Trouble Plus Trouble. - 35. Chapter 35

Double The Trouble.

Chapter 35.

"You can wait in the car while I find some clothes for you."

Well, Andy had decided on the pattern and there was no use arguing, so Peter and Matthew slipped from the car, wrapped the rug as best as they could manage round the two of them, then looking in all directions to see if anyone was watching, raced across the road. Halfway there a horn started blasting and kept sounding insistently till they reached the front door.

Please! Please! Let it be unlocked.

If they had to collect the hidden key to let themselves in, they’d be caught by people looking out to check all the noise. Of course it wasn't, and as if to highlight the moment there were a couple more toots. Peter turned towards the rock where they kept the key and at the same time Matthew moved to knock on the door. Whoops! There was an instant of consternation as the rug and Peter almost parted company then a giggle from Matthew at the hurried re-wrap The door opened and Beth stared at them. The horn tooted again and Andy waved before heading up his own driveway. Peter jerked forward, holding the rug much tighter this time and rushed in as Beth backed out of the way. He started blurting out an explanation.

"We were having a mud fight. Our clothes are in the wagon."

"You've lost your clothes again? Peter, what have you got Matthew into this time?"

"Marty too. He started it and Andy's got him stuck in the wagon. We'll tell you later mum, we have to have a shower."

"Slow down Peter. What do you mean, Marty's stuck? Does he need help?"

"No, he's all right. He has to wait for Marty to get him something to wear that's all."

"He's in the wagon without any clothes?"

Matthew started laughing.

"We got all slimy Beth, and there was nothing to change into. We all had the rug but Andy made us wear it across the road. That's why he was tooting, to embarrass us."

"Mum, we’re late for tea. We'll tell you later."

Beth nodded and Peter started dragging Matthew towards the stairs. They almost lost the rug again when Matthew stopped impulsively.

"Beth, would you ring dad and tell him I won't be home for tea? Say I'm helping with coaching at Andy's."

Beth nodded again then looked slightly puzzled.

"What about Brent? I thought he was having tea with you tonight?"

"He is, but he's at Andy’s now. He’s helping with the coaching too."

That was curious. To know about Brent, Beth must already have been talking with Rob. Halfway up the stairs the rug did part company as the two of them rushed for the shower and Peter was left holding it while Matthew’s lithe body shot ahead. Having soap was wonderful, to rid themselves of the last vestiges of odor, and in very short order they were back at Andy’s where Marty was still in the shower. Andy was having a hard time trying to convince his mum that it wasn't his fault the three of them had fallen in the mud, but she couldn't have been too worried because she’d taken clothes out for Marty when Andy said it would be a good stir. After the meal was over they did their hour’s coaching. Peter felt a bit strange with Matthew and Brent watching. He thought they might play a computer game or catch some music with the earphones, but for some reason they listened and joined in the whole time. It was the trigonometry topic and it was funny when Andy was laughed at for doing his usual complaining about useless maths problems.

"Andy, you don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes I do. Nobody uses all these sine waves and stuff."

Peter was impressed and rather surprised at Brent's response.

"No you don't. Everyone uses them all the time even if they don't realise it. We wouldn't be able to hear each other without them.

"Sure too!"

"True. Sounds get carried through the air with sine waves, and we wouldn't have any music without them either. Anyhow, I've seen you use them and love them. What do you think the waves at the beach are?"

"Are they sine waves?"

"Sort of, except they get out of shape when there’s wind and the water gets shallow."

"I bet you've even made your own sine waves Andy, when you were a kid."

"He still is."

"I'm older than you Marty, so you must be still a rug-rat, but what's these sine waves you reckon I made Matthew?"

"We used to call its snakes at primary school. Two kids would hold a long rope and shake it sideways so the waves travelled along and everyone had to jump over without getting hit."

Andy looked at Marty and laughed.

"We called it snakes too. But that was way back in Year Three. Marty was hopeless. He was too fat."

Marty fat? They all stared at him after this startling piece of news.

"I was too Peter, but it changed the year before I came to high school. Andy used to call me chubby-bum till I clobbered him. It used to make me mad as a snake."

