It was the last week of school before the Christmas holidays. The girls were hanging out with Dom in the common room in a free period.

'Great!' Em said, staring at her screen morosely.

Dom lifted his head from her lap.

'It's official. Our tickets are booked!'

Em had been anxious about the holidays for weeks now. Her parents wanted to take the family to Japan for Christmas, but she'd begged them to stay in Sydney.

'I don't know what you're so bleak about,' said Dom. 'I've always wanted to go to Japan. It's a dream holiday. You don't even know how lucky you are.'

Izzy looked up from where she was reading her book, crossed-legged on the study room floor. That was maybe the third time Dom had uttered such a sacrilege. She'd better intervene before there was blood on the floor.

'How long are you gone for?' Izzy asked Em.

'A month,' Em said. 'Four whole painful weeks spent with my parents in a foreign land.'

'At least you'll have a white Christmas,' said Izzy, trying to be positive. 'That'll be fun. Christmas is heaps cooler when it's cold.'

'No pun intended,' quipped Dom.

Izzy threw Em a sympathetic look.

'Yep,' Em said miserably. 'Maybe it'll snow. Heaps to look forward to.'

'Are you going to Tokyo?' asked Dom cheerily.

'We fly into Tokyo,' Em responded. 'We'll stay there for a couple of days, but then we're going to see an evacuated town near where they had the Fukushima nuclear disaster.'

'Is it safe to go there now?' asked Izzy. She'd read about what happened in Japan, and it seemed like there was still a lot of radiation around the area where the plant exploded.

'I guess so. It's my dad's idea,' said Em. 'He's taken to giving us "experiences" in place of Christmas presents lately. He's bought a radiation detector, so we can know if we're breathing clean air.'

'That's cool,' said Dom.

'Yeah, super cool,' said Em, 'Merry Christmas, family, have a dose of radiation. Only 2.44 degrees on the Richter scale!'

Dom laughed. 'The Richter scale is for earthquakes.'

'Pfftt!' Em huffed. 'If I had one wish, I'd make you a dumb ass so you can't know stuff like that.'

Izzy chuckled. 'You'd be wasting your one wish on a done deal.'

'Touche!' Dom said glancing at Izzy. 'I wonder if anyone lives there though?' he said. 'Wouldn't it be weird to be in a completely deserted town? Weird in a good way.'

Izzy didn't think it was wise to dwell on the subject of Japan. She knew that Em feeling blue about the holiday had more to do with the fact she would be leaving Dom behind than anything else.

'We'll miss you, Em...' Izzy said.

Dom sat up: 'Maybe you can bring me back a robot? One that can service all my needs?'

'They have blow-up dolls for that,' said Izzy.

Dom grinned.

Em looked over at Izzy. 'I'm gonna miss you too!' Her face crumpled in mock despair. 'You guys are going to have so much fun without me. I can't believe it; we're flying out the day after tomorrow. I can't even come out with you in Sydney before I go.'

The girls had planned for Em and Izzy's friend, Kath, to stay over at Izzy's place on Friday. However, it looked like that plan was out the window now. Izzy was disappointed. She wasn't going anywhere for the holidays because of her Mum's chemo, so she'd planned to make the most of Sydney with her friends instead.

'Iz,' Em wined, in a jokey, semi-serious tone, 'I'm counting on you to keep an eye on Dom for me over the summer.'

'Hey, I can take care of myself,' Dom protested, slapping Em with a cushion.

'I probably won't even see him,' said Izzy. 'Where do you live again?' she threw to Dom. 'Woop woop?'

'I do get out occasionally,' Dom said laughing. 'I'll be in Sydney on Friday at Abscond.' He followed with a fist pump.

Em looked alarmed. 'You're not still going, are you?'

'Course I am, I promised Cole, and I've already organised to stay with him. Besides, I want to see you off at the airport.'

'Ah, you're sweet, but I'm serious, Dominic!' Em said. 'You're not to go anywhere fun without Izzy, okay?' Dom rolled his eyes.

Em bashed him on the shoulder. 'Sit up! I need to talk to you.'

Dom reluctantly pulled himself to a sitting position.

'Here's the deal. If there's a party on or you're out clubbing, you're both there, alright?' Em said, shifting her eyes from Dom to Izzy and back again. 'Friday night included. Make sure to invite her. And I want to hear all the deets.'

