by Pat Flynn
Before Alex could talk himself out of it he charged, ducking his shoulder hard into Billy’s ribcage. The hit was so clean that Billy gave a surprised grunt as he toppled to the ground, letting go of Jimmy’s arm to break his fall.
When Billy got up he didn’t look angry. In fact, he had a slight smile on his face. He and Alex squared up and met each other’s eyes. “You’re dead meat, grommet,” said Billy.
Right at that moment a familiar face appeared round the corner. “What’s going on here, boys?” asked Miss Pinzon.
“Nothing, Miss. We were just playing handball,” said Billy. “Come on, grommet, serve me the ball.”
If Miss Pinzon realised there was something other than handball happening here, she didn’t let on. “Mmmm. Well, I hope I’m not interrupting, but I’d like to talk to Alex for a few minutes if that’s all right.”
Billy and his group slowly moved away, but not before Billy made a chopping motion across his neck to let everyone know that this incident would not be forgotten anytime in the near future.
“Is everything okay, Alex?” asked Miss Pinzon.
“Yeah,” said Alex. He didn’t want to make things worse by getting a teacher involved, even if she was as cool as Miss Pinzon.
“I want to ask you a favour. I was wondering if you’d like to organise a skateboarding exhibition as part of our St Joseph’s Day celebrations at the end of term. I’m aware that skateboarding is quite popular at this school, and I saw in class yesterday that you’re very talented.”
Alex hoped she realised he was sunburnt, not blushing.
“I’ve already run the idea past Mr Letcher and he thinks it would be a great way to show off the talents of St Joseph’s students,” said Miss Pinzon.
Even if he’d wanted to, which he didn’t, Alex couldn’t have said no to that smiling face. “I could set up a gnarly course, with ramps and boxes, and the stairs in front of the library would be great for jumps and grinds,” he said.
“Excellent! Keep me informed of your plans, and if you want anything, let me know.”
“I want some things,” said Jimmy, staring at Miss Pinzon as she walked barely out of ear shot. “And it doesn’t involve skateboarding.”
“Homan, we gotta do something about your mouth!” said Alex, punching his friend on the shoulder. “It’s gonna get us both killed one day.”
CHAPTER 8
Pretty Cool
“Quick mate, you gotta get over here! It’s urgent!”
With Jimmy everything was urgent, so Alex didn’t get too excited. Nevertheless, Jimmy sounded pumped on the phone, and he wouldn’t tell Alex why he wanted him to visit in such a hurry, which was unusual for Jimmy. He wasn’t good at secrets.
“Mum, I gotta go to Jimmy’s to ... study,” Alex said hopefully, grabbing his board.
Sharon Jackson looked at her watch. “It’s eight o’clock, Alex! It’s not safe to be on the streets at this time of night. Plus, you have school tomorrow.”
“I’ll be right, Mum. It only takes ten minutes on me skateboard.”
She sighed. “You’re not skateboarding at this time of night. If you really want to go I’ll drive you, and you can give me a ring when you’re ready to be picked up.”
“Have fun studying, Alex,” said Sam.
Five minutes later Alex did a commando dive through Jimmy’s bedroom window. Jimmy was at his computer, typing like a secretary.
“You wouldn’t believe who I’m chattin’ to on the Net,” he said, barely being able to contain his excitement.
“Who?”
“Your love goddess. Or as she calls herself, BeckyT.”
“You’re not!”
“I am.”
“You’re not!”
“I am. And you’d better get over here ’cause I’m running out of things to say.”
Alex sat down beside Jimmy and saw a computer screen with lots of weird names and barely recognisable messages. There was a guy called Cheezels who kept repeating, “Any hotties in here PM me”. Jimmy explained that hotties meant hot–looking girls and PM was “private message”, which was what Jimmy was sending to Becky at the moment.
To avoid suspicion Jimmy was using a girl’s name, Juliette, as his handle and Alex was surprised how many guys sent PMs asking if they could be her Romeo.
“Are you sure this is her?” Alex asked Jimmy.
