Under The Wharf

• Bronte Banach, Grade 11
• Short Story
• 2016

UNDER THE WHARF
It’s been two weeks at my new high school. I’ve only made one friend, Eddie. It’s hard to make friends when you’re a guy like me. Someone different. I think we’ve only become friends because our lockers are next to each other and he’s shown me to a few classes. Seems like a bit of a troublemaker but he’s nice. I’ve also met his girlfriend Daisy. So I suppose I have two friends. She’s one of the prettiest girls and according to the guys in the change room she’s had a few boyfriends in high school. Eddie said they’ve been together for three months. They’re never touchy feeling around anyone, they don’t kiss or hold hands whenever I’m with them. But it’s not like I would know how to act with someone. I’m almost seventeen and I’ve never been in a relationship. I hadn’t really thought about it until recently.
We have English every day together and sit at the back four chairs. Eddie uses the fourth seat to put his legs on which gets him into trouble. I feel like I’m finally settling in.
Today Eddie and Daisy asked me to follow them to English but they just kept on walking. We left the school and stayed under the wharf at the beach for about an hour. I was unsure but the longer I was there, the more I wanted to stay. I separated from them and walked through the water. How lucky am I to have made these friends? I really like them. Especially one of them. I was in deep thought and didn’t hear them calling me. Daisy ran up and splashed everywhere. She smiled at me, grabbed my arm and we ran back to school. We raced, but of course, Eddie won.
Six months in and the beach is now our secret place. No one notices. Lately, it’s just been me and Eddie. He broke up with Daisy but acts like it was the other way around. She’s already got a new guy. Eddie doesn’t seem upset so I don’t really know how he feels. The beach has been quiet. Not so much the waves but us. We just walk and skim stones but don’t really talk. But today felt different. Like we we’re closer and could trust each other; we talked. It seemed like today was the day I could open up to him about how I felt when we we’re all together. The things I could never say because he was with Daisy. I’d had this conversation in my head a thousand times and every time I couldn’t control my heart.
It’s finally that moment; I was scared. Under the wharf. There were no words; I kissed him. The silence told me to get out of there. I ran down the beach and he ran after me. I was ready for him to punch me or even yell but he just held my hand and kissed me.