A/N Forgive me, reviewers, for I have sucked. It's been over a month since my last confe-- Update. But so much has happened between last update and now…
I'll tell you all at the end of the chapter.
Enjoy for now.
P.S. SPOILER AT THE END OF THE CHAPTER!
Chapter 21: Carwash
"I don't give a flying fuck whether you want a monument of Thicket in the year 12 quadrangle as our gift, Mary-Sue; I'm the school captain and I'll make the final decision!"
"You go girl!"
"S-nap Tara!"
"Fuck off," Tara sank into her chair, and rubbed her temples. Over the other side of the conference table, Mary-Sue glowered at her outranking prefect.
"And so we're back to square one. What does the school need?" Tara looked around at the blank faces and sighed, "Okay. Let me reiterate. What does the school need that we can afford? Any ideas?"
"We can afford a st--"
"Don't make me kick your ass, because I will do it, Mary-Sue,"
"Tara, just how much do we have in the gift fund anyway?"
Tara turned to Allie, the prefect in-charge of the treasury, and raised her eyebrows expectantly. Allie's eyes darted over a few pages and she bit her lip.
"Considering we go to a rich school, we have bloody nothing in this fund,"
"How much, Nguyen?"
"£5000,"
Tara sighed again.
"Then we need to raise some money. Maybe that will broaden our horizons as to gifts,"
The majority of the prefect body nodded in agreement and with that Tara stood.
"Okay guys. I'll see you all next week with fundraising ideas," She shoved her books into her satchel, and Tara swung it over her shoulder, hastily making her exit from the room.
Mary-Sue scowled at the captain as she left.
.1.1.1.1.
"How about a carwash?"
"Neek... No,"
"She might be on to something there Tars," Lara pointed her butterknife at Tara the next morning at breakfast. After informing her friends of her situation last night, they'd offered their assistance, and Tara was bombarded with suggestions since she'd sat down that morning.
So far, the most profitable idea had come from Lara, who suggested prostitution.
Linda fell off her seat laughing.
"Think of it like this Tars - most of the prefect body is in pretty good shape. If you guys hold a carwash, you can probably get more money than we need,"
"Oh great. Then what?"
"Embezzlement, My dear. Take what's rightfully yours!"
Tara turned away from Jenny.
"Is it just me, or do you guys think Jen forgot her pills this morning too...?"
.1.1.1.1.
"... I cannot believe they went for the idea," Tara paced around the Captain's dormitory, her phone pressed to her ear. On the other line, a deep male chuckle resounded.
"From what I hear most of the prefects would go for that sort of thing, Ra-ra,"
"Uuuh,"
"Now, now Tara Belle. Wailing isn't becoming of a lady,"
"...My god Alan. If I wanted to be lectured on Lady-like behaviour I would have called my mother or YOUR FATHER,"
Alan laughed, fuelling Tara further.
"I mean, I would expect something like that from THEM, but not from YOU, Alan! God!"
"Okay, okay. I get the point. Look Tars, I guess you just need to bite this in the butt and let it go. Go to the carwash. Have fun. You never know. You might just like it,"
"..."
"Don't give me that look, Tars,"
"... How did you know?"
Alan chuckled.
"I can just see you doing it now, too,"
"Great. Thanks. Just what I wanted to know. I'm predictable!"
"You? No. Never,"
"Shut up,"
.1.1.1.1.
3 weeks later, the sun rose high, the prefects rose early, and the school captain rose to her friends singing their rendition of "Carwash" by Christina Aguilera and Missy Elliot.
Well... replace "rose" with "swore and threw her shoe at them"...
And replace "shoe" with "maths textbook".
.1.1.1.1.
"Morning Virg... Scott..."
"Morning Squirt. Got anything planned for this beautiful day?"
"... Why...?" Alan sat down across from his brothers at the breakfast table, eyebrow raised. Scott chuckled.
"Well... it just seems like the perfect day for a carwash, don't you think?" Alan snorted, pouring himself a glass of orange juice.
"Was that a pathetic attempt to try and get me to wash Thunderbird 1, Scott?"
"..."
"I knew it,"
"We could always get someone else to do it..."
"Like who, Virgil?"
"Tara's prefects are running a carwash for their seniors gift... I'm sure she'd just love to wax and polish Thunderbird 2, Virgil..." twin evil smirks crept across the faces of the two elder brothers seated at the table. And Alan couldn't help it. A grin played around his own lips at the thought of Tara's reaction to the Thunderbirds crashing her carwash.
.1.1.1.1.
"... Turn it up Allie!" One of the prefects called, giggling, whilst Allie Nguyen turned up the stereo.
... Are you ready boots?
Tara rolled her eyes, soaping up her sponge, and leaning over the red sports car, washing off the dirt. Behind her, the girl heard someone catwhistle. Tara couldn't help but flush a little.
"Hey Mary-Sue! Pass us the wax!" Mary-Sue threw the canister to Tara, who caught it with ease. The blonde then pulled her damp cloth from the string at the side of her hot pink bikini. In the distance, she could hear a few of the other prefects having a water-fight. Normally, she'd join in, but Tara just didn't feel like it today.
"That'll be 20 quid," The guy winked, handing the cash over. Tara accepted it, and walked over to the bucket they'd designated for cash, swaying her hips as she went.
Tara was no fool. She knew that so many of these customers were leering old men who wanted a show from half naked girls. So why not?
