This is a new occasional series that takes its basis and some of its storyline from the cancelled Tokyopop Manga, Yubisaki Milk Tea by Tomochika Miyano. It's a great series and well worth looking out, it's a mystery why they cancelled it. For my version I've changed the setting from Japan to England and of course the names, then I've added some new characters and situations to produce Jamie and the Peach . The original series was cancelled before completion but I intend to take my version somewhat further!
Maddy Bell, February 2010
My unexpected encounter with Karen had both scared me shitless and excited me in equal measure. After agreeing to her terms she let me go whence I made a hasty return to my normal attire, the janitors office had a sink and mirror which I was glad of for makeup removal!
"What happened to you? You missed all of Biology."
"Wasn't feeling too good so I went to the nurses office, Karen saw me, didn't she say anything?"
"Not to me at least but there again I'd hardly expect her to."
I glanced across the room, Karen was watching me! ''Mario's'' she mouthed at me from behind her textbook. I had kind of hoped I could slip away without making the rendezvous but it was pretty clear that Karen wouldn't allow me to escape so lightly.
Lunchtime was even weirder. Instead of last weeks attempts to engage Karen in conversation we just went to our favourite table. Then the weirdest thing happened, my new tormentor came and sat with us.
“Er hi.” I stammered.
There was no reply. Just the merest glance, which was more unnerving. She ate her lunch and left.
“What was that about?” Jonno demanded.
“No idea.”
“I mean I know she's weird but that was like creepy. Its not like her table was taken or anything.”
She was keeping tabs on me, that was the only explanation.
I really couldn't concentrate on my classes the rest of the day; my impending ‘date' at Mario's dominated my every thought. Mario's is not exactly what you might be expecting; it's not somewhere I'd go usually although I know a lot of the girls at school do visit. Indeed I think any boy going there would feel pretty um, uncomfortable. Why? Well it's a teashop that caters specifically for the erm, fairer sex, from what I've heard its all doilies and fancy cakes served on bone china. Should I chicken out? Could I chicken out?
If I don't go she'll expose me as some kind of cross dressing pervert, if I do, well she promised not to say anything and although she's up front I don't think she'd break her word.
As soon as the bell sounded I beat a hasty path to ‘my' changing room and with a sigh made a start on my metamorphosis.
‘I wonder if he'll come, I was pretty harsh with him earlier.' Karen mused as she made her way towards the town centre. ‘I'm not even sure why I'm doing this, I know I caught him in a compromising position but I didn't have to do this.' By mid afternoon she was just about convinced she should call it off but something stopped her.
‘He's not a bad looker but with that dark wig and uniform he looked pretty cute – what am I saying! And why did I pick Mario's? Its not like it's somewhere I like even. Well I'm betting he won't turn up anyhow so I can just go home.'
Whenever ‘Peaches' had been out in public before it had been as a ‘civilian' and on ground of his own choosing, this was a totally new experience. The schoolgirl uniform attracted different reactions from people on the street and he adopted a different attitude in his demeanour to attract less attention. It wasn't as if anyone said anything to him but the feeling of exposure was high.
The walk to Mario's wasn't a big distance, maybe a mile and a half, but it seemed to take forever. Jamie's mind was working overtime but nothing coherent seemed to be produced. As the teashop hove into view his thoughts really did turn to gibberish but as though on autopilot he continued to his destination.
“Peach!” Karen's voice reached him before he spotted her waiting outside the excessively cute tearoom.
“Peaches.” He hissed on joining her.
“Whatever, so Peaches , shall we go in?”
It was definitely an order rather than question so reluctantly I preceded her inside.
Everything I'd heard about Mario's failed to do the place justice, I'm sure you could get diabetes by just entering the place. Everything inside was just so erm, sweet. We were seated by a girl in the cutest maid style uniform imaginable, more frills and lace than you can imagine in a clearly Manga influenced design. How can they wear those outfits?
We said nothing more before our ‘maid' came to take our order.
“Good afternoon ladies, how can we serve you this afternoon?”
“We'll just have tea for two, okay Peaches?”
“Erm can we have a cake plate too?”
“Of course, thank you very much.” The girl hurried off with our order.
“Why did you order cake?”
“I'm hungry okay.”
To be truthful it was really nervousness and the confections on other tables did look pretty good.
“You'll get fat.” Karen noted. “I didn't think you'd come.”
“You didn't give me much choice, come or get turned in.”
“I could've done that this morning but what evidence do I have now?”
