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A Gaby FanFic by PB
Chapter 12
“GABEEEEEE!” Brit squealed as she was joined by Darla and Sab in an impromptu greeting party.
“Hiya, Gabs!” Sab joined in.
“We thought you weren't coming,” Darla mentioned as she looped her arm around Gaby's.
“Yeah … well,” Gaby dryly conceded.
“Come on … it's cold out here,” Ally whined as she peered out of the opened door.
Gaby was marched up the steps and into Sandy's flat by the three other girls.
“Gabeeeee!” a second round of overdone welcoming ensued. Despite the greeting, Gaby wasn't enthusiastic about being there.
“So what's first on the agenda, girls? ... Movie or food?” Sandy bubbled.
“Movie!” several voices chorused.
“Can you look after that Em? ... I'll get the drinks and snacks.”
“You okay Gab? ... You don't look too ‘with it',” Brit enquired.
“Tired an' a bit cold,” Gaby sarcastically admitted.
“Come on we can snuggle!” she enthused as she pulled Gaby onto Sandy's sofa.
“What're we watching Em?” Darla asked.
“Bring It On!” she replied.
“Kewl … I've not seen that in ages!” Amy exclaimed.
“What's it about?” Bern piped up.
“Oh, you'll like it Bern ... it's about these …” Sab started.
“Shhhh! ... Don't tell ‘em Sab!” Brit insisted.
Sandy's sofa very quickly became the choice viewing spot. Gaby ended up sandwiched between Britney and Maddy, with Amy and Ally occupying the other end. Sab, Bern and Darla were making themselves comfortable on the floor in front of the sofa. Em had started the movie and joined them just as Sandy returned with a tray of hot chocolate.
“Can I help?” Em asked handing out the cups.
“No … its okay … thanks, anyways!” Sandy replied.
“Here we go … popcorn and…” she passed a bowl up to Amy, “…Potato chips.”
Mad snuggled up to Gaby and for her part Gaby put her arm behind Maddy. During the film, Brit decided to copy Mad and snuggle up to Gaby. “Is this what they mean by a girl magnet?” Gaby wondered.
After the film, Sandy got up off the floor where she'd been snuggling with Em. “You guys ready to eat now?”
“I'm starving,” Ally stated.
“I'll help!” Em enthused.
“So what're we doing now?” Bern asked no one in particular.
Gaby discreetly checked her watch. “Only eight thirty! Geez ... This is gonna be painful!”
“How about nails?” Amy suggested, “I've brought all my stuff.”
“Food will be about twenty minutes,” Sandy announced from the kitchen.
“Maybe we should eat first ... ya know ... before we start stuff like that,” Sab proposed.
“We could play cards for a bit,” Darla suggested, “Then do nails after.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Brit enthused. Turning to face Gaby, Brit again asked, “You sure you're okay, Gab?”
“I guess ... just a bit tired.” Any lack of enthusiasm in Gaby's reply, was missed by Britney.
“That's all that bike riding you do!” Amy put forward with an air of authority.
“Sandy? … You got any cards?” Sab asked.
“Ummm ... yeah ... sure ... I think so.” Sandy answered.
“Um … what're the sleeping arrangements?” Gaby asked as Sandy disappeared into her bedroom.
“Don't worry about that Gab! ... That's hours away,” Brit replied.
“That's … what I'm afraid of,” Gaby mumbled under her breath.
Sandy produced a deck of playing cards and the girls started an impromptu round of pontoon . Gaby was ‘out' first so she grabbed a seat in one of the plush chairs in Sandy's living room. She used the time to watch the others and ponder her situation.
“PONTOON!” Maddy loudly announced.
“Aw”
“Darnn!”
“Nuther round?” Mad asked while surveying the faces of the other girls.
“Okay,” Brit agreed gathering the cards up. “Gab ... you in?”
“Nah ... I'll watch,“ Gaby replied.
“Would ya check the pizza's, then?” Sandy asked.
“Sure.”
“Careful of the oven door ... it sometimes swings a bit,” Sandy cautioned.
“Thanks for the warning,” Gaby called back, as she was about to open the oven door.
Gaby decided after looking at the pizza's that it would be safer to pull kitchen duty than to venture back out to the living room and the unknown – meaning the other girls.
