Take My Word for It (11 page)

The last few years I've only really seen Rhys at the snow. Sometimes other places too, but not often. Anyway we were sitting on West Ridge chair, which is the longest ride on the mountain, and Rhys took my hand to look at my heat sensitive watchband that Dad gave me, and the next thing he said was, ‘God I like you Lisa.' And I suddenly realised how much I liked him, and always had, and suddenly there we were having a great big wonderful tonguey. It was hard to get off the chair at the end of the ride—we nearly went round for another circuit. Considering that a few weeks ago I'd given up on guys for life, it all happened a bit quickly, but we had the best time. We were just together for every moment from then on. We went to Ronnie's and the Spit and Mogul Munchies. I felt so contented and happy with him. Everyone kept saying how much I'd changed, but I don't know about that.

I nearly told Rhys my biggest darkest most wicked secret. I didn't but maybe I will one day. I feel I can talk to him about anything.

J
ULY
14

Gee I let rip in this Journal last night. I wrote most of it under the doona by torchlight. I haven't been game to read it back and probably never will, but at least the handwriting guarantees that no-one else will be able to read it either.

Think I'll burn this thing at the end of the year. It's too dangerous to leave lying around.

Got a det from Mr Lindell today for not concentrating when we were meant to be answering questions about ‘Man Friday'. This is definitely Rhys' fault—he should do the detention for me.

Everyone's hanging out for Marina to start chatting away like a pet parrot but not a word so far. Maybe Cathy dreamt the whole thing. I haven't said anything to her yet. I don't know whether I should or whether I should give her more time.

I'm worried about Kate, though. She really is in a bad way. I've never seen her so upset. I suppose it is pretty serious. I'd forgotten she got picked up for shoplifting in Tozers last year too, so that wouldn't impress the cops or Dr Whiteley. She had to see Dr Whiteley today.

Surely it's not a crime to be in a stolen car if you don't know it's stolen? Guess it depends on what the guy said. Kate's saying now that he's a real drop-kick, but it's a pity she didn't figure that out before last weekend.

I went for a long run today—did the Horseshoe course twice. It felt good! I've been getting too slack.

J
ULY
15

Mum's taking me out tomorrow. She's coming to watch us play basketball, then taking me and Cathy to lunch. Funny, a year ago it would have been Issy and Kizzy, no questions asked. Friendships change so much. We just say hello when we pass each other now.

I did ask Sophie, but I forgot she's gated.

I'm glad Mum's coming. I really want to see her, somehow. It'd be good to have time to talk.

Rhys rang before Prep. We talked for about half an hour. We just seem to talk so easily. He told me he's liked me ever since years ago when we were at the Beatty Heads Tennis Tournament. I remember that day. He was so cute.

J
ULY
18

Well, it happened this afternoon. The proof that Cathy didn't dream it after all. Marina and I were the only ones in the dorm. I'd come back from a crossie, had a shower and came into the dorm still drying myself. Deciding I needed a sugar charge, I opened my tuck box. It was reasonably full, thanks to Mum's visit on Saturday. I'd already opened a packet of Chocolate Clouds, so I took a couple out to munch on. Then, with the tuck box still open, I said to Marina, ‘Hey Marina, you want a biscuit?' She said, ‘Yes please.' I said ‘Chocolate Clouds OK?' and she said, ‘Yes, thank you.' I suddenly realised that she'd spoken and like an idiot I went, ‘Aaaghh! You talked to me!' Then I got the giggles.

Boy, did I feel like an idiot.

Trying to choke down my giggles I gave her a couple of biscuits. Then I said, ‘Sorry, but I did get a shock.' She'd had a little smile on her face and then it spread and became a big smile. She was blushing, and she looked really pretty. She said something then that I'll never forget. She said: ‘Thank you for being nice to me this year.' I got a bit red, and said, ‘Don't be stupid' which wasn't very encouraging to say to someone who hadn't spoken for so long. It'll be my fault now if she never speaks again. I don't think either of us knew what to say next, but a moment later Soph and Trace came bursting in with Rikki Martin, all laughing and yelling, so that was the end of that.

