Mrs Neri was proof that dogs looked like their owners. Her voice was a deep rumble, her teeth white and pointy, and wiry hairs stuck out of moles on her chin.

When she saw Khaden, she changed into English and yelled over the dog's barking. *Khaden. I thought it was that Tippet boy.' She flicked her hand at the Tippet's house across the road. *Ahhh, teppisti! Tease my Cuddles all the time. He's a good dog.'

*Yeah, he's a great dog, Mrs Neri.'

She yelled again at Cuddles, who cowered and slunk to the verandah. Mrs Neri took its head in her hands and made baby noises, her hairy chin close to the dog's.

Khaden shuddered. That thing could rip her throat out and she was practically kissing it. He had to clear off before Mrs Neri asked him in to eat pasta, or to load him up with vegetables from her garden.

*Eh, Khaden, you want a job after school? Cash in hand?'

*What doing?'

Mrs Neri raised both palms to the sky. *What do tilers do? Sit around, smoke and talk. But my Carlo and Joey, they need help a couple of hours a week.'

*Sounds okay, I guess. I'll go see Mr Neri at work.'

*Nah,' she swatted the air with her hand. *He'll call in on you at home.'

*Cool. Thanks.' Khaden started to walk away, but Mrs Neri wasn't finished.

*And Khaden, not so loud tonight, eh?'

Khaden's face flushed. He knew she wasn't talking about his music. *Sure thing, Mrs Neri.'

IM Chat Khaden: Let's do something fun my friends Sas: Beach or pool?

Ruby: Beach Khaden: Beach Sas: Meet at tram stop at 10 Ruby: 10? Don't u sleep?

Sas: Okay. 11!

Sas.

Mum is driving me insane. I'm only allowed to go to the beach with Ruby and Khade if I write to Dad first, so here I am, sitting on the floor, back pressed against my bed, pretending to write to him.

Dear Angelo, Love to chat, but I'm hanging out at the beach today with my friends ... people who listen to me and care about me.

Your daughter.

Sincerely.

Sas.

Ever since I wrote that, I've been staring out the window, thinking about Ruby and Khaden. Something's up with Ruby, I know it. She's moody and complains all the time now, mainly about her dad. I don't see what the problem is. I mean, Stuart's pretty funny, and, for an old guy, isn't bad looking, in a Robert Downey Jr way.

Ruby and Stuart have never been best buddies, not like Dad and I used to be, but they didn't fight like they do now and she didn't whinge about him all the time. Every time she mentions him, she pulls this face, as though she's in pain. It's so annoying. She doesn't know how lucky she is. Her family isn't all broken, her dad hasn't lied to her and she isn't a nanny/slave like me. Ruby needs to get over herself.

And then there's Khaden, my guitar-playing, laid-back, other best friend. Khaden. Something has changed between us too, but not in a bad way.

Once I could have talked to Dad about Ruby, Khaden, everything, but now. Grrrr-life is so frustrating.

Ruby.

Sas, Khaden and I sat on the stone wall, our legs dangling towards the sand. Seagulls circled above, still squabbling over a crust of bread s.n.a.t.c.hed from the beach. People of all shapes and sizes roasted in front of us and guys in shorts played soccer on the gra.s.sed area behind us.

The sun warmed my back, but not enough for me to want to swim in the freezing mid-November bay.

Sas's elbow dug into my ribs. *Two o'clock.'

Three guys wearing long boardies and sungla.s.ses strolled along the dry sand, watching two girls in tiny bikinis jump and squeal in the shallows.

*The one with the cowboy hat is cute,' I said, rubbing my ribs.

Sas giggled. *The blond's hotter.'

Khaden shook his head. *You two are obsessed.'

*You can talk!' Sas play-punched Khaden's arm. *You've been perving on Miss Purple Bikini since we arrived.' She nodded at the girl lying on a pink towel to our right.

Khaden's face flushed. *Yeah, well...'

The girl rolled from her front to her back and lifted her bottom to straighten the towel beneath her.

*It's not hot enough for a bikini,' I said.

Sas leant against Khaden. *Go talk to her.'