“They okay?” Sandy called out.
“Few more minutes,” Gaby announced.
Taking the pizza from the oven, Gaby proceeded to cut it into slices. As she pulled out some plates and placed them on the counter, she called out, “Foods up people!”
The cards were quickly abandoned and the girls descended on the food like a flock of locusts, stripping the plates of food just as quickly.
After debating the merits of cake, Sandy enquired, “So we doing nails now?”
“Leave that till later when we've changed!” Britney suggested.
“How ‘bout the hair!” Sab exclaimed.
“Great idea Sab! … Who's first?” Darla asked.
For the next hour or so Gaby, Em and Darla found themselves at the mercy of the other wanna-be hair stylists. After the nightmare was over, they found themselves with a ridiculous amount of styling foam and very sticky and stupid punk hair do's. Jules would've been envious!
“I've got to wash my hair!” Gaby stated.
“Me too!” Em agreed.
“Darla?” Sandy enquired.
“Well … I can't leave mine like this!” Darla mentioned.
“You use my bathroom Darla … Em and Gab ... you two go over to the house ... it'll be quicker that way.” Sandy instructed.
“Good idea Sandy!” Em agreed, “C'mon Gabs … grab your coat!”
If the girls were feeling tired up to that point, they were fully awake when Em opened the main door to Sandy's apartment.
“Bloody ‘ell! ... Its cold out here!” Gaby cried out.
“Brrrr” agreed Em as she very quickly led the way across the drive to the Jones mansion! As they entered the kitchen door, a voice called out, “Who's there? … Is that you Sandy?”
“It's only us, Mary ... Em and Gaby!” Em replied.
Mrs. J then entered the kitchen.
“Oh ... hi girls! ... My … they are rather … interesting … hairstyles!”
“Um ... you could say that,” Gaby timidly agreed.
“Everything okay over there? … I wasn't expecting to see you until tomorrow,” Mary questioned.
“Everything's fine … but Sandy suggested that we came over here to wash our hair ... Darla is using Sandy's loo to wash hers,” Em explained, then looking at Gaby, Em suggested, “We ... ummm ... kinda got carried away with the hair thing.”
“Well ...okay ... you know where it is Em, but please try to keep the noise down. Kevin's room is right above and I only just got him down.”
“Sure thing,” Em agreed.
“I expect I'll see you in the morning then ... goodnight girls.”
“G'nite, Mrs. Jones.” Gaby replied. It was only then she realised Mrs. Jones was ready for bed.
“Night Mary!” Em quietly called out.
Gaby silently followed Em out to the main hallway and made their way to a door under the stairway.
“You take the shower ... an' I'll use the sink,” Em offered as she indicated the shower behind the opened door.
“Okay ... any shampoo?” Gaby enquired.
“Ummmmm ... yeah ... right here!” Em quietly replied as she searched the cabinet beside the sink. Em also produced its companion conditioner. Gaby decided it would be easier to wash her hair if she just had a shower, so while Em got set to struggle in the sink, she stripped down and entered the soothing waters. She was enjoying the hot water cascading down over her skin when Em ruined the mood by knocking on the shower stall door.
“Come on Gaby … we're missing the party!” Em enthusiastically announced.
“Yeah ... ok ... if we must,” Gaby replied as she got out. It was clear by Em's expression, Gaby had pushed the desired buttons with her response.
“What did you mean by that? ... Ya sound like you'd rather be somewhere else!” Em stated.
“You really want an answer, Em?” Gaby dryly replied as she turned to face in Em's direction.
“Rhod!” Gaby hissed, trying to remember Mrs. J and Kevin asleep upstairs.
“Shush! ... Mary might hear you ... and it's Em … not Rhod!” Em firmly but quietly countered.
“OK ... Em! ... But what have you done to your hair?” Gaby exclaimed in a loud whisper.
“Nothing … why?” Em wondered.
“I strongly suggest you turn around and take a good look in the mirror ... after you wipe it off,” Gaby quietly urged, ever mindful that they might be overheard.
“Why?” she indignantly replied.
“Just take a look!” Gaby impatiently ordered. Em turned around and with a dry facecloth, wiped the steam off a portion of the mirror.
