My mind's eye flashes back to the first week of the winter school holidays in 1972. Coral's mind centred on Josh, and there were no limits to her romantic inclinations. The weather presented thick-set wet and getting wetter. Coral instructed Josh that we needed his place to play games. She planned out the week, including the finale, at her house.
My place in winter remained unsuitable on a rainy day. Summer, Coral utilised my home to access its substantial open backyard. Coral never asked Ruby to offer her place as a troupe get-together, and the brunette rarely proffered it.
A dire weather week loomed, and Coral's school holiday planned city centre trip stayed on hold. Josh told Coral his games were dated.
His girlfriend ordered, "Go buy Twister."
Josh bought it immediately. He told me how his older friend Max talked about the game using rude hand gestures.
"Twister," finished my mate, "well, your face could end up where a guy wants his face with a girl."
Josh's house provided generous space. After we arrived, he insisted we play table tennis. I didn't mind, as I regularly paired alongside Josh in competition doubles. Ruby and Coral knew our skill and their disadvantage. I imagined our cringing if they urged us to play netball. The girls conferred quietly; I thought they might balk at playing us. Coral orchestrated the compromise: Josh and her versus Ruby and me. A fair divide: Josh and I played A grade, and the girls excelled at various sports.
Coral didn't play Josh one-on-one as Josh didn't have a social game. He played seriously. I rarely beat him, even in warm-ups. Ruby appeared ready to play. She wore her usual jeans, plus a thick winter jumper. She yanked her navy sweater off, tossing it towards a chair where it slid and flopped to the concrete floor, underneath her jumper, her t-shirt, sleek classic black. As she adjusted her ponytail, her t-shirt shaped her petite frame. I understood why guys at school called her 'hot'. Guys followed, 'but way out of my league.'
Coral came dressed winter warm, not suitable for table tennis or Twister. Her skirt, whilst thick denim, sported a designer label. She wore leggings and a new pair of black platform shoes. The heels were chunky rather than high. A denim jacket over a white t-shirt completed her fashion statement.
Coral moseyed to the bathroom and returned minus her shoes, stockings and jacket.
She instructed, " Let's play."
In jeans and t-shirts, Josh and I dropped our jumpers over a spare chair. My mate ignored practice hits. He insisted we get 'on with the game.' Josh brought his A-game immediately to his first serve.
As the game commenced, Coral proved no second string to her boyfriend. She developed a defensive repertoire that was increasingly difficult to penetrate. Ruby on my side of the table flicked the ball, sharp and quick!
The game advanced to competitive, Josh delivered a spin master class, and I upped the ante, increasingly using an angled forehand across the table. Coral managed a dropball, catching Ruby and me short at the back of the table. Ruby surprised us; her repertoire included backhand drives and spinning serves. The brunette watched Josh's wrist to anticipate his shot. It became a long, sweaty game.
If Josh thought he would dominate, he changed tactics as he wiped his brow at eighteen-all. My mate hammered a forehand smash over Ruby's head like how he played a Premier League grand final. The following play, I flicked a ball, and Coral returned it into the net. The score paused at twenty-all and a clammy, sticky teen foursome.
Perspiring girls are 'hot.' Coral wiped her forehead. The back of Ruby's ears trickled sweat beads, and her ponytail flopped. Josh and I tried to pull our t-shirts from our backs where they stuck.
Josh served an unforgiving spinning ball to Ruby. He was determined to win the game. The brunette read it. She scooped her bat underneath the ball and spun it back at the wickedest angle across the net. The ball clipped the table's edge, non-returnable, as Josh's paddle reached out.
Pick Ruby, I thought after her shot. If you have to pair, it's Ruby.
Josh gave her a clap.
He invited her to join their mixed league.
Ruby stayed terse, " Get on with it. Let's finish this, one way or the other."
It ended Ruby's way. Josh won, too, as Coral planted a quick kiss on his lips as she lost the last point.
Of more significance, she added, "Oh, Josh, it's fine. I love you."
Ruby teased, "Get a room, you two."
Yet, like me, she watched, awaiting Josh's response.
My mate let the words pass.
Instead, he collected the table tennis balls around the garage floor. The brunette and I studied Coral, whose eyes followed Josh. My bestie spun her paddle as her boyfriend finished collecting balls off the floor.
