green grass on a golden afternoon.
It was a shock when Daniel called for everyone to stop their work. Time already? I halted mid swing with the others and straightened my back with a groan. Ugh, I knew I would really be feeling it tonight. My back muscles were protesting as I shook my shoulders to loosen them, walking back to the shade where I had left my bag. Daniel was dismissing us all. Again I envied the boys their freedom as the slight breeze danced over their bare skin and they threw water over themselves at the gushing tap. I felt like a sweat-stained oil rag and knew I looked it too. I wanted nothing more than to get the heck out of there and home to a cold shower. Daniel’s voice beside me, startled my thoughts of Aunty Matile’s freshly made sweet lemonade pouring over chinking ice.
“So I bet you’re glad that’s over.” He stood too close to me. Still only in black Nike shorts, a shirt slung over one shoulder. There were beads of sweat on his arm, the curve of his hip tensed as he bent to pick up his schoolbag. When he shook his head slightly, a faint scatter of water came my way. “Oops sorry.” His smile was too genuine, too open to go unanswered.
There was a smile in my voice as I replied, “That’s alright, thanks. For your help today. I probably owe you my still-intact leg.”
He laughed. It was a warm, rich sound. “Actually all the boys are relieved they still have their legs to walk home on too, they were a bit worried when you started swinging that thing around.”
Beside him, the hulking senior heard him and agreed. “Ay Daniel, I thought this girl was going to cut us all in pieces. Should never let a girl loose with a bush knife ay?”
They both broke into laughter. Which had me on auto attack immediately. I hated being laughed at. And I hated walking beside these boys when I was a smelly, dishevelled mess. Especially not beside Daniel’s perfection. I tensed and shut my face down with a frown.
“I don’t know why you thought I wouldn’t be able to handle it – I may not have ever used a machete before but there’s no reason why I couldn’t figure out if given the opportunity. There’s no reason to be such sexist jerks.” The words came out colder than I’d planned, but they were already knifing through the afternoon before I could reclaim them.
The senior whistled long and low. “ Sole Daniel, I don’t think this girl likes our jokes eh?”
I had quickened my pace to get away from them and Daniel had to place a hand on my arm to get me to look at him. My scowl was armed and ready, where he only looked exasperated.
“What is with you? We’re just kidding, don’t you ever relax and just chill? I mean, first I’m a racist pig and now I’m a sexist jerk? Can’t you ever stop expecting the worst of people? You don’t even know me.”
His eyes were jade stones of accusation, his face stormy. I shook off his hand, jutting my chin defiantly as I replied. “No. I don’t know you. And you can be sure that I have no desire to. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get home.”
I turned and strode away, rigid with anger as I headed down to the bus stop. Ha. Boys. Even beautiful ones, who needed them? I missed my old school. At least I knew where I stood with girls. At least my annoyance with them didn’t war with an unwilling attraction to the glory of perfectly defined arms and a crooked smile.
* * * *
At home, a cold shower didn’t do much to cool the heat of my afternoon grass-cutting session. With a sinking feeling, I realized I would need to visit the pool tonight if I wanted to pre-empt a heat attack. All through dinner with Matile and Tuala, I could feel the heat gathering, making it difficult to breathe in a kitchen drowning in the sweetness of Matile’s pineapple coconut pie. As soon as it was polite enough, I excused myself to go to my room. Another shower would be required before bed for sure. I tried to focus on homework while I waited for the
It was a shock when Daniel called for everyone to stop their work. Time already? I halted mid swing with the others and straightened my back with a groan. Ugh, I knew I would really be feeling it tonight. My back muscles were protesting as I shook my shoulders to loosen them, walking back to the shade where I had left my bag. Daniel was dismissing us all. Again I envied the boys their freedom as the slight breeze danced over their bare skin and they threw water over themselves at the gushing tap. I felt like a sweat-stained oil rag and knew I looked it too. I wanted nothing more than to get the heck out of there and home to a cold shower. Daniel’s voice beside me, startled my thoughts of Aunty Matile’s freshly made sweet lemonade pouring over chinking ice.
“So I bet you’re glad that’s over.” He stood too close to me. Still only in black Nike shorts, a shirt slung over one shoulder. There were beads of sweat on his arm, the curve of his hip tensed as he bent to pick up his schoolbag. When he shook his head slightly, a faint scatter of water came my way. “Oops sorry.” His smile was too genuine, too open to go unanswered.
There was a smile in my voice as I replied, “That’s alright, thanks. For your help today. I probably owe you my still-intact leg.”
He laughed. It was a warm, rich sound. “Actually all the boys are relieved they still have their legs to walk home on too, they were a bit worried when you started swinging that thing around.”
Beside him, the hulking senior heard him and agreed. “Ay Daniel, I thought this girl was going to cut us all in pieces. Should never let a girl loose with a bush knife ay?”
They both broke into laughter. Which had me on auto attack immediately. I hated being laughed at. And I hated walking beside these boys when I was a smelly, dishevelled mess. Especially not beside Daniel’s perfection. I tensed and shut my face down with a frown.
“I don’t know why you thought I wouldn’t be able to handle it – I may not have ever used a machete before but there’s no reason why I couldn’t figure out if given the opportunity. There’s no reason to be such sexist jerks.” The words came out colder than I’d planned, but they were already knifing through the afternoon before I could reclaim them.
The senior whistled long and low. “ Sole Daniel, I don’t think this girl likes our jokes eh?”
I had quickened my pace to get away from them and Daniel had to place a hand on my arm to get me to look at him. My scowl was armed and ready, where he only looked exasperated.
“What is with you? We’re just kidding, don’t you ever relax and just chill? I mean, first I’m a racist pig and now I’m a sexist jerk? Can’t you ever stop expecting the worst of people? You don’t even know me.”
His eyes were jade stones of accusation, his face stormy. I shook off his hand, jutting my chin defiantly as I replied. “No. I don’t know you. And you can be sure that I have no desire to. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get home.”
I turned and strode away, rigid with anger as I headed down to the bus stop. Ha. Boys. Even beautiful ones, who needed them? I missed my old school. At least I knew where I stood with girls. At least my annoyance with them didn’t war with an unwilling attraction to the glory of perfectly defined arms and a crooked smile.
* * * *
At home, a cold shower didn’t do much to cool the heat of my afternoon grass-cutting session. With a sinking feeling, I realized I would need to visit the pool tonight if I wanted to pre-empt a heat attack. All through dinner with Matile and Tuala, I could feel the heat gathering, making it difficult to breathe in a kitchen drowning in the sweetness of Matile’s pineapple coconut pie. As soon as it was polite enough, I excused myself to go to my room. Another shower would be required before bed for sure. I tried to focus on homework while I waited for the
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