Chapter 36

“What have you been up to?” Lucy asked when Gabbie burst through the door.

“Why do you think I’ve been up to something?”

“You got that cat who got all the cream grin on your face. And your nips are showing, and there’s a damp patch on your pants.”

“Whoops!” Gabbie grinned.

“What have you done?” Lucy laughed.

“Well, we kissed, she enjoyed it a lot, she even fingered my bum for a bit...”

“Seriously, she got that carried away?”

“Yep, then we chatted after all the Sixth Form girls appeared, she’s definitely interested.”

“So what did you do?”

“I fixed her up with Polly.”

“Polly’s gay?”

“Didn’t you know?”

“Well, she was sleeping with Callum last year.”

“And you were sleeping with Steve last month.”

“Hahaha, I guess you win that one Gabbie. So, is Polly OK with the arrangement?”

“Definitely, she and Billie are going to help Lizzie explore her sexuality in a safe and loving environment.”

“Did she say that?”

“Not in those words, but I took solace in the fact that everyone knows you’ll kill anyone who upsets me.”

“That’s true, I guess we’ll hear all about it tomorrow.”

“Lizzie wanted to know why you were OK with me kissing her, and I couldn’t really answer. Why are you OK with me kissing other girls?”

“Because I know you love me as much as I love you, I know you won’t leave me.”

“In that case, why don’t you kiss other girls?”

“Because I don’t want to. I’m not as horny or as adventurous as you are. You love people Gabbie, you’re outgoing and fun. You’re everything I need, everything I’ll ever need, I think. I’ve been in your head Gabbie, and I know who you fancy, I know who you want to have sex with, and I’m fine with that because I know it’s just sex. When we were in London Steve and I were in a few pubs and people came up to us both, boys and girls, and we both decided we weren’t interested in one-night stands. I’m OK if you want to, though.”

Gabbie pounced on Lucy, she kissed her all over, lips, cheeks, eyes, nose, anywhere her lips couple find skin, “I don’t want sex with anyone else, not really, I’m just curious about what other people are like to kiss, I like kissing.”

“Lizzie fingered your bum,” Lucy laughed.

“Well, yeah, because I asked her to, I was horny, what do you expect.”

“You kiss someone, then you get carried away, and I’m OK with that, as long as the other person is willing,”

“Is there nobody you want to fool around with?” Gabbie asked as she stepped away from Lucy and tidied herself up, Millie would be round in a few minutes.

“Well, yeah, I’d like to spend some time with Gem, just to see if she did like me, but she’s dating Sophie, and I wouldn’t want to interfere there.”

Gabbie smiled, “this might sound weird, because, well, she was weird, but I quite fancy Sophie, she was cute.”

Lucy smiled, “now I’m looking forward to our sleepover again.”

“I’m sure our bed will hold all four of us.”

“Of course it will, you and Gem are the size of one normal person anyway. Oh gosh, look at the time, Millie will be here in a minute, you need to change those pants...”

They heard a knock at the door, “ahh, bollocks, too late, we’ll just have to hope she’s too polite to stare at your lady parts.”

Gabbie opened the door while Lucy unpacked the drinks and snacks.

“Hey Gabbie, how are you doing? Oh, look at your pants, I guess your doing OK.”

“What about my pants?” Gabbie asked, worried Millie had spotted the stain already.

“They’re so colourful, not usual Gabbie uniform.”

“Ahh, yes. I thought you’d spotted I got a little excited earlier, mmm, I shouldn’t have said that..., yes, Lucy thought I should embrace the light now the darkness has gone, so she made me wear her cast-offs.”

“I see, and I hadn’t noticed you’d got a little excited, so you gave that one away,” Millie laughed as she walked into the girls’ sitting room.

“Hey Millie, so Gabbie’s oversharing again. I let her kiss Lizzie and she got all hot and horny.”

“Lizzie, I wondered if you’d manage to convert her.”

“I don’t think we converted Lizzie,” Lucy replied, “neither of us made any advances, not really.”

“Lucy said I could only kiss Lizzie if I asked her first. So, I asked her after tea, because I wanted to thank her for lending me this nice t-shirt. Lizzie wanted to kiss me, she told me her parents are very old fashioned, and would be very annoyed if she went home gay, but she still wanted to explore her sexuality,”

“And you helped her explore?”

“I helped her start her journey,” Gabbie replied.

“And do I want to know who’s the co-driver on the next leg?”

“Polly, and Billie.”

Millie was stunned into silence with this news, “Polly!”

