Greener Pastures - Alyssa Brugman [24]
'Yeah,' he grinned.
'Who are you going on a date with?'
'Oh, um . . .' Chad looked startled. 'No one you know.'
Shelby tilted her head on the side. She could smell aftershave. 'Are you shaving now? Let me see!'
'Shut up,' he said, holding his hand over his chin.
She looked out over the Gully. From here she could see some familiar landmarks – the water tower, the causeway. Here and there she could see glimpses of the creek, and flashes between the trees of horses out on the trails – some from the stables that she recognised. Chad pointed out a group of hikers with backpacks and walking staffs wending their way up the hillside.
Soon the waiter came over with his notepad and Chad and Shelby ordered their iced chocolates and a bowl of chips to share. While they were waiting for them to arrive Shelby explained her dilemma.
'And now Clint has made an offer too. Man, that just came out of nowhere,' she finished.
Chad seemed distracted, staring out over the Gully.
'Well, what do you think?' she asked.
'How long would you be going overseas for?'
Shelby shrugged. 'Not sure. About a month, I think.'
Chad nodded. 'And how long will you live up the coast?'
'As long as Aunty Jenny is away. At least a year. She might have said eighteen months. That's the plan for now.'
The food arrived and Shelby stirred the chocolate at the bottom of her glass. Chad didn't say anything.
'Don't you have an opinion?' she asked.
'I reckon it would be great to travel. We travel around Australia a lot and we've been to Bali a few times, but Europe would be cool. You're lucky.'
Shelby ate her chips. She was going to Europe. There was no question about that. It was how they were going to get there that was the issue.
'But what about Blue? What should I do?'
'I don't know. He's your horse.'
'Chad!'
'What?'
She had been expecting Chad to be more helpful. He seemed to be more interested in the view. He wasn't even eating the chips.
'Obviously you don't want to spoil your appetite for your date,' she said.
'Obviously not.'
'What is wrong with you today? I thought you were supposed to be my friend!'
'Well, maybe I don't want to be your friend any more!' Chad pushed his chair back. He stalked through the café and out the door.
Shelby sat at the table by herself. She thought at first that he had gone to the toilets, but after a few minutes he didn't come back. She felt as though everyone was staring at her. The waiter came back and slid the bill under the saltshaker.
'My friend had to, um, go,' she said, reddening as she peeked at the bill.
The waiter must have felt sorry for her, because he also slipped some magazines across the table. 'Something to read?'
'Thanks,' Shelby mumbled, She had been thinking about leaving too, but for fifteen dollars she was at least going to finish her drink. She flipped through a Gourmet Traveller, pretending to read.
In her mind she was going back through their conversation trying to think what she had said that had made Chad so mad. She shook her head. Boys! She didn't understand them at all.
13 Googling
As soon as Erin had tossed her bag down and plonked onto the bench on Monday morning, Shelby told her about how she'd met Chad at the café and his date.
'You're an idiot,' said Erin.
'What?'
'You heard me!' Erin snorted in disgust.
The two girls had recently moved spots in the playground, and now Shelby realised it was a spot with a better view of Ethan Agnew.
'You know who Chad went on a date with?' Shelby asked.
'Of course I know.'
'Who?' Shelby demanded.
Erin shook her head. 'You're an idiot. Why didn't you ring me beforehand?'
'I've had some stuff going on at home,' Shelby confessed. She had been holding off telling Erin, but now it was time. 'We might be moving, unless I sell Blue to Zeb and give my parents the money.'
'No way! They're bribing you?' Erin gasped.
'They don't even know about Zeb's offer. We're going on a holiday,' Shelby explained. 'To pay for the holiday we are moving to my great-aunt's, but we wouldn't have to move if I could give