she was at all.
    ‘And where did you meet her?’
    I couldn’t explain this. How could I? And I was very, very weary. I wondered if the teenage truculent secret weapon still worked, because I didn’t know what more I could say.
    ‘Are you going to run my life for ever?’
    My dad came and stood over me. ‘If you’re going to go out with complete strangers and get pissed illegally, young lady, then yes, we are.’
    ‘It was just a drink,’ I said sulkily. ‘I just wanted to see she was all right.’
    My parents looked at each other.
    ‘Well, if you won’t tell us where you were …’
    ‘I can’t,’ I said. There was no way I was going to start telling them anything. They’d have me committed. Hadn’t they seen Girl, Interrupted ?
    ‘Fine. You’re grounded,’ said my dad.
    I was what? ‘Oh, for goodness’ sake. Grounded? What is this, nineteen seventy-five?’
    ‘And I’m taking you to school tomorrow to make sure you get there.’
    ‘I think we’ve been far too relaxed with you,’ said my mother. ‘I think that’s the problem.’ She looked at me sincerely. ‘We trusted you, Flora. And you let us down.’
    I hated to see her face like that.
    ‘I think you’ll find it was Dad who did that,’ I wanted to shout, but couldn’t. Inside I was boiling at the unfairness of it all.
    ‘Well, things are certainly going to change around here,’ said my