“Am I the only one here with a working gaydar?” Gabbie asked.

“Isn’t she sleeping with Callum Price from Derwent house?”

“She was, last year. I don’t know who she’s seeing right now, but she looked pretty tight with Billie before, and Billie is also exploring her sexuality.”

“Should I be worried?”

“We don’t think so,” Lucy assured her.

“We’re both pretty sure nobody in this school is willing to upset Lucy.”

“And by extension, you, I suppose...” Millie sighed, “it’s a good job I like you two, or I’d be annoyed about you passing your friends onto two Sixth Formers who are both on their final warnings.”

“Oh! I didn’t know Polly was on her final warning, I just thought she was on Headmaster’s Report for smoking, but she’s quit, she was vaping downstairs.”

“And Billie’s been on Headmaster’s Report all term for a string of offences.”

“Ahh, should we go and rescue Lizzie?” Gabbie asked.

“No, I think that would cause more problems, I’m sure you’re right, Polly likes you both, she won’t want to upset you.”

“I’m really sorry if I did a bad thing...”

Millie pulled Gabbie into a hug, “It’s OK Gabbie, you didn’t do a bad thing, you thought you were helping Lizzie, and I suspect you’re right, she’ll be fine. Now, I came here for a fun night, so what are we doing.”

“There’s a new John Green film on Netflix, we could watch that.”

“Or we could play music and talk,” Gabbie added.

“I vote for music and talk,” Millie replied, “I assume there’s wine.”

“There’s wine, and popcorn, and chocolates. I did the shopping while Gabbie got all hot and horny with nice girls.”

“So, how do you feel now you’ve banished your demons?” Millie asked as she passed the half-finished wine bottle across to Lucy.

They were sitting on the floor, their backs to the wall, the only light being their little LED candle andsome fairy lights in the trees outside their window.

“I feel lighter somehow,” Gabbie answered eventually, after she’d taken the bottle from Lucy and had another mouthful, “what is this, it’s too dark to read the label?”

“It’s a Chilean chardonnay, I’ve no idea how to pronounce the name. A woman put six bottles in her basket, so I thought it must be OK.”

“It’s nice, very crisp. Anyway, my head is so much clearer now they’re gone, I can think properly. Oh, I wonder if you can get in my head easier now?”

“Oh yes, let’s play a game! Millie, tell Gabbie a secret, and I’ll try to find it.”

“Mmm, not a secret, I don’t want to tell you any of those, well, not until we’ve had another bottle of wine.”

“OK, tell Gabbie something about your mum and dad, their names, or where they live.”

“I’m not very good at whispering, go in the other room for a minute.”

Millie told Gabbie where her parents worked, “OK, you can come out now,” Gabbie called.

“So, how shall we do this?” Lucy asked, “shall we move the candle so we can both watch it?”

“I don’t think we’ll need it, you managed OK in Maths. I think the candle was just so we’d be focused, because it was important. This is just a bit of fun; it doesn’t matter if you don’t get it...”

“CERN, in Switzerland, that’s where your parents work, Millie.”

“What! How did you do that, Gabbie was still talking, she wasn’t even focused.”

“This is easy, it’s like her brain is shouting at me, now she’s wondering if I just changed into my pyjamas, or I had them on all along.”

“Fuck, you really can see into my head.”

“I have to look, it’s not like you’re broadcasting all the time, like now, I’m not trying and I can’t see your thoughts or anything.

“Ohh, let me try!”

“OK Gabbie, you go into the bedroom, and I’ll tell Lucy something.”

Millie whispered something to Lucy, “you can’t tell me that!”

“I just did, now see if Gabbie can guess it.”

“OK Gabbie, we’re ready.”

She ran into the room and nearly stumbled because she was still pulling on her pyjama bottoms.

“Oh Gabbie, I’ve just seen your arse,” Millie sighed, “I really didn’t need that, but now I have, stop struggling and take the pants off”

“Sorry,” Gabbie apologised as she sat between Lucy and Millie, “I was so excited to play this game I tried to run and pull my pants up.”

“We’ll give you a bit longer next time,” Millie assured her.

“Am I OK like this, or should I put my pants on?”

“I’m fine if Lucy is,” Millie replied.

“OK, what am I thinking about?” Lucy asked.

“Oh shit,” Gabbie laughed, “you’re not making that up?”

“Tell me what you’ve just plucked from Lucy’s head, and I’ll tell you if she’s made it up.”

“You lost your cherry to your cousin when you were 19, but you only found out he was your cousin later.”

