Sharing — the word triggered a recall of absent friends. In the late spring of '72, I lay at home in bed, crusty-eyed, my nemesis, conjunctivitis. While Coral, Josh, and Ruby combined with the rest of our grade on a science excursion.
I rested in my bedroom; soothing eye drops were my only company. The biology field trip included exploring rock pools. I don't know the details or the worksheets because I never saw them. I sourced my insider info of the day when Josh and later Coral visited me.
My mate kept a safe distance. He loafed in a chair near my bedroom door. His eyes sparked, relating to tossing sand crabs high. And he raved over a game of beach cricket he played after lunch.
"Yikes," he stated, checking his watch, "I need to go. It's a family dinner, sorry."
He jumped out of the chair, "Do you want me to bring some comics around?"
I gave a weak smile.
"Un-oh," he mumbled, "no point."
He grabbed my door handle. I propped desperately to extract a titbit of Coral's day as Josh focused on himself. I wondered what she wore and how her day panned. Coral promised to visit me the next afternoon, a day late because netball practice pressed following the excursion. I couldn't wait.
"What was she wearing?" I pitched, knowing that asking it would delay him.
"Mate, I need to go?"
"Please," and I faked a pale face.
He swung my bedroom door backwards and forwards.
"It was free dress?" I urged him to get started.
I surmised that the organising teachers instructed our grade to dress practically, clambering in rock pools.
"She wore a dress and boots," he pushed straight on, "I liked her bikini. We swam together. After, I played cricket, as I told you."
I knew the excursion included swimming and beach games when students completed the science program.
"Yeah, you missed a top day."
At least Josh stopped swinging my door. He gave a wave and disappeared along my home's hallway. Alone in bed, I craved the detail of Coral's dress and bikini. I forgot to thank Josh for visiting.
Coral presence graced me the following afternoon. She surprised me over an hour after school, arriving in her uniform. She usually went home and ditched it for the eye-catching in her wardrobe. Despite my limited vision today, she personified a true sight for sore eyes, even in her grey skirt.
"What did you wear?" I prompted her.
No preliminaries.
"Hang on," she interrupted, "Where do you want these?"
She carried a bunch of flowers, frangipani, and a card. The scent hit me, the smell of banana and fresh coconut rolling through each other.
"Oh, thank you!"
I meant it.
"Put it on my desk over there. Don't come close."
I directed her, "The chair by the door," as she re-arranged the flowers.
Coral plopped on the bottom edge of my bed. Pillows behind me, I propped myself at the bedhead. My bestie waited while I wriggled myself comfortable.
"I wore a cute tartan, green and black pleated plaid. You would have appreciated it. Josh hardly cared."
I saw her slight head shake.
"He liked your bikini," pep in my voice.
I craved fashion detail.
"Yes, I brought it for this trip, and he noticed."
She sported an ear-to-ear grin.
"The details, please!" I pushed farther into my pillows.
"Okay, I won't leave you guessing. The bikini featured a gorgeous floral print. It rested high on the hips, nothing suggestive."
Her hands opened in a broad sweep.
"Anyway, the pattern. It featured tropical pink flowers with blue stamens, surrounded by yellow petals on a light black background. Enough flirt in the colours to attract Josh and for me to sneak a kiss."
She gave me the detail I wished she had skirted. I offered the thinnest of smiles.
Coral continued, "I invited him to circle me to give an opinion. He circled me and stood there."
I could picture Josh waiting, considering Coral's next move.
"Thank Christ for women's lib and no teachers close. I sidled into his face and traced my tongue over his lips. I suggested he copy me. After fluttering my lashes in Ruby style, he followed my lead. It was sweet."
I forced a smile. Coral read it.
"Get yourself a girlfriend; you need one!"
She tittered, a pitchy tee-hee.
The late afternoon sunlight shone through my open window off to my right. The light caught Coral's face, and my tired, sore eyes found focus. A smattering of freckles sprinkled her nose. I never noticed them until her nose scrunched, and I watched as they danced across her bridge.
I gazed at Coral, well, her freckles. My heart raced as they captivated me. Suddenly, I desired more than our constant camaraderie.
I indirectly expressed my instant crush on Coral, "I'm looking forward to seeing your bikini over the summer."
"Well!" she started, and her hands reached toward my ceiling before Coral folded them in her lap and found her chatty flow.
"You won't be seeing it. No one will."
My nodding indicated I sought a continuation.
"I'm not a topless type of girl."
I couldn't picture Coral half-clad.
"What happened to your new top?"
