“So I clicked up a gear and went after her.”

“Didn’t you do anything else? For the last minutes all you’ve talked about is the racing,” Con complained.

“It was why we went,” I observed.

“But I want to hear about Japon, you’ve hardly told us anything.”

Well I suppose she’s right about that, apart from giving people their presents I’ve not really talked about the trip at all. It’s not been a conscious thing, more there hasn’t really been a good opportunity and I don’t like to be boastful about my travels.

“So what do you want to know?”

“Everything!” she enthused, “The food, the clothes, where you went.”
 
 

“You should’ve seen their faces,” I chortled an hour later after regaling my audience with the story of Geisha Bond.

“I hope you’ve got pictures.”

“Jules got some, Aoi is supposed to be sending us some, maybe I’ll email her.”

“Girls! Dinner!” Frau Thesing called from the kitchen.

“Coming,” Con replied.
 
 

Of course I’ve eaten at the Thesing’s quite often since coming to Dernau, it’s still a treat firstly because I’m not cooking but also because you never know what you are going to end up with. The smell of hot Rotkohl was escaping the kitchen as we headed to the dining area, Tomas; Con’s dad turned the telly off before coming to join us.

“Red, Therese?”

“Please.”

“Girls?”

“Sprite®?”

“Same for me please,” Con added.

“Two lemonades coming up.”
 
 

“Any chance of a few shifts now you’re back in town, Gaby?” Herr Thesing asked as we let the food go down.

After the big lunch beef, Rotkohl and potato dumplings was a bit more filling than I would’ve chosen myself, but it would be impolite to leave any.

“I think so, I’ll check with Dad.”

I could do with boosting my spending fund after Japan, especially with no prize money coming in.

“Saturday mornings would be good,” Tomas mentioned.
 
 

I might get fed without strings but it’s good manners to help the clear up Con did the washing and I took charge of drying.

“So what did you do after the geisha thing?”

“Well Mand wanted to see some palace place so we got lunch then looked at that. Then we went to the manga museum.”

“Manga museum? Really?”

“I kid you not, Connie Thesing.”

“Sounds pretty different.”

“It was well cool,” I enthused before launching into a perhaps fuller description of the visit than was really necessary.

 
 
“You going home, Gaby?” Con’s mum enquired sometime later.

I glanced at my timepiece, nearly ten.

“Sugar!”

“You want to borrow a coat?” Con offered.

“Nah I’ll be okay.”

“If you say so.”

 
 
It was colder outside than I thought it would be, by the time I reached Bond acres I was regretting not borrowing that coat as I shivered uncontrollably.

“We were just about to send out the search parties,” Dad proffered when I reached the lounge.

“Er sorry, I was telling Con about Japan and we like lost track of time.”

“A phone call might’ve been nice.”

“Yeah,” I agreed. “How’d you get on, Mum?”

“Third, kiddo, Erika took top step.”

“Not too shabby for an oldie.”

“I can still give you a run.”

“Where’s Mand?”

“Bed,” Dad supplied, “where you should be going, young lady.”

“Da-ad.”

“Don’t you dad me, you’ve got school tomorrow, you know the rules.”

“Yes, Dad,” I agreed.

“And don’t forget your shoes in the morning,” Mum added.

“Shoes?”

“For the fitting? You’ve not forgotten that already?”

If only I could.

“Course not, can I get a lift to cheer practice?”

“I suppose so,” Dad agreed.

Yes!

“Off to bed with you,” Mum instructed.

Between you and me I was going to go up anyway, I’m fair knackered considering the little I’ve done today.
 
 

“Thought you’d be gone by now,” I suggested when I discovered Mand in the kitchen.

“Your mum’s taking me this morning as Jules isn’t here.”

I guess she stayed over at Boris’ again.

“Sooner you than me!”

“Gaby!”

“Sorry, Mum,” I hadn’t heard her come in behind me.

