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I hopped off the steps from getting off of the ship into Melbourne. I looked around. Other Marines I knew that stood around me, walking towards trucks. Hundreds, maybe thousands of people cheering at out arrival. Kids following us on bikes, yelling out to us. Women waving their ribbons in our directions, some with tears rushing down their faces. Trying to reach out and grab the men. I sighed and shook my head, pulling my bag back on my shoulder. Sure there was men catcalling me and trying to catch my attention. Though, I didn't want their attention. I only wanted one Marine's attention. My gaze went to his side profile as he was walking with some of our friends. Sydney Phillips. The man from Alabama had stolen my heart and he knew it.
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Phillips and I became friends during Basic Training. Talking about how he was shocked that a female Marine made it into the infantry, our home lives. We talked about anything and everything when we could. We grew so close, it was usually him and I that were battle buddies. We were inseparable during boot camp, infantry and war schooling, and up to the middle of Guadalcanal. Now we were here. In Melbourne, Australia, seeming like strangers now.
Sidney and I had a random falling out. While being best friends in the past year and a half, it was clear that we began to gain feelings for each other. It wasn't so clear to either of us though. We just thought we were joking with each other. But little did my naive and head over heels self I was, I never stated my feelings. I didn't listen to others about Sidney's feelings toward me and or avoided the obvious showings that he had the same feelings. But now that I think about it, would it change anything? Would we be something more? Who cares now, it isn't worth anything it seems.
Sidney and I were fine, until just one day, he started ignoring me. He turned cold to be. Whenever he had the chance he would make rude comments, push past me, interrupt me. Basically acting like an entire different person. And the rest of our friend group noticed as well. People like Hoosier, Leckie, Chuckler, and Runner all noticed this odd and awfully mean behavior. And I was like their little sister, and seeing Sidney switch up on me like that, made them angry. Though, when they would say something to Sidney, he would just blow them off. I haven't gotten any answers. And it has been eating me alive for now months. It didn't help the fact that I was still in love with him. And watching all these Aussie broads throwing themselves all over him made a deep feeling of anger burn within my chest. Though, pushing those feelings farther down, I walked next to my closest friend Chuckler. Keeping close with him. He could tell how upset I was in that moment. He patted my shoulder and when I looked up at him, he gave me a reassuring smile. I just gave him a weak one in return. This really did suck.
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We arrived at a stadium, setting up cots and or finding cots in our squads. I placed my stuff on a cot, grabbing my nicer uniform out, laying it down. We were allowed to leave and go to bars around Melbourne. So of course, my squad wanted to go out and wanted me to go with them. It was nice thinking about getting out into a nicer environment. Going out and seeing other people instead of being in a hot and sweaty, mosquito filled island with Japanese soldiers trying to kill us.
