Part 11
Dance Away

At least with the costumes all but sorted I could turn my thoughts back to the rest of my life. With the longer evenings came the opportunity to go out my bike for a couple of short rides before hitting the books. My next race was coming up on Sunday all the way down in Surrey! So we were going to be away all weekend, mum had a race on Saturday as well as one on Sunday so it was going to be a full weekend.

The run up to the weekend was uneventful, I hung with Clive and Paul mostly, but whenever I saw the girls they were whispering about the dance.

We left for the south coast as soon as Jules and I got home; we would eat on the way down. The trip was a bore! Heavy traffic and nothing but other traffic to look at. Dad decided to go via Oxford and on down to Southampton where we finally left the motorways for the short run to the campsite on the edge of the New Forest. It was almost ten when we finally parked up and all four of us were pooped and ready for bed.

Saturday turned out to be one of those sharp but bright spring days with hardly a cloud in sight. We all had our bikes so the plan was that dad would take us kids for a ride round before going to the circuit to watch mum's race. Mum would take the camper to the race HQ where we would all meet up afterwards. I just knew it was going to be a good day!

The race was sixty miles on a circuit based at Brockenhurst, in a week's time there would be so many tourists about it would be impossible to run the event. By riding against the race and cutting across the circuit we would see mum six times before the finish. Each time we saw the race pass, mum was mixing it at the front, our team strip easily identifying her from the local riders. We cheered her enthusiastically and as she is fairly well known we heard some other spectators cheering her too.

We got the finish area with just enough time to lock our bikes up and get to the barriers. I would be lying if I said there was a big crowd but there were plenty more than you ever see at minor league football matches. The commentator was giving us the low down on who was leading and so on and mum was up there!

The lead car caromed around the last corner and as it pulled off the road we could see the flurry of bright jerseys and shiny bikes hurtling down the road towards us. Now I know from personal experience that you are concentrating too much at this stage to really hear the cheering but we screamed ourselves hoarse for Mum.

And then suddenly there she was on the opposite side, pedalling like a demon as she came past the slower riders. The local favourite thought she'd got the win but mum timed it to perfection to edge her by half a wheel! We heard the expected mutterings of the local supporters and a few comments that were a bit friendlier, "she's making a comeback", "first time Tina's been beaten in nearly a year!" (Tina was the local favourite).

To say mum was elated would be something of an understatement. When it came to the prize presentation Jules and I proudly flanked mum as she waited to be called. Although we knew that in the past mum was a world class rider, this was the first time we had seen her actually win in the flesh rather than on video. Despite their own ace having lost out, the crowd were generous in their applause and cheering and mum was pretty made up, so much her winners speech lasted just about ten seconds!

It was still fairly early and rather than watch the following men's race we elected to visit the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu just a few miles away. Our trip south was turning out to be rather good. We marvelled at the old cars, the prototypes, even old bikes, mum enjoyed the gardens and Jules and I had a go on the quad bikes that were a 'visiting' attraction. We had dinner in a restaurant in Lymington and afterwards watched the Isle of Wight ferry arrive and depart before returning to the campsite.

Our races on Sunday were on the famous Goodwood circuit on the edge of the downs and as they started at ten we had to make a reasonably early start. As this was a closed circuit there was no 'circuit riding' allowed so while mum and I variously prepared for our events, dad and Jules went for a walk to find a good vantage point. The day was bright but the wind off the sea was quite brisk up on top of the hill.

My event was first and I was surprised how hard the circuit was. I managed to stay with the main group but when it came to the final gallop for the line I lost out to local knowledge and finished an exhausted twelfth.

For mum's race, most of yesterday's riders lined up with a few more from further afield, but mum was the only rider from north of London. I found the rest of the family and we cheered mum every lap and there were thirty of them! We made our way to the finish a couple of laps before the end and watched the now denuded field rush up the tarmac. There was a clash of bikes and several riders crashed out, but there was mum safe from harm just behind Tina who was determined not to be beaten again.

Mum had other thoughts and her experience again showed as the two battled to the line, this time mum's final lunge getting the win by just a tyre, so close that the photo finish was needed. Mum really was back.

Mum was a bit more composed on the podium today and just like mum, her greatest adversary this weekend Tina got a hug. This weekend was sure to get mum noticed, but quite what impact it would have we could never have foreseen.

As we had a long drive home and it was school tomorrow, we left almost straight off for the drive back to Nottinghamshire, which at least in daylight, was a bit more interesting.

