beer from a plastic bag she had on the floor. Tanya caught it, just. Her head was still getting used to being back in the real world. “There’s plenty more where that came from, and I’ve got some great news.”
Tanya handed the can back. “Thanks Lena, but I don’t fancy it at the moment.”
“Don’t be daft, get stuck in,” Lena said, lobbing the can back to Tanya. She didn’t catch it this time and it rolled down the bed covers and onto the floor.
“No, really, I just had a nightmare that I was drowning in beer.”
“Nightmare? That sounds like my ideal dream.” Lena stood up, “Get this, you’ll want to celebrate when I tell you this. I have managed to get you into the Niners, of course you’ll have to pass an initiation, but ain’t it cool? So come on drink up because tonight we’re both members of the gang. Woo-hoo.” Lena danced around the room with her beer still in her hand.
“Oh, wow. Thanks, Lena. Er, that’s great.”
Lena stopped dancing. “Well show some emotion then.” Lena flopped on the bed. “Don’t you know what that means? You and me are in the coolest, hardest gang in the neighbourhood. That means no more scrounging for drinks, no more begging to get into clubs, no-one looking down on us and no-one getting in our way.”
“Listen, that’s great and I’ll come along and hang out with the gang, but I’ve just got some stuff to do.”
“What stuff?”
“You know, stuff.”
“What’s more important than being in the Niners? Come on, get dressed, we’re going to party.”
Lena stood over Tanya and grabbed her hand to drag her out of bed but Tanya snatched it away.
“What is wrong with you? Come on, girl. What’s the matter?” Lena said, sitting back down on the bed.
“I just, kinda got involved with helping that whale that was stuck.”
Lena laughed snapping her head back. They were big sarcastic belly laughs designed to humiliate rather than share. “You and Free Willy? What is all this girl-guide shit?”
“It’s not,” Tanya replied. “You’ve got to see it. He’s amazing, like the most amazing thing you’ve ever seen.”
“ He ? You’ll be shagging it next.”
“Why don’t you come along? I’ve got a pass now. I could get you past the security. It’s mental, I’m telling you.”
“A pass? You’ve got it bad. Why would I want to see some stinky old fish. Anyway, I hate fish, it tastes rank.”
“Lena, we’re not going to eat it and anyway whales aren’t …”
“…Fish, yeah, I know, I’m not stupid. They’re mammals like us, so what? Who cares? Just forget about it, it’ll be dead soon.”
“No it won’t, we’re going to attempt a rescue on the hide tide.”
“ We’re going to attempt a rescue on the high tide ,” Lena said in a mocking voice. “Listen to yourself. You’re turning into a geek.”
“I’m not. I just want to help it get back into the sea is all. Come on, come and see him. It’s like seeing a dinosaur or something.”
“No way.” Lena got off the bed and picked up her plastic bag of booze. “Do you know what I had to do to get you in the Niners?”
Tanya didn’t say anything.
“I had a fight.”
“With one of the girls?”
“Nope, with one of the boys. And I won. That’s what I did for you. Because you’re my best mate. Then I come over here to give you the good news and all I get is a load of Finding Nemo bollocks.”
“Oh, Lena, I didn’t know. You didn’t have to do that.”
“Well, I did. That’s the last time I do anything for you.” Lena opened the door and was gone.
Tanya lay back down again. Normally, if they’d argued like that, neither of them would’ve backed down. Tanya would have been after her and out on the walkway screaming at Lena and calling her a bitch, and vice versa. Then they’d have a scrap, a proper one with fists and kicking. Then the tears would follow and they’d make up, telling each other they were sorry and would be best mates forever. It
Tanya handed the can back. “Thanks Lena, but I don’t fancy it at the moment.”
“Don’t be daft, get stuck in,” Lena said, lobbing the can back to Tanya. She didn’t catch it this time and it rolled down the bed covers and onto the floor.
“No, really, I just had a nightmare that I was drowning in beer.”
“Nightmare? That sounds like my ideal dream.” Lena stood up, “Get this, you’ll want to celebrate when I tell you this. I have managed to get you into the Niners, of course you’ll have to pass an initiation, but ain’t it cool? So come on drink up because tonight we’re both members of the gang. Woo-hoo.” Lena danced around the room with her beer still in her hand.
“Oh, wow. Thanks, Lena. Er, that’s great.”
Lena stopped dancing. “Well show some emotion then.” Lena flopped on the bed. “Don’t you know what that means? You and me are in the coolest, hardest gang in the neighbourhood. That means no more scrounging for drinks, no more begging to get into clubs, no-one looking down on us and no-one getting in our way.”
“Listen, that’s great and I’ll come along and hang out with the gang, but I’ve just got some stuff to do.”
“What stuff?”
“You know, stuff.”
“What’s more important than being in the Niners? Come on, get dressed, we’re going to party.”
Lena stood over Tanya and grabbed her hand to drag her out of bed but Tanya snatched it away.
“What is wrong with you? Come on, girl. What’s the matter?” Lena said, sitting back down on the bed.
“I just, kinda got involved with helping that whale that was stuck.”
Lena laughed snapping her head back. They were big sarcastic belly laughs designed to humiliate rather than share. “You and Free Willy? What is all this girl-guide shit?”
“It’s not,” Tanya replied. “You’ve got to see it. He’s amazing, like the most amazing thing you’ve ever seen.”
“ He ? You’ll be shagging it next.”
“Why don’t you come along? I’ve got a pass now. I could get you past the security. It’s mental, I’m telling you.”
“A pass? You’ve got it bad. Why would I want to see some stinky old fish. Anyway, I hate fish, it tastes rank.”
“Lena, we’re not going to eat it and anyway whales aren’t …”
“…Fish, yeah, I know, I’m not stupid. They’re mammals like us, so what? Who cares? Just forget about it, it’ll be dead soon.”
“No it won’t, we’re going to attempt a rescue on the hide tide.”
“ We’re going to attempt a rescue on the high tide ,” Lena said in a mocking voice. “Listen to yourself. You’re turning into a geek.”
“I’m not. I just want to help it get back into the sea is all. Come on, come and see him. It’s like seeing a dinosaur or something.”
“No way.” Lena got off the bed and picked up her plastic bag of booze. “Do you know what I had to do to get you in the Niners?”
Tanya didn’t say anything.
“I had a fight.”
“With one of the girls?”
“Nope, with one of the boys. And I won. That’s what I did for you. Because you’re my best mate. Then I come over here to give you the good news and all I get is a load of Finding Nemo bollocks.”
“Oh, Lena, I didn’t know. You didn’t have to do that.”
“Well, I did. That’s the last time I do anything for you.” Lena opened the door and was gone.
Tanya lay back down again. Normally, if they’d argued like that, neither of them would’ve backed down. Tanya would have been after her and out on the walkway screaming at Lena and calling her a bitch, and vice versa. Then they’d have a scrap, a proper one with fists and kicking. Then the tears would follow and they’d make up, telling each other they were sorry and would be best mates forever. It
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