Where the Wind Takes Us

As it’s been a month since the gang’s monthly pizza nights, and the weather is especially nice tonight – as in, the usual 33 degrees Celsius on a Friday – we decide to move the night over to Georgia’s. Her family’s quite well off; they own a slab of area in a nearby neighbourhood where people rent houses on, so she has a two story house with a nice pool and a jacuzzi in the back. While Georgia and her family are pretty rich, they like to stay grounded by going on monthly camping trips that last a weekend or so. Georgia would’ve joined her younger brothers Tony (16) and Phillip (12), but since we’ve got exams coming up in the next month, her parents allowed her to stay home and study.

Or in Georgia’s case, pig out on pizza, beer and take advantage of the hot weather by jumping into the pool. I’m grateful for this, because not only are we having pizza, but I can wear my cute new bikini I bought about a month ago.

“Excuse me.” James picks me up and whirls me around, placing me gently on the fold out chair next to Georgia, who’s clad in a bright orange bikini and a pair of sunnies. “Thank you.”

I snort. “Dork.” Only James would pick me up if I was in his way. Colton would politely say “excuse me” and Mick would barge right through.

“Where’s Mick?” I ask Georgia. She shrugs, taking off her sunnies to look at me.

“No idea. He said he was coming in half an hour or something I think?”

“Ah.” For a moment, I watch James and Colton jumping into the pool, having a competition between them to see who can jump the most creatively. Colton’s got James beat with a divers like jump that has left little splash, but with James’ belly flop (Georgia and I both wince at the sound) Colton hands over the diving champion to James.

“Are you guys coming in or what?” James hollers. Georgia and I are tanning in our bikinis, and while I do plan on getting into the water at some point, now is not the time. I’d like to have some sort of tan before going to the Gold Coast next week.

“No,” I shout back. “I’m pale.”

James mutters something incomprehensible and before I know it, he’s walking towards me, dripping wet. Judging by the cheeky grin on his face that says ‘I’m James Markinson and I can get away with anything’, I know what he’s going to do and I don’t particularly feel like being thrown into the pool with my body pressed against James’ awkwardly.

“Nuh uh,” I tell him, standing up abruptly. “I’ll get into the pool on my own terms.”

James grins and nods his head towards G. “How about you, G?”

“Fuck off,” she mutters.

James and I exchange a glance. Do it, I mouth, and he gives me a grin before picking up a squealing and kicking Georgia and tossing her into the pool as though she’s as light as a feather.

The thing is, when Georgia tans, she likes to loosen her bikini top straps so she doesn’t have such a tight tan line across her back, so when she lands into the pool, Georgia is holding her boobs and her bikini bra is strewn against James’ shoulder.

He sends Colton a sheepish look. “Woops.”

Colton looks like he’s about to burst into laughter, but seeing Georgia’s annoyance, he swims over to her and guards her protectively. “Could I have G’s top?” He asks James, who tosses it over to Colton quickly, feeling embarrassed with himself.

“You know,” I say slyly, putting a hand on James’ back. “I’m sure G enjoyed flashing you. You know how she is.”

“That’s not what I feel guilty about,” James whispers. “I felt her tit flap against my skin!”

I burst out into laughter. “Hey, Colton?” He looks at me while G fixes her bikini. “James feels guilty because he felt G’s boob against his skin.”

James growls, but instead of replying, he picks me up suddenly and throws me into the pool. He then jumps in after me, laughing at my annoyed expression.

“You suck,” I tell him, my arms crossed, but I’m not angry. Not really. I was pretty mean to him, after all.

James pouts. “You’re always so mean to me.”

I roll my eyes. “Yeah, because you’re a ray of sunshine in my life.”

James wraps an arm around my waist. “Of course I am,” he says with a shit-eating grin. “It’s okay Nat, I know I’m your favourite. Just like I know that you’re mine.”

I look up at him, a sudden wave of affection for James rolls over me. “I’m your favourite?”

“Shut up,” James threatens, placing a hand over my mouth. He’s smiling, though, so I know he’s not trying to be mean or whatever. “You don’t want Colton to get upset, do you?”

I giggle, holding out my pinky to him. “Won’t say a word.”

He nods solemnly as we link pinkies. “Done.”

“So!” Georgia appears from behind Colton, having not heard our exchange. “Who’s up for a round of chicken?”

