Read Online Ocean Pearl by J.C. Burke - Free Book Online Page A

her
mouth. 'This morning! Hey, when we came down to
brekkie did you notice how everyone stopped talking?
It was like –'
    I pushed my finger over Georgie's mouth and nodded
towards the door handle, which had started to turn.
    In walked Kia, with dripping wet hair and still
wearing my Kelly Slater hat!
    Where I lived, on the Gold Coast, we didn't have only
one hot chip shop, we had about ten million to choose
from. There were three filthy plastic tables lined up
outside Pete's milk bar and inside, the walls were
painted a disgusting, sickly orange colour that made
me feel like I'd been on a tanning bed too long.
    I'd been thinking the best thing about coming to
Pete's was that it would be good for bringing on a quick
attack of anorexia. Not for Georgie. She was ordering a
large hot chips with chicken salt and tomato sauce.
    'Are we sharing them?' I asked Georgie, trying not to
make skin contact with the counter.
    'Nah, they're for me.'
    'I'll have . . .' The hormone disaster behind the
counter was waiting to take my order. 'Umm . . .?'
    What is it about the smell of chips that makes you
have to have them? Even if they're being cooked by a
guy who looks like he hasn't showered since he was
eleven?
    'Look, I'll order just a small serve of hot chips,' I told
him. 'Not too much salt.'
    When Tim Parker and I were going out I would
never eat hot chips – at least, not in front of him. That'd
be the perfect excuse for him to look me up and down
and say, 'Do you really think that's a good idea, Ace?'
    Jules was so different. I'd pigged out on ice-cream, a
hamburger, chips and two doughnuts – all in front of
him and all in the one weekend. Jules never said a
thing. He didn't even notice.
    I'm not saying it'd be okay with him if I got fat 'cause
it wouldn't. He's a sportsman and he likes his girlfriends
to be slim. He said to me once, 'There's nothing
sexier than a girl who's fit and strong.'
    'I still can't believe what Megan said,' Kia grunted
through a mouthful.
    'I just can't picture her in the bungalow with us,'
added Micki. 'It's going to be so strange this time.'
    The four of us sighed. My heart felt like it was
sliding down my jumper.
    'I mean, what are we going to talk to her about?'
Micki said.
    'How can we talk?' Kia added. 'Starfish have no
brains, remember?'
    'So you're saying we're not going to speak to Megan
for nearly two whole weeks?' Georgie was pretending
to smoke a chip. 'Right. That'll make things interesting.'
    'I thought you hated her,' Kia said.
    'I don't hate her,' she answered. 'I just don't like her.'
    'She's going to be your main competition, Georgie,' I
told her.
    'Suits me.'
    'They won't pick more than two big-wave surfers
for the team, will they?' Micki asked.
    'Probably not,' Georgie answered. 'That's why I'm
going to smash her.' Georgie flattened a chip with her
fist. 'I'm going to charge her on every wave.'
    'Go Georgie!' I smiled even though my heart hurt as
much as Georgie's chip probably did.
    'She took your place, Ace. I'm not going to let her
forget it.'
    'Thanks, Georgie.' We squeezed hands and then my
tears started. I hadn't expected them. But then, to be
honest, they'd just been hiding, waiting at the back of
my eyelids for any opportunity.
    'I wish I was going. You just don't know how much I
wish it,' I said, sobbing. 'And I feel like I've been a total
bitch this weekend but I haven't meant to. I just feel
like such a loser. I'm terrified I'm going to lose my OP
sponsorship. It's going to really suck if that happens.
But –' I sniffed, 'but, I've got all of you, my Starfish
Sisters. And Jules, I've got Jules. You four are the most
important things. I can get through anything if I have
you guys. I don't care if I – if I never see my face in
another magazine.'
    I was howling now. Me? Ace. Courtney McFarlane,
one hundred per cent OP-sponsored surfer and model,
was sitting here in Pete's milk bar probably looking like
a complete freak. The worst bit, but kind of the best bit
too, was that I