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 due to popular demand has been reinstated.!
Maddy Bell, June 2010
The meal was delicious, I won't bore you with the details but I'm gonna try to find out how to do some of this stuff. Mrs Brownlea, despite her apparent lack of interest earlier was, besides a great cook, quite chatty and before dessert had extracted almost my entire life history! Karen surprisingly let her mother drive the conversation as the information was gradually squeezed from me.
Of course the big issue for me was being outed as a fraudulent 'girl', I carefully couched my replies to the questioning to avoid bringing gender into the conversation and I think I succeeded in maintaining my 'cover'. The meal over us 'girls' did the clean up which wasn't so bad as they have a dishwasher which Karen soon had gurgling away to itself.
"I'm impressed." Karen informed on returning to her room.
"About?"
"You. I was convinced she was going to see through Peaches, you almost had me believing!"
"You could've warned me." I huffed.
"What? And miss that fantastic performance, besides you wouldn't have come if I'd told you would you?"
"Probably not," I admitted, "so what now? Any more surprises?"
"I thought we could maybe take a walk along the river seeing as it's a nice evening."
That didn't sound too bad, I could do that.
"Okay, as long as we're not too late getting back, I have to get home afterwards."
"Already sorted, Mum'll drop you off."
"Still."
"Well don't get your panties in such a bunch, lets get off."
I mentioned before that Karen's estate is in a loop of the river, it was just a short walk from her house via a gennel to the banks of the languid River Lea. it's neither the fastest flowing or widest river you'll come across, if you go downstream far enough it joins the Bristol Channel, upstream it goes through Markwood Park and meanders up into the Chilterns forty miles away.
"So." I mentioned as Karen looped her arm in mine.
"Hmm." she replied snuggling into me.
"Where are we going?"
"Nowhere in particular."
"Okay."
There was a gentle breeze along the river, pleasant and just strong enough to keep the flying things at bay. The other effect it had was to make me very aware of what I was wearing, thinking on it I never did tell you what I ended up wearing after Karen's dress up session. To say it was girly would be to state the obvious; no it was more than that by a mile. It wasn't so much that the flouncy pink skirt was that bad, or that the pink and white striped t shirt was really that bad either, no it was the overall effect with the lacy socks, white sandals and Karen's makeup and hairdressing skills that had transformed me into this, this almost parody of a teenage girl. For her part, Karen had swapped the shorts for a denim skirt, whose knee length exceeded my own by inches.
Whilst we weren't the only ones using the path we only crossed a couple of dog walkers and were nearly mown down by some lads on mountain bikes.
"Idiots!"
"Shush!" Karen urged.
"Well they are, we might've ended up in the river." I fumed.
A squeal of brakes and the distinctive sound of tyres sliding on gravel drew my attention anew to the bikers.
"Shit!" Karen stated whilst gripping my arm like a vice.
"If it isn't the Ice Maiden,” the bigger of the two mentioned from inside his motorbike style helmet.
His mate chuckled.
"Who's your girlfriend Brown Knickers, not seen her before."
"She's er just visiting." Karen supplied gripping my arm ever tighter.
"Well she won't mind visiting with me will she, what's your name gorgeous?"
I thought I recognized the voice even if his face was hidden, Butcher Baines from the lower sixth.
“Don't tell him.” Karen anti prompted.
“I didn't ask you Knickers.” He spat, “so?”
“Er P.”
“Patricia!” Karen finished for me.
Patricia? What the hell is going on here?
Baines looked pissed by Karen's further input, “that right Patty ?”
I could hardly deny it at this point could I?
“Uh huh.”
“Not so gobby now are we Patty?” he menaced.
Karen still hadn't released her grip; I'm going to have a right bruise.
“Where're you from gorgeous and why're you with Shitty Pants?”
His reputation as an arsehole seems justified and what's with all this abuse towards Karen?
“Bere,” I offered as the first place I could think of, “and she's my er.”
“Cousin.” Karen interrupted, “yeah we're cousins, on my Dad's side.”
“Well ‘cousin' Patty no one gets to dis Brian Baines and gets away with it so I reckon you owe me.”
“Leave her alone.” Karen pleaded.
