Lucy in the Sky

afternoon, God help them, and then on to a club or bar or something.
    I’m aiming for simplicity tonight and have chosen a little black dress and kitten heels. I’m keeping my hair down and it’s curling softly around my shoulders. Nathan hasn’t seen me yet with my make-up on, so tonight I’m going for the full works. I’m assuming he’ll be coming with us on the ferry.
    I opt for a glimmer of gold eyeshadow, which brings out the amber flecks in my eyes, and I line my eyes with black kohl before slicking on two coats of lash-enhancing mascara. Rosy blusher highlights my cheekbones and then I apply lipliner and lipstick, before blotting my lips and dabbing on some shiny lipgloss. Istand back and survey myself. Yep, that’ll do. I’ve got a nice tan now so don’t need to vamp up my look too much. Quick spritz of perfume and I grab my clutch bag.
    Sam wolf-whistles, wide-eyed, and I smile at him appreciatively. He’s wearing a chocolate-brown shirt hanging loose over casual black khaki pants.
    ‘Lucy, hi!’ Amy appears from the living room wearing a short black miniskirt and charcoal-grey T-shirt with BABE emblazoned across it in pink diamanté. Her blonde hair is long and straight, and it falls halfway down her back. I suddenly feel overdressed, but then Molly materialises at the bottom of the stairs and I immediately feel better.
    ‘Has the party started without me?’ she asks. She’s wearing a striking low-cut clingy red dress.
    ‘You’d better not be going out looking like that,’ Sam warns, ‘or I’m going to have to cancel the stag night and be your bodyguard instead.’ He puts his arms around her.
    ‘You dag.’ She giggles.
    ‘You look beautiful!’ Amy gushes, and I think: I was going to say that. ‘Are we ready, then?’ she asks.
    Where’s Nathan?
    We pile into the car, Sam locking the front door behind us. Unable to contain my curiosity, I ask about Nathan. Amy explains he’s meeting us at the ferry terminal because it would have been a bit of a squash in her car. Phew.
    The next ferry is scheduled to leave in five minutes and I look around, distracted. I still can’t see him.
    We buy our tickets and go through the barriers as the ferry chugs into the wharf. Men in uniform lay the platforms down and incoming passengers stream onto the quay.
    ‘Going without me?’ a deep voice says in my ear and I turn around, elated.
    ‘Hi, buddy!’ Sam exclaims. ‘Thought we were going to have to meet you over there.’
    He looks sexy, more casually dressed than Sam in beige-coloured cord jeans and a slim-fit black T-shirt encasing his toned chest.
    We file onto the big green and cream ferry and make our way to the top deck where there are four rows of wooden benches. Nathan sits facing backwards, next to Amy and opposite me. He leans back casually on the bench, knees almost reaching mine. ‘You look nice,’ he says.
    ‘Thanks,’ I respond, feeling shy suddenly. ‘You too.’
    The ferry chugs out of the terminal and we leave Manly behind us. As I look over to my right I see the Oceanworld aquarium on the shorefront. Nathan follows my gaze. ‘Have you ever been?’ I ask.
    ‘Nup.’
    ‘Me neither.’
    ‘It’s really good,’ Molly says. ‘You should try to go while you’re here.’
    ‘Sydney Aquarium is much better,’ Amy interrupts.
    ‘Have you been to both, then?’ Molly queries.
    ‘No, only Sydney Aquarium.’
    ‘So how would you know which is better?’ Nathan asks the question that we’re all thinking.
    ‘I just know,’ Amy says tetchily, and I’m reminded she’s only about twenty years old.
    ‘I’ll take you next week if you like?’ Nathan leans in towards me.
    ‘Okay.’ I grin.
    Amy shuffles uncomfortably in her seat. ‘I’m going to sit inside,’ she says. ‘It’s too windy out here.’ She gets up and steps between Nathan and me, forcing him backwards in his seat. He leans back and watches her go.
    ‘You should go and talk to her,’ Molly urges.
    ‘Why?’ Nathan asks a little petulantly. ‘I keep telling you she’s not my girlfriend.’
    ‘Well, she obviously feels something for you,’ Molly responds sternly.
    Sam stays quiet, keeping out of it.
    Nathan just looks out to his left at the mainland.
    ‘Well, I’ll check on her, then,’ Molly says brusquely, getting up.
    ‘Do you want me to come?’ I make as if to join her.
    ‘No, it’s okay. Probably better for me to chat to her alone. And anyway I don’t want the wind to mess up my