Whatever Next? Chapter 16 by Angharad Copyright© 2022 Angharad

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(title picture Andrea Piacquadio)

Drew was seated by his bike drinking from his water bottle when Harry struggled to the top of the hill. He was red faced and puffing.

“How do you do it?” he said in between deep breaths.

“Do what?”

“Ride up hills so quick.”

“Dunno, I’ve always done it.” Drew shrugged and sucked some more water from his bottle, wiping the lip gloss off the top of it.

“I wish I could,” moaned Harry, and pulled his own drink bottle out of the cage on his bike. He opened it and drank deeply.

Drew waited for Harry to get his breath back before they went on. “You are getting better, you know.”

“I wish I could believe that,” Harry felt a little disappointed; he’d trained hard but this girl was something else, he was like an amateur, she was like a pro.

“It’s all about training right, we need to get you enrolled in a bike club and get you a coach.”

“Would that make a difference?” asked Harry deciding it was a dumb question. If it hadn’t been important, she wouldn’t have said it.

“The only way to find out would be to try it.”

“Yeah, okay, how about we both join?”

“I’m already involved with a club, I’d have to get permission.”

“Oh, yes of course you are, up in the frozen North.”

“It’s only up by Nottingham, not Anchorage.” Drew sighed, bloody southerners! Anything beyond Bristol is in the Arctic Circle!

“Anchorage?” said Harry looking puzzled.

“Alaska?” said Drew attempting to avoid the sarcasm he thought Harry deserved. Drew had to know where it was, after all, his mother was a geography teacher.

“Oh yeah, course. So what do you think about a bike race with Bryanston?”

“If Matt sets it up, yeah, should be good.” Drew shrugged again, he didn’t really care one way or the other. Was that true? He was short of race practice so any sort would be better than none.

“You’d be the favourite to win it,” said Harry looking at his love with doe eyes.

“Why, even Lancie boy, could be beaten on the day.”

“But you would try to win, wouldn’t you?”

“Dunno, depends on the day, I mean wrong time of the month and all that…” Drew almost blushed as he said it.

Harry did blush, “Oh yeah, look we’ll have to try and organise it so it doesn’t clash with your cycle.”

“I thought it was a cycle race,” said Drew innocently, but the crinkles around his eyes belied the innocence, he was dying to laugh. If Maddy was there now, she’d have fallen off her bike, but that’s another story.

“Women!” said Harry and slapped his hand against his forehead, then they both laughed.

“Aren’t you going to try and win it then?” Drew asked.

“What against you?” he looked almost as if Drew had committed a blasphemy.

“Yeah, against me. I don’t always win you know.”

“You do against me.”

“If you want to do this seriously, you have to believe that one day you are going to win against me.”

“But I lo...like you too much.” Harry blushed.

“If you really like me you’ll try your best to beat me every chance you get.”

“Why?”

“Because it makes me try harder and that keeps me on my toes.”

“But, I’m a boy and it’s not done to beat girls.”

“In an open race, yes it is. I appreciate you playing the gentleman and all that, but you need to go for it. If you do beat me, I’ll guarantee, you’ll only do it once.”

“Why because you’ll never forgive me?”

“Arrrrghhhhhhh! Bloody men! No you dummy, because after that I’ll ride harder than ever.”

“Oh, I see, what if I beat you again?”

“You won’t, but if it were to happen, I’d like, train harder until I got one back against you.”

“You are incredibly competitive for a girl, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, so? Do you think I’m a boy or something?” Drew was skating on thin ice, yet at the same time, by bluffing, he was sure Harry would move away to safer ground.

“No, you take after your mother; besides, if I thought you were a boy I’d still be in awe of your riding but I wouldn’t fancy you.”

“Good job I’m not then,” said Drew, his fingers crossed behind his back. He got back on his bike, “Are we like, gonna ride or talk?”

“Ride,” said Harry mounting his bike.

“Okay, now racing on an open road is dangerous, but that doesn’t stop us trying to ride as fast as we can. Be careful at the bottom of the hill, it’s a T-junction and they have right of way, besides, side-pull brakes aren’t as good as the Vee brakes they have on mountain bikes.”

“I’ve been down this hill before,” said Harry almost dismissively.

“Okay clever clogs, let’s go.” Drew started slowly, allowing Harry to overtake him. He was pretty sure he could match or better anything Harry could do. Harry went off like a rocket, Drew built up more slowly, he knew the road descended quite steeply but then rose again before the final descent. He would take him there, on the rise. He hoped it would also give Harry a lesson in race strategy, but he doubted it.

They both wooshed down past the monument to Admiral Hardy, Drew staying about ten yards behind Harry, watching for traffic and other hazards. Harry was certainly going for it, but was he capable of riding hard and watching where he was going.

A car wanted to overtake them, Drew eased off to let the impatient occupant get past, Harry was weaving all over the road, trying to take the best line, then a car appeared moving towards them up the hill. Drew cussed under his breath, now it was getting dangerous, Drew was doing over thirty miles an hour, Harry was going faster. If he crashed at that speed, it was going to hurt.

