Art Class

Hey Cody

How are you? I miss you. How’s Auckland? Things here are OK. I want to leave school but not allowed. Mum’s spazzing out because I told her I quit smoking—stupid—then she found a packet in my room. I miss you. Julie’s OK but she never wants to wag school to watch Prisoner. There was a drug raid last week and Robert Stone got caught with an ounce in his locker. His dad is really pissed off because he’s a cop and he caught Robert once before. Sucked. I can’t wait for the August holidays. When are you coming to stay? Are there any OK guys at your school? GROSS the art teacher Mr O’Donnell just came over to see what I was doing, we call him Stiff O’Donnell because he gawks at the girls all the time he is so disgusting, plus he says Far Out all the time like he thinks he’s really cool or something What A Dick. Anyway, the mid-year dance is on next week, I’m gonna go. I asked Celia Fox if she wants to go with me. I really like her. Is that weird? I mean, I don’t think it is, well I do a bit, but—does it weird you out? I don’t really want to be a Lesbian or anything, god I hate that word, but I never felt anything the whole time I went out with Paul, I mean he was a useless kisser but I think even if he wasn’t I still would have felt nothing. I guess I like girls

– 5 –

more than boys. Well that’s OK, I’m not gonna get too freaked out, write back soon and tell me what you think. I’ve got this great dress to wear, it’s purple kind of plasticky stuff, quite short, Mum’ll spew. Yuck Stiff O’Donnell is perving I better go. Tell me what you think.

love Thea

PS she said yes

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It took Cody two weeks to answer Thea’s letter. She started about four before she made it sound all right. What really worried her, though, was something she couldn’t say in a letter. In the August holidays, she went down to stay with Thea, who was going out with Celia Fox by now, and looking forward to term three starting so they could be the scandal of the school. Cody and Thea got Celia, a seventh former, to buy them some wine one night and they went and drank it in the park. Celia went home for dinner and Cody and Thea sat on the swings, talking. Thea told Cody that just because she liked girls, it didn’t mean she was attracted to her. Cody was hugely relieved. Then Thea said not to assume that she wasn’t, either, and started laughing so hard she nearly fell off her swing, which did big loopy curves out over the grass. Cody laughed too and swung her swing higher and they spent the rest of the evening there winding each other up and enjoying it more than they ever had before.

This is years ago now. Cody remembers it when Thea rings her up to tell her she’s met a new woman. Her name is Thea too. Cody thinks this is very bizarre and one of the hazards of having same-sex relationships. She doesn’t want to say this though in case Thea thinks she’s been uptight about the whole thing all along.

—Imagine a couple both called Thea, says Thea. —Isn’t it awful? One of the hazards of same-sex relationships, I suppose.

—Do you and Thea want to come for dinner this week? asks Cody.

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