seventeen.
chapter one. sun sets and sun rises.
I stared out the window, at the green hills passing by at a million miles an hour, a million thoughts circulated through my mind. I couldn't belive this was happening. Two weeks ago I was this normal seventeen year old boy who had A's and B's on his 11th grade report card, a school, a family, well granted not many friends. But now that was all gone. I started to think what I did wrong. Why did I deserve this? I didn't. I was always a good kid. And this is the karma I get. Well fuck that.
"What the hell are you talking about. They're what? Dead! Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god. Please tell me this is some joke. You can't be serious. But an hour ago they were here. Home. A car accident? No don't send someone here.
All I have now is sitting with me in my carriage. This small room that smells like old yeast, like skunked beer. The room had a small table by the window, then a bed lucky to be half a metre wide haging from the wall. I felt like I was in a prison cell. I wish I was rather than dealing with what was really going on. I looked down at my iPod that sat on the table and skipped to the next track. Looking accross, my large bag lay open on the end of the bed. The Puma label in white spear across it. 30 hours in, six to go. Looking out the window the weather was looking darker as I drew closer to Melbourne. A far cry form the sunshine of Perth on a January afternoon. I could see the sun beginning to set towards the front of the train as we headed further East. I checked my watch, five thirty. The train wouldn't get in until close to mid-night. Thankfully Cal is picking me up. Getting on a tram at midnight all the way to St Kilda would be a little scary.
"Hi Mrs Miller. I mean Claire. Umm I'm okay. I think. I just want to say thanks again. For taking me in, I mean Nan and Pop aren't really you know. Oh it's okay I don't mind changing schools, I think it might be good, to get away now. Yeah. Umm let me check. January fourteen.. ummm.. Oh not until 11:45. Oh no I'll just get on a tr... Okay. Thanks Claire. Tell Cal thanks. Okay. Bye.
I woke in a sweat. Eyes bulging open and breathing heavily. I must of drifted off. Another dream. Same dream. The incident. Funny that I see it concidering I wasn't even there. It's dark now, so I check my watch. It's eleven thirty. I can see the lights of Melbourne in the distance now. I look into the window, but only see my own reflection due to the light in the cabin. I look at myself as I recover from the nightmare. My hair is messy from leaning on the wall of the cabin. The blonde streaks lighting up as the darker hair hides in the shadows some how. My eyes still wide open, sky blue. Innocent. My face bronzed from the west coast sun. There was almost a difference between a tan and a beach tan, the sand was almost in my hair. Either a tear or sweat glides down my cheek, it irritates me but I don't want to wipe it. It tickles, then drops from my top lip onto the table. I then use the sleeve of my grey zip up hooded Mooks jumper and wipe the trail from my face. I pull the ear piece from my iPod out and wind it up around the player. I then throw it in the front pocket of my guitar case.Menawhile I pull out my guitar, adjust my sitting position and then grab the pic out from inbetween the 4th and 5th string. I run my hand through my sandy blonde hair and scratch the small particles of wax stuck there because tuning the top two strings. Then I begin to play as I thought about Cal, and his family. He's almost family, who our family see's on the holidays when one of us uses it as an excuse for a family holiday. Cal's my age, both seventeen this year and ready for our last year of high school. Being an only child, he's the only family I really have left. We talked online occasionally and got along really well over Chrismas and Easter. So I guess it'll be okay. I always thought of him as this really outgoing guy full of fun and laughs. He's a good football player too. I played in Perth but I really didn't fit in as well there. I kept to my self and avoided confrentation. But I guess I could play too. The city draws closer now. My heart beats a little faster. When I step off this train, all I have is my Puma bag, my guitar and the clothes on my back.
I wait at the door as the train slows to a stop. My neck is stiff and my back sore. 36 hours on the train living in a 2 by 2 metre cell. I didn't like going into the restaurant area. The trains stopped now, and I can't see Cal in the small crowd. Everyone wears jumpers in January. The sounds of traffic floods my ears as I step off with the puma bag heavily slung over my shoulder, my guitar case over the other. I walk past the initial crowd and watch on as family members hug and kiss each other. I hope Cal is here. I look around hoping, waiting, searching. Then I see him. Jogging over from his Dad's black Silverado truck. The moonlight reflects off the door panels like a dark mirror. Cal looks a little bigger than I remembered. I always remembered being a little taller than him, but he now stands at my height. About 6"1. Cal was build a little bigger than me though, I was always more an athletic build, like a swimmer, where as Cal looks like he has been to the gym and built his arms. Strange. I had almost forgotten about Mom and Dad until I saw the sympatheitc look on Cal's face.
"Hey Bud. I'm so sorry to hear what happened man". Cal put his hand out and gave me a quick hug. Like most people did these days. It's like a rule. Lose a family member. Give them a hug.
"Hey it's okay. Thanks for taking me in. I really appreciate it." Cal hands me an over-sized take-away cup of coffee from a little tray he had balanced in his hand.
