Part Of The Pack

Problem

Maroubra's Bra Boys were notorious: A surf tribe dismissive of the gang label, famous for tearing through waves and a reputation for violence. A team of mates so tight they were more like brothers. Ink and salt water and pride the adhesive that held them together.

Mia Fletcher was a Bra Boy. Mia Fletcher was also a girl. Mia Fletcher was the only Bra Boy that was a girl. This had initially caused a stir. Bra Boys had traditionally been, well, boys. Equipped with a penis and a hefty dose of testosterone. Mia Fletcher had neither, although no one would argue that she did not have balls.

Growing up in Maroubra had been tough, but also the best thing ever. The days were spent surfing and partying and avoiding one’s problems. Mia Fletcher was a pro at avoiding her problems, but her biggest problem, the one she had been avoiding for the longest and hardest, was on its way out of jail and into her life once more.

“I have a problem.” She stated, “We have a problem.”

There was a pause at the other end of the phone line, then, “What’s wrong?”

What wasn’t wrong? Mia was not the type of person to get worked up about anything but she could feel the pressure of her tears building up, ready to spill over at any minute. She wondered if her voice sounded all shaky, because her hands certainly were. “Jesse, please, I need you to come over. Please.”

There was a sharp intake of breath, “Mia, seriously, what’s wrong? Is there somebody in your house? Are you hurt? Seriously, you’re scaring me now.”

“Just please come over, I’m not going to ask again because I feel ridiculous and I need you to talk some sense into me.”

“I’m on my way.” He said, and then there was just the sound of the dial tone. He’d hung up.

Mia paced her kitchen, clutching her phone tightly in her fist. She could hear the sound of the clock ticking away over the doorframe, and a neighbourhood dog barking in the distance. Her parents and little brother were away for the weekend, oblivious of the drama that was about to unfold.

It took Jesse less than two minutes to get there, but to Mia, it felt like two hours. Upon hearing his footsteps approaching the front door, she flung it open and dragged him inside by his shirt, before slamming the door behind them hastily. “Jesus, what’s gotten into you?” Jesse exclaimed.

“You won’t believe the letter I just received.” She stated, flinging herself onto the couch, “You will literally not believe it. Take a guess.”

“I have no idea.” He said, raising his eyebrow at her.

“Rex is being released on Wednesday.”

There was a deafening silence coating the room. Mia heard Jesse exhale slowly. “Shit.”

“Yeah. Shit’s about right.” She scoffed, standing up again to resume her pacing. “What am I going to do? There are literally so many problems that this comes with that I don’t have a fucking clue how to deal with! Where do I even begin?”

Jesse ran a hand through his messy hair, “Shit.” He said again. He seemed too shocked to say anything else, something Mia could certainly relate to. When she had read through the contents of that fateful letter it had taken her a good hour and a half of silent processing before she could pick up the phone to ring Jesse.

Mia rubbed her hands over her sun-kissed face, trying to rub away the tears that were welling behind her eyes. “Where do I begin, Jess? I need you to help me with this. If there’s ever been a time that I need you to have my back, it’s now. Help a brother out, you know how it goes.”