“What?”
“Finding out how terrified so many other girls were. I don’t know, when you’re on Tinder or at queer nights, everyone seems so cocky and experienced. They’re really not as confident as they seem.”
“Like you seem,” Finn said.
“Like I seem.”
Finn smiled and tucked her phone into her pocket. How did she end up having this conversation with Nona? Not only was it totally random, it was also weirdly reassuring. “Thank you.”
Nona just shrugged and pulled her cap down. “No prob. Here for all your lesbian needs. Or bi needs,” she corrected herself. “Or whatever.”
When the night was finally over and the Saturday breakfast presenters turned up and kicked them out, they all trooped out into the grey dawn, feeling like they’d conquered the world. They ate eggs on toast in a tiny café and toasted themselves with coffee before trudging home to sleep.
Now they just have to wait and see if the filibuster gets any attention. The writer from the local paper promised there’d be an article in the next issue, and the journalist from the Melbourne Daily said they’d have an article online, possibly as early as Monday. One of the councillors also said she’d raise the issue. So maybe it will work.
When Finn can’t put it off any longer, she drags herself out of bed, rescuing her phone from the pile of last night’s clothes. There are eight missed calls and a bunch of messages—calls from Dan, Willa, an unknown number, and Zehra. Five calls from Zehra.
Finn sighs. It’ll probably just be some last-minute reminder or worry. Finn had planned on having the longest, hottest shower in the world, eating some food and drinking a whole lot of coffee before she thought about Speech Night. She definitely didn’t plan on dealing with Zehra and her relentless, nervous energy. After last night, Finn’s got just enough energy in the tank to get tonight done and nothing more. Still, guilt wins. She dials Zehra’s number.
Zehra picks up before the first ring is even done. “Hey. I’m sorry. I just panicked when I couldn’t get in touch. It was getting so late, so I just asked her to do it. I’m sorry if—”
“Asked who to do what?”
“You didn’t listen to my message?”
“No. I just woke up and saw all the missed calls, and I thought I’d just call straight back. What happened?” Finn asks, pulling on some socks.
“That lawyer guy, the one who was doing the alumni speech, can’t make it. His daughter’s in hospital with appendicitis. The principal tried to call you to let you know, but you weren’t answering, so he called me.”
“Seriously?” Finn stalks into the kitchen and checks the machine is on. “This is bad.” She spots her mum through the sliding doors, out in the back terrace, working at the wooden table, the dogs at her feet. “Everything is organised around that speech.” Something snags as she tries to untangle her brain. “Hang on, but did you just say something about sorting it?”
“Yeah. I was freaking a bit when I couldn’t get in touch with you, so I made some calls.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t answer.” Finn tells her briefly about last night. “I didn’t get to bed until seven this morning. But you found someone?”
“Yeah. Hana’s cousin, Naila, went to our school. She finished about nine years ago, and she and her husband own this really successful adventure travel company. They started it from scratch. It sounds pretty cool. And, I don’t know, I thought it might be kind of cool not to have a middle-aged white man do the speech for once.”
Finn laughs. “Agreed. She sounds great.”
“Anyway, I’m sorry for finding someone without talking to you, but I ju—”
“Don’t be sorry. Listen, I can meet you in the hall in, like, an hour?”
“I’m already on my way, actually,” Zehra says. “Naila said they might show a couple of videos, so I thought I better go in early and check the system.”
“I can do it.” The guilt chafes. “You’ve been stressing out all morning. It’s my turn.”
“How about we meet there? We can stress together.”
“Okay.” Finn flicks off the coffee machine. “I’ll see you as soon as I can. Just got to shower.”
“Okay. I’ll pick up coffee. You sound like you need it.”
“Not going to lie. I do. And Zehra?”
“Yeah?”
“Thank you. For saving the day. I’m really sorry I was asleep.”
“Don’t worry about it. See you in a bit.”
Finn hangs up and dashes for the shower. So much for relaxing. “Mum,” she yells out the window, “can you please give me a lift?”
