All of the original situations in this story are mine, the rest is the intellectual property of Maddy. Cat is a fictional character, any similarities to anyone living or dead is purely my warped mind in action.
This part is told from Drew's perspective.
By now you probably know that I won the national championship but there was some stuff that happened that day which I left out. Some of it I had done my best to forget but it looks like I'll have to relive it again.
We left the place where the five of us had stayed overnight (that's me, Jules, Dad and the Walters girls - no Maddy again <sigh>) and headed for Eastway.
The journey itself was one to forget, how people drive around London everyday I have no idea. I feel sorry for Cat and her friends if this is what they have to put up with.
Brit and Debbie must have seen the signs for the Blackwall Tunnel because they asked if we were going south of the Thames. Seems like they've been paying attention to their geography lessons (both at school in the U.S. and at the hands of the Bonds).
Dad just said, "We'll see."
Jules and I knew this was one of the games Dad liked to play and we kept quiet. The closer we got the more convinced they became, right up until we turned off the road a couple of miles short and found ourselves at the entrance.
We took a look around and the first person to catch up with me was Josh. I was glad to see at least one familiar face, although I wasn't too pleased when he admitted that his first thought at the regionals was that I was a girl.
As if that wasn't embarrassing enough Brit then opens her mouth and goes to say something about Gaby, she didn't get very far though before her sister yanked her away.
At least there was no repeat when I spotted some other familiar faces, my rival from the race at Newark, some more of the guys from Harrogate and Kristen, remember her from my Didcot race. But I was on the bike by then riding the course so I was probably safer from embarrassment.
It was during the opening stages of the race itself, when our newly-formed northern alliance was in control that I heard familiar voices and spotted Maddy with the rest of the family Peters standing next to my unofficial fan club. That wasn't all, the next lap round I noticed Cat had been beside them too. Her being here made some kind of sense, it was only about 30 or 40 miles round to her place but it was a whole lot more from Warsop. Maddy must have known what a lift she was giving me just by being here, if she didn't then I would make sure that she found out afterwards.
Towards the end when I had settled for a podium place it was Maddy who spurred me on again with her support .
So as you know I was National Schoolboy Champion, but the first thing on my mind was to find Maddy.
"What are you guys doing here?" I asked her when the fuss abated a bit.
"My Mum and your Dad organised it on Tuesday"
"Thanks for coming"
"No problem champ" Mad planted one on me and gave me a good, hard, unexpected hug.
The rest of the 'Drew crew' joined her in the group hug from hell (or was it heaven?).
"Finally I get to see you race, I think it was worth the wait. Fantastic ride Drew," Cat said.
"Hey making his head swell is my job," Maddy joked.
I thanked all the other guys especially Josh and Kristen for making the difference. Then while Cat introduced herself properly to my racing friends I returned to the 'groupies' and made sure Maddy knew that she had made a big difference too, although I would have liked to show my appreciation in a different way, maybe later.
It was then that I noticed something wrong with Brit, she seemed a little distant.
"What's up with her?" I whispered to Mad.
She laughed into her hand.
"Maddy, what have you done?" I said as sternly as I could manage.
"Don't you take that tone with me Drew Bond. Just because you won," Mad countered.
"Oh no you don't, stop changing the subject and tell me what's up."
She smirked as she continued, "Cat told me about your little joke the morning we went to Clumber Park so we took it a little bit further. We suggested Brit might like to join us."
I wasn't getting it.
"We made her an offer but she said she wasn't that kind of girl."
I was still confused and it showed.
Mad tapped Cat on the shoulder and gestured her to hang back with us, then they both interlocked arms with mine. I had to think for a second before I kind of worked out what she meant by joining us.
"A threesome? Maddy, you didn't."
"We did." She was trying hard to stifle her laughter.
"Cat, even you. Why?"
"Maddy told me she's been giving you a hard time about the Gab stuff. We thought this was only fair," she replied.
"Plus when we weren't cheering or waiting to cheer for you we were bored. It's not like we had anything to do the rest of the time," Maddy added.
I shook my head. "And when were you going to put her straight?"
"Aww, do we have to. Can't we get Bernie involved then maybe a couple of the Americans too?" Maddy said still seeing the funny side of all this.
