All This Could End by Steph Bowe

sifts through until she finds his. She looks through his favourite musicians and movies and books—they’ve got a few in common. He hasn’t uploaded many photos of his own, though he appears in a few of Bridie’s photos. And he’s single. Is it creepy at all, to peruse someone’s profile like this? Someone you like? When does it become stalker-ish? Why read about what things he likes when she could just have a conversation with him about it?
    She closes the window and gets out her phone and fiddles with it. They’d exchanged mobile numbers while walking home last night, when the thrill of the darkness and their kiss had made her feel daring, made everything seem possible. Doubt creeps in now. Is there a protocol on how soon to text someone after having met them? She doesn’t know these things. What would she say, anyway? Does she want to risk annoying him by sending a text too soon? Or saying something totally pointless?
    She was feeling so great a little while ago. This self-doubt and insecurity business is a bitch. What’s the point, really, in sitting here and angsting about doing something? Why not just do it? How bad could it really turn out?
    She decides to risk it, and types in Hey, what’s up? and hits send.

Nina
    On the way to her first class of the day, on a Monday morning a few weeks into the term, Nina passes a classroom where her father is teaching.
    Usually he’s over in the primary section, but someone must’ve called in sick, so here he is, teaching a History class to Year Ten students. Nina stayed late in Homeroom to help Ms Pope with the school newsletter, and now the next period has started, so she’s hurrying. But she pauses to look in at Paul—not Paul the Dad, or Paul the Bank Robber, but Paul the Teacher—in his button-down shirt and serious pants with creases ironed in. He’s waving his hands around. Watching her father teach a class, Nina realises it doesn’t look like a cover for crime. It looks like something he is passionate about. It looks like he should do it for a living, just that, no robberies on the side. She feels proud. And for a moment, the idea that her family could be normal isn’t such a ridiculous idea. They could live in one place, be honest with people, not be criminals, be safe and happy and content.
    It almost feels like she could be living that life right now.
    Spencer and Nina have Community Service that afternoon. When they arrive at the vet’s, the waiting room is empty. Joseph the receptionist is reading gossip magazines. He’s a young, cheerful guy who does not strike Nina as the kind of person you would imagine answering phones at a veterinary hospital.
    ‘How are you two this fine afternoon?’ Joseph asks, glancing up. He doesn’t wait for a response before adding, ‘Someone brought in this three-legged stray cat earlier. So ugly, it’s adorable.’ He smiles. ‘Diane’s out the back. Go say hi.’
    Diane is the only vet in that afternoon. She looks permanently unkempt, her hair pulled back in a messy pony tail, but she’s bright-eyed and moves around with a frenetic energy. Or fidgets on the spot. Nina estimates she’s somewhere between forty-five and fifty.
    The cat is skinny and fierce-looking, black and grey with white paws, and one of its back legs is missing. Considering his physical state, he’s very calm.
    ‘Car accident,’ Diane explains. She hands the cat over to Nina, and he stares up at her blankly.
    ‘Give him a name. You kids will be able to come up with something genius, I’m sure.’ She disappears, presumably to save some animal lives.
    ‘Sometimes I think this “Community Service” just means we get in the way,’ says Spencer after she’s gone.
    ‘Yeah. You know, there was a cat that used to visit this place where we lived years ago,’ says Nina, holding the cat as Spencer scratches him behind his ears. ‘Mangy, horrible thing. I loved looking after it, even though it wasn’t the slightest bit