The other thing I wanted to write about tonight was seeing Mum on Saturday. It was good actually. We only went to Pizza Hut for lunch, but after we got back here and Cathy said good-bye to Mum, I just sat in the car and talked. Mum didn't seem in any hurry to go. The only time she got a bit annoyed was when I asked if she and Dad might get together again. I suppose it was a stupid question. She did say she thought it was possible that Dad would marry Lynette. She said she didn't have any plans like that, which was a relief to hear.

I told her about Kate and the cops, and Marina seeing her father and talking to the Preshills, and about Peter ripping me off for $35. I don't know why—I don't normally tell her all that school stuff and boyfriend stuff. I was just in a mood to talk I guess.

She said a strange thing. She said, ‘People try so hard to destroy themselves.' I was surprised. Then she added, ‘The only cure is to care about as many things as you can.' I thought about that time at Dad's flat. I hadn't cared about anything then, or anyone, including myself. This year was better—I care about Marina and Cathy and Trace, and lately Soph and Kate too (I hardly notice Ann and Emma). I care about my family more. I care about rowing, and doing well in school. I care an awful lot about Rhys. I still think I should widen my horizons—maybe I should join Greenpeace and Amnesty and all those organisations that Cathy's in.

J
ULY
19

We got the Crusades assignments back today. I didn't want to look at mine but eventually I did. There were two marks on it—28% for the work I'd done, and 86% which is what I'd have got if the whole assignment had been done to the standard of the bits that I'd handed in.

Now it's up to Dr Thorley to decide what mark I'll get. It's important—it's worth 40% of the term mark.

I wrote a long letter to Rhys, which hasn't left much time to do this.

J
ULY
20

I went for a run in the rain this afternoon. It was wonderful—it was raining fairly hard when I started but after a few minutes it eased off into a steady but gentle drizzle. Just little light drops falling softly on you. In the distance you could see the sky starting to clear, and some watery looking sunshine. My run became more like a dance than a run. I was doing pirouettes and all kinds of funny movements. No tumpers following or watching, thank goodness.

It's against the rules to run on your own now, but I do it all the time, with no great dramas.

Tonight, in this Prep, we just had the best moment of the year. Emma asked if anyone could lend her a calculator but no-one could, or no-one wanted to. Then just as she'd given up, Marina suddenly said, in a quiet little voice: ‘You can borrow mine if you want, Emma.' It's the first time she's said anything in a group, as far as I know. It's certainly the first time she's said anything to this dorm. Then quick as a flash Sophie said, in her fake school-teacher voice: ‘Marina, I wish you'd stop talking in Prep.' Everyone just cracked up. Even Marina smiled a bit.

This is a pretty good dorm I think. I didn't like it at the start of the year but I like it now. Last year we got changed around at the end of Second Term. I hope that doesn't happen again this year.

J
ULY
25

Poor Kate is going to be charged by the cops. She found out a few minutes ago—her parents rang up. She's on her bed now—she's absolutely bawling. Sophie's in there with her. I don't think the school's going to expel her or anything. They wouldn't want to. I'd go straight to Dr Whiteley if they tried, and so would a lot of other people.

It's hard to find out the facts, though, because Kate—I don't mean this in a nasty way—does make everything so dramatic. It sounds, from what she reckons her parents said, that she'll most likely get put on a good-behaviour bond, which isn't great, but it's definitely better than some of the other possibilities. Apparently the solicitor is telling her to plead guilty. One thing that Kate said tonight, when she was crying, was strange, though. She said, ‘I told him he'd get caught.' That makes it sound like she did know the car was stolen.

I don't blame her if she lied to us about it. I guess anyone would.

I wish I wouldn't keep noticing things like that. I'm sure nobody else does. It makes relationships so complicated.

J
ULY
26

Bonus! Here's the first of many (I hope) letters from Rhys.

