Gaby Book 18 - Summery

 
“Bum!”
“What now?” Mum sighed.

This morning really isn’t going well and it’s only just turned seven. You remember last night? Working up at Rech? Yeah well by the time we got home, made and ate supper, chatted with my rents for a bit – look it was late when I went to bed so I didn’t shower, do it in the morning. Except I slept through my alarm, Mum’s just dragged me out of bed and I need to be gone in like ten minutes so no shower.

“Hair?”
“Well apart from the colour, looks fine to me.”

Yeah, fine if you think tightly braided hair is cool, well it has its place but it’s not cool for school – I've got a reputation to think of.

“Can you take it out?”
“If I undo it you’ll have a frizzy mess, you know what your hair’s like.”
I sighed, she’s not wrong, “Can’t you do anything with it?”
“Come here.”

“Didn’t think last night was that bad,” Con opined joining the rest of us at the table, our penultimate pre Silverberg coffee meeting. “You look like you lost a euro and found a cent, Gab.”
“I thought it went pretty well, Dad was pleased enough,” Pia added.
“Hair,” I suggested.
“Disguises the pink a bit,” Steff suggested.
“No kidding,” I huffed.

Mum had done something alright, re-pinned it and threaded a bunch of flowers, real flowers from the bunch in the kitchen vase. I feel like a flippin’ florist’s display.

“Well I think it looks pretty,” Nena offered.
“Cross between Heidi and a table decoration,” Bridg giggled.
“Thanks a bunch!”
“She’s only kidding,” Steff stated.
“Course I am, it wouldn’t work for anyone else but you’re so cute you can get away with anything.”

She used the C word, grrr!

“We should take cake for everyone tomorrow,” Con suggested.
“That sounds like a good idea,” P agreed.
“What have you got for Frau Dürst, Gabs?” Nena asked.
“Got?”
“You have bought her a gift?” Steff prompted.

Bum and double bum! why’s this only being mentioned now? I remember Mum getting various choccies and trinkets from her pupils back when she was teaching and she insisted that me an’ Jules gave our form teachers a ‘thank you’ gift when we left Warsop College. Damn, now I've got to go shopping after school.

“’Course.”
“So what’d you get her?”
“It’s a erm surprise, don’t want anyone spilling the beans.”
“As if we would,” Nen stated.

“Seriously, Gab, you got Frau Dürst anything?” Con pushed as we dawdled along behind the others along the cycle track a few minutes later.
“Um.”
“Me neither,” she admitted, shops after school?”
“Yeah,” I agreed,” can’t be long though, I've got training.”
“So what’s the story with the hair?”

“Gab!” Max hissed across at me as Frau Dürst prepared to take registration.
“What?”
“You heard from Soph?”
“Bond,” she’s started already.
“Er here.” I allowed before whispering back to von Strechau, “Your cousin?”
“How many do you think I know, ‘course my cousin.”
“No, what about?”
“Her sister’s getting married.”
“Sara? She never said at New Year,” I squeaked, “when?”
“Not sure of the details,” he admitted.
“So why you telling me?”
“Thought I'd book you as my plus one,” he grinned.
“As if.”
“You didn’t enjoy it before?”
“That’s not the point.”
“Stevens,” Frau Dürst called.
“Why not?”
“von Strechau?”
“Max!” Con interrupted.

It took him a moment to work out what her eye signals were about mind.

“Von Strechau,” she repeated.
“Sorry miss, yes miss.”
“Thank you, right I've got to go to the office so hopefully you can entertain yourselves – quietly, Freddy, until I get back, please.”

“Sounds a bit suspect to me,” Con opined as we rode in to Ahrweiler.

Well it’s not like she couldn’t hear mine and Max’s conversation this morning is it?

“Wotcha mean, suspect?”
“Well if nothing was mentioned at New Years, that lot go in for long engagements as well, well dodg.”
I guess when you put it like that, “You think she’s preggers?”
“Could be,” Con allowed with an evil grin.
“Nah, I can’t believe that, Sara’s the sensible one.”
“Just saying,” she mentioned with a waggle of her eyebrows.
“So where do you reckon we should look for these gifts?”
“Choccie shop?”
“We can’t both give her chocolate, I bet she’ll end up with tons, that and cheap smellies – Mum used to give ‘em to Jules, not the chocs mind.”
“Well I'm getting chocolate whatever.”
“’Kay, I'll see if there’s anything suitable in the gift shop next door.”

