I had crap all inspiration to go on from where the last chapter ended, so I've skipped a few months. =/.
Hope you're all okay with that decision.
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Thank you for the reviews.
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Please let me know if you're still interested in this story continuing.
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MissToastie.
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Chapter Twenty Six :
Four months later...
It was Friday afternoon and Ruby was sat in her English class, she wasn't really focused on what Mr Copeland was saying, she had a lot on her mind and English was far from it. Today was her seventeenth birthday and tonight was her party, Joey had hired Alf's boat for the night and was taking Ruby and her closest friends out for a cruise around the sea before taking them to a beautiful isolated island where they would camp for the night and spend all day Saturday.
Mr Copeland turned around and began to write on the blackboard.
"Rubes, do you know who's coming tonight?" Xavier whispered to his girlfriend of almost two years.
"The usual" Ruby whispered back and smiled. Xavier nodded and kissed Ruby on her cheek and started writing down what was on the board, knowing that when Ruby had said 'The usual' it meant Nicole, Indigo, Jai, Geoff, Nicole's boyfriend of 2 months Ryan and his younger brother Chad. And of course Charlie, Joey, Belle, Aden, Jenni, Jenni's 'crush' Melissa, Leah, Roman, Miles and Kirsty.
---
Charlie had just finished her shift and was heading home to get ready for the party that night. Things had been going really well for her lately, she and Joey were getting closer each day, Ruby was well behaved, apart from her cheekiness and everything was going well at work. No one was home when Charlie arrived, Ruby was still at school for another 25 minutes and Joey's shift at The Diner didn't finish until five. She walked upstairs and into her bedroom, sitting on the bed as she unlaced her work boots, she looked at a photo frame on her bedside table, it was taken three months ago, the photo was of Joey, Ruby, Nicole and herself, all grinning at Nicole's 18th birthday party. That night had been one to remember, Charlie and Joey had spent the entire night dancing and chatting away, before heading home and having sex on the lounge room floor then being woken the next morning by Ruby screaming several 'Ewwwwww's' as she had walked in to see the two sleeping girls lying butt naked. Charlie laughed at the memory and went to take a shower.
---
"Hey you! All set for the party tonight?" Joey asked as Jenni approached the counter at The Diner. The two of them had become really good friends over the last four months, which Joey was thankful of, she thought back to that day when she had asked her out for a dinner date and then told Jenni that it wasn't actually a date, that she wasn't interested in Jenni like that and then continued to apologise. Jenni had laughed and told Joey that she thought as much and knew that Joey had her eye on someone else. The two of them still went out for a meal and sat getting to know each other on a friendship level and Jenni had managed to get Joey to open up to her about how she really felt about Charlie.
"I most definitely am! I can't wait, it will be great to sit down, have a few drinks and relax!" Jenni grinned at her friend. It had taken her a few weeks to get over her crush on Joey, but when she finally did, she realised she had made a good friend in her. Jenni had now settled in, in Summer Bay and was making new friends all the time, she had a close friend in Kirsty Philips and she had a major thing for Kirsty's friend from University, Melissa Jacobs, a tall, shy, blonde girl with gorgeous brown eyes and the cheekiest of personalities.
"Great!" Joey grinned and started to make Jenni's usual coffee. "Kirsty came in earlier and confirmed that Mel is coming tonight" Joey saw as Jenni's smile widened at the mention of Mel's name. "Jen, it really hurts me to see the way you react when anyone mentions her name. I don't want you to get hurt!"
"I'm not going to get hurt Jo! I'm being a good friend to Mel and comforting her" Jenni paused and smiled. "And if something happens between us, then so be it!"
"Are you forgetting that you are 'comforting' her because her BOYFRIEND just broke up with her? And that nothing is going to happen because, hmm, I dunno, SHE'S STRAIGHT?!" Joey said handing Jenni her coffee and taking the money and placing it in the register.
"Everyone's straight until they're not" Jenni winked and hurried out of The Diner.
Joey sighed, shook her head and went to clear some tables.
---
"So what are you wearing tonight?" Nicole asked as she and Ruby walked inside Charlie's house.
"This gorgeous LBD that Charlz gave to me this morning and possibly those black strappy shoes I love of yours" Ruby said batting her eyes at her best friend.
Nicole rolled her eyes and laughed. "Sure thing, but only because it's your birthday!"
"That doesn't mean they have to come off at midnight, do they?!"
"You're not Cinderella Ruby, so no" Nicole smiled as they made their way upstairs.
"I'm better than Cinderella! I'm Rubyrella" Ruby paused outside Charlie's bedroom door. "And Rubyrella has one BEAUTIFUL, LOVING, CARING, GENEROUS sister, the best sister in the whole entire world!"
"What do you want Ruby?" Charlie shouted from inside her room.
"She knows me too well!" Ruby said grinning and placing her hand on the door knob. "You got your bits away?"
