*Dedicated to tianajade for the amazing cover she made :D
If you follow a relatively unknown coastline past the major holiday spots, you might come across a small beach community surrounding stretches of pale golden sand and an endless canvas of rippling blue seas. This is Needle Cove. Everyone staying in the Cove has most likely known each other since they were born. If you were to walk in, they'd most likely look at you like an alien, but don't take it personally, it's a habit. My family had been going there there every summer for as long as possible to catch up with friends we hadn't seen for the whole year. I was a Covie before I could walk. Of course back then my older brother was eager to show me off to the neighbours as his fantastic little sister. Mum was known as the best cake maker around and was counted on for any special occasion. Dad was the local fix-it man due to his superior knowledge of tools. Every year there were all the regular families; the Thompsons, the McNellys, the Rogers'. There were no secrets; everything was everyone else business, which was annoying but unavoidable. You'd think going to the same place year after year would get boring, I admit it would of if I didn't have the boys. Perry McNelly, Trey Rogers and I had been best friends since we'd met. They were like a couple of extra brothers, sweet and over-protective. The Cove was a second home and we had complete freedom to do whatever we wanted. Although the adults thought we were 'respectful young adults' we got up to some crazy stuff during the summers we spent together. I'd missed them a lot when Mum had gotten sick and we hadn't been able to go up to the beach. It was two years I spent missing them like crazy and feeling slightly jealous of them being up there together without me.
But then we were in the car, bags piled around us and Mum sitting in the front, completely healthy. The warm summer sun shone through the glass of the window onto my leg. I had my sunnies perched on my nose and my bikinis under my shorts and singlet. Once again it was just Mum, Dad and I; Harry hadn't come on holiday with us for six years but I didn't care. I craned my neck to see the faded wooden sign guarding a break in the dense trees. The car skidded over rough gravel and a burst of salty air hit me straight in the face. I inhaled deeply and broke out into a smile. I was home. I heard an excited yell and saw two grinning brown faces at the windows. Mum screamed in fright and I couldn't help bursting into laughter. I threw open my door eagerly and flew into the awaiting arms of my two best friends. We were all talking over each other and laughing madly before I took a step back to look at them closely. I pursed my lips and stepped around them, looking them up and down, before pacing back to face them.
"I doubt you'll fit in the cave with those muscles," I said with fake concern. They both broke into proud grins and began flexing dramatically.
"How about you put those muscles to use and bring in some bags," Dad called from the boot and we strolled over casually. The boys pulled two bags out at once and I grabbed one.
"Weak!" Perry coughed.
"Show off!" I retorted and he snickered childishly. He reached down to ruffle my hair and I threw a well-aimed elbow at his ribs while Trey just laughed. It was unbelievable how comfortable I felt to be back here, like I'd never been gone. It had always been a mystery to some people why I preferred to hang out with two boys. The truth was, although there were a few girls my age that stayed in the neighbourhood, they weren't so much the kind of people I'd want to hang out with, more the ones I'd make fun of behind their backs. I just fit in better with the boys, probably because I'd rather wear jeans than a mini skirt and read a comic book instead of a fashion magazine. It wasn't anyone's business who my friends were but I couldn't help noticing the disapproving tuts I got from mothers as we walked past. My own mother never minded when I invited the boys around, which was pretty much every third day when I wasn't at their houses, or when I came home with skinned knees from another adventure; she'd always been good like that.
In honour of our arrival, the Cove was throwing a beach barbie down on the shore so Mum got busy making some over the top baked masterpiece. Our job was to clean up the shoreline down at the beach. I exchanged my canvas slip-ons for thongs and we headed down the street towards the beach entrance. We figured it was too early for certain disturbances we wished to avoid so we went down through the West Steps, which we regretted straight away.
"Oh! Look girls! Charlotte's arrived. It's been so long since you last graced us with your presence." A shrill girly voice called from a tiny tanned body stretched out on a towel.
"Hasn't it just, Fiona? And it's Charlie." Why did my day have to be ruined so early by seeing Fiona Thompson and her crew of prissy followers?
"Whatever. Could you move along? You're blocking the sun, cheers!" she waved her hand impatiently and we left rolling our eyes and fuming silently.
"I see she hasn't gotten any less annoying," I said when we were out of earshot.
"Who, Fiona?" Trey asked sarcastically and I shrugged in defeat.
"Come on let's get to work slackers," Perry urged and I looked up at him in disbelief. Of course, being boys, Trey took the opportunity to dump a wad of sandy seaweed down the back of my t-shirt. I squealed and jumped up, tripping over my feet and falling on my bum in the damp sand.
"You are dead!" I threatened through gritted teeth and jumped up to chase them down the beach, yelling threats the whole time. I knew I had no hope of catching Trey; he'd always been a born sprinter, so I tailed Perry and at the ideal moment, jumped on his back. We fell to the sand and I sat on his chest, dangling a fish skeleton over his face until he was begging for mercy.