James and I exchange a look before smirking. “Bring it on.”


It’s about eight thirty and Mick still hasn’t rocked up, so we decide to order pizza and eat whatever junk we can find in Georgia’s pantry. This consists of Tim-Tams, Vegemite sandwiches (I find them disgusting. Colton lives off this stuff and I don’t understand how), and an array of fruit juices that Georgia and her siblings like to drink. They can never agree on anything.

“Try this.” James hands me a Tim-Tam dipped in what smells like orange juice. “I swear it’s really good.”

“I swear you’re just talking shit,” I say sceptically but taste it anyways, and just as I suspect, it’s gross. I scrunch up my nose in disgust. “Ugh, James. This is feral.”

James chuckles. “I know.”

I glare at him, and he responds by wrapping an arm around my shoulders and rubbing his hand against my wet hair. “James! I’m not a fucking dog!”

“I beg to differ,” he mutters. I elbow him in the stomach in response.

“Ow!” He yelps. “Nat!”

“You called me a bitch!”

He stops rubbing his stomach, a look of realisation taking over his handsome features. “Oh yeah.”

I smile sarcastically at him. “You’re forgiven.”

“No you’re not,” Georgia says, interrupting our conversation as she opens a glass bottle of beer. “Want one?”

James and I take a bottle from the pack that’s sitting on the kitchen counter. Colton is one of those lightweight types, so he’s being the ‘responsible’ one tonight. As in, he’s always the responsible one and never really gets loose. Except on his birthday. Or with G. That’s what I like about Georgia and Colton’s relationship though – Georgia loosens him up and Colton helps Georgia get her priorities in order. They’re a good balance, like yin and yang. Left and right. Pizza and beer.

“Ow!” I squeal when James suddenly whips me with his towel, hitting my bare skin. None of us have gotten changed into our pjs, since we plan on getting in the jacuzzi some time later. I figure there’s no point. “James!”

“What?” James says innocently, throwing his towel onto Georgia’s couch.

The front door opens and I’m staring at what I see, my eyes widening when I see the bruised figure appearing through Georgia’s door. I stand there, dumbfounded. “Mick?”

He looks up and connects eyes with me, giving me a nod. “Sup.”

“Mick!” I run over to him. He looks fine except for the fact that he’s limping and his nose is covered with blood (I hope it’s dried because ew), and there’s a purplish bruise on his cheek. “What the hell happened to you?”

“Nothing,” he says brusquely. “It’s nothing.”

“Fuck off mate,” James says, crossing his arms. “It is not nothing. Who’d you fight?”

“Who fought you?” Georgia asks, a hand on her hip.

James and I help Mick to the couch, where he lies down gingerly. Colton hands me a bag of frozen peas from the freezer and I hold it tenderly to Mick’s bruise. He winces, but accepts the pain.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Mick says softly. “Alright?”

Suddenly, a sick feeling falls over me, the type where you think you know what’s wrong but you don’t want to admit it and if you do it might be true. Dread, I think they call it.

“Mick,” I say slowly. “Did you get into a fight?”

He nods slowly, as though expecting what I’m about to say next.

“Did you get into a fight with Josh?”

The room is silent as he hesitates, and instantly I know what he’s done.

“Why?” I whisper, my voice cracking. “Why?”

“Nat,” Mick starts, trying to place a hand on my arm but I jerk away. I can’t believe this. I can’t believe Mick right now.

“How could you?” My voice breaks and I feel like I’m on the verge of crying, but I blink the tears away. Or at least, try to. “You hate on him because he likes boys? He likes girls too, you know. That is so fucking stupid, Mick. That is disgusting.” I pause in an attempt to recollect my thoughts. “You disgust me. Who are you?”

I don’t care that everyone’s staring at me like I’ve grown antlers or whatever, I’m just so hurt and angry that Mick would do something as stupid as fighting with Josh.

“Fuck you,” I spit out, and run out of Georgia’s house, tears streaming down my face.


It takes about ten minutes of me running to remember that I have no idea where I’m going, but then I remember that there’s a phone stuffed down my bikini, and more specifically, it’s my phone and perhaps I can look up what I need to.

For the year 12 cohort, the parents like to have a record of everyone’s addresses and phone numbers, and I thank the lucky stars I didn’t delete my copy of this information that I have saved in my email. I look up the address I need to, thank the lucky stars again that the address is only a few blocks away and set off running again.

