“It’s a shame Aidan had to leave,” Joaquin sighed as she slid out from behind the wheel of the car.

“Yes,” Adele said curtly, not really wanting to discuss the matter. She noticed Joaquin glancing at her strangely. “What I mean is that it’s a shame his Aunt had a stroke.”

“I hope she’s ok,” Joaquin continued. “Maybe we should call him later?”

“Jo, he’s a big boy he’ll be…” Adele’s voice trailed off as they approached the stairs. “Is he always going to follow you home?”

Joaquin, who’d been distracted by a brochure trying to escape from her bag, looked up and was surprised to see Ben perched at the top of the steps. “Have you upset Leo again?”

“No, but I seem to be infringing on his time spent with Misty,” Ben groused as he got to his feet.

“So you went to the supermarket?” Adele mused, noting the two bags of food on the landing.

“Well I only know the supermarket and here,” Ben shrugged. “Don’t suppose you guys fancy home made enchiladas and sticky date pudding?”

“What a mix,” Adele chuckled, taking the keys from Joaquin and unlocking the door. “But pudding is good.”

“Dell, how many times have I told you that dessert is not a food group,” Joaquin scorned, following Adele into the apartment.

“Is that a yes?” Ben asked, standing outside on his own for a few moments before he snatched up his bags and joined the girls inside.

“I’m sure it’s a carbohydrate,” Adele argued as she leaned against the sink drinking a glass of water.

“Pudding is not a carbohydrate,” Joaquin sighed, taking a bite out of an apple and looking unimpressed at her friend.

“Jo, you’re from a culture that thinks putting cheese on double deep fried food is a good idea.”

“We also created McDonalds.”

“God bless America,” Adele chided and then looked at Ben who was standing there still holding his bags. “Jo,” she smiled and motioned to Ben with her head.

Jo looked at Ben who raised his eyebrows in an attempt to look hopeful. “Well, make with the enchiladas.”

“Oh,” Ben managed to say and then added, “I’m feeling so welcome.”

“You were expecting more?” Adele asked, cocking her head to the side.

Ben looked nervously around the room a moment then back at her. “Well, not from you.”

Adele’s mouth fell open and she quickly snapped it shut again. “They better be damn good enchiladas,” she scorned and stalked off to her room.

“Yeah, good move jock boy,” Joaquin mused, shaking her head. “Probably not a good idea to piss off the home owner.”

“Do you want me to leave?” Ben asked, exasperated.

“No,” Joaquin giggled. “But if you’re gonna become part of the furniture around here then you’ve just gotta get on with things and not expect praise for everything you do. Now I know, being a self-absorbed jock, that could take a while to get used to, but believe me Benji, it’ll be a rewarding experience in the end.”

Ben let out a sigh. “Where’s the chopping board?”

“Thank god you’re here,” gasped the skinny man in paint splattered brown hemp pants and a faded t-shirt. His hair and goatee were both coloured purple and Aidan was starting to wonder what had possessed him to stay friends with such a travesty.

“This better be important, Dale,” Aidan sighed, squeezing past an awful piece of African art that was either a bison or a man fishing.

“Important? Ade, this an emergency!” Dale proclaimed as they entered Dale’s studio. “There!”

“Where?” Aidan asked, glancing around at the half-finished works he’d seen a trillion times.

“There!” Dale grabbed Aidan and pointed him in the right direction.

Aidan looked at the large canvas with absurdly shaped paint splotches on it. “Dale, that is not an emergency.”

“Yes it is,” Dale said defensively. “I did it with make-up brushes and now I desperately need your professional opinion.”

Aidan raised an eyebrow and looked at his friend. “You want feedback?”

“Yes!” Dale beamed and sat himself on a cow-print stool. He crossed his legs and waited eagerly.

“Well, you could look at it two ways, really,” Aidan sighed. “You could say it’s a breakout piece of modern art that reflects the state of the world we’re living in.”

“Or?” Dale pressed enthusiastically.

“Or you could say its utter shite.”

“What are you leaning towards.”

“Definitely the shite.”

“You know you could at least pretend to like it.”

“I’m not in the mood to pander to you,” Aidan huffed as he flumped into an orange suede beanbag.

“Why?” Dale groused and he started hunting under a mountain of sketchpads for a bottle of wine or beer or anything that wasn’t used to clean paintbrushes. “What’s eating you?”

“There’s this girl…”

“Girl? What happened to Jacinta?”

“She was mental and we broke up.”

“What? No? I fought for you to get that girl.”

“And you shouldn’t have bothered,” Aidan groused. “She was circling engagement rings after one date.”