The ascending car pulled in to a passing place and Harry whizzed through, the descending car hard behind, then came Drew, who nodded at the driver giving way.

The pursuing car pulled past Harry, who was still riding almost in the middle of the road and he had to take avoiding action. It slowed him fractionally and Drew spotted the rise in the road coming, and pounced. He clicked up a cog on his front mech, he was now in a very high gear and passed Harry at a speed in excess of fifty miles an hour and was gaining on the car that had recently passed them.

Harry would have stepped on the gas, but too late, the maestro had struck again. Drew eased off as he came to the road junction, where he stopped to wait for Harry, who came flying past him, straight across the road which fortunately was clear of traffic. Unfortunately, at the far side of the road is a stream; the bike went into the stream, Harry flew over it and through the hedge on the far side, landing conveniently on some bales of hay, which some sheep were trying to eat. The ovine reactions were faster than the human ones, and the sheep managed to avoid being hurt by the airborne boy.

Drew dismounted from his bike and ran across the road, Harry was lying on the grass having rolled off the hay. A car stopped to assist.

“What happened?” asked the woman driver.

“I think my friend’s brakes failed.”

“Are you okay?” shouted the woman to Harry.

“I think so, how’s my bike?”

“A bit wet,” Drew was leaning into the stream to pull it out. He managed at the second attempt, without falling in himself. Amazingly, the wheels seemed pretty true, all that had happened was the chain had come off. He picked up a bit of stick and guided the chain back on the sprocket.

Harry rose shakily, his head was spinning but still attached, he looked at the love of his life messing with his bike, she had greater skills there than he did. Was there anything with a bike she couldn’t do? He doubted it.

He walked along to the gate of the field and back to the road, his shoes clomping with their hard soles as he walked towards Drew.

“That was some dive, with somersault and pike. I’d give you seven out of a possible ten for it.”

“Only seven?” said Harry with wide eyes.

“Yeah, you didn’t land still riding the bike.”

“I’ll have to work on it,” said Harry.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” asked the woman motorist.

“Yes, thanks for stopping.” Harry shook her hand.

“Yes, it was kind of you to stop for a cyclist, most drivers see us as sport.” Drew thought he’d put in a quick party political broadcast.

“My son cycles. He’s Steve Cornish, he’s a local champion.”

“Oh yes, I’ve met him at Matt and Tim’s shop. He has a Specialized Tarmac.”

“That’s right, he does. Who shall I say you are, he might remember you?”

“Oh, he’ll remember her alright,” said Harry, “her mum’s a world champion and she’s a national champion. She also beat him up Portesham hill, according to Matt.”

Drew blushed like a traffic light on red. “Erm,” was all he said and looked at his feet, as soon as Mrs Cornish was gone, he was going to drown Harry in the stream.

“So that was you, was it?” commented Mrs Cornish, “he said some slip of a girl showed him how it was done. Well, I’m pleased to meet you and to shake your hand.” She grabbed Drew’s hand and shook it firmly but gently.

Mrs Cornish continued, “You did him a big favour, he thought he was the bee's knees, you showed him he had some more work to do. He’s trained hard ever since. Maybe you’ll see him if you’re ever out at Moreton on a Thursday evening. He does time trial racing out there, have you tried it?”

Drew nudged Harry before he could say anything then answered for himself, “I’ve done a bit, yes I may see him one evening. Nice to meet you, say hello for me, won’t you.” He watched Harry’s face contort at the last bit and wanted to snigger.

She got back into her car and drove off waving to both of them.

“How many times have I got to ask you not to tell everyone who my mum is, or who I am? For all we know she could be a friend of Meadows, if she was, he’d know where I went riding.”

Harry’s face, which was now showing some bruises, took on a frown. “Well, she was on about Steve bloody Cornish, the big rider….”

“Of course she was, she’s his mother, just as your mother would or mine does. They all think the sun shines from our bums.”

“But you’re a better rider.”

“So what? He knows it already, you know it and I know it, does it matter if his mother does? Besides, now with all his extra training, I might not be.”

“Oh, I see. I’m sorry.” Harry looked very embarrassed.

“I don’t know how to get this through to you, but please don’t tell anyone else about me, they just might be friends of Meadows, and even if they’re not, I might meet them in a race and I’d rather they didn’t know until I’ve passed them.”

“You are so competitive!” said Harry and the tone was awe rather than criticism.

Drew thought, ‘Yeah, and you’re so stupid, no wonder you’re a boy, you’re too thick to be a girl.’

“Come on, let’s see if your bike is okay.” He ran back to the junction and collected his own bike while Harry pulled off a bit of weed that had stuck to his handlebars. “You’d better re-oil your chain, when you get back, just in case.”

They cycled off through Winterbourne St. Martin, Drew staying behind in case Harry had a problem. It seemed he didn’t the gears changed up and down and the brakes worked.

“How come you didn’t stop?” asked Drew as they rode along through the village.