It’s interesting how fast you can run while you’re pumped up on adrenaline, or when you’re dressed in only a bikini and you want to escape the whistlers and random men that pass by. Thank god for adrenaline.

I run all the way to the doorstep, where I pause to catch my breath before I knock on the door. I hear some laughter and noise outside, and I hope I’m not interrupting anything. That would be awkward.

After I knock on the door, I wait a minute or so before the door opens, where I’m greeted by the cutest hazel eyed boy I know but with a yellow-purplish bruise surrounding his right eye.

“Nat?” I can’t tell whether he’s surprised or amused, but I figure it’s both.

“Two things,” I say breathlessly. “Firstly, are you okay, and secondly, can I borrow a top or something? I ran all the way here but it’s starting to cool down and yeah.”

Josh smiles warmly at me. “Yeah,” he says softly. “Come in.”


Josh hands me a t-shirt and a pair of drawstring sweatpants, which I use to my advantage so they don’t fall off my ass. He leaves the room while I change, and also hands me a pair of thongs so I don’t ruin my feet any more. I don’t even want to think about the splinters I may have or the bugs I stepped on to come here.

I wish I could have seen Josh’s bedroom, but instead I’m stuck in the bathroom while I change. As suspected, Josh’s tee skims the bottom of my bum and the pants are long and loose, but by tightening the drawstring and rolling up the pants I manage to make the layout at least semi-cute. My hair’s dried up from the heat outside, although some strands seem damp but there’s nothing I can do about that. I slide my feet into Josh’s thongs that are at least two sizes too big for me and peer in the mirror, wondering if there’s any way I can spruce up my outfit to make it somewhat cute. There isn’t. I sigh and leave the bathroom.

“Well well,” an unfamiliar voice drawls.

“Who are you?” Another voice says. I look up, startled, only to find two handsome twins. They must be Josh’s brothers that he’s never mentioned before. Interesting.

They’re both blonde and look very similar, but one has a smarter appearance – even if he has a ponytail. The other blonde looks more relaxed than his brother, and definitely cuter. I have no idea whose voice is whose, though.

“Hi,” I say politely, sliding a hand into the back pocket of Josh’s pants. “I’m Nat.”

“Andrew,” the pony-tailed and first voice I heard earlier says. “That’s Max.”

“So you’re the infamous Nat,” Max says enthusiastically. “Josh talks so much about you!”

I raise an eyebrow, unable to keep a blush from appearing. “Oh yeah?”

Andrew nods. “He’ll kill us for saying anything, but –”

“I’ll kill you for what?” Josh asks, appearing between his twin brothers. “Sorry,” he apologises to me. “Were they being annoying again?”

“Again?” Max punches Josh’s shoulder lightly. “More like charming.”

“Handsome,” Andrew adds.

“Fabulous,” Max says, earning a giggle from me.

“C’mon Nat,” Josh interrupts. “Sorry that you had to be surrounded by commoners.”

“Commoners?” I hear Andrew yell as Josh and I walk down his stairs.

“I refuse to believe such nonsense!” Max feigns a gasp of outrage and I end up laughing, holding my stomach for support.

“Any other siblings I should know about?” I ask Josh as we walk outside onto his patio.

Josh shakes his head, chuckling. “Just Drew and Max. They’re twenty.”

“Any reason you didn’t tell me they existed?”

Josh stops walking and stands in front of me, looking at me intently. “Did you want me to tell you about them?”

“We’ve talked about our futures and personal stuff but you never talk about your family?” I shrug. “It’s not a big deal, I just thought you would’ve mentioned something.”

“You never talk about your family,” he points out, deflecting the situation.

I’m about to answer when my phone buzzes against my bikini top. Josh looks confused at where the sound is coming from until I pull it out of my bikini sheepishly.

Mick’s upset and he wants you, also are you at Josh’s and is he okay?? xx

I smile at her concern for Josh but frown when I see what Mick wants, because he’s not getting it, that’s for sure.

I think so, I text back. Gonna stay at Josh’s and find out what’s up. You do the same.

My phone buzzes again. Deal. Georgia texts. Best friend undercover spies activate!

“Is everything okay?” Josh questions, making me look up from my phone.

I nod. “Georgia wants to know where I am,” I explain. “I ran from her house to here.”

