Gabriella's PoV:
I was sat on the stairs, watching as Tracy fussed over Liam as he was due in court today for going on some old man's mobility scooter.
"Er, will you hold still?"
"Ah, I'm glad everyone's having fun" Liam snarked as more people came down the stairs.
"I think you look very smart" Carmen said, sitting on the armrest.
"And sensible"
"Yeah like the fastest getaway driver in town!" Elektra laughed.
"Why have I gotta wear this stupid DG suit anyway?" Liam asked.
"Because when you're in court, it pays to look like you made an effort" Mike said, Liam loosening his tie.
"I was just messing about"
"Liam! This could be the last straw, you could be-"
"What? Sent down?" Liam said.
"Come on, we're gonna be late" Mike said.
"He thinks I'm gonna get sent down, don't he?" Liam said, Elektra miming 'take a picture' to us.
"No, he's just worried about you, that's all" Tracy said, redoing his tie.
"Come on" Mike said, Liam loosening his tie as he walked towards him.
"You'll be fine, just make the right noises, yeah?" Tracy said.
"Liam, smile!" Elektra said, taking a photo.
Tracy pushed Liam back when he went towards Elektra.
"Uh, this way"
"Very nice" Elektra smirked.
"Good luck Liam!" Carmen called.
Liam left and Elektra, Carmen, Tee and I walked into the kitchen.
To: Liam(:, Tracy Beaker
Gus has got a date!x
"So how old is she?" Carmen asked.
"Where did you meet?" Tee asked
"Is she pretty?"
"What's her name?" I asked.
"Have you snogged?" Carmen grinned.
"Er, no. Too much" Elektra said as I smacked Carmen's arm lightly.
"Er, Gus has got someone coming round for tea tomorrow night, yes?" Gina said.
"And her name is Jenny and they met in the orchestra" Gina filled us in and I awed as Tee and Carmen sniggered.
"You satisfied now?" Gina said.
"Gus, that is soo sweet!" Sapphire smiled.
"Little bit of advice from someone who knows, just be yourself yeah?" She added.
"Just be yourself. Thanks Sapphire" Gus said, walking out.
Carmen and Tee laughed again and Gina awed.
"Stop it" Gina said, pinching the girls' hips.
One hour later..
Sapphire, Elektra, Frank and I were sat at the table when Mike, Tracy and Liam walked in.
Liam sat down and Gina handed him a plate of chips and sausages.
"It could have been worse" Tracy said.
"Worse than seven days community service?" Liam said, pulling a face.
"Yes. It could have been weeks in a young offenders institution. It could still be if you mess this up" Mike said.
"So let's hope that this brings you to your senses, yeah? You don't take stuff that belongs to other people" Gina said.
"I didn't steal it!"
"No" Frank said.
"So, what have you gotta do then?" I asked.
"Clean up some graffiti or something?" Elektra added.
"No. Liam has to help out at an old peoples home" Mike said and Sapphire spat her juice back into her cup from laughing.
"What? You mean you have to like wipe them up and stuff?" Sapphire grinned.
"They didn't say I had to do that" Liam said.
"No, just help out. Hey" Mike said, nudging Sapphire.
"It is a punishment, you know" Mike said and Liam sighed, storming from the room.
I was washing the plates when I saw Liam run across the garden, Frank following.
I dropped the plate back into the sink and hurried after the two.
"Liam! Where are you going?" Frank asked, stopping Liam jumping the wall.
"Please don't do anything stupid" I said, biting my lip as a frown graced my features.
"Look, I'm not cleaning up after some old people. It's low Frank, low" Liam said.
"I did it for my Grandad" Frank said.
"Yeah but you love him. This is different. They're all gonna be like that old fart Spooner" Liam said.
"I'm not a thief and I shouldn't be punished and Mike's going on at me like I'm some kind of loser" Liam said, Tracy showing up mid-sentence.
"Liam!" Tracy said, stopping him from jumping the wall again.
"Look, Mike thinks you're a lot of things but a loser? Nah. He just cares about you" Tracy said, out of breath.
"Yeah" Frank agreed.
"I'm gonna have to do it, aint I?" Liam said.
"Yep. Or it's a young offenders camp for you" Tracy said.
"Great" Liam sighed.
"Come on" Tracy said and Liam jumped down, moving his hand to my lower back to keep me at his speed.
"Were you really gonna run off?" I asked, crossing my arms to keep the warmth to me.
"Seven days of looking after old people? I'd rather take the streets" Liam said, hurrying me inside.
"The police would have found you" I said, walking over to the sink.
Liam hopped onto the side and grabbed a tea towel, starting to dry the dishes I'd washed.
"Yeah, I guess"
"Please don't mess this up." I begged.
"Why?"
"Because I'd rather you weren't in a Young Offenders' Institute the whole summer" I said in a 'duh' tone.
"Aw, little midge cares" Liam teased and I scowled.
"Gabriella?" I heard Gus say and I turned, smiling.
"What's up?"
"What is the most important thing to remember on a date?" He asked and Liam chuckled and I hit his knee in return.
"Always be a gentleman" I said.
"How do I do that?"
"Be polite, open doors, pull out chairs for her. That sorta thing" I smiled.
"Thanks"
"No problem" I smiled, turning back to the washing up as he left.
Half an hour later..
"You should go shower so you don't smell for all those old ladies" I teased.