"Come on Jesse. You're family. Now start acting like it". Cal smiled and we started walking towards the car. I took a sip of my coffee. Latte with one, perfect.
"Hey if you don't mind can we not talk about..." He cut me off. As usual.
"Talk about what?" He winks and smiles. Which makes me smile. For the first time since. Well for a long time. I couldn't remember the last time I smiled. For the first time since the accident I felt like everything was actually going to be okay. That gaping hole in my stomach slowly began to fill. Just with a smile. I threw my bag and guitar case into the tray of the brand new truck as Cal opened the door with the central locking remote. I jumped up and into the cabin, the car still had that new smell of fresh new interior.
"This is a nice car." I checked out the stereo. Cal had his CD book on the floor of the passanger side so I opened it up and had a look through. He starts the car and we take off, on a new life, a new journey. This coffee is unreal. Cal turns onto a main highway. The city lights are beautiful. I look around, accross the Yarra, the casino, the hotels. I'd been here before but it ment so much more now. This would be my home. I checked the clock. It flashed that fluro green colour, 12:02am. The coffee went down well as Cal started talking about school, St Kilda, football, the people and even his girlfriend. I was suprised he hand'nt told me about her.
"How long have you and Chelsea been together?" I watched as Cal's mouth widened. He smiled at the mention of her name from another persons lips. To hear their names associated. I could tell it was something real before he even spoke.
"Not long. Just a few months. But mate she has some gorgeous friends." I laughed to myself. I had never thought of myself as a catch. Back in Perth the girls were always sweet but I just never thought twice about it. It was like I was waiting for this dream girl I had created in my head, and none of the girls matched the bar.
"Yeah she's great" He started again. I listened intently and sipped my coffee as we drove past the pier and lona park. "What can I say, umm. Brunette, medium height, sweet as hell. You'll meet her tomorrow night!"
"Tomorrow night?" I pulled up short on the coffee. Tomorrow night?
"Oh yeah well one of Chelsea's friends Elissa is having her seventeenth. Just a week after you eh. So just the usual party on the roof of her apartment block. Hehe we'll be there a lot". I wasn't sure what to say. I wasn't expecting to be invited to a party first night in town. And I wasn't sure I felt up to it.
"Hey Cal maybe I shouldn't. I mean I don't know anyone and I just got in..." He cuts me off. Again.
"No way Jesse. You are coming. I mean come on schools a month away and you're staying with me now so, you're coming. Meet the footy guys. Plus as I said plenty of gorgeous girls mate. They will love your sandy do and bronzed weird shaped head". Haha.
I punch him playfully. But Cal has managed to bring a smile to my face. It's felt good to have a little fun. But I felt almost guilty, like I should be mourning all the time or something. Like it looks as if I don't care about the accident if I smile.
"Oh I forgot to tell you Jesse, me moved".
I looked up after laughing to see this huge house right on the pier. When Cal pulled into the driveway I couldn't believe it. I looked at him, he smiled back, grinning ear to ear. His Mom and Dad ran a real estate company but I had no idea it was so succesfull. The two story mansion covered in white rendered brick and surrounded by tropical trees and deep green gardens. The driveway long, adding to the drama as we pull in. Cal pulls up outside the garage door. Another taller garage beside it indicates a boat shed. I looked around, the large white home, the huge windows, the huge door. As we pulled in Cal's dad Jack came out.
"Jesse! It's great to see you mate." He was smiling and putting on a show but I could see the sympathy through his eyes. It's a talent i've picked up lately. Jack and Claire were my parents best friend. I saw them in Perth at the funeral last week. So they must be hurting as much as me. But Jack was so much like Cal, he hid his own sadness to help others.
"Hey Jack." I gave a small smile. It was hard to even pretend to be happy, well without looking creepy.
"Come on in. We'll set you up in the pool house." My jaw dropped. Pool house? I turned and looked to Cal but he was pulling his coffee out of the truck. They said it so casually. Pool house. Like it was just next to the kitchen and by the living room. Jack opened the huge front doors that were surrounded by palm trees. When he opened the house was very open, with a foyer, and a huge lounge room. At the back huge window panels reflected the light from inside. The pool lights outside gave a slight indication of the backyard but it was hard to see.
"This is beautiful", I couldn't believe it. This was my new home. Cal came in soon after.
"Not bad eh. I thought the same thing when Mom and Dad showed me." Jack just smiled and led the way through a tour of the house. It was huge. First the large living room with long panel like lounges, and speakers set up around in the corners of the ceilings. Then this led into the kitchen, everything was stainless steel. A black and white marbel bench top, amazing. The becnh was constructed in a long L-shape, with cupboards up on the walls, and large panel windows on the back wall that contued from the living room. The open area also consisted of a long deep wood jarrah dining table under a pool table like chandalere light. Everything was so fresh and modern. The lights, the paintings on the wall. It was all black and white with an odd green or red in the beautiful photography on the walls of the St Kilda coast line and cultural townsite. Cal then opened double french doors, I looked down and noticed white fluffy carpet. When I looked up there were four black lay-z-boy chairs on the back wall, a projector screen and huge inbuilt cabinets either side. The room was dark with wooden horizontal blinds. More black and white photography circled the room.