"Mad, please. I've still got to live with her."
"Oh I'll tell her but not right now let me string her along a bit longer."
"Maddy!"
"Drew?"
I knew I wasn't going to win that one so I gave in gracefully and turned to Cat.
"I thought you might have been paying more attention to the race, not getting me into trouble."
"I did, some of the time I was comparing notes with Maddy but there's only so much you can pick up as a spectator," Cat said.
She had a point, this was one of those races where you had to be in it to learn much from it so I'll let her off this time.
We arranged to have a meal out to celebrate but Cat couldn't join us for that. Judging by the way Brit was reacting to Maddy she might have been better off where she was. Maddy was taking it all in her stride but I had some sympathy for my exchange partner.
Despite all that it turned into a great evening and got even better when I found out that Deb and Jules were swapping with Mad and Sab so they could spend tomorrow with us.
"This is great Maddy," I said as we walked to the car.
She put her arm around my waist and I followed suit.
"It's a good job you two are in separate rooms tonight," Dad said as we got in.
"So Sab and I are in with Brit tonight?" Maddy asked.
He nodded. A horrific thought crossed my mind, Maddy wasn't really going to do that was she? Of course she would and would probably freak Sab out as much as Brit.
"Maddy, it's later, you can tell Brit now," I said more in hope than anything else.
"OK, I'll do it now if you insist."
"Britney. Mad has something to say to you, it's about what she and Cat did earlier," I said then left the rest to her.
Brit took it very well, much better than I would have, maybe she was just relieved to discover that my friends weren't really planning a lesbian teen orgy in Warsop. Anyway I was glad to get that one sorted out and before she assumed I was involved too.
Before we went to our separate bedrooms I made sure I gave Maddy a final goodnight kiss. I'm not saying what kind of kiss I'll leave that up to your imagination.
Sunday's journey home started off well enough, we made good progress so took a little detour to the museum at Duxford - they're the big hangars you can see from the M11.
I'd been Gaby free for more than two days so I should have expected something and that something turned out to be a crinkly top that was on one of the stalls we found at the bus rally that the museum was hosting.
I like presents I just wish Mad would find something for the Drew me. At least we all ended up in similar tops so I didn't feel too out of place.
Things went downhill after that, the car didn't make it into Cambridge and we finished our ride home in a recovery truck. Only one thing brightened that part of the journey. Cat called me on the mobile with some news.
"Hi Drew."
"Hi Cat, whatsup?"
"We're on TV." she said.
"We are, how come?"
"Well we were, BBC London news did a piece at the end of last night's bulletin. Mum and Dad recorded it for me."
"Hey gang, we're on telly." I said to them above the drone of the truck's engine then concentrated on the phone. "So what did they say?"
"Well they were following some boy from Essex or Middlesex or something, but he trailed in your wake. They did show a few sequences of the race itself, and in one bit with everyone flashing by, so long as you don't blink you can see all of us on the hill cheering you."
"They also had you crossing the line with us a blur in the background while they talked about your pedigree with your mum racing. Makes you sound a bit like a dog if you ask me."
Thanks Cat, I thought, now I'm being compared to animals.
"They showed Kristen finishing to take the girls prize too but I think the best bit is afterwards. They got some film of the two of you congratulating each other but the way they cut it you can just see our group hug too."
She was excited by the whole thing, I guess I was too. However the Chad had made me a bit paranoid so I needed one question answered first.
"But they did get me as Drew?"
"Well Duuuhhh. Drew son of tour winning Jenny Bond. Is that specific enough for you?"
"I guess so. Any chance of a copy?"
"Thought you might ask, Dad will try at some point but for the moment you'll have to make do with a video file on a CD. He's going to do that tonight so it should be with you middle of next week, is that ok?"
"That's cool."
"Well I better go Drew, things to do. You take care, say hi to Mad and thank Brit for the website it's pretty cool."
"Website?"
"Yes, we talked a bit about sports and stuff before Maddy and I started messing with her head. She has put Brit straight hasn't she?"
"Yes, that was all sorted out last night, you're in the clear."
"That's good, anyway I've really got to go Drew, ttfn."
"OK Cat, see you."
