𝙾𝚌𝚎𝚊𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝙴𝚖𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚛𝚝𝚢-𝚏𝚘𝚞𝚛

As I sit on top of the dunes, I see the waves are merely a couple metres in height and graceful in their approach to the shore. The morning surfers have come in for lunch and so, there's only a few left. Those few are far out in a short line up. The sky is a gleaming blue, the dune plants about me in abundance. I push my hands into the sand and they sit heating up beneath. The sun is perfectly warm on my back.

What may not be perfect is my ATAR score. Far from it potentially. It will be a dream shattered if it's not good enough for entrance into Marine Biology. I remember doing a science project with Billie at the end of primary school. We had to research a field of science and I lept at marine biology, the subject igniting my interest. Billie and I designed a poster that looked like the desk of a marine biologist. At its centre was even a lift-the-flap laptop, its screen a graph of rising ocean temperature. Since, I've grappled as to whether I'm even smart enough to become one. Go to UWA, take it all the way through completing a PhD. Soon, I have my final set of exams. They're worth fifty percent of my ATAR score. Between graduation and these exams, I have a month to prepare.

"They called your name and it was awkward silence." It's a familiar voice and a familiar frame. Chucking her slides ahead in the sand, Billie sits down beside me. She knows me like the back of her hand; she knows where I come to think.

"I'm glad I didn't go," I say. This last year of high school is nothing to celebrate.

"I told Ms Fitgibbon that your mum didn't want to come and she was shocked," Billie smiles at me. Then placing her hand on my thigh, Billie says, "My family missed you, I missed you."

"Thanks," I say.

Before continuing to ask what feels like a favour. What feels like a necessity. "Can I come live with you?"

"Of course. My mum has always said you're welcome at our place," Billie says, wrapping her arm around my shoulder.

"And now I don't have to marry your brother to become your sister," I respond, wrapping my arm around her shoulder.

"Uh," Billie says, her top lip drawn up, "Just some food for thought, we're not adopting you legalling."

A tsunami has hit me and it's Billie. She has pushed me over with her hug and my head's hit the sand. Billie's strangling my body with her embrace. "I love you," she says into my ear, "You have made the best decision of your life and we'll have so much fun!"

Billie sits herself back up and I return upright as well, sand from my hair falling past my face. Billie gives another giggle.

"What about Gabriel?" Billie asks, having now composed herself.

I look out to the ocean before returning my gaze to Billie. I inhale and exhale these words: "He doesn't feel right."

"I don't think you've met the right guy yet either," Billie says.

May I always follow my intuition.