Caught Inside

by Mandi Greenwood

  'A rip off is what it is,' said the man. He shoved the filthy hankie back into his pants and eyed her up and down. 'You're new here.'

  'Yes.'

  'Then you prob'ly don't know. I get a discount.'

  Neve sighed. 'But these sardines are already discounted, you see. I can't change the price. The computer won't let me.'

  The woman in the queue moved from one foot to the other and muttered something under her breath. Neve tried not to look at her. She could feel the blood rising in her cheeks. 'Do you want the sardines or not?' she begged. 'Because others are waiting.'

  'Do I care?' The unshaven man barked the words at her. He slapped a beefy hand down on the counter. 'Do I give a toss what a little cow like you thinks?'

  Neve could see Neville the supervisor approaching in her peripheral vision. Neville was a spotty youth of eighteen, not much older than her. He was full of himself, crazy with power and a creep to boot. He pranced up to her register and planted his hands on his hips.

  'What's going on here?' he demanded.

  'I was just explaining …' Neve began.

  Neville held up a hand to silence her and beamed at the unshaven customer with the horrible jumper. 'Sir?' he said. 'May I be of assistance? What seems to be the problem?'

  'This little bint,' said the man, jerking his thumb at Neve. 'She's trying to rip me off!'

  'The sardines are five fifty on special,' Neve tried again. 'I told him …'

  'Did I ask you?' Neville hissed at her. 'Shut it!' He smiled a pasty smile at the customer. 'Sorry sir,' he cooed. 'Five pounds for you, of course.'

  'Huh!' The man gave Neve a smug look. 'Told you I get a discount.'

  'But …' She tried once more.

  Neville glared at her. 'Don't argue!' he snapped. 'Just change the price.'

  'But I can't …'

  'My office!' Neville's pimply face was growing redder by the second. 'Now!' His "office" was the dusty alcove next to the broom cupboard.

  Neve glared at him.

  'Go!'

  She went, untying her tunic along the way. It was clear she was fired. She just hadn't heard the words yet. When the Sainsbury job had fallen through she'd been grateful to get this part-time one at a small independent grocer … any job was better than none, right? Wrong!

  Halfway to Neville's pitiful excuse for an office, Neve ripped off her cashier's tunic and shoved it angrily into a pile of carrots. No way was she going to hang around and be slowly sacked by a pimply faced turd who would have his eyes on her boobs the whole time! No way! Not again!

  Something else would come up. It had to. There had to be more purpose to life than this!

  She pulled the elastic band from her hair, letting it tumble to her waist. Then she grabbed her canvas shoulder bag from the tea room and marched towards the front doors with her head held high. She pushed through the queue at the checkout, deliberately knocking mohair jumper guy's stupid sardines to the floor as she passed by.

  'Hey!' he croaked.

  'Neve!' Neville yelled. 'You get back here this instant!'

  Neve kept walking. She could feel several sets of disapproving eyes burning into her back as she went and despite it all, she grinned.

  Somehow it got to be two in the morning.

  'The way I see it,' said Stewart. 'There can't not be no gods.' He was sprawled on a banana lounge in his still-damp suit, drinking creamy soda through a crazy straw.

  Chandra had been busy contemplating the night sky but now he blinked at Stewart, puzzling over his words. 'Gods?' he said finally. 'In the plural?'

  'Got a problem with that?'

  'As if!' Chandra flapped his hand. 'You grow up in a Hindu home, you've generally got the whole multiple gods thing down.'

  'Ahah!' Stewart nodded knowingly. 'See. My brother from Mumbai is embracing his faith.'

  'But I'm from Seamere.'

  'Whatever!'

  Archie butted in. 'There can't not be no gods makes no sense at all. What kind of crazy double negative is that? Where's your good grammar, Stewart?'

  'Since when were you my freakin' English teacher?' demanded Stewart, and they all cracked up laughing.

  'Eh, it's all crap anyway.' Drew was in a picnic chair with his feet propped up on the railing that ran along the edge of the deck.

  'What is?' Archie frowned at him. 'Grammar?'

  'No!' Drew snorted. 'Religion.'

  Archie's frown got deeper. 'Thirty million Chinese can't be wrong.'

  'What the hell does that mean?'

  'It means you're the one who's full of crap. Live and let live.'