*You serious?' he asked.

Sas nodded, her blue eyes sparkling like the ocean.

Khaden folded his arms. *Nah.'

*Come on Khaden, break the boredom,' I said.

*Here we go,' said Sas.

Khaden laughed.

*What?' I looked from him to Sas.

Sas squinted at me. *You're always bored, Ruby.'

*Am not!'

*Yeah, you are.'

*Bet she smells like strawberries,' said Khaden.

*What?' said Sas and I at once.

He nodded at the purple bikini girl. *Bet she smells like strawberries.'

*You don't even like strawberries,' said Sas, frowning.

*You're weird, Khaden,' I said.

*At least he's not bored,' said Sas.

I should have stuck up for myself, argued with her, but I didn't.

*So Khaden, go find out what she smells like. And while you're sniffing, talk to her.'

Khaden and Sas locked eyes for a moment. I looked away from them and picked at grains of sand on the stone wall.

*Think of it as research for your essay,' said Sas. *The pastoral care essay about doing stuff that scares you.'

Khaden pulled a face. *Sas, that essay is about challenging yourself, not making a fool of yourself.'

*So you were listening,' I said.

Khaden grinned.

*Dare you,' said Sas.

Khaden watched the girl stretch. I wondered what it was like to have guys stare at you like you were a plate of hot chips.

*What's it worth?' Khaden's question broke into my thoughts.

*Apart from killing the boredom?' asked Sas.

I gritted my teeth.

*Yeah, apart from that.'

Sas beamed. *A burger on the way home.'

*And fries,' I added.

*Burger, fries and a shake, and I'll think about it,' said Khaden.

*No time for thinking my friend.' Sas shoved him to the sand. *Do it now, or buy Ruby and me a burger, fries and shake. Plus, we post all over Facebook, Twitter and Mys.p.a.ce that you're a big chicken.'

Khaden looked from the girl to Sas. *Yeah, but...'

Sas s.n.a.t.c.hed my hat and tossed it like frisbee. It landed on purple bikini girl's thigh.

*Hey,' I squealed.

*Oh no, Ruby's hat has blown off.' Sas sounded loud and fake. *Khaden, could you rescue it? Please?' She drew out the *please'.

I shimmied forward to rescue it myself.

*It's okay, Ruby, I'll get it.' Khaden glared at Sas. *You suck.'

He had that right.

When Khaden reached bikini girl, she was sitting up, holding my hat. Khaden slipped his hands into his pockets and smiled. She smiled back and spoke, but kept hold of my hat. They looked strange-her sunbaking in a bikini and Khaden in his black skinny-legs, Ramones T-shirt and skater shoes. The cheers of the soccer guys and the drone of traffic on the main road drowned out what she and Khaden were talking about.

Khaden pointed at us. Bikini girl looked up and nodded, but still didn't hand over my hat.

Sas's grin faded. *He only had to talk to her, not get her life story.' Instead of loud and fake, Sas sounded snakey.

*Hey, this was your idea,' I said.

Her jaw became tight. *He's not her type.'

Bikini girl held my hat towards Khaden, who had to step closer to reach it. The girl didn't let go straight away.

*Check her out, she's full-on coming on to him!'

I started to laugh.

*It's not funny, Ruby,' snapped Sas.

*What's the big deal? It's not like he's your boyfriend or anything. He's our mate.'

Sas shifted position as though the stone wall we sat on was burning her thighs.

Khaden strolled back towards us, a ma.s.sive smile on his face, and handed me the hat. Hands in his pockets, he leant back on his heels.

*You right?' I asked, grinning.

*Just soaking up my awesomeness. She was helpless under the Elliot charm.'

I burst out laughing. *You're an idiot.'

He shrugged, still grinning and rocking back and forth.

Sas made a strange noise, like a growl.

*Oh, and Sas, Erica smelt like cherries.'

Sas scrambled to her feet and slung her bag over her shoulder. *We owe you a burger.'

Khaden pulled his hand free from his pocket and wagged his finger at her. *Burger, fries and a shake, thank you.'

*Whatever.' Sas glared at bikini girl.