“So what're we doing?”

“Oh no you don't Drew Bond!” Stef admonished.

It was worth a try.

“Its all organised.” Anna grinned.

It was a feral grin, I'm not sure I'm gonna like this.

“Pia's here, come on.” Brid enthused.

“Where we going?”

“You'll find out soon enough.” Con stated taking one arm while Anna took the other.

“Morning Drew!” Pia greeted me. “This is gonna be fun!”

“So everyone keeps telling me.”

Now I'm usually pretty easy going but even I was a bit concerned with the number of bags my ‘friends' had with them, something was afoot, something big and I'm not sure I will be enjoying it as much as they insist I will!

We walked over to the station arriving just in time for the Remagen bound train. As usual at stupid o'clock on a Saturday morning it was pretty empty and spotting us Myleen came through for a chat – she already knows we have year tickets.

“So where are you lot off to?”

“We're taking the Königin for a birthday treat.” Steff supplied.

“When's the big day?”

“It was Wednesday.” I got in before someone made a weird comment.

“Our little Prinzessin was fifteen.” Pia mentioned.

“Well congratulations Gaby. So where are you headed?”

Yep, even Myleen has cottoned on to ‘Gaby'!

“Only to Bad, Gabs doesn't know the plans yet.” Anna allowed.

Hmm, Bad Neunahr, now where can we be going there?

It's only a couple of stops from Dernau to Bad so we were getting off just moments later.

“Bye girls, have a good day.”

“Bye Myleen.”

“Tschuss!”

“Bye.”

The Express pulled away leaving us on the excuse for a platform.

“So where now?”

“Bus,” Steff told me, “come on or we'll miss it.”

I followed the others through to the forecourt and over to the Bushaltestelle.

“Five minutes.” Brid informed us after checking the timetable.

There're only a couple of bus routes running from here, I have very rarely caught one but more usually I see them outside of school. It wasn't the warmest day of the year and I resorted to a bit of foot shuffling to keep warm. I don't think I've fully warmed up after training – I really coulda done with a long shower this morning!

“Here it comes.” Pia squealed.

“Calm down P, its only a bus.” Nena chided.

Our next transport was not exactly in the first flush of youth, not for Ahrtal the fancy new buses you see in Koblenz or Bonn, no we get some right old bangers! I thought I might find out our destination but our Regionalkarte's covered the journey and a destination board reading Ahrweiler wasn't much of a clue.

I don't know the town too well so I was a bit thrown when we turned off before the shops towards the river. If memory serves it will come out somewhere near the Kursaal complex.

“Next stop.” Brid announced as we crossed the river.

The bus clattered to a halt, did I mention it was a bit of a banger, and we all piled off. Now I knew where we were exactly, the Spa Centre.

“Now where?”

“Inside dummy!” Con informed me with a gentle shove.

“But I don't have my kit.”

“Taken care of!” Steff advised patting her oversize bag.

I just rolled my eyes and followed the others.

In case you're wondering, the Spa Centre is a public complex with various pools and treatment rooms that take advantage of the warm springs on this side of the river. I caught up with the others at the check-in desk.

“So, who is the lucky girl?”

“Gab's here.” Con pointed me out to the girl on the desk.

“Ah zo, well come on then, your friends have splashed out on the works for you.”

“Guys?”

“Go on, here your stuff is in here.” Steff pushed her bag into my unresisting arms as I limply followed the assistant out of the reception area.

“We gonna have a dip while we wait?” I heard Anna ask as the door swung shut behind me.

“So Gaby, put your costume on and then go through to treatment room three.”

I nodded numbly, what have those girls got me into now?

At least between them they supplied a reasonably sensible swimming cozzie, well if you are a girl and it seems that today I am! The blue one piece was of a modest cut and full enough that my little friend was easily hidden – its not like I've not done that before either. I wrapped a towel around me and with some trepidation headed into treatment room three.

A blow-by-blow account of the next couple of hours would be tedious to say the least and nigh on impossible anyhow as I was asleep for extended periods of the morning. What I can tell you is that I was variously subjected to kneading, steaming, two different mud treatments, a vigorous massage session (I slept through most of it) and a scalp massage. I dread to think how much all this was costing, still not my worry.