  'Hey!' Drew let his feet drop to the ground as he sat up straight to glare at Archie. Archie just glared back and after a minute of this they both got bored and let it go.

  'Anyway,' murmured Lucan serenely from his banana lounge closest to the pool. 'I only believe in science.'

  'You would,' said Stewart, not unkindly.

  Lucan shrugged. 'Too many facts to be otherwise,' he said, spreading his hands.

  'Theories,' corrected Chandra.

  'In science, theories are facts, my friend.' Lucan smiled gently at him.

  They all lapsed into silence and Chandra went back to stargazing.

  'Is it just me,' Archie said suddenly. 'Or does it feel kinda' nice wearing wet clothes?'

  Chandra laughed. 'Believe me, it's just you,' he assured him.

  Archie spread his hands. 'I like the way my Vader suit is clinging like a glove to my boy bits.' Varied expressions of disgust shouted him down.

  Stewart scrambled out of his banana lounge and stood up, his wet gangster suit hanging limply on him. He pulled a face as he held his damp pants out from his skin with his fingertips.

  'Ew, gross,' he complained. 'Arch, if you honestly like how this feels, I'm worried about you, man.'

  Archie shrugged. 'So, I'm twisted,' he said. 'The ladies love it.'

  'Seriously doubt that,' Drew mumbled darkly. Archie didn't bite.

  Stewart headed for the door. 'I'm going to check in with Willa,' he said. 'Aisley said she's got a headache.'

  'What's the point of checking in with her then?' Drew grinned. 'If she's got a headache, you sure won't get any action.' He made a crude gesture with his fingers and Stewart barked a short laugh.

  'Get your mind out of the gutter.' He whacked Drew across the back of his head as he passed by.

  'Why?' Drew called after him. 'It's fun in the gutter!' Still grinning he glanced around to see Archie glaring darkly at him. 'Not that you'd know anything about that, hey Arch?'

  Archie ignored him. He got up, pulling at his wet clothes. 'I'm going snack-hunting,' he told Chandra and Lucan quite formally. 'I bid you farewell.'

  Stewart crept through the gloom of the bedroom. 'Willa?' he whispered. 'I can't see a thing. Ouch! Bugger!' He kicked his toe painfully against a bed leg. 'Where the hell are you?'

  'Over here.'

  Limping to the far corner he crouched down next to the bunk she was laying on. Now that he'd grown accustomed to the lack of light he could see her face. It was a pale oval in the dark room and he stroked her hair back from her brow. 'How are you feeling?'

  'A bit better.'

  'Oh, that's good.'

  'Why didn't you come before?'

  'How do you mean?'

  'I've been waiting ages for you,' she said. 'Didn't the others tell you I felt sick?'

  'Yeah, but I went in the spa.' He kept his tone light. 'Feel my shirt. I'm wet through.'

  She pinched the fabric of his shirt between her fingers. 'Okay.'

  He could make out her expression. She might be saying okay, but she wasn't thinking it was okay. 'Are you pissed at me?' he asked.

  'No.'

  'Yeah, you are.'

  'I just don't understand why you didn't come and see me first,' she said. 'Aren't I more important than having a spa?'

  'Okay.' He flapped his hands. 'Sorry.'

  'But aren't I?'

  'Aren't you what?' He wasn't
sure where she was going with this but all of a sudden he was fed up. It was hard to keep the impatience out of his tone.

  'More important than having a spa?'

  'Willa, come on …'

  She rolled away from him, turning her face to the wall. 'Obviously not, then.'

  Stewart slid to the floor, leaning against the side of the bed. 'I want to get off this ride,' he said suddenly.

  'What do you mean?'

  'This rollercoaster,' he said. 'It's making me feel sick.'

  'You mean us?'

  He nodded, and then remembered it was dark. 'Yeah,' he said.

  He felt the mattress dip as she sat up. 'But I don't get it,' she said. 'We're okay.' He didn't know how to answer and then she spoke again. 'Stewart? Are you breaking up with me?'

  'I guess I am.' He surprised himself. He hadn't known he was going to say that until the words came out.

  'You don't … you don't love me anymore?'

  'I do, but it's too late.'

