"dude u said we were gunna hang out"
"it's ur last night here are u serious?"
"whatever im talking to ur mum she gave me pizza rolls ;-)"
"i like ur dog better than u she doesn't ignore me"
I woke up in a towel on my bed with several texts and a missed call from Cole. After I finished packing I was exhausted so I grabbed a shower and was too lazy to actually get dressed.
Out of instinct, I rolled over and looked where my bedside table and clock used to be. That was no help considering they were already being shipped to the states. I hope I didn't sleep too late.
I threw on a clean band tee and the same jean shorts I had on earlier. I shook my hair out and made my way downstairs. In the reflection of the family portraits on the stairway, I could see that my blonde hair was sticking up in every direction. I heard my parents asking Cole about his football scholarship as I got closer.
They all looked up at me when I entered the room.
"Nice of you to show up." Cole rolled his eyes at me and my Mum chuckled.
"What are the big plans for the night?" my Dad looked up from the letter he was reading to ask me.
I shrugged. I was still half asleep and had no idea what Cole had in mind. But from the way he was acting, he was up to something.
Cole shoved a piece of paper in my hands and looked at me with expectant eyes. He couldn't stay mad for long.
"Open it up!" he nearly shouted. Cole bounced up and down on his heels, nervously waiting for my reaction.
I unfolded the crumpled paper and scanned my eyes over what looked to be a list.
1. ice pops from colella's
2. the foot bridge
3. teepee gemma's car
The list was short because we only had a few hours.
"Gem's car?, what the fuck?" I thought people usually threw toilet paper on houses.
My mum clicked her tongue at my choice words. "Not too late boys, Nik's flight is bright and early."
"Okay mum." I promised her. Both my parents made up plates of pasta and went into the dining room.
Cole tossed his arms up, "Obviously it's because she lives in an apartment complex, we'd hit at least two houses if we tried, plus that one guy who stands nude by the window all the time, and I don't want to deal with that." he defended.
I laughed at the last part. It wasn't a lie, unfortunately. Cole loved to wear a reserved a poker face all the time, but this list was so thoughtful.
"You know, since you're leaving and everything, I thought it would be fun to just drive around town, for shits and giggles." Cole explained even though he didn't have to.
"let's do it." I responded dressing my feet in vans and grabbing my wallet from the kitchen counter. Cole shoved a few more pizza rolls in his mouth as we headed out. His arms were full of four toilet paper rolls. What a look.
We said a quick bye to my Mum and Dad and got the ok to borrow the truck. It was a baby blue Chevrolet and pretty beat up, but I loved that thing.
"First stop, Colella's." Cole said as he floored the truck out of the driveway. We rolled all the windows down in an attempt to beat the sticky August air. We chatted for a few minutes about his older sister moving to Los Angeles, and my anxiety about flying. After a few minutes we were pulling into the parking lot of the mom and pop convenience store.
The bell on the door chimed signifying our arrival to Steve, the man behind the counter. Steve was the most Australian man I've ever met and was generally well liked around town. Colella's was his grandfather's store so he's been working here his whole life.
"That's all for you two?" Steve questioned when we set down a lemon and strawberry pop.
"Yeah that's it, thanks." I answered as I pulled out a bill from my back pocket.
"A little birdy told me you're moving to America, is that true?" Steve handed me back the pops with a slight sadness in his expression. I felt bad for some reason.
"Ya I'm leaving tomorrow actually, it's for university." I answered scratching the back of my head. It still didn't feel real.
"Oh mate we'll miss ya, but take care of yourself, only good things ahead I'm sure." He smiled warmly at us as we left the store.
"Thanks Steve, I will." The fact that I was moving was slowly starting to hit me.
"What a nice guy." Cole said as we started up the truck again. It stalled twice but finally roared after he hit the wheel.
"A little intense sometimes, but gotta love him." I answered, but my mind was elsewhere. After ten minutes of comfortable silence we made it to stop number two.
We parked the truck by the side of the road and hopped out. Even the passing of time and the darkness that surrounded us couldn't disguise the familiar route. I led the way into the woods and Cole followed, with both ice pops in hand. After reading Bridge to Terabithia in year four, we thought we were the shit because we had a secret hide away.
After walking for a few minutes guided by the light on our phones, we made it to the wooden foot bridge.
Cole broke the silence, "I like how it looks exactly the same, but it's weird I haven't been here since I don't know, maybe end of year 8?"
"Oh my God I remember why we stopped coming." I started to explain. Pieces of the past were coming up to the surface again. We were standing side by side looking down at the small stream that was rushing underneath the bridge.
I continued, "I had a pathetic crush on Mallory Thompson, but she was obsessed with you because you were a jock." I laughed remembering the drama.
"Why do you remember that?" Cole was in disbelief. I couldn't see him, but I would be willing to bet money he was doing his weird silent laugh. He flopped to the ground and let his legs hang over the bridge.
"How could I forget?" I sat beside him. "The last formal before secondary school. It was a big deal. I missed the dance. So when when you guys were taking pictures, I ran here and felt sorry for myself. The next Monday back at school I forbid you from ever coming here again because you "broke bro code". But then I didn't end up coming here alone because that would be boring. I hate both of us."