"Yes, come in!" Charlie shouted once again.
Ruby and Nicole entered Charlie's room.
"Whoa Sis, you look beautiful!" Ruby said grinning at her older sister who stood wearing a gorgeous thin strap yellow dress that stopped just above the knee, black high heels and her hair was down and curled.
"Yeah, if Joey doesn't want a piece of you wearing that, I'm sure someone else might" Nicole smiled. "Turn the straight girls in to gay girls"
"Oh yeah?" Ruby asked her friend, raising her eyebrow.
"Yeah! Not me of course, I mean, no offence Charlie, as beautiful as you are, I'm all Ry's" Nicole beamed and looked dreamy.
"None taken" Charlie laughed at the loved up teenager. She was happy for her. Nicole had been dating Charlie's new junior constable Ryan Gentle for a few months now. "How are things between you and Ryan?"
"Oh jesus Charlie, don't get her started on officer Gentle" Ruby rolled her eyes and received a small punch in the arm from Nicole.
"Things are actually going really well thanks Charlz. Now that Dad has calmed down and accepted that we're dating, that is" Nicole smiled and thought back to how Roman hadn't approved of his eighteen year old daughter dating someone older than she is, even though the age difference was only three years. Leah had talked him around and made him notice how happier Nic had been since she started seeing Ryan.
"Good to hear" Charlie smiled and then turned her attention to the young Buckton and raised her eyebrow. "Anyway, what did you want little miss?"
"I was wondering if everyone could have some alcohol tonight" Ruby smiled innocently.
"Ah, Narh" Charlie stated simply.
"Please Chucky Cheese!" Ruby pouted.
"Nope, I'm sorry, do you not remember your sixteenth?! Several people got drunk and the night ended in disasters and I'm not waking up to you vomiting all over the place again!"
"Just one Charlie! You can be the one to pour everyone a glass of champers" Ruby's innocent smile was still on her face.
"Okay, Okay! ONE glass each!" Charlie said, giving in. "What about the 18s and above, what are you drinking?" Charlie asked Nicole.
"I'm not drinking, I've got a job interview in the morning and I don't want to stuff it up by going in hung-over!" Nicole smiled, she was really hoping to get the job, it was at a fashion shop in Yabbie Creek. "And I'm not sure about anyone else; I know bible boy and Indi aren't drinking. Geoff doesn't drink during footy season and since Indi not long got out of rehab, she won't be drinking"
"Alright so that's settled then" Ruby grinned. "I'm going to get ready at Nic's, so I'll see you at the wharf around quarter past five" Ruby gave her older sister a kiss on the cheek and she and Nicole made their way to Leah and Roman's house.
---
Charlie was sat on her bed reading a novel when she heard the front door slam shut; she looked at her watch and saw it was 5:02. Sliding off her bed, she opened her bedroom door just as Joey walked into the bathroom and shut the door.
"Ruby wants us to meet her in 10 minutes, is that enough time for you to get ready?" Charlie asked outside the door.
"Yeah, that's plenty of time; I'm only having a really quick shower, not washing my hair." Joey yelled through the door and turned the shower on. "Where's the shower cap?"
"It's in the bottom draw, Ruby decided to clear the first draw out for her make-up and then shifted everything else around in there." Charlie yelled back. "I'll be down stairs when you're ready to go"
"Right-o" Joey called out and hopped into the shower.
10 minutes later Joey ran down stairs, she was wearing her new pair of black jeans, a bright yellow singlet with a black jacket over the top, complete with her black converse high-tops and her hair down and straightened.
"You look absolutely gorgeous!" Charlie beamed as Joey made her way into the kitchen.
Joey looked up and swallowed hard. Wow. She thought to herself. "You look incredible" Joey said staring at the beautiful brunette standing in front of her.
Charlie grinned and picked up her handbag. "You ready to go?" Charlie asked Joey, who continued to stare at her.
"Err, yeah, lets go" Joey snapped out of it and moved towards the back door.
Charlie caught the smell of Joey's perfume as she walked past. That smell, yum! My favourite smell in the world. It's intoxicating. Charlie grinned and closed and locked the door.
---
"Hey birthday girl!" Joey smiled and hugged Ruby as she reached her on the Wharf. "You look gorgeous! That dress really suits you!" Joey turns and smiles at Charlie. "Nice choice Charlz!"
"Thank you" Both Buckton sisters spoke in unison.
Charlie and Joey said their hello's to Nicole, Ryan, Xavier, Leah and Roman and were about to hop on the boat when they saw everyone else who was coming on the trip walking down the wharf. Once everyone had greeted one another, they stepped onto the boat, the 'adults' were asked to sit inside the boat whilst the 'teens' were to sit out on the deck. With Joey driving, all eighteen people were sitting around talking as they sailed off into the sunset, waiting to arrive at their destination.