Adeline Isobel:
"Watch your step" Charlie says, as I board the coach the next morning. He stands outside it, watching me.
"You do know once a leg is broken, it doesn't fully heal for ages, sometimes it never does? You're just lucky I don't need crutches anymore" I say, smirking as I sit down in the first available seat. Charlie climbs into the coach, nodding at the bus driver.
"I'll see you at the game tonight?" He asks.
"MCG, 7:45?" I ask.
"Yep!" Charlie shouts, as he jumps down from the coach. He waves at me through the window as the coach departs, heading back to Geelong.
...
"Where did you go last night?" Ashleigh Templeton asks, as I pass her the iced coffee she ordered. I slam down into the red booth opposite of her.
"Crap, people know about that?" I ask. She nods.
"Andrea has been grilling everyone about it since yesterday morning! I came in, hoping to see you, but you weren't here" she says, flicking through today's edition of the Geelong Advertiser.
Ashleigh is a friend who I met in Sunbury at school years ago. Every weekend, she travels down to Geelong or Drysdale to see me. She never orders any food, just an iced coffee every time. I don't even have to ask for her order. I just know.
"Aw man, you've come down twice this weekend, Ash. I feel bad" I say.
"Well don't. I wanted to come see you. Where were you? What's going on with the heavy clothing?" Ashleigh asks. I shrug.
"How's Quinn?" I ask.
"She's good, but don't think I didn't notice that subject change" Ashleigh says, taking a sip from her iced coffee to go. She never asks for a proper ceramic mug. They never wash them properly.
"How's that guy you've been seeing? Um...what's his name again?" I ask.
"Paddy? He's alright. Now, are you gonna tell me where you went?" Ashleigh asks, getting impatient.
"Fine, I went to a friend's house. It was getting late, so I stayed the night" I say. Ashleigh raises her eyebrows suggestively.
"And who is this friend?" She asks.
"He's uh - he's just a friend" I say. This sends Ashleigh up the wall.
"Oh my god - it's a he? You mysteriously disappeared yesterday - and you stayed at a guy's house, and you're saying he's just a friend? MY ADELINE HAS A BOYFRIEND!" She screams. I try to cover my face. People can hear her.
"If Andrea hears you, I'm dead!" I whisper.
"Shit, sorry. Who is this guy? What's his name? Age? Star sign? Face?" Ashleigh asks. I roll my eyes.
"Do you ever take a day off?" I ask.
"No, now details" she orders.
"Alright, well - his name is Curnow, he's my age, I don't know his birthday or zodiac, and his face? I don't know, pretty cute. He has curly blonde hair" I say.
"Curnow? There's a Curnow in the AFL - umm...Ed Curnow! Kind of an amateur, he plays for Carlton" Ashleigh says, pulling a face.
"They're brothers - Charlie Curnow and Ed. I don't like that Charlie loves Carlton. It could be dangerous" I say.
"Your dad goes for Carlton, isn't that the only reason why you hate them?" Ashleigh asks.
"It's not the only reason. I just don't like them. They cheated with all their premierships, and that guy - what's his name? Fevola. And Silvagni. Ugh, yuck" I say.
YOU ARE READING
Family Portrait (Fam Series #1)
Fanfiction(BOOK 1 IN THE FAMILY SERIES) Featuring Carlton Football Club She's lived a life in abuse, She's lost her mother and brother, And she has nothing but two friends to her name. Adeline Isobel (surname covered) lives in hell. That is, until one day...
