مهمانی کریسمس

CHAPTER ONE

A Christmas Party

‘Are you coming to this beach party, Amy?’ shouted Claire.

‘If you don’t hurry up we’ll miss the bus. There isn’t another one for an hour after that,’ said Lisa.

‘I’m coming,’ said Amy, finally coming out of the bathroom. ‘Well, how do I look?’ she asked her two best friends with a big smile.

Claire and Lisa looked at each other and started to laugh.

‘What is it?’ asked Amy, worried.

‘Amy, we’re going to the Christmas party on Bondi Beach, not to a nightclub,’ said Lisa.

‘You can’t stand up now in those shoes. How are you going to dance all night?’ laughed Claire.

‘You never know who we might meet,’ replied Amy. ‘Just because you two don’t understand anything about fashion! Come on, let’s go.’

There were a lot of people already at the beach when they arrived. The music was loud and even though the sun was starting to go down, it was still warm.

This was where the three best friends wanted to be.

For two years they planned this holiday. And finally, after hours of studying for exams, on Claire’s 18th birthday, their plane took off from London’s Heathrow Airport Destination: Australia.

Amy cuddled koala bears, Lisa bungee-jumped off a bridge in Cairns and Claire made them wake up really early so that she could take photos of Ayers Rock at dawn.

But they all agreed snorkelling in the clear waters of the Great Barrier Reef was the best bit. And now they were in Sydney, where they planned to celebrate New Year.

Next September, after this year of travelling, Claire was going to study art and photography at university. Claire wanted to become a photographer; it was the only job she wanted to do.

Lisa was thinking about joining the police, although her Dad didn’t know it yet. He wanted her to study law and become a lawyer. And Amy wanted to marry someone who was rich so that she could go shopping all day, every day!

But now, they still had another six months left of parties and fun.

‘Mmm Look at all that delicious food. Barbecued sausages, burgers and steaks. Let’s have something to eat,’ said Claire.

‘Amy? Claire?’ interrupted Lisa. They looked at her. It was obvious that she wanted something. ‘I’ve forgotten my purse. Can I borrow ten dollars? I’ve only got a few coins on me.’

‘Again? You always forget to bring enough money’ said Claire.

‘Yes, and you haven’t given me back the five dollars you owe me for dinner the other night,’ said Amy.

Lisa looked upset. She didn’t plan to forget her money.

‘It doesn’t matter’ she said. Angry, she went over to another group of friends. ‘Don’t ask me for anything in future!’

‘Lisa’ shouted Amy and Claire. But she just ignored them.

Later, as the party was finishing, Amy and Claire waited for Lisa so they could go back to the youth hostel together.

There was a cool wind.

‘I think there might be a storm later on. I’ve got a headache and I always get a headache before a storm,’ said Amy. ‘Oh, where’s Lisa?’

‘Maybe she went back to the youth hostel. The last time I saw her was when we argued,’ said Claire.

‘What time is it?’ asked Amy.

‘Two o’clock,’ answered Claire. ‘Perhaps she’s at the hostel, in bed.’

‘Yes, come on. Everyone else has gone. And my feet are really hurting!’

‘I told you not to wear those shoes!’ laughed Claire.

When they got back, Amy opened the door to their room with a nervous smile and said, ‘You missed a great party’ but then she realised that Lisa wasn’t in bed.

She wasn’t in the bathroom either.

‘Maybe she’s met someone?’ said Claire, hopefully.

‘Maybe’ said Amy.

‘Let’s go to bed. In the morning she’ll tell us all about some gorgeous Australian that she met at the party,’ said Claire, but she didn’t seem sure.

‘Maybe’ said Amy. And as she heard the first sound of thunder she realised that her feet didn’t hurt anymore.