“Least she was keen.”

“Do you want to hear my problems or not?”

“If I must,” Dale groaned. “Ohh bourbon,” he added as he located a bottle, which he quickly distributed into a couple of glasses.

“So, there’s this girl,” Aidan began. “I met her through one of my art students.”

“Oh so she’s an artist!” Dale beamed. “Good boy.”

“No, she works in publishing.”

“Oh dear.”

“What? What’s wrong with that?”

“She’s hardly going to be popular among our friends.”

“I don’t care,” Aidan groused. “Our friends are a bunch of pretentious gits anyway.”

“True,” Dale agreed. “But I honestly can’t see what you’d have in common with someone who isn’t part of our world.”

“You know, that’s exactly why I like her,” Aidan declared. “She isn’t part of the art set. She’s fun, beautiful and shares my loves of all things 80s.”

“Oh god,” Dale groaned. “You mean there’s two of you on the planet?”

“She knows all the words to ‘Shout’,” Aidan beamed.

“I hate to burst your bubble, but you do remember what happened last time you fell for a girl who wasn’t part of the art set?”

“Yes but I was young and foolish then,” Aidan nodded. “And unlike the last girl, this one would likely deck anyone who tried to drive her away.”

Dale’s eyes went wide but decided not to continue this line of questioning. “So, if this is your dream girl, why are you so fucking miserable?”

“I don’t think she feels the same,” Aidan shrugged as he finished his bourbon. “She’s that uninterested she keeps pushing her lunatic friend onto me.”

“Poor Ade,” Dale perked. “We’ll drink more bourbon,” he added and refilled Aidan’s glass.

“Well?” Ben asked, looking from Joaquin to Adele and back again.

“That’s good enchilada,” Joaquin smiled, licking chili sauce from her face. “Where did you learn how to do this, huh?”

“I worked in a Mexican restaurant one summer,” Ben mused. “My folks were devastated and pleaded with me to go to Colorado for a ‘wellness’ seminar.”

“I worked at the local grocery store once,” Joaquin enthused. “My parents decided to hold a protest about the use of plastic bags. It was so embarrassing. Three times I got close to seeking legal aid to divorce them.”

“I was a waitress in a pub for a while when I was at Uni,” Adele piped up. “I was fine until some fat, sweaty businessman tried to grope my boobs. I poured a jug of beer over his head and promptly got fired.”

“Yeah, that doesn’t surprise me,” Joaquin perked as she grabbed a napkin to wipe her face.

“Do we want pudding or are we gonna wait?” Ben asked sipping a glass of water.

“Why wait?” Adele shrugged and Ben got up and headed over to the sideboard where the pudding was waiting. While he started cutting there was a knock at the door and Joaquin excused herself to open it.

“Did you like my enchiladas?” Ben asked, placing a bowl with a piece of sticky date pudding and a scoop of ice cream in front of Adele.

“Yes, they were lovely,” Adele chided. “You’re so needy, aren’t you?”

“Nothing wrong with being a little needy from time to time,” Ben shrugged as he retook his seat at the table.

“I find it’s easier not to need anyone,” Adele declared as she took a mouthful of pudding.

“Are you hurting?” Ben teased and Adele rolled her eyes. They both looked up as a general commotion entered the kitchen.

“Where the hell have you been? I’ve been worried sick about you! You could have called,” Leo raved as he stormed over to Ben.

“I take it back,” Adele mused. “He’s needier than you.”

“Evening Leo,” Ben smiled. “Misty gone out for the evening, has she? Or is she having a night with the rest of her sorority?”

“Excuse me?” Joaquin laughed as she helped herself to pudding and ice cream. “Is there something about Leo’s girlfriend I don’t know?”

“She’s still in college,” Ben smirked as Leo started turning purple.

“Leo!” Joaquin giggled. “You sly dog.”

“Can we just get off my girlfriend,” Leo huffed, crossing his arms. Ben, Joaquin and Adele all giggled childishly. “I hate you all.”

“Oh calm down Truman,” Adele chided. “Have some pudding.”

“Fine,” Leo groused, getting himself a bowl. “But I won’t enjoy it.”

“So, Leo my good buddy,” Ben piped up. “I’m thinking it’s a Saturday night, we’ve nothing to do. Why don’t we take the girls here out on the town and party up a storm?”

“Oh dude, they don’t wanna go out with us,” Leo groused, looking mortified by the entire idea.

“Count me out,” Adele declared. “I’m watching cricket with Joel.”

