Chapter Fifteen
I began spending a lot of my time at Fang and Lana's house the year I turned sixteen. Fang and I had been dating a year by then, and I had started to think of Lana, as my Mum. At first this thought had made me feel like I was betraying my own Mum, but Lana and Fang helped me realise I didn't need too tip toe around, so to speak. She would have wanted me to be happy, and she and Lana were good friends, Lana told me things about my Mum I never knew, like how she would talk of me and say how she always admired how strong I was, how I didn't let people hurt my family or friends. Lana told me of the time, when Fang and I were little Mum and Lana had taken us to the park and there was a boy, a little older then us, picking on a little girl, she said I had gone over and stood up for her. Lana had said I had always played the hero and that I had always been the leader type.
Things with my Dad never got any better, in fact they got worse, and I had not that thought it possible. He went away for months at a time on his 'business trips' and we wouldn't hear from him. Ella took it hard, and terribly personal, she thought he didn't love us any more. We both started resenting him, and in time, started hating. We stopped calling him Dad and started referring to him by his first name Jeb around others, and just 'him' or 'he' between Ella and I. I didn't think he deserved to be called Dad. Ella felt it was her and I verse the world. She kind of gave up on people after Dad distanced himself from us. Ella also felt like Mum had abandoned us.
Year Ten was a big year for Fang, Iggy, Nudge and I. As part of the curriculum we went to career talks and Open University days, we were all expected to start really thinking about our futures.
I had never been someone who planned out their life or thought ten years ahead and saw a clear image. The future was blurry to me. I had no clue, what I wanted to be. It was not like that for Fang. He had always said he was going to be an artist. It was a hard business, but a business he knew he'd get into, no doubt in his mind. He had always been like that, knows exactly what he wants and goes for it. I have always loved that about him.
Ella had decided she was going to a vet like our Mum; she loved animals, and always had. Dad never let us have a dog or cat like we wanted, but Ella had a gold fish call pork-chops, when she was about ten. Ella had once said she was going to buy back Mum's business. Ella from the age of fourteen volunteered at the animal shelter in the neighbouring town.
As a little girl Nudge had wanted to be famous, didn't care how, just knew it was what she wanted. She loved dance and wanted to continue with it, but she also wanted to be a fashion designer when she was older. Nudge looked into the future all the time and saw the bright shining lights of fame and fortune, and she saw her dream house, that she often talked about late at night at our sleepovers with Ella, Angel. But later on she changed her dream; she had taken a computer class at school and decided she'd like to work on computers, as a Usability Tester/ Web Designer.
Angel was always a dabbler. She did drama for a while, and dance, she started piano lessons at the start of year nine, and quit mid year, then she took a liking to fashion design because Nudge was into it. The thing about Angel was that she never stuck to anything, but she was good at everything. She was a high achiever and a straight A student. She was in accelerated Maths and English. And like Nudge, she looked ahead and saw the shiny lights, and the dream house.
Gazzy had always been the sportiest one out of all of us, though we all like sport. We had gone done to the beach one day, and he had seen a lifesaver save a little boy, and something had clicked in him, since that day he had wanted to be a lifesaver. There was a program at our school called Surf Life Saving, it's a class you can choose, you do theory, like learning CPR and First Add, and you do practical work like go to the beach most weekends and train. It goes through to year Twelve and by the end you're a qualified Australian Surf Life Saver. Gazzy got in early because he was so good at sports, and Matthew the head of the sports department at our school loves Gazzy, because Gazzy would enter into every school sports day. We would quite often go down to the beach and hang out while Gazzy was on duty.
Now Iggy, he surprised me. It was after school on the second week back as we both sat in detention- long story- that he told me he wanted to be a Scientific Assistant or do something in Natural History. I had always thought he wanted to be a Chef; he has always been good at cooking. We worked home together after school that afternoon. The other's all had things on. Iggy had told me he was scared. He said he didn't know if he could have a normal life, didn't think anyone would hire a blind guy. I told him they'd have to be crazy not to hire him, I didn't know anyone who could cook better then him, or make fire works faster. I told him I didn't know how he did it, go around and not be recognised as blind. I told him I couldn't do it, if I was him.
Age Sixteen
"Fitness testing today." Nudge said, with a look of horror, as she walked up to Iggy, Fang and I. We have P.E now and are waiting out side the stadium.