“I was going too fast. I was so cross that you did me again, that I just kept accelerating instead of slowing down, thought I could beat you on the line.”

“Who do you think you are, Jenny Bond?”

“Nah, she’d have beaten you.”

“Probably,” said Drew, whilst thinking, ‘it woulda been close.’

Back at the cottage, the Riot Act read and punishment passed, Jules was sulking, her headache eased with paracetamol, her heartache however, was just beginning as she texted John, saying she had been grounded for at least a week and couldn’t see him. In fact her grandmother insisted she spend some time getting her schoolwork together and also doing some more sewing.

“You can also apologise to Gaby,” said Josie, which Carol supported.

“Why? What did I say?”

“You accused her of not making up her mind if she was a boy or a girl, it was very hurtful.”

“Oops! I said that?”

“What you said was worse, but I’m not to going to repeat it.” Josie looked severely at Jules, it made her wince.

“I didn’t mean it, she’ll know that.”

“Hmm ‘In vino veritas,’ young lady.”

“What?” Jules looked perplexed, it sounded like Latin, but they didn’t do it anymore.

“In wine is truth,”

“What?” Jules was no further in understanding what her grandmother was on about.

“Because the alcohol reduces inhibitions, it means people frequently say things they would normally avoid saying, because it could hurt someone’s feelings, including their own.” Carol was trying to explain.

“So do you think I don’t love my sister?”

“That isn’t what we said,” added Josie.

“But I do love her,” protested Jules.

“It didn’t sound like that last night.”

“I was probably joking.” Jules tried to dismiss whatever it was she said.

“It was no joke, Juliet.” Carol was very sure of that.

“I think you’re jealous of her success in riding her bike, and her relationship with your mother.” Josie was now approaching the danger zone.

“No, I’m not, I’ve been there cheering for her, or him in those days, ask Maddy.”

“I still think you’re jealous, my girl.”

“But I’m not, look let me go to Dorchester and buy her something to apologise.”

“How do we know it’s not just a ruse to see John.”

“John is up in London with his dad, besides if Mad came with me, she could help me pick something nice for Gaby. Where is Maddy?”

“Outside reading,” answered Carol.

“Can I go and ask her?” asked Jules.

“If you want,” said Carol and Jules took full advantage to escape the grilling.

What hurt was they were dead right, she was jealous of all the attention her sibling got, from both their parents. Maybe she should have stuck with the badminton, she was good at that. She was more musical than Gaby, being able to sing and play a bit, Drew was too busy with his precious bikes… She mentally kicked herself, he was she, Drew was Gaby now, why couldn’t she, Jules, remember it? Probably because Gaby had been Drew longer than Gaby, but had she?

Jules thought about the way her brother seemed to be becoming more female every year, he had noticeable breasts and hips, and he was stunningly pretty, verging on beautiful. Maybe he was one of those in-betweenies, or really a female after all. Except he acted like a boy most of the time, well up until recently when he sort of went girl big time. Could the boy stuff have been an act?

She found Maddy sitting out under a parasol in the garden, reading a Jane Austen book that had been in the house.

“Mad, you wanna come to town to buy Gaby a present?”

“What for, it’s not her birthday?”

“I thought I owed her something for being horrid last night.”

“You sure were; if it had been me, I’d have slapped you one.”

“I’m glad it was her then. Look you coming, or what?”

“Is Mum taking us?”

“Nah, bus will be through in twenty minutes.”

“Okay, what about lunch?”

“I’ll buy you a sandwich if we don’t get back in time.”

“Okay, I’ll get my bag.”

The bus was early and they only just made it. In Dorchester they wandered and chatted as they went.

“What d’you think of Drew turning into a girl?” asked Jules.

“Dunno, is he?”

“Come off it, you’ve probably seen his body closer than I have.”

“Yeah, so?”

“Well, he’s growing boobs and things.”

Maddy looked horrified, “Things, what things?”

“His hips are girlish and so’s his bum. He’s not taking your pills is he?”

Maddy looked blankly at Juliet.

“The pill, you know, hormones,” Jules continued her interrogation,

“I don’t take them, so how could he? The only pills he takes are iron supplements.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. Look, it’s you who lives with him, you’re his sister, shouldn’t you know more than me?”

“Kids don’t tell their families everything, they confide in their friends more often than their sisters. I mean I don’t tell Gabs anything I don’t want her to know, so I expect she does the same to me.”

“Yeah, she hasn’t told me anything, since Harry has been around she only has eyes for him.”

“So she is turning into a girl then, going the whole nine yards?”

“Use your own eyes, see for yourself. They’re out now on their bloody bikes.”

“You could have gone with them,” Jules stopped to look in a shop window.

“What and play gooseberry, no thanks.”

“Are you jealous?” said Jules watching Maddy’s face contort in the shop window.

“No, course not. I’m not a lezzie am I?”

“Not as far as I know. Come on, let’s have a look in here.” Jules led and Maddy followed her into the shop.