“Why?” Joaquin asked. She’d tried to watch the game with them once but found it mind numbing.

“He needs me to support India so he has someone to mock,” Adele shrugged.

“Why doesn’t he watch it at his place?”

“I’ve no idea.”

“So you in Jo?” Ben enthused, looking at her hopeful.

“Well, I don’t…”

“Oh go on,” Adele perked. “You don’t wanna stay here watching cricket, believe me.”

“Fine,” Joaquin sighed. “But I want it known I’m regretting my decision already.”

“Noted but ignored, Bliss,” Leo chuckled and went to tuck into his pudding only to have ice cream flicked into his face “Hey!” he yelped as the cream dripped off the end of his nose.

“Sorry,” Joaquin said demurely fluttering her eyelashes. “Leomont.”

Adele flicked the channel to Fox Sports and put out a bowl of chips and a smaller one of M&Ms just in time for Joel arriving. He was sporting an Australian Cricket top, the green and yellow looking terribly gaudy, along with a matching cap and an esky full of beer. “You know we’re not actually going to India to watch the game, right?” she asked looking at him strangely.

“I’m being enthusiastic,” Joel huffed. “I mean god woman. You could have at least worn blue!”

“My wardrobe has a temporary lapse of blue items,” she shrugged.

“Never mind,” he perked as he put his esky down. He grabbed his backpack and fished something out. “I came prepared.”

“Oh dear lord,” she gasped as she was handed an Indian cricket top. “You’re obsessed!”

“Gotta get the atmosphere right,” he beamed, fishing out an Australian flag as he sat himself on the couch.

“I don’t know what it is about cricket that makes you lose all your sanity, Joel Chadwick,” Adele sighed, pulling on the top and then joining him on the couch.

“Dell, you’re a chick, you don’t understand these things,” he explained softly. “Cricket isn’t just a sport to me, it’s more a religion. When I watch a game it’s like watching Songs of Praise, when I go to the MCG its like visiting the Vatican and that one time I met Steve Waugh,” he paused over dramatically. “It was like meeting the Messiah.”

“Oh, get therapy,” she gasped, shaking her head and grabbing the bowl of M&Ms.

“I said you wouldn’t understand,” he pouted and opened his esky to retrieve a beer.

“Look at all the jerk offs,” Joaquin sighed as she sat in a padded chair sipping a glass of wine. Ben and Leo had argued about where to go and in the end they chose a fancy wine bar that seemed entirely inhabited by thin blonde women in backless dresses and men with more hair product than testicles.

“See, now this is classy,” Ben perked as he sipped some sort of orange cocktail.

“Yes, I feel like I belong,” Leo sarced, making Joaquin giggle. “Seriously dude, this place is full of assholes.”

“You’d rather some packed out pub?” Ben asked and Joaquin and Leo exchanged looks that indicated they were both ashamed to be American at that moment.

“Benji, you poor deluded thing,” Joaquin sighed. “There’s a few things you really ought to know about being in this country.”

“Like what? If it’s about kangaroos I know they don’t really keep them as pets.”

“No, its about being adversely American,” Leo explained. “See, Australians have this stereotypical image of us and, well…”

“They think we’re wankers,” Joaquin declared. “And no offense Benji, but you’re not exactly helping the cause.”

“What do you mean?” Ben asked, looking vaguely upset.

“You did ask if they had American beer,” Leo winced. “That was why the bartender laughed in your face.”

“And saying things like, ‘Oh this place is like that bar I went to in LA but not as big,’ that’s going to get you beaten up,” Joaquin added.

“And dude, you can’t use your usual chat up lines because no one knows what a quaterback is, ok?”

“Oh and it’s a toilet not a bathroom,” Joaquin giggled. “Call it bathroom and you’re in for a ribbing.”

“So is there anything I can do?” Ben asked exasperated.

“Yeah buddy, drink and have fun,” Leo grinned as he checked his watch. “Who knows, you might even get lucky.”

“Here’s hoping,” Ben grinned as one of the skinny blonde women walked past. “Hey beautiful,” he announced.

“Get bent,” the blonde replied, not even looking, and Ben sunk back into his chair. Leo and Joaquin waited a moment before they both burst into hysterics.

“Oh you fucking idiot!” Joel screamed at the television as he watched a cricket ball sail through the fingers of one of the fielders.

“I think Tendulker is pretty hot,” Adele declared half-heartedly. “I mean physically.”

“Do you care about his playing ability at all?”

“Well he’s got a double century not out,” Adele mused. “I figure it’s not worth mentioning.”

Joel looked at Adele curiously. “You’re very placid.”

