Riptide

Chapter Three: Juice Girl

Just as we’re about to order coffee and juice, Kris and Tammy appear from behind us. Tammy is Ryan’s little sister. She has incredibly long, dark blonde hair and tan skin, and she’s wearing a bikini.

My sister, Kris, is wearing a baggy t-shirt and no bra, and she doesn’t seem worried about this until she notices the pretty girl behind the counter of the café. At that stage she crosses her arms over her chest.

‘Ry, I don’t have any money but can you buy me a tropical juice?’ Tammy says sweetly.

‘Only a regular one,’ Ryan says. ‘I’m not buying you a large.’

‘Fine,’ Tammy says, crossing her arms. When she does it she pushes her boobs together, and her cleavage is displayed in her little pink bikini.

‘I’ll have a green tea mango smoothie please,’ Kris says to the juice girl. I notice Kris is leaning across the counter now, and pushing her hair behind her ears.

Ryan and I exchange a look, and he smirks at me.

‘Can I please get a banana berry smoothie with coconut instead of milk?’ I say when it’s my turn to order.

‘Hey, are you new around here?’ Kris asks over my shoulder. She’s talking to the juice girl.

‘Yeah, just set up!’ the girl says cheerily, talking loud over the blender. ‘I go to uni in Sydney but my college roommate’s family lives here and she offered me a room here, rather than trying to find somewhere to live over summer. I’m from India!’ she grins and hands Kris her green tea mango smoothie.

‘I’m Kris,’ Kris says, handing over cash. ‘I’m just here for the summer too. I’m about to start veterinary science at uni.’

‘Oh cool,’ the girl says. ‘And this is your sister?’ she says as she hands me my smoothie.

Kris laughs. ‘Yeah, this is my twin. Our Mum can hardly tell us apart,’ Kris jokes, and Meg laughs.

When we’ve all got our drinks we say goodbye to Meg, and as soon as we’re out of earshot, walking back towards our houses, Ryan and I nudge each other and start laughing.

Kris shoots me a look.

‘Could that have been any more obvious?’ I say.

‘You’ve been here for one day and you’re already hitting on the new girl?’ Ryan says. We grin at each other. I like Ryan’s smile. I like being in on a joke with him again. It’s been so long.

‘She is pretty though, Kris,’ Tammy says, adopting a serious tone. ‘Even if these guys are being stupid about it, I think you should go for it.’

‘Hey,’ I say, raising my hands in surrender. ‘I’m not saying you shouldn’t go for it. She’s cute. I approve. But this has got to be a new record for you.’

Kris takes a big sip of her smoothie. ‘I just can’t believe I went there in my pyjamas. Next time we go to the juice bar, remind me to wear a cute bikini.’

‘Yeah, Tammy has the right idea,’ Ryan says, teasing his little sister. ‘Why are you even wearing bikinis? You haven’t been down to the surf this morning.’

Tammy shrugs. ‘It’s culturally acceptable to walk around this town in a bikini, so I’m going to take advantage of it. I want to be so tan by the end of this summer. Plus I want to make friends with some of those local guys.’

‘And you think a bikini is going to make you friends?’ Ryan says, looking appalled.

‘What local guys?’ I ask her, thinking of the local guys I know. I don’t want Tammy going near any of them.

‘Um, there’s this guy Hayden who lives around the corner. Last year he had a girlfriend but I heard this year he’s single. I always thought he was cute,’ Tammy says.

I nod. I know Hayden and his friends. They’re innocent locals, not like the ones I know.

‘I mean I’m going into senior year this year,’ Tammy says. ‘I want to start senior year with stories of an awesome summer. A good tan, a summer romance, and no more virginity.’

Ryan chokes on his smoothie. Kris and I burst into laughter, and I pat Ryan on the back. I let my hand linger on his bare skin for a little longer than necessary.

‘You are way too young to lose your virginity!’ Ryan says when he’s recovered.

‘I’m sixteen,’ Tammy says. ‘How old were you?’

‘I’m not telling you that,’ Ryan says defensively, which makes Kris and me laugh harder. ‘You’re too young,’ Ryan says firmly, over the sound of our laughter.

‘I’m not too young, you just think I’m way younger than I am because I’m your little sister,’ Tammy says, frowning. ‘Maybe you wouldn’t think I was so young and innocent if I lost my virginity!’

Ryan groans. ‘I don’t want to talk about this with you. Indy, Kris, you’ve got to talk her out of this.’

‘I’m not talking her out of this,’ I say, shrugging. ‘I was fifteen when I lost my virginity.’

Ryan almost chokes again, and then gives me a dirty look. I smile mischievously at him.

Ryan sucks smoothie loudly through his straw. ‘I don’t want to have a conversation about any of your virginities at eight in the morning. I’m going to go hang out with Rose.’

‘Careful, Ry!’ I call after him. ‘If you spend too much time with your girlfriend you might lose your virginity one day too!’

Kris and Tammy laugh.