by Leigh Hutton
She’d expected Surfer’s Paradise to be one of the most exciting places she could ever visit, and Tully knew by the sight of ‘the strip’ that she wouldn’t be disappointed. A fluorescent glow seemed to flow from building to building, illuminating the whole town, all the way out to sea.
The strip was lined with the biggest hotels Tully had ever seen; bars, pubs, and shops created a carnival of fluoro signs blinking out their message of deals and features to be found within. The sidewalks were packed with a crowd of people ranging from families of tourists and packs of muscly, tattooed guys to girls in the tiniest of skirts tottering along on the tallest of heels.
Pimped up cars a-plenty rolled along the streets, stereos pumping. Sirens blared and cameras flashed. It was a crazy sight, and Tully’s eyes drank it all in, her window down, trying to remember to keep her mouth from gaping open.
Brandon typed the address into his phone, swore at it when he missed their turn. Tully was turning to ask which street they were looking for when the crowd on the sidewalk cleared and a young girl walking alone caught her eye. Dressed in pink boardies, a polo shirt, and bare feet, she couldn’t have been any older than ten. She walked along the front of a chicken shop, where she waved to an older girl working the till who had a black and purple mowhawk and piercings and tattoos covering her face, neck and arms. Tully’s eyebrows knitted briefly as she observed this tiny girl, wearing a pink backpack to match her boardies with a massive surfboard bigger than she was strapped to her back.
The traffic in front of them stopped. Brandon braked, still cursing at his phone and Tam was still heckling him from the back. Tully couldn’t tear her eyes from this little Surf Girl with the big board, strutting down the strip all by herself. Incredible, she thought. I hope she’s safe . . . Just then, the girl turned, caught Tully staring and winked.
Tully was struck with wonder by the girl’s eyes: the same bright, ocean blue as her own.
What a cool kid . . . she thought, craning her neck as they got moving again, watching the girl disappear down Caville Avenue, headed for the beach.
Tully laughed inwardly, replaying the image in her head of the tiny girl with her massive surfboard. She was still in a daze when Brandon pulled up in the shadow of the tallest building ever. Looked up to an endless wall of glass and windows, and was suddenly overcome with a strong sense of being out of place – aware just how far she was from the wide-open paddocks and the green mountains of home.
Thankfully the excitement, and the image of the brave little girl venturing forth all alone into this scary, thrilling, terrifying place, helped Tully find her feet again. That, and the fact that Tam and Brandon seemed right at home.
‘Your mum will cover for us if Dad decides to ring her, right, Tam?’ Tully whispered as Brandon parked the ute along the street near Q1. ‘You did remember to tell her to say “I was driving them”?’
‘For sure,’ Tam laughed, chucking Tully her bag. ‘She writes me doctor’s notes all the time.’
Not quite the same thing, Tully thought, the swell of uneasiness, bordering on panic, surging within her.
‘We’re here—’ Brandon swung around, grinning— ‘Welcome to the Vegas of OZ!’
‘Wow . . .’ Tully sucked in a breath and looked up, down the street a short distance to where her eyes met the beach fringing that powder blue ocean. ‘This place is amazing.’
‘You bet it is,’ Tam said, hopping out, then popping her head back into the cab of the ute. ‘C’mon, then! Let’s go find this party.’
Tully fumbled for the invite Fia had emailed her, with the little silver horses galloping around the page. The address was a unit on one of the upper floors of this, the country’s tallest building, one of the tallest residential buildings in the world. Q1 was a structure of staggering proportions even from the ground, with a rising spear on its peak, cloaking its height in the soft white clouds.
Anxiety knotted in Tully’s stomach as she followed Tam and Brandon across the lobby, bundled into the lift. Brandon grinned and stabbed at the number. The lift rose and rose . . . Tully’s legs started to give way. Maybe I shouldn’t look out the windows up here . . . She thought, clutching onto the cold metal handrails of the lift. She’d never been in a skyscraper before and wondered if she’d find out she had a fear of heights.
