A Walk On The Beach

Chapter 14

Boy

I MOVE SLOWLY in the restaurant, eyes searching for the girl with black hair. Wait, that’s overly difficult here. There are Asian girls with black hair everywhere.

Then someone taps my shoulder. I jump. “Oh my god, Evelyn! You scared me!”

Evelyn looks up at me with huge eyes. “Are you okay?”

I take a moment to catch my breath; my heart is still beating really quickly. “Yeah, sure. Why do you ask?”

“You’re moving at such a snails’ pace. Mum and Dad are already sitting down! Come on, Jordan,” my littlest sister says, taking my hand and dragging me to the table we’ve been allocated to. She sits me down in a chair and then sits herself down next to me. She grabs two menus, sliding one towards me. “Go on.”

I glance down at the menu. “Erm, Evelyn?”

Blue eyes on the laminated menu, she says, “Hmm?”

“You can’t read Chinese and neither can I,” I whisper.

She pats my hand, eyes still on menu. “Flip it to the other side. There are English words that I’m sure you can understand.” She glances sideways at me, all grownup-like. “So where is she? She’s really here, isn’t she? This is actually fate! So where is she?”

“Why are you two whispering for?” Stephanie chimes in. She sits on my other side. She is sipping an ice tea; sunglasses perched on top of her blonde head.

Evelyn and I exchange looks. I clear my throat and look away. Evelyn says, “Nothing that concerns you,” she says coldly.

Mum notices the tension. “Evelyn? Stephanie? Everything all right?”

Stephanie adjusts her vest top. “May I please be excused, Mrs Harvey?” She stands up without waiting for a reply, and then weaves her way through Chinese people towards the bathroom.

Mum looks at us with a questioning glance. Then she returns to her menu. Her face is a little pink from the sun on the Island, as is Dad’s face. Zoe sits quietly, texting vigorously on her iPhone. She’s got a golden tan, like Stephanie and me. Tyler is engrossed in his games console. Evelyn looks at me now, telling me to answer her question.

I shrug. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I may be little, but I’m certainly not stupid,” she says, repeating her speech on the Island.

“I know, Evelyn, I know. I’m not saying you are,” I mutter.

Evelyn brings her A4 menu to her face, so that only her eyes show. She faces me, her eyes moving from left to right like darts. “I don’t see her!” she hisses. “Are you sure she came in here?”

I lift one shoulder, only half listening to her. “I don’t know. She can’t be in Hong Kong. Maybe I was just hallucinating. It doesn’t matter anyway. I mean, what are the chances of her being here?”

She growls, and then says, “Mum, may I be excused also?” She gets up without waiting for answer, like Stephanie.

“Where are you going?” I ask.

“To look around,” she says innocently. “I’ll be right back.” Then she’s gone, but Stephanie’s back.

“Where’s the brat going?” she mutters.

I look at her, stunned. “She’s not a brat, Stepho. Don’t call her that; you have no right.”

She stares at me. She places a hand on my arm. “Hey,” she says softly. “I didn’t mean it. Jordan...you must know what I feel for you...?”