Out Walked Mel by Paula Boock

Author:Paula Boock [Paula Boock]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781775530701
Publisher: Penguin Random House New Zealand
Published: 2013-06-30T16:00:00+00:00

Abby and Rochelle came home later in the afternoon. I liked Abby immediately. She wears wacky clothes but still looks sort of old-fashioned and plain. She talks a lot too – ‘Are you here for long? I like your boots. You’re short like me, that’s good. Are you coming to The Fridge?’ (That was the name of the nightclub.) ‘Good one! Hey, do you want to borrow some clothes? I’ve got lots, it’s my favourite hobby, Rochelle’s always stealing them. Isn’t your hair lovely? Hasn’t she got lovely hair, Benny…’ She prodded and poked and patted me while she was talking and Benny just grinned at me. ‘We call her “Dear Abby”,’ he told me later, ‘cos she’s always helping people and picks up every lame duck around.’

Rochelle, on the other hand, was cool. In both senses. She wore classy clothes and was tall, Maori and very elegant. She had this husky voice that reminded me of Wai, but she moved slowly and carefully. When we met she said, ‘Hiii…’ and faded off somewhere. Benny said, ‘She’s always a bit weird before a gig.’ So, she was in the band, too.

We had an early dinner. Benny didn’t eat much and Rochelle didn’t even come in. Abby talked most of the way through it about ‘Work’ which she always rolled her eyes after saying. She was a social worker and this was the first night for two weeks that she wasn’t on call. She got really excited when she heard I was going up north. ‘Cape Reinga’s wonderful, it’s amaaazing, what time do you leave? Seven! Really? You’re flying to Kaitaia? Well, you can sleep on the plane I suppose…’

I’d booked it earlier in the afternoon and was leaving tomorrow morning for two days.

After dinner Abby dragged me off to dress me. Her room was sort of ‘exotic floral’ in purple and pinks and she had heaps of clothes. I stood in front of her long mirror and she put things up against me.

‘No, pink’s not for you, how about navy? Ugh. Nope, not you either. You probably suit those sludgy sort of colours. Hang on, Rochelle’s got just the thing…’ She bounced out the door. I didn’t want to wear something of Rochelle’s. I sank down on Abby’s bed and scowled at myself in the mirror.

I’m not what you’d call pretty. I’m very short and stick my chin out in this stroppy sort of way, because I’m always looking up. Wai once said I had moody eyes but I’m not sure what she meant by that. Abby was right, I thought, my hair is my best feature. It’s usually dark, but I had hennaed it not long ago so it was quite auburn. Apart from that, the kid in the mirror was very ordinary. It didn’t seem to worry Benny, but I could never figure out why not.

Abby came bursting back in.

‘Here it is! Sludgy green, see? That’ll suit you.’

‘Doesn’t Rochelle mind?’

‘Na, she doesn’t wear it anymore, she thinks it’s a bit common.

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