As they entered Fia’s unit, however, the staggering distance they were from the ground was the furthest thought from Tully’s mind. It was the classiest place Tully could ever imagine. Soft light gleamed on the black shiny floors covered in fluffy white rugs, and glinted through the crystal chandeliers. The furniture was uniformly white, and a crisp white wash covered the walls, on which bright artwork in every colour of the rainbow was hung, including a stunning mural of running horses across an entire side of the apartment.
Tully breathed in the cool air-con, exchanging excited glances with her companions before going in search of the host.
They found Fia, clad in a figure-hugging black gown, out on the balcony – which, much to Tully’s relief, was enclosed with windows, obviously to keep people from falling off at this height. Fia wielded a handful of champagne flutes over-flowing with bubbly and topped with strawberries, and was chatting with Shannon the farrier and a man Tully knew to be another of her father’s nemeses, Cameron Macintosh. Fia raised an eyebrow at Brandon, then shrugged at Tully, grinned, and made the introductions, before sweeping the group off to the bar to get mocktails and plates of prawns with avocado, fresh sourdough bread and an assortment of fruit and cheeses.
In no time at all the place was swamped with people and when a group of footy players hoisted Tully onto their shoulders and ran her around the room like they were trying to score a try, Tully wondered if her father’s suspicions were well grounded. The footy guys seemed harmless enough to her, though, as they pecked her on the cheek and returned to their girlfriends, who were laughing and smiling from one of the low leather lounges like it was all a great joke.
Tully smoothed her hair into place as she watched Brandon pound fists with one of the players, whom he later explained was a mate from his private school up in Brisbane. She left them to it, joining Tam back at the nibblies table. No matter where she went in the room, whenever she looked up, Brandon’s eyes met hers.
Music started up and with every song Brandon seemed to move closer, working his way back to Tully as Fia introduced her around the party. A group of diamond-encrusted ladies of a certain age, who Tully assumed were Fia’s girlfriends, gushed ‘how young’ she was, but seemed super friendly, kissing Tully on both cheeks and wishing her ‘the best ever sweet sixteen’. Presents piled up on a table in the corner, next to a towering, four-tiered silver cake. Mr. Barnes said hello and Tully loved hearing about his horses and telling him about Wheeler and Dahlia’s love affair – which he seemed to find quite amusing. One jockey named Glen Simmons had a boyish face and seemed sweet, quizzing Tully about Dahlia and her riding style. Another, less pleasant, with shifty eyes and strong cologne, leaned in too close, then whipped out his phone to key in her number. It was about then Brandon appeared through the crowd, smiling in mild amusement and sipping a drink.
His hand slipped into hers and Tully’s heart leapt – his warm, rough fingers tracing and exploring her skin. He pulled her into the curve of his body, his heat drawing her even closer. He stayed at her side as Fia introduced her to the last of the guests.
Tam, too, was a huge hit with the footy players and disappeared with the one Brandon had been talking to, who apparently was ‘kinda single’ – whatever that meant. Tully texted her to make sure she was okay, and she replied:
Amazing! Gone to beach with Heffo. He’s SO hot!! Xo
Tully: Be careful! And remember to be back by midnight.
They’d agreed on a curfew with Judy and would be staying in Fia’s spare room – Brandon on the lounge.
Tully’s heart raced, her mind whirled, her soul on fire – this had to be the best night ever. Her desire to get closer to Brandon ma
de her move with him as he pulled her outside, onto the balcony where fresh, salty air blew in through open windows, straight off the sea.
She gasped at the view, clinging on to Brandon. Her body was swaying, but Tully kept her eyes open. She felt a million miles up in the air, with just the vast, powerful sea stretching out in front of her towards infinity. The sun was setting across the ocean in crisp fuchsia and bold tangerine, the lights dimmed inside, music cranking.
Brandon pulled her into a hug, facing her out towards the forceful ocean. ‘Wanna head down to the beach?’ he said.
‘Sure.’ Tully grinned up at him, then spun from his arms, keeping hold of his hand as she drifted back into the room. ‘But we should really check on Tam.’
‘She’ll be right,’ he whispered, his lips tantalisingly close to the soft skin of her neck.
‘Ah . . . no, seriously—I’d like to find her. Please?’
