Gaby Book 16 - Sweet Sixteen

We got back from the airport late afternoon, I spent the journey home mulling through the whole Bernie scenario, my concern wasn’t whether Mart was being sincere but whether he or even both of them would regret making the commitment so young. I couldn’t imagine being in the same place, okay, Max and me, well we have the odd snog – I know what I’ve said before, it’s the hormones.

“How many more?” Mand enquired dropping a spud into the pan.
“Er, another couple I think,” we’d got landed with cooking dinner, nothing too complicated, pork chops, mash and veg.
“’Kay. Oh I put your thing up on your bed.”
Thing? Oh right, “cheers, thanks for fetching it.”
“What is it? The woman in the shop showed it me, didn’t understand a word she said, looks like some torture device with all those straps.”
“It’s called a Büstenheber, it’s like a push-up bra on steroids.”
Mand gave me a strange look, “it hasn’t got cups.”
“You wear your normal bra and it, you know,” I suggested hefting the girls.
She still looked doubtful, “really?”
“I’ll show you after dinner.”
“’Kay, I thought you weren’t keen on, you know emphasising your assets?”
“There are times,” I admitted.

“You hussy!” Mand exclaimed when I showed her the Büstenhebe’s effect.
“Neat eh, instant D cups!”
“So how come no one else knows about these things?”
“It’s a Kostüm thing, I guess it’s easier to just wear an underwire, I hate underwires, they dig in my ribs.”
“Yeah,” Mand agreed, “is it comfortable?”
“So far, no boob bounce.”
“Might have to borrow it sometime.”
“You got someone you want to, er, impress?”
“Might have.”
“Spill then,” I prompted.
“There’s nothing to tell.”
“Nothing?”
“Look he’s in my class, his dad works for some big chemical company near Köln.”
“And?”
“And nothing, we’ve been lab partners a few times.”
“If you say so.”
“Well maybe I want to like, progress things?”
“He have a name then?”
“Michael, Michael Thomas.”
“So good they named him twice!” I sang, I couldn’t help myself.
“Hey, don’t make fun!”

“What do you think?”
“I thought you were doing Dr Who?” Mand pointed out.
“I was but I don’t have anything to use.”
“So this Sara Jane, she’s like one his side kicks?”
“Back in the seventies when they had that metal dog thing.”
“Really? That is just lame.”
“Yeah,” I agreed, “but she’s easy to play.”

I looked at myself in the mirror, I’d raided Mums wardrobe for a blouse and a long cardigan, she had some boots too, add a pair of jeans – et voila. Okay I need to work on the hair but I think it works.

“You not costuming?”
“Nah, I’ll just watch, it’s not really my thing.”
I guess we had sort of arm-twisted her into joining us; dressing up was a step too far.

“Come on Gab, there was more than that,” Nena pressed.
“There wasn’t!”
“Like we believe that,” Steff snorted.

Yeah, just another Monday morning. As Bern and Mart weren’t top of the agenda, word of their engagement clearly didn’t leak on Saturday, the next best thing and sure bet for entertainment was Max and me at the dance. You’d think the others never did anything, they do but my life is more entertaining than visiting relations or walking the dog.

“Gab, can I have a word?” Con’s mum requested.
“Er sure,” I agreed, “back in a mo.”

I went over to the counter where Mrs T was waiting.
“I spoke to Tomas, about what we talked about Saturday,” she clarified.
“Oh right.”
“He wants to give it a try, how do you fancy being in charge of Operation Special?”
“Me? I only do a few hours a week, what about Con?”
“Its your idea, we thought you’d like to follow it through.”
“Er right, okay.”
“Have a think about it, let us know tomorrow eh?”
“Er sure, right, okay.”

I’d forgotten about that, there’s been that much going on this weekend, what with the dance and the Rose’s departure. Not sure how much use I can be working five hours on a Saturday afternoon, I suppose I can give it some thought though.

“You coming Gab?” Pia called from the doorway.
“Er yeah, just get my coat.”

“…And the past participle? Gaby?” Herr Viessner requested turning to me.
“Er, driven?”
“So is this a perfect or imperfect verb? Martin?”
“Perfect?”
“Come on Mr Preiser, we’ve been through this before, its imperfect.”

