The Girl Who Doesn't Speak

Chapter 2

"Happy New Year to you too." She pulls away and greets me. She tells me happy New Year and I smile politely, saying it back, which instantly makes me feel ashamed to say it. "So are you guys ready to go?"

"You know I am." Rhett swings an arm around her shoulders.

We walk towards the yacht club near the wharf. Rhett and Kaylie mostly talk about tonight, while I remain silent.

"So Riley," Kaylie says as we step into the speed boat, "Amber recently broke up with her boyfriend. Maybe you should share a kiss with her at midnight."

I give her a shy smile knowing Rhett probably mentioned something to her. I have hung out with Kaylie's friends a couple of times, but I didn't know them well. It was nice to know they were concerned about me and wanted me to be happy, but I didn't think I could find happiness in dating.

"Thanks, Kaylie, but I don't know," I reply.

She starts the motor. "Come on. You will love Amber. I think you both will make a cute couple."

Amber was a lovely person. She had short dark brown hair and green eyes. She had a great sense of humour, but I wasn't sure if she was right for me.

"I will see," I answer. "I'm not really sure if I want to date anyone just yet."

Kaylie steers the boat towards Sydney Harbour where her father's yacht was.

"No, you won't see," Rhett says loudly over the motor. "Don't say you aren't sure you want to date. Of course you want to date. It has been two years, mate. You are ready to move on."

I wanted to protest about whether or not if I was really ready to move on. I didn't feel ready, but maybe that's only because I never really gave myself a chance to date again. It never even crossed my mind. Maybe I should take my friends' advice and give it ago with Amber tonight.

We arrive at the yacht and greeted Kaylie's friends and father. Her father than says goodbye, telling us to make sure we don't drink too much tonight, that way someone is still sober by midnight to steer the yacht back to the yacht club. Most likely I will be the one who will be sober by the end of the night. I wasn't planning on drinking much.

Rhett tosses me a can of Jack Daniel's. I take the beer and open it, taking a sip. I silently remind myself not to drink too much. I didn't want a hangover when I go surfing tomorrow.

Kaylie cranks up the volume on the boom box, with Ariana Grande's song Break Free on the radio. Rhett puts his arm around his girlfriend's waist and they move to the side to dance. Tina and Mandy do the same. I feel Amber's eyes watching me, but I don't glance her way.

Without saying a word to her, I walk over to the table where three loaves of garlic bread was sitting on the fold up table, wrap in with foil. Beside it are three Pizza Hut boxes. I check each one to see what toppings there were – Meat lovers, Hawaiian and Supreme. I grab a slice of Meat lovers. I still didn't feel hungry, but if I didn't eat anything soon, Rhett will probably force it down my throat, telling me to eat something.

"It's a nice day, isn't it?" Amber says to me, taking two pieces of garlic bread.

"It is," I reply, sitting down on a seat. Amber joins me. "How has your day been?" I bite into my pizza.

"It has been great. I was jogging near the beach this morning. I saw you out on the waves. You were excellent."

I smile at her. "Thank you. Do you surf?"

Amber shakes her head. "No, I don't. I have never been surfing."

I stare at her, surprise. I thought she was only joshing with me, but she wasn't. Particularly everyone I knew in Manly surfs. Well, maybe not everyone, but most of my old classmates did. I see some of them down the beach from time to time since we finished school in September. My parents used to surf themselves, but work mostly stops them from doing the sport. "You should come surfing sometime. It's a great sport. I find it relaxing."