Small Town Summer

4: MORNING SUNSHINE

Callie

On Tuesday morning I wake up to a dead silent house. For a moment, I forget that I am where I am, mistaking the quietness for my penthouse bedroom all the way back in Sydney. But the scorching summer heat soon hits me and I realise I am actually sweating up a storm somewhere in the middle of Queensland.

I throw the duvet cover off my body and step out of my queen size bed onto the cold, stone floor. I then walk out into the kitchen to find a handwritten note placed on the dining table, that is addressed to me.

Morning Cal, I've just ducked the kids to school. If you are awake to read this, be ready by nine... time to teach you a bit of country livin' xxx p.s. Wear your new gear...

Smiling to myself, I look up to the large bohemian style clock which is hanging on the wall in the kitchen... 8:30am. I have half an hour to get ready. Immediately, I spring into action, grabbing my bath towel and jumping in to the shower as quickly as humanly possible. Once I am finished in the bathroom, I dress myself with my darker coloured blue denim jeans that I had bought yesterday, as well as one of my Dad's old t-shirts. I have a lot of my Dads old t-shirts (most of them from concerts he went to when he was younger, he was a roadie throughout university, so he went a lot of places with a lot of different bands), they take up the majority of the room in my suitcase, but I wouldn't have it any other way. They are basically all I wear.

I then grab some socks and my cowgirl boots, and walk out onto the veranda to sit in the hammock whilst I put them on. Earlier, I mentally planned to braid my hair. But looking at the time now, I realise I had underestimated the amount of time I had with only five more minutes until nine. So I use one of my hair bands to tie up my shirt around my waist, then tucking it into my bra, and the other contributes to my high, messy pony tail.

The rest of my time is spent replying to messages on my phone as well as scrolling through Instagram and Facebook.

Yawning, I start to recall how late I stayed up last night, thinking. The last couple of weeks I had been kept up by anxiety attacks, but last night I found myself thinking about the new people I had met the previous day.

Ruby seems like a lot of fun, and I really hope that I get to spend some time with her soon... maybe we will even become friends. Mason is really straightforward, but in a good way. Although for some reason, I found myself wondering about this Josh guy. I wanted so badly to know who he was, or at least what he looked like. I can't help but be curious about him when both Alice and Mason think that we would be good together, whatever that means.

Although, there is a slim chance that this Josh guy and I ever will be "together." I would be far too damaged for anyone, let alone him. Plus, why would I want to get into a relationship only to leave at the end of summer? Still... I can't help but wonder about him. That's when it hits me. Duh... Facebook. Yes! I'll look him up on Facebook. I begin typing his name into my search bar but then realise... I don't know his last name. It was initially a good idea though.

My thoughts of Josh are interrupted by a message from Bella, my closest friend back in Sydney.

B "Hey girl! I just wanted to make sure you're okay... I thought you were coming back to school yesterday?"

C "Oh my god, I'm so sorry! I completely forgot to tell you about my summer job... You're not going to believe this, but I'm actually on a farm in the middle of Queensland right now!"

B "Ew... you mean with like cow and horse shit???"

C "Whoops, I forgot to mention the part where I tell you I'm a nanny now... not shovelling cow shit hahaha."

B "Ohhhh, that definitely makes more sense! I've got to go to class... but send me loads of photos! Just don't turn into a cowgirl before I talk to you next ;)"