"What?!" Maxine Johnson spun around in shock.
Yep, that's my Max. The rebel of our school.
"That's what they told us", I responded, casually packing away my books from English. Forrest Heights P-12 school had several different classes, but only had around 1000 students overall. We only had the elective of French together.
She sighed from her locker door beside me. "Mine said NOTHING this morning".
Her twin, Harvey, approached us from behind, waiting for her to finish so he could get into his own locker. "Well, maybe they'll surprise us tonight".
She snorted. "Maybe I'll just pop to Maccas or KFC then, just to spite them. See how THAT makes them feel".
Harvey rolled his eyes, and looked at me. He smiled. "She won't, don't worry".
I felt myself blush a little. "I know, I've known her for years too".
"EMILY!" I heard from behind me.
I spun to see Pheobe Watson rushing towards me. "Hey, Pheob! How's your day?"
"Where were you this morning?" she immediately asked.
"We got stuck in rush hour traffic, and I was a little late", I replied.
She stared at me for a few seconds. "Were you up late last night? I can see bags under those eyes". Her eyes focused on mine through her pink glasses. "You should try make up, my friend. Hide those bags".
"Maybe. I was studying, got Maths test today", I confessed, my cheeks blushing even redder.
"Ah, yes", Max rubbed my head. "That's our little teacher".
*****
The three of us are so different. It's a wonder that we're actually friends. And sure, we've had our fights. But somehow we always come back together again. Maybe our parents have a role in our friendship. They were all close in high school and university, marrying and having kids, growing up close together. They raised us in each other's backyards. We've grown up together. Even if I think back to my first memories, I can only bring up images of Pheobe, Max and me. And sometimes Harvey. We only know life together.
It was a shame things had to change after 16 years together.
*****
Yes, I wanted to be a teacher when I grew up. I loved school, and it hurt me to think that I would have to leave its' safe walls one day. So I had decided to become a teacher. I loved children, and I wanted to teach our next generation. My friends loved to tease me about the fact that I was going to have many children when I was older.
Though I wasn't alone in knowing what I wanted to do with my life. Pheobe had recently decided to become a makeup artist, as she was a perfectionist. Still is, even after everything had happened to us. She had decided to design hair styles and apply makeup to celebrities all over the world. She was very skilled, and often tried to make me and Max wear it. We always refused.
Maxine loved sport, always had and always would - or so we though- so she wanted to obviously be a sporting superstar. She really enjoyed soccer. She wanted to become a part of the Matilda's, the national women's Australian soccer team, in a few years time. She was already the star player of their school and local teams.
And Harvey. He was quiet, and loved outdoors. I honestly thought that was VERY cute, though I would never DARE tell the girls. He hung around with us sometimes, though he did have his own friends and clubs that he had joined. He loved nature, and wanted to be a researcher biologist when he was old enough and had finished uni.
So the four of us were very different. Me and Harvey wanted to go to uni, Pheobe to TAFE or get an apprenticeship, and Max to a sports academy where she could be trained up. Our futures were all planned out.
Or so we thought.
"Well, you can't speak", I pushed Max's shoulder. "Our future soccer superstar".
I even saw my friend blush a little.
"What were you guys talking about before?" Pheob asked all of a sudden.
As I moved aside with Max so that her and Harvey could get into their lockers, I explained what had happened this morning in our kitchen. "So we reckon tonight they're going to say when and where our next holiday is going to be".
Pheobe looked disinterested in my comment. "Oh, is that all? Ha. I haven't just got an idea, mum couldn't keep it from me and my sisters. We MADE her tell us we're going on holiday, we even know when".
Us three stared in surprise at her. "Why didn't you say anything to me in homegroup?" Max thundered.
She looked at us. "I thought your parents had told you all the same thing!" she said.
"NO!" Max cried out. She groaned. "WHY HAVE WE BEEN LEFT OUT???"
Harvey sighed. "You should be an actor, Max. Show off your skills to the world. You'd be amazing at it, that's for sure".
I laughed a little. "Yep, all those people watching as well. You'd love it".
Me and Harvey shared a smile and a giggle.
"Well, they should tell us tonight", my boy-friend (NOT boyfriend, at least not yet) nudged his twin, before shutting his locker. "Come on, let's go to lunch. We can talk tonight on Messenger".
As we dawdled along the corridors to the school canteen, I smiled around at my friends. It was going to be another amazing holiday. With my friends.
I wish I'd known the truth.
YOU ARE READING
Death on Holiday
Teen FictionI shrank back, pushing his hands away. As my brother glanced nervously at me, I rolled over. I didn't want to see him, or more accurately, I didn't want him to see me like this. I knew deep down I was a mess. But there was no way I could be cured. H...
