Fun Summer

Where Noah was

Noah stood at the train platform. He fiddled with his suitcase handle. He began tweaking the spikey fringe of his dirty blonde hair. Finally, he took a deep breath and walked away from the silver and blue train.

He hired a taxi. Loading his suitcase on the seat, he awkwardly fit his tall and lanky frame into the vehicle.

"To Hillwood please."

"Oky doky son," the taxi driver started the engine, "lemme guess...university student right?"

Noah smiled a crookedly smile. "Yup. It's been my dream to go to Hillwood University."

"So yer going to the hostel right? I can drive ya up there if you'd like. No extra charge."

"Thanks for the offer, but it'll be fine if you just drop me off by the sign at the start of Hillwood. I have family here, I'll be staying with them."

"Know ya way around?"

"Yeah I do. Might some extra things here after 6 months ago, but I'll manage thanks."

After the friendly taxi driver dropped him off, Noah looked around the green hills and trees far from any towns on all sides. He took a deep breath; tree sap, fresh grass, and the smell of cattle and sheep lingered like a spectre.

'Finally, my new home.' he thought contently, and began to stroll along the side of the road, his suitcase rattling on it's wheels. After a while, Noah felt sure he had walked all over Hillwood, except for the places covered in trees and bush.

Noah had often doubted his decision to return to Hillwood. Now a young boy of 19, he often had nightmares about his girlfriend. Well...his past girlfriend.

As he stopped, and looked from the top of the residential hill over the rest of Hillwood, he remembered his childhood. Growing up here, schooling here, alongside his cousin's Tale and Zeke...and lovely Poppy.

'They'd be 16 and 13 now...' he remembered. 'Poppy would have been 19...'

He remembered Poppy's beautiful smile, her bronze skin, amber hair and light brown eyes. Her soft touch, her sweet nature...she didn't deserve to die. She didn't deserve to die in a lonely, cold and white hospital bed. Didn't deserve to be subjected to operations, treatments, scanning...no one deserved to die from cancer.

Shaking it all from his head, he turned towards the cluttered collection of houses. They all ranged from old Victorian styles to the latest American fashion. Nestled in every space not occupied by cars, bikes, and houses, were trees.

He weaved between them till he found the familiar brown bricked house framed with dark brown posts and a neglected tiled roof.

There was a boy outside. He looked up to see Noah and smiled pleasantly. His dirty blonde hair matched Noah's but unlike Noah's brown eyes, the boy had teal eyes.

"Zeke!"

"Noah!" the boy got up from his little 'project' of cluttered bike and car parts to meet Noah.

The two performed a bro hug as a lady and man exited the house towards them.

The lady had golden blonde hair and teal eyes, whereas the man had dirty blonde hair and brown eyes. It was obvious he and Noah were related by blood.

"Aunty, Uncle!!!" Noah gave the two a hug and Tale's dad wrapped an arm around his shoulder.

"So, how's your old man?"

"Has a sore back and demands you pay back the $50 you borrowed from him when you were 11." laughed Noah as he grimaced.

"And your mother?" Tale's mum sweetly asked.

"Has her hands full with the foster baby. But happier than ever." smiled Noah.

Zeke looked on jealously. He'd been hoping to spend some time with his older cousin, but off coarse his parents HAD to come and ruin everything. And he felt sure that Tale would 'steal' Noah the moment she came home.

Noah was ushered inside, leaving Zeke alone outside.

Noah was soon escorted to his room. It was nice; timber walls and a soft beige carpet. It had a decent side cupboard and desk along with a bookshelf. The bed was plump, with a simple cashmere blanket and 2 large pillows.

"This is perfect, thanks Uncle and Aunty."

"Dear, why don't we let Noah settle," Tale's mother suggested, lightly tapping her husband, "Noah will be tired I'm sure."

Tale's father looked disappointed, but left promising Noah they'd have a 'man-to-man' talk later. Noah sighed heavily, and began to slowly unpack his suitcase. He hung up his clothes (making a mental note to buy some more), set up his books and laptop, and finally hung up several photos and posters.

He kept two photo frames on the study desk. One was covered in untidy shell patterns, dried clumps of glue and sprinkles of glitter. It framed a picture of Noah, Tale and Zeke from around a year ago. The frame was a lot older; made by Zeke when he started preschool.

The other was a light pink with blue swirls, stripes and hearts. It framed a picture of Poppy.

'Oh Poppy,' he thought, 'was it really a good idea to move back here?'

After her death 6 months hence, he and his family moved after he underwent depression. The doctor had prescribed "A change of scenery and a new goal in life."

For the first three months of living in a shell, he finally went back to his studies. Why he had wanted to go back to Hillwood, he did not know. But he was here now, his goal accomplished.

Reaching into his suitcase, he found the little locket he'd bought for Tale and the tools kit he'd bought for Zeke. Laying the locket on the desk, he carried the tools kit out the door.

He reached Zeke's room and knocked on it.

"Wrong one," he turned to see Zeke, "that's Tale's room now."

"But you loved this room." Noah protested.

Zeke shrugged. "It has it's own fixed desk and bookshelf. Like yours. Tale moved in early cause she needs it all for her future exam studies."

"Wow...okay." muttered Noah, forgetting the reason he was here.

"Yeah, everyone's growing up."

"So are you."

"But I'm a lot younger." he looked up to Noah with his bright teal eyes, "You're leaving me behind for university and...the WORLD."

Noah felt slightly guilty. "Don't you have your friends."

"Don't have any."

"Wah??? How can they not like you? You're a great guy!!!"

"It's not that they don't like me...I don't like them." Zeke replied coldly.

Noah felt his body go cold from Zeke's monotone face. "Why don't you?"

"Cause they don't like Tale." he replied simply, then ran past Noah and out of sight.

Noah remembered the Tool Kit. "Hey Zeke!!!"

But only silence greeted him.