“It’s more troubled.”

“You didn’t trap October in the washing machine again, did you?”

Adele laughed. “No, guy problems, actually.”

“Oh really? Well you know you can talk to me about these things.”

“No I can’t,” Adele smiled. “When I told you about he who is only known as ‘that bastard,’ you said you’d kick his head in.”

“I thought it was a nice gesture.”

“It was kinda sweet.”

“Oh go on,” Joel pleaded. “It’ll make up for the match that we shall never talk about again.”

Adele let out a sigh and sat up more comfortably. “Ok, there’s this guy…”

“Who?”

“Aidan.”

“Aidan?”

“The infamous Mr Murdoch.”

“Ah, the lust of Jo’s life.”

“Yeah, anyway, by fluke I’ve got to hang out with him a bit.”

“And now you’re in lust with him too.”

“No, well sorta, I guess, but I like him in the same vein I used to like ‘that bastard,’ and I don’t think that’s at all good.”

“Why the hell not?”

“Well for one, Jo likes him so he’s totally out of bounds, and I really don’t think I could go through another serious relationship again, ever.”

“Don’t be idiotic, Dell,” Joel scorned. “You’re allowed to be happy.”

“That’s what I thought last time…”

“This is a different bloke, Dell,” Joel soothed. “Do you think he likes you?”

“He did say something about me looking sexy…”

“Christ, if that’s not a green light then tell me what is?”

“But Jo likes him.”

“To hell with Jo.”

“Would you crack onto a girl one of your mates fancied.”

Joel frowned. “No.”

“See,” Adele sighed. “Ah well, there’s plenty more fish in the sea.” Joel looked at Adele sadly. She’d been so hurt by ‘that bastard’ that now she was even willing to forgo her own happiness. He didn’t think it was fair and was about to offer her a hug when she jumped up. “WOOHOO! A SIX!”

“I’m finding a new sport,” Joel huffed and sunk back into the couch.

“That’s fifteen times in the last ten minutes,” Ben scorned, glaring at Leo who looked up bashfully from his watch.

“Let me guess,” Joaquin mused. “Misty is waiting?”

“Well…” Leo flustered. “We didn’t get to talk much yesterday.”

“Oh for the love of all things holy,” Ben groaned. “Go home, Leo.”

“Are you sure?” Leo said, already on his feet.

“Well you can either go or I flush your watch down the toilet,” Ben groused.

“Leaving,” Leo perked and barely said goodbye to Joaquin as he left.

“I’m so going to have to have words with him,” Ben frowned. “He can’t go on like this.”

“Oh, leave him alone,” Joaquin sighed. “He’s happy.”

“He’s dating a college girl he’s never met,” Ben countered. “That’s just sad.”

“Well, it’s more than you’ve got, jock,” Joaquin sneered and put her glass down heavily. “I think I might go too. I’m probably cramping your style anyway. God forbid I should stop you getting laid.”

“Yeah, your miserable face is putting people off, actually,” Ben huffed, got up and headed toward the bar.

“Wanker!” Joaquin hissed. “Don’t know why I ever thought he was any different,” she muttered as she squeezed through the crowds and popped out into the street.

Joaquin pulled her coat a little tighter around her. It had rained and a wind had got up a little since she’d been sitting in the bar with Ben and Leo. She glanced around but couldn’t see a taxi anywhere. To be honest, she wasn’t quite sure where she was since she and Adele usually stuck to the same places, and this appeared to be a part of town she’d not been before. Reluctantly, Joaquin decided to risk it and walk to the next street to see if there were any taxis or buses there.

She reached the end of the street and decided that if she went left it looked well lit and less foreboding. Joaquin had just passed a vacant shop when she heard voices and looked up to see a group of young men babbling to each other. She hoped to blend into the shadows but failed and the men noticed her almost immediately.

“Hey sexy,” one announced while another wolf-whistled.

Joaquin continued to walk but they stopped in front of her.

“Not ignoring us, are you?”

“Wanna come for a drink?”

“What’s under that coat.”

Oh god, Joaquin thought. My mother was right, I’m gonna end up in a shallow grave in the desert.

“So you’ll come with us for a drink?” asked the alpha male, stepping forward.

“Actually, she’s had a drink, jackass,” a voice piped up and Joaquin felt a hand on her shoulder. She stood very still and hoped to keep control of her bladder.

“Woah!” said another one of the men.

“Time you lot fucked off, don’t you think?” the stern yet familiar voice said and the men nodded furiously and quickly scarpered.

Joaquin turned around to look at her saviour. “What happened to getting laid?”