I mulled; Coral never lost anything, and she described a pretty piece.
"Ruby took it. Now there's a future topless, Ms.!"
I tried to picture Ruby top-free. I failed.
"I doubt she'd go bare to the waist at a beach. Maybe in the seclusion of our spring."
My bestie twisted a lock before adding, "Geez, she's a cow sometimes."
My mind blanked, picturing a real girl topless.
"Anyway, heading back to town, we hustled onto the bus. Josh secured part of the back seat. I planted myself between him and Ruby."
I watched Coral flick her hair as she continued, "The cunning missy pushed to see my bikini. I sifted it out of my beach bag under my legs. I arranged the pieces on my lap. A perfect exhibit. If I do say so, myself!"
I pictured Coral spreading her bikini as meticulously as ever.
"Rubes," she paused; my bestie shook her head.
"Her usual too sweet. I should have seen something coming."
I wondered how Coral's tale would end. I leaned forward, eager to listen.
"The little miss, she flattered me, 'frickin nice sweetie.' Rubes ran her fingers over the pieces, completely around the edges."
I bolted backward, surprised as Coral's hands swept to the side, moving her body and sending a bounce through my mattress.
"Before I could stop it, in a magpie swoop, Rubes grabbed my top and tossed it out the bus window!"
Her hands swooshed high.
"What did you do!"
Coral's tale excited me, and I extended to rub my eyes.
"No, Luke, don't touch your eyes," firm and a finger wag.
"Where are your drops? Put in some drops," her tone softened.
My bottle sat by my bedside. Coral waited patiently until I soothed my eyes. I tilted my head, pulled my eyelid down, and squeezed drops into the corner pocket. Closing my eyes, I pressed my fingers over the tear duct and counted the double minute. I eased up and pushed myself into my pillows. My bestie waited until I completed the process before she continued.
"What's a girl to do," she restarted, "I watched my pretty top fly off until it hit the dirt."
I heard her moan; I thought her story had ended.
"How was netball," I sparked to cheer her and move Coral beyond her lost top.
"Good, but there is a Rube's twist."
" Give me the dirt," I piped, excited, before my hand covered my mouth.
Poor word choice in the circumstance. I bit a nail. Coral winced, askance with disapproval. I stopped chewing.
"The little hussy pulled her bikini top out of her beach bag and offered me revenge. She dared me to toss her top to join mine. Such a pretty rose-red piece. I told her 'No' and 'keep it, honey' since it suited her."
I pictured Ruby egging Coral to do the unexpected.
"She surpassed me as usual; she is hard to trump; she lobbed her fine piece through the same window. It flew and flopped. Crumpled in the dust."
"Did she say why?"
"No. You know her as well as me - but she excites me. She quickens my day."
And abruptly, Coral completed her story.
"You need your eye rest," she recommended, "I'll let myself out."
I squirmed as she made a polite exit instead of calling me out as I freckle-stared. Her green eyes generated a thumping heart as Coral delivered a short wave approaching my bedroom door.
"Bye," clipped and short as my bestie closed the door behind her.
Best friend?
Girlfriend?
I squirmed in my bed and desisted from rubbing my eyes. Mellow images seemed better. I pictured her golden hair above a lavender dress. Yet I sought to recompose Coral's bus scene.
The image muddled; I couldn't get the bus seat right. I tried to put myself there, holding the golden girl's hand. My focus strayed to Coral's top, flying and flopping into the dirt. I chose to ignore Ruby's wind-borne bikini.
My bedroom door opened quickly.
"Surprise," I heard Coral's voice before I saw her.
She held a tray: two glasses of lemonade and two big chunks of chocolate cake.
"Nothing wrong with your throat. Let's share," she gushed, followed by her signature twitter.
Coral and sharing, she prevailed peerlessly. I surmised she brought the cake directly after school. Pangs of guilt slapped my conscience for seeking her lips.
She placed a plate and a drink on the chair inside my door. She brought me the tray. Coral insisted I use a fork. I stared at her mouth as she enjoyed the cake perched at the bottom of my bed.
She gazed at me and quizzed, "What! Has icing smudged my upper lip ?"
"Yes," I lied.
She flashed her tongue and licked high and wide. I tried to be careful how I held and removed my gaze.
After we finished snacking, Coral tidied up and departed, taking the tray to the kitchen. She waved and promised a phone call tomorrow night. I started to savour Coral in my mind, licking her lips. My head was instead filled with the coco-nutty aroma of the frangipani. Its scent, by stealth, permeated my room.