“Fuck me,” Millie gasped, “I wasn’t sure with the CERN thing, you could have read that in the school magazine, but that’s a proper secret. And it’s definitely a secret, girls.”

“Shit, we’re telling nobody, but we do need to know more.”

“I need more wine, and some chocolate, and maybe at least one light so I can look at you both while I’m talking.”

Gabbie turned a couple of lamps on as Lucy opened the second bottle, Millie opened the box of Celebrations, helping herself to a miniature Mars Bar.

“So, your accent is local, where were you born?” Lucy asked.

“I was born in the next village to the Prep school.”

“Really, so you were a day student?”

“Initially, I started school at the nursery, so I’ve basically been here pretty much all my life, I just had 3 years out while I was at Manchester university.”

“Oh shit, you’re like Clive the gardener, he was born in the gate house and has been here all his life.”

“Yep, although I like to think I smell a bit better than him.”

“And you’ve got all your teeth,” Gabbie added.

“So yeah, I was a day student at first, then mum and dad transferred from the university here to CERN, so they put me in boarding in Year 5.”

“We didn’t board until Year 9, what’s it like boarding when you’re so little?” Lucy asked.

“It was pretty awful for a few weeks, although I think I missed our dog more than my parents. Most of the kids in Prep are weekly boarders, they go home Friday night.”

“Were you lonely at weekends?”

“For a bit, then I realised the weekends were the most fun, because we got to cook our own food, we had the run of the whole school, and we went out for trips to the zoo, and to the cinema, and Blackpool. My parents were always so busy, we never went on fun trips, so I soon realised boarding was much better than being at home.”

“Did you go to Switzerland for the holidays?”

“I went for a few weeks in Summer, but I spent most of the school holidays with my grandparents.”

“Lauren in Derwent House goes home at weekends, but you’re here all the time, don’t you have another house?”

“Lauren goes to her parents’ house, or her boyfriend’s.”

“Ahh, so you live here all year?” Gabbie asked.

“Yep, all year. Anyway, let’s change the subject for a bit, tell me more about what you did at half term.”

“OK, but then you’re telling us about your cousin.”

“It’s a deal,” Millie replied as she took the bottle from Lucy and Gabbie helped herself to a couple of chocolates.

“So, we went to Glasgow,” Lucy started, “partly so Steve could visit the Kelvingrove, and partly so Gabbie could see her brother, Jordan, who’s at Fettes in Edinburgh.”

“Why’s he there and not here?”

“That’s a very long and boring story,” Gabbie replied, “He’s going to live with my Auntie Alice now, because our cousin Saoirse loves him. Jordan doesn’t know that, so it’ll be a surprise when she pounces on him one night.”

“Isn’t she at the same school,” Lucy asked.

“Yeah, but they’re a lot stricter there, the girls and boys rarely get a chance to mix outside of lessons.”

“So, you met up with Jordan.”

“I did, and it was nice, and a bit sad. I love him, but we hardly know each other, and I’m sure he was happier about riding in the Aston Martin than he was seeing me,”

“I watched him when we arrived,” Lucy added, “after checking me out for a moment he only had eyes for you Gabbie, he really was happy to see you,”

“Really? All I saw was him staring at your boobs.”

“Yeah, he did that a lot as well,” Lucy laughed, “but he was happy to see you Gabbie, that hug was totally genuine.”

“Can we go and see him over Christmas?”

“Absolutely.”

“I think you’ll like Auntie Alice, and Saoirse is lovely.”

“Tell me about your nightclub appearance,” Millie asked as she passed the wine to Lucy.

“Oh wow, it was great. We’d asked the hotel receptionist for a recommendation, and she suggested this almost secret club, it was downstairs and didn’t really have a sign. Inside it was really dark, we got champagne and whisky for Steve and sat down to watch the band. After three songs the singer left the stage, taking a seat a couple of tables away and someone else from the audience joined the band for a few songs.

“My birth mother used to be a club singer. When I was little, I would sit at the side of the stage and watch her, she was so beautiful and had such a good voice. I’m not sure what possessed me to get up and join the band, but I did, and somehow I managed to sing a few songs without incident.”

“She was amazing, As soon as she opened her mouth Steve and I were stunned. We were like, ‘where’s she been hiding this voice’”

“What did you sing?”

“I started with an Amy Winehouse song, You Know I’m No Good, then I played Sinnerman on the piano, Katherine loved those songs.”

“Brave choices for your first gig.”

“I wasn’t thinking like that, I was just singing songs I knew.”