“How many other BeckyT’s are in Year 8 at St Joseph’s College, Logan City?” Jimmy answered.
“So what sort of stuff are you into,” typed Jimmy (Juliette) to BeckyT.
“Music, movies, drawing and tennis. U?”
Tennis, Alex thought. She’s even into snobby sports.
“Music, movies and I like to skateboard.”
“Skateboard!” exclaimed Alex. “Why in the hell did you say that?”
“Have faith in the Homan,” answered Jimmy, sounding like Mr Scott.
“I know a guy who skateboards. He’s good. He even did a trick in class.”
“Cool. Is he popular?”
Alex had his head in his hands. “You are such an idiot, Homan. I don’t know why I let you be my friend ...”
“Not really, though this one girl loves him. He’s pretty cool I guess.”
All of a sudden Jimmy’s mum burst through the door. “Jimmy, would you hurry up and get off the Internet. I have to make an important phone call.”
“Who to, your bridge partner?”
“Don’t be cheeky, son.” She spotted Alex. “Oh hello, love. I didn’t see you come in.”
“G’day, Mrs Homan.”
“Mum, leave us alone, will ya?” said Jimmy. “I’ll be off in a sec.”
“Don’t talk to your mother like that, James. And hurry up,” she said as she left the room.
“I have to go, but can I email you?” asked Juliette.
“Sure, my address is [email protected]. See ya☺”
“Seeya!”
Alex was on cloud nine. He was pretty cool! And he thought that she thought he was a total dork. Maybe things were looking up after all.
CHAPTER 9
Just a Minute ...
At lunchtime the next day — Friday — Alex held a meeting in the library for anyone wanting to help organise the skateboarding exhibition. There were those who might have said that he was avoiding Billy Johnstone, but Alex would’ve said that he wasn’t scared of anyone.
About ten kids turned up at the meeting, and Alex recognised a few of the Year 10 boys from the skatepark. One was a decent boarder but the other two were hangers–on, and Alex couldn’t see them helping out much. There was a Year 9 girl who reckoned she could 50–50 and noseslide gutters and a Year 11 boy who said he could hardflip down 5 stairs. Jimmy was there and although he could skate he was more excited by the possibility of having a microphone and being the announcer.
The two surprise members of the organising team were Sarah Sceney and Becky Tonella. Sarah kept smiling at Alex, and Becky looked bored, like she was only there because Sarah had talked her into it. Whatever the reason, Alex was stoked that Becky had come and he was finding it hard to concentrate on running a meeting.
“Well I guess we should get going,” said Alex, after Jimmy gave him a nudge that nearly knocked him off his chair. “I was thinking that we build a street course in front of the library. With the stairs and railing, it’s practically half built already ...”
“Excuse me, Alex,” said Sarah, “but is anyone taking minutes at this meeting?”
Alex nodded up towards the clock hanging on the wall. “I think that’s taking minutes.”
Becky looked at him like he was stupid, and Jimmy leaned across in front of him and whispered, “Not those minutes, you idiot — a record of what is said at the meeting.”
“No, Sarah, but I’m sure you’ll do it,” said Alex. She’d even get an A for Meetings.
“Is there gonna be a vert ramp?” asked one of the Year 10 hangers–on.
“What’s a vert ramp?” asked Becky.
>
“There are two types of skateboarding comps,” explained Jimmy. “One is street skating, which includes things like small ramps and railings which Alex stacks it on.” He grinned. “And the other is vert, which is a giant U–shaped ramp skateboarders go up and down on, and pull tricks like Tony Hawk’s 900 degree twist.”
“Because none of us can really skate vert, and the fact that building a vert ramp is a bit hard for a bunch of students who are flat out passing manual arts, I say we only have street skating in the exhibition,” said Alex.
“Who says I can’t skate vert?” said the Year 10 boy, his voice getting loud. “Last Friday I landed a 360 at the Beeton Skatebowl.”
“I think you’re getting yourself mixed up with Casey Marshall,” said Alex. “Maybe while you were stoned you dreamed you were skating in his body.”
