This is a new occasional series that takes its basis and some of its storyline from the cancelled Tokyopop Manga, Yubisaki Milk Tea by Tomochika Miyano. It’s a great series and well worth looking out, it’s a mystery why they cancelled it. For my version I’ve changed the setting from Japan to England and of course the names, then I’ve added some new characters and situations to produce Jamie and the Peach. The original series was cancelled before completion but I intend to take my version somewhat further!

Maddy Bell, September 2010

Chapter 15

---

 

---

 
 
Chapter *15*
 
"So he fancies you?" Karen asked for the third time since we left school.

"Not me, Peaches."

"That is just so..."

"You already said." I pouted.

"Out of all the girls in school he goes for you, that is just so funny."

She was starting to get on my wick now.

"And just why is it so funny?" I demanded going on the defensive.

She looked at me strangely, "you fancy him." she accused.

"I do not! What is odd about him fancying a girl, its not like Peaches is a dog or something."

"So what are you going to do?"

"Do? Nothing."

"You can't do 'nothing'."

"Why not?"

"Because lover boy is clearly smitten."

"How do you know?"

"He asked you to set up a meeting,” she pointed out.

"So?"

"You can be quite dense at times. If he wants to meet with Peaches and is prepared to ask someone else to set it up he must be well smitten."

"I guess. So what do you suggest?"

"You need to turn him down so he knows the score."

"Turn him down?"

"I’m not kidding Pea, you can be so dense. Yes turn him down, why do you think he wants to meet?"

"Er."

"He wants to ask you out dumbo."

"Ah." the light bulb finally flickered into life. "So what do you suggest?"

"Arrange a meeting."

We stopped at the top of Sal’s path, “So I’ll see you at nine, at the studio.”

“Okay.”

“Hey you guys.” Sal called from her doorstep.

“Hi Sal.” I replied for both of us.

“You guys going somewhere tomorrow?”

“David Bailey here has talked me into modelling some frocks tomorrow.”

“Kewl!”

“Kaz!” I complained, which earnt me a withering glare.

“I’d like to be a model like Jess is, she looks so cool in that wedding dress.”

“Maybe you could come and watch, I’m sure Jamie wouldn’t mind?”

“Er no, I mean I guess that’d be okay.”

“Well done girls," Dan grinned, "we got some great stuff today."

"It was good fun." Sal beamed.

"Hmm." Karen sounded less enthusiastic but there again Dan had most definitely had her jumping through hoops all day.

"I’ll make sure you get a full set of contacts so you can pick out what you want printing, Jamie'll do that. Talking of which, where is he?"

"He mumbled something about dinner with his Mum." Karen supplied.

"You girls want a lift home?"

'Well that went well.' Jamie thought to himself, 'Karen looked fantastic and I thought Sal was going to go into orbit when Dan suggested she could be bridesmaid.'

He half walked, half ran back home with a mixture of excitement and dread.

"There you are, I thought you weren't coming." his mum grinned when he stumbled into the kitchen.

"As if!"

"Go get ready, your sister is meeting us at the restaurant."

"K."

Given that it was Jamie going out the getting ready bit was pretty quick, the only panic being when he discovered he needed to do some laundry - still no one can see what you are wearing inside your trousers can they?

"I don't see why we had to come here." Jess complained as we perused the menu.

"Jamie's choice, you can choose next time." Mum informed my sibling.

In truth The New Taj Mahal wasn't my first choice of eatery but the Shamal was booked out and I didn't want to give in to Jess' demands for pizza.

"So what's it to be?" Mum enquired.

"Lamb Rogan for me." Jess stated.

"Beef Madras?" I asked hopefully.

"Your stomach," Mum noted, "Pilau? Naan?"

"You bet." I enthused in turn.

You don't really want a blow-by-blow account of the evening, suffice to say that we had a good time; Mum was trying a little too hard I guess as she tried to catch up with our lives. It was of course something of a one-way conversation, due to Mums job being kind of hush hush there wasn't a great deal she could tell us in return.

"Ugh."

"And morning to you too."

"Sorry Mum."

"You want some breakfast?"

"Toast?"

Geez, how does she manage to be so chipper at this time of the morning?

"So, what are you wearing today?"

I hadn't given it a great deal of thought really.

