Dismissed (21 page)

CHAPTER 26

Six months later…

Lizzie had just finished a Digital Music Composition class and had decided to duck over to the Queen Street Mall for a little retail therapy before going home.

She was loving her course, particularly the digital stuff. She’d even shown her tutor some of the tracks she’d developed the previous year and received high praise. Lizzie dreamt of the day where people danced to her music in clubs, or even at a big festival. That was her ultimate goal.

It was quite a warm day for winter, and she enjoyed the walk across the Victoria Bridge.

She got to the top of the mall and decided her first stop would be Ally. She went in and picked up a couple of tops to try on. As she made her way down to the change rooms, she spotted a familiar head in front of her.

‘Taylor!’

Taylor spun around. ‘Lizzie! I haven’t seen you in ages!’

‘I know! How are you?’

‘Good! You?’

‘Yeah, not too bad. I just finished uni for the day, so I thought I’d do a bit of shopping. What’s new?’

‘Lots. Come and talk while we try our stuff on.’ Taylor pointed to two change rooms next to each other. ‘We’ll use those.’

Lizzie hung her tops on a hook and put her purse on the floor.

‘So, I guess since we last spoke, I got a new job,’ Taylor said through the wall.

‘Great! Doing what?’

‘I’m one of the girls on the door at The Den. Can you believe it?’

Lizzie laughed. ‘Do you work with the woman who looks like Pam from
True Blood
?’

‘Yes! Her name’s Stacey, but she
does
look like Pam! She’s actually really nice.’

‘I always thought you would do well with your art.’

‘Maybe one day,’ she said vaguely. ‘I paint at home sometimes, but I’m not sure I’m good enough.’

‘You are totally good enough! But anyway, how’s your love life?’

‘Oh God, don’t ask.’

‘That bad?’

‘Well, no. But not good.’

‘How come?’ Lizzie stepped out of the change room and looked at her top in the central mirror on the far wall.

Taylor came out too. ‘Well for a start, the guy I love is currently working at an English school in Laos.’

Lizzie stared at her. ‘Do you mean Nick?’

‘Yes,’ she sighed.

‘And did you just say you
loved
him?’

‘Uh-huh.’

‘So what’s the deal?’

‘I don’t know. He said he didn’t want to be tied down, so he thinks we should leave things open, at least for this year. And then when he comes back at Christmas, we’ll re-evaluate. I just hope he doesn’t want to go back over.’

‘You don’t want to go with him?’

‘He won’t let me!’

Lizzie laughed. ‘What do you mean, he won’t
let
you?’

‘He said I’d be too distracting.’ She pouted.

‘Wow. OK. That’s a bit harsh. You haven’t thought about looking for someone else?’

‘Not really. You see so many douchebags when you work on the door of a club. Nick is a good guy. I think I’ll just wait for him for now.’

‘I admire your dedication.’

‘Anyway, tell me what’s going on with you! Last I heard you were going to Japan for a month, and then coming back to do uni. Are you still at McDonald’s?’

‘Yep. Although I’m looking into applying for a job in the uni’s admin building. I’d like to get out of fast food if I can.’

‘And come on, spill the beans. Love life?’

Lizzie blushed.

Taylor squealed. ‘Please tell me you’re with Brandon!’

Lizzie gave her a tiny nod.

‘Agh! That’s awesome! I’m so glad it worked out for you guys in the end.’

‘We’re not really broadcasting it to anyone from school, just in case they want to look into it. But now that Orion’s Head have been signed to a label, the boys could all quit their jobs.’

‘I know. I saw Jason a couple of months ago. It’s funny, but he didn’t tell me about you and Brandon.’

‘I think he realised how much trouble he caused last year, and wanted to stay out of it this time. So you’re not tempted to try again with Jason?’

‘Er, no. He’s too crazy for me. I could never figure him out.’

‘He’s actually pretty simple to understand. He just has this huge insecurity complex when it comes to Brandon, and he plays up to get the attention.’

‘Well Nick is a million times more mature than him, so I’m happy to let Jason do his thing with someone else.’

‘Do you still talk to anyone from school?’

‘You mean like the girls? Last I heard, Zoe was back from the States and devastated after Gabe broke up with her for being too clingy. I haven’t spoken to her directly. Cara told me, and she said that Zoe was going on about all these girls flocking around Gabe because of his Aussie accent.’

Lizzie smiled. ‘Well I hope he’s having a good time.’ She stepped back into the change room and took off her shirt.