Alex realised that this was a dumb thing to say to a Year 10 boy who was twice his size. Still, it annoyed him when these guys said they could pull tricks that they wouldn’t even attempt.
“Are you calling me a liar, vegie? Seano saw it, didn’t ya?” He looked to his friend for support.
“Yeah, I saw it,” his friend mumbled without conviction.
“Well if there’s no vert we’re not skating, are we Seano?”
“I guess not ...”
The boys got up to leave. “And by the way,” said Seano’s mate, “Billy Johnstone’s gonna beat the crap out of you on Monday, Jackson.”
Alex was impressed he knew his name. He must be getting a rep.
With the dead wood gone they actually achieved quite a lot. Becky offered to design some posters, and Sarah Sceney came up with the rad idea of approaching skate shops and asking for stickers and other skateboarding stuff, which could be tossed out at the exhibition. The only embarrassing part for Alex came at the end, when Sarah left and then returned with a photocopy of the minutes of the meeting for everyone in the group. She had written in big letters across the bottom of the page: I love Jack 4 ever!!! Alex made a mental note to let someone else take the minutes next time.
As the bell rang Alex was careful not to look at Becky until she had got up from her chair and had turned to walk out of the library. As she glided smoothly across the lino, Alex was admiring God’s handiwork in the shape of Becky’s legs. A few months ago he probably wouldn’t have even noticed, but lately he hardly knew himself. Suddenly Becky stopped and turned. She looked right at Alex and smiled, and he would have been as happy as a teenage boy at an Anna Kournakova tennis match — except for one thing. Though Becky’s lips were turned up her eyes were sad. Maybe he was imagining it, but they even looked the slightest bit moist.
The poor kid needs a friend right now.
Letch’s words came back to him. But what did he mean? He knew this Internet stuff was wrong, but he had to try and find out Becky’s secret.
CHAPTER 10
Slammed. Again.
It was a perfect Friday afternoon, warm and still, and Alex looked at the rail, took a deep breath, and started to glide across the smooth concrete. Casey had already given him a pep talk and demonstration, even doing the grind along the rail switch stance to show Alex how easy it was.
“Just the ground, the board and that rail,” Casey had said a few seconds earlier. “Right now, everything else in your life means nothin’.”
This time Alex ollied smoothly up onto the rail. The board had to be perfectly lined up in the middle of the axles or else it would flip and you’d stack it to one side. Alex had got it just right, and he was grinding down the railing like he was in a Playstation game. He was halfway down the three–metre incline when it happened, again, the words jumping into his mind like they had a will of their own.
“He’s pretty cool, I guess.”
As he came off the rail Alex’s board didn’t straighten in time. Instead of landing smoothly on all four wheels he speared the nose of the board on the ground, and was propelled forward like he was shot out of a cannon. The front of his head smacked the ground (at least he was losing cells equally from both sides of the brain) and he slid on his belly long enough to make it raw.
Casey made sure he wasn’t dead and then shook his head. “You’ve got issues, boy.”
CHAPTER 11
Juliette
Over the weekend, Alex (alias Juliette) sent three emails to Becky and got three replies. Jimmy was visiting his Grandparents so Alex used the computer at the local library. This suited him, as he didn’t want Jimmy reading Becky’s personal thoughts (he felt guilty enough as it was) or laughing at his pathetic typing speed.
At first, Alex found writing like a girl hard work. He thought about the way his sister said stuff and tried to put his thoughts in her words. It took him a good ten minutes per paragraph, and they were no literary masterpieces, but the more he wrote the better he became at his new persona. As Juliette he found out more about Becky Tonella than he ever imagined. He found out too much.
To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Dear BeckyT,
Hey! This is Juliette, the 13–year–old girl from Perth you were chatting to the other night. I’m looking to make some cool friends on the net. Are you cool? Don’t answer that question. Anyone who says they’re cool probably isn’t, and if they say they’re uncool they probably are!
