Saturday, May 19th 2007

New Farm, Brisbane

1:31 PM

"So, what did the doctor say?" she asked.

Her mother pulled a pair of sunglasses from her inner jacket pocket and put them on. She shrugged, "The baby's fine."

"No..."Junie said, "The gender, what's the baby's gender?"

"Boy," her mother answered tersely.

Junie smiled. A little brother, she was going to have a little brother.

She was tempted to ask who the father was but knew it would be a fruitless endeavour. Very much like each time she asked Audrey who her father was. She never received a truthful or straightforward answered, just a sharp scolding for apparently talking about irrelevant matters.

It was in October of last year that Junie had found out about Audrey's pregnancy. She had been scouring the living room for the Geography textbook she had misplaced when she had saw a white plastic stick poking out of the bin.

A white plastic stick that she had immediately recognised as a home pregnancy kit. And it had been positive. Junie spent a good hour panicking about it, so much so that she had grabbed her skateboard and rushed over to Dylan's house. Who, by the way, was not at helpful in calming her down. It was two weeks later that Junie finally dredged up the courage to ask her mother about the pregnancy.

Audrey had shrugged and said, she wasn't sure whether she wanted to keep the baby. At first Junie wasn't either. In all honesty, a baby was a big deal and considering how low on money they were, how Audrey had been fired from her job and how she was already struggling to pay the bills, Junie just couldn't see how they would cope with another mouth to feed.

But one day, Junie had caught sight of her mother's pregnancy bump and she realised something. She realised that that bump was her future sibling. That bump was her future brother or sister. And that thought, that realisation, almost made her cry because she knew she would never forgive herself, if she let her mother give the baby up for adoption. The baby needed to stay with its family not some strangers. Yes, the Bennett's were not the strongest or the most traditional of families but they were still family and that's what mattered.

"Right, I'm going to see one of my friends," Audrey said, "I'll see you later."

Junie shook her head, "Don't drink any alcohol or smoke."

"I haven't drunk or smoked since I found out I was pregnant have I?"

It was true but that was probably because the doctor was keeping an alarmingly close eye on her and she was being forced to go to weekly pregnancy sessions at the clinic. Which, Junie, liked to accompany her to, just to make sure she actually went there.

"Don't worry, we're only watching some movies." Audrey said.

Junie nodded but she still wasn't convinced.

3:20 PM

Bobbing her head to the Arctic Monkeys track blasting in her earphones, Junie steadily rode her skateboard down the street. She grabbed a tightly rolled up newspaper from her bag and momentarily pausing, she threw it ahead. It fell onto the doorstep of a brightly coloured bungalow

She only had ten more houses to visit and then she could go back to Wickham Street Dailies and get her thirty dollars pay.  Junie felt rather neutral about delivering newspapers. The pay wasn't great but it wasn't bad either. It was a job. It gave something to do and they really needed all the money they could get for the baby.

Junie frowned. She realised that she needed to take the shortcut if she wanted to finish early so she could go to Dylan's. She liked his house, she loved being with him. He made her forget all the troubles she was having at home, he made her feel like she was still a child, not somebody who needed to chip in for the household bills if they didn't want the electricity to be cut off again.

Junie hated taken the shortcut, if wasn't for rabid and bloodthirsty dogs she would have quite enjoyed it. But these dogs loved to chase and torment her every time. She turned a corner and cautiously began walking down the narrow and sunless path.

Maybe you'll be lucky this time and they won't even be there.

As soon as that thought came to mind, Junie saw them and as soon she saw the dogs, Junie picked up her skateboard and ran for her life. The usual hunger for her flesh was evident in those dark beady eyes. She spotted the fence overhead and pumped her spindly legs forward. She chucked her skateboard over and with a grunt quickly hopped over it herself. Junie collapsed and crashed onto the patch of dandelions. She ignored the sharp pain in her knee and pushing herself up, she scrambled away from the fence.

The dogs couldn't get past the fence and she thanked the heavens or whoever was sitting on a cloud up there. They bared their teeth as they growled and snarled viciously at her. Feeling rather triumphant, Junie stuck out her tongue and laughed.

With one last glance at the dogs, she picked up her skateboard and stepped out onto to the street lined with bungalows.

Junie finished ten minutes earlier than she had expected. It took her a few seconds to realise she was on the highest point of the hilly street. Below the road was lined with vehicles, it was steep with thrilling sharp twists and turns. Junie grinned, she positioned the skateboard in the middle of the road and hopping on, she pushed herself forward.

The cool wind whipped her flaming hair back as the skateboard sped down the steep hill. She easily tackled the abrupt turns of the road, she bobbed and weaved past several pedestrians and even managed to perform the new trick she had learnt. Junie finally came to a slow stop at the bottom of the hill. Her heart was racing and she grinned from the thrill of such an intense ride. She glanced up at the hill, laughed and decided to do it again.

3:59 PM

Bethany Mercer opened the door for her. She smiled and stepped aside. Junie eagerly entered the house. In comparison, Bethany was a lot kinder than her older twin. Lena was easily riled, she had a short temper and ninety percent of the time she was sarcastic. Bethany did have her sarcastic moments but she was easier to talk to, more relaxed.

"Dylan's in the kitchen," she said.

"Thanks," Junie smiled return. She dropped her skateboard in its usual place by the door and walking down the hallway, she opened the second door to the right.

As she expected, Dylan was sat on one of the stools that surrounded the island counter, lazily munching on a sandwich.