“Don’t forget your…”

“Shoes, I know,” I told her.

“And try not to let Gerta get too carried away please?”

“I’m only going for this flippin’ bridesmaid dress, nothing else.”

“You gonna come to cheer tonight, Mand?” I enquired around a mouthful of toast.

“It’s not a bad idea,” Mum put in.

“You don’t have to join the squad or anything but it’s a good off bike workout.”

“Guess I can give it a throw,” she agreed, “what do I wear?”

“Ordinary gym stuff’ll do.”

“’Kay”

“You ready, Amanda?” Mum prompted.

“Just get my bag.”
 
 

 
 

“So what’s with the schuh?” Brid asked as we mounted up outside Thesing’s.

I should’ve put them in a bag instead of just in the basket, damn.

“Dress fitting,” I mumbled.

“Not at that fancy boutique place?” Nena queried.

“Yes,” I admitted.

“You do have expensive tastes, Gaby Bond,” Pia observed.

“Not my idea,” I grumbled.

“So what’s the occasion?” Steff enquired, “Some fancy dinner?”

“I wish, it’s Max’s cousin’s wedding.”

Sugar, that’s gonna open a can of worms.

“How come you’re going to that?” Pia started to dig.

“Erm, to make up the numbers?” I suggested.

“Gaby Bond!” Con admonished.

“Alright, I said I’d go with Max like months ago.”

“Max von Strechau who you aren’t dating,” Steff mentioned.

“Er yeah,” I agreed.

“And for this you need a fancy hand finished frock?” Nena put in.

“Only the wedding party do that stuff, “Brid noted.

“Gab?” Con prompted.

“Okay already, I’m gonna be a bridesmaid,” I admitted in a small voice.

“Did I just hear right?” Pia started, “the Bondster is going to be a bridesmaid at some fancy wedding?”

“I’d get out of it if I could,” I stated.

“So why don’t you?” Steff had to ask.

“It’s complicated.”

“Admit it Gabs, you want to be a bridesmaid,” Brid suggested.

“Seriously, guys, I’d rather walk around town in that flippin elf suit.”

“I don’t think she wants to do it,” Con observed.

“I’ve still got the elf suit,” Pia added.
 
 

“Why didn’t you tell me about the wedding yesterday?” Con asked while we waited for Frau Dürst to arrive.

“You wanted to know about Japan,” I pointed out.

“You coulda still mentioned it.”

“Honestly, Con, I only found out Saturday myself, it wasn’t something I had on a bucket list.”

“Bucket list?”

“You know, a list of stuff you want to do.”

“Oh right, so where is it?”

“Bonn cathedral?”

“Geez, Gab, you don’t do stuff by halves do you?”

“Gab!” Mart hissed.

“Wassup?”

“Dad’s okayed a Halloween party.”

“Cool, when?”

“Erm Halloween,” he suggested.

“Which is,” I consulted my diary, “a week Sunday.”

“Well he said we could have it on Saturday, no school next day.”

“I suppose you want me to spread the word?”

“That, yeah.”

“And?”

“Well could you and the girls sort out some food? I’ll get the guys to do the décor and music.”

“I suppose so.”

“Your English friend is invited of course.”

“I’ll tell her.”

“Come on, Gab!” Pia encouraged from along the corridor.

 
 
The school day was fairly ordinary, nothing weird happening, no summons to the Head – yep pretty normal. Mart’s party trumped my being a bridesmaid for which I was quite thankful, discussion moved from food to costumes to who’d be going.
 
 

“You don’t have to come,” I told Con for the umpteenth time.

“I said I would, moral support and all that.”

“You just want to see what it’s like inside.”

“Well that as well,” she admitted.

Let’s face it, no teen girl I know has the money or desire to shop at Eloise Couture, it’s only ‘lucky’ me who gets to visit the posh frock shop for herself.

“Come on then,” I sighed unable to delay our departure further.

Maddy Bell copyright 03.12.15