"It's next week." Iggy argues. Nudge shakes her head.
"I saw Matthew earlier today. He said he changed the dates." Nudge says dropping her bag onto the ground. "And I can't even do my usual pretend to have forgotten me sports uniform, I didn't think before answering Matt's questioning if I had it." She says frowning.
"Did he say what we're doing exactly?" I ask her.
"In door stuff today, he said we're doing agility, hand and eye co-ordination, and um... sit up's? I can't remember what else; I was too busy freaking out." Nudge says. Iggy laughs.
"That's when it helps to be blind, I say I can't do it, I get to sit out and still get a pass." Iggy says grinning smugly.
"You milk it." Nudge says bitterly.
"Morning guys get changed." Matthew says passing us out side the sports stadium.
"You look far too happy." Nudge calls after him. He just laughs.
We split up, Nudge and I heading into the girls change rooms. We see Shara as we make our way to the back of the room. You remember Shara don't you? The other girl Daniel Andrews cheated on Nudge with. Strange means of friendship those two have.
"Hey ladies." She says greeting us, smiling. She's pulling her dark brown hair into a pony tale. Then goes to rub sunscreen into her face.
"You don't need that." I tell her. "We're in doors today."
"Hun, I can burn when the skies grey and it's raining. Look at me, I'm white as white can be." Shara says, going ahead and rubbing it onto her freckled face. Nudge and I laugh.
"Hey, you ready for fitness training?" Nudge asks.
"What? Know!" Shara says as she ties her shoe lases up.
"Yep, Matthew told me." Nudge says.
"Oh, I just remembered Max, I just had class with Angel and she told me to tell you to meet her and Gazzy out-side the stadium."
"Oh okay, thanks Shara. I thought the twins were leaving school early to go away for the weekend with there parents." I said, finishing off getting changed by tying my shoes laces up. Iggy, Nudge, Fang and I had all planned to go back to Fangs house tonight for a movie night.
The three of us grabbed our drink bottles and make our way into the stadium and sat on the stands. Fang and Iggy are already sitting there. I sit beside Fang, and pat his knee. He smiles at me.
"All right kids, fitness training today." Matthew said. "But we'll start with warm-ups. So, let's jog two laps of the basket ball court." Nudge and Shara groaned as we all stook up. Iggy grabs hold of the back of Fang's T-shirt as they begin running, and once he gets into the grove he lets go. I ran in between Iggy and Nudge.
"Do you know what's going on with Ang and Gazzy?" I asked Iggy.
"Gazzy said something about his parents cancelling the trip. He didn't say much. He looked uncomfortable." Iggy says.
"We we're with the twins at lunch and they didn't say anything." I say confused.
"Maybe their parents texted them?"
"I hope everything is okay." Nudge says looking worried.
"Less chit chat more exercise!" Matthew yells. "We can do both." Nudge says so only Iggy and I can hear. We all pick up the pace and finish off the second lap in silence.
"We're going to get straight into it now. Boys will start with hand and eye co-ordination, girl's sit-ups. Let's go." He said clapping his hands together.
We girls walked over to the mats that are set out and partnered off. Nudge instantly grabbed hold of my arm when we were told to do so.
"You're first." She told me with a laugh.
"Thanks." I say laughing as well.
I lie down with my knee's bent. Nudge got in front of me and held my feet, like everyone was doing. Shara was partnered with Lisa next to us, Lisa was going first, and I couldn't help but feel a little competitive. I don't know why I do it, Lisa's actually a nice person, and I guess she's like Fang, if she wants something she goes for it, and that just happened to be him last year.
"Okay girls and boys you have a minute." Matthew yelled. The boys were on the other side of the court ball in hand ready to see how many times they could throw the ball with one hand, in one minute. I looked over my shoulder at Fang. He smiled at me.
"Three, Two, One...start." Matthew called.
I started, Nudge counting. "One, Two Three, Four..." I could see Lisa from the corner of my eye, so I pushed myself harder.
"Go Max! Man you machine." Nudge says. My sides are hurting but I keep up my pace.
"39, 40, 41, 42." Nudge's counting.
"And time." Matthew yells.
"Good job." Nudge said patting me on the back as we changed positions. I looked over at Fang and he had an irritated look on his face as Iggy was laughing saying something to him.