“Oh shit!” Em whined, forgetting about the volume of her voice.
“Quiet!” Gaby hissed. “Upstairs ... remember? ... Now ... where's the stuff you used?”
“Huh?”
“Your shampoo! ... C'mon ... get with the program, guy ... er ... girl!” Gaby urged.
“Here it is!” Em found the tube and read the label. “Oh bugger! … Mum'll kill me.” In shock, Em passed the tube of ‘shampoo' to Gaby.
“ Henna conditioner with B2 ... . that's the stuff we used on Sonia ... oh ... shit!” Gaby realised the enormity of Em's blunder.
“I'm so dead!” Em moaned.
“It'll have washed out by the time we go back,” Gaby optimistically replied as she examined Em's new head of red hair. “You must've used Mrs. J's hair colouring!”
“Well if we have to … we can always dye it back,” Gaby figured.
“I guess ... I'm … like ... so ... dead,” Em fatalistically stated.
“So you've said … look … let me get dressed and we'll go back to the flat,” Gaby offered.
“Apartment,” Em replied automatically.
“Whatever!” Gaby conceded as she rolled her eyes at Em.
Gaby quickly got dressed and together with a red-headed Em, ran across to Sandy's place. The drop in temperature immediately struck the pair as they stepped out of the back door of the main house.
“Shut that door!” Someone yelled from the top of the stairs that led up to Sandy's apartment.
“Oh … my … God! ... Rh ... Em ... what have you done?” Bernie squealed when she caught sight of Em. Em immediately burst into tears and ran to her bedroom slamming the door behind her.
“Gab? … What's going on?” Sandy asked as she came out of the kitchen.
“Um ... h-s-s-he had a bit of an accident with your mom's hair colouring,” Gaby quietly admitted.
“Tell me you're kidding!” Sandy frantically appealed.
“Nooooo....” Gaby softly acknowledged.
“Red!” Bernie volunteered. She was the only one other than Gaby to have actually seen Em.
“Quite red,” Gaby confirmed as everyone now looked at her.
“How can you ‘accidentally' dye your hair?” Darla asked.
“Well…” Gaby explained the chain of events. “…I guess Em thought it was just conditioner.”
They could still hear Em crying in her room.
“I'll sort her out,” Ally stated.
“Try to calm her down and get her back out here,” Sandy suggested.
“Okay!” Ally knocked on Em's door and without waiting for an answer, went in and shut the door behind her.
“Bummer” Amy sighed.
“C'mon guys ... she'll be okay ... Ally will calm her down ... lets do our nails!” Britney tried her best to lift the dampened mood.
“Good idea,” Mad agreed.
By the time Em and Ally re-emerged into the main room Gaby had a ‘French Polish' on her hands as did the majority in attendance. They seemed to think it would look ‘neat' for the cheer competition next week.
“Ok, Em?” Sandy asked.
“No she's not!” Ally firmly replied as she shot Gaby a knowing glance.
“Ummm ... Em? ... You know ... it really suits you ... I like it,” Darla confessed. Several of the others confirmed her comment.
“You're not just saying that to make me feel better ... are you?” Em tearfully asked.
“I don't think so ... that colour really does suit you,” Gaby softly offered
“We too late for nails?” Ally enthusiastically asked, hoping to change the subject.
“Never!” Sab stated.
“Anyone for cake?” Sandy asked no one in particular.
While the other girls turned their attentions to Em and Ally's nails, Gaby wandered into the kitchenette to help Sandy.
“I think this is turning out pretty well ... don't you Gaby?” Sandy enthused as she and Gaby worked on the food preparation.
“Except for Rrr ...Em's hair,” Gaby agreed. “ I guess it hasn't been that bad, but I wish I could talk to Maddy ... alone ”.
“Um ... any more ideas?” Gaby asked as she was getting the plates for the cake.
“Dunno Gab ... I've got some games?” Sandy meekly offered.
“Hey Gab!” Brit called, “We getting that cake before morning?”
“Just pouring the drinks!” Gaby cheerfully answered.
As Gaby emptied the last of the soda, a couple of the girls stared at her as she stood with the empty bottle in her hand.
“What?” Gaby exclaimed.