I like hip hop music. Not the kind with lots of swearing and gangstas getting shot in the hood and stuff like that, but songs with meaningful lyrics and cool rhymes, about life in general, and love too I guess. Also, the rhythm helps me when I’m skateboarding. I sing to myself and it stops me thinking about falling off!
I also like movies, and my fav actor is Leonardo DiCaprio. [Alex thought he’d better throw that in.] Please tell me your hobbies and what you think of high school. I think it kind of sux! All the kids at my school are into being popular. They think they’re so cool, but they don’t realise I’m cooler!
Please write back.
Juliette.
To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Dear Juliette,
Thanks for your email. You sound funny☺. I won’t tell you how cool I am (very☺) cause you might think I’m up myself☹.
I don’t mind hip hop music, but I’m more into bands like Sunk Loto and Limp Bizkit. I even saw them live at the Big Day Out last year, but I was too scared to go into the mosh pit.☹
[This surprised Alex. He thought Becky would be the type to like bands such as Human Nature and Backstreet Boys.]
I’m finding high school heaps hard to get used to. My old primary school in Brisbane had a swimming pool and gymnasium, and I had lots of friends there. My family had to move to Logan City, and my new school is a bit of a hole☹. I know what you mean about kids trying to be popular, it’s the same here. There’s a boy named Billy Johnstone, he’s cute but he’s so up himself. There’s a few nice kids, though.
Let’s keep in touch.☺
BeckyT
PS. I like Leo too but I think Joshua Jackson is cuter.
To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Dear Becky,
Thanks for writing back so soon. You sound cool, but only coz you think I’m funny!
Sunk Loto and Limp Bizkit, hey? You’re hardcore, girl! You’d fit in well with some of the boys down the skatebowl.
I’m sorry to hear your new school is a hole. Why did you have to move? Billy Johnstone sounds like a first class loser. If I was there, I’d be tempted to punch him. I’m small, but I can punch!
You said there were some nice kids at your school. Are any of them boys? I don’t have a boyfriend at the moment. A nerd likes me, but I don’t really like him and he keeps embarrassing me in front of everyone. As my mum says, growing up is complicated. I do have a best friend, though. Her name is Jemma. She’s the excitable type, but makes me laugh.
Well, I hope to hear all the goss soon.
Juliette.☺
&n
bsp; To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Dear Juliette,
Thanks for saying I’m cool, though you’re only stating the obvious! You also called me hardcore. I’m flattered! I don’t think I’m hardcore, I just like fast music every now and then. Sometimes I even like top 40 stuff, especially when I’m in the mood to dance.
[I knew it, thought Alex.]
We had to move to Logan City cause my dad was having trouble with his business. We had to sell our nice house in a nice suburb and buy an old one in a poor suburb. It sucks but as the song says, “Say la vie”. My mum is still a bit mental over the whole thing, but she’ll get over it.
I don’t have a boyfriend either. Billy Johnstone asked me out but I have more taste than that.☺ There is one nice boy at school. His name is Alex Jackson and he’s a skateboarder, so you’d like him. He’s small and a bit of a dope, but for some reason I kinda got a crush on him. Still, it doesn’t matter. After stuff that happened with my dad I don’t really trust men any more. I think they’re all two–faced liars.☹
The nerd that likes you sounds like my friend, Sarah Sceney. She’s a brain and she’s liked Alex for five years and she keeps embarrassing him in front of everyone. Even though she’s my friend and she’s nice, I feel sorry for him.
Hear from you soon.
BeckyT☺
PS. Do you have brothers or sisters?
I don’t.☹
To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Dear Becky,
Wow! It’s only been one weekend and I feel like I know you already! I’m glad to hear you have a crush on Alex Jackson, coz he’s a skateboarder. If he asked you, would you go out with him?
It sounds like you’ve got a bad attitude towards the male race. How did that happen? I think there are some stuck–up guys but there are also some nice ones. Just coz your dad or someone did a bad thing, doesn’t mean all boys are bad! Do I sound like a shrink or what?