Our English teacher looked somewhat frustrated by Marts lack of English skills. It would be easy for me to scoff; it’s my first language so I do have a head start, the boots on the other foot in Herr Praxmeier’s German classes.

“We’ll have a test on Wednesday, the examiners will expect you to know this stuff. Homework, two sides on driving please,” he concluded.

I suspect the homework was a result of Mart’s ineptitude but whatever, its not rocket science but stretching to two sides when your writing is as tiny as mine will be the issue for me. I’m sure its all got a purpose and in the long run I suppose passing tests is useful to someone although I’m not sure speaking good English will stand Mart in any better position with his horses and cows.

Our little fleet of city bikes set off back up the valley with some vim, rain has been falling on and off all day although we seem to have a window without precipitation at the moment.

“So you sorted for Sunday?” Steff enquired riding along beside me.
“Think so, Mand’s not costuming though.”
“Why not?”
“She’s not really into it.”
“Well the rest of us aren’t properly into it are we?” Steff noted.
“Not like my cousin, she even died her hair green once,” I recalled.
“That sounds hardcore,” Steff agreed.
“Her boyfriend’s into it too, like majorly.”

I thought back to the last time I went to a Con with her, that thing at Doncaster, yeah I think they are as into each other as costuming. It was a bittersweet memory; I’d always thought that it would be me getting down with Mad not some lad she met in Sheffield. There again I hadn’t really expected to be the sensible one in our relationship either – or a girl, yeah, it was Drew that was into Maddy not Gaby, not me.

“See you later Gab!” Pia called back as Steff, Con and I peeled off for Dernau.
“Yeah, later,” I agreed, my line of musing broken.

“Mum?”
“Wassup kiddo?”
“You know I’m doing Sara Jane for the Con on Sunday?”
“This thing in Koblenz?”
“Yeah, do you think you could like do my hair like she has it?”
“You got a photo?”
I passed her the print I scammed off the interweb.
“Hmm, I can probably get something like although your hair’s longer, have to find my tongs I guess.”
“Can I dye it? She does have brown hair.”
“Seems a bit excessive for one day luv, it’ll take ages to grow out again and your hairs beautiful.”
“You let Jules,” I shot back.
“I didn’t exactly get any say did I, look I’m not saying you can’t, how about one of those temporary things, they wash out after a couple of weeks.”
“Like when Claudia did it blue?”
“Er yes but without the notes to the school. Look tell you what, I’ll see what there is when go into town tomorrow eh?”
“Okay,” I agreed.
Maybe dying my locks is a bit excessive on the other hand no one could go round calling me a stupid blonde.

I demonstrated the move again, ‘and one and two and.’

The girls had actually progressed quite a lot since I’d last been to Cheer practice, we do still need to knock a few corners off, smooth it all together – the opposite to Fridays Garde sessions. I shook my booty, waved my arms and dropped into the finishing scissors, ooo, that was a bit er uncomfortable. I spun round and climbed off the floor.

“You see what I mean?” I enquired.
“Think so.”
“More flow?”
“Flow, that’s the word, yeah,” I agreed. “The pieces are separate but we need to flow between them er like a waltz.”
There were one or two raised eyebrows at that observation.
“You can waltz?” Hannah asked.
“I had a crash course when I was Weinkönigin, its quite useful sometimes,” I allowed.
“Maybe we should practice the waltz instead of all this jumping about,” Lisse suggested with some sarcasm.
“Good idea Lisse,” Hannah allowed, ignoring the barb, “but not tonight, the line dancers will be itching to get in. see you all next time.”

“I think they’ll be okay,” I offered as I gathered my notes together.
“We just need to sort out who’s going to be in the competition.”
“Yeah, there’s a couple who still don’t really get it,” I noted.
“Kristin!” we both offered, which caused a giggle or two.
“You sure we can’t get Amanda to do it? She’s better than most of the girls.”
“She says not but I’ll try to talk her round.”
“Even if its just for this time,” Hannah proposed.
“I’ve got an idea,” I proffered – an idea that may or may not work.

Maddy Bell 06.06.16