Once Nudge had her turn we went over to where the boys had been and all collected a tennis ball. When we were using our left hands Nudge threw her ball and it bounced off the wall and hit Lacey, a girl we went to primary school with, in the head, we were laughing so hard we only got a score of six catches in one minute. Lacey laughed along with us.
Matthew wasn't impressed, but he laughed. "Well you made up for it in the other exercises." He says to us.
"Did you see her face?" Nudge asks me. We both crack up laughing again.
We did agility testing and strength after that and finished the class with flexibility. We all took it in turns of going up to the measurer and sitting with our feet against it and stretching our arms out doing at far as we could. None of the boys are very good at it. Nudge and I got the furthest. Some of the boys made stupid jokes about us until Fang gave them one of his glares and they shut up quick smart.
The seven of us walked home together like usual. We met Ella, Angel and Gazzy out side the stadium. The twins had said their parents had decided not to go on the holiday any more because of money problems. The twins Dad had been fired from his job at a factory in the city and didn't find another job for months. Their Mum would work double shifts at the restaurant she worked at in those months. Things were hard on their family. None of us really knew the full extent of it, at the time. It was hard on the twins.
"Hey kids, how was your day?" Lana asked from watering her roses in the front yard with her little red watering can. There are pretty strong water restrictions here in Victoria. People are only allowed to water they gardens with the hose or sprinkler, for an hour at six in the morning and eight at night.
"Good." Fang said simply.
"We had fitness training in P.E today." Nudge said. "I did pretty good...well except hand and eye co-ordination, but that was because I accidentally hit another girl in the head with my ball, boy did Max and I laugh."
"Sound's like you had fun." Lana said smiling.
"Yeah." Nudge agreed grinning at me.
"And how'd you go Nick?"
"Not so good." Iggy says innocently, but smirks at Fang, who frowns.
"Oh, why? You're good at sports. Didn't you study?" Lana asked.
"Yeah he studied, studied Max." Gazzy snickered. I look at him surprised, and slightly embarrassed.
"There's no studying for P.E Mum." Fang said, colouring ever so slightly, I wonder if anyone else noticed. "And anyway you weren't there." Fang says turning to Gazzy.
"Iggy told me." Gazzy says.
"He didn't do anything because he was to busy watching Max-" Iggy begins, but Fang jumps in. "Okay, okay, let's go inside." Fang says walking inside, we all followed.
"I'm starving." Angel said as we all sat round the lounge room.
"Well it was my turn to bring pop-corn." Nudge says going over to her back at the front door and pulling three instant pop-corn bags out.
"I'll put then in the microwave." She says. "Where are the bowls Fang?"
"Here I'll help." Fang says getting up and going into the kitchen.
"Are you two disappointed about not going on holidays?" Ella asks the twins.
"Not too badly." Gazzy says. "I would much rather hang with you guys."
"Well I am, a little, I wanted to go shopping at the big market." Angel said. I smiled sadly at her.
"Well you'll go soon." I said but we all knew that wasn't going to happen.
"Did Fang really not get any scores in fitness testing?" Angel asked after a moment.
"Yes. I speak the truth." Iggy says chuckling.
"Don't start." I warn.
"What?" Iggy laughs, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "I wasn't going to say anything more."
"Right." I say rolling my eyes.
"Lets get a movie going." Gazzy says getting up and walking over to the DVD rack, next to the T.V on the entertainment unit. He started reading out opposition for us to watch.
"Transformers?"
"No!" Angel says.
"The Dark Night?"
"NO, seen it to many times." Ella says.
"The Village?"
"It's not as exciting when we all know what's going to happen." Iggy says shaking his head.
"You're lucky you didn't have to see that. It freaked me out." Angel says.
"I heard it. I wish I could have seen it." Iggy said bitterly. We were all quiet for a minute, not sure of what to say. I went over and sat next to Iggy and tapped the back of his hand.
"You okay?" I ask him quietly. He reaches his hand out and pats my knee.
"Next choices." Iggy says. Gazzy continues reading out titles.
"Pop-corn." Nudge calls out as she walks back into the room carrying two large bowls, Nudge hands one bowl to Angel and Ella who are sharing a bean bag and plops down next to me on the couch. She offers me the pop-corn and I take a hand full, Iggy leans over me doing the same.
"What about Step Brother's?" Gazzy asks.
"Sounds good to me." Iggy says.
"Yeah, me too." I agree.
