Gavin and Ashley
by
Rob Mathews
SMASHWORDS EDITION
* * * * *
PUBLISHED BY:
Miro Books
Gavin and Ashley
Copyright © 2010 by Rob Mathews
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
Smashwords Edition License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author's work.
* * * * *
GAVIN AND ASHLEY
I was proud of my car, a fifteen year old Chevrolet with a blazing ‘redneck’ stripe along both sides. Nothing to do with racial crap, though, I’m not a believer in all that bullshit. But this was my first car, bought from a previous owner who evidently was a fan of the old cop series Starsky and Hutch. They used to rip around in a car with a stripe like this one rounding up the bad guys. Stupid plot, but the stripe was something else, it made my car stand out, a symbol of me. “Look, Gavin’s coming,” they would say as the saw the red Chevvy with the white blaze race round the corner. It was the first car I ever owned, bought for me by my parents when I passed my driving test.
“Now you can drive it to school and impress the co-eds,” my Dad,
Saul Baker said. He was a good father, always concerned to bring up
me and my sister Kate as well as he possibly could. Like the car, if
he could do it for me, or for Kate, he would. I guess the car may
have impressed the co-eds, but I was just far too busy with my life
to worry about girls right now. Sometimes I wondered what it would be
like having a girl friend, but other times I just put it out of my
mind. Something to think about later.
“There’s a new family
just moved in across the street, Gavin,” my Mum said. She had come
out on to the veranda where I was sitting at the table on this warm
spring evening, doing my homework.
“Oh, yeah, that’s nice,”
I said.
“Oh, Gavin, try and show a bit of interest,” she
laughed. “They’ve got a son around your age, I want you to try
and welcome him to the district, and you know what it’s like for
new kids when they don’t know anyone. Life can be pretty lonely and
kids can get picked.”
“Yeah, sure, I will,” I said
automatically.
“Will what?”
“Mum, I will go and say hello
to this kid. Ok?” I gave her my exasperated look, Jesus Christ, I
was working here, didn’t she realise.
“Thank you, Gavin,”
she smiled. Thankfully, she left me alone.