Chapter Five Hundred and Fifty Four

"You're quiet this morning," Watson remarked.

She and Charlie were on patrol and they had already had to clear out several clusters of River Boys, still drunk from the night before. It seemed like it was going to be a very long day.

Charlie apologised.

"I'm not criticising," Watson assured her. "I'm just concerned. Is everything okay?"

"I'm just a bit worried about Joey," Charlie admitted. "She isn't herself at the moment. She's dealing with the builders herself today and I'm worried she isn't up to it."

"We could always stop by on our break?" Watson offered. "Make sure she's okay?"

Charlie nodded gratefully.

"What's up with her?" Watson wondered. "If you don't mind me asking?"

"She just seems really shaken up since Valentine's," Charlie said. "Since she broke her wrist and the restaurant got smashed up."

She sighed heavily.

"I don't know how to make it better."


Romeo arrived at the farm, eager to speak to Indi. He would be late for school but he didn't care. He may get into trouble but what was he really missing? A lesson he had already completed a year ago. So what? He needed to speak to his girlfriend.

This morning, John had collared him, asking him to take a job with the Surf Club as a lifeguard. He already did the odd bit of work, teaching surfing classes or even lifeguard work. He was qualified. But with the River Boys descending on the Bay and particularly the beach, John wanted him to step up. He wanted him to guard the beach and keep the gang in check, protect other people wanting to use the beach from the threat of thugs.

With the restaurant currently out of action and Romeo's income significantly down, he was not in a position to refuse the money. But the idea of tackling the River Boys was daunting to say the least. He was desperate to turn to his girlfriend for advice.

"Hey!" Indi greeted in surprise. "Why aren't you at school?"

He was sure he could hear laughter behind her.

"I skipped," he said. "I needed to talk to you."

She looked awkwardly back into the house.

"I've got a study session here," she said. "Can it wait?"

"Well, not really," Romeo said. "If it could wait, I wouldn't have skipped class."

Indi looked even more awkward.

"It's just that my Uni friends have come out here to work on a project with me and…"

He turned and left without another word. He ignored her when she called after him. It was too late.


Joey left the restaurant and began to walk back home. She kept her head down, hoping she wouldn't run into anyone. She had been anxious opening up for the builders. Charlie had offered to go with her but she had been determined to do it on her own. And actually it had been fine. Now she just had to deal with the rest of the day.


"That's the happiest I've seen you in a while," Ruby remarked to April, as they waited for Miles to arrive and begin their last lesson of the day.

"Well, Xavier's doing really well and I had a meeting with Mrs Austen at lunch time and my punishment for the chemicals isn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be," April told her. "Plus she's lifted my ban on seeing him so I'm going over to the hospital as soon as school finishes."

Her friends and classmates at school had been surprisingly kind over what she had done. She had expected a lot of hassle and comments but mostly, everyone had just been concerned about hers and Xavier's welfare.

"That's really good news," Ruby said.

She looked around, still hoping against hope that Romeo might turn up. He had been absent all day and had not replied to any of her messages.

"What's up with you?" Dex asked.

He was still struggling after his ordeal at the hands of the River Boys but he had dragged himself into school.

"Nothing," she said. "I was supposed to be having a surfing lesson with Romeo after school but he's not here."

"I could teach you to surf," said a quiet voice.

Ruby, Dex and April all looked over at Casey Braxton. He looked anxious. Ruby weighed up her options. On the one hand, she wasn't sure she should be making friends with a Braxton. On the other hand, Romeo had told her that Casey was actually a nice guy. She also knew what it was like to be new at school and she didn't want to be rude and shut him out.

"I don't think Ruby wants to hang out with a River Boy," Dex said.

"I'm not… Dex, I'm really sorry about what they did," Casey said. "I tried to stop them."

"You didn't help me though, did you?" Dex snapped.

"I couldn't…" Casey tried.

"Dex, did he attack you?" Ruby asked.

"No but he didn't stop them either," Dex said. "And he didn't alert anyone."

"I am so sorry," Casey said. "I would have been in so much shit if…"

"It sounds like he was in a terrible position," Ruby conceded.

"I'm not sure that's really good enough," April said, feeling protective of Dex.

"It's hard to know what we'd do in Casey's position," Ruby said. "You made the wrong call, Casey."