 

Dear Lisa,

How are you, Lise? Is your life overflowing with bubbles at the moment? I'm pretty up. Paul Lim is here and he sends his love. Not his lust, just his love. I send both. By the way, are you free on the 27th for a party at the Kenners'? Just watch out for me in the holidays—I'm armed, legged and dangerous.

I've had a good day. Jacob and I finally got permission to start a Book Club. It'll be cool in the school. We're going to have meetings, with book reviews and readings and discussions about the right of Stephen King to exist in a school library. I think he has every right; Jacob doesn't, neither does our librarian.

Tomorrow we've got an excursion to see a play for English, so there's no Homework tonight. That's why I'm free to write to you. This afternoon we beat Michener 2-0 and guess who scored both goals? YES! That's right! Not me. It was John Kazlowski. Guess who scored nothing? YES! Right again.

OK Lise, gotta go. Be well, remember I love you deeply. Seriously. Lots of that stuff,

Rhys

Dad called in again yesterday, with Lynette. The best thing about mid-term was that Lynette doesn't like skiing, so she didn't come. Hope she never gets a taste for it. I think I'm safe though—Paradise for Lynette is Hudson Island, lying in the sun having some guy in a white coat bring her drinks on a silver tray.

J
ULY
27

Sophie and I have been terrorising Year 8. This morning we were coming out of the Library when we heard two Year 8 kids calling Marina ‘pizza face'. She just kept walking and so did we, but when Marina was out of sight we went looking for them. We found them. I was all fired up and I opened my mouth to let them have it, but before a word came out this volcano erupted beside me. It was Soph. She was amazing. She scared me even. If you put an H-bomb inside a volcano—well, that's roughly what it was like. She just engulfed those kids with abuse. She didn't spill any blood but I think they got the impression that if they ever tried to pay Marina out again they would be shredded and dried and used for fish food. In the end I didn't have to say a word—I just went quietly away with Soph when she was finished.

Had to interrupt this for a phone call. It was Chloe—she's got her licence at last. I don't believe it. This was her third attempt. She's a good driver but she kept failing on technicalities. She wants to drive down to see me next weekend. It's Parents' Day, with all the displays and games and stuff. Dad said that he'd be here for it. I might ring him after Prep and remind him.

I'm still thinking about today's English—we had to write a list of things we believed in, and say why we believed them. It was so hard, much harder than I thought it'd be. I know I still believe in God, even though I don't like Chapel services much. But there has to be a God, doesn't there? I mean, take the pen I'm writing this with. If you unscrew all the bits, there's five separate parts. Now, I can put it back together, using my brain and eyes and hands. But if I just leave the pieces lying on my desk they'll stay there forever, five separate bits. If that's true for something simple like a pen, how did something as complicated as this planet get put together? I think there had to be a God to do it.

I believe in the power of friendship. I believe in music. I believe that people who are terminally ill shouldn't be kept alive by machines, unless they want to be. Um, what else? I believe we've badly damaged this planet—maybe past the point of no return.

I believe people have to take charge of their own lives and try to get themselves through the things that happen to them, instead of rushing to the authorities for help when they have problems.

That's all I can think of, and it's a lot more than I wrote in class!

J
ULY
28

We started Sex Ed today, with a lady who comes to the school especially to teach it. We have it one period a week till the end of next term. She sure didn't hold back. I don't know whether I wanted that amount of detail. The best moment was when she launched into a graphic description of the things guys do when they're coming on hot and heavy, and Emma let out this long low groan of disgust. She didn't mean anyone to hear, but we all did. The whole place cracked up.

J
ULY
29

We haven't got much Prep tonight, so I've just been sitting here day-dreaming. To be honest I've been thinking about Rhys and when we were dancing at Mogul Munchies. The way his hands kept touching me, and that little bit of extra pressure sometimes, just when you don't want it and where you don't want it. OK, I know I'm lying—I wanted it. Anyway, suddenly Sophie said to me: ‘What are you smiling about Lisa?' It was quite embarrassing. I couldn't think of anything to say, just sat there blushing.