‘Mum, I don’t want you to break up with Jason,’ I say. ‘He’s all right. At least he can cook.’
Mum looks confused. ‘But I thought …’ She trails off, and it’s Mum who can’t find the right words now.
‘It’s just that so much has changed around here since you met him,’ I say. ‘Maybe … maybe we can just make some rules about him?’
‘Rules?’ Mum asks.
‘Yeah, like the butter goes in the fridge, not the pantry. That sort of thing.’
Mum shakes her head, but she’s smiling. ‘Okay,’ she says slowly. ‘What else?’
‘Four-minute showers, so he doesn’t waste the hot water.’
‘And?’
‘We keep our Thursday nights. Just us.’
‘Pizzas and chick flicks?’
‘Yep, no boys allowed.’
Mum takes my face in her hands, squeezing my cheeks together. ‘And you’d be okay with him — you’d be okay with Jason in our lives — if we follow those rules?’
I don’t know if it’s getting my period or I’m getting more grown-up or whatever it is, but it’s like things are starting fresh and I’ve found my words and I like it.
‘I would,’ I say with a grin. ‘But just one more thing. Get him to cut off his dreadlocks.’
Mum’s laugh is loud and true. ‘Don’t push it, Hazel.’
‘Are you watching the movie or are you on the computer?’ Mum says.
The three of us are in our PJs. I’ve been in mine all day. Mum and I are sharing the couch and Romy is lying on the carpet.
‘Both,’ I say.
Mum rolls her eyes, but I can tell she’s happy. Her mobile rings and now it’s my turn to roll my eyes. It’s obvious from her face that it’s Jason. She left him a message and he’s calling her back.
‘Are you watching the movie or are you on the phone?’ I tease.
Romy pauses the DVD and we make kissy faces at Mum as she answers the call. She takes it into the kitchen and I look back at the computer screen.
Edi’s on Facebook and she’s left a message for me.
Where were u today, slackarse? Wagging? Went down to the tree at recess and guess wot? Leo asked where u were! Everyone reckons he’s going to ask u out! So u better be at school tomoz!!! Wot u going 2 say?
I can’t believe it. It might not even be true. It might just be a rumour. But how seriously weird would it be if Leo asked me out the day after I got my period? Honestly, it would be like one of Jason’s theories about everything being linked and the Earth’s energy and stuff.
I decide not to write anything about Leo just yet.
Can’t wait ’til the caravan meeting tomoz! I type.
It’s so cool that’s all I need to write. I know Edi will get it. She does.
OMG Hazel. Finally! Hooorrraaay! Caravan meeting asap! Will check with the others. Go you!
I can’t stop smiling. I wonder if anyone at school will be able to tell what’s happened?
For a moment, I think Edi must have gone off to do something, but then some more words appear onscreen.
Can u believe Archie hasn’t even asked me yet?? And Leo’s going 2 ask you tomoz? He’s so nice … u shld say yes. But wot will I do about Archie?
This is pretty much the first time in history Edi has asked for my advice.
Just hang in there, Edi. He likes u 4 sure! Gtg x I know it will drive her crazy that I haven’t told her what I’ll say to Leo if he asks me out. It would be pretty wild if that happened before Archie got around to asking Edi. I totally thought it would happen to her first.
Part of me thinks I’d say yes. The other part is a bit too freaked out by what it might mean to have a boyfriend. Especially an older boyfriend. Will he just want to kiss, or would he want to do more than that?
Mum comes back into the lounge.
‘Well?’ says Romy, taking a bite of cold pizza. ‘What did he say?’
‘Don’t speak with your mouth full, Romy,’ Mum says. ‘It’s disgusting.’
‘Wha id he thay?’ Romy repeats, and it’s even more gross this time cos I can see the half-chewed pizza in her mouth.
Mum shakes her head. ‘He says that we’re a very weird family and that butter really should go in the pantry,’ she says with a smile. ‘And he said he’ll do it anyway.’
Mum’s beaming and I feel good. I helped her to feel this way. Or at least I’ve stopped making her miserable.
‘Actually,’ I find myself saying. ‘Someone likes me too. I think.’