‘And how’s Cara?’

‘She’s alright. She’s studying Musical Theatre at your uni actually. I’m surprised you haven’t run into her.’

Lizzie shivered. ‘I haven’t, thankfully. She did my head in with all that over-the-top crap at school.’

‘I think she has an alcohol problem. She comes to The Den all the time and gets so smashed she can barely walk out on her own at the end of the night. And she leaves with the most hideous looking guys! One time, she went home with a guy who looked about fifty and had two missing front teeth!’

‘Ah well. I can’t say I feel sorry for her.’

Taylor flung open Lizzie’s curtain, just as she was pulling the next top over her head.

‘Oh, and I almost forgot to tell you! Heather is pregnant!’

Lizzie’s eyes widened. ‘Really?’

‘Yes! A one night stand. He ditched her afterwards and doesn’t want anything to do with the baby when it’s born.’

‘She’s keeping it?’

‘Apparently. I didn’t know this, but her family is super religious and they won’t let her get an abortion.’

‘Wow. Have you seen her?’

‘Nope. I don’t want to either. Nick pointed out how horrible all those girls were. Except you,’ she added softly.

‘It’s OK. It was just school.’

‘I know. But I could have been nicer to you.’

‘You can make up for it in the future.’

‘We should totally go out for coffee sometime. Is your mobile still the same?’

‘Yep.’

‘Cool.’ She closed the curtain again. Lizzie decided she didn’t need to check the second top in the central mirror because she could feel it was too tight. She put her own clothes back on and hung the others on a rack outside the change room.

Taylor followed her out.

She gave Lizzie a hug. ‘I have to go, but I’ll definitely call you.’

‘Great.’

Lizzie watched her leave. She didn’t mind either way.

Her phone beeped with a text.

Where are you?

In the Queen St Mall. You?

Meet me in 10 at Eagle St Pier.

OK. See you soon!

Lizzie wondered what was going on. She walked down through the mall and further along Queen Street before turning right and crossing over to the pier.

She thought about her life over the past few months. Things were going pretty well. Orion’s Head were currently recording a new album and planning to tour next year. Brandon had invited Lizzie along, but she hadn’t decided whether she wanted to go yet. She’d still have work and uni, and she didn’t want to slack off just because her boyfriend was probably going to be a proper rock star soon.

Besides, she wasn’t sure if she could handle putting up with Jason’s constant dirty jokes. He hadn’t let up, even though Brandon had threatened him several times with violence.

Thankfully he had moved out of the apartment he shared with Brandon, so Lizzie didn’t have to see him very often. He still visited sometimes when Lizzie was there, and they’d managed to have a few civilised conversations, but she didn’t think they’d ever be best friends.

Her dad was really happy. He’d brought his new girlfriend home to meet Lizzie, and Lizzie got along with her immediately. Her name was Karen, and while she would certainly never replace Lizzie’s mother, Lizzie was happy to have her in their lives.

And as for her relationship with Brandon, well that was more perfect than she could have possibly imagined.

Lizzie got to the top of the stairs near where she ran into Brandon on her birthday last year.

After a moment, she saw him. He was down the bottom, leaning against the railing and smiling at her.

As she approached, he met her halfway. He wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug and then kissed her softly. She still couldn’t believe this man was her boyfriend.

‘What’s going on?’ she demanded playfully.

‘I want to ask you something.’

‘What kind of something?’

He held out a small box. She was reminded of the diamond earrings Gabe gave her. She never wore them out of respect to Brandon, but she did keep them safe in a drawer in her bedroom. She didn’t think Brandon was a diamond earrings type of guy, but you never knew.

She slowly opened the box… and saw a key.

She looked at him quizzically.

‘Lizzie White, will you move in with me?’

Lizzie laughed.

‘Yes! I would love to move in with you!’

Brandon scooped her up for another hug, lifting her off her feet. He kissed her three times in quick succession and then gazed down at her.

‘Have I told you today how much I love you?’

‘Yes. I think it was five times just this morning.’

‘Good. Add another one to the list.’

They wandered off together along the pier, Brandon’s arm around her waist.

Lizzie couldn’t wait for the next chapter of their lives to begin.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kirsty McManus was born in Sydney, Australia and moved to Queensland when she was fourteen. When she was twenty-five, she lived in Japan for a year with her partner Kesh and worked as an English teacher. She also spent a year in Canada and then settled back down on the Sunshine Coast in 2008. She now writes part time while designing websites and looking after her two little boys.