"I know," the Braxton brother said, hanging his head. "I really am sorry."

"But maybe we can put it behind us and move on," Ruby suggested.

Dex shrugged. He wasn't happy.

"And I'd really love a surfing lesson if you didn't mind?" Ruby accepted.

April and Dex exchanged glances. Ruby couldn't help but wonder if taking the lesson away from Romeo might be the way to make him notice her after all.


Charlie and Watson pulled up beside Heath Braxton. The kid he was with ran off. The police officers got out of their car.

"Heath Braxton?" Charlie asked.

"Who's asking?"

"What are you up to there?" Charlie asked.

"Just hanging out," he said lazily. "Chatting to a mate."

"Why did he run off then?" Charlie wanted to know. "Did he have somewhere to be all of a sudden?"

Heath shrugged.

"You don't happen to have any drugs on you, do you?" Charlie asked. "Or did your mate have them and that's why he legged it?"

"Don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't you think when you're already under investigation for assault, perhaps you should try and stay out of trouble?" Watson suggested.

"Well, maybe you should leave me the fuck alone then?" he countered.


After school, Ruby and Casey headed down to the beach while April headed over to the hospital. Dex went straight home. The last thing he wanted was any kind of interaction with any River Boys and they seemed to be littering the place at the moment.

"Romeo!" Ruby called out in surprise, waving.

Romeo climbed down from his lifeguard station and walked over to Ruby and Casey.

"What are you guys doing down here?" he asked.

He had been waiting for it to be a polite enough time after school before he called her. He had had a horrible day. He knew he would be in trouble with Miles and therefore Gina for skipping school. He had ended up working for John and most of the day had been spent keeping an eye on River Boys and making sure they didn't cause trouble. Nothing had happened but the pressure of the people felt stronger than the pressure of the heat of the day.

"Casey's taking me for a surf lesson," Ruby told him.

"Oh," Romeo said, looking thoroughly disappointed. "I thought I was going to teach you to surf."

Surfing was his thing. He had been going to take Ruby out on the water. Why was Casey swooping in and taking over?

"Oh, it's just that you weren't at school and I was really looking forward to getting started," Ruby said. "But it's fine. Casey won't mind if we don't do today, will you?"

She looked at her new friend and smiled. Casey shook his head but the truth was, he did mind. He had enjoyed talking to Ruby. She was kind and she was funny. She had been friendly to him since he had started at Summer Bay High without hesitation. She didn't seem to associate him with the rest of the River Boys. That meant something to him. Plus she was hot. She was really, really hot.

"No, don't worry," Romeo said unhappily. "Forget it."

He turned to Casey.

"Just look after her," he added, heading back to his tower.

Casey shrugged and set their boards down on the sand, ready to start the lesson.


Xavier was delighted when he saw April hovering in the doorway to his hospital room. It felt like so long since had last seen her. And even back then, she had seemed like a different person to the girl he had loved. So much had happened but he hoped that now, they could just move on together.

"Hey," he said weakly. "Don't hang back there. Come here."

April came to his bedside. She held his hand, looking tearful.

"I've missed you," he said.

She was definitely crying.

"April…" he nudged. "Don't cry. I'm okay. Everything's okay."

"We need to break up," she said.

He was stung.

"What?" he managed. "Why?"

"Because of… this," she said. "Because of what I've done to you. I'm so sorry, Xavier. I'm so sorry."

She leant over and kissed his forehead. Then she left him in tears.


Joey had spent the day alone. It was unusual. Normally she was surrounded by people. She hadn't realised until now just how much she had come to rely on social interaction. But she didn't know how to reach out and ask for help now. She didn't know how to put into words how or why she was struggling. It was just physical damage. It was a bad arm and a broken restaurant. Why was she struggling so much? It wasn't normal. She wasn't normal.


Romeo sat, watching the beach below him. There were a few lads on the beach, although for now they didn't seem to be causing any trouble. Casey and Ruby seemed to be having a great time together. She had hardly stopped laughing. And he kept touching her. Romeo thought he was touching her an unnecessary number of times.

He was annoyed. He was upset with Indi for not having time for him. She hadn't so much as bothered to call him all day. It was like she had just moved on and forgotten all about him. And he had hoped he might be able to talk to Ruby but now she, who he had come to rely on in recent weeks, didn't have time for him either.


