Shampoo (69 page)

Jocelyn WANTS to dote on me and
she loves me for me, for who I am, faults and all.

Cruz doesn’t. Not at
all.

Julia and I did our usual all you
can eat competition. “How many are you up to, K?” Jules
groaned.

“
That was my tenth
piece,” I replied.

Matt laughed. “That’s just
disgusting!”

“
I’m going for my
eleventh,” I said bravely, taking a deep breath.

Jules conceded. “Ugh, YOU WIN. I
can’t do it!”

“
You know what? I’m
feeling a bit sick.”

Everyone groaned and
laughed.

“
Your picture is
already on the wall here,” Nat said. “For projectile
vomiting.”

Matt’s parents laughed so hard.
“Is it really?”

“
Yes, she vomited all
over the table here at a work dinner,” Nat laughed.

“
In her Sin shirt,”
Matt added. “You’ll get us banned from here if you throw up
anymore.”

“
Oh, they love it,” I
replied. “I’m their best customer.” Then I held my stomach and let
out the biggest belch.

“
I hope you like your
new daughter-in-law,” Dad joked.

We all cracked up.

Matt and I fell into my bed, me
very sloshed, both of us full.

(me about the size of a house,
from 11 pieces of pizza)

We fell asleep, and Matt made love
to me in the morning.

“
How you stuffed your
face last night was really sexy,” he said as he kissed me all
over.

I laughed.

“
I didn’t know you
could fit so much in your mouth HAHA!”

I whacked him and we rolled around
some more. “I can’t wait for tonight,” I said.

“
I can. I’d rather just
have a night together.”

I kinda did, too. I was missing
him. “Yeah, me too, actually.”

Matt just about rolled off the
bed. “Really?? You never pass up a night out with your
friends.”

“
I’m feeling a bit…” I
trailed off.

(fragile)

He ran a hand down my cheek. “I
know, babe. Me, too.”

(cause of me. He’s fragile cause
of me and my fucked upness)

I kissed him. “Matt, I love you.
Don’t ever forget that.”

“
I won’t, baby,” he
murmured against my mouth.

I felt uneasy later that morning,
cause Mum asked me to take her to the shops, and I avoid Evvy’s
place since December, but Mum made me drive right past his
house.

I felt physically sick, seeing his
house, and the spot where I always used to park my car.

Seeing his car.

I almost spewed up all that pizza
from the night before.

Then I returned home to see Matt’s
car gone, when I’d assumed he’d be waiting for me when I returned
home from Mum’s.

So I rang him and got Todd, who
said he’d gone down the coast!!!

Without me? To my favourite place
on earth?? Without even telling me? What the fuck was that
about??

Yes I’d left my mobile at home
again, but still. I’d been gone like 80 minutes since I’d left him
naked in my bed.

Oh, he was so paying me back for
all my behaviour these past couple of months. He’s been storing it
all up, just waiting for the perfect moment to act out and get me
back.

Matt is so wonderful, but lately
there’s this space between us, and we argue about how I am. And
it’s all my fault.

So I figure let him lash out. He
wants to act like the unloving boyfriend and drive off down the
coast suddenly with his mates, with no heads up to me, then I’ll
let him!

Sunday 25 February
2001

Oh, BOY.

Oh, SHIT FUCK SHIT.

What have I done? Have I ruined
this forever with Matt and I??

Is he at that point where he can’t
even stand me now?? Is he at that point yet??

(they all get to that fucking
point, sooner or later)

I don’t know. I just don’t
know.

But I’m devastated.

Matt rocked up here yesterday
(after his disappearing trick) about 3.30pm with Andrew and their
friend Hans.

Matt walked into the house and I
jumped on him and kissed him. He kissed me madly back, and all
seemed forgiven.

“
You kids,” laughed
Andrew. “Well that totally backfired on you, Matt!”

Matt kissed me some more. “Yeah,
it did. But this is better anyway.” He kissed me some
more.

I knew they meant he had taken off
yesterday cause he was upset with me, and the way I am. Obviously
he’d wanted a reaction out of me, but all I was was happy to see
him.

I mean, I can feel it from him.
He’s sick of how I am. He’s sick of my issues. He’s pulling away,
and so am I.

We can’t both pull away. One of us
has to grab hold and not let go.

So I kissed him madly and clung to
him.

We all started drinking, then
caught the bus into the city, and got to Friday’s about
4.30pm.

Oh, that was heaven, being there
in the late arvo, in the afternoon sun, drinking, the breeze
blowing in off the water.

Heaven.

We were all having fun, laughing,
joking, drinking, Matt and I felt normal again, our usual
affectionate selves with each other, kissing constantly, arms
around each other, laughing together.

Then Hans did something, told a
joke and moved his head a certain way, and I felt uneasy
instantly.

He reminded me so much of Ever in
that moment.

