Free Love-shy by Lili Wilkinson Page A

my occipital lobe.’
    There was a tap at the door.
    â€˜That’s weird,’ said Dad. ‘I didn’t hear the buzzer. I wonder if someone let him in downstairs.’
    â€˜Who cares ,’ said Josh. ‘I have never been so thankful to hear the courteous and melodious knock of the quesadilla man. Plumber! Fetch me my guacamole!’
    I heard Dad open the door, and distant voices.
    â€˜Penny,’ he yelled. ‘Someone to see you.’
    I felt a flicker of excitement. Was it Hamish? Had he had a crisis of conscience and come to tell me who PEZZ imist was?
    It was Rin. She stood shyly in the doorway, smiling at her shoes. Of course it wasn’t Hamish. He wouldn’t know where I lived. Nobody knew where I lived. Except Rin.
    â€˜Hi,’ I said. ‘Is everything okay?’
    â€˜Oh,’ said Rin. ‘Yeah, everything’s fine! I just wanted to give you this.’ She proffered a red box of Pocky. ‘I know you liked it the other day at lunch.’
    â€˜Thanks,’ I said, taking the Pocky. Rin flashed her shy grin. We stood there awkwardly for a moment.
    â€˜Penny?’ called Dad. ‘Is your friend coming in?’
    â€˜Um,’ I said. ‘Do you want to come in?’
    Rin beamed as if I’d offered her a million dollars, and ducked her head in a nod. I led her into the living room.
    â€˜This is my dad, Allen, and his boyfriend, Josh.’
    I quite liked introducing Josh as Dad’s boyfriend and seeing how people reacted. Rin didn’t bat an eyelid. She gave a little bow.
    â€˜I’m very pleased to meet you,’ she said. ‘My name is Rin Tamaki. I live in the apartment next door.’
    I poured Rin a glass of lemonade. Dad examined the Pocky box with interest, and Josh had to take it away to stop him sampling one.
    â€˜Not until after dinner,’ he said, sternly.
    Dad stuck his tongue out at Josh.
    â€˜So, Rin, are you going to help us with our jigsaw?’ asked Josh. ‘This one is a real find, worth forty points.’
    â€˜I don’t think Rin wants to join in your lame Friday-night debauchery,’ I said.
    Rin approached the table, and Josh explained the ugly puzzle scoring system. She giggled and snapped a piece of chimpanzee backpack into place. I felt a prickle of annoyance. Now I was going to have to join in on this jigsaw nonsense as well, to be polite. I thought longingly back to the days when it was just me and Dad and the Scrabble board.
    â€˜Tamaki,’ said Dad. ‘Is that Japanese?’
    Rin nodded. ‘My parents moved here in the ’80s.’
    â€˜I’ve never been to Japan,’ said Dad. ‘I’d love to, though.’
    â€˜I’ve never been there either,’ said Rin.
    â€˜I have,’ said Josh. ‘I went on a school exchange in Year Ten. It was awesome. Best food I ever had.’
    Rin beamed.
    The buzzer rang, and this time it was dinner.
    â€˜Have you eaten, Rin?’ asked Dad. ‘We ordered plenty.’
    â€˜Oh, no,’ said Rin. ‘I couldn’t. I can’t just turn up to your house and eat your food. I wasn’t even invited.’ She glanced at me.
    â€˜No,’ I said. ‘You should stay. We’re going to watch Back to the Future later.’
    â€˜And eat Pocky,’ said Dad, eyeing the red box.
    So Rin stayed. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had a friend over. I generally only socialised in groups – at parties and other organised events. I didn’t really hang out with anyone. Too much one-on-one small talk made me uncomfortable, and anyway, I was always busy with SRC and the paper and swimming and debating.
    I was surprised to learn that it was actually kind of fun. Even the puzzle.
    Rin didn’t seem embarrassed by Dad and Josh’s daggy Friday night antics, and she was pleasantly surprised with her quesadilla. Dad nearly cried when she said she’d never had Mexican food