‘Sunny.’ I heard Zara’s voice from behind me, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the scene. I felt a warm hand on my arm. ‘Come on,’ she said.
I shook Zara away, watching as a police vehicle, which had come from the station three doors down, pulled up. The light swirled and strobed the street in blue and red flashes. Shelley and a male officer got out and wrestled the two men apart.
I didn’t see what happened next because I was running back into the shop, yanking at the ties on my apron. I threw it onto the counter and grabbed my backpack from out back. A few seconds later I was jumping on my bike.
Matt jogged over. ‘Wait, I can give you a lift.’
I ignored him, stepped on the pedals and sped away toward the end of the main street. Glancing back, I saw that Zara had come up to Matt and they were both watching me ride away.
I’d only reached the edge of town when Matt’s van pulled up and stopped on the road in front of me. I jumped off my bike to avoid hitting it. Seconds later I was back on and Matt was grabbing my handlebars.
‘Sunny, stop,’ he said. ‘Come on. Get in the van.’
‘No. I just want to go home.’
‘I’ll take you.’ Matt took my arm.
My throat closed up as he led me around to the passenger door and opened it. ‘In you go.’ A moment later I heard the noises of Matt manoeuvring my bike into the boot. I swallowed, determined not to cry.
When we stopped in front of the house, I opened the door, meaning to jump out with a quick thank you.
‘Can I come in for a minute?’ Matt said, shutting off the engine.
‘Yeah, okay.’
We unloaded my bike and I propped it against the front steps. The light near the front door was on and tiny bugs hung like static around the bare bulb. Mervie and Wolfie, who had appeared from behind the house to greet us, followed me across the veranda with clicking claws. I collapsed onto the love seat and Matt came to sit beside me.
‘Are you alright?’ he said.
‘Yep.’ I stared at my sneakers and absent-mindedly stroked Mervie’s head.
‘That was about Dylan, I guess,’ he said.
‘You guessed right.’
‘You can’t really blame him – Kevin, I mean.’
‘Do we really have to talk about this?’
‘No.’ His body stiffened next to mine and I realised I had shut him down once again.
‘Did you just drive illegally from town?’ I said, trying to change the subject. ‘You’ll end up in jail.’
‘No. I got my Ps,’ he said, looking straight ahead.
‘Really?’
‘Yep, that’s why I’ve been out of town for a couple of days – had to do my test in Craigsville. We stayed with one of Mum’s friends.’ He sat back on the seat and pushed with his feet. The chair creaked into motion.
‘You were out of town?
‘Yep.’
‘You’re back in time for the Christmas Hop.’
‘Oh. Yeah. Are you going?’ he said.
I glanced sideways at him.
‘Right.’ He nodded.
‘You didn’t answer my texts.’
‘I know.’ He looked down at his hands. ‘I guess I needed time to think.’
‘About what?’
‘About you … us. Stuff. And I—’
‘Oh.’ I planted my feet and brought the swing to a jerky halt. I had a sudden realisation that Matt was about to give me the It’s been great but I think we should just be friends break-up talk. There had briefly been an ‘us’, and now that was about to become ‘you’ and ‘me’ again. I panicked. ‘Look, before you say anything I need to tell you something.’
‘Sunny, I—’
‘No, I do, so just shut up, okay?’
He sat back in the seat. ‘Okay.’
‘Look, I haven’t been totally open with you,’ I said. ‘I know that. It’s just that I didn’t want you to think I was …’
‘What?’
I sat for a second, the words inert on my lips. I couldn’t say it. How could I? That would really be the end. Matt was looking at me expectantly when Mervie abruptly dashed out from under our feet, his bark cleaving the silence like an axe. A pair of headlights appeared on the driveway.
‘That’s Leanne’s car,’ I said, getting up. ‘I’d know the sound of that muffler anywhere.’
Matt placed his hands on top of his head. ‘What don’t you want me to think about you, Sunny?’
I heard him ask, but I couldn’t answer. I guessed Kevin was in Leanne’s car and I didn’t have time to have that conversation with Matt now. ‘I’m sorry. Can we talk tomorrow?’
‘Yeah.’ He nodded and stood up. ‘Yeah, of course.’
I walked down the front steps as Leanne pulled up. The passenger door opened and Kevin clambered out. She rushed around and grabbed him by the arm, but he shrugged her off.
‘I’m alright, Leanne. I can walk by myself.’
I was taken aback by the swollen redness of his cheekbone and the dark blood seeping from a deep cut in his fattened lower lip. Matt stood on the veranda watching us quietly, and Kevin glanced at him as he walked past and through the front door.
‘I’d better go,’ Matt said, coming down the steps. ‘I’ll see you later.’
I grabbed his arm. ‘Meet me tomorrow. At the waterhole. We can talk without any interruptions. I need some time to explain.’
He looked down at the keys in his hand. ‘Okay.’ I followed him out to the van, glancing back at the house. I felt as though Kevin might come back out and tell Matt to go away, but they had gone inside and turned on the lights.
As Matt opened the squeaky door and turned to face me, I could hear Leanne calling me.
‘Looks like I’m needed,’ I said.
He
