The Boys of Summer (37 page)

Amy skidded through the back sliding door to
the beer garden where I sat with Ellie in a shady spot where only a
small slither of sunlight reached.

“Tess, I heard your phone go off.” Amy handed
over my bag.

“Ta.”

She smiled brightly and ran back to the
restaurant to get stuck into her waitressing chores.

“She is the most enthusiastic waitress I’ve
ever seen,” Ellie said with a laugh.

My screen was lit up with the words ‘1 new
message’.

Toby.

A smile broke out across my face.

“One guess.” Ellie playfully kicked at my
chair.

Life was easier now, better. I didn’t have to
snoop around corners for secondhand information or rely on Ellie to
give me the update on when the Onslow Boys would be coming in.
Instead, Toby and I texted. We had each other’s numbers now. It was
officially on, but we were still keeping quiet about it, keeping it
on the down low for a while. We hadn’t seen each other since that
night at McLean’s Beach and then his house; he was either at the
garage or I was at the café.

So I couldn’t help but beam when I read the
message.

See you at 8

Toby.

“Is he sending you love poetry or something?”
Ellie peeked over her shades, shades she didn’t really need now
that the sun had shifted.

I sighed. “Not exactly, but it’s good enough
for me.”

I went home to change, the thought of
arriving at the disco all fresh and clean, instead of stinking of
kitchen fumes, my hair shiny instead of limp from steam over the
stove and sink was a nice change. A brilliant change. I glammed up
some fitted jeans with some fancy heels and a baby blue halter that
contrasted nicely against the tan of my skin.

Ellie had arrived early to meet Stan for
dinner so I knew I would be making a solo entrance. I made a point
of arriving later than eight. I aimed for cool and casual, which I
probably wasn’t pulling off very well as I weaved through the
crowd, ducking and stretching to see a familiar face.

So much for a grand entrance – I didn’t know
any of these people. Had I gatecrashed a private function? It was
then that a pair of hands covered my eyes, and I heard the
unmistakable taunt of a familiar voice.

“Look out, lady! I have use of both my arms
now.”

I spun around and flung myself into the two
fully functioning arms of Adam.

“Hey, you!”

Adam crushed me in his grip, but I gave as
good as I got.

“I missed you,” I said.

Adam smiled. “Tess, stop flirting with me,
please. Speaking of, where’s Pretty Parker?”

I whacked him in the upper arm. “Don’t
start.”

Adam screamed so loud, people stopped mid
dance to glare at us with disapproving stares.

“
Stop
it, Tess! I have delicate
bones.”

I went to retort but Adam was body slammed as
a squealing Ellie appeared from nowhere and threw herself onto him
in a hug.

“Why aren’t I a chick magnet like this with
all the girls?” His voice was muffled as he tried to blow Ellie’s
hair from his mouth.

“Because you belong to us!” Ellie
declared.

Adam threw a look behind him to Stan, who
watched on in amusement.

Adam shook his head. “Chicks! They’re just so
needy. On the email, the phone constantly. It’s exhausting.”

“This coming from someone who fingerknitted
us friendship bracelets and mailed them to us?” I added.

“Oh wow! Would you look at that?” Adam
pretended he saw someone in the distance and waved to a girl. She
looked confused and glanced behind her to see who Adam was waving
to.

“I’ll be right back, better circulate. People
get really funny if you don’t say hi.” He was quickly swallowed up
by the crowd.

There was a downshift in lighting and the
music slowed as The Cranberries song, ‘Linger’, filled the night
for the lovers in the garden. Ellie and Stan took to the dance
floor, to not do the Robot or the Sprinkler but just to hold each
other and sway. I smiled, Ellie finally got her Prince
Charming.

As my gaze drifted, I saw Toby at the
entrance, eyes locked on me. He broke into a broad smile as he
weaved his way through the crowd, not taking his gaze from me. Not
once.

I folded my arms. “You’re late.”

“You’re beautiful.” He smiled wickedly.
“Especially when you’re mad.”

Ringer squeezed past, guiding Amanda
through.

“Why don’t you ever speak to me like
that?”

Toby punched Ringer in the arm.

Ringer turned shrugging his shoulders.