Liam mimicked me, flicked my nose then left my bedroom, shutting the door behind him.
Next day..
Liam had left for the old peoples home and he'd been slyly texting me all morning.
I walked out of my room and almost choked on the aftershave smell that was lingering.
"Need any help, Gus?" I asked, knocking on his door.
"No!"
"Okay. Go on easy on the aftershave babe" I called, going downstairs.
"Is Gus tryna gas us all out?" I asked, walking into the living room where all the kids were sat.
To: Ella x
Spooner's actually decent xx
To: Liam(:
That's good(: xx
Two hours later..
"I remember my first date" Gina said as Sapphire, Tee, Carmen and I helped lay out the food.
"Wow, got some good memory there girl" Sapphire grinned.
"I went to town with Wilson Leckey and I bought an LP by David Cassidy"
"Who's David Cassidy?" Tee asked.
"What's an LP?" I asked.
"David Cassidy was a singer, look it up. He was a superstar" Gina said.
"LP? Long playing record? Vinyl, 12 inch?" Sapphire said and I shrugged.
"And we went to the golden egg" Gina continued.
"Is that some sort of film?" Carmen asked.
"No, it's a chain of burger bars and you see, you got your burger on a plate and the milkshakes were to die for" Gina said.
"Wow, you were really wild in the seventies, weren't you?" I teased.
"You know what? I was a catch!" Gina said, turning back to the oven before making a loud noise when she saw Gus.
"Oh My God" I muttered, Carmen and Tee laughing.
"Jenny should be here in exactly two minutes" Gus said as the doorbell rang.
"She's early" Gus frowned.
"She's keen" Sapphire laughed, Carmen and Tee breaking for the door.
"Ill get it!"
"No, no!" Gina shouted, stopping them.
"Gus will get it!" Gus walking out.
Jenny was stood beside Gus in the kitchen and I was sat on the breakfast bar as Tracy, Liam and Frank walked in.
"It's almost time for your special present" Gus said.
"That was my idea" Tee grinned.
"Its a desk tidy" Gus said, handing it to her.
"Ooh, how romantic" Sapphire giggled.
"Ah, ah. There's nothing wrong with a practical present" Gina said, swatting her.
"And now, for some humour" Gus announced.
"Oh god" I muttered.
"Knock, knock." Jenny just looked at him and I cradled my head in my hands.
"You're supposed to say 'who's there?' then I say 'Ipe' then you say 'Ipe who?' I poo, get it?" Gus explained and I let out a loud laugh, covering my mouth quickly.
"Okay, come on everybody! We'll leave Gus and Jenny on their own" Gina said.
"I wanna watch" Carmen said and Gina gave her a small shove as I jumped down, following everyone into the kitchen.
5 minutes later..
Liam, Mike and Tracy walked in and announced we all had to go to the Old Peoples Home.
"So, you want us to do community service with you? You're a laugh" Sapphire said.
"Its his punishment" Toby sassed.
"And they're so old" Tee said.
"And give me one good reason why I should help out a load of hasbeens!" Elektra said.
"Because that's exactly what everyone thinks they are!" Tracy said.
"You know what? I'm in" Frank said and Mike cheered.
"You could do makeovers?" Tracy said as Frank stood with them.
"On old people?" Carmen said.
"Yeah, there's an ex-model that lives there called Sonia. Her hand shakes so she can't put her makeup on anymore" Tracy said.
"Ill do it" Tee smiled.
"Don't look at me, I'm not going" I said.
"Come on" Liam said.
"Can't, I'm allergic, sorry" I said.
"You're allergic to old people?" Tracy asked.
"Yep"
"I don't remember reading that in your file" Mike grinned.
"Please?" Tee said.
"One good reason?"
"Gets you out of this dump" Liam said.
"And into another one" I said.
"It'll look good on your college applications" Tracy said and I groaned.
"Fine, I'll go" I sighed.
The next day..
I pulled a face as the minivan pulled up outside and the doors opened.
"Out you pop" Mike said and I hopped out of the car, taking Tee's hand in mine.
I straightened out my unbuttoned denim shirt and sighed. ( cgi/set?id=68337455)
"I think this is gonna be fun" Mike said.
Mike had also managed to rope Carmen into coming also.
"Good for you" Carmen said as we followed Mike inside.
"Ugh, smells of wee" Carmen said and Tracy led us over to some old lady.
"Hey Sonia, I've got some visitors for you" Tracy said.
"Hello and who are you?" She said, Tee taking her shaking hand gently.
"Uhm, I'm Tee" She said.
"Im Gabriella" I smiled, lightly shaking her hand also.
"And I'm Carmen"
"Do you know I have thirty-eight pairs of shoes?" Sonia said.
"Thirty-eight?!"
"Wow" I said.
10 minutes later..
Carmen, Tee and I were doing Sonia's makeup when Gina ushered everyone inside, including Jenny.
"Jenny came back?!" Carmen said, shocked.
20 minutes later..
I was sat on the floor as Gus and Jenny did a flute and piano duet.
One of the old men got up and started playing with Gus, everyone clapping along.
One hour later..
"Bye" I said, waving to Sonia as everyone gathered outside and we made our way to the minivan.
I let out a laugh as I saw Liam stood on the back of Spooner's mobility scooter as he drove up the drive.
"Crazy boy" I muttered.
"You love Liam" Frank whispered, sitting beside me.