"Jeans I guess."

"Oh," she sounded a little deflated, "I had rather hoped it would be Peaches going especially as we're supposed to be shopping for her."

"Er yeah."

"Jam?"

"Please, I um guess Peaches could go."

Mums demeanour changed like a switch.

"I saw this really cute top yesterday that'll suit her colouring, make sure you wear something easy to take off."

"For why?"

"Well if you're trying stuff on you don't want to be fiddling with loads of buttons and stuff - oh and slip on shoes."

Thus ordered I finished my breakfast and headed upstairs to become my mothers second daughter. To be honest it felt a little weird, normally when Peaches makes an appearance its either to be with Karen or for me to take photos. This is something else, something I never bargained for when I first 'borrowed' some of Jess' stuff after that first wedding shoot. I wasn't sure what I felt about that but Mum seemed pretty keen on this particular idea - today at least.

I felt a bit self-conscious on the short walk to Mums car and just hoped that no one saw me. I say Mums car, it’s hired really but it was still quite nice to be lording or should that be ladying, in the front seat of a new 5 series.

"You look very nice Pea." mum noted as we negotiated our way onto the bypass, "maybe a bit heavy on the makeup."

Now Mum's calling me Pea!

"Okay."

I’d followed Mums breakfast advice and whilst I wasn't that keen on wearing skirts in public I did have a basic denim mini that Jess had 'donated' to my wardrobe, which I teamed up with a sleeveless white polo neck.

"You have a very pretty face, you don't need to use quite so much foundation."

I looked over at her, she seemed to be wearing hardly any makeup but she still looked stunning.

"Its how I normally do it, it looks okay in the photos."

"Ah, well that’s the thing, for that you do need to wear more but daytime you don't need as much, most teens make the same mistake, I’ll show you later if you like?"

"Er sure."

"So how did the photo thing go, you didn't really say last night."

"Okay I guess."

The rest of the drive to The Springs was spent with me going over the previous day's events.

Mall shopping. You either love it or hate it and I’m firmly in the latter camp! What is it about them that they attract every teen within a hundred miles who as far as I can tell buy a happy meal and nothing else? Certainly at The Springs they make up most of the crowds, the only other big group - at least on the weekend are the 'sport' shoppers. They do buy stuff but they tend to treat it as a competition, I’m sure most of it comes back on Monday! Which leaves me, the reluctant shopper.

I didn't think Peaches needed more stuff but Mom was Adam Ant or maybe Gary Numan.

"Show a bit of enthusiasm Pea."

"Well it’s not really me."

"Okay, so what is?"

Mum's 'cute' top was atrocious, it might have worked if I looked like a pencil and was into frills, I fit neither category so I just looked like a sad meringue.

"Well," it wasn't something I’d given a lot of thought to, "nothing too fussy or bold."

"We can work with that."

"Oh and nothing that shows too much um flesh."

"Come on then, times a wasting!" mum enthused.

It was more than a little strange having my mother encouraging me to try stuff on and buying a fair chunk of it. This was a side of mum I hadn't seen before but as she said when I complained 'I do it for Jess so I’ll do it for my other daughter too.' so what’s a girl a erm boy to do?

By the time we were done Peaches had acquired half a dozen tops, three skirts, a cardigan, a 'posh frock', a pair of capri's and a pair of jeans. Of course there was more, two pairs of shoes and a variety of hosiery along with a bunch of stuff from Claire’s. Way too much but every time I argued I got the same ' I do it for Jess' response. It certainly seems weird that Peaches now has her own, new to her stuff in my wardrobe, not just stuff 'borrowed' from my sister.

"We’ll have to get you a dressing table."

Now enough's enough!

"There’s no room and anyway I don't need one."

"Hmm, we'll see." Mum didn't sound convinced.

I mean, what if Jonno came round? The clothes I can hide but a dressing table? And what exactly do I need one for?

"Do you want to see if Karen wants to join us to eat tonight?"

"I can ask, what about Jess?"

"Oh she's out with some lad, won't be back until late. It’d be a chance for me to meet your girlfriend."
I’m not sure that’s entirely a good idea but I made the call as we drove back from the Springs.

Completed on 11.09.10 and first read at the Gabycon on 12.09.10