Ruby and Coral joined us in the sideshow alley.
Coral bounced in heedless to Brit's prior presence. The golden girl's amber floral cotton dress flowed. She held her hands straight out, nails ready to present to Josh.
I already knew he wouldn't appreciate them like me.
Ruby wore jeans and a black suede jacket; its wide lapels suited. Her jacket pockets hid her hands.
"Well, what do you think," quizzed Coral, proudly showing Josh a set of golden nails.
"Nice, let's go on the Dodgems."
Josh rocked on his soles and scanned afar. Coral spied the bear. Josh fidgeted, pushing it farther behind his back.
Coral reached for the bear, "Awh! cute."
My mate yanked it forward and mumbled, "I saw it and thought of you; I won it for you; here, have it."
He thrust it at her as much as he handed it to his girlfriend. Coral cuddled the bear immediately.
Following a deft tongue poke, Ruby volunteered, "No, we are not having Goldilocks and the bear."
As my bestie's hair shone gold under the sideshow lights, she looked at Ruby, kissed the bear on its nose, and chuckled.
"Show everyone your nails, Rubes," Coral suggested, keeping a half-straight face.
"They are silver," the brunette terse, and her hands lodged inside her jacket.
Coral, on the spot, named the bear Baloo.
Ruby snorted, "Better than naming it Papa or Baby Bear."
The brunette joked, "A big brown fluffy toy bearing glass eyes and a button nose has become Coral's bedtime boyfriend."
Holding a teddy in one hand and Josh's in her other, Coral led us to the Carousel.
"Sixty-eight horses to choose from," she emphasised, "We will ride once for each of you."
Midas touched Coral's smile under the carousel lights. None of us could deny her genial face. We rode around on three sets of tickets for our golden girl. The carousel circled fantastical and fabulous. Our troupe unified in an energised, slap-happy, childish excitement.
The steeds shined glossy, gleaming and richly decorated. The trappings and the trimmings pepped us. Our rides kindled the surreal as Coral rode the lead golden horse. Four young hearts whooped it up in a whirl of rotations and carnival music. And a high watermark of my youth remains Coral's dimpled beam on the carousel.
She radiated compelling, infectious warmth. Josh seemed to lose his recent concerns and irritations and, I hoped, cast Brit to the sideline.
The way he gazed at Coral, I thought, he must say it soon: I love you, Coral.
Ruby appeared to lose her sex-filled sassiness for her girlfriend. Her face radiated a carefree innocence. The brunette wasn't seeking my bestie's lips. The way she enjoyed Coral's surging company, I thought they would stay only as true bosom buddies. Therein lies their steadfast intimacy.
And my eyes admired Coral as my best friend. The carousel spun with speed like a spinning top, and our mounts rose and fell to the rhythm of the melodic tempo.
An unruffled pulse, releasing selfish yearnings from all our minds.
I required nothing more than Coral's dynamic social company. And a mellow, effervescent Coral held our troupe together.
Dismounting, we laughed, and the carousel distanced behind us as we engaged in light horseplay. Ruby jumped and bumped Josh on the hip; Josh lowered his and nudged Coral, who deftly knocked into mine. I reversed the hip jostle, sending it rippling as a joggle and a wobble through to Ruby.
And yet, after the carousel ride emerged the unhinging juncture where Coral's dreams drifted scattered like pappus on the wind.
Josh whined and complained of general hunger. My tummy rumbled, unheard by the group. Josh grizzled immediately for a cup of hot chips. Coral favoured the more refined — 'on a plate, please.'
Ruby snapped, "Hot dogs and soft drinks, follow me."
We sat around a small table outside a snack stall. I filled my mouth. I liked the tangy mustard sauce on the hot dog. Josh ate like a starved guy desperate for food. He shredded and chomped chunks fast. Coral, meantime, between dinky bites, planned too far ahead.
Leaving the fun of the night, she talked forward to her mum's party tomorrow.
She reminded Josh, "You must wear the new check shirt I brought you last week. The light blue and navy one, to the party."
Her boyfriend chewed, his mouth full of bread, mustard and sausage. He tore off another chunk and chewed full cheek.
"And because you will be my boy and come tomorrow, we'll go on the Dodgems next."
She gave a short titter and sipped her lemonade.
Josh chomped.
After finishing his mouthful, he surprised Coral, Ruby and me as he asserted, "No."
"I beg your pardon," blinked Coral, shaking her head.
"No," Josh repeated, "I'm going to the beach. Max is teaching me to surf."
Josh commenced gobbling a corn dog.
"You promised," she challenged, lacking conviction.
Her napkin slid from her hot dog, and mustard oozed over her hand. Carefully, she wiped each finger using a tissue.
