Character List.

Jack Thomas Later AKA Ellie Transvestite and keen cyclist.
Amanda Thomas AKA Amie Jack's sister.
Charlotte Dawson Keen girl cyclist and Jack’s soon-to-be girlfriend.
Bob Cycling club captain.
Mr Thomas Weston School games master and keen rugby player.
Billy Davies. Rugby ‘jock’, kind to Jack, he fancies Charlotte.
Marjorie Spencer. Holder of unofficial ‘Prettiest-girl-in-the-school’ title.
Miss Elizabeth Postlethwaite. The English Mistress.
Aunty Olwen Where Jack changes for school and leaves his bike.
Mandy. Olwen’s daughter, Jack’s older cousin.
Mr Griffiths The County solicitor.

Chapter 4

Jack had to think long and hard about the idea of Charlotte knowing about his transvestism. Charlotte was his best friend and a sweet supportive girl. She had often come to Jack’s support in class especially if Billy Davies tried to shout him down in class discussions. Billy Davies was quite a bright lad and very sporty but he was a bit too competitive in every aspect of his life. Jack had no problems with Billy being competitive on the rugby field but the same characteristics were tiresome in the classroom; especially as Jack was way ahead academically.

The strange thing was that Billy was actually protective and supportive of Jack in the rugby games, so much so, he often made sure that Jack was clear of any potential tackle before passing him the ball to score the vital tries. Invariably it was only Jack who had sufficient speed and agility to slip through the opposing defence gaps that Billy spotted. They actually formed a good partnership on the rare occasions that Jack turned out to play rugby for the school under-sixteen’s

Mr Weston was particularly chagrined by Jack’s adamant refusal to represent the school every weekend and only turning out if there was an important match. Sometimes Jack even refused to play in the important matches and Mr Weston thought that Jack was being conceited in as much as he only turned out when it suited him. He resolved to find out what Jack did on the other Saturdays that the boy deemed more important than representing the school.

In the classes Billy shared with Charlotte and Jack, Billy was slightly jealous of Jack’s academic successes in class. Billy also fancied Charlotte like mad ... as did most of the boys in their class but he just didn’t seem to make any headway with the increasingly attractive girl. Nor did he know that Jack and Charlotte spent most Saturdays and Sundays out cycling and that cycling friendship was slowly blossoming into a more intense relationship.. Had Billy known about it, his classroom jealousy might have escalated into something less savoury.

The situation was to remain this way for several months until the gym master happened to have a free week-end because winter rain had wiped out the rugby fixtures. The pitches were unplayable so he had decided to use the free weekend to try and find out what Jack did that was so important on his other weekends.

On that Saturday, the games master turned up in the village near Jack’s cottage and asked a villager for the cottage’s location. Not suspecting anything and having no reason to be concerned, the villager directed Mr Weston to the cottage. The gym master drove to a lay-by near the cottage and waited. What he hadn’t realised was that by eight o’clock Jack was already out cycling He was not racing because the summer racing season was over, but he still attending the early morning elite club meeting as a junior member with the seniors. The seniors were really keen for Jack to accompany them because his ability impressed the whole club

The club had many members and the Saturday club event was usually divided into three groups, the seniors, the intermediates and the juniors. Because Jack had reached such a high standard, the best, elite cyclists in the club were more than keen to invite him secretly on their early morning seven o’clock, ‘hard rides’ before meeting up with the other club members for the senior, ten o’clock ride.

Charlotte also attended the later ride where she cycled in company with Jack and a couple of senior women who were excellent riders that rode regularly with the seniors. This was the regular club social ride that usually reached forty to sixty miles depending on the route. Jack and Charlotte had only just been promoted from the intermediates and allowed to join the senior group that autumn because of their proven abilities in the summer road-racing season. They had earned the respect of the senior riders who were more than pleased to have younger participants on the later ride despite sometimes having to ease up to allow for Charlotte’s
limitations. This camaraderie gave lots of pleasure to both Charlotte and Jack for it gave them a sense of truly belonging when the seniors accepted them on the senior rides then bought them treats when they stopped at the regular Cafes.
Both youngsters found the adult’s banter amusing and it brought them even closer together.

~~ooo000ooo~~