This was startling news as well because Marty was always so easy-going. Peter stored it up to talk about at a later date. Right now they were getting away from their maths. They finished a bit after nine and Marty and Andy walked across the road to the start of the driveway, saying they'd all hang out together at school the next day. Brent came inside because he was driving Matthew home. Beth jumped up from the computer, gave everyone a hug, then sat on the sofa with an expectant look on her face.

"Andy took us out to cheer us up mum. One of the classes found out about Matthew, so the whole school will know by tomorrow."

Her smile changed to a look of concern till it flickered back to life again.

"So you jump in a pool of mud? That's a rather novel approach. Whose idea was it?"

She patted the couch and beckoned Matthew next to her. A strange warm feeling rushed through Peter at the sight of Matthew held next to her in the special, serious discussion cuddle.

"Um, no one's really. Andy took us to a place call Johnston Reserve and they were making us try out romantic places."

Matthew gave a little laugh as he remembered.

"They didn't call them romantic Beth. They call it the passion pit and we had to hug and kiss whenever they told us."

"And they told you to try it in the mud?"

"No, we were crossing a tree trunk that had fallen over the creek and they made us try then. Peter slipped and pushed me in."

Peter was quite surprised.

"No I didn't Matthew, Marty pushed me to make us get closer. That's what got us off balance."

The laughs built as they recounted the comedy of errors with the runners.

"And what were Andy and Brent doing while this was going on?"

"We were laughing. It looked like they'd gone crazy. Andy was right near the bank and he just jumped off the log, but I had to crawl along on my hands and knees. I nearly fell in anyhow from laughing. Then they started throwing mud at us and we had to dodge."

"So, which was the most romantic spot Matthew?"

"Under the tree ferns. I was laughing too much when we were sitting over a log and they were pretending it was, um, part of Peter."

Peter watched the understanding bloom on his mum face. Just wait Matthew Peck for telling her that.

"I see, well, boys will be boys. Is he a very good kisser?"

Peter's mouth nearly dropped open. Matthew sat up in surprise, then realised she wasn’t being serious.

"No, he needs lots and lots of practice."

Peter’s mouth did open this time as an indignant sound escaped. The smiles settled and Beth got serious.

"What happened at school? How did they find out?"

"Like we thought they would, from the Hillston team. One of them has a cousin at our school and he told him everything, about the team and Matthew too. The whole team was talking about it after training. We've got bodyguards for a while."

"Bodyguards? Peter, do you think you might be hurt?"

"They're not really bodyguards mum. We’re hanging round with team guys for a while when we're not in class. Brad organised it but it will mostly be Andy and Marty and Brent. We'll be all right. It's just a few Year Twelves who aren't very nice. "

"Brent, you know you're wonderful don't you?"

Brent colored under this direct praise, and shaking his head awkwardly, looked at Peter and Matthew.

"Of course you are, but you mustn't get into any fighting."

"Mum, no one's going to fight him. He stronger than Andy and he’s fitter than anyone else at school. Look at his muscles. They'd have to be crazy."

"Some people are crazy Peter. Especially if they're in a group. Am I really looking at the fittest person in the school?"

Brent shook his head, but Peter and Matthew explained how much training he did and he couldn't argue against them.

"What are you doing now Peter?"

"Going to Matthew's place."

"Good, you'll tell Robert everything won't you?"

They nodded.

"And I hope you're staying the night?"

Peter could see how closely Beth was looking at him when he nodded again.

"Ring me at lunchtime tomorrow then, so I know how things are going."

Two minutes later Brent dropped them off, and inside with Rob they went through the day's events all over again.

"Well, Andy’s looking after you again Matthew. Do you think he’s assessed the situation very well? No, that's not fair on him. He's been there five years so of course he knows it better than you. I'm ringing Andrew now and then we’re driving you back to Peter's place."

"I'm staying here tonight Rob. Mum wanted me to."

"No you're not. Beth will be thinking about you and it's better if you’re home. Matthew can stay at your place instead."

He gave a very Rob kind of grin.

"You're officially in charge of him for the night."

The end of chapter 35.

Iarwain.