"Hey, New Zealand," Junie said.

He looked up at the sound of his nickname and grinned widely at her, "Oh hey, Junebug."

Junie's stomach twisted in a thousand knots at the sight of his grin. "Stop me calling me that," she frowned.

"Stop calling me New Zealand." He said.

Dylan glanced at his plate of sandwiches and flashed another smile, "Want a sandwich?"

"What it's in it?"

"Chicken, bacon and mayonnaise," he answered, "I made it myself."

Junie picked up a sandwich and tentatively bit into it. Dylan's cooking was always disastrous, so you had to forgive her if she expected it to taste like dead horse. However, she was pleasantly surprised to find it didn't taste like a dead horse but rather...pleasant.

Junie smiled. "It's pretty good, Dyl."

Dylan walked over to the fridge, he opened the door and glanced back at Junie, "Want drink do you want?"

"Orange," she answered as she took another bite of the sandwich.

He bent down and pulled out a carton of the juice. Shutting the fridge door, he took a glass cup from the cupboard before placing the carton and cup on the counter.

"Here," he said, pouring the orange juice into the glass cup and passing it over to her.

She smiled and she took a sip of it, "Thanks, New Zealand."

"So," he began, "It's your fourteenth, you excited?"

Junie snorted, "Why would I-?"

She was cut off by the sound of someone singingice. She looked up to find none other than Helen Torres sauntering into the kitchen. Confusion flashed on Junie's face for a moment before her features quickly contorted into a mask of disdain for the olive-skinned girl.Helen slipped onto the stool beside Dylan.

"Junie," Helen said in a sickeningly sweet tone with that sickeningly sweet smile- that was so obviously fake - plastered on her face.

"Helen," Junie said through gritted teeth. She threw a confused look to Dylan, who just glanced away, looking sheepish and rather guilty.

"I like your top," Helen said, "My grandma has one like that."

Junie's eyes skipped back to her, glaring hotly, "Well, even your grandma must have better taste you then."

Helen's syrupy smile faltered, "Go to hell."

"As long you're not there."

"You should do some soul searching," Hellen suggested, that sickeningly sweet smile back, "Who knows, you might just find one."

Dylan glanced back between the two, watching nervously as the heated conversation grew. Junie opened her mouth to shout a flurry of obscene and unflattering insults at the dark-haired girl but was interrupted by Dylan quickly saying, "Hey, Junie, can I talk to you for a sec?"

Before Junie could decline or even do anything, Dylan sprang up from his seat and grabbing her hand, he pulled out of her kitchen. He led her down the hallway and into the living room. Once he shut the door, he whipped round to face his best friend who had her arms folded across her chest and gave him a fierce stare. 

"What the hell is that she-devil doing here?" Junie demanded.

"I told her she could come over because she said wanted some help on her science homework."

"But you're not good at science and neither she is," Junie quirked an eyebrow, "so, why would you wanna help her?"

Dylan's eyes fell to the floor as he nervously shuffled on his shoes on the carpeted and Junie felt her heart drop into her stomach.

"Wait, do you like her?"

The crimson blush that dusted his cheeks was the answer.

"What?" she swallowed the lump forming in her throat," "Why?"

Dylan shrugged, "I don't know...she's cute...and I think she likes me too."

Junie balled her hands up into tight fists to hide the fact that they were now shaking. Stupid Dylan. Really, really stupid Dylan. What was he doing liking someone as shallow, self-absorbed and bitter as Helen Torres? But the answers were clear as day. Because she was Helen Torres. Popular and beautiful and charming. Every boy in their year had fallen under her spell.

Junie shook her head, "You can't like her."

He looked at her then, eyebrows furrowed in that utterly adorable manner. "Why?"

Because he should have liked her, not Helen. Helen didn't know him like she did. God, but Junie couldn't compete with someone like Helen Torres. Helen was petite, beautiful with her olive-skin and hazel eyes. Junie sometimes felt she was too tall for thirteen - no, fourteen now. Five foot five and still growing. She had a feeling she would end up like her mother, too tall and too graceless to be saved.

"Because," she mumbled. You have me. "Just....because, okay?"

Dylan wasn't too convinced with her answer. He sighed and said, "Well, she's leaving in ten minutes anyway. Once she's gone, we can go skateboarding."

"Hm." She said as she absentmindedly fiddled with the bracelet he had given her for her birthday last year. 

"You know," he began in a teasing tone, "I ordered your birthday present but it hasn't come yet."

Junie looked up at him, a smile threatening to form on her lips. "What is it?"

"That would be telling," he chuckled and lightly bobbed her nose, "Since I don't have your present right now, I am going to give you a hug!"

In that instant Dylan wrapped his arms around her. He pulled her against him and enveloped her in a warm hug. She was surprised at how quickly she relaxed into him. Her eyes closed and a content smile pulled at her lips as she dropped her chin onto his shoulder. 

"Happy birthday Junie," he whispered softly in her ear, his warm voice sending shivers down her spine. 

She hugged him back, perhaps a little too tightly but with Helen Torres in the next room, waiting to whisk Dylan away, she couldn't help it. She could feel his heart softly beating against her chest.She buried her face in his neck. He smelt of the sea and citrus fruits. 

This silly little crush had no intentions of leaving did it? It was here to stay, stay and stay and stay until there was nothing left of her, until all her heart had been given to Dylan and even then it would grow into something too wild and foreign to be controlled or ignored.