Where the Wind Takes Us

Later in the day, I sneak past my parents’ room, assuming they’re asleep. Holding a pair of sandals in one hand and my bag in the other, I tread quietly downstairs, only to be stopped by mum.

“Where are you going?” She’s dressed in one of her usual church outfits. Ah, fuck. This is what I was hoping to avoid.

“Not to church?” I reply, scrunching up my nose. “Mum, I don’t appreciate it when you try to force your religious beliefs onto me.”

Mum tsks and shakes her head. “You’re my child, so I can do whatever I like.”

I frown. “And?”

“Don’t talk back to me,” she snaps, and I fight the urge to roll my eyes. I am so not in the mood to hear her shit right now. “Get back upstairs and change into something more appropriate.”

“No.” I shake my head defiantly. “I’m an atheist mum, I’ve told you this multiple times before and I’m not going to change what I believe in to suit your needs.” Now I’m really annoyed. “I’m going out, don’t know when I’ll be back.”

“Natalie,” she starts, but I ignore her as I walk out of the house and slam the door.



“My lovely platypus.” James holds his arms open in a grand gesture. “So kind of you to stop by.”

I roll my eyes at James’ outlandishness, dodge his open arms and let myself inside his house. It’s smaller than Colton’s or mine but it has the strongest homey vibe out of all of us. His family is really close and his mum, Jackie, has a shit ton of pics of James and his younger brother Joe, around the house. The family has a thing with the letter J.

“Mum!” James hollers. “Nat’s here! We’re going to my room to have lots of sex!”

My mouth drops open and almost immediately I smack James on the arm. “James!”

“Bullshit,” Joe snorts, walking into the foyer. “Nat’s way too pretty for your ugly ass.”

“Bitch please,” James shoots back and before I know it, James has him in a grip and Joe is trying to kick himself away to no avail.

“Boys!” Jackie yells, and immediately James and Joe stop, even though Joe is being held in the air by James in a weird wrestling hold I’ve seen on WWE once or twice before.

“’Sup mother,” James and Joe say at the same time.

All Jackie has to do is put her hands on her hips and with a sheepish look on his face, James sets his younger brother down and apologises. Joe shuffles his feet and says sorry back and with that, James leads me upstairs.

“Damn, your mum has you whipped,” I say with a large grin on my face. “Who knew you were so soft?”

James turns around mid-walking up the stairs to glare at me. I can’t take him seriously after seeing the obvious whiplash Jackie gave him. “Shut up, Fader.”

I giggle.

When we reach James’ room, it is no surprise that it’s undeniably messy. Clothes are strewn across the floor and God knows what else. Must be a boy thing.

“Set up wherever,” James waves his hand lazily and jumps onto his bed, lying down while I sit myself down at the end of his bed opposite him. My drawing pad is in my lap which isn’t the most comfortable position, but it’ll have to do. “Is this an artistic drawing or will my dick be on full display?”

My mouth falls open at James’ lewdness. “James! You’re disgusting. It’s not going to be like that and you know it.”

James chuckles. “What is the main idea behind your folio then?”

The folio was for my studio art class. It was going to be a collection of portraits of the people I considered most important in my life, which were my friends, parents and now, I was beginning to consider Josh. Thinking on recent events, I wasn’t sure whether to include him or not, but I had time before I had to hand in my folio.

“I’m focusing on drawing portraits of the most important people in my life but stylising them each in a different way that represents who they are.”

“Huh?”

I chuckle. “For example, people see you as a tough guy – and you are, don’t get me wrong – but you’re also a softie, so I’d draw you with solid lines and then use soft colours to colour you in. Do you get what I mean?”

James nods in understanding. “If you don’t get into that Melbourne school, they’re gonna miss out hardcore.”

I smile. “Thanks, Markinson.”

“Stop getting soppy on me and get to work, Fader.”



While I draw, James asks me how Josh and I are going. I’m not ready to talk about what happened with Josh or Mick or any of the drama that happened the night before. I’ve decided that it’s best to stay away from Josh so I don’t hurt his feelings any more that I already have. I plan on ignoring Mick because of what happened. I can’t even deal with him right now.

I tell Mick we’re not talking and thankfully James takes the hint not to ask any more questions. After that, he falls quiet and lets me sketch an outline of him in peace. There’s something about the drawing that doesn’t feel right, like there should be something more I’m adding to James’ portrait. I see James as a tough guy, but I think that him standing alone isn’t enough for his portrait. It’s not authentic.

“Change of plans,” I announce. I grab the easel and climb off James’ bed. “We’re going downstairs.”

“What’s the changes?” James asks, but I ignore him until we both reach downstairs, where Joe’s watching TV with Jackie. When I explain my studio art folio to Jackie, she loves the idea and both are willing to pose with James. James is a tough guy, but he’s a softie at heart and it’s clear he would do anything for his family.

“What’s my best angle?” Joe asks me, sticking out his tongue and swinging a hip to one side.

“Shall I do the classic peace and pout pose?” James pipes up, earning him a chuckle from his mother.

I roll my eyes at the Markinson brothers and resist the urge to laugh. “No, you idiots, just look natural. Watch TV or be idiots or something.” Another idea pops into my head. “Okay, you guys be your natural idiotic selves and I’ll take a photo.”

James plops himself between Jackie and Joe and places an arm around their shoulders. “Like this?” He asks with a stupid cheesy grin on his face.

“Please,” Joe snorts. He shakes off James’ arms and dives into his mother’s lap, his head resting on her thighs and his legs on James’ lap. In response, James pushes Joe off him with Joe crying out “Hey!”

In the midst of this, I’ve taken a photo of the hilarity of Joe and James squabbling and Jackie trying to be angry at her sons but ultimately, failing as she laughs along with them. You can see the love in her eyes that she has for her sons. A part of me feels sad that I don’t have that with my parents, but I manage to push the feeling away and focus on the one in front of me.

At least they’re happy.