"Rock 'n Roll is here to stay, come inside where it's ok and I'll shake you" ~Thirteen - Big Star

"Great sermon today," Charli's dad said as he unlocked the front door to the house "A lot to think on, don't you agree?"

"Yeah da'" Charli said impatiently. Once inside she ran upstairs to her bedroom and closed the door. She kicked off her shoes, took off her parents' cardigan and dress. She exchanged her church clothes for a pair of grey trousers, a black fitted t-shirt, and a striped button-down shirt. Rather than buttoning the shirt, she tied it off at her waist. The cuffs of her trousers were rolled and instead of the dull white church shoes, she put on a pair of short black boots.
She put her hair up and topped the outfit off with a dark grey Edwardian style riding coat.
"Perfect," she said to herself. She rushed down the stairs.

"Charlotte! Where do you think you're going?" her father asked.
"Out with Jenny," she said opening the door.

"Like that?" Her mother said, "I hardly feel that's appropriate!"

"What? I'm covered" Charlie sighed angrily.

"Your shirt," her mother said untying the knot "how barbaric"
"MUM! STOP!" Charlie said retying the knot at her waist "I'm wearing a shirt underneath!"

"Charlotte, we still need to talk about last night," her father said

"Yeah, da'...I know, don't come home too late." She said exasperatedly.

"Home by dinner. No later, its Sunday night" he said finally.

"Yeah da'" Charlie said rushing out the door.

Charli sighed in relief as she shut the door.

"'bout time," a young girl with auburn hair dressed similarly to her said waiting on her front step.

"Shh...Let's go before they change their mind" Charli said handing Jenny a cigarette from her coat pocket.

The two girls made their way along the pier, chatting the whole way.

"How was church?" Jenny laughed

"Same old really" Charli shrugged.

"Did you manage to stay awake? I didn't get home until midnight, you were still in Woolton by the time I left" Jenny said nudging Charli, nearly knocking her off the wall they were walking along.

"Sod off!" Charli laughed catching herself. "How do I look by the way?"

Jenny rolled her eyes, they'd been friends for awhile, and it wasn't something Charli had ever cared about up until last year. Charli's red hair was pulled back with a bit of fringe hanging down, a few freckles spotting her nose.  Charli was shorter than Jenny.  She had dark copper hair which she got from her father and dark eyebrows. Much as she was definitely not a kid anymore, Jenny always found her adorable and knew it bothered Charli.

Jenny laughed "You look adorable" Jenny, on the other hand, had no trouble getting attention. She had perfect auburn hair, was tall and had a stunning face. She introduced Charli to Teddy Girl fashion. Jenny's mother was also less strict and allowed her to wear makeup.
"I don't want to look adorable!" Charli whined "I wanna' look cool"

Jenny laughed again "Charli, stop worrying. He likes you no matter what alright?"

"Thanks for being my cover" Charli grinned.

They continued walking a short while; when a voice came up behind them "Fancy meeting you here" he said.

Charli smiled, Jenny rolled her eyes.

"Well, since we agreed to meet here last night...not much of a surprise Paulie," Charli said turning to face him.

"I was beginning to think you weren't coming," he said as his arms went around her.
"Yeah, sorry...mum and da' spent their time talking up the priest and I was NOT coming out in that hideous dress" she laughed.
"Aw...why not? I thought it was kinda' cute" he laughed before giving her a small kiss.

"Alright lovebirds, are we going to get something to eat or should I fend for myself?" Jenny interrupted.

"So Paul," Jenny said as the three teenagers sat down to a pub lunch "I didn't get to ask you last night, think you can get me a date with John?"

"Sorry luv," Paul said as Charli stole a chip from his plate "He's pretty hung up on this new girl, Cynthia...if he gets bored though, I'll put in a word for ya's"

"Never date a musician Jen...they're trouble" Charli laughed.

"Oh really?" Paul said tickling her sides as Charli jumped "I'll get you back for that one"

Jenny smiled at her best friend and the lad she'd been seeing for a while now. The three of them had known each other for a few years, they lived close but, recently Paul and Charli had become more.

Charli's parents were very strict and extremely religious and didn't allow her to date, needless to say, Jenny had become the cover-up for Charli and Paul's relationship. She happily obliged as she was glad to see Charli finally rebelling more than she used to and actually leaving the house.

"What do you say, we go back to my house and listen to some records?" Paul asked as they walked hand in hand through the streets of Liverpool.

"The kind of records your mum and dad wouldn't let you listen to," he said raising his eyebrows suggestively.

"Yes Please!" Charli laughed, she made a sour face "I have to be home in time for dinner though...I think Da' will kill me if I'm not"
"Oh of course! Wouldn't dream of keeping you out late!" Paul smirked. He then stopped and pulled her close to him.

"How long have we been seeing each other, luv?" he asked. Charli's arms went around his neck instantly, she scrunched her face up to indicate she was thinking. He loved the odd faces she would make, whether or not she was exaggerating or genuine.

"Mmm...1 year...6 months...3 days...and 14 hours" she said finally

"And I haven't asked you to officially be my girl? How terrible of me!" Paul laughed. Charli frowned.