“ Leave her alone ,” Baines mimicked, “I told you to shut the $%&£! Up! Get over here Patsy or maybe Poo Pants fancies a quick tumble instead?”
Oh shit, this guy is a real piece of work. I weighed up our options, two of us, two of them – and they have bikes so running's out.
“What's in it for me?”
“Pea!” Karen hissed.
“In it for you?”
That took him unawares.
“You get to snog me and I let the dissing go – for today.”
Well at least I knew the score now.
“Okay.”
“Okay?” he confirmed.
“But on my terms.”
My answer had clearly thrown him and his lackey.
“Terms?”
“Yup, agree or it's no deal.” I told him.
“So what are they then?”
I've got him.
“Karen gets to go first,”
“Okay.” He sneered, “anything else be-atch?”
Geez this guy watches too many third rate B movies.
“You take that thing off your head, there is no way I'm snogging a crash helmet.”
“If that's all…”
“Tonto here has to go the other direction to Karen.”
“Oi, who're you calling Tonto?” the sidekick demanded.
“If the cap fits.”
“Why you...”
“Leave it Steve,” Baines ordered, “okay deal.”
“What're you doing?” Karen whispered.
“Just get going, I'll catch you up in a bit.” I did my own bit of ordering.
I pushed Karen forward, she hesitated but my hand on her back propelled her forward. Meanwhile Tonto headed back from where we'd all come from leaving Bully Baines pulling his helmet off. I just hope this works.
A minute later I was sprinting along the riverbank towards where Karen was waiting. What happened? Well lets just say that Baines might think twice before trying it on with another girl, when I left him he was squirming on the ground clutching his nuts after my knee forcibly engaged with them as he grabbed me for his ‘dues'. I paused only to ram his helmet into the spokes of his bike's back wheel before taking off like a scalded cat!
“What happened?” Karen asked when I caught up to her.
“Huh, huh, lets huh just say he won't huh be pleased.”
“Why?”
“Tell you later, come on before he recovers.”
“Sugar!” Karen allowed falling in beside my trot.
“Is there a way to lose them?”
“The old bridge, its just round the corner.”
“'Kay.” I huffed.
Well it was actually best part of half a mile further on, my lungs were bursting and Karen was flagging by the time we reached the derelict railway crossing.
“How does this lose them?”
“You'll see.” Karen grinned leading the way up to the deck.
It was an old girder bridge; the track long gone along with most of the timber deck, the only way across was via a narrow ledge next to the parapet. If Baines wanted to follow he'd have to leave his bike behind, and I couldn't see him doing that, it being an expensive looking full suspension model.
Karen led the way; we were nearly halfway across when I spotted Tonto sprinting along the riverside, his master following more slowly behind.
“They're coming.”
“Have they seen us?” Karen asked.
“Not sure, oh sugar yeah, Tonto's heading up to the bridge.”
We increased our pace, well as much as a six-inch wide ledge allows, our only real hope of escape being if they abandoned the chase.
“Come ‘ere bitch!” Tonto shouted at us.
He clearly wasn't keen on setting out in pursuit, as if we'd return to his side! A moment later there was a loud clang as a pebble ricocheted off the metal work behind us.
“Keep going!” I urged my girl friend.
Another stone pinged off the girders and then we were across, I chanced a look back to find Baines just arrived on the opposite bank.
“Just you wait bitch.” He yelled.
Having made our escape Karen led the way down to the riverside and we started back downstream.
“Phew, that was close.” I allowed.
“Yeah.” Karen agreed.
“So how do we get back across the river?”
“We'll have to go into town.”
“That's miles!” I complained and these sandals are starting to rub.
“You got any better ideas?”
The peeling of church bells rolled across the meadows, which gave me inspiration.
“You got your phone?”
“Well duh.”
“Can you pick us up mum?”
“Where are you?”
“Bentsfield.”
“What are you doing all the way over there?”
“I'll tell you later, can you fetch us?”
“Give me thirty minutes.”
“Thanks mum, we'll be by the church.” Karen closed her phone, “she's on her way.”
To Be Continued...
Maddy Bell 27.07.10 © 2010
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