  She shuffled wildly off the bed and onto the carpet beside him, seizing both of his hands ferociously. 'Please!' she hissed. He could hear the tears in her voice. 'Please don't. I can't believe…'

  He interrupted her quietly. 'You have to understand …'

  'Please!'

  'Don't cry.' He prized his hands from her death hold and leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. 'Be strong. We can't go on like this, babe. We're killing each other.'

  She shook her head violently. 'No. Don't …'

  'Willa, yes.' He clambered awkwardly to his feet, his damp clothes heavy and uncomfortable. He wanted to cry as well, but he wasn't going to. Not this time. 'I've never been brave enough to do this before,' he said. 'But now I have to be.'

  'Stewart…' She scrambled to her feet as well, clutching at his arm.

  'We'll always be good…'

  'Don't say friends! Don't you ever say that!'

  'It's true.'

  'I don't want to hear it!' She clamped both hands over her ears but he gently pulled them away.

  'Okay,' he said.

  'No! Nothing is okay!'

  'Willa …'

  She slapped him across the face, cutting his words off sharply. She gasped and her arm dropped to her side like a stone. 'Omigod!' she breathed. 'I can't believe I did that! I'm so sorry!'

  A thousand comebacks sped through his mind but with a colossal effort, he managed to say nothing at all. Instead he walked out of the room. He searched the pile of bags until he found his own and then disappeared into the boys' room, shutting the door quietly behind him.

  As he stood in the dark, empty room he heard the door to the girls' bedroom slam and he winced. He felt in the side pocket of his bag for the torch he kept there and then followed its narrow beam to a bunk in the corner. Slowly and methodically he stripped his wet clothes off and dropped them in a soggy pile on the floor, and then he found a pair of shorts in his bag which he pulled on. With a sigh, he sat down on the edge of the bed, rested his chin in his hand, and stared at nothing for a long time.

  Cate padded down the wide, carpeted hall. She'd heard a door slam moments before and wondered who had done it but since both bedroom doors were shut, it was likely to remain a mystery forever.

  She sensed movement behind her and turned around. Archie was following her. He was barefooted with his arms crossed on his skinny chest. Still in black but without his mask, cape, shoes and socks he now looked more like a ninja than Darth Vader.

  'What are you up to?' he asked her.

  'Oh, I'm about to host a dinner party.' She planted her hands on her hips. 'What do you think I'm up to? I'm going to bed, of course.'

  'Just making conversation. Sheesh!' He pulled such a goofy face that she had to grin. Archie smiled as well. 'Hey listen,' he said. 'Sorry about that …er, incident, with Drew at the party. I didn't know I was going to jump on him until I did, if you get me. Anyway, I know it upset you so yeah … sorry.'

  She was touched. 'Thanks Arch. Drew was kind of out of line anyway.'

  'No shit!'

  She tried to justify things. 'When he's on his own Drew is still the same nice guy he always was,' she said.

  'Nuh uh!' Archie laughed and held up a hand. 'I'm sorry but how can you even say that and keep a straight face?'

  She stopped smiling. 'Why are you such an arsehole where's he's concerned?' she demanded, keeping her voice low.

  He couldn't help himself. 'You're dating Drew King and you think I'm the arsehole?' he hissed. 'Please! Come on, Cate. I mean … seriously?'

  'Drew is still a good guy deep down,' she said stubbornly making Archie snort. 'Alright, what do you want me to say? That I'm going to dump him? That I wish he didn't like me? That I'm sorry for being happy?'

  He looked irritated. 'Don't twist my words.'

  'Well, what's your problem then?'

  'How can you not know?'

  'Because I'm not a bloody mind-reader, Arch!' She waggled her hands about like she always did when she was angry or excited. 'This is so dumb! I'm going to bed!' She flounced towards the bedroom door.

  'Admit that you know how I feel about you,' Archie called after her. 'Admit that you've always known it.'

  Cate stopped. She was angry now and her dark blue eyes flashed dangerously. 'Just because you don't like Drew, do not make me the bad guy here! How am I supposed to know you how you feel about me, huh?'

  Like a balloon that's been popped, all the fight went out of Archie and his shoulders slumped. 'If you can't see it,' he said softly. 'Then you must be blind.'

  'Oh, so now it's my fault?'

  'Yes!'

  She stared hard at him, unsure whether to burst into tears or punch him out. In the end she did neither. 'I hate you for this Archie!' she growled.

