She had always been in love with him. He was so cool, so mysterious. She spent three years watching him. When he started watching her it was divine. Heaven come true.

When they got together she was so happy. For once, she'd gotten what she wanted. She was a prize winner, a champion, a woman. Bye bye Mum. Bye bye childhood bedroom and tears.

But then things got boring. From a distance he'd seemed exciting-but living with him everyday was a different story. All they did all day every day was stay in and watch television. it wasn't even so much that as his whole attitude. dour. he'd forgotten how to be a child, even thought childhood had not long waved goodbye.

After breaking up with him, she felt like skipping down the road. a boy she knew from the youth club she helped out at on Friday nights stopped her in the street. He was carrying a green balloon.

"Why are you so happy?" he asked.

She just grinned back. The boy gave her the balloon and she couldn't resist the urge any longer, she turned right into the alleyway that would lead her back to her mum's and literally started skipping.