"Good Job Tars!" Allie looked into the bucket, "Looks like we can get the new instruments for the music wing after all!"
"Great." Tara looked over her shoulder, "Looks like we've got another customer,"
She sighed.
In the distance, Tara heard a familiar rumbling, and she groaned. No. Not them. Anything but the--
"OH MY GOD! IT'S THE THUNDERBIRDS!"
.1.1.1.1.
"THEY DID WHAT!"
"They went to get the Thunderbirds washed, Mr. Tracy," Jeff clutched the arm rests of his seat tightly, his knuckles turning white.
"Call Scott. I want them back here right now,"
"Yes Mr. Tracy," Tin-Tin bowed her head in submission
Jeff just groaned.
.1.1.1.1.
"No way in all hell am I washing Thunderbird 2, International Rescue," Tara hissed, gritting her teeth in anger and frustration.
"Come on Miss. Creighton-Ward. It says "Carwash for all kinds","
"Carwash. CARwash. That is not a car,"
"It's close enough, Ra-ra,"
"Don't."
"We'll pay you, Ra-ra. It's not a charity job,"
"I won't be able to wash any other cars if we wash, wax and polish T2 or T1,"
"It'll be worth it, Ra-ra! Come on!"
After a few more moments of arguing, Tara caved in.
"Okay. Fine. But you two owe me big time,"
"Thanks Ra-ra. You're the best," Tara flipped Virgil off, and then turned to the prefects ogling the T'birds.
"Okay girls! Let's get to work!"
.1.1.1.1.
By the end of the day, Tara was cramped, sore and cold. Her prefects in the same condition, and Virgil and Scott were grounded, even though they told Jeff they were careful no-one came inside the Thunderbird, nor did they allow anyone but Tara to see their faces.
Jeff didn't care.
Alan found it funny.
.1.1.1.1.
"Do we have enough, Allie?" the treasurer beamed.
"Exactly enough. Good job girls! We've done it!"
Tara sighed and collapsed in her seat as the other prefects cheered, and patted her on the back.
"Great. Now we just need to focus on the finals... Anyone else screwed for Radcliffe's Latin final?" Several prefects raised their hands. Tara chuckled.
"Glad to know I'm not the only one,"
"I'm never stuffed for exams. I--"
"I'm not kidding this time, Mary-Sue. You say one more word, and I swear I will kick your ass so hard you won't be able to use the bathroom for weeks,"
Mary-Sue fell silent.
"Snap Tars!"
The captain smiled weakly.
"I'm going to study now. Meeting adjourned,"
.1.1.1.1.
Puella Puellam Puellae...
"Miss. Creighton-Ward? The library's closing now... You'd better get back to your room... Curfew is in 5 minutes," Tara glanced up from her book to the clock. She smiled sheepishly.
"Thanks, Madame De La Cour,"
Tara packed up her books, and headed back to her dormitory, yawning most of the way.
For the past few nights, she'd been studying every chance she got.
Tara couldn't afford to fail.
... Virgil would never let her live it down...
... and Gordon would just be a pain in the ass...
... As per usual, she supposed drowsily.
A/N Okay! Firstly: Excursions. A hell of a lot of them. Latin, History, English, Music etc... all really... really... really boring.
Secondly: Music Camp. Fantasmic. It was totally the best. We had a great time in our own cabins, and keeping my insomniac percussion tutor occupied... And My impressions were the best. I say that with absoloutely no ego. at all... :shifty eyes:
Thirdly: Drama Exam... DIE EXAMINER DIE!
Fourthly: School work... DIE! DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE!
Fifthly: School Reports: Three perfect ones. All A pluses and way above average. :dances:
And
Sixthly: Speech Day. I got a prize. "General Proficiency". Means I do well in all my classes... wOot:dances more:
So yes. I am so, so, so totally sorry.
And I just wanted to thank all of my reviewers for their support... I've almost broken 100 reviews. Yay. :)
Apparently I can't thank you guys in chapters anymore...so I just wanted to say: Thanks you guys. You rock. Keep 'em coming, and I'll update during the summer…
'cept the week I'm away... YAY BEACH HOLIDAY! (It's not till January. Chill.)
And in case I don't update between now and then: I hope you all have a great Christmas and a fantastic New Year guys!
I have to spend Christmas with the rellos. Craptacular… :sigh: (My brother and I don't exactly get on with my cousin and aunt on my Dad's side.)
So I hope yours is better than mine.
And here's a Christmas present for all you out there who love Tara and want to meet her father...
Excerpt:
"Here..." Tara handed him a glass of water, and he lifted it to his lips, taking a sip. He was still a little shaky, and managed to spill half the glass down his torso, the droplets glistening on his muscles in the little light that came streaming through the window.
Tara picked up a towel, and dabbed it on Alan's chest, drying the droplets. Her fingers brushed against his skin a few times, sending shivers down his spine.
Alan suddenly became aware of his lack of clothing.
"Uhh... Whe... Tara... Where exactly are my clothes?" She cracked a grin, rolling her eyes innocently to the ceiling.
"Around..."
Bwaha. Has nothing to do with her father. But it's from the Third last chapter of Kryptonite. I've written it. It's not for a while. But I like the Tara/Alan action in it.
He-he.
Enjoy, and have a Fantasmic Christmas!
:heart:The Flame Faerie