CHAPTER 56
Finn
As soon as the adrenaline drains from Finn’s system, the exhaustion slams her. Hard.
It happens during the second-last speech. One minute she’s all awake and attentive, the next she’s considering sitting down in the wings of the school auditorium and giving in to the million yawns gathering in her throat.
From the moment they arrived at the centre, she and Zehra have been on the run, putting out fires and calming nerves. And now it’s nearly over, Finn feels like she could go home and sleep twice over and still not be caught up.
They stand elbow-to-elbow at the side of the stage as the senior school captain winds up his speech with the school cheer. The principal waits in the opposite wings, ready to hit the stage for a last goodnight. Finn watches him brush down his suit and check his notecard.
“You were so right about putting his speech on at the start of the night,” she whispers to Zehra. “He actually ran to time.”
Zehra gives her a wry grin. “It’s a pity we couldn’t do anything to make it more interesting.”
“Well, there’s such a thing as aiming too high.”
“Still, Speech Night done and dusted.” Zehra claps her hands together, like she’s cleaning them off. “Just the Year 10 Formal and Awards Night to go for the year.”
Finn’s shoulders sag. She can’t even bear to think about the last two events. Not tonight. Monday. She’ll think about them on Monday. Luckily, Zehra loves the formal, so she’ll be all over that one.
“Thanks again for today,” Finn tells her. “Hana’s cousin was amazing. I’m kind of glad that other guy dropped out.”
Naila and her husband’s speech was easily the best part of the whole night. They were smart and funny. It was a change from the usual stiff, pompous people who come talk at the school on these kinds of occasions. They told incredible stories of their travels together and of the first crazy years of running the company. After showing a couple of videos, Naila talked about some things she learned while she was at Brunswick Hill that helped her later. And the whole time she and her husband talked, the audience was silent, smiling and laughing at the funny parts. Finn couldn’t see a single light, signalling kids staring at their phones, waiting for it to be over. That’s got to be some kind of miracle.
The more she thinks about it, Finn wonders why she didn’t try and hunt out someone really amazing to speak in the first place, instead of just going along with the principal’s boring recommendation. If she’d just asked around more, she could have found Naila in the first place.
As people clap the end of the senior captain’s speech, the principal walks out to the stage.
“Come on, buddy, wrap it up quick,” Finn whispers. “You know you can do it.”
Zehra snickers. “But does he?”
He actually does for once, because he only says a few words about what a great night it’s been and how the senior class has been such a valuable part of the school. Then he moves on to a list of thank yous. “We have a tradition here at Brunswick Hill,” he says at the end. “Every year, the current Year 10 class stages this event for the senior school. It’s part of facilitating respect and collegiality and the passing of tradition among the students.”
“Or perpetuating slave labour,” Zehra whispers.
Finn stifles a laugh.
“So,” the principal goes on
. “I’d like to say a big thank you to Finn Harlow, the intermediate school captain, for running the show. And to her team of helpers. They have staged a seamless and inspiring Speech Night. Thank you, Finn.”
Finn stiffens as polite applause greets his words.
He presses his palms to the lectern and gives everyone a warm smile. “Thank you, everyone, for coming. Have a wonderful night, and drive safely.”
As he walks off to another round of applause, Finn sneaks a look at Zehra. And even though she’s smiling and clapping, Finn can see the tightness of her smile. And she doesn’t really blame her.
CHAPTER 57
Finn
The article doesn’t appear on the website until Monday morning. But when it does, there’s even a photo. It’s of Andy, wide-eyed and smiling on the stage as he talks to the crowd. Finn sighs with relief it’s not one of her. There are quotes from her speech, though, which is nice.
She sips her coffee, kicking her legs happily against the counter, as her mother reads it on her iPad.
When she’s done, Anita beams her most embarrassingly motherly smile at her. “I’m very proud of you. You did a fantastic thing.”
Finn shrugs, but she can’t stop her smile. “It wasn’t just me.”