Monday and the Easter dance was just a few days off on Friday, which was also the last day of term. The change in atmosphere at school was palpable. It was Maddy's turn to be hostess again this week; Rhod had to duck his duties due to some parental thing. At least tonight could be more like our usual sessions, no Jules, no costumes, no Gaby or Pippa! How wrong can you get?

Mrs Peters supplied us with a bag of doughnuts and a selection of soft drinks then left us to it. Remember what I said earlier? Well I guess in the words of Meatloaf, two out of three ain't bad. However three was a return for Gaby and Pippa much to both Rhod's dismay and mine.

"What are we doing tonight Mad?" I asked in all innocence.

The girls exchanged looks and I just knew I wasn't going to like the answer.

"We're giving you two makeovers so we're ready for Friday"

"Can't we do that on Friday?" Rhod suggested

"Don't be daft, there won't be time, we've got to get ready too you know"

I had to admit there was some logic in there but,

"Erm, what do these makeovers entail? We can hardly go to school all week with makeup on"

"Well der. We need to practice on you for makeup but we'll do it on Friday. No tonight is sorting out other stuff like your nails"

"Ok then, I guess. As long as you promise not to leave any makeup on us"

"Guides honour"

"Fair enough" Rhod agreed.

Despite their tender years, the girls were already experts at this stuff and before we knew what had hit us we were getting the full treatment. Full manicure and pedicure including nail polish, a bit of eyebrow shaping then makeup from the skin out. When Maddy hit us with the mirror we really did look like the girls we were going to impersonate (if that's the right word?) even without our wigs. That was a bit worrying, and as we sat there afterwards, anyone walking in would not have guessed that there were only actually three girls in the room.

"Can we take this all off now?"

"Sure"

So we then suffered the removal process.

"Right now go and wash your faces to get any stray bits off"

"Fine, we can spot for each other"

We went to the guest bathroom and first Rhod inspected my face for makeup, then I returned the favour, it was as I was drying up I realised that our nails were still painted.

"Rhod, nails!"

"Oh bugger!"

We almost ran back to the girls.

"You left the nail varnish on, we can't wear it home"

"Or to school" I added

"Oh silly us" Bernie was giggling

"Come on Drew, I'll take yours off, Mad can do Rhod"

"Thanks Al"

It didn't take long before our fingernails were clean of paint

"What are you guys up to" Mrs Peters poked her head round the door.

"Oh just talking about Fridays party"

"Well keep the noise down, your dads working next door"

"Ok mum"

"Ok Mrs Peters" the rest of us echoed.

Phew that was close.

I don't know when Rhod realised but I was getting dressed next morning when I rediscovered my painted toe nails. Shit! why did I agree to all this? I had games this afternoon; every one would see my pink toenails.

"Jules" I hissed at her door, "Jules"

"What?"

"Can I come in?"

"Ok I'm dressed"

Once inside Jules took up the questioning

"What do you want?"

"Well you know last night at Maddy's?"

"What about it?"

"Well the girls practised our makeup for Friday"

"I know, they told me that's what they planned. So?"

"Well they painted our nails too"

"Cute"

"Look this is serious, they forgot to take it back off out toes"

Jules could barely contain herself as I pulled my socks off to show her.

"They are just so cute Drew"

"They are not cute! And I have PE today, everyone will see them, I'll be a laughing stock. Can I borrow your remover?"

"No way"

"Oh please Jules"

"There won't be time to redo them on Friday"

"I don't care, no one will see with my shoes"

"But what if you take them off, a pretty girl like Gaby would have painted toenails, it's expected"

"But Jules" I whined

"Ok, ok. A compromise. I'll clean your nails now, but on Thursday night after your training I'll redo your toes and you can do mine"

"Anything, just so long as I don't have to go in the gym with nail varnish on"

"Come on then, sit on the bed and put your foot on the stool"

Well my nails were cleaned in double quick time, but I had just agreed to have them done again in a couple of days. What was I doing?

Thankfully the rest of the week up to Thursday night was uneventful other than the giggling fits the girls had over our toenails. Rhod had discovered his the same night and as his mother kept her remover in the bathroom, he'd removed his paint some time before me. Unlike me however the girls let him off a reapplication, as he would be wearing opaque knee-highs unlike my sheer stockings.

So Thursday night, after my training ride, I was once more allowed into Juliette's inner sanctum for a nail painting session.

"Ok Drew I'll do yours first, then you can do mine so watch how I do it. Then in future you can do your own"

"And why would I want to?"

She just shrugged her shoulders and smirked.