Josh raises both eyebrows. “You ran twenty blocks to get here?”

“I had to see whether you were okay,” I reply without hesitation, and not holding myself back, I reach out and gently touch Josh’s swollen cheek. He winces a bit, but doesn’t move. “I was worried about you.”

Without warning, Josh wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me to him, his arms securely around me. I look up at him in surprise, but suddenly I’m unable to as he presses his lips to my forehead. This inner warmth fills my insides and creeps down to the ends of my toes.

“I’m okay,” Josh whispers. “Thank you.”

When he pulls his lips away, he looks at me with such appreciation and affection that I think my knees are about to give way and fall to the floor if he doesn’t stop doing that right now.

“You’re going to tell me what happened,” I tell him, surprised that I’m not asking him but merely stating that he will tell me what went down. I think it’s time I know and I think Josh knows that he can’t hold this from me any longer.

He nods, hugging me again. “After dinner? We’re having a BBQ.”

I smile and nod against his shoulder. “Fine.”

Josh chuckles and pulls away. Damn. I was enjoying the warmth.

“Come meet my parents,” he suggests, taking my hand, and I let him, a smile stretching onto my face.

On the patio, there’s a decently sized wooden table filled with sausages and lamb and oh yes – chicken skewers, my favourite – and Josh’s dad sitting at the table, filling his plate with sausages, while Josh’s mother mixes a salad around.

“Dad, mum,” Josh calls the attention of his parents and almost immediately I pull my hand away from Josh’s. “This is Nat. Nat, this is Brad and Judy.”

I beam, wanting to make a good impression even though I’m dressed in Josh’s clothes. “Nice to meet you.”

“Why are you in Josh’s clothes?” Brad asks pointedly.

I blush, but answer his question anyways. “I ran here in my bathers and asked Josh for some clothes since I forgot mine.”

Josh takes a paper plate from the stack his mother has prepared. “What would you like?”

“One of everything,” I tell him. “I only had drinks at G’s. The pizza hadn’t come yet.”

“Why did you run here?” Brad asks. Judy smacks her husband on the back of the forehead instead of me responding.

“Stop being so rude,” she chastises. “Be glad Josh brought a girl home instead of a boy.”

I look at Josh, feeling an inner pang of sadness for him. I don’t know what it’s like to have parents that are unaccepting like I get the feeling Josh’s parents are, but I don’t say anything. He looks at me and sends an apologetic look, and suddenly I understand why Josh wants to move to Sydney. His brothers seem lovely, but his parents are kind of rude.

“Nat!” I turn around to see Andrew and Max galloping towards me. “You’re staying for dinner?”

I nod. “I’m starving, dude.”

“Here,” Josh hands me a plate of food and it takes all my energy to not devour the plate in a very unladylike manner. “Sit.”

I sit down at the table and wait for the rest of Josh’s family to serve their food, before we begin eating.


“Sorry about my folks,” Josh says later. We’re sitting on his rooftop and there’s a breeze in the air, but it’s nice and isn’t too windy or annoying. He glances at me out of the corner of his eye. “I didn’t think they’d be rude.”

I shrug. “Parents. What can you do?”

Instead of answering, Josh places an arm around my shoulder. I scoot closer to him and let him rest his head on my shoulder. It’s kind of cute, but I don’t say anything.

“So,” I start gently. “The eye. You. Mick. What happened?”

Josh pauses before answering. “Tonight or before tonight?”

“Both,” I decide. It’s now or never.

“I was in the park when Mick came to see me,” Josh explains. “He was pretty calm despite the usual pissed off look on his face. He told me to stay away from you because he’s threatened by us hanging out together.”

“Threatened?” I ask, startled. “Why would Mick be threatened?”

“Maybe because you’ve been pulling away from Mick to hang out with me?” Josh suggests lightly. “Maybe Mick thinks he’s losing you?”

I shake my head. “That’s crazy of Mick to think that. He’s my best friend, I couldn’t lose that knucklehead even if I tried.”

Josh chuckles, and then continues. “I asked him what made him think I was going to leave you alone, because I wasn’t going to do that,” he pauses, blushing a bit. “And then I brought up the fire thing and he got pissed, to the point where he punched me and I had to fight back, and that’s what happened.”

Confusion is an understatement to what I’m feeling right now. “The fire thing?”