“Let's spin the bottle,” Bernie suggested as she took the bottle from Gaby's hand and started to wash it out.
“What's that?” Amy asked.
“You know, we all sit round and like … spin a bottle … and whoever it points to has to do something or answer a question or something,” Bern explained.
“So that's spin the bottle!” Amy grinned.
“An' yer not even blonde!” Sab sarcastically commented as she shook her head.
“Count me in,” Brit stated.
“Sounds like a plan,” Sandy observed.
Recalling Anna's ‘sleepover', Gaby was just glad it wasn't forfeits. Moving the coffee table into the middle of Sandy's living room, all the girls arranged themselves in a circle on the floor. After several turns at the bottle, it was finally Maddy's turn again.
Whor, whor, whorr, whorrr, whorrrrrr, shrum.
“Gabeee!” Darla exclaimed.
“Damn.” Gaby t hought to herself.
“Truth or dare Gabs?” Mad mischievously asked.
Gaby thought about her options. Things started innocent enough, but then moved to a new level. There was a display of bra removal while keeping their top on, a confession of love for Brad Pitt and a leg-kissing episode. In her last turn, Mad took a dare and had to play tonsil-tag with Amy. How Gaby wished she was on the receiving end of that kiss!
“Truth?” Gaby questioned.
“Go for it Gabs!” Ally enthused amid cheers of encouragement from the others.
Mad must have been thinking of a question for a while before because she immediately came back.
“Who would you most like to snog?” she suggestively asked.
“Besides you?” Gaby cooed, to the amusement of Ally and Bernie. Maddy was blushing profusely at Gabs' answer.
“Is that your answer, Gaby?” Sandy asked.
Gaby looked at her then quickly back to Maddy. Mad's blush told Gaby what she really felt about her impromptu answer but for appearance's sake, Gaby shrugged her shoulders and quickly answered, “Angelina Jolie”.
“Ew!” Sab screwed up her face.
“Grow up Sab! … I'd even kiss her,” Darla voiced.
“Good one Gabs,” Bernie added. She saw Maddy's question as an attempt to put Gaby on the spot, hoping Drew, as Gaby, would name some hunk and allow her to cause Drew some embarrassment. Instead, Gaby answered truthfully and threw it right back at her.
Gaby grabbed the bottle for her turn to spin.
“Ready?”
“Spin it already!” Amy prompted.
The game continued to about eleven when Sandy suggested they all get changed and sort the sleeping arrangements out.
“Your stuff is in my room, Gabs!” Em announced.
“Thanks.”
“If we hurry and change … we can get a good spot to sleep,” Brit suggested.
Gaby noted Brit had brought her nightgown over along with two sleeping bags. Gaby looked at Sandy's living room in a half-hearted attempt to pick out her spot.
“We just going to bed?” Mad enquired.
“As if!” Darla indignantly replied.
Gaby again found herself sandwiched between her ‘protectors' as they settled down for the mandatory ‘ghost stories'. Maddy had decided to zip her and Gaby's sleeping bags together before Gabs emerged from Em's room. Sometime after everyone settled in, Darla took her turn and started her rendition of “Sleepy Hollow”. Gaby fell asleep.
Early the next morning when Gaby woke up to use the facilities; she noted her surroundings and the location of sleeping bodies. By the time she left the bathroom, a couple of other bundles of bedclothes briefly stirred then retreated under layers of blankets.
“Mornin'” a bleary eyed Maddy managed as Gabs returned to her bed on the floor, “Wassa time?”
“Um … seven thirtyish,” Gaby whispered.
“Urgh!” Maddy groaned and started to pull the sleeping bag up as far as it would go.
“Mad? ... You think we can make some time before we get picked up an' talk ... just the two of us?” Gaby whispered.
“Suppose so ... what ‘bout now?” Maddy quietly replied as she lowered the sleeping bag off her face. Gaby looked around and grimaced at the other bodies scattered around the floor. “They're still asleep ... so we're as good as alone ... besides ... everyone out here knows about you ... us.”
“Not everyone!” Gaby hissed as she made a motion towards Sab. “I know she was in on Gaby's appearances back in Warsop … but she doesn't know about us!”
“Okay ... but she's out like a light ... so what's on your mind?” Maddy softly wondered.