“And you blew everyone away,” Lucy told her, “nobody who followed you that night had anywhere near the response you got.”

“I don’t really understand why.”

“Didn’t you listen to what dad’s band said? You’re pitch perfect Gabbie; they didn’t have to do anything to your voice during the recording session.”

Millie dipped her hand in the Celebrations and pulled out a mini Twix, “I’ve listened to your songs on Spotify, they’re amazing, especially the Roberta Flack song.”

“That one made me cry when she sang it in the studio.”

“It’s like Ewan MacColl wrote it for us,” Gabbie replied quietly.

The wine was empty, Lucy took the opportunity to wipe her eyes in the bathroom as she fetched another bottle.

“So, we’ve told you about our trip, I think you owe us an explanation about the secret you told us.”

Millie laughed as she took the fresh bottle off Lucy, “you promise you won’t tell anyone.”

“Cross our hearts,” Lucy replied sincerely.

“So, unlike you two, I was the nerdy girl when I was here, like Meredith.”

“I love Meredith,” Gabbie gushed, a hand on her heart, “she’s so sweet, and really cute.”

“I like to think that’s what I was like when I was your age,” Millie laughed, “I kept my head down and did my work. I had a few friends, but none I was terribly close to. I got good grades in my GCSEs and was in the top three students at the end of my A-Levels. I spent my first year at university trying to come to terms with the total change of culture. For the first time I was spending time in a big city, and this alone was a shock, so that first year I forced myself to resist the temptations of bars and clubs, I worked hard and was top of my course by a long way.

“The second year I relaxed a little and allowed myself a little freedom. Friday nights and Saturdays were rest periods, and I started to spend some time in the Student Union bar, where I met Josh. He was on the bar and was very nice to me, because I hadn’t a clue what I was doing, I’d never drunk alcohol before, so I didn’t know what to order. He spent one Saturday afternoon talking me through the dozens of drinks they had to offer, after an hour I realised he was flirting with me...”

“What was he like?” Gabbie asked.

“He was tall, quite muscular, short blond hair and a wispy goatee beard. He had lovely, kind eyes,” Millie replied wistfully.

“A lot like Steve I think,” Gabbie whispered to Lucy, “apart from the beard.”

“Anyway, a few weeks later, he asked me if I wanted to go see his friend’s band, they were supporting a bigger band in the basement that night. Rather impulsively I agreed. Josh said he finished at 5, so if I wanted, we could go for a curry over the road, then come back for the gig.”

“How was your date?”

“I didn’t really think of it as a date at the time, although in retrospect it clearly was. Josh was charming, he paid for the curry, and the beer, and after the meal we went to a little bar for a few more drinks, then we went downstairs to see his friend’s band, who were OK I suppose, the main band were excellent though. They were Canadian, but I don’t remember their name.

“After the gig we went back to Josh’s flat, he put on some music and moved close on the sofa, and I won’t tell you the rest...”

“Awww, we tell you everything!” Gabbie complained.

“And that’s called over-sharing. I don’t need to tell you what happened because you can guess. We had sex and it was nice, it was my first time and he was gentle and attentive.”

“So what happened next?”

“The next morning, we had coffee and he made me breakfast, and we chatted about our homes and our families, and he said, ‘oh, I’ve got an Aunt Felicity, she’s a doctor, not a GP, a scientist.’ That’s a coincidence, I tell him warily, where does she work? ‘CERN,’ he replies, ‘in that collider thing.’ And that’s when I find out that in a city of over half a million people, I found a cousin I’d never heard of and ended up sleeping with him.”

“Oh wow, that’s such a coincidence.”

“Yeah, especially as I didn’t even know my mum had a sister. She was the black sheep of the family I found out later.”

“Did you see him again?”

“I did,” Millie replied shyly, “we dated for over a year until he moved away. We keep in touch, although nothing else will happen now, he’s dating the singer in his friend’s band.”

“That’s a shame, he sounds like a nice guy.”

“Yes, he was.”

“Any more big romances?”

“None, I’m afraid, Josh was my only lover.”

“What!” Lucy gasped, “you’ve only slept with one guy. But you’re so pretty, surely there’s someone here who fancies you.”

“There’s one of the PE teachers who tried it on, but I turned him down, I kind of regret it now he’s seeing Ellen.”

“Ellen?” Lucy asked.

“She’s the netball coach,” Gabbie replied, “one of the housemistresses at Grasmere house.”

“Ahh yes, I remember now, she’s quite pretty, but you’ve got a much better figure, you should show it off more.”