CHERUB: Shadow Wave by Robert Muchamore Read Free Book Online Page A

ties.
    ‘Ready when you are, Kerry,’ James said, as he leaned into the room.
    Female jaws dropped as Kerry gasped. ‘James, you’re not going dressed like that! Where’s your suit?’
    James pointed at his thighs. ‘I’ve still got stitches in my legs from when I fell down that cliff. The only things I can put on without killing myself are baggy shorts or extra large trackies.’
    ‘Well at least put on a proper jacket and tie,’ Lauren suggested.
    ‘I tried but it makes me look like a mental patient,’ James said. ‘Sportswear and formal don’t mix.’
    ‘You could have bought some looser trousers when we went shopping,’ Kerry said, before sighing noisily.
    James tutted. ‘Unlike some people I haven’t been planning my wedding outfit for three months and I’m buggered if I’m spending money on something I’ll only wear once. The dress suits you by the way. Nobody’s even going to look at me when you’re so stunning.’
    Disarmed by the compliment, Kerry broke into a smile. ‘I suppose you’re colour co-ordinated, at least.’
    Rat tugged at the tie around his neck. ‘Well if James doesn’t have to wear one …’
    Lauren killed Rat’s mutiny with a swift cuff around the back of the head. ‘Oh yes you will wear it,’ she growled. ‘If I’ve got to wear this stupid dress all day, you can wear a collar and tie.’
    ‘You look really nice, Lauren,’ Amy assured her.
    Lauren perched a hat on her head as she slid her feet into a pair of ballet pumps. ‘And as for this bloody thing…’
    ‘It looks like you’ve got the wedding cake on your head,’ James grinned.
    A couple of the boys laughed, but Lauren looked upset and turned towards Bethany.
    ‘I told you this hat didn’t suit me. That’s it. I’m not wearing it.’
    Bethany gave James the evil eye. ‘Lauren, it looks great. I mean, are you really going to take fashion tips from a boy who’s going to a wedding wearing Nikes and the bottom half of a Primark tracksuit?’
    ‘If we want decent seats we’ve got to move now,’ Gabrielle said, as she glanced at her watch.
    There was a mini panic as girls searched the room for hats and Kerry accidentally put on one of Bethany’s shoes. Three more girls emerged from Kerry’s bathroom and James reckoned that the only way so many could have fitted in there was if some had been standing in the bathtub.
    ‘Just going for a quick piss,’ Bruce said as he headed into Kerry’s bathroom.
    A scream went up as he stepped in and saw a girl sitting on the toilet with her dress gathered up and her knickers around her ankles.
    ‘Get out!’ she yelled.
    Bruce turned bright red as he backed out and wished he could have come up with a smart line to diffuse his embarrassment.
    Out in the corridor James smiled as Kyle emerged from his old room. He was immaculately dressed in a tight fitting blue suit, with flared trousers, a matching trilby hat, a wooden cane and a pair of huge Elvis-style aviator sunglasses.
    ‘Kyle that is so awesome ,’ Kerry grinned, grabbing him by the arm. ‘James can stay at the back, I’m strutting my funky stuff with you.’
    ‘This is style,’ Gabrielle said, pointing accusingly at the boys as she took Kyle’s other arm. ‘This is how you should all look.’
    Dante shook his head and tutted as he walked down the corridor alongside James. ‘I know you said Kyle’s your mate,’ he said cautiously. ‘But that is the gayest outfit I’ve ever seen.’
    Dante had gone from basic training on to one of the longest missions in CHERUB history, so he barely knew Kyle.
    ‘Kyle is gay,’ James explained. ‘You think I’d let him walk off with my girl on his arm if he was straight?’
    Kerry saw the crowd waiting for the next lift and decided to slip her heels off and walk the six floors down to the ground floor. The whole group followed and joined a mass of bodies leaving through the rear of the main building and heading along the gravel path towards the chapel.
    On a