“In eighth grade, I was living in this house with my uncle because in year seven I told my parents I was bi and they weren’t happy with it so I moved in with my uncle. He’s gay and dad’s still not over the fact that his brother is gay.”

“That’s so stupid!” I burst out, unable to keep it again. “Why are people so silly! Who cares what your preference is? It doesn’t even concern them!”

Josh takes his head from my shoulder and looks at me intently. “It is pretty stupid, huh?”

“Yeah!” Realising that I’ve now interrupted Josh, I apologise. “Sorry. Continue with the story.”

“My uncle was out buying dinner for us, so I was in this house all alone. It’s a shabby looking house and some people thought it was haunted or some shit for a while, I don’t know. Anyways, I was home alone when I heard these noises coming from downstairs, so I went to check what it was. The last thing I saw was Mick running out of the house and a fire too big for me to put out downstairs. I had to climb down from the bedroom window upstairs onto the tree to get out safely, but my uncle and I lost all of our shit. He eventually moved out of town and I had to go live back with my parents. I’ve never liked Mick for that, especially since he never apologised or did shit to help us out, but then he decided to be an asshole to me for being bi. I don’t know why Mick hates me so much, since I should hate him a lot more than I do.”

Tears prick the corner of my eyes. I rest my hand on his arm, not knowing what the hell to say or do right now. How can Mick do this? To think Mick could be capable of something so villainous disgusts me to the core.

“That’s okay,” I manage to say. “I’m beginning to hate him enough for the both of us.”

Josh laces his fingers through mine. “I’m sorry you had to find out like this. Especially about Mick.”

“I just can’t believe Mick would do something like that.” I look down at my hand, the one Josh isn’t holding. “You think you know someone, and then…and then you just don’t.”

“Nat.” With his other free hand, Josh lifts up my chin gently and turns it towards me. “Mick isn’t worth being upset or angry over. He’s not worth your time or your friendship or any part of you. He doesn’t deserve a friend like you, not by a long shot.”

I feel like I’m going to cry. Knowing what Mick’s done to Josh makes me want to cry my heart out and simultaneously punch him in the face several times over.

“What if he had seriously injured you?” My voice is beginning to sound hysterical, but I don’t care. “What if Mick had died? What if your uncle was in there as well and he died too?” A tear slips down my cheek. “I’m never going to forgive Mick for this. Not in a million years. But not before I punch him. Or something. He deserves it.” I sigh. “Good job on Mick’s face, by the way.”

Josh smiles and pulls me closer. “Do you mind if I change the subject?”

“What do you want to talk about?” I question.

“Us,” he responds.

“Us?” I pause. “I didn’t realise there was…an us?”

Josh chuckles. “There isn’t.” He gazes into my eyes intently. “But I’d like there to be.”

Well. There’s a change in subject I would never expect.

“I realise that my timing probably isn’t the best,” Josh continues. “But I can’t keep it to myself any longer. Nat, I really like you,” he pauses. “You’re unlike any girl I’ve ever met.”

I have no idea how to respond. Me? And Josh? I think Josh is gorgeous and funny and sweet and we get along super well. He understands me and doesn’t judge and gets along with Georgia, which is great. His brothers like me and his parents prefer me being with Josh than a boy, which I guess is a good thing. Colton and James don’t seem to have a problem with him but Mick does. But I don’t care about Mick’s opinion anymore.

So why don’t I feel the same way back?

“I should go,” I say quickly, pulling away from Josh and shuffling myself along the roof so I can get back inside the house from the upstairs window. “Get back to Georgia. She’s probably worried. Mick’s there too. Gonna go kick his ass, don’t worry. Colton and James must be worried too. Yep.”

I climb back into the house, well, into Josh’s room as his room is connected to the window that leads to the roof. I decide to leave Josh’s clothes on and the thongs, figuring I’ll return it to him at a later date. Or ask Colton to give the clothes back. Yeah. I’ll ask Colton.

“Nat,” Josh touches my shoulder, and I freeze. He sounds sad. “You’re not even going to talk to me?”

I shake my head. “Thanks for the clothes,” I mutter, pulling away from Josh, and don’t hesitate to run downstairs and away from Josh’s house as fast as I can.

It isn’t until I’m nearing Georgia’s house that I realise my face is damp with tears streaming down, with no intention of stopping any time soon.