Dessi's Romance by Goldie Alexander Page B

beer garden we found the first night. I
can’t help comparing Kaz and Jodie’s friendship with me and Dessi. I like the
part of Kaz that looks after Jodie like a big sister while Jodie expects Kaz to
take care of her if she gets into trouble. I see them as an emotional see-saw
that only levels out because of their difference. Just like Hannah and Julie.
Thankfully, the friendship I share with Dessi is far more equal, far more
adult.
    ‘Gotta get some action,’
says Kaz gazing around with calculating eyes.
    ‘Well,’ says
Jodie, ‘well if you got out of the unit, you might find there’s lots to do.’
Out all day, she came back looking secretive. Her plump face is swollen and red
and she can’t stop squirming. ‘We should go to Seaworld tomorrow,’ she adds.
‘Then there’s Dreamworld…’
    Kaz snorts.
‘All kid-stuff. I’d rather spend my cash on more clubbing. Wouldn’t you, Emma,
Sacha? All those clubs that need looking into…’
    ‘There is a club I’d like to check
out,’ Sacha butts in.
    Kaz’s eyebrows
shoot up. ‘Which one?’
    ‘It’s…it’s a gay
club,’ he says awkwardly.
    ‘Oooh, I don’t
think I want to go to one of them ,’ Jodie says. ‘Well, you can’t, can
you? Unless you’re gay, I mean.’
    ‘I wasn’t asking
you to come with me,’ he retorts. Right then Bodie and Jeff lope over to our
table. I settle back to listen to their rave about waves and the best places to
surf and promise myself to try capturing those huge green-blue waves carrying
cappuccino crests in watercolour.
    Next minute, Kaz
is on her feet. ‘C’mon Jode. Emma? Sacha?’
    ‘Uh, where are
we going?’ still wondering how to best capture those waves.
    ‘Driving down to
Tweed,’ Jeff says smoothly. ‘Got a party on. Wanna come?’ He somehow manages to
exclude Sacha. Angry for Sacha, I reach for his hand. ‘No. I don’t think so.
We’re going somewhere else.’
    ‘All right
then,’ Kaz snaps. ‘Let’s go Jodes. I’ve just spotted McKenna and his mates.’
    Jeff moves
closer. ‘Sure you don’t wanna come? We got plenty of gear.’
    Sacha grips my
hand even tighter. I say, ‘No, thanks,’ though the temptation is always there
to lose myself in another space, what with Abdul letting me down, meeting
Robert and Laura, and feeling so confused and angry...
    Jeff takes off
in a huff. Giggling and fooling around, the others follow.
    Sacha waits for
them to disappear. ‘Thanks, Emma,’ he says. ‘You’re a real mate.’
    An hour later
we’re back at the unit. While Sacha is in the bathroom I realise that I don’t
mind sharing with a guy if the guy is Sacha. On his return, he’s wearing
skinny black pants and a midnight blue satin shirt. ‘What do you think?’   
    My eyes pop.
‘Wow! Dazzling, Sacha. Absolutely stunning!’
    The midnight
blue shirt highlights his golden hair and turns his eyes dark blue. He strikes
a pose and smiles. He’s so handsome he reminds me of Michaelangelo’s beautiful
statue of David, only without the outsized hands. What do straight chicks wear
to gay clubs? I choose the new silver halter top, match it with loose scarlet
harem pants, silver strappy sandals, more bracelets and anklets and lots of
glittery make-up.
    Sacha kisses my
cheek. ‘You look…great.’
    Suddenly this
feels all wrong. ‘Look, Sacha, are you sure you want me to come with you? I
mean, I don’t…’
    ‘Oh, pul-eeease,
Emma,’ he groans. ‘You have to. I…I’ve never been to a gay place before.
I’m…nervous, you see.’
    But I’m edgy.
What if I’m the only straight person there? If only Dessi were with us I
wouldn’t feel this awkward. Confronted by too many questions in this last week
– such as Who am I? What am I? Can my problems with my father and
previous guys mean that I’m really gay? I ask, ‘This place we’re going to…is it
just guys?’
    He looks
uncertain. ‘I think so.’
    I panic. ‘Oh
Sacha, I don‘t want anyone coming on to me.’
    ‘It’ll be