GabyVerse by Maddy Bell

Gaby:BOOK 2 Summer Girl*Part 59*School's Out for Summer!

"Hi Mrs Peters, its Drew"

"Hi Drew, did you have a good trip?"

"Yes thanks"

"Everyone I know watched the coverage, I didn't realise it was such a big thing"

"It was pretty awesome"

"But you're ringing about something else?"

"Well er, I was sort of hoping"

"Don't worry Drew, the shop rang me about an hour ago to say that it had arrived, I was just going to fetch it when you rang. Do you want to come with me?" she offered

Well it would keep me out of trouble.

Gaby:BOOK 2 Summer Girl*Part 58*Celebration

Beep beep beep beep beep beep

Oh, I dragged an eye open and looked at the alarm clock. Six a.m. The events of last night came sharply back into focus.

"What are you doing in a dress?" Dad demanded

"His boobs are stuck on" Jules put in

"Drew?"

"The bottle of remover stuff got broken and we couldn't get any today, Mrs Peters is having some delivered Monday?" I explained quickly

"Why didn't you let me know, how are you going to go tomorrow like that?" he enquired

I stayed in my 'Gaby' guise to go back to Maddy's, we were still jumping after the excitement of the afternoon. Mrs Cole had checked that I hadn't broken anything in my fall, the verdict was it would hurt for a couple of days.

"How did it go girls?" Aunt Carol asked

"We won!" Maddy squealed

"The badminton?"

"Yes!" Maddy confirmed

"And Scott won the School Cup too" I added

"Oh well done!" Mrs P told us, "get showered and changed and we'll eat"

"Maddy?" I called from the bathroom, "Ma-ad?"

Gaby: Book 2*Summer Girl*Part 56*Sports Day

Wednesday. Even more tests! Boring.

Not quickly enough for me the final bell eventually rang. Maddy was waiting for me at the gates and we walked back to Castle Peters

"You got everything?" Mad asked

"I think so"

"Well I guess that's why we're doing this" she went on

We decided to try a quick change before tea.

"Okay Drew, I reckon we need to do it in about thirty minutes"

"I thought we had about forty minutes"

"Yeah but we need to get to the sports hall in that time too"

Gaby*Book 2*Summer Girl*Part 55*Testing Times

Mrs P was right; the SATS started straight after morning assembly, however that meant actually going to assembly first. Given his previous track record I was dreading Mr Wood's sermon of the day.

"...And I know those of you doing SATS this week will be doing their best." his tone said 'or else'.

He went through various notices, sports day, the dance on Saturday and so on.

"Finally our sportsmen and women have been busy this week. The under 16's cricket team had a 43 run win against Creswell, our athletics team came in second in the Dukeries championship. That means that they go to the county finals in Nottingham next weekend." He initiated a round of applause; most of the schools 'sport heads' are on the squad so this went on for a bit.

Gaby:BOOK 2 Summer Girl*Part 54*Racquets

After tea I went to get changed and it was only when I took my jeans off that I realised I still had Mad's pants on, and I was still tucked. Ah well.

Dad drove us up to Ranby, it only took twenty minutes, and I was treated to a leg rub from Maddy. I have to admit that my mind was not really on the job as I rode round to the start. I know it's my fault this time but it's a bit disconcerting nevertheless.

"Go!"

I made my starting effort and joined the main carriageway of the A1. The slight dip past the HQ let me get my cadence up and when I passed Maddy and Dad I was much more concentrated. The very slight tail wind allowed me to get most of the way up the next incline before changing down gear and all too soon I was out on the flattish middle section. I could see the rider in front but I hadn't made any impression on the gap between us.

Gaby*BOOK 2*Summer Girl*Part 53*Run for Home

"Well its healed lovely Drew" Sylv informed me, "you sure you want it left out?"

"Yes!" I stated a little harshly

"Okay, okay"

"Sorry Sylv, I'm just a bit touchy today."

We rejoined the others in the living room.

"Come on Drew, your turn" Ally stated passing me the handset. We were playing on the PS2.

I'm afraid our usual jocular evening was a bit soured by my mood. I can't really explain why I feel like I have triple maths next but I do. Okay!

"Tea up!" Sylv called us

Gaby*BOOK 2 Summer Girl*Part 52*Good Thinking

"...so you're still gonna play Badminton?" Ally pursued as we walked back to the car.

It had been an early start and this stop at Colsterworth, south of Grantham was only to answer the call of nature. We had about another hour's drive down to Sandy and today's 25 mile time trial based on the A1 trunk road.

"Well Mr Pilling asked if I would"

"But Drew, you said Gaby was history" Mad told me

"I know, but it's just a one off, if I don't you'll have to find something else too you know" I replied

"I don't believe you Drew Bond!" Rhod exclaimed, "after last week as well!"

"Well come on then clever," I retorted, "what would you have done?"

"I guess I might have done it at Stratford, but you could have bought a t shirt there at least, then you wouldn't have had to look like a girl the rest of the day"

Well I guess that was an option I never thought of. I guess he was right, I have, ever since this whole Gaby thing started, made a fuss at the start but managed to miss my opportunities to end things early, repeatedly.

 We drove the few miles back up to Oxford and Dad elected to park at the Park & Ride, with the camper it would be easier than trying to park in the centre of the city. We caught one of the regular buses for the short trip into the famous University City and Dad was soon extolling us with tales of his student days here. We left the bus in the main shopping street, it was only five o'clock so a few of the shops were still open and Dad let us have half an hour in one of the bookshops. When we re-emerged onto the street there was the familiar bustle of people trying to get home amidst the chaos that is Saturday evening.