Ruby directed, "Let's play Twister!"
Josh secured the table tennis balls under his paddle and followed Ruby out of the garage. Coral stood at the table, hands on her hips and with a baffled expression. I fancied, she wondered, where was her Baloo's response! Coral said the words! To me, the way she scanned for Josh's reaction, it appeared to be her first open expression of love.
We played Twister in Josh's living room. Cutting to the chase - Josh achieved his dreams. At one point, he twisted under Coral's parted, skirted legs. He mimicked a tonguing action in my direction. I chose to look at my hands and feet inside the coloured circles, embarrassed.
Later, I bent, convoluted under Ruby's legs. Josh swept his tongue out, suggesting I do the same.
The thought of Ruby and me! Inconceivable.
In the last game, Josh's face was nearly pinned against Ruby's spread backside. He winked at me like he wouldn't mind getting closer to her booty. I thought the brunette minx deserved some respect!
Games and life, youngsters caught in an exuberant lark. I supposed; to Josh, it meant nothing beyond a joke.
After, we drifted to Josh's room. Coral and I knew it by heart, to Ruby a new space. Josh collected comics, especially The Phantom. He brought them in mint condition. He disdained anything second-hand. In grade six, I recall Josh, and I loved Dianne Palmer as beyond hot.
Josh's room resembled a trophy warehouse. Ruby laughed, though she took the time to read the engraved reasoning behind the awards. Coral already knew the trophies and their stories.
The golden girl flopped on Josh's bed. I wondered how far Coral and Josh had delved. Especially as Coral recently revealed to me, "I keep him under my finger and watch where his fingers get to go."
Everyone relaxed except me, despite the humming rain outside. I twitched, looking at a dense dark cloud while my glancing gaze held Josh, joining Coral on his bed.
The 'turtle-dove' pair could have dropped Ruby and me. The brunette stayed engaged at my mates' trophy display. God only knows what naughty quip she would have delivered seeing them on a bed together!
Josh's stomach gave a series of loud rumbles. Embarrassed, he sidled and stretched beside his bed.
Ruby turned, "Oh, stop the bowel grunts, big boy."
Coral, sitting on the opposite side of the single king-size bed, declared, "Pizza time!"
We made our way to the garage to collect our jumpers. Coral headed to the bathroom to gather her hose, heels, and jacket. Ruby, Josh and I waited inside the front door. My mate's stomach growled. Josh excused himself to the kitchen, stating he needed a glass of water.
"Christ," huffed Ruby after my mate went through a side door, "Do you guys let her run your lives?"
My eyes slumped to my shoes.
I thought, screw you, as she pricked me.
The brunette continued: "Goodness, one puppy, one bear, both on short leashes."
Sometimes, the little hussy pushed my buttons.
"We all love her," I declared, unintended.
In a considered way to Ruby, I would have phrased it: we liked Coral; she generated camaraderie—a best friend, even for Josh, his girlfriend and best buddy. My heart spoke, not my brain.
Though my unscripted avowal led to Ruby exposing more of herself than usual, "Yeah, okay, she gets to me, too."
The sassy miss unleashed, "But, hey, not always."
Josh returned eager to go, mumbling that Coral would take all afternoon to get ready. We stood disconnected, waiting. Josh flexed his fingers and cracked his knuckles; Ruby scuffed her shoes while I slumped against the wall, checking my watch constantly.
The golden girl sauntered into the hallway. Adjusting her denim jacket, her height matched her boyfriend in her platform heels.
"What are we waiting for?" tittered Coral.
"You"- not from me, nor Ruby, or Josh.
The three of us in a chorus.
Outside, we struck it lucky, only drizzle, a break in the day's regular downpours. As a troupe, we raced through the light shower. At the parlour, we circled a small table, Coral between Josh and Ruby, myself opposite my bestie.
The pizzeria's interior brightness contrasted with the grey afternoon—bold green, white and red stripes across the walls. Coral chose from the menu, balancing toppings to everyone's satisfaction.
Pepperoni, a Josh favourite, olives to please Ruby, extra mozzarella for me, and mushrooms as her treat. We ate slice after slice of pizza — piping hot.
Whilst as a troupe, we savoured more, we revelled in the company of our Californian poppy.