Trouble

We should probably go

"Happy birthday mush," Peter said as she burst into their room.

Over the past week or so, she'd gradually been more like herself. She still had some really low moments but for the most part she was happy.

"Thank you," she said.

"I can't believe you're 16," Tracy said, giving her a tight hug.

"I'm allowed to have sex now," Maisie said in response, knowing it would wind her parents up.

"Woah okay let's not discuss that now," Tracy said.

She then opened some presents and she was super grateful. She was especially pleased with her present of personalised boxing gloves from Keira and Lucy. They were black with a flame and her initials on and she put them on before shadow boxing round her dads head.

"No absolutely not," he said, "I don't want a concussion."

Reluctantly she took them off and carried on with her other gifts.

She was chatty and bubbly and they were so happy to see her like that.

"Did you know that you're more likely to be killed by a donkey than you are to die in a plane crash?" she said.

"How would you be killed by a donkey?" Tracy asked.

"It would probably like bite your head off."

Her parents just chuckled and then they decided to get ready for the day. She was just in the middle of getting ready when a facetime came through from Keira. She obviously picked up.

"Oh my God Mais put some clothes on," Keira said, hanging up. She couldn't see anything but she could tell from the angle that Maisie definitely didn't have a top on.

The now sixteen-year-old quickly got dressed before calling her back.

"Glad to see you're fully clothed," Keira said.

"It's normal. Not like you haven't seen me naked before."

When she was little, Maisie had gone through a habit of just taking off all her clothes whenever she felt like it. It wasn't a brilliant habit, especially when she'd done it at Keira's football awards night.

"That doesn't make it any less weird."

"Whatever."

The two of them and Lucy chatted for absolutely ages and it was really nice.

"So are you excited for ice skating?" Lucy asked. Maisie and her school friends were going later and she was super excited.

"Yeah. I can't wait."

She was now downstairs eating breakfast with her phone propped up beside her.

"Mum and Dad are so brave for agreeing to this," Keira said, "You're all going to injure yourself within minutes."

"I'm not."

"I doubt that."

"Well you're just a hater."

After talking for almost two hours, Keira and Lucy had to go and it was almost time to head to the ice rink anyway.

On the car over, she was beyond excitable.

"Ah I can't wait," she squealed as they got closer.

"Okay sweetie before we go in, just remember that you have to make sure you're being safe and aware of other people. I know you're excited because it's your birthday but let's try and make sure we're being sensible," Tracy said. She'd given plenty of these pep talks over the years and despite her daughter barely listening to them, she still persisted.