“All I wanna know is what's going on with you an' Sam ... an' why you said what you did walking to Erin's last Saturday ... please Mad? ... I need to know!” Gaby quietly pleaded.
Maddy suddenly became serious and she hissed, “I told you! ... Nothing is going on!”
“That's what you've said ... but your reactions to my questions say different!” Gaby hissed her own reply. Maddy glared at Gaby before she rolled over and pretended to go back to sleep, totally ignoring any further attempts by Gaby to talk.
Finally Gaby got out from under the opened sleeping bag and made her way back to the bathroom to wash up, then eventually to Em's room to get changed. As Gaby walked down the hall, Ally, who had heard and witnessed the exchange, noticed Maddy open her eyes and traces of a smile break out on her face, before closing her eyes again.
Later as Gaby quietly crept back down the hall, Maddy pretended to stir again. She assumed Gaby would be returning to bed beside her but instead noticed Gaby was all dressed and her make-up applied.
“Where you think yer going?” Maddy quietly asked as Gaby started down the stairs to Sandy's main door.
“Out!” Gaby quietly snapped.
“What for?” Maddy replied with hushed voice.
“To think!”
“About what?”
Gaby sighed then came back up the few steps she had descended and knelt down beside Maddy.
“Us!” she quietly replied.
“Oh...” Maddy sounded like a little girl who's been caught at some mischief, by her mother.
“I'm starting to get a little fed up with the way you've been treating me ... dumping me into things for a quick laugh ... treating me as two people ... whenever you find it convenient ... an' tha's most of the time! ... You seem to forget I'm Drew ... your boyfriend ... or so you say ... an' you've told me over an' over, Gaby is your girlfriend ... now she's not! ... Yet you always seem to want Gaby around! ... Why? … You think about that an' maybe … just maybe … we'll talk later!” Gaby firmly, but quietly delivered her little speech with more than a bit of distain.
Maddy became very sullen and rolled over while Gaby stood up and deliberately resumed her exit from Sandy's flat. At the bottom of the stairs, she pulled on her boots & threw on her quilted jacket. Seeing it was snowing again, she pulled the fur-lined hood over her head before going out the door and quietly closing it behind her.
When she heard the door click shut, Ally got out of her own sleeping bag and before heading down to Em's room to get changed she went over and knelt down beside Maddy.
“I know you're awake ... so no use pretending you're not!” Ally whispered. When Maddy looked up at her, Ally continued, “You better think about what Gaby said … and think hard, Maddy Peters! ... Or you'll soon find yourself alone ... no Drew! ... No Gaby! ... No friends!” Maddy rolled back over, seemingly unaffected by her friend's plea but in her mind, she was agonizing over her Gaby's unexpected stance.
“Please Maddy? ... Tell me you'll think hard wot Gaby said,” Ally pleaded and then hearing no response went to get changed. What she didn't see as she walked away, was the tear rolling down the side of Maddy's face.
Ally threw on her coat and boots and then quietly went out the front door. Looking around, she noticed some footprints in the fresh snow that led to the side of Sandy's place. As she walked softly, she heard muffled sobs the closer she got to the corner of the house.
“Gaby? ... Is there anything I can do?” Ally softly asked as she knelt down beside Gaby. Even as Gabs shook her head Ally stood up and pulled her to her feet. She then embraced her friend in a tight hug and just held her while Gaby put head on Ally's shoulder and had a good cry.
“Wh ... ( sob ) ... why ... ( sniff ) is Maddy ... Why?”
After several minutes, a more composed Gaby broke the hug and in hushed tones told Ally, “I need to think ... time for myself ... where I can be me ... no pretending … an' just think.”
“Think about what?”
“The trip ... everything ... I have no friends at school.” Then in a sarcastic tone, added, “Apparently I have some deadly disease cuz they won't talk to me!” Ally knew there was more, there had to be to upset her friend so.
“That can't be all ... I know you, Gaby Bond … and you're made of sterner stuff!”