I didn’t want to THINK of that
fucker

(like ever again)

and it was the second reminder of
him that day.

I should’ve known. The universe
was trying to tell me something.

Warn me.

Matt looked gorgeous, too. IS
gorgeous. He’s so perfect. He was his usual loving, affectionate,
perfect self.

But then we got to Mary St, where
we met Nat and Dan, Lachie and Melinda, Tee, Melissa and Nathan.
Things were still going good, I was happy, I was inbetween Andrew
and Matt, Matt with his arm around me, I was laughing with
them.

Everything was still normal AT
THIS POINT. Matt and I were still fine.

I needed to head to the ladies,
and Matt gave me a big hug and a kiss. “Be careful, baby,” he
called after me.

He’s always so protective and
worried about me. It’s so sweet!!!

Half an hour of ladies line up
later, I exited the toilets and felt someone standing there before
I saw him.

Leaning against the brick wall.
Looking all hot and sexy. Waiting for me.

“
Happy birthday,
woman.”

Oh no no no no NO.

Everard.

THE END

Written by Karina
Almeroth

Activist for the
Broken-Hearted

the Forgotten

and the Misunderstood

All you have
is this moment…

SONG
LIST:

Piano music (something pretty and
soft) for the opening scene of Matt and Karina handcuffed together,
The Brave Scene.

Then cut to the opening credits,
which will be Can’t Hold Us, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, and will be
all these Holden Commodores hooning around Brisbane, camera pans to
five Holden Commodores all lining up, one after another. Still
Can’t Hold Us for the Mary St clubbing scenes and arrest
scene.

What Women Want Tall Benny
(Romance Novel Tall Benny): Do the Right Thing, Ages and
Ages

Walk Me Out or Lose Me Forever:
Killing in the Name Of, Rage Against the Machine. The Make Out
Scene, the Walk Me Out Scene.

It’s Just a bit of
Spew Madly: Fancy, Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX. Panchos spew madly
scene and front yard spew scene.

Ever Over…Already?: Break the
Rules, Charli XCX for the Mary St scene.

Matt??: All the Small Things,
Blink 182.

But where did his balls go?: Your
Woman, White Town

Why do I always feel I’m about to
die when I’m with you?: Breathing, Jason Derulo

The tattooed teddy bear is back:
Burn Your Name, Powderfinger

Ooh…boys!!! (and let’s just all
Spew Madly): Dammit, Blink 182

A romantic Gold Coast dive
(Stardust): Somebody to You, The Vamps

Now he walks me out??!!: Somebody
to You, The Vamps on repeat again. Everything About You, Ugly Kid
Joe.

You can swing me round any time
you like, but don’t drop me, Benny!!!: Love at first sight, Kylie
Minogue, Anthem For the Year 2000, Silverchair

Moments like that: Gladiator,
Dami Im

Wet and Wild (I know who your
next boyfriend should be): Mary, Sparkadia

You’re breaking my heart: Foolish
Games, Jewel

It’s supposed to be over: Am I
Wrong, Nico & Vinz

Suddenly It’s a Moonlighting
Episode: Need You Tonight, Inxs

A Sinful Christmas: Geronimo,
Sheppard

Ever finds some…words: Stay,
Rhianna ft. Mikky Ekko

Matt sweeps in (like a Romantic
Hero): Need You Tonight, Inxs. Again. Just Inxs, full
stop.

Wooli Rocks (love is HERE):
Electric Blue – Extended Mix (must be the extended mix version,
Hollywood, when you make this Aussie icon movie!!!), Icehouse and
Great Southern Land, Icehouse. On repeat.

New Year, new love…new issues:
Only Love Can Hurt Like This, Paloma Faith

You’re breaking my heart Part 2
(you’re still breaking my heart, motherfucker), It’s so over this
time: Skinny Love, Birdie. Young and Beautiful, Lana Del
Ray

Settling into this love shit like
a pink boss: Halo, Beyonce. Over and over.

Nope, spoke too soon…epic freak
out up ahead: Ana’s Song, Silverchair, just for the whole damn
chapter. Outside, Calvin Harris ft. Ellie Goulding, also on
repeat.

Did not see that one coming:
Little Lion Man, Mumford & Sons

Credits roll to Little Lion Man,
The End, drive away with a roar in your Holden
Commodore.

Just don’t spew out the window.
It is your car, after all.

AUTHOR
INFORMATION

Karina Almeroth lives in Brisbane
Queensland, Australia, where she spends her days plotting World
Pink Domination, and hooning around in her pink Holden Commodore
VT. And sometimes she behaves for her children.

And yes, she is still single. Still no
man can handle her.

You can get in touch with Karina by
emailing her at:

[email protected]

or visiting her at:

http://www.facebook.com/karina.almeroth

She’d love to hear from
you!