The LBD Project
- Cover
- 1 - Moving Day
- 2 - Dear Diary
- 3 - Out Clubbing
- 4 - Bad Timing
- 5 - Unexpected Repercussions
- 6 - Just Good Friends?
- 7 - Surprises In The Night
- 8 - Caveat Emptor
- 9 - Hugs And Kisses
- 10 - Helpful Advice
- 11 - Shortcut Home
- 12 - More Helpful Advice
- 13 - Frogs And Princes
- 14 - Shooting Stars
- 15 - Acceptance
- 16 - 0 to 60 in 5.8 Seconds
- 17 - Epilogue
- Cast
- Comments
16 - 0 to 60 in 5.8 Seconds
"Bye Mum - have a great day - love you!", Nathan called back over his shoulder, slice of toast in hand, as he dashed for the school bus.
"God it makes you sick", Natalie muttered, sauntering after him.
Trying to juggle toast, his briefcase and an assignment he'd almost forgotten, Nathan didn't notice the red sports car on the other side of the road until he was at the kerb.
He skidded to a halt, dropping his toast and his jaw.
"Want a lift?", Helen called. It was a beautiful spring morning and she was removing the soft-top.
"I'm definitely going to puke", Natalie said to the world in general.
Nathan casually crossed the road, pointedly ignoring the jeers, wolf-whistles and gestures coming from the back of the bus.
"Only if you're going my way", he grinned cheekily.
"Might be", she fluttered her eye-lids at him.
"Oh god, bring a bucket!", was Natalie's contribution.
"I like what you've done with your hair", he complimented her. (He'd 'borrowed' one of Natasha's magazines - the one with '12 Things Your Boyfriend Doesn't Do That Irritates You' emblazoned across the cover. It was the closest thing to a mystic tome he was ever going to read. He'd managed to get as far as item eight before acute embarrassment struck, and anyway, he didn't agree with letting pets on a bed.)
The smile she unleashed made him trip on the kerb.
"Hurry up", she giggled.
Nathan's Mum was standing at the mail-box, arms folded, bemusement written across her face. It looked like she was remembering something.
As Helen executed a perfect three-point turn and drove demurely after the bus, Nathan waved his Mum goodbye.
"Drive carefully", she called after them, returning the wave, "and buckle-up."
Helen caught the school bus at the lights leading to the by-pass - Nathan's back-row court was leering and making obscene gestures.
The lights turned green and the bus pulled off, Helen paused, the ferocity of the gestures increased, Nathan could almost hear the rude comments about 'women drivers'.
Helen leaned over and removed a pair of Sim-Bans from the glove-box. Putting them on, she swept her hand through her hair and removed her Alice band - she was committing to a good half-hour of head-wrenching brushing, but she didn't care.
"Hold this", Helen said, tossing the band into Nathan's lap, "and hang on" - then she floored it. The wheels spun, then bit, and the car leapt down the road in pursuit.
Short-shifting, hair streaming behind her, they closed on the bus. Idly, Helen wondered how much bucket-seats with 5-point harnesses cost. She was positive Nathan would help fit them.
Nathan put his arm across the back of Helen's seat, and, as they flew past the bus, clearly indicated to the dumb-struck, back-seat jesters that there was only room for one in the car.
Nathan whooped with unbridled joy (swallowing several flies in the process), tears streaming from his wind-rushed eyes.
He was deeply in love with a beautiful maniac - and didn't give a s**t who knew it.
15 - Acceptance