"Oh God, no!" he squirmed under me, his disgust at dead things showing. I rolled off him onto my back and we made a plan of revenge against Trey. We found the biggest bit of seaweed we could find and Perry lugged it over to the rock pools where we could see Trey's outline, seated on a rock. Of course as his friends we had no moral issue with disturbing him in his quiet moment of recovery. We crept up behind him and dropped the wet sandy bundle on his head before sprinting off ahead. He cursed at us angrily and shook the muck out of his curly hair. He began to chase us back along the beach but even with his speed, we had too much of a head start. By the time he showed up, puffing and sweaty; we were already clearing the space for the party tonight. He joined us without a word and within an hour we had it completely rubbish and seaweed free. We trudged back up the steps, going quietly past the bikini committee.
It was always difficult picking clothes at the Cove because the weather was so unpredictable. After the boys went home to get ready, I went through my whole bag and decide on my denim shorts, my faded Passion Pit t-shirt and a grey cardigan with black thongs. I ran a comb through my sandy hair and plaited it to hang by my ears. When I was done the family headed back to the beach, going past the McNellys' house. Perry and his family came out and he immediately threw his arm over my shoulders. We were greeted by everyone from the Cove gathered together by the light of lanterns piercing the darkness of the night. Trey joined us immediately and I could sense something was up with him. I caught his eye and he just looked away uncomfortably. I decided to confront Perry later and shook his troubled eyes out of my mind. We found a seat on an old rotten log and enjoyed the peaceful quiet, well at least for about a second anyway.
"So, Charlie, how's life in the city going for you?" Perry asked sarcastically. He pretended he didn't care, but the truth was Perry had always dreamed of living in the city. I opened my mouth to answer but his dad called him to give him a hand with the barbeque. Perry sighed and went to instruct his dad like a stubborn three year old. I leaned back against the trunk of a tree and took in the natural wonders around me. Trey was fiddling and moving around anxiously but just as I was about to say something to him, he beat me to it.
"Charlotte," he said seriously. Barely anybody called me by my real name, especially not my friends. "If I tell you something do you promise not to tell anyone, not even Perry?" I frowned in my frustration, Trey never kept secrets from Perry and neither did I, but I promised anyway, knowing that in the right situation I would be allowed to break it. He took a deep breath and the words came tumbling out. "I'm running away, from home I mean. I can't deal with this anymore, all this happy family stuff. I think my parents are getting divorced, but they're still pretending like everything's fine. Then we come here and everyone knows everyone else's business. There's no privacy, I hate this stinking place." I jumped up, feeling hurt. I loved coming to the Cove, mostly to see him and Perry. This was the only place we ever saw each other and he hated it here? It stung.
"But you can't just run away!" I croaked, tears welling up in my eyes. I didn't know what else to tell him. What did he expect? That he'd spring this on me and I'd help him hatch a master plan? He of all people knew me better than that.
"I knew you wouldn't understand! I don't know why I even told you," His tone was cutting, he couldn't yell because of the people on metres away, but I could tell he wanted to. His hushed anger was probably worse. I flinched at his harsh words. He looked me in the face and his caramel eyes softened. "Please don't cry." He reached out to touch my arm and I jerked away.
"You're not leaving!" I told him as sternly I could manage before I was saved from hearing his reply by Perry coming up behind me, completely oblivious to the tension between us.
"Meat's ready," he said casually. I wiped my eyes and turned around to give him a weak smile. He didn't buy it. "You okay?" he asked, his eyes widening in concern and flicking to Trey questioningly.
"I'm fine," I lied and he shot me one of his 'we'll talk about this later' looks. I guessed that he suspected Trey had done something to upset me, but I doubted he knew exactly what and of course, being Perry, he suspected the worst. Perry would do anything to protect me, even getting in a fight with his best friend. He turned to say something to Trey but changed his mind, grabbing my hand tightly and leading me into the group with Trey following at a distance. Everything changed so quickly, nobody could even understand it, let alone do anything about it.
We'd all pigged out on the perfectly cooked meat and wonderful salads before tucking into Mum's carrot cake. It's amazing how such a friendly and peaceful gathering could explode so quickly, with barely a sign. I couldn't help glancing at Trey every now and again to see him fiddling with his plate.
"Trey, don't play with your food," his mother scolded.
"Whatever," he replied without looking up.
"Excuse me young man! Do not speak to your mother that way." His father's face was stern and strict, as per usual. Trey abruptly got to his feet, his plate clattering to the ground.
"Like you treat her any better you over stuffed pig!" Trey shouted angrily, which was rare. "You're tearing our family apart and you think you have the right to talk to me about my behaviour? You're a joke of a man!" He pushed bowls of food off the table and began sprinting off into the bushes. Everyone was frozen in place with their mouths hanging open, except me. I stood and began calling after him, fear catching in my throat and almost choking me.
"Don't worry, he'll have cooled off by morning," Perry put his hand on my arm and tried to assure me. I shook my head, desperately trying to push out the words, still staring into the darkness where he had disappeared.
"No, you don't understand!" I was starting to sob uncontrollably. "He, he said he wanted to run away! He told me and he said not to tell anyone, it's all my fault! I should have said something; someone has to go after him!" He pulled me against his chest as the sobs shook my whole body violently. I could feel his meaty hand rubbing my bag and hear his soft words in my ears.
"Even if they did, do you think they'd catch him?" I knew nobody could. "None of this is your fault, you understand me? Everything's going to be fine. We'll look for him in the morning and it'll all be okay." He was stroking my hair soothingly while my crying lessened.