Where the Wind Takes Us

Even though the gang is still upset with me, they’ve allowed me to hang out with them again. I figure this out when Colton picks me up – a rare feat – and says that even though they’re hurt by what I’d said, they miss me. It hurts me to think that they would think I want to move away from them, my best friends, but I shake the thought aside and nod, my mood slightly lifted at the thought of hanging out with my friends again. I had asked Colton if he was angry with me and he said he wasn’t, because he thought that something didn’t sit right with him. And then he changed the subject, not allowing me to explain myself.

It was kind of awkward when I brought up the fact that I still had to shoot Georgia and James’ parts of the folio, but they agreed to let me photograph their parts of the folio. With James, I went with a different approach – I had this cool effect I wanted to try so I decided to experiment with his shots. Georgia’s was experimental, she was open to the idea of going a bit nudey, a lot different to what I had ever done before but she was down for it. She was of age anyways and no one was going to see it but my art teacher (who was a female) and RMIT.

We’re sitting together at lunch, talking about something stupid when Josh comes over, either oblivious to Mick’s glare and the group suddenly quieting down, or he chooses to ignore it. Either way, I’m glad he’s not saying anything to indicate otherwise.

“Hey Nat,” he greets me, smiling. “Did you end up finishing the other night?”

Despite the semi-awkward tension that’s now taken over the group, Georgia and James exchange a glance and snort.

“What?” I ask them, curious.

Georgia giggles. “Sorry Nat, continue. I’m just being my normal sexual self.”

I give her an odd look, wondering what the hell she means until it comes to me moments later, my cheeks heating up when I realise what Georgia thought Josh had meant.

“Yeah I did,” I reply to Josh, choosing to ignore my friends. “I just have to edit and look over my folio a bit, but otherwise I’ll probably send it off tonight.”

“Nice effort,” Josh smiles at me. He seems like he’s about to say something else, but when he glances over to my friends, he stops himself. I can only assume Mick’s glaring at him.

I turn around to face Mick, and sure enough, he has his arms crossed with a frown settled onto his usually handsome face.

“Mick?” I start. Mick looks at me, an eyebrow raised. “Don’t you have something to say to Josh?”

Josh doesn’t say anything to stop Mick, and Mick stays silent for a moment before blurting out, “No.”

Narrowing my eyes at Mick’s pigheadedness, I suddenly burst, sick of Mick’s attitude and my friends’ selfishness for not letting me explain about the folio thing.

“You know me wanting to Melbourne has nothing to do with you, right?” I snap angrily at Mick, and then share a look with the rest of my friends. “I want a change! I’m sick of my parents and seeing the same damn thing every freaking day! Stop being so fucking selfish and thinking that me wanting to move and see new places has anything to do with any of you, Jesus Christ.”

Turning to Josh, I grab his hand and start to lead him away. “Let’s go, Josh.”

I feel a bit bad when I look over my shoulder, seeing the gang stare at me with open mouths and guilty looks written across their faces, but I’m sick of their selfishness and them not even attempting to talk about the situation.

“Wow,” Josh says, breaking the silence. My hand is still holding his, although I don’t notice it’s intertwined until he decides to let go of it. I frown, wishing he could hold it again. “I think your fire is back, Fader.”

The anger inside of me melts into a smile, one that I give Josh. “Who said it ever left?”

He swings his arm around my shoulders as we head in the direction towards his friends. “Feisty Fader. I like the sound of that.”



As soon as I get home later that day, I change clothes, make myself an iced coffee and collect my folio so I can go to the post office and send it off. It’s only a fifteen minute walk from my house and since I’m wearing a comfortable pair of sandals, I figure it’s okay.

When I get to the post office, I buy an envelope and fill out the address, licking the envelope carefully as I place my folio inside of it. A wave of relief washes over me as I push it through the post box.

“Hey, Nat?” I turn around, surprised to see Colton, James and Georgia standing there sheepishly. A part of me wonders where Mick is, but I push that thought out of my mind.

“Hi,” I say softly. “What are you guys doing here?”

“We uh,” James scratches the back of his head awkwardly. “Wanted to apologise. For being selfish and shit.”

“We should’ve let you explain about the Melbourne thing,” Georgia explains, her arms flailing around as she does do. She does that when she’s flustered and is trying to think of something to say but can’t get the words out of her mouth fast enough. “I think we were all just surprised at how different you’ve been lately and then to come out with that…”

I frown. “Different?”

“Not in a bad way,” Colton replies. “Just feisty. You don’t usually talk back to Mick, and you have been lately so we thought it was odd. But not bad.”

“Huh.” I suppose I have been a bit rude to Mick lately, but none of my feistiness is unnecessary, I don’t think. Mick’s deserved it all those times. “I didn’t mean to hurt you guys’ feelings, you know that yeah?”

James nods. “We’re sorry.” He blinks his dark eyes at me and flutters them wildly, making me laugh. “Forgive us?”

Colton and Georgia press their hands together in a praying motion and blink their eyes at me. “Please?” They beg.

I roll my eyes. “You guys are such dorks.”

“Yeah, but we’re your dorks,” James says with affection in his voice and I can’t help but agree with him.