“Incidentally,” Sean’s voice jolted me. I had
forgotten that we stood in a very public beer garden. “Ringer does
speak to Amanda like that, when he’s drunk. It’s not pretty.” In
true Sean fashion, he was happy and carefree.

Luckily, though, we hadn’t talked any more
about it or anything. It seemed we were cool. Nothing had changed
between us since that night at the Point. Ringer flipped Sean the
bird and took Amanda to the dance floor. Toby, Sean and I stood on
the edge, watching the couples hold each other close and sway.
Guilt spiked through me any time I was with them together. I forced
it down, fearful it would seep into my time with Toby. I had to
tell him about Sean. I knew I did. But not now. Toby gently rubbed
a lazy circle with his thumb on my palm.

A collective scream whooped out of the dance
floor and the unmistakable guitar strums flowed through the
speakers, as ‘Wonderwall’ sounded. This song was everywhere and
everyone – even, tragically, my dad – seemed to know all the words.
Ellie and Stan stumbled over, pulling the three of us onto the
dance floor where there was an explosion of smashed bodies pushed
together in the cramped space. Nobody cared, as the DJ lights
flashed to the beat and everyone swayed and belted out the chorus.
Toby held my hands, anchoring me to him in a rare, unnoticed moment
in which everyone was lost in the music. We broke eye contact as
Adam appeared and slung his arms around our shoulders, forcing us
into some bad side-shuffling dance moves. Ringer and Amanda slow
danced to our left, Ellie and Stan sang joyfully into their mimed
microphones, jokingly serenading each other while Sean played air
guitar like no one else. We drowned out the music as the whole
disco sang at the top of their lungs. We linked into a chain of
slung arms and twisted limbs. A group of friends enjoying a
moment.

‘Wonderwall’ faded out and was replaced by
‘Bow River’, a real Aussie anthem by Cold Chisel. Non-dancer Toby
quickly took his exit from the dance floor and mimed to Sean asking
if he wanted a drink. Toby leaned into me, he was warm and smelled
incredible.

“You want a drink?”

I shook my head, and he winked and squeezed
my hand as he vacated the dance floor, sidestepping a flailing
girl. Sean took my hand and started to Rock ’n’ Roll dance with me
in very uncoordinated moves that eventually just led him into
flinging me around the dance floor like a rag doll. He flung me
towards him too fast, and so quick that I slammed into him and
stopped hard, my nose smashed against his chest. I probably would
have been in pain if I hadn’t been so winded.

“Sorry ’bout that.” He tried to not laugh
through his breaths, but it was evident we were both beyond it.

I rubbed my forehead. “That’s going to hurt
tomorrow.” Sean had stopped laughing, instead he seemed distracted
by something near the bar. I tried to follow his gaze but my view
was blocked by the crisscross of the dancing crowd.

“What’s wrong?”

I wasn’t sure he had heard me until he
flicked an agitated look my way.

“Nothing, just wait here, okay?”

Okay, Mr Cryptic.

Whatever. I continued to dance by myself,
lost in the feel of the music. Suddenly Adam and Ellie flanked me,
and my stomach fizzed with excitement. I thought we were about to
tear up the dance floor school-social style. Ellie dug her fingers
painfully into my arm; I went to shake her off until I followed her
horrified gaze and then the music died.

Everyone stood frozen on the dance
floor.

At first we were confused, but it didn’t take
long to work out what was happening. My heart clenched.

Toby and Sean were facing off by the bar, and
before I could even wonder what had happened, they had each other
by the scruff of their necks, hands fisted in each other’s shirts.
Glasses shattered as Toby threw Sean against the bar.

“FIGHT!”

“Tess, don’t!” Ellie tried to hold me back,
but I broke away and pushed through the stunned crowd towards
them.

“Toby, Sean, stop it!” I screamed, trying to
get their attention. I slapped at their arms, trying to break their
hold on each other, but it was of no use. Their eyes were locked on
each other, murderous.

An arm snaked around my waist and pulled me
back.

“Adam, let me go!”

Chris grabbed Toby, and Stan and Ringer
worked to edge Sean away. They grunted and swore as Toby and Sean
struggled away from them and towards each other.

“Stop it!” I screamed, tears threatening to
spill over.

