My smile widens, enveloping my entire face. I know I must look certifiably insane, but I don’t care. I could be on my death bed, covered in cow shit, or half asleep, and Dallas would still think I was beautiful.
I’m not making this up, those are quite literally his words. He recites them like poetry every time I make a comment about my own appearance. It’s even worse when Billie joins in; the pair of them take great enjoyment in bullying me.
“I’ll have you know, Dallas Northlane, that I have thepristinemind of anacademic!”
“Whatever you say, babe. I’ll remind you of youracademicmind next time you’re on your knees begging for me,” he taunts.
“Dallas,” I scold, feigning shock. Because I would, in fact, beg – forhimanyway.
“See you this arvo, Firefly,” he tells me, pulling a cigarette from his back pocket and sparking the tip. The red-eye glows on my screen, and he winks at me as he takes a draw.
“You will,” I affirm.
Dallas’s eyes sparkle back at me through the camera as he smirks through the inhale. “Stay outta trouble will ya? Give Bumble a kissfrom me.”
The call disconnects and the image of my filthy cowboy is firmly embedded in my mind. How his singlets are alwaysjuusta fraction too tight in certain places, and the way his jeans hang low on his hips, despite him always wearing a belt.
I don’t even realise that I’ve gotten up and paced my classroom until I look up and see Billie waving madly through the peek-a-boo glass door, a huge grin plastered on her face. She bursts into the room, all but sprinting towards me.
“A.B., I got full marks on my maths test,” she squeals proudly.
“Nice work, curly,” I praise her, tousling the mountain of gold on her head.
She sits with me until the bell rings, telling me all about the third-grade girl drama, and asking how my kids are doing today. She’s been paired up with one of the kindergarteners as a buddy; it’s a program run by the school to help the little kids assimilate and the bigger kids learn responsibility. Honestly, it’s great. Billie’s class are called the Platypuses and their buddies are Koalas. They all get badges and certificates when they ‘graduate’. It’s kind of a big deal, if I do say so myself.
“I am so excited for tonight,” she tells me, a secretive smirk on her face.
“Oh, are you now?” I question.
“Yep.”
“Do tell.”
“My lips are sealed,” she says, leaping from the desk to imitate an actual seal, hands clapping together and all.
I laugh at her elaborate performance, my chest hurting by the timeshe’s gathered her things to head back to the playground.
“See you after school, Anna Banana. Love you,” she calls as she runs out the door. I can’t help but crack a smile at the silly nickname Colt gave me that she’s adopted.
Her childish innocence never ceases to amaze me. How she can so easily say something like, ‘love you’, to her safe people without hesitation. Her bold confidence, the way she commands the attention of anyone around her just by being herself, by beingkind.I am truly in awe of her. My heart does a double take as I realise just how much this wonderful little girl means to me.
“I love you too, Billie. Both of you,” I murmur quietly to myself.
And I do.
Ireallyfucking do.
Water cascades across my body like a waterfall crashing against the rocks beneath it. As usual, the temperature is equivalent to the ‘fiery pits of hell’, as Ella always says. My hands instinctively reach for the assortment of skincare on the windowsill, muscle memory guiding them to my facewash.
As if I’m in some kind of cliché commercial, I start pumping the foaming liquid onto my palms, massaging it across my face in small circling patterns. It’s not until I’m onto my fourth ‘sexy Emma Roberts meets Neutrogena’ water splash that I realise I probably look like an absolute wanker.
I smile to myself as I turn off the tap. Stepping out of the glass box, I grab my robe off the hook and wrap myself in the soft fabric. Walking back into Dallas’s room, I hear the familiar creak of the door as it swings open. Ella appears seconds later, a cheeky smirk on her face. My brow lifts so high I swear it grazes my hairline as I flash her a questioning stare. I hope that stare relays that not only am I wondering how she even got up here, but is also encouraging her to spill her guts about whatever it is she’s obviously desperate to tell me. She twirls into Dallas’s room, collapsing on the bed as she lets out a deep sigh.Okay, maybe my brilliant brow raise did not, in fact, relay my questions.
“Why are men so dumb?” she asks.
“Okay, firstly, how the fuck did you get in here?” I exclaim.
“Dallas let me in, plus you haven't been home inforever,” she replies, completely unbothered.
