Everything Left Unsaid Read Online Free Page B

against the sand while she giggles and tries to push me off. I lean in, put my mouth right against her ear, so close my cheek brushes against hers, and whisper, ‘Do that again, and I’m sticking a dead jellyfish down your shirt.’
    She laughs, wrenches one of her sandy hands free, and slides it straight back under my shirt. ‘Off you go and find one, then,’ she says, and I turn, ever so slightly, to kiss her.
    On the walk home I let her wear my beanie because she’s cold, and she pulls a face when she puts it on, yanking it straight back off. ‘It’s full of sand, Tai.’
    ‘So are my undies, but you don’t hear me complaining.’
    ‘Ew.’ She runs her fingers through her hair, shaking out some of the sand.
    I think about offering to let her inspect them in case she thinks I’m lying, but decide to keep my mouth shut. My little brothers would probably think it was funny, but Juliet . . . yeah, maybe not. Besides, there’s only one reason I want her hands near my undies, and it’s not to look for sand. Stop it, Tai, my brain instructs. You’re on a high from kissing her, sure, but don’t start thinking about her hands there, don’t let your imagination—
    ‘Tai?’ Juliet’s looking at me oddly. ‘We walked past your place three houses ago.’ She points to the light spilling out from our windows onto the street.
    ‘Oops. I’d better go. See you tomorrow?’
    ‘Tomorrow.’

 
     
     
Juliet
    The next day at school Tai holds my hand, and the girls gleefully sing songs about us k-i-s-s-i-n-g . Gen’s only singing half-heartedly, though, and as we walk to class I ask her what’s wrong.
    Her lips tighten. ‘Yesterday, after school, my olds sat me down, and they’re like, Gen, we love you . . .’
    I can guess what’s coming next. ‘But we hate each other?’
    ‘Exactly. Divorce. They’re pretending to be civil when I’m in the room, and fighting as soon as I’m not. Over who gets the lounge suite. Fuck. Who cares? And they’re even fighting over who gets me! Genevieve, if you live with me you’ll have your own bathroom. If you pick me, I’ll let you stay out all night. If you pick me, I’ll buy you a fucking pony.’ Her voice is sarcastic but I can hear how close to tears she is.
    As we enter the classroom our teacher gives us a disapproving look. ‘Ladies, you’re late.’
    When he looks away I nudge Gen and mouth, ‘Get the pony.’
    Poor Gen. At least both her parents want her. Dad might’ve left Mum, but he also left me, and that’s not the kind of thing you forget. He had this midlife crisis when I was ten, deciding he needed to wax his chest and buy a new car and move in with twenty-something Tina. Every couple of months he insists I go and stay overnight, but we’re all secretly relieved when the visit is over.
    • • •
    I find Tai waiting for me after the last bell and we catch the bus together.
    ‘Come over to my house?’ he asks.
    ‘Sure,’ I say, and he leans over to kiss me, but instead has a coughing fit.
    ‘Yuck!’ I push him away. ‘I thought we’d found a nicer way of germ-sharing.’
    He grins. ‘Funny, Juliet.’
    The second we walk through the door Mia pounces, a little green vial in her hand.
    ‘I saw my naturopath about your cough today,’ she says, instead of hello.
    Tai groans. ‘No, Mum.’
    She holds out the vial as if he hasn’t spoken. ‘Directions are on the label,’ she says cheerfully. ‘Put it somewhere that your brothers won’t get to it.’
    ‘As if, Mum – you couldn’t pay them to drink it. Hey, shouldn’t I get a bribe or something for taking this stuff?’
    ‘Nice try. Don’t you two have an assignment to do?’
    We nod, and escape to Tai’s room.
    ‘I’m not taking it. I’m so not taking it.’ Tai looks at the little vial he’s put on his desk and pulls a face of disgust. ‘It tastes like . . . you know, I can’t even think of anything that tastes that bad. Not happening.’
    ‘You’re such a drama