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Chapter 5 - Gaby Revelation

Sunday was much as usual this time of year, Mum and I set off about nine o'clock bundled against the weather and headed for, this week, Bakewell across in the Peak District. Dad and Juliette would take the camper a bit later and meet us there for lunch. Afterwards mum and I would either ride back or hitch a lift with the others depending on the weather and what we felt like.

I really enjoyed this time of year, there was no pressure from competing, and the roads were a little less busy than in summer. I won't bore you with a
blow by blow account but we used the lanes to get across to Bolsover, then followed the main road to Chesterfield. I'd seen it before but mum insisted we have a look at the parish church with its crooked spire. (One of the guys at school reckoned he knew why it was like that and here's his explanation.)

"Back when, the spirit of the church lived in the spire. Everyday it watched the citizens going about their business, going to market etc. one day however it
noticed that everyone below was watching a young woman on her way to the church to be married. Nothing strange you might think, but she was wearing white, a
white wedding was unheard of in the town (virgins were rare!) and so everyone looked at the girl.

The spirit was so taken with the idea of a virgin that it watched her all the way to the door. Alas it had twisted so far that it couldn't turn back and remained as you see it today. Legend has it that the only way it could return to normal was if it saw another virgin bride leaving the church. That is very unlikely to happen as virgin brides are even rarer in Chesterfield now than back in the middle ages! (Well I didn't tell that to mum but I thought you'd like it.)

We then took to the lanes again as we climbed into the Peak District. By the time we got to the top we were both huffing a bit, but it was worth it as we then sped down to Chatsworth and through the park. It was nearly eleven thirty as we climbed out of the park for the last leg to Bakewell.

The ride had been exhilarating; mum kept up an almost incessant chatter about school, what we would do later in the year and so on. Mostly I just grunted, I was using all my energy just getting there. It did at least keep my mind off of yesterday and the forthcoming Easter fancy dress party.

We met the others and enjoyed a good meal, then we all had a walk around the newly redeveloped shopping area. Mom decided to ride home while I elected to
return with Dad and Juliette.

We were home by three and as mum would be at least another hour, Juliette and I were volunteered by dad to prepare the tea. My sister waited until I had showered and changed then we both went into the kitchen. Dad was in the garage working on one of his projects so we were left alone in the house.

"Ok then, what did you really do yesterday?" Juliette was quickly to the point.

"We all went to Meadowhall" I tried desperately to remember the exact story the girls had spun.

"We met Maddies Cousin and her friend at Worksop then went to Sheffield. Me and Rhod were bored so we went into the city centre to go in the Anime shop."

"That's what the girls told us, did you buy anything?"

"No, they were waiting for new stock so we caught the bus back home, we figured the girls would hit the multiplex"

"Yeah they did, that's where we all met"

By now I thought I had convinced my sister of my tale.

"Did you enjoy LOTR?"

"How did you know that's what we saw?"

Damn!

"The girls said that that was what they were planning on seeing if they went"

I could see by the look on her face that she thought she knew something.

"Maddies cousin was pretty"

I desperately tried not to blush or stammer

"Er yeah, I guess"

"She was like so cute"

"If you say so" I couldn't see where this was going

"Chop that onion up"

I concentrated on the job in hand

"Did it hurt?"

"What?" I had been thrown a curve ball and wasn't quite sure what to do.

"Did it hurt when Maddie put the studs in?"

I obviously misunderstood the question.

"What studs?" I tried to not think about what was coming next.

"The blue crystal studs you 'acquired' between the food court and the cinema"

Not much gets past Julie, and it looked like I was rumbled. I was determined to try the bluff though.

"I didn't go to the cinema!"

"I know Drew didn't, but Gaby did"

"So?"

"I really am going to have to drag it out of you aren't I?"

"Drag what?"

"Ooh! Look Drew, I guessed it was you and Rhod nearly straight away"

"Shit, how?"

She knew and I was dead meat!

"Well neither of you were acting quite like teenage girls"

"Clive and Paul, they must know too"

"No they don't, I pumped them about what they thought of Maddies cousin and her friend when they walked me home. If anything they're both a bit smitten."

"Noo"

"So, are you going to tell me what it's all about?"

"It's a long story"

"The best ones usually are"

By the time we had finished preparing tea, my sister had the bare bones of what I had gotten myself into.

"... so all five of you are going as girl anime characters?"

"Yeah"

"That is just like so precious!"

"Humph"

"Oh and put some antiseptic on your ears, you don't want those holes going manky"

"Maddie said they might be a bit scabby as they close back up"

"Close up? They won't close up with those sleepers in"

"What sleepers?"

Juliette obviously made a decision.

"Oh nothing, it's just that if you want to keep them open you need to keep something in them"

"But I don't"

"Well that's alright then"

I didn't see her smirk as she carried the plates through to the table.

We didn't get a chance to talk more that evening as we both had homework to finish, and I didn't want to talk about it anyway although Juliette obviously did.

"I can't do it"

"You promised"

"Yeah but that was before anyone knew"

"But nobody does know"

"Juliette does"

"Does not!"

"Does, she told me yesterday"

"Hey Maddie when's your cousin coming again?" Clive interrupted

"Er not sure Clive. Why?"

"She was just such a fox! Purrrr"

My best mate now thought I made a good-looking girl, it was getting worse.

"I'll be sure to let her know you said hi"

"Thanks Mad, you coming Drew?"

"In a minute, catch you up"

"Well its obvious the guys didn't catch on, or anyone else all day yesterday. Is she going to say anything?"

"I dunno, she didn't say she was"

"In that case, unless she does it's still on"

"But Mad" I whined

"No buts, we'll meet tonight as planned, gotta go there's Bernie and Ally"