Where the Wind Takes Us

The excitement for tonight is too real.

I’m dressed in a tight, geometrical bodycon dress with cap sleeves and nude high pumps. I’ve dressed fairly modestly – more modest than girls my age. Or at least girls like Georgia. She’s a lot more daring than I am when it comes to dressing up, which includes a gorgeous baby pink playsuit with a deep v and white pointy heels.

We’ve put a random Spotify playlist to listen to as we get ready, with some of the girls in our year in our room as well. Frankie, someone who I sometimes sit with in math class, helps me apply winged eyeliner. I’m really bad at making it look perfect.

One of the best parts about this is that during dinner, Matt with the help of James didn’t even need to slip sleeping pills in Assface’s or Dalf’s drinks. Assface asked everyone if they had any Panadol and James gave him 2 pills that were ‘stronger than Panadol, but not enough to kill you’. Which I guess is comforting? There are some people who didn’t feel like clubbing so they offered to stay in and check up on the teachers and give excuses to why a huge majority of us weren’t going to be in our rooms after lights out. Props to them for being awesome.

Next is photo time. Frankie takes a photo of G and I, hugging each other tightly. It's probably the cutest photo we have together, since our other photos consist of us sitting in lewd positions and being general asshats. There's one photo of me with my arms around some of the other year 12 girls, with the caption "me and my bitches", which I can't wait to put up on Facebook in the year 12 group, of course, and another photo with me posing in front of the hotel door because that has the best lighting, only for James, Mick and Colton to appear in the doorway with sheepish looks on their faces.

"My turn!" James exclaims, sliding an arm around my waist and blowing a kiss to the camera. "You can title this 'me and the bae'."

Mick snorts. "No chance." He slaps James' hand out of the way and slings an arm around my shoulder. "Take the photo Frankie."

"Say please," I chastise him. "Don't be rude."

"Sorry," Mick apologises. "Please?"

Frankie laughs but takes the photo as requested. There's a few of the boys and I making triangles at the camera, though this makes no sense but whatever. Colton and I take a photo together which is nice, because we aren't as close as I am to Mick or James. That doesn't mean I love him any less though. We're the type of friends that can sit in silence but still be there for each other. Sometimes it's nice to be with someone without having to talk constantly. I was a little surprised when Georgia told me she was initially interested in Colton, because he's completely opposite to her in so many ways. She's loud and in your face, whereas he's quiet and fairly introverted. I guess that's what makes them work well together though, because rather than their opposing personalities clashing, they complement each other. I know they rarely fight and if they do, it's about silly things like whether it's worth buying coffee in the morning or whether Georgia can be the dominant and Colton is the submissive.

You'd think Colton would be submissive in bed, but he surprised all of us when we found out that he dominates Georgia like no other. It was even more surprising when we found out that Georgia likes to be submissive.

The world is a strange place to live in.

When we're done taking photos, we manage to sneak past the teachers and pile into a few taxi vans that the boys pay for, with promises of paying them back via drinks.

The club is loud and pumping some rnb tunes. I'm excited to dance and have a good time but I kind of want to see Josh. I didn't really see him much at Wet'n'Wild, though he did compliment me in my bikini, where I probably blushed until the end of time. I look around for him and finally spot him talking to his friends.

"Miss Fader." Mick appears in front of me, extending his hand to mine. "Would you care to give me the first dance?"

"Are you drunk?"

"Do you want to dance or not?"

I giggle. "Sure."



It’s around 11.30 when I’m feeling like I need a breath of fresh air. I’ve danced with everyone multiple times, taken a shot of tequila and then immediately taken a drink of water after, taken a lot of silly photos, and now it’s time to take a breather. I’m with Mick when I inform him I need a breath of fresh air.

He frowns. “You’re going outside, alone?”

I smile. Even drunk, Mick is still protective as shit. “I just need some fresh air. I’ll be back in ten minutes, tops.”

“I’ll join her,” Josh offers, appearing by my side. I give him a surprised look. I haven’t seen him all night and I’ve missed him. I didn’t even think he was here.

Mick glances between us and nods solemnly. “I trust that you won’t kill Nat and toss her body in a dumpster.”

Josh looks at Mick oddly. “Are you drunk?”

