Book 1: Guns, Love, Roses

Chapter 4 - Tristans Birthday

"Don't mind the detour, I'm technically not allowed to be driving in this car."

"Why's that?" I asked.

"It's running a twin turbo and a few other bits and pieces that don't meet roadworthy regulations." He said, not caring as he sped through the side streets almost too casually.

"Uh, Luca, the party is at Brighton Beach, not Fitzroy." Allie pointed out as she noticed familiar landmarks that seemed foreign to me. I was still technically fresh when it came to identifying certain suburbs and street names.

"Yeah, hold on a second. I'm going to grab something important from my friends house real quick. I won't be long." He got out of the car and dashed towards the Fitzroy flats. What felt like a few minutes he returned shortly with a black Country Road bag that contained something enormous inside, shoving it inside of his boot quickly, hindering me from taking a closer look.

"What's in there?" I asked.

"Don't worry, nothing that concerns you." He said simply, shifting into gear and began accelerating down the road; heading towards the party.

-

The main road of Brighton Bay was packed full of cars with p-platers and young adults who were either smoking cigarettes or indulging in various lollipop flavours infront of their cars, shaking hands with one another and conversing casually. There was that many teenagers hanging out next to their cars that people began spilling dangerously onto the main road. Luca wasn't afraid to beep the horn in frustration, raising his voice at party goers who failed to cooperate. Sour looks were exchanged, with Luca scoffing in response. I could tell that Luca would give anyone a hard time if he really felt like it, and it didn't matter what size the person was or how big the group was either.

The houses that loomed over the Main Street of Brighton Bay shared the same neutral Colorbond render walls with a distinctive metal fenced pattern that stretched across all neighbouring houses, with specific trees and various plants that sprouted on the front yard which was the only noticeable feature that gave the houses a sense of individualism. As Luca scouted for a place to park, he had spotted a black Toyota Supra that caught his eye. Feeling somewhat drawn to it, he pulled up beside it and stuck his head out.

"Who's car is this?" Luca said, raising his voice to a few of the kids who were seen leaning on the car.

"Julie's from Springvale High."

"The girl that's dating YSK Jordan?" Luca asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Who's asking?" The kids asked, Luca definitely sensing abit of hostility as they spat their lolliepop sticks from their mouths to turn and face us. Luca, clearly not phased by their change in demeanour as he casually began asking questions. Either Luca was always fearless or just oblivious.

"Why's it missing a back end?"

"I brought it like that." A relatively tanned south-east Asian kid with long side burns that dangled underneath his flexi-cap nodded, gesturing a girl who stood an arms length away to come close, the flexi-cap kid wrapping his arms over her shoulders to prove they were dating. So that must be Julie, and the guy wearing the black hat must be the boyfriend. He looked no older than I was, yet was able to afford a car of this calibre? Hanging out and being surrounded by people who had the ability to flash and spend money like it was nothing brought out some unwanted insecurities within myself, and it almost felt embarrassing. Thoughts like this that made me compare myself to others I tend to keep to myself, because deep down the only thing I had to my name was the ability to show others that I passionately cared and looked after those dearest to me, and that no money in the world could ever change my code of conduct when it came to treating others with respect; to never judge people based on circumstances and appearance. These values that could only be learnt and cherished by experiencing hardship in places where kindness was non-existent, especially migrating from a war torn country.