Con got her chocolate, I got a light bulb moment and bought a picture frame.

I finally disposed of both flowers and braids when I got home, well neither would fit under my helmet would they? Instead I tied back my pink bouffant and rammed my helmet on top before joining Mand on the drive.

“The Ring?” she suggested.

Dad had just got today down as two to three hours of level three, a ride up to the Ring or over to Műnstereifel works well for that.

“Suits,” I allowed engaging my right *cleat in preparation.

We both fiddled with our computers for a minute before simultaneously pushing off into the late afternoon sunshine.

“You remember Sara from New Year?”
“At the castle place?”
“Uh huh,” I agreed, “well according to Max she’s getting hitched.”
“Get on!”
“Straight up, might give Soph a call later to get the goss.”
Mand chuckled.
“That’s up?”
“You are, Gaby Bond, you are such a girl.”
“Worst luck.”
“Oh give over, girl, thou doth protest too much, you are like the biggest gossip in the valley.”
“Am not.”
“If you say so.”

Level three is hard enough that after our initial warm up stage up through Altenahr, talking was reduced to the occasional grunt until we reached Nurburg and started the downhill tending return.

“Wish I was finishing school tomorrow,” Mand lamented.
“You haven't done your GCSE’s yet,” I pointed out.
“I'm gonna do crap in them, dunno why I'm bothering.”
“For your future?” I suggested, geez I sound like Mum.
“It’s alright for you, you’ll get a pro contract, race for a couple of years then marry Max, have your two point four, end of.”
“You have to be kidding, there is no way I'm marrying anyone, let alone Max and as for rug rats.”
“We’ll see,” she predicted as we started the fast bumpy descent towards Ahrbruck.

Pia’s idea of wearing the Büstenheber to school on Friday came to nought, you have to admit it wouldn’t have the same impact with just three of us, now if we coulda got all the girls doing it…

“Okay everyone,” Frau Dürst called to get our attention, “I know you’re all excited but please calm down a bit, we’ll go down for the assembly in a couple of minutes I suggest you take the opportunity to use the loos, Frau Boxberg can wind on a bit.”

Well we didn’t need a second invite, all the girls pretty much made a dash for the door together, I took my time, there’ll be a queue after all.

“Er this is for you Miss,” I nervously told my form teacher before handing her the carelessly, well it was me doing it, wrapped parcel.
“Thanks, Gaby,” she told me taking the gift. “Hmm, not chocolate or smellies.”
“Mum used to be a teacher.”
“I remember her saying, geography yes? May I?”
“Er yeah, I mean yes.”

She carefully undid my less careful wrapping to reveal the contents.

“Oh Gaby, it’s beautiful,” she held out the frame and took a look at it, “come here, missy, I'll treasure this.”

And so I found myself sharing a slightly tearful hug with my form teacher, yeah I got emotional too.

What had garnered such a reaction? Well after dinner last night I got busy with my computer, the printer, some Prit Stick® , scissors and my limited artistic talent. The end result was a sort of collage made of pictures of me and the gang over the last couple of years. A trifle narcissistic I guess but it was fun to do and would remind Frau Dürst of us far longer than sweets or dubious toiletries.

There were pictures of the Anime dance, our Weihnachtsmarkt adventures, the trip to Berlin, kart racing at the Michael Schumacher track and so on. I'd also got some out of school stuff on there and I found pictures of everyone in the form to include. Okay so I might be on there more than anyone else but hey, it’s my gift!

“I er need the loo, Miss.”
“Go on with you, Gabrielle Bond, thank you,” she gave my arm a last squeeze before letting me depart.

“What’ve you been sniffling for?” Con enquired when I emerged from the cubicle.
“I haven’t.”
“Gab, your mascara is halfway down your face.”
“Sugar!” I stated after a look in the mirror, “You got any cleansers?”
“Here,” she passed me the pack of wipes before continuing the inquisition, “so?”
“Er just got a bit emotional,” I admitted, “I just gave Frau Dürst her prezzie.”
“Come on, girls,” said teacher encouraged from the doorway, “time to go.”
“You never did say what it was, a picture of you?”
“I'm sure you’ll see it later.”

I quickly finished removing the panda look and with more skill than I'd own up to gave my lashes a new coat of massy. Well it wasn’t perfect but it’ll have to do I guess. Con was waiting for me so together we chased through the corridors towards the main hall, giggling like idiots as we did power slides and cartoon cornering to catch up with the rest of the class.

Maddy Bell © 24.11.16