‘Who?’ Romy and Mum ask at the same time.
‘Leo,’ I say. ‘He’s in the year above me.’
‘Ooh, I don’t know about that,’ Mum says. ‘If you’re going to date, then shouldn’t it be someone your own age?’
‘Mum, Dad was five years older than you,’ Romy points out. ‘And you married him.’
‘Hmmm,’ Mum says. ‘Well, I guess it all depends on what kind of boy he is.’
I think of how Leo calmed Nick down that day. I think of how cute he was at Archie’s party, before the whole truth or dare thing.
‘He’s really nice,’ I say.
‘Good,’ Romy says. ‘Can we watch the movie now?’ She presses play on the remote.
I shift around on the couch. As I do, the pad in my undies feels heavy.
‘Romy,’ I say, ‘can you pause it? I think I need to go to the bathroom.’
Romy throws her arms up in the air. ‘You guys are hopeless,’ she says, but she does press the pause button again. ‘I brought back a packet of tampons Lisa bought. They’re on the bench and there’s a leaflet inside the box to show you how to use them if you want to have a go. They’re way better than pads. You can barely feel them.’
‘Romy!’ Mum says. ‘Hazel’s had her period for less than twenty-four hours. Don’t rush her.’
‘Maybe next time, Romy,’ I say, and as I say it I get a woozy feeling. As though it’s sinking in. This is going to happen again and again. My body has changed forever. If I had sex, which I totally won’t, I could have a baby!
It’s a big change. But the weirdest change is right here in the lounge room. It’s my mum and my sister. Like it used to be, but with adjustments, and it feels fine. Actually it feels better than fine.
I go to the bathroom and then wander into the kitchen to get a drink.
‘Gonna be long?’ Romy calls out.
I don’t answer. I want to spend time with my new self, and I know I won’t be able to focus on the movie anyway.
This is the all-new Hazel Atherton getting juice out of the fridge, I tell myself. This is the all-new Hazel Atherton pouring juice into a glass.
‘Hazel!’ Romy yells.
This is the all-new Hazel Atherton being yelled at by Romy.
When I close the fridge door, I see the appointment card for my doctor’s visit. I don’t need to go now. In a way, Mum was right. My body did its own thing in its own time.
I take the card off the fridge and throw it in the bin.
I Heart You, Archie de Souza
Edi lives a weird double life. At school it seems like everyone loves her, but at home her parents barely notice she exists — except when her marks aren’t good enough.
So when Edi hooks up with her crush Archie, she can hardly believe her luck. Archie is super cute, and his family are warm and welcoming. Edi wants to spend every waking minute with Archie, even if it means letting her friends and schoolwork slide. But does Archie feel the same way?
Things I Don’t Know
Leni doesn’t understand her friends or family at all. Why does Anya want to start a dumb kissing competition? Why won’t her grandmother quit smoking? And why is her athletics buddy Adam acting like a big weirdo around her?
The Leni meets Jo … the new girl at school. She’s cool and fun, and totally on Leni’s wavelength. But as their friendship grows, Leni finds she has questions about Jo too. Or maybe they are questions about herself. Whatever it is, she doesn’t know the answers!
Erin doesn’t know exactly when it happened, but it happened. Boys started being boyfriends. Girls started wearing make-up to school. And her big sister started keeping secrets about her love-life.
It seems like everyone is changing around Erin, and yet she’s still the same. She’s fine doing her own thing, but she never thought she’d be deliberately left out. How can Erin grow up and just be herself?
Waiting For It
published in 2012 by
Hardie Grant Egmont
Ground Floor, Building 1, 658 Church Street
Richmond, Victoria 3121, Australia
www.hardiegrantegmont.com.au
This ebook is also available as a print edition in all good bookstores.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means without the prior permission of the publishers and copyright owner.
A CiP record for this title is available from the National Library of Australia
eISBN 9781742739274
Text copyright © 2012 Chrissie Keighery
Illustration and design copyright © 2012 Hardie Grant Egmont
Design by Michelle Mackintosh
Text design and typesetting by Ektavo
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