"The theatre. Dude this place is awesome for DVD's, check out the surround sound." I couldn't believe it, as Cal played a song from one of his cd's in the DVD player, which was londged along with any other imaginable technology product in the white inbuilt cabinets. Once I gave my smile of approval Cal took me upstairs, which was basically his parents huge bedroom, his bredroom, another lounge room and a couple of bathrooms. The whole house was beautiful. When we walked back downstairs Claire was standing in the kitchen with Jack, she had a glass of red wine in her hand, smiling.
"Hey Jesse. How was the trip?"
"It was great. Thanks. I don't really like flying so it was nice to stay ond ry land." I smiled again. I couldn't believe the place. It was gorgeous. They hadn't been here long as I was here 12 months ago. Mom and Dad said they bought a new place but I had no idea. They were smiling, pleased with my awe, they obviously still enjoyed the positive feedback.
"Your new place is amazing". I knew they were waiting for a comment.
"Yeah well it helps when your Dad is in the local mafia". Cal joked. He opened the large two-door white fridge and pulled out two bottles of water. He threw one at me casually. I looked in the fridge as he had it open. Everything was individually serving sized bottled. There was bottles of water, soda, juice, iced-coffees. Everything. It was like a coca-cola fridge at a supermarket. Jack replied to Cal's comment with another joke. They were so similar it was quite scary.
"Come on Jesse. I'm sure your very tired and could do with some sleep. I set the pool house up for you. I hope it's comfortable".
"I'm sure it's great, thank you".
"Well we'll go out tomorrow and get you some new things."
"It's okay really" I smiled, as we walked out the back of the house. Cal and Jack still mucking around inside. The pool was a large kidney shapred white rock with limestone paving around it. The grass area small but lush green. Green plants surrounded the pool, and a spa carved its way at the end of the pool. It was gorgeous. But I guess I was less surprised after seeing the house.
The pool house looked big from the outside, it stood in the corner of the small backyard. The house was up on a small hill, the backyard overlooked the ocean, it was beautiful. The cool breeze brushed past me, chilled. Claire opened the pool house door, and I was even more shocked than when I saw the house.
"As I said we just set it up. I hope it's comfortable".
"Wow." I couldn't believe my eyes. The bed, king size, sat 30 cm from the floor. The cover a beautiful japanese design, black and whtie symbols artistically weaved accross the bed. I loved the black and white theme throguhout the house, especially in the pool house. Two black bed size tables situtated either side with an alarm clock on one side, a lamp on the other. At the end of the bed on the wall sat a flat screen tv with dvd player underneath. Two speakers stood on either side. A gorgeous lush green plant stood in the corner by the speaker, with a large framed black and white photo of the backyard and the house. Behind the bed small stairs led up to a door, entry to a small bathroom. The same marbel used as the kitchen, single deep vanity, shower and toilet. The door on the other side lead to the small kitchen which could be accessed openly from the bed area. A small bar like bench top with a mini fridge and microwave. I looked around then back at Claire, dropping my bag on the end of the bed.
"This is aamzing Claire. I mean." I couldn't. Well I didn't know what to say to all these. We were always well off in Perth but this was incredible. I almost felt guilty that I would be happy here. Claire gave me that reassuring smile and checked the fridge. Bottles of water, soda and juice filled the doors.
"You deserve it Jesse. After what you have just been through". It was the first time it was mentioned. It was weird hearing it from another person. But that reassuring smile was like a rock holding down paper. I felt comfortable around Claire. "I'll leave you to it. Let us know if you need anything. Otherwise I'll see you in the morning".
I smiled as Claire left. What could I possibly need? Ever? This was amazing. Just as I began taking clothes out of my bad and stacking them in the shelving behind the bed, Cal walked in.
"Not a bad setup eh bro?"
"This is incredible dude. I mean. has this TV and stuff always been there?" I really hope they didn't put it in there for me.
"Don't worry about it Jesse! I am jealous though you have the sickest setup in here. Bachelor pad!"
"I don't know about that".
"Come on! Tomorrow night you're coming to Chelsea's party, meet some cute girls. I'll set you up".
"Are you sure I should?"
"Dude. Come on. Your with me now. The crew will love you. The girls will love you. Trust me. "
"Alright". I wasn't sure. But he seemed confident. I was excited about a new social beginning.
"Well get some sleep. Big day tomorrow. Well big night tomorrow night!"
I smiled at Cal as he closed the door behind him. I began dropping the drapes on the inside of the pool house. A calander in the kitchen read the date. January 13. Today will be known as the start of a new life. New people. New family. For the first time in weeks I was excited. Excited to wake up the next morning and see what the sun will bring.