Casey had reluctantly agreed to let Ruby go into the water, having done a lot of work on the beach with her new board, a present from her parents. Dragging herself back out of the water, Ruby flung herself onto the sand. Laughing at her dramatics, Casey sat beside her.

"You're okay, you know?" Ruby said.

"Um… thanks?" Casey replied.

"I mean… just, I know people have been unsure of you because of your family," Ruby ventured. "But, I think you're pretty cool."

She smiled sincerely at him. He smiled back.


Joey stood in the restaurant, staring out of the window at the beach. She was sure she could see Ruby surfing. But it wasn't Romeo teaching her. Romeo was doing the lifeguard duty he sometimes did. She craned her neck, trying to see who she was with. She didn't recognise him. Leaning against the glass, having sent the builders away for the day, she became more and more concerned. She knew from Charlie that one of the Braxton boys had started school with Ruby but surely her step-daughter wouldn't have made friends with someone from that family?

She froze when some of the River Boys approached Ruby and the boy. They were only talking but Joey felt herself beginning to panic.


Romeo was on edge, aware that some of the River Boys including Casey's brother had come closer. The whole reason John had increased his hours was to protect the beach and the people on it from the River Boys. That's why he had needed to speak to Indi. And then he had needed to speak to Ruby. But neither of them had had any time for him. He didn't know if he could take on this job. The River Boys felt too much for him.

Down on the sand, Casey awkwardly introduced Heath to Ruby.

"Buckton…" Heath said. "You related to that cop? She hassled me again today."

"She's my mother," Ruby said stiffly. "And she's good at her job."

"She's your Mum?" Heath exclaimed. "She must have been at it when she was about nine years old!"

Ruby hated him as he laughed and joked with his friends. It didn't matter that he didn't know what he was laughing at. It still hurt and it still made her angry.

"Why don't you just shut up about things you don't understand?" she snapped.

Beside her, Casey willed her not to get into an argument with his brother.

"Are you talking back to me?" Heath said, standing up taller.

"Aren't you used to that?" Ruby asked, not intimidated in the slightest.

"Ruby, don't," Casey said, pulling her away.

"Oh, do you like her?" Heath mocked.

"No," Casey lied. "I just don't want there to be any trouble."

"Well, I kinda like trouble so…"

Romeo appeared beside them, anxious for Ruby.

"Is there an issue here?" he asked.

"Who the hell are you?" Heath wanted to know.

"I'm the lifeguard here," Romeo said.

He was just as tall and just as well built. He just hoped it didn't show that he felt intimidated.

"Oh, you're the lifeguard?" Heath mocked.

His friends laughed. Casey pulled Ruby away.

"Yes, I'm the lifeguard and my job is to keep the beach safe," Romeo said. "So if you're here to cause trouble, you know what you can do."

"I just came over to talk to my brother," Heath said. "No trouble here."

"Well, I'd rather you moved on," Romeo said.

"No."

"No?"

"No," Heath said, shoving Romeo in the chest.

His anger from the day finally boiling over, Romeo shoved him back. The rest of the River Boys didn't need any further invitation.


Up in the restaurant, Joey hadn't seen the fight. She was on the floor, fighting to control her breathing. But the angrier she got, the more frustrated she became, the more she told herself that she was weak and pathetic, the worse her breathing became. Now, she couldn't stop crying either. She felt sick and dizzy and she didn't know what to do.


On the beach, everything stopped as suddenly as it started. Charlie, Watson and several other police officers arrived, as well as Brax in order to break up the fight. Other Summer Bay residents had jumped in to back up Romeo and things had become very intense. But just as things had calmed down, Heath had suddenly called for help, dragged an unconscious VJ from the water.

"Did you even know he was out there?" Charlie demanded of anyone who could hear her as she rushed over to him.

"No!" Ruby and Romeo cried, rushing towards him.

Watson hurriedly called for an ambulance as Charlie administered CPR, praying that he would be okay.

"What did you do?" Ruby demanded of Heath.

"I saved the kid's life!" Heath yelled back.

Ruby glared at him, not believing him for a second.


Next time… Joey opens up to Charlie, Romeo feels rejected by Indi and VJ has some explaining to do…