I filled the others in on the details. I think everyone was as eager as me to see how things had turned out. Maddy was a bit annoyed to hear they had footage of me thanking Kristen but not me and Mad on our own. I was mostly glad to know that for once I had been correctly identified as a boy. It should be interesting to watch.
We were glad to get home and see the back of that truck. One very nice Italian meal out and one long phonecall with mum reliving the entire race later and I was ready for the sleep of the righteous.
With that out of the way the next thing I had to look forward to was my trip to Germany. The one that almost didn't happen until Gran stepped in. Can't wait to see Mum again.
I'm almost certain I wouldn't want Mum to see me the way I was earlier today, nor anyone from school. It was cheer practise at Mad's, Dan and Rhod weren't around so there was no way they were letting me escape. Am I getting any better? I somehow doubt that, the others are though.
At least the cycling is one thing where I know I'm still making improvements, ok so my time in the last 10 at Cuckney wasn't a PB but I think National Schoolboy Champ counts as an improvement. Maybe Maddy felt that she had a point to prove, getting a PB with a time just over 27 minutes shows she's doing well too.
The rest of the week was pretty quiet, a visit and a couple of shopping trips, no Gaby incidents either. A trawl round the car showrooms to find the next Bond car, and no we weren't looking at Aston Martin or Lotus.
Then on Thursday a thin package dropped through the door addressed to me. Inside about 3 layers of cardboard was a CD case. Oh wow, Cat's dad has done a proper label and everything.
I had taken it with me when Brit and I went over to Mad's. The original plan was to hit Meadowhall but Sab was feeling off colour so I suggested we check the CD out. However Mad seemed determined to shop so we did Mansfield instead.
As soon as we got back I waved the CD. Maddy admitted defeat and fired the computer up.
Now don't get me wrong I'm not conceited, I wasn't the least bit interested in how I looked. I wanted to hear what they had said about me, I'd already had more than my fair share of trouble and didn't want to get in anymore.
It was pretty much as Cat had said, you could just about pick out the girls on the hill and see everyone in the group hug.. It wasn't bad though.
"It's a bit grainy," Brit commented.
"That's what you get when you run VCDs full screen," Maddy said, sounding all techy.
I knew she was more computer literate than me but I didn't realise that Mad was that clued up and I guess that showed.
"What?" she said, "Dad explained it to me when I told him about the disc coming."
"So the quality of the video copy would be better than this?"
"Much better," Mad replied
I was back at home that evening and almost ready for bed when the phone rang. It was Cat wanting to catch up again.
"Hi Drew, did you get the stuff ok?"
"Yes, we watched it earlier, that's us alright. I can't wait to show the others."
"Great. Oh I've got a favour to ask of you for when you get back from Germany."
That got my interest. "What kind of favour?"
"A cycling one, my club is having this time trial thing at the end of the month, it's a team event but the other girls my age don't want to let me in."
"You do know that team time trialling is not the same as individual?" I interrupted.
"Yes, and as this is an open club thing they are different again, upwards of four riders, first four times count. Shouldn't be too difficult, I just want to show them I'm not useless," Cat said.
I'd seen her ride, useless wasn't a word I would use.
"I'll ask Dad and if I'm free that weekend count me in, shall I ask Maddy too?"
"That would be great, with Jo that'll be four," Cat replied, "just enough."
Cat carried on thanking me right up until the end of the call, I didn't think it was that big a deal. I went straight to Dad to let him know, he was pretty sure it was a free weekend but promised to confirm it in the morning.
As I headed to bed my thoughts were occupied by something else, it's just a few days before the Germany trip.
On Sunday I was racing at Lincoln, I wondered if Karla might have dropped by to say hello but 25 mile time trials aren't exactly front page news. I was pretty pleased with the way it went, no PB just a good solid ride despite the wind.
Back home the cheerleaders were out in force. I was spared having to wear the badminton kit again but that didn't excuse me from practise. I suppose with the trip to on Thursday they were determined to get as much in beforehand whether I wanted too or not.
Monday marked the beginning of the new school year and I was asking myself why Mr Wood seemed to be so good at embarrassing me? The first assembly, and there I was standing on the stage as the school's first national champion.
Still with the Germany trip only three days away (Not like I was counting down or anything.) I decided that I could live with that.
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