‘’Kay.’ He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, shielding her as they forged a path through the crowd. Tully followed Brandon into the lift behind a few other couples, her eyes glued to his body all the way down to the lobby.
She found herself grinning as they walked hand in hand down to the beach, the salty smell of the ocean and the sound of the waves sweeping her up in a feverish excitement. She squealed and ran for the water as soon as her feet touched the sand, kicked off her thongs, not stopping until the cold shock of the surf had numbed her legs, lapping at the hem of her skirt.
Brandon picked up her shoes and watched as Tully kicked and danced in the break of the waves. Her heart was suddenly wild and free as the sea as she ran up to him, her hands finding his face. She traced a line across his jaw, down his neck, to the collar of his shirt.
He grabbed her hand, pulled her hard up against his chest, staring hungrily into her eyes. A strong wind gust blew her hair between them and she broke free, taking him by the hand and running down towards the main entrance of the beach. Tully crying out as she spotted Tam and Heffo making out in the sand, the yellow arches of the Caville Ave Maccas in the background.
‘Oi!’ Brandon yelled.
Tam’s head popped up, her cheeks going beetroot.
‘Come here,’ Tully said when they’d reached them, grabbing Tam’s hands to pull her up out of the sand.
‘Nice work, Heffo—’ Brandon burst with laughter, slapping his mate on the back— ‘C’mon, we were just goin’ for a walk.’
Heffo grabbed Tam, a hand on her waist and one slipping into her back pocket. She swatted it away, then held his hand as the group strolled down the sunset-drenched beach. They grabbed ice cream cones from a little place just up from huge white frame of the main entrance and settled down on the beach, listening to the darkening crash of the waves. Tully sank down in front of Brandon, licking hard on her strawberries and cream. He wrapped his strong arms around her, his warm cheek pressed against hers.
Tam and Heffo slouched low in the sand. Brandon turned his body, giving Tully some privacy. Her heart gained pace, her skin seemed to almost sizzle against his – her stomach suddenly too queasy to eat. Brandon’s masculine, earthy scent enveloped her, and her body responded, begging for more. Tully leaned back against him, looking up into his dark chocolate eyes.
Brandon brushed her forehead with his lips. He reached down, pushed a tendril of hair from Tully’s neck with a steady hand, then he kissed her there just beneath her ear. Her body shuddered, her back curling and arching into him, her lips parting – dry and thirsty for her first kiss.
A strong breeze swept in off the ocean with the force of the sea and the earth and the sky, pushing her even further into him. No longer could Tully resist – not the desire or the curiosity . . . or him. She reached up, her hand coiling around the back of his neck into his wavy, sandy hair. Her lips found his, so warm, so soft and sweet. The need and the urgency in them both galloped forward with every touch.
New Year’s fireworks erupted not long after Tully’s first kiss, and she was sure there’d never been one to equal it in the history of mankind.
Brandon was the one to hug her tightly, then pull away, steadying her with a firm look and a bite of his lip that said regret. Tully forced herself to breathe and snuggled there, in the heat and safety of Brandon’s arms until the sun was fully replaced by the moon and long, dark shadows enveloped them from the skyscrapers of Surfer’s. The ocean turned black, leaving just the swell and break of the waves white in the circus of lights erupting from the three kilometres of parties behind them.
‘Thank you for inviting me, Athens,’ Brandon said, stroking her hair. ‘I’ve been waiting for an invite to one of your birthday parties since I was five.’
Tully smiled, snuggling into his chest. ‘I’ve never even been in your front gates.’
‘No way.’ Brandon sat up, looked down into her face. ‘For real?’
‘I’ve always dreamed about how amazing it is, and I’ve seen it from a distance – like from the lookout we found the other day. . .’
Brandon’s dark eyes stayed locked with hers, searching, softening. He kissed her again, a gently lingering touch of lip to lip. His hands locked on her shoulders and pulled her in. The desire that swelled within Tully nearly split her in two.
‘I always knew you were cool,’ he said, kissing her cheek once, then again. ‘But I never thought you’d be so . . . perfectly awesome. Happy birthday, Tully. You deserve the best.’