Mick gives us a shit-eating grin. I’m betting because he is so drunk that he’s not caring too much about the fact that this might be the first time that him and Josh are well, speaking normally. “Shit faced.”

I can’t take this weirdness any longer. “Be back soon, Micky.”

“Wait,” he grabs my hand as Josh is leaving. “Be careful, okay?”

Now it’s my turn to give Mick an odd look. “I trust that he’s not going to toss my body in a dumpster, Mick.”

“No no,” Mick shakes his head. “Be careful with your feelings. Your heart. Your soul. I know that Josh and I like, don’t speak and shit, but I do know he’s a good guy, and like, he’s not going to hurt you.”

I’m still confused. “I don’t think he’s going to hurt me?”

“Exactly. He won’t,” Mick affirms. “I think you should go for it. He likes you, I can tell you like him and even though I tried to keep you guys away, the chemistry is like, too real.”

I’ve noticed when Mick speaks he sounds like a fifteen year old girl, but I try to push those thoughts aside and focus on what he’s saying.

“Uh, thanks Mick,” I say, flustered. “I’m gonna go meet up with Josh.”

“Good luck!” He gives me a hug and flounders off.



I see Josh walking on the beach alone, and I run to catch him, making sure to take off my heels because there is no way I’m dragging them through sand.

“Sorry,” I say breathlessly. “Mick was giving me some weird talk. I didn’t understand half of it.”

Josh smiles. He’s looking really good in chinos and a dark shirt. I wish he was wearing a backwards cap. They look pretty hot on him. “Oh yeah? What was he saying?”

I’m about to tell him what he said when I remember exactly what Mick said, about Josh liking me and even weirder, me liking him.

“Chemistry,” I blurt out.

Nat, how the hell are you going to explain yourself?

Josh looks amused. “Chemistry? In class or between us?”

My face heats up. “You heard the conversation?”

He chuckles. “Part of it. You don’t think there’s any chemistry between us? No matter how much you try to deny it?”

I open my mouth to respond and then close it again. I don’t even know how to reply. Mick told me that Josh likes me and Georgia did too. And now it seems like Josh does as well and why is there a smile coming to my face? Why am I liking this?

“Before you reply,” Josh interrupts me. “I want to give you the other half of your present. But I’m not letting you avoid the question.”

I nod silently.

He reaches into his shirt pocket and hands me a small package. On the outside has a letter attached to it.

“You wrote me a letter?” I ask, touched.

He nods. “Read it later, though. I want you to see my present first.”

I tuck the note into my bra to the amusement of Josh and open the package. Inside is a charm, perfect for my charm bracelet I received from my parents, with what looks to be…an Oreo?

“I got it specially made,” Josh says, smirking. “Just so you remember that Oreos are better than Tim Tams. And also to make sure you didn’t forget about me when you’re in Melbourne.”

I look up at him, my heart swelling with emotion. Emotions that I’ve felt only with Josh. “I could never forget you,” I tell him. “I couldn’t forget you ever.”

Josh smiles, and it’s at this time I remember how much I love his smile. Mick has a nice smile, sure, but it doesn’t compare to Josh’s. Josh’s smile lights up my heart. “So Natalie,” I love it when he says my full name. “You still think there’s no chemistry between us?”

I smile shyly. Why am I becoming shy? Why am I blushing?

Why am I asking myself so many questions when I know the answer to them and have been trying to deny it this whole time?

Natalie Fader, you are an actual idiot.

“Maybe you should give me a birthday kiss to make sure?” I say, only realising what I’ve said until after I said it. My eyes widen, though I have no intention of taking it back. Not even a little bit.

Josh’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise, but I can tell he wasn’t expecting that to come out of my mouth. “What time do you turn 18?”

I check my phone. “11.57. In a minute.”

Josh stops walking and turns to face me. I know what’s going to happen and I can feel every part of myself anticipating the next few moments. He grabs my waist and pulls me towards him with my hands flat on his chest. He looks at me with such intensity in his eyes that I can’t look away.

Not that I would ever want to.

“It’s now officially your birthday,” Josh whispers. “Happy birthday, Nat.”

And when Josh kisses me, it’s not the type of kiss that makes me realise I have feelings for him. It’s the type of kiss that makes me wonder why I ever fell for Mick in the first place, and why I didn’t fall for Josh sooner.