It took forever this time, Jules was really picky, but I had to admit that the finished article looked good, only bad thing was that ten of the baby pink nails were mine!

"Now your hands"

"Get awf!"

"Come on, there won't be much time tomorrow. If I put on some clear for you tonight, no one will know at school but it will be a lot quicker when we get ready. We are still meeting at Maddy's?"

"As far as I know and I guess I can cope with clear varnish" I reluctantly finished.

Half an hour later my nails were finished; the clear varnish however had a slight cast to it, but what the heck it was done now.

I have to admit with it being the last day of term and the dance, the last thing on my mind were my vaguely pink nails. I did get a couple of comments from girls about my "pretty nails Drew" but no one seemed to want to make an issue of it, least of all me! Most people were after all just wishing the day away so we could start the two-week break.

School let out an hour early at three thirty and I joined mass exodus with mixed feelings, glad that the holiday was starting and dreading that evening's social event. I guess I could even at this stage have got out of going, but that would leave Rhod on his own. I couldn't do that and I knew he would feel the same, so I guess my conscience was the problem.

By the time I got home, Jules already had our stuff together and mum was going to drop us off at Maddy's.

"You must take some photo's kids, I haven't even seen your costumes"

"Sure mum, Drew's camera will fit in my bag and I've a spare film"

I didn't know she had purloined that from my room.

"Okay then, enjoy yourselves and remember to ring when you want to be picked up, it ends at 11 doesn't it?"

"Yes but Mrs Peters says she doesn't mind if we come back here after, she's doing pizza and stuff"

"Well okay, but ring and let me and your dad know what you're doing"

"Yes mum" we both chorused.

"Well bye then" she offered a cheek that we both dutifully kissed.

We finally entered the Peters house of chaos. Mrs Peters had made herself scarce by going to a neighbour while we got ready so mine and Rhod's transformation might get overlooked, if we were lucky!

"There you are! Ok we've got a production line going. Jules can you take him to the upstairs bathroom and do his legs then Bernie will do his face while Ally does his nails, then I'll do his hair. He can dress himself and then we can do the finishing touches"

I just gaped at the organisation as Jules led me upstairs.

Then it dawned on me.

"What are you doing to my legs?"

"Shaving them of course"

"What! You are not!"

"Don't be such a sissy. All us girls do it and even your little bits of hair will show through those stockings. And anyway all your big cycling heroes shave their legs."

I knew that, they kept smooth legs mum said, so that if they crashed it was easier to clean the wounds and she confided most of them probably liked the way it looked too. I had to agree, smooth, oiled and tanned, their legs looked really boss and I sort of aspired to have a pair just like them. Weird. I guess shaving them today could be excused from a sporting point of view, and the hair would grow back anyway.

"Ok then"

I stripped to my pants and sat on the toilet seat while my sister expertly de-haired my legs, somehow managing to avoid cutting me.

"Ok, you best have a quick shower to get all the soap off, and use this" she handed me a tube of shower gel, "It'll make you smell a bit more ladylike. Go back down stairs when your done, and clean the shower after you" she admonished.

Although it was quick, my shower was thorough and the gel certainly left me smelling girlie, in fact you couldn't avoid smelling me! By the time I got downstairs, Rhod was well on his way to becoming Phillipa as he had avoided the leg shaving due to his floor length costume. Mad finished my costume off with a pair of pink crystal studs in my newly pierced lobes. Both Bernie and Ally's costumes were donned in double quick time and when Mad's mum came back just after five we were all ready.

"I thought Rhod and Drew were coming?"

"No they're meeting us there. This is Gaby and this is Pippa, they're in our registration group. They live in Cuckney so I said they could get ready with us"

"Hello girls" you could see her brow furrow quizzically.

"Hello Mrs Peters" I used my best girl voice

"Well as the boys aren't here you can join the others, I've booked a limo to take you, my treat "

Well the girls all went potty and Gaby and Pippa were swept up with the euphoria too.

"Ooh thank you Mrs Peters"

"Yes thanks Mrs Peters"

"Thanks mum"

"Now calm down or you'll ruin your costumes, they really are very good you obviously spent a lot of time on them. I'm not sure I approve of the stockings on young girls though and I don't suppose your mother knows what your wearing does she Gaby?"

"No Mrs Peters"

"Well it is fancy dress. Lets see now, Maddy and Gaby you must be Chii right?"

"Yes mum"

"Juliette must be Yubi and I know Bernie's Merle. I'm not sure who you two are though"

I did tell you that Maddy's parents were into Manga too didn't I?

