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The sun is setting in front of us, the sky giving off a pinkish hue as we walk towards her house. It’s still quite hot for this time of night, with temperatures in the mid-thirties. I tug on my blue denim cut-offs, wishing I had of changed into a dress or something a little lighter in this heat. Laughter and conversation carry over fences along the streets. The smell of barbecues cooking fills the air. Everyone’s ready to ring in the New Year with their loved ones.
“Are you sure you want to go?” I ask him for the thousandth time. “I totally get it if you just want to stay home.”
“You sound like Jake,” he mutters. “I just want to hang out with our mates and forget about everything for a bit.”
“Okay.” I nod. “I get that.”
Ashley squeals when she sees us at her side gate, and she immediately wraps us both into a big group hug.
“Oh my gosh, I’m so happy you’re here!” For a moment her grin fades as she glances up at Oliver, her pale blue eyes shining with tears. “How’ve you been?”
“Fine,” he says, rubbing at the puckered scar above his left eye.
We hover awkwardly for a moment until Ashley realises we’re still standing at the gate. “Come in. Come in.”
We follow her into the backyard. A couple of girls from Our Lady’s - the local girl’s school Ashley and I attend - are scattered around on deck chairs chatting to some boys from St Christopher’s, enjoying the late afternoon sun. Oliver sinks into a chair giving out a general wave to everyone while I do the rounds, hugging our friends.
“Do you want a drink?” Ashley offers. “Penelope did a bottle shop run after Mum and Dad left for Aunt Helen’s.”
I shake my head.
“I’ll have a beer,” Oliver says.
Only a couple of months off turning eighteen, we’ve both had alcohol at parties before, but I expect him to be less keen after a drunk driver killed his dad. Not that we’re driving, but still…
“Oli!” Anthony McDonald - Macca for short - Oliver’s mate from school and footy, comes up and slaps him on the back, almost spilling the drink Ashley just passed him.
“Good to see you out and about, mate.” Macca frowns. “You haven’t answered any of my texts since the funeral.”
“Yeah… I’m… we’ve…” he glances over at me before sighing. “I’m sorry, mate. It hasn’t been easy, you know. I’ve just been kinda keeping to myself.” Oliver takes a large gulp of his beer.
Macca nods. “So… uh… how you doin’?”
Oliver shrugs. “I’m alright. Let’s just have a drink, yeah?”
Relief floods Macca’s face and he’s happy to oblige Oliver’s unspoken request to drop the subject.
“Yeah, man. Let’s drink. It’s good to see you out.” He clinks his beer against Oliver’s, and they relax into conversation about school and the upcoming footy season.
As the night goes on, Oliver gets more than a little buzzed, and I keep a close eye on him. It’s good to see him having fun with our friends. I haven’t heard him laugh since the accident.
Ashley squeezes my arm. “How’s he really doing?”
I shrug. “He doesn’t really talk about it much.”
“He’s lucky to have you.” She grins, running a hand through her shoulder length blonde waves as she raises her eyebrows at me.
I roll my eyes. “Ash, you know we’re just friends.”
“Uh huh.” She giggles. “Hannah, you’re the only one who doesn’t see the way he looks at you.”
I swat her. “He just lost his dad. Can we please not talk about this? We. Are. Friends. That’s. It.”
Ashley throws her hands up. “Whatever you say.”
“Drop it, Ash,” I warn.
“Okay, okay.” She mimes zipping her lips and pocketing the key.