Middle school angst is so ridiculous when you say it out loud.
"Why were we so stupid?" Cole asked as he tossed a small stone into the water.
"I have no idea." I answered honestly.
We sat and talked for an hour, but then decided we better get going since we still had one more stop on the list.
My eyes had adjusted to the darkness, so I spent a moment taking it all in before following Cole back up the path. I looked at the thick settling of trees and how they created a canopy that concealed the sky. Seeing people's initials carved into the railing of the bridge was proof that we weren't the first kids to find this place. This is something I didn't notice when I was younger, but it didn't make the foot bridge any less special. It almost made me feel better about moving. So many people have passed through here. Maybe they'll come back and visit. Maybe they told their kids about this place. I felt a calming energy from the trees. It felt good to be out here.
Once we were in the truck we both tossed the popsicle sticks in the center compartment. I wiped my hands on my jeans and turned up the radio. A guitar rift filled the car, and soon I was drumming on the dash in front of me. Cole yell-sang in key along to the whiney vocals. This was a moment I would like to freeze.
We turned down a quiet road that led to the Pond Street Apartments and parked across from number 178 which I knew was Gemma's.
"So how are we going to do this?" I was starting to get nervous.
"Nik listen, this is how it's gunna go." Cole handed me two toilet paper rolls from the back seat.
"Gemma will think this is hilarious, she'll be mad at us for like a split second. Then she'll stand on her front steps and yell at us and call us wankers." He was wearing a stupid grin on his face.
"Just be quiet and we'll be fine." He opened his door and quietly clicked it close. I followed.
We slinked across the street and I've never hated Cole more for wearing reflective green sneakers.
"Shut up, they're cool!" was the only explanation I got.
"You sure this is the one?" I pointed to the small car parked in front of Gemma's apartment.
Cole stopped wrapping the toilet paper on the hood and stared at me.
"You don't know your own ex girlfriends car?" he deadpanned.
"Hey! she's my friend first of all, and I can't see shit!" I was laughing because only we would get ourselves in this situation.
I gave in and started to lay pieces of toilet paper all over the top of the car. The roll fell down the back and spread out onto the ground like a tail. The car was dewy from the humidity so it was a shredded mess.
"Sorry Gem." Cole chuckled under his breath, tossing the empty rolls under the car.
We stepped back to admire our handywork and high-fived. I exhaled out loud, Cole was right, it wasn't that bad. The next rain would wash it all away.
I jinxed us with that thought.
Our movements must have set off a motion sensor because the porch light flashed on but no one was in sight. When the yellow bulb lit up the driveway our masterpiece was on display.
I realized how dumb we were.
"Shit, uh Cole?" I whispered.
"What?"
He wasn't getting it. We were both crouching behind the car, with our eyes glued to the door.
"This is not Gemma's black VW Bug... at all." I paused looking at the red sports car that was peeking out from the toilet paper covering.
I army crawled around to the back to read the vehicle plates. The pavement scraped my knees. I squinted my eyes and read out loud,
"Tennessee?...wha... oh shit!" I hit Cole's arm. He was still staring at the door.
Just then a broad figure swung open the front door of Gem's apartment and screamed.
"You have have got to be fucking kidding me, my brand new car!" his southern drawl exposed his identity.
We teepeed Gemma's boyfriend's car.
"You better fucking run man, I swear to God if you chipped the paint!" he started down the steps and we jumped to our feet and made a bee-line towards the truck. My heart was beating crazily in my chest. I don't think I've ever run this fast in my life.
Over my shoulder I saw Gem standing on the porch in silk purple pajamas. Her hair (now brunette) was in a messy bun on the top of her head. She looked soft. She was covering her face to conceal her amusement at the scene that was unfolding.
Cole the footballer was several feet ahead of me, a string of curse words flying out of his mouth, his damn fluorescent shoes lighting the way.
We lept in the car and slammed both doors in unison, Cole shoved the keys in the ignition but the car wouldn't start.
"Shit, shit, shit, what are we gunna do?" Cole was desperately hitting the interior of the car.
Neither of are very good at fighting, and this cowboy was manly enough to take out both of us. I snapped my head and looked through the window, he was less than a meter away.
By the grace of who knows what, this dumpy old truck sputtered to life just as Gem's boyfriend slapped the side of it. We probably would have run over his toes if he didn't fall back.
Cole slammed his foot on the gas and we peeled out of the Pond Street complex. He started yelling like a wild man out of pure adrenaline.
I was leaning forward and clutching the side of my face in disbelief, "Holy shit dude!"
We didn't talk properly until we were in the safety of my driveway. We were laughing so hard we fell onto the front lawn. My stomach was in stitches.
There was no other way I'd rather spend my last night in Australia.
AN: hi pals, hope you're doing well. it was actually a blast to write this chapter. it's a long one... but i really wanted to develop nik & cole's friendship and wrap things up in aus. i'm happy with how it turned out. but dialogue is still hard for me to write, let me know what you think. peace.