'No need. If Dom's going to Abscond, we'll see each other,' said Izzy. Abscond was a popular nightclub in North Sydney close to Izzy's house, where kids who lived on the North Shore (and could get past the bouncers!) regularly partied.

'I'm talking about a conscious effort to hang out.' Em said unswervingly to Dom. 'That way, I'll know what you're up to.'

Dom grinned.

Em suddenly perked up. 'She can go with you to Byron Bay at New Year.'

'What are you talking about?' asked Izzy. Em was acting psychotic.

'Dom's parents have friends who have a holiday house in Byron, and they've said he can take some friends up there,' said Em glumly. 'It's a disaster waiting to happen. I can just see it. All those girls in bikinis. This one won't be able to resist.'

'Better than schoolies,' Izzy said, smiling. She knew that Dom was upset that his parents had crushed his plans to go to the Gold Coast and crash the year 12 schoolies.

'Hey, it not actually a bad idea, if you'd like to come,' said Dom. 'You're welcome Iz....maybe Tal or Zara too?'

'Zara's away this summer,' said Em. 'She's going to Perth with her sister.'

'Oh well, Tal then?' said Dom. 'The house is actually in the hinterland. Not in the Bay. And it's going to be much tamer than schoolies, I promise you that.'

Izzy contemplated what Dom was asking. 'It's beautiful,' he persuaded. 'It's this tiny little town called Uki, with like one café. Plus, we've got a boat at Murwillumbah. We can go skiing.'

'That sounds amazing,' said Izzy, though not with any certainty. 'Are you sure? I'll have to speak to my parents.'

'I'm sure.' Dom said. 'It'll be fun. And Tal too. That'll make Cole happy. Did I mention he was coming?'

Since Izzy had snubbed Cole, he seemed to have moved on in his affections quickly and was now interested in Tal.

'Your Mum and Dad will be there?' Izzy confirmed.

'Probably just my Mum, but yes, there will be at least one responsible adult. If that's what you're asking.'

'Sorry, but my folks are pedantic like that. They'll want to talk to your Mum. Is that okay?'

'Of course. No problem.'

'And I'll wait to see if Tal can go too. If she goes, I'll go. I don't want to be the only girl.'

Em looked pleased with herself.

'Are you satisfied, my darling?' said Dom. 'You'll have your own personal spy watching me while you're away.'

'Spies. Plural.' Em responded. 'Tal doesn't know it yet, but she's going to Byron. Two's better than one.'

Dom laughed. 'Aw Em, you're getting all jealous and protective? That's cute.'

'Don't laugh,' said Em, 'there are rules for this summer buddy and my girls will be watching you. I'm not joking!'

'Oh yeah, like what?'

'Well,' said Em, cocking her head to the side in contemplation. 'Rule number 1. No kissing other girls, under any circumstances. I forbid it. Your Casanova days are over...Sac.'

'It's going to be a painfully long and boring summer...' said Dom smiling. 'We'll have to make up for the lost time before you go.' As he pulled Em into his arms, Izzy averted her eyes from their display of affection. They were always doing this. Didn't they see her here!

Em pushed Dom away from her with a playful shove. 'Don't think you can distract me, boyfriend of mine! There's a second rule. The most important.'

'Oh yeah?'

'Yep. Serious now. For real. No falling in love!'

Dom laughed out loud. 'Not even with my beautiful sexy girlfriend, who may be thousands of miles away but still super available on FaceTime 24/7?'

'Being charming isn't going to get you anywhere,' said Em resolutely. 'You know the rules now. Under no circumstances are you to break either of them.'

'Scouts' honour,' said Dom, holding up three fingers.

'Iz is my witness.' Em said, attempting to draw Izzy into the conversation again.

'Pay attention,' Em slapped Izzy on the thigh. 'Dom's agreed to the summer rules.'

'Mmmm...hmm,' Izzy said vaguely. She was trying hard to ignore them. She was sick of their touchy-feely carry-on.

'That's fair enough,' said Dom. 'It's easier to ask forgiveness than get permission anyway.'

'Ha!' Em squawked. They both rolled over on the floor legs flying in the air as Em tried to suffocate Dom with a pillow.