“Get him out of here,” Chris yelled at Stan
and Ringer, but Toby broke free and in a silent rage was the first
to leave.

Adam let go of me. My heels clicked
frantically on the concrete as I chased after Toby. Sean’s hand
reached out and grabbed my upper arm, preventing me.

“Tess, don’t.” His tone was fierce, his
expression grave.

“What is wrong with you? Let go of me!”

“He knows! Alright, Tess? He knows.”

My head swam. How? How did this happen? It
all became perfectly clear when I saw, further down the bar, Carla
sipping on her drink, all innocence and sweetness. I caught a
sideways glance at a smug-looking Peter.

She turned to face me. “Oops.” She shrugged.
“I guess he didn’t know.”

I broke away from Sean. He didn’t try to stop
me.

I ran as far as I could before ditching my
heels, and then pounded the pavement with such force it wasn’t long
before I could faintly see the long stride of Toby’s silhouette up
ahead.

“Toby, wait!”

He stopped, as if flinching at the sound of
my voice. I ran up short, trying to catch my breath.

It was then I cringed against a new sound, a
series of running steps behind me. Ellie, Adam, and the Onslow Boys
coming up short, their breaths laboured.

I made sure I got in first.

But before I could speak, Toby spun around,
his gaze searing into me as he walked towards me.

“Deny it,” he said, “tell me nothing
happened.”

My mouth gaped open, and I stumbled to form
words, which just made him angrier.

“It’s not what you think.” My voice
quivered.

“Did he touch you?”

Oh God, please don’t do this.

“It happened the night Angela was at your
house. I saw her car in the driveway, what was I supposed to
think?”

Hurt and disbelief flashed across Toby’s
face.

“You think that little of me?”

“It’s not what you think, Toby.” Sean’s voice
came in from behind me. “We’re just friends.”

I stepped closer, reaching out, but he
flinched away.

“
Don’t
.”

I could feel myself falling apart in a blind
panic. “Toby, please don’t do this.”

He refused to look at me. A long moment
stretched between us, his jaw clenched in anger. Just as I was
certain he was going to walk away, and I’d never see him again,
Sean stepped forward.

“If you’re going to take the high moral
ground, Toby, then why don’t you start by being honest with
Tess?”

Honest? What?

Toby glared at Sean, a silent warning that
made goosebumps form on my flesh.

“I swear to God, Sean,” Toby bit out.

I looked from Toby to Sean and back again.
“What’s he talking about?”

“Go on, Toby, tell her. Tell her of the job
offer you accepted in the West.”

Sean turned to me. “Toby’s moving. He’s
leaving Onslow.” He turned back to Toby. “I bet you didn’t tell her
that.”

“Toby?” I said. “
Toby.
”

A raw emotion flickered briefly in Toby’s
eyes, but he shut it down. He looked at me, unflinching. “Yeah,
well, there’s nothing keeping me here now.”

And just like that, he walked away.

If there is one thing worse than self-pity,
it was other people’s pity.

They all looked at me with solemn, knowing
gazes and sad smiles, and worst of all, they kept asking, “Are you
okay?”

No, I was not okay.

It was as if someone had punched a hole in my
chest and every rational slice of my brain refused to function. Ten
days had passed since the disco without a word, not even a glimpse
of him. I stopped checking my phone every few minutes after the
seventh day. He hadn’t come to the hotel all week.

I sat in a booth at the Caltex with Sean on a
Tuesday afternoon, the one person who didn’t offer sad smiles or
patronising words of comfort. He was just as lost as I was.

“Have you seen him?” I asked.

“Yeah,” Sean said, “and he’s pretending
nothing happened. Every time I go to talk to him about it, he
refuses to.”

Like I never existed.

“God knows what Carla said to him.” I
sighed.

Sean scoffed. “I knew as soon as I saw him
over at the bar. Carla was whispering in his ear. Then he turned
around and looked at me dancing with you, and I knew. In one look,
I knew.” His eyes focused on his fingers as he rubbed condensation
off his glass.

I felt for him; he was at as big a loss as
what I was.

“At least he’ll talk to you.”

Sean shrugged. “To be honest, I don’t know
what would be better. He’s not the same with me, things probably
won’t ever be the same again. You don’t betray a mate like that.
You just don’t.”