The words hung in Tully’s brain, deconstructed down to individual letters out of disbelief, then strung themselves back together. Definitely more than just business, Tully thought, her stomach tightening.
Maybe I like Brandon Weston.
Maybe I like him a lot.
‘Thank you for the best night of my life,’ she said, cringing at her lameness, peering up for his reaction.
‘Oi, man—’ Heffo said, appearing in front of them. ‘Let’s get back, eh?’
Brandon’s eyes stayed deep in the moment with Tully, locked in the shared heat of their emotion until she was sure something like a cloud passed over his face and his eyes took on an even deeper, ebony tinge. He froze for a second, studying her face. Then his mate pulled him away, out of sight.
Tully’s body reeled and she forced a smile when Tam bounded up, waving her phone in Tully’s face. ‘I just got the best selfies with him,’ she said, already clicking on her Instagram app. ‘And his number! We’ll totally hook up again.’
Oh, Tam, Tully thought, looping an arm through her bestie’s. I hope so . . . Tully couldn’t tear her eyes from the silhouette of Brandon’s body as she and Tam followed the boys back down the beach to Fia’s unit.
18
Growing up is Hard To Do
Tully dreamed she’d spend the next morning cuddling with Brandon on the patio before having to head home. In reality, however, he was packed and ready to go, waking the girls with banging on their door at six am and remaining practically silent until they piled into the ute, discussing where to get breakfast.
They decided on the Macca’s drive-through, at Brandon’s suggestion, but Tully was too queasy to eat.
Half the Gold Coast seemed to be sleeping, the other half still partying as they drove through the bright streets of Surfer’s, heading out of town.
What was up with Brandon, Tully had no idea. Her mind laboured over and over the night before . . . Did I make a mistake? Did I upset him somehow?? But all she could remember was perfection all the way until the moment he was torn away from her. Tully wanted to be elated; after all, she’d had a sweet sixteen bash any girl would envy, an unforgettable night with a boy so many girls wanted, had experienced an incredible first kiss – or more like a dozen . . . the icing on the cake. But all of it had lost its lustre. The ‘morning after’ had dawned and Tully certainly was not feeling pretty.
Brandon held her hand for a bit on the way home, but wouldn’t get any closer. Tam chatted away about her thrilling night.
At least it’s filling the silence, Tully thought, her hea
rt twisting with pain and confusion.
‘Oh, I almost forgot,’ Brandon said, just after they’d driven back down through Canungra. He dug around in his centre console without taking his eyes off the road, fished out a white card. Tully was sure she spotted a glint of blue next to the card and Brandon kept his hand on the console for a few moments after shutting it, then reached for his black sunnies, slipped them over his eyes and handed her the envelope. ‘Sorry . . . it’s just a card. Lame I know.’
‘No worries,’ Tully said, tapping the card on her knee before slipping it into her bag. Tam didn’t notice – was consumed in giving a blow-by-blow account of the night to one of her rodeo girlfriends on her mobile. Tully let out a breath of relief when Brandon didn’t insist she open the card. There was no way she could – just getting back to Tam’s without bursting into tears was proving a serious challenge.
Tully’s face felt gross: dry and gritty. She flicked down her sun visor, hoping there’d be a mirror . . . Tully’s eyes widened with horror as she took in her reflection, and she shot Tam a narrowed glare in the back for not letting her know she looked like a vampire. But she stopped short when she got a good look at Tam – she had the same panda eyes where the leftover mascara from the night before had worn onto the skin around their eyes. Apparently not a big deal, but Tully felt dirty. She grabbed a tissue out of her bag, wet it with her tongue and spent a good deal of time rubbing the makeup off her face.
Tully’s pain trebled when Brandon gave her a stiff hug and cold peck on the cheek when he dropped them off. ‘Stay out of trouble, Athens.’ He cleared his throat, wouldn’t meet her eyes.
‘Yeah,’ she said. ‘Thanks again for the great night.’
Tully’s heart throbbed and cracked with the sting of his rejection as she watched his ute rev up and pull out of the drive. She hovered on Tam’s front verandah, watching Brandon’s ute disappearing down the road, her arms remaining wrapped around her body.