  Drew sauntered up the hall at that moment. 'What's up?' He looked from Cate to Archie and then back again.

  Archie ignored him. He gave Cate one last look and then marched into the gloom of the boys' bedroom.

  Drew slipped his arms around Cate's waist and pulled her close. 'You and Arch looked pretty cosy just then,' he said. 'What's the deal?'

  'Cosy?' She rolled her eyes. 'We were arguing. Same old, same old.'

  'Whatever.' He kissed her and she let him. 'So, where are we sleeping?'

  'You're in there.' She pointed. 'I'm in here.' She laid a hand against the door to the girls' room.

  'We can do better than that.' His hand slid down her back and squeezed her behind.

  'Drew…'

  'Come on babe. What do you say? Time to go all the way? It's been four months. Do you expect me to wait forever?'

  She looked at him sceptically. 'I'm not sleeping with you, Drew.'

  'Aw come on!'

  'No!'

  'Okay, okay.' He gave in. 'But don't say goodnight. At least, not yet.' He pulled her closer. 'How often do we get a chance to make out without your old man hovering, huh? Let's go snuggle on the couch for a while.'

  Cate sighed. Drew could be very persuasive when he wanted to be. 'Alright,' she said. 'But just snuggling.'

  He held up one hand solemnly. 'I swear,' he promised.

  As they wandered back towards the lounge, hand in hand, Archie reappeared in the bedroom doorway. He watched them go and the expression on his face was as easy to read as a nursery rhyme book. There was no mystery to Archie Evans. He was heartbroken, plain and simple.

  All About Translation

  Outside on the deck, Aisley found Chandra. He was still on his banana lounge watching the stars and when she loomed over him he reached for her hand and pulled her down beside him. The banana lounge creaked alarmingly.

  'It's going to break!' Aisley cried, clutching at the edge of it.

  'Not a chance,' Chandra said optimistically. 'Watch this.' He bounced making the creaking and groaning worse.

  'Stop it!' Aisley laughed, smacking him. 'Freya's dad will kill us if we wreck anything.' She fidgeted about, trying to get comfortable. 'This thing was not designed for two,' she d
ecided.

  Chandra wasn't fussed. 'Look,' he said, leaning back against the lounge and gesturing up at the night sky. 'Isn't that awesome? An intergalactic wilderness full of more celestial bodies than you can possibly comprehend.'

  She rested her head beside his and stared up at one hundred thousand stars. 'Wow,' she said. 'That was very articulate of you.'

  'Hey, I'm not just good-looking, you know.'

  She smiled and they star-gazed for a while until gradually she began to recognise some familiar constellations. 'Oh look,' she said. 'There's Orion.' She pointed it out and then craned her head to see behind her. 'I can see Alpha Centauri over there, too.'

  His eyes followed her pointed finger with interest. 'That's really cool,' he said. 'You're an astronomer, Ais. I didn't know that.'

  'Ah, see, there's lots you don't know about me.'

  'What else don't I know about you?'

  'The name of my first pet?'

  He puffed out his cheeks. 'Ooh that's tough,' he admitted. 'Er, Kevin? And he was a guinea pig.'

  'Wrong. It was Puff and she was a cat.'

  He snorted laughter. 'Give me another one.'

  'My bra size,' she flirted outrageously.

  He raised his eyebrows. 'Oh, I could take an educated guess.'

  'Pretty sure of yourself, aren't you?'

  'Yep.'

  They turned their attention to the night sky again.

  'I'm no astronomer,' Aisley admitted. 'But my dad showed me a few constellations when we first moved here. We couldn't believe how clear the night sky was away from the city lights.' She scanned the heavens. 'I think that might be Canis Major,' she pointed. 'Way up there. You know the big dog?'

  'Right. And there's Giantus Chickenus,' Chandra said, pointing elsewhere and making her laugh out loud. 'Do you ever miss the city?' he asked.

  She shook her head adamantly. 'Definitely not. The only light in the night sky in Richmond comes from the floodlights at the MCG.'

  Chandra kissed her on the cheek and she turned her head so they were almost nose to nose. 'I hated Seamere in the beginning,' she admitted. 'I really did not want to live in a country town. I thought I'd die of if I couldn't go back to Melbourne.'