Free Nine Letters Long by J.C. Burke Page B

‘Shockers.’
    â€˜Yeah, I heard Roxy went,’ Evie adds.
    Poppy groans again.
    Seb laughs. ‘Roxy rocket mouth,’ he says. ‘She can talk almost as much as Alex.’
    â€˜Yeah,’ Poppy nods. ‘She did not shut up.’
    â€˜Oh.’ Evie feigns disinterest. ‘I thought, um, you and Roxy got on really well.’
    â€˜Huh?’ Poppy looks up from the newspaper.
    â€˜Not you. I’m talking about you, Seb. You and Roxy.’
    â€˜Man, I get cauliflower ears after two minutes with that chick.’ He looks at Evie. ‘I prefer the quiet, distant types. The ones that don’t talk – enough.’
    Evie’s cheeks burn.
    â€˜Got it!’ Poppy calls. ‘It’s “tendonitis”. These are fun, Seb. Let’s do this one.’
    â€˜Seb, you know Zac Arcos?’ Evie begins.
    â€˜Duh.’ He doesn’t look up from the anagram he’s working on.
    â€˜I mean, I know you know him, but Arcos is a Romanian name, right?’
    â€˜S’pose.’
    â€˜Are they, like, really traditional? Do they speak Romanian at home and stuff?’
    â€˜A bit.’ He looks up frowning. ‘Why? You thinking of taking lessons?’
    â€˜Just wondering.’
    Seb raises his eyebrows. ‘Yeah?’
    â€˜Well, I was.’
    Seb stands up. ‘Shove over; my stop.’ He squeezes out of the seat. ‘You on the bus this arvo, Evie?’
    â€˜I’ve got a late art tute.’
    Seb files down the aisle with the other Wolsley boys. He stands the tallest. Evie notices the broadness of his shoulders and his long square fingers gripping the strap of his bag. He turns around and sees she’s watching him. He smiles, and for the second time that morning Evie feels her skin burn.
    â€˜Yahoo,’ Poppy squeals. ‘I am the greatest.’
    Evie peers down at the newspaper. ‘You got it?’
    â€˜Yep.’ Poppy points to the letters. ‘WOEBL NSNTIE. Tennis elbow. See?’
    â€˜Did you think Roxy was trying it on with Seb the other night?’ Evie asks.
    â€˜She may have been but Seb sure wasn’t interested. Why? Did Alex tell you that?’
    â€˜Kind of.’
    â€˜That girl has completely lost it.’ Poppy shakes her head. ‘Roxy and Seb? I don’t think so.’
    Evie shrugs.
    â€˜He’s only ever had eyes for you, Evie. I mean, Roxy – please!’ Poppy pretends to stick her finger down her throat. ‘Her older sister, Dana, is the receptionist at – wait for it – the Penis Abuser. Can you believe it?’
    Evie sits up straight. She can’t believe it.
    â€˜I mean, how long have we taken the piss out of that place?’ Poppy keeps talking. ‘And here’s Al on Saturday night acting all serious and interested as Roxy crapped on and on about how fantastic it is and how she’s thinking of enrolling to do a deportment course.’ Again, Poppy pretends to gag on her fingers. ‘God, I wished you’d been there. I nearly wet my pants. I mean, who seriously would even …’
    Evie’s hand grips at her fingers, tight, till they are almost purple. Roxy, Dana, the Penis Abuser? How is she supposedto read this? Is it all just a coincidence? What’s real, what’s true, what’s not? Evie doesn’t know.
    Â 
    â€˜I’m off to the Glebe markets,’ Evie lies to her parents on Saturday morning. ‘I haven’t been there since … Adelaide.’
    â€˜So …’ Her father’s Adam’s apple bobs as he gulps. Her mother busies herself with the dishwasher. ‘So, who are you going with, darling?’ he asks.
    â€˜No one.’
    â€˜You okay?’
    â€˜Yes, Dad.’
    â€˜Just checking.’
    Evie wears a straight-legged pair of jeans with a short diagonal striped dress belted at the hips with a leather sash. All new. She doesn’t need further complications in her