“I might be an asshole but I’m not stupid enough to let a woman walk the streets at night,” Ben frowned. “Especially not here. Tourists, especially Americans, die a lot.”

“Thanks,” she swallowed. “I probably would have ended up being buried in the desert if you hadn’t turned up.”

“See, being a big idiot pays off,” Ben shrugged and put a reassuring arm around her shoulders. Joaquin didn’t mind; it made her feel safe. “Now, according to one of the bouncers there’s cabs a couple of blocks away.”

“Don’t suppose you want to piggyback me there,” Joaquin chided as they started to walk. “There’s a reason I don’t wear these shoes.”

“Ok,” Ben perked and she stopped to look at him to see if he was serious. He nodded and turned, bending over a little so she could get on his back.

“I was kidding.”

“Do it anyway,” Ben mused. “Go on, live a little.”

Joaquin giggled and timidly took hold of his shoulders as he hoisted her up. “This is insane,” she gasped as his strong forearms held her legs tightly in place.

“No,” Ben said calmly. “This is insane,” he added and started to run. Joaquin held on tighter and squealed like a five year old, causing all manner of people to look at them both strangely.

“Are you sure you don’t wanna watch the rest of the match,” Adele mused as Joel roughly pushed his Australian flag to the bottom of his backpack.

“Quite sure,” Joel grumbled. “You can take that shirt off now too.”

“You know, I think I might just leave it on a little longer,” Adele teased as she returned the now empty bowls to the kitchen. She placed them on the draining board and was about to switch the tap on when a knock at the door startled her. “Who the hell is that?”

“I don’t have x-ray vision,” Joel remarked. “It’s late for visitors though, isn’t it?”

“Just a little,” Adele nodded, noting that it was after 1am. There was another knock and she decided she had better answer it. “You come with me,” she declared, grabbing Joel’s arm and taking him with her.

“If it’s a little old lady we’re gonna scare her,” Joel frowned.

“Why would a little old lady come to my door?” Adele chided.

“Good point,” Joel nodded. “Why would she?”

Adele shook her head and unlocked the door. Standing there swaying and reeking of booze was Aidan. “Ade?”

“Never mix bourbon and anything in an unlabelled bottle,” he declared. “It gets you very pissed,” he added slurring on the ‘s’

“What are you doing here?” Adele gasped. “And why is your hair purple?”

Aidan tried very hard to comprehend but all he managed was to giggle until he noticed Joel. “Oh, you were busy…”

“Actually we just finished,” Joel replied, looking at the strange man in a green jumper and purple hair like he was mental.

“That’s too much information, man,” Aidan declared, waving his hands about. He quickly lost his balance and nearly fell down the stairs. Adele leapt forward and grabbed the front of jumper.

“You’d better come in before you kill yourself,” she sighed, but still Aidan seemed reluctant.

“Won’t Steve there mind,” he asked.

“Steve?” Joel said blankly but decided Aidan was too drunk to bother with. “You need a hand with the eggplant, or you fine?”

“No, me and Mr Aubergine should be ok,” she sighed as Joel grabbed his stuff.

“Why eggyplant?” Aidan asked, trying to look at his jumper. “I don’t get it.”

“I wish you all the luck in the world,” Joel mused as he left. Adele turned back to Aidan and frowned at him.

“Well this is certainly a side of you Jo hasn’t seen,” she mused, escorting him to the couch.

“Jo, Jo, Jo…it’s always about bloody Jo!” Aidan huffed as he sank onto the blue fabric. “She’s not right, that woman. Clearly got problems.”

“I’m going to ignore that because you’re drunk,” Adele sighed, standing with her hands on her hips.

“You’re nice though,” Aidan smiled as he slid down on the couch. Adele waited for him to say something else but he seemed to go blank for a moment. “I’ve been drinking bourbon.”

“Is this because of your Aunt?”

“Aunt?” Aidan said and then giggled. “No, I bullshitted, it was Dale that wanted me. He wanted me to see make-up brush art.”

“So you lied.”

“Eh,” Aidan mused, now lying on the couch, one arm dangling over the side and a foot over the arm. “Well there was no point in staying since you went all frigid.”

Adele’s mouth fell open, but she closed it again quickly and reminded herself that he was very dunk and clearly not thinking straight at all. She decided it would probably be best to shove him in a taxi and get him home but before she could even think about picking up the phone he began to snore softly. “Oh super, thanks Ade,” she huffed and headed toward her bedroom. “I’ll just pop to bed and wait for Jo’s neurotic fit when she discovers you in the living room.”