This, of course, brings on yet another wave of guilt over Speech Night. Why did the principal have to make it sound like Finn did all the work? With the assistance of some helper monkeys? No wonder Zehra barely spoke for the rest of the night as they packed up. Her work was basically ignored. Finn kept trying to think of something to say to her, some way to apologise, but she couldn’t. And they’d had such a fun night working together too.
“Well, it was partly you too,” Anita says. “And I’m proud that you worked hard to make something you want to happen, happen. Most kids are perfectly happy to spend all their free time crafting the perfect selfie, not thinking of making the world a better place.”
“Let’s not make a paragon of me yet, Mum,” Finn says. “I’ve got a bunch of questionable selfies of my own.”
“Maybe. But you also do things like this. I know I wasn’t one hundred per cent excited by it at first, but you’ve managed to help out with the community centre and keep your focus on school and on your captain responsibilities. You never stop impressing me.” She drops a kiss on her forehead and picks up her briefcase. “Make sure you send the link to your dad.”
~ ~ ~
By lunchtime, Finn’s already received a message full of Dad pride. Anita clearly couldn’t help herself, because Finn hadn’t even sent him the link yet.
Finn’s texting him back when she hears her name being shouted across the outdoor lunch area.
It’s Hana, sitting outside the canteen with Zaki and Amy.
She veers towards them. “Hi! How are you guys?”
“Fabulous,” Zaki says, holding out a container of almonds to Finn. “I just got an A-plus for my maths test, and that never happens.”
“And I got a B-minus, which always happens if she doesn’t help me study,” Hana grumbles, patting the seat next to her. Finn sits, resting her elbows on the table and stealing one of Amy’s chips.
“I offered to help,” Zaki protests. “You were too busy looking for bridesmaid dresses with your cousins and buying three-month anniversary presents for the boyfriend. Don’t blame me for not helping.”
The Hana and Zaki show makes Finn laugh. She’s missed this.
“We need to catch up properly,” Hana insists, ignoring Zaki’s dig. “Let’s do something soon. I want to start looking at dresses for formal.”
“Oh yeah, let’s go shopping,” Zaki says.
Finn nods. This year, they’re hosting the formal for a bunch of schools, not just their own Year 10s. It’s basically an old-school dance, but because the idea’s so twee now, people kind of get into it. It’s one of the few occasions Finn doesn’t mind putting on a dress that’s not her school dress. She wonders what Willa will wear. Does she ever wear dresses? Finn has no idea. Camp Nowhere didn’t exactly call for frocks. She’ll have to ask her.
But first Finn has to organise it all. She’s planning on calling the first meeting next week. After her pathetic Speech Night effort, she’s put planning reminders for every single upcoming event in her phone, weeks in advance. She’s going to get the rest of this year right, even if there’s only a month to go.
“Well, there’s no way on this planet I’m going to the social,” Amy says, tongue out. “But I do love to shop, so I can be the second opinion girl.”
“I want something maroon,” Hana says. “I’ve decided it’s my colour.”
Before anyone can say anything else, Zehra drops into the last remaining seat. “Hey, did you guys get your Maths test back?” When she notices Finn sitting there, she just blinks for a moment and then gives her a polite smile. “Hi, Finn.”
Finn sighs inwardly as she smiles back. “Hi.” It looks like they’re back at square one.
“Hey, so I heard my cuz rocked Speech Night,” Hana says. “As in everyone stayed awake for it.”
“More than stayed awake. She was awesome.” Finn turns to Zehra. “Everyone loved it, didn’t they?”
“They did,” Zehra says lightly, staring at her phone.
“We were just talking about the formal,” Hana tells Zehra. “The next thing on the agenda for the intermediate school mafia.”
“That’s got to be way more fun to organise than Speech Night.” Zaki nudges Zehra. “I’m guessing you’re all over it?”
Zehra shrugs. “Not really.”
“What?” Hana pulls a face. “You love organising them. Last year’s was amazing.”
“We’ll see,” is all she says.
