‘Who?’
‘OMG, Ryan of course.’ Anna pulled her close. ‘You’re spending a lot of time with him.’
Jaz Shrugged. ‘It’s just a friendship, like the one me and Tay have.’
Anna pretended to cough and swore instead. ‘Bullshit.’
‘Okay, so maybe he’s alright.’ Jaz pulled a face. ‘But he wouldn’t be interested in me.’
‘Why not? You’re a catch. If I was a guy I’d dig you.’
Jaz laughed and pushed Anna away. ‘Go on, go and get your seat.’ Anna wiggled her eyebrows as she headed back into class.
Jaz jogged towards Ryan, her hair sailing out behind her. She never put her hair up unless she was at the gym. ‘Hey, what’s up?’
‘Well, I wouldn’t normally condone wagging, but do you feel like cutting school? I have a feeling you’re not averse to this kind of thing.’
Jaz felt the smile creep across her face and hoped she didn’t look like a circus clown. ‘What ya got in mind?’
Ryan nodded his head toward his car. ‘Let’s get out of here first before you get busted and they think I’m a schoolyard perve.’
Jaz burst out laughing as she followed Ryan. ‘Don’t worry, I’d just tell them that you’re my stalker and I’m sure they’d be alright with that.’
Inside his car, Jaz pulled off her school tie while Ryan chucked her a clean shirt. ‘I thought you might need this, sorry it’s not…’
‘What…girly? If you hadn’t noticed I don’t really do “girly”.’ It was black with white and red writing on the front. ‘This is fine, thanks.’
Jaz unbuttoned her white school shirt, took it off and shoved it in her bag. She was used to getting around in crop tops at the gym, a bra wasn’t much different. But maybe not for Ryan.
His hands gripped the wheel as he spluttered, ‘It’s…um…one of my favourite shirts from when I was young. It doesn’t fit but I haven’t been able to throw it out yet.’
‘Well it will do just nicely.’ She pulled it on over the top of her lacy white bra. With the black shirt, her tartan school skirt and black boots, no one would think she was wagging school.
‘Hey, how come you weren’t at The Ring yesterday?’ she asked.
‘Gee, Jaz. Can’t your stalker take a day off without having you worry about him?’ he chuckled.
‘I wasn’t worried,’ Jaz mumbled.
He nodded as if he knew better. ‘I just thought you might like some time to yourself to think, without me being around. Did it help?’
‘Hmm…nup,’ she laughed. ‘So what’s today in aid of? Did you know I needed to go shopping for a ball dress?’
Ryan glanced across to Jaz, a frank look on his face. ‘We are not shopping for a dress! You can get that thought right out of your head.’
‘Gee, you’re easy to stir up,’ she laughed.
Twenty minutes later, they were walking down Hay Street in the city, their arms brushing with each swing.
‘So, now what?’
‘How about we go and have a coffee?’ he asked steering her towards a sidewalk coffee shop.
‘Are you buying?’ she asked. Ryan nodded. ‘Cool, how about muffin too, please? I’m famished.’
As they sat outside at a small round table waiting for their order, Ryan reached across and pulled her arm closer. ‘This is healing well.’
Jaz tried to ignore the feather touch of his fingers against her skin. ‘Yep, thanks to you. So, will I get to learn how to stitch up things too?’
‘Well if you must know, that was self-taught. There were a few times where I was injured and I couldn’t go to a hospital, mainly because I didn’t want to have to answer questions.’
Jaz’s mouth fell open. ‘So what…you’re saying you learnt on yourself?’ He nodded. ‘Oh man that’s gross. I’d probably faint.’
Ryan shrugged as he stretched his long legs out under the small coffee table. ‘You’d be surprised at what the mind can handle.’
A waiter appeared with their cappuccinos and Jaz’s choc chip muffin, which she instantly attacked.
‘Cheers,’ she said after swallowing. ‘So…’
‘So?’
‘Com’on, I know you didn’t let me wag school for a coffee.’ she asked.
Ryan took a sip from his cup and licked his top lip. He then slid his sunglasses down from the top of his head.
‘You are wise, my young grasshopper. No, I brought you here to observe.’
Jaz’s forehead crinkled. ‘Observe? Observe what?’ she asked glancing around them.