I acquired a towelling robe and was pointed towards a ‘Schönheitstudio' at this point, whatever that is (I'm guessing its some sort of beauty parlour). My experience of such places is limited to Sylv Morgan's emporium; this place may as well be on a different planet.

“Ah so, Gaby Bont?” the white coated woman inside enquired.

“Bond.”

“Ja, lets see, two, three, seven, hmm full, “ she glanced up from her clipboard to give me the once over, “yes full, shape and nails. The works!”

“Works?”

I didn't like the sound of that.

“Yes, come, in the chair please.”

I could just leg it I guess?

“Make yourself comfortable and we'll get started.”

As I found out over the next hour or so that little lot involved copious amounts of warm wax and some swift arm movements as I was efficiently stripped of body hair. I've done it before and much to my later embarrassment I did again today, I fell asleep.

“Ah so you are awake again, I've never had anyone sleep through a waxing before.” She advised as she finished rubbing moisturiser into my feet.

“Er sorry, I'm a bit tired.”

“It wasn't a complaint Liebchen, anyway you're ready for Anneka now, I'll send her in.”

She departed leaving me in the chair wondering what was coming next. Hmm at least I won't have to worry about my legs for a few weeks; on the other hand I coulda done without the naked arms! I can strip the nail polish off later; I'll let the girls have their fun.

“You must be the sleeping Gaby.”

“Um yeah.”

“I'm Anneka, lets get your hair sorted out.”

Hair! I didn't sign up for this!

I needn't have worried, other than a wash and hot oil treatment Anneka only trimmed a few stray ends and tidied my mop up a bit. I must admit I was well past due for a visit to the hairdressers so that was pretty cool too. However the attentions of the last technician were less welcome.

“Gabeee!” Pia greeted me as I emerged into the coffee lounge.

“Wow!” Con managed.

“Hoowee!” Anna confirmed.

“I'll get you for this!” I threatened from behind my spidery lashes.

“Its Brid's fault.” Nena pointed the finger at her neighbour.

“We all agreed!” Brid whined.

“Did you have to let Picasso loose on me, she even did my boobs!”

‘Just a little accent.'

That broke any tension and we all ended up in a fit of giggles.

“Well we can't let all this work go to waste.” Steff stated.

“Huh?”

“You don't think we got you all gussied up to go shopping do you?”

“Er”

I really need to work on my conversation skills.

“Come on Gabs.” Pia enthused dragging me back towards the changing rooms.

“You've got to be kidding!”

“It's a dance we're going to not a disco.” Brid explained.

“And?”

“And you wear a dress to a dance.” Nena told me for a second time.

“But guys?”

“You don't have to wear it but you'll look a bit daft in jeans.” Con suggested.

Grrr! So okay I'm being conned into a dress again, but pity the boy, this one is just sooo frilly!

“We are all wearing the same.” Anna pointed out.

“I know but…”

“But?” Steff enquired.

I'm not going to win this argument am I? What the heck, its only a dress.

“Okay” I sighed.

“Yes!” Pia punched the air.

“Well let's get on with it then.” Nena encouraged.

So that's how I ended up dressed like Doris Day in some 1950's kitsch movie. The girls had hired the frocks specially; well you didn't think twenty first century teens would own stuff like this did you? The dance was in the Kursaal next door, I guess back home you'd call it a tea dance, did I feel a plonker! Worse, half our year at school were there, well the kids who do the social stuff, you know like the anti Valentines thing the other week. And you can guess who I got landed with to dance, Max von flippin Strechau! I'm sure the girls are setting me up.

I must admit that it did turn out to be a fun afternoon; I mean none of us could do the dances properly; we just sorta aped the oldies gliding around the room. I think they were a bit miffed at first but by the time the band wrapped up everyone was having a laugh.

Of course come time to go home and there's nowhere to get changed.

“Its not my fault!” Brid pouted.

“You said there was a changing room.” Con accused.

“Guys! Guys! There isn't so lets just go huh? If we get a move on we can get the six thirty Express.” I pointed out.

So I wasn't thrilled to have to walk the streets dressed like this either but it was getting chilly and standing around arguing wasn't making that change, well only for the worse!

We made it with barely a minute to spare; we had to walk as we'd already missed the bus. Thankfully it wasn't actually that far but them shoes weren't made for walking – very far!

Maddy Bell 30.12.08 © 2008

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