Finn stares at her. She didn’t even think Zehra was capable of anything less than total enthusiasm when it comes to organising things. “But didn’t you take the lead on the Year 9 one?”
“I did.” She finally looks up, meeting Finn’s eye for a moment. Then she looks straight past her. “But I just don’t know if there’s any point this year.”
“Why not?” Zaki asks.
Zehra just shrugs.
And Finn’s stomach sinks. Because she knows exactly why. Knows exactly what Zehra’s not saying aloud. What’s the point in doing it if she doesn’t get any credit for it?
She can see her point. Still, she pushes back at the guilt. Because it’s not exactly her fault, is it? Finn can’t control what the principal says. And it’s not like she hid anything or tried to take all the credit. What was she supposed to do? March onstage and correct him when he only named her? Tell everyone that Zehra did at least half the work, if not more?
But still, the feeling won’t budge. She makes a show of checking her watch. “Oh, hey, guys, I forgot. I have to be somewhere. I’ll catch you later.”
Breathing in deep, she hurries to the front of the school where she can hide until the bell rings. She parks herself on a bench and reads a text from Willa.
Riley wants to know if she needs to bring a jacket with her. She doesn’t believe it might be cold sometimes. Apparently her idol has to say it, or she won’t believe it.
Finn can’t help smiling. Because that reminds her it’s another day closer to their beach weekend.
Tell her from me that unless she wants to freeze her butt off, she better bring one.
I shall pass it on to Her Highness.
Finn tucks the Zehra mess away into a corner of her mind. Instead, she focuses on what’s to come, a long weekend of beach and Willa and both her parents being in the same place for a minute.
CHAPTER 58
Willa
Riley does a little skip in the middle of the kitchen, her bag already on her shoulders. “I’m so excited!”
“I can tell,” Nan says, shaking her head. “But you’ve still got twenty minutes until they pick you up, so you’d better settle down.” She thrusts a shopping bag into Riley’s hands. “Give that to Finn’s mother. There’s a loaf of my sourdough and some herbs and greens.
”
“There’s no kale in there, is there?” Riley sticks out her tongue. “Nobody likes it except you.”
“There might be. And now I know what you’re getting with your dinner every night next week after that sass.”
Riley’s mouth closes instantly. It’s enough to make Willa grin as she sits down next to Jack. He’s bent over his maths homework, scribbling in the margins. “Need help?” she asks.
“Nope. It’s easy. I’m just thinking.”
“You’re not upset you’re not coming with us, are you?” She’s been feeling guilty about it all week.
He shakes his head. “I’ve got soccer semis. And then Tyler’s mum’s taking us to the movies after.”
“Good. Hey, we’re all coming to the final, if you make it. Dan and Rosie too.”
“Really?” He grins. “Cool.”
She shoves his fringe back from his eyes. “Good luck for the game.”
“Thanks. Dad says we’ve got a good chance. He says we’re tight.”
Willa nods. Her dad will be leaving soon. It’s weird. Even though she’s basically been waiting for him to leave since he got here, it’s also strange to think of him not being here. She must have gotten used to it in some way.
“Well, sorry again that I can’t come.” She wraps arm around him and presses her cheek to his feathery, brown hair for a moment. “But Dad and Nan will be here to watch you.”
He shrugs and wriggles away from her. “Dad isn’t sure he’s coming yet. Said he doesn’t know what day he’s going to leave.”
“What?” Willa frowns. “Seriously?”
Jack shrugs. “Something about flights.”
“What, he couldn’t just stay long enough to watch you play first?”
He shrugs again, slower this time, giving Willa an uneasy glance.
“No, he’s going to watch you play.” She stands, her blood humming with this new urgency. “Is he here?”
“Out the back.”
She stalks outside, arms crossed over her chest. He’s down the side, setting up the ladder under the grapevine, where the vine has begun to sag under the weight of its new burden of fruit. She stands at a distance, watching him. “Wow, couldn’t wait to leave, could you?”
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