"Then Step Brother's it is, I still haven't seen it yet." Gazzy says, putting it in then sitting on the other couch. Fang comes back into the room as Gazzy's sitting down and sits down beside him, passing his bowl of pop-corn to Gazzy.
Half way threw the movie Lana came in and asked if we were all staying for tea. She was going out to a restaurant- which I later found out was a date- and said we could order pizza, we all agreed. Fang didn't look up from the T.V as his Mum talked to us. He didn't like her going out on dates, but he never told her that, only me. Lana never remarried. I always thought she still loved Mark. She went on her dates regularly; I would stay with Fang when she did so. We never met her dates. She never talked about them either, that always worried Fang, but he never questioned her.
After the movie we started playing the card game Uno as we ate our pizza, Fang won, and I came second, the other's decided to continue playing, so I went to get a drink.
I walked out of the kitchen with a can of coke in my hand, and started heading back to the lounge room when out of the corner of my eye I can see movement. I turn my head in the direction and am startled too see Fang standing in the hall, smirking at me; he crooks a finger summering me to follow.
He opens the door to the closet and motions for me to go in, I give him a skeptical look before going in, and he follows, closing the door behind him. I can just make out his face with the light coming threw the crack under the door.
"I've hardly seen you tonight." Fangs says. "That pretty face of yours I've missed oh so much."
"We've been together all day at school, then watched a movie and played cards together." I say laughing.
"Yes, but we didn't sit next to each other during the movie or anything." He says fake pouting, then laughing softly. "And I haven't got to do this." He lent down, kissing me softly on the lips, his hands on either side of my face. I kiss him back. I can feel him smiling against my mouth as I put my arms around his neck and move in closer to him. He puts his hands to the back of my thighs and lifts me up; I wrap my legs around him. He holds me up with one hand and strokes my face with his other. He sits down leaning against the shelves behind us, with me on his lap.
I pull away. Breathing heavily. Fang puts his forehead against mine, running his hands up and down my sides.
"Is your Dad back yet?" He asks. I frown at him bringing up my Dad at a time like this. I sighed with out meaning to.
"No, I haven't heard from him in weeks. Sometimes...sometimes I wonder if he'll never come back, it's not such a far fetched idea." I say. Fang pulls me closer. I put my head against his shoulder.
"I wouldn't mind..."
"Fang! He's my Dad." I say hitting him in the chest, he catches my hand.
"I know... If that happens- you have me. I'll never leave you."
"What about Ella, I have you. She doesn't have anyone."
"She has you."
"Always, but she can't just have me."
"What about Iggy and Angel and Gazzy and Nudge and me. You know we'll always be here for the Martinez's girls." He says looking me straight in the eyes.
"Yeah, yeah of course." I feel silly, and laugh slightly.
"Hey." Fang says smiling at me. "What are you doing blushing? You know you can always talk to me, about anything." I nod my head slowly.
"Why did you ask about my Dad?" I ask Fang.
"I-" Fang stopped talking at hearing Nudge outside the closet.
"Did you hear voices?" We hear her ask. The door is suddenly opened; I flinched at the harsh light, when Nudge turned the light on.
"What are you guys doing in here?" Nudge asks grinning. I get off Fang and sit next to him. Nudge sits down next to me, wiggling around to get comfortable. I roll my eyes.
"Ow, it's cozy in here." She says as the others appear at the door, and look at us with raised eyebrows and smirks. They always have to come at the wrong time.
"This looks fun." Gazzy says sitting down as well, the others follow suit, and Ella closes the door after them. We only just all fit, and that's with our arms and legs all touching.
"This fells very weird." Iggy says.
"Someone's elbows in my hip." I say moving closer to Fang.
"Sorry." Nudge says, but laughs. She moves her arm in closer to her body.
"Who's up for Go Fish?" Nudge asks holding up play cards. "I was just coming back from getting them out of my school bag." She says.
"Me."
"Okay."
"Sounds fun." We all chime in.
He stayed in the closet for an hour until Gazzy let off one of his deadly smells. We all burst out of the closet, falling over each other.
It, strange as it may sound, became a little hang out for us; we'd squash up in the closet and talk or play cards. There's something about small cosy spaces we all like. We did it for about a year, but eventually forgot about it. Fang would pull me into that closet once in a while, but we didn't all go in there after sometime.
I hope you liked it. Thanks for reading. And thank you to those of you who reviewed, and added my story to your favourites. :D