Ruby began examining her silver nails. She never inspected her nails.
Either of us could have intervened in Coral and Josh's quarrel. Instead, I stuffed my mouth. Ruby pretended to enjoy her fricking manicure!
Josh's empty mouth again delivered, "No."
Louder than his sturdy frame intended — the boy toning fast into a powerful man's body.
"Your parent's parties are stuffy," he pushed, "You agreed; remember the last one you made me attend."
Coral sipped her soft drink.
Josh hit harder, "You promised I would be there, not me."
I kept chewing the same mouthful down to a stub of hot dog. The brunette minx kept admiring her nails. Coral stuck to sipping lemonade. Until her straw made a horrid slurp, burble, and gurgle sound as she finished the bottle's contents.
She stated abruptly, like a burp, "Alright, make your choice, but tell me honestly, will Brittany be there!"
Josh tried a poker face and topped up his mouth.
Ruby flexed her nails. Then she gave Coral a quick fig sign and snugly slotted her hands in her jacket pockets.
"Well," huffed Coral, "I'm going home; enjoy your evening alone, Josh!"
She swayed as she rose.
Coral collected the bear from the spare chair. Holding its hand, it bumped back and forth against her thigh.
"Luke," she managed, flustered, appealing to me, "Take me home. Let's get a tram."
Josh dropped his sausage, grabbed the table's edges and spoke with his mouth full.
His words, a bit unclear, included "Stay" and "Wait."
Little bits of the corn dog flew through the air. Some flecked the plastic tabletop, and morsels dispersed in free fall, mixed below among messy food scraps on the concrete floor.
"Coral, wait, I'll take you home," his voice raised frantically.
I hastily followed as Coral started leaving. Josh reacted slowly, like a bear in torpor. Ruby remained seated and began eating her hot dog.
Our golden girl made direct for the exit. I paced beside her.
"Coral," implored Josh, breathless, catching us, "It's one day apart. One day!"
My bestie didn't respond. Eyes ahead, her tempo built to strides.
Josh stopped.
Confronting a girlfriend's red mood, he halted.
Coral marched swinging the teddy; retracing her steps or back peddling appeared impossible.
I stayed a moment beside Josh and offered, unsure, "I will look after her."
For whom?
I raced after Coral. I snapped my head over my shoulder; Josh slumped, talking to Ruby.
Coral passed the exit; she pressed through, milling numbers out for a fun night yet to begin. She paused at the red light crossing, the tram stop opposite.
Take her back, my conscience stipulated —catch her before it turns green.
She ran the do not walk sign and zagging cars.
Panting, I hovered over her slouched frame at the tram stop. She cuddled the bear.
My ego intervened; I let take her back fade.
I asked, "Coral, what do you want to do?"
"Go home," she said.
Two tram rides made for a long trip home. Coral vented by the time we got off the first ride. She used brutal words to describe Brittany, a scathing repertoire. She tagged Brit as a 'slag' and a 'skank.'
On the second tram, she composed herself to tell Josh off when he came to his senses. She believed he wouldn't go surfing. He would ring and apologise in the morning. She kept telling this to herself and me over and over.
After exiting the second tram, she calmed as we walked to her place.
She talked more to the bear than to me.
"Let us decide my future," she vowed to the bear.
Like a monologue, "I'm ready, Josh; I've been ready. Now I will."
She lifted the bear nose to nose and lilted, "My big Baloo, I love you."
I thought that puts paid to Ruby getting in her panties.
And with a pang, my daydream of kissing Coral.
My best friend by her front porch trusted Josh.
"He will ring me in the morning," she confided, ahead of, "Thanks and goodnight."
Coral closed her front door, her emotional state okay.
The further I trudged toward my house, the more my thinking changed. Josh should not have given Coral the bear; he won it for Brit. If Josh goes to the beach, I could be with Coral. I would kiss her and be her man. And Ruby could sail off, over the horizon, alone!
Josh rang me early Saturday morning to accompany him to the beach. I made excuses because I believed he aimed for Brittany's company. Sometimes, being with Josh and Coral, I felt like the third wheel. With Coral and Ruby, I feared becoming an abandoned wheel.
My mate coaxed me to go to the beach. He insisted he would surf and behave himself. Brit, he assured me, was out of bounds. He promised to ring Coral on Sunday.
I stayed determined not to go.
As an afterthought, he said, "Ruby will be at the beach."
This changed everything.
Instantly, I agreed, "Yes, come and get me."
The minx she's scheming for herself!
I accompanied Josh to the beach.
To save Coral and Josh, my conscience pressed.
On the beach, my ego led me astray.