Shit! I never thought about that, she doesn't really have anything on me does she? My attention snapped back to the present with the arrival of a body at my shoulder.
“Ah Karen, what brings you here?” the woman was loud, I'm sure everyone in the place could hear her.
A slightly flustered Karen addressed her reply over my shoulder, “I was just treating my friend Mum.”
“Well introduce me then.” She demanded moving around to where I could see her.
She was certainly not like her daughter in any way except a familial resemblance, dressed as she was in restrained but clearly expensive clothes and impeccably made up.
“This is Peaches, she's new in our class, Peaches Smith, this is my mother.”
“Pleased to meet you Mrs Brownlea.” I managed.
“And you new girl Peaches Smith.” Her voice seemed to boom, “Karen remember you are cooking tonight and you've got that interview later.”
“Yes Mum.”
“Well I'll leave you girls to enjoy your tea, nice meeting you Peaches.”
Our tea and cakes arrived at that moment and Mrs Brownlea disappeared.
I was started on a fondant cream before Karen spoke, “you shouldn't mind my mum, she's a bit full on.”
“Hardly see mine.” I got out around the mouthful of sickly confection.
“How come?”
“She doesn't get home much.”
“How come?”
How come indeed. In fact I can't remember the last time I saw her, I'm not even that sure what she does but it pays well, the bills are always paid and me and the floozy get a decent allowance. Since Dad disappeared before I was hatched its always just been the three of us.
“She works away.”
“Oh? What does she do?”
“Its something in government, she never really talks about it.” I admitted a trifle sadly.
“Sounds intriguing, what about your Dad?”
Geez she's persistent.
“I've never met him, he left before I was born so all I know is that he was a pilot. What about you, what do your parents do?”
“Mother runs a beauty parlour and Dad works for a bank.”
“So what's the interview for?” I enquired before taking a sip of tea.
Karen blushed, “mother thinks I should get out more so she's sort of got me a job tutoring some little kid, the interview is just a formality really. Don't you have some sort of job?”
“Er yeah, at a photographic studio.”
You could almost see the cogs sliding into place.
“You were taking photo's this morning…oh my god you were trying to take some porn pictures in school!” her voice rose in pitch.
“Shush, I was not! That is just so not right!”
“Well just why were you wandering around school dressed like that then?”
Why indeed? I took another bite of strawberry tart before attempting an answer.
“I wanted to take some candid school girl pictures for practice.”
“So you dressed up like a schoolgirl yourself, oh come on Peaches , the other ones got bells on.”
“Its true.”
“So you're saying you dress yourself up in girls clothes to take photographs, that really is sick.”
“Well it does sound a bit weird when you put it like that.” I admitted, “but its not like it sounds, honest.”
“So how is it then?” she hissed across the teapot.
“Well I er needed a model and I can't afford to pay for one and what girl would pose for a schoolboy anyhow so I er do my own modelling.”
“Where are the togs from then?”
“I ‘borrow' stuff from my sister, we're about the same size.”
“She knows about this?”
“Er not exactly.”
“How ‘not exactly'?”
“Well she knows I take photos.”
“Hmm, you finished there?”
“Er I guess so.”
“Well I need to get home, I'll let you pay Peaches .”
Five minutes later I found myself walking with Karen towards the bus station, I didn't need to go there but I didn't get much choice as Karen had looped her arm through mine and just started walking. She seemed deep in thought so I reckoned I'd keep quiet for a bit so we walked on in silence. We soon arrived at her stop and joined the other queuee's.
“You still here?”
“You did sort of bring me.” I motioned to our still entwined arms.
She shook herself free before going on. “I want to see some of these pictures Peaches.”
“I er suppose its okay.”
“Meet me at Burger House tomorrow evening, six o'clock.”
It wasn't exactly an invite.
“Er okay.”
“And Peaches,”
“Yes?”
“I don't want to see Jamie understand?”
Was I being blackmailed into dressing as a girl?
“Understand?” she repeated, “I only want to see Peaches.”
Her bus chose that moment to arrive at which point she broke her grip on my arm and skipped off to rejoin the queue.
I stood rooted to the spot for long moments after the bus departed before I managed to gather my senses. What the heck is going on? Did I just agree to go on a ‘date' with Karen as Peaches? That girl seems to have some kind of fixation, oh my god, does she like fancy Peaches, is she a lesbian? Ew, that's so wrong, making me dress up to fulfil her sexual fantasies. And I don't dress up as Peaches for kicks or anything; it's for serious photography – isn't it?
To Be Continued
Maddy Bell 09.03.10 © 2010
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