"Pippa's Nuriko and I'm Nina" said Ally

"Well you all look splendid, as good as any I've seen at cons. Lets get some pictures before you go, I've got the digital camera next door, and I'll do you all prints for when you get back."

"Great mum! Come on everyone we can take them in the garden."

So we spent twenty minutes, with Mrs Peters taking pictures, with her digital camera and both my and Bernie's compact cameras. We were stopped by a car honking out front.

"That will be the limo, get your bags and go and have fun, and tell Drew and Rhod they are welcome back later"

"Yes mum"

The limo was one of those big American ones, very long with dark windows and a plush interior. And enough seats for all six of us plus a couple of spares. I was well impressed. So it was that we arrived in splendid style to the schools Easter fancy dress dance. We made quite an entrance, the chauffeur held the door for us as we exited his vehicle and I heard him tell Jules that he would be collecting us too. Now that's what I call style.

On the way in we stopped at a table manned by a couple of prefects to register for the competitions and then our flock of girls joined the female dominated gathering in the main hall. I felt really exposed in the short dress and Maddy and I drew comments about our stockings. However there were several other girls wearing stockings with their costumes so we weren't unduly picked on.

Rhod and I were introduced to everyone as Maddy's cousin and friend from Worksop, just far enough away to be foreign! When I saw Batman trailed by a gawky Robin I knew that my mates were here and spotting us they came over to say hi. How embarrassing can you get? The only good thing was that almost instantly any frostiness from our peers disappeared, we were obviously kosher.

The music started up soon after we arrived and soon the occupants of the room were split between dancers and watchers. I, as Drew, was usually one of the latter but this time the girls made sure I was a dancer. I was sort of enjoying the proceedings until Clive asked me to dance with him. I was prodded into doing it, and thankfully Clive was a worse dancer than Drew was.

As the boys were outnumbered nearly two to one, any girl who snagged one for even one dance, suddenly became both envied and hated at the same time. So I became the target of catty remarks and green-eyed looks, much to my discomfort. On one hand, it proved that I was doing well as a girl, on the other hand I felt that everyone was watching me. Here I was after all pretending to be a girl wearing a costume, confusing!

A couple of times my group of friends gathered for their silly little dance routines which I had to be part of too. Rhod didn't seem on very good form, so was sitting out most of the dancing. Just before ten Mrs Johnston took over the mike to announce the competition winners.

There were five categories, boy, girl, couple, group and best overall. Looking around the hall, most people had made a real effort and there were no obvious winners. One of the year eleven boys won with his John Travolta in Grease costume. A cute year ten Alice in Wonderland took the girls' prize, then to my horror I heard Mrs Johnston call Maddy and myself out as best couple. Maddy had to drag me to the stage and we suffered a lot of catcalls amongst the cheering.

Much to the other girl's delight, they were then called up as group winners, apparently Maddy had entered us separately. Then the big prize of the night, best costume. I didn't know whether to run or scream when the announcement was made, I had won.

I just stood bemused as I was presented with my prize but the biggest shock came as I left the stage and passed Mr Wood.

"Well done Miss Bond, I wasn't sure at first but that look just now on the stage, I knew it was you. Don't worry I won't tell anyone"

He had obviously read my mind.

"Your costume really is excellent if a bit risqu�. Now go and enjoy the rest of the dance with your friends"

"Yes Sir, thank you Sir"

"What did he say?"

"Oh he just congratulated me on my win"

I didn't want to panic anyone else.

"Come on lets get a drink and a couple more dances"

"Okay Mad"

"What was your prize anyway?"

"I don't know, I haven't looked"

I fished the envelope from its current stocking top position and opened it.

"Wow, it's a cheque for �100!"

"Kewl, what with the Alton Towers tickets we all got for the other prizes, that's quite a haul!"

"Damn, they've made the cheque out to Gaby Thomas"

"That's the name I entered you as"

"So how do I cash it huh?"

"Well I suppose you'll have to open an account at the bank as Gaby"

Things just took a downward turn.

"Come on cheer up, we've still got my 'after' party and another limo ride"

Maddy was trying hard to lift my slowly descending depression"

"Yeah ok"

It looked like Gaby was going to be around a bit longer, and my headmaster knew that I made a convincing girl, convincing enough to fool everyone else at the dance. Shit creek and lack of paddle came to mind.

The rest of night was going to get even weirder!

Maddy Bell 11.02.03
Copyright (c) 2003
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The images used above have been selected from various sources. If you hold the copyright to any image and wish it removed contact me. Thanks to everyone involved in Cosplay, particularly Anime Turnpike.