"We can't make it anything official...if my parents found out.." she trailed off, looking downward. Her parents' attitude toward her growing up and specifically how cold they'd become towards Paul in the last year frustrated her more than she ever let on.
"Hey," Paul said lifting her chin "It's alright, you're still my girl Charli."
She smiled at him nervously before he kissed her.

After they'd spent the afternoon listening to records, Paul walked Charli home. Both singing the whole way, Paul doing his best impression of Little Richard.

"I think he's my favourite," Charli said finally "Elvis is great, but there's something I love about Little Richard"

"Me too luv," Paul smiled "Been working on some of his songs for the next fete, are you going?"

"Of course!" She laughed. "Wouldn't miss it for the world"

They stopped just around the corner from her house.

"Figure I should give you a goodbye kiss now, so your parents don't have a bloody heart attack" Paul smiled at her. She smiled back before kissing him.

The door opened as they reached the McLeod house.

"Charli," her mother said "you're late"

"Mum," Charli said annoyed "it's only 10 minutes, we had to drop Jenny off as well" she lied.

"You can tell that to your father," Mrs. McLeod said crossing her arms.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. McLeod, it was my fault," Paul said amiably "The three of us meant to get going sooner, but lost track of time, should've worn me watch"

"Thank you, James," Mrs. McLeod dismissed, "I think it's time you get back home"

Charli looked to him helpless. He winked as her mother turned back inside.

"Have a good night, Charli," Paul said smiling "I'll see you soon"
She smiled back and was inside within seconds. Paul walked down the road back to his own home, there was always something that made him uneasy about her parents, but he wasn't sure why.

"What did I say this morning?" Mr. McLeod demanded

"Well, hello to you too Da'" Charli said in retaliation.

"Sit, dinner is ready and we need to talk about your recent behaviour," he said sternly.

Charli did as she was told, the table was silent as Mrs. McLeod dished out dinner for the family.

"Now, what were you doing out so late?" Mr. McLeod said finally

"Nothing!" Charli said angrily as she took a bit of her mash "I told you, it was just a gathering at the pier"
"That's no excuse for coming in so late!" he yelled.
"I'm not a kid anymore," Charli said exasperated "My friends don't get in as much trouble for going out during the summer"

"Yes, well as far as we're concerned most of your friends are on the wrong path" Mrs. McLeod interjected.

"Mum, you barely know them...stop being so judgemental," Charli said as she took another bite of her dinner. Suddenly a large hand reached out and grabbed her wrist, hard, forcing her to drop her fork.

"You will NOT speak to your mother that way" Mr. McLeod yelled holding her wrist tight.

"Da', please...stop..you're hurting me," Charli said suddenly scared. He held tight, Charli thought her wrist was going to break.

Finally, he let go.

"I think you should go to your room," he said finally "Read your passages and think about your behaviour"
Charli angrily made her way upstairs to her room.

She was angry, she was upset and she was hurt. Her parents forced her to stay home most of the time as a child until the school noticed she hadn't made many friends, so her parents let her start playing with local children, she made friends with Jenny first, then Paul.  Both were treated so differently than she was and both encouraged her to be herself rather than the perfection her parents wanted. 

She took out a sketch pad she hid under her bed, as a young child, she would have obeyed her father about reading her passages, but not tonight. She began drawing, she sketched memories of her friends from the party in Woolton the night before. Her wrist was sore, she stopped drawing a moment to look at the bruises already forming. An anger grew inside of her as she rubbed at her bruised wrist.

There was a tap at her window, this puzzled Charli as her room was on the second floor, and there was no way to get to her window easily. She went to the window and pulled back her curtain to see Paul grinning at her. She laughed and opened the window.

"How on earth?" she said laughing.

"Your dad really shouldn't leave the ladder nearby, never know who might turn up luv" He said with a wink.

"They'll kill you if they see you!" Charli laughed

"Macca! Hurry it up Romeo," another voice called from the ground "Her parents creep me out, mate"

Charli leaned out the window slightly to see John standing below smoking.

"Hi John," she said quietly. John smirked and waved, he really didn't want to be around. Charli couldn't blame him.

"I did stop by to give you something" Paul smiled. Charli brightened up.

"It's not even my birthday yet!" she said excitedly "What is it??"

"Figured since you were probably in trouble, you could use some music," he said carefully taking a Little Richard record from his coat while keeping a grasp on the ladder.

"Thank you luv," Charli said sincerely, as she reached for the album Paul caught a glimpse of her wrist.

"What happened? You alright?" he said holding wrist lightly.

"I'm fine," she said nervously "just must've banged it pretty hard running up the stairs..."
"Right," Paul said "I should go, Johnny wants to rehearse and I've already gotten you into enough trouble as is for one day"

He kissed her softly and was gone.

"I don't know Macca," John said as they walked away from the McLeod house "you know her fam is always going to cause problems...especially when they find out about you two"

"Yeah, I know," Paul said "But she's nothing like her parents..it'll work out Johnny boy. And they don't have to find out...not yet"

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A/N: like I said...it's overall pretty cute at the start...but it goes pretty dark.  This chapter was painfully sweet to write (and the song is ridiculously fitting for the feel of it, even though, at this point, their ages are a bit older than 13).

https://youtu.be/pte3Jg-2Ax4