New Romantics

02

I lounge on a balcony overlooking the water, my back against a blue cushioned chair, my school books scattered around me to give the impression of studying. The twelve inch Hawaiin pizza sits with only a few slices remaining on it's wooden stand in the middle of the table. I have four lots of homework do get through - I mean, seriously? My last week of school and I'm spending my time on homework?

It's Thursday, my second last day. Charlotte, Stella and I are eating a hawaiin pizza by the water. They're playing acoustic guitar music, and the fairy lights wrapped around the balcony are twinkling. The night is warm and Stella is talking about the new kid she's teaching to horse-ride. It's quiet, being almost ten, apart from the crashes of the waves and the song of the crickets.

I turn back to my homework as Charlotte and Stella talk about horse-riding, Stella picking up one of the few remaining slices. I answer the questions in my science textbook, and analyse a poem for English, then I fill out a form for an assistant dolphin trainer role at SeaWorld. It's a trek, but I'm hoping to move further up the Gold Coast next year and focusing on working there, I haven't given university any thought. I want to take a gap year, and if I can't work at SeaWorld, I'll travel the globe.

I finish the resume and tidy my books up, stacking them into a pile beside me as I take one of the two final slices, "What were you saying about the horseriding?"

"I get to teach a little kid, his name's Elliot, he's super cute," She explains, "Last week, I took him out into the forest beside the stables, and he slipped right off the sadle, landed flat on his face."

My eyes widen, "Stella, you can't just say things like that out of the blue,"

"The point was, that he came back again this week. He's a trooper, and really sweet,"

"Stella fancies a child," I mock, "Eugh, you freak,"

"Shut up, Bella," She shakes her head, "What are we doing tomorrow?"

"What do you mean?" Charlotte asks, tying her hair off with a bobble.

"It's our last day of school, ever. Our last day of being friends," Stella says exagerratedly.

"We'll still be friends," Charlotte defends, "We have all summer,"

"Yeah, and then you're going to art school, and you're moving further away,"

"We'll still be friends," Charlotte repeats, "So what are we doing?"

"Uh, we could take a road trip to Sydney?" I suggest

"Eight hours in your crammy car?" Stella grimances, "I'll pass, thanks,"

"Okay, how about a wine tasting tour?"

"That's so snobby,"

"The shopping centre,"

"Boring,"

"Wildlife sanctuary,"

"I hate animals,"

I sigh, throwing my hands into the air. Impossible. She's impossible to please. I pick up my novel that I had brought along with me, turning to where the bookmark is placed. As I begin to read, I hear Stella say something else.

"How about the Beach?" She offers.

I glance to Charlotte with a shrug, "Fine by me."

"Yeah, me too." Charlotte agrees.

I shake my head with a smile, picking up my book. We go round and round, always ending up in the same spot. I open up Madame Bovary and start to read, and darkness wraps itself around me, soft and warm.