Finntaine

Is Finn okay?

"Well, that's kinda bad, I could ask aunt if you could stay at ours if it gets worse".

"No no no, I'll be fine, it's not that bad just a nuisance really"

I slurp up the last of my shake, "you about ready to move, it's nearly your curfew, 5:04".

He stands up, putting his bag of rubbish in the bin, "Yeah I'd better go".

We walk out of the shop, "I don't think I want to go there again", I say smiling. "That place is kind of gross".

"Yeah, well I actually think we should try some Chinese next time; I walked past a Chinese shop on my way home and it smells good", he says rubbing his stomach.

It does sound good, "next time?" I ask as we get on our bikes.

He laughs, "maybe! I may have to steal a bit more money if I don't get a job soon!" He starts riding in the opposite direction to me, turning his head to shoot me a wink before he goes off.

"See ya!" I yell, and I ride the opposite direction back to my aunts.

---

Well, I ride partially back to my aunts, really just around to a side street where I can pop my head out and make sure Finn isn't looking back. When he's just nearly out of sight, I start following him.

We ride further down the main road, quite a lot further. Past all the shops, to where it's just fence on either side, hiding away neighbourhoods from the traffic noise.

And then we keep riding.

In fact, I look down at my watch. I've been riding for 15 minutes along this road.

I pull the breaks on my bike. The sun will be setting very soon, and I'll probably get lost if I follow him all the way to where he's living.

It is important to have some clue where he's living, so that if anything happens to him... Well, the point is that anything can happen so I need to be sure I can help him.

I could just ask him at school though. It's not like he won't tell me.

I look out back the way we came from, to where the sun's setting, the west. It's getting dimmer and dimmer by the second. I really should just go back.

I turn my bike around, nearly riding over some smooshed dog poo someone couldn't be bothered picking up. Now I really start riding back to my aunts.

Halfway home the sky falls a deep dark blue and my path is lit solely by the lined streetlights. Amy's going to get mad at me when I'm back. Could I tell her about Finn? It's not really that big of a deal. He has got no one here looking out for him, just some old pirate mates of his dads.

I ride down our street. My legs stretched down to the bitumen so that my shoes are just gently brushing the surface. I can hear the road from afar, but much louder are the crickets that seem to be chirping from every which direction.

I pull up to the house. Walking around to the side gate, flicking up the latch, closing it behind myself and walking around to put my bike at the back of the house.

"Fontaine!", I can here Amy from inside the house, I walk up to the back door.

"I'm so sorry we were sat inside maccas and we didn't see how late it was getting", I say into the locked flywire door.

Amy comes to the door, "You can't do that! I messaged you too and you didn't reply, I was going to go out driving to look for you!" She opens the door and pulls me into a tight hug.

I take my phone out from my pocket. There are 6 missed calls.

"I'm so sorry, I don't know what happened".

"Just imagine, what would I say to your parents! Gosh Fontaine".

"I'm so sorry". I didn't even think of messaging her.

"It's alright, we're all good now, and I don't have to tell your parents that you've gone missing!" She smiles at me. "Just let me know where you're going and what time you'll be back at, okay? And if anything changes, call me, and let me know".

"Yep, will do", I nod resolutely.

We have chicken rice with soy sauce that Amy made for dinner. Then I shower and pack in for the night.

--

It's early Wednesday morning, the sun is shining low on the cloudless blue sky. I can't hear the crickets as well this morning as the birds' songs seems to be getting in the way. I pull my bike around from the back of the house, through the side gate. And get on to ride to school.

It's really quite strange arriving at Darlington high school in the early morning. To have no one else in the bike locks but yourself. I park my bike and start walking to the pool.

"Hey Fontaine!" I hear Finn yell. I turn to see him speeding into the bike locks, hurriedly shoving his bike into one of the racks, and running towards me grinning.

"I had a bit of a late start this morning!". As he gets closer, I realise he looks a bit strange today.

"Jipers Finn, what has happened to you?!"

His face looks awful. His right eye is slightly swollen and a deep purple that reminds me of the 'devils hand coral', which is often deep purple in colour (apart from when it has been bleached, which is majority of it nowadays!). His jaw is also purple but starting to tinge a bit green and yellow.

Looking closer he also has some more bruises peppered along his arm.

"Oh this?" He points to his eye.

"Yes, and that and that and those", I point to the other bruises.

"Oh, well, it's a funny story..."