With a shrug of the shoulders and a deep sigh, Gaby went on. “I don't know why ... but the gang's changing ... or at least … they're pushing me away! ... Even Rhod ... ( sigh ) ok ... Em … has gotten her digs in! ... The only real friends I have are the guys I go riding with ... then there's Maddy ... an' Sam ... need I say more on that? ... Mrs. W ... I always feel she's checking me out ... always telling me what a girl my age likes ... I know she means well ... but I never wanted to be here...”
Ally cut in before she could say anything more. “Whaddya mean ... never wanted to be here?”
Gaby was about to mention her mum but thought better of it, instead only mentioning Jocelyn's decision.
“I never answered Em all those times she asked for a decision because I didn't want to come … then she opened her big yap and invited all the American kids ... Mrs. W would've never have known if ... Brit got all excited an' her mum thought it was a WONDERFUL idea! ... Mrs. W's not enthusiastic about me spending so much time training as is ... it's not a thing young girls do, ya know ... and she was even less happy about me spending the day with Erin an' Diane ... so she made Erin promise to bring me here,” a disappointed Gaby explained. With Ally listening to every word, Gaby continued.
“Right up to the time we pulled in here … Erin was offering to take me for the weekend ... she knew I didn't want to come ... if I agreed ... I'd get her into a lot of trouble an' I couldn't do that ... Brit would make sure her mum knew I wasn't here!”
Ally didn't know what to say. Gaby's experience so far sounded so far removed from her own and here she figured they all were having such a good time, until now! Ally felt tears forming in her eyes as she stared at a broken Gaby in the early light of February morning.
“I think I'll go now...” Gaby firmly but quietly mentioned.
“I doubt that Mrs. Walters would come and get you and Brit so early,” Ally replied.
“That's ok ... I'll walk,” Gabs stated.
“All the way to town? ... You crazy?” Ally practically shouted.
“Shhhh ... yes … walk ... it's not that far ... I do it on my bike all the time!
“Face it Gabs! ... For you … 60 miles on your bike isn't far! ... But you're walking! ... An' it's snowing!” Ally frantically pointed out.
“All the more time to have to myself!” Gaby retorted as she started to walk off the property and onto the county road. “I'll be ok, Ally ... I promise!”
As Ally stood there watching Gaby round the stone fence at the edge of the Jones's property and walk onto the road, a few stray tears ran down her cheeks as she softly called after her, “I'm still your friend Gabs...”
Wiping the tears from her face, Ally walked back to Sandy's and after talking off her coat and boots, made her way upstairs to the living room.
Seeing Sandy putting on the kettle in the kitchen, Ally first went to her purse and extracted a piece of paper that contained some phone numbers, then calmly walked up to Sandy.
“Mind if I use your phone, Sandy?” Ally quietly asked so as not to wake any of the other girls.
“Go ahead ... who you gonna call?” Sandy calmly replied.
“I just need to get a hold of Miss Bell ... Gaby's gone,” Ally casually mentioned.
“GONE? …WHATTYA MEAN ... GONE?!” a frantic Sandy shrieked.
By now, the other girls still in their sleeping bags on the living room floor were awake.
“Gone ... as in ... walked off! ... She's … not on the property,” Ally slowly replied while trying to remain calm.
“Why would she do that?” a waking Em asked.
“Oh ... I dunno ... do you Mad? … No? … How ‘bout you Em?” It was clear even to Sandy that Ally had implied that they had somehow played a part in Gaby's disappearance. Maddy avoided looking at Ally, at the same time trying her best to become part of Sandy's couch while Em remained silent under Ally's piercing glare. After Ally finished dialling the phone, it rang several times before she heard someone pick it up at the other end.
“Miss Bell? ... Hi! ... It's Ally … sorry if I woke you ... I'm at Sandy's place ... I thought you should know Gaby's walked off from the sleepover ... yeah … I saw her leave … in fact I spoke to her before she left … she said she needed some time to think about things … and that she was going to walk back to Grottoes … no … uh uh … Maddy … don't think so … oh ... I guess ten minutes ago ... yeah ... when I last saw her she was on the road that runs in front of the Jones's ... uh huh ... she's wearing a pink ski jacket with a fur-trimmed hood ... no ... red blouse … jeans an' boots ... no … don't think I saw her wearing any gloves … ok ... thanks ... bye!
(to be continued)
PB 22.04.08 (revised 14.05.08) © 2008
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