When I Moved To Australia

When I Moved To Australia Chapter 4

There's an awkward silence as Jude starts the engine of his run-down car. James is in the back seat, with his head phones. I know without looking because I can hear his music .

"Sooo...?" Jude starts, turning out of the car park. "How was your day?"

"Yeah...It was okay. Yours?"

"It would've been better if I'd seen you," He says. I blush, looking away from him, out the window. I was about to answer him when my phone rang. I looked at who was ringing but it said 'unkown number'

"I, uh, should probably answer this," I say wonderin who as ringing me.

"Hello?" I answer the phone. There's a muffled noise and then I hear the voice,

"Milly? Hey, whats up?" It's Ryan, my brother. Except, my brother is one of the most wanted criminals around. I shot a frantic glance at Jude.

"Why are you ringing?!" I hissed, not wanting to say his name.

"Just seeing how my lil' sister is? Geez...."

"Why, uh... Can you ring me back Ryan?" Oops. There it goes.

"Not really, why?" He says.

"Just - I have to go!"

"Okay, love you,"

"Love you too, bye!" I say, quickly hanging up.

"Who was that?" Jude asks.

What should I say? "A...um...friend...relative, I mean,"  I stumble over my words - something I often do when I'm nervous.

Jude just nodds and continues driving.

It's really not a long drive from school to Aunt and Uncles house but the seconds drag on like hours and I feel uneasy, sitting next to Jude in such a small place as a car. I have to break the silence. I can't handle it.

Just a question? Why can't we bear silence? It's almost....painfull in such situations.

 "So, what do you have planned for the weekend?" I ask.

"Nothing much. I'll probably just hang out with my brother,"

"You have a brother?"

"Yeah, and two sisters,"

"Wow. Your lucky..." I say, sadness tinted in my voice. I'd always wanted a sister, but I guess Kathy is close enough. But not close enough to talk to about Ryan.

"What do you mean?"

I smile slightly. "Never mind." He gives me one of those looks so I keep going "It's just, I've only got one older brother who I hardly hear from." I laugh a short humorless laugh. "He's not even in the same country as me and-" I cut myself off there, realising  I was kind of rambling. To Jude. Who probably doesn't care. And I didn't want him thinking I was some poor girl who'd lost all of her family pretty much who was looking for sympathy. Or something else.

Because, really, I wasn't that girl.

"And...?" He says.

I don't know what to say. I don't want to start crying in front of him and James. "And, um, yeah...that's all. I just wished I had a sister. You know, the type you tell everything to, laugh all the time staying up late watching movies...those kind of things..."

 ???? Seriously, Amelia? I've always been terrible at bluffing but I think Jude understands that I don't want to say more when he says, "Yeah, I know what you mean. Rosalie and Camille are like that," In my peripheral vision I see him glance side ways at me "In fact, you should meet them,"

"Do they go to our school?" I ask

"No, but you'll see them around probably. It's a small town," He turns into the drive way of the house and stops at the front.

"Um, thanks for the drive...and everything," I say with a small smile.

"Anytime," He says with a big grin. "See you around hey?" He asks as I hopp out of the car.

"Yep," I answer. He drives off and James gives me the 'are you serious' look.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Really?! 'Thanks for the drive...and everything'?" He says imitating my accent.

"What?"

"Oh and, 'so what have you got planned for the weekend?'" He bursts out laughing.

"I thought you had your music on?"

"Are you serious Amelia? I turned it off as soon as I realised you dig him!"

"I do not 'dig' him!" what ever that means...?

"What ever!" He turns away and goes back into his strange shed. That no one ever goes to or even talks about.

I decide to follow him.