2. Scared Im Gonna Break Something
JAKE
2
Two weeks ago, I was handed the keys to the apartment I had won. The reality still hasn’t entirely set in.
I bought the tickets months ago when I was cornered at the shopping centre near Mum’s place by the people selling them for charity. When they mentioned it was to support children’s mental health, I hadn’t even checked what the prize was. I bought a book of twenty tickets and promptly forgot all about it.
So now here I am, standing in the middle of the fanciest apartment I’ve ever seen while still dressed in my hi-vis clothes, suddenly very aware that I am filthy and way out of my element in this place. I haven’t had a chance to come here until now, as work has been so busy, and it was a three-hour drive from where I live in Stanthorpe to Brisbane.
But now I’ve made plans to come here for the weekend and hang out with my old schoolmates at this classy penthouse apartment that is now, against all odds, mine.
I’m sure the other building occupants will be confused when seeing a tradie’s ute parked in the penthouse parking spaces. I’d passed quite a few expensive little cars before I’d come across my space.
I don’t fit the stereotype of someone who owns a two-million-dollar penthouse apartment in Kangaroo Point right on the river. If I hadn’t grown up in this city, I would feel like a country boy out of his element. Nobody expects an electrician from a country town to win over three million dollars worth of cash and prizes. I spend most of my life wearing high-vis safety gear and trying not to electrocute myself when crawling around inside people’s ceilings.
Returning from my second trip to the ute for the last of my stuff, I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket, alerting me to an incoming message. Once I dump the groceries on the bench in the incredibly nice kitchen, I dig my phone out of my back pocket and open up to a message from Will, one of my two best mates. Although I headed out to Stanthorpe after graduation to join my father as the “son” in Boyd and Sons Electrical Services, Will, Chris and I are always in contact, and I head back to Brisbane whenever possible. We have all remained close to our tight-knit friendship circle from school, which includes their partners and a few others.
Will
How’s the new digs? Still good for 7 for us to head over? I just got home.
Jake
Yep, all good. This place is insane. I’m scared I’m gonna break something.
Will sends back a laughing emoji, and I toss my phone aside, busying myself with putting the groceries away while I crack a beer and guzzle it down.
Once the groceries are away, I give myself the grand tour. There are four bedrooms, starting with a large master with an oversized bed and a connected bathroom that is bigger than my bedroom at home. Besides the two other bathrooms and a media room, there’s a super fancy kitchen with every gadget known to man (and most of which I have no idea how to use). The kitchen is part of an open-plan space shared with the dining room, and there is a lounge room with a large television attached to the wall. I’d noticed TV’s in each of the bedrooms as well.
Do rich people even talk to each other, or do they hide in their rooms and watch TV?
I finish my tour of the interior before stepping outside and discovering that the best part of the apartment is the huge terrace. I spy a large barbeque with a really nice outdoor setting next to a set of stairs leading to the apartment’s roof. I head over to discover a rooftop spa and yet more seating, with the most fantastic view of the city.
Once I’ve stared at the view for long enough and finished my beer, I head back inside to shower, still unable to believe this all belongs to me now.
“Good to see ya, mate.” Will is the first through the door, and he gives me a quick hug and a handshake before leaving space for Chris to walk in and greet me the same way.
I’ve known Chris since kindergarten, and we met Will in grade eleven when he moved up from Sydney with his family. I’ve known Chris’s fiancee, Morgan, for as long as I can remember, and she has been my best friend since long before Chris noticed her in grade eight. She’s also best friends with Will’s girlfriend, Annelisa, who I’ve known as long as Chris and the five of us have been a tight-knit group forever.
Will lets out a whistle when he gets his first look at the apartment.
“Jesus, this place is way too much… I’m almost dreading bringing Annie here tomorrow night. She’s going to want to move in,” he says.
“Yeah, honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever been in a place this nice before. It felt weird putting beer in the fridge. It seems more like a champagne sort of place,” I reply, shaking my head.
I point towards the fridge, and they both help themselves to a beer before wandering around for their own tour, seeing what I mean about how over the top the place is.
After several exclamations about random things, like the giant projector screen in the media room and more Blu-rays than we have ever seen, they join me on the terrace, where I’ve already started grilling the steaks I’d bought earlier. We chat while I watch the food, but they are both preoccupied, staring at the view.
“This place is amazing. You can use voice activation for all the lights and power points! How’d your old man take it when you told him about this place?” Will raises an eyebrow and takes a mouthful of beer.
“About as well as you’d think. He thought it would be good for someone else… He told me to sell it before immediately reminding me that my life is out there and I have to keep working for him.” I busy myself with turning the steaks, trying not to dwell on the conversation I’d had with my father when I’d found out about the apartment.
Jack Boyd had made it clear that people like us didn’t live in places like this.
Will shakes his head but doesn’t comment further. He did a few weeks of his apprenticeship with Dad. He only lasted a short while because he missed Annelisa too much and found a placement back in Brisbane instead. But those few weeks were enough to know how tough Dad can be.
“Oh, Morgan wanted me to mention that we’ll have Bri with us tomorrow night. She’s due back from Sydney sometime in the afternoon.” Chris accepts the plate I hand him while I close the lid on the barbeque.
“Oh really? Is she just back for a holiday?” I ask, trying not to sound too interested.
I haven’t seen Morgan’s little sister since she moved. She graduated a year after us and moved down there not long after. Last I heard, she has some high-end marketing job and is living with her boyfriend, who Chris can’t stand. I’d had a secret crush on her for most of our childhood and teen years. I kept it to myself because girls like Brianna Watkins did not end up with the tradie who lives in the bush.
“Nope, she’s moving back. I don’t want to go into too much detail, but she broke up with the asshole boyfriend. She can tell you the rest if she wants to. Morgan has gone into full mother-hen mode.”
We head back inside and start digging into various store-bought salads while we continue talking.
“Wow. Is she okay?” I ask.
“She will be. She started the drive this morning. All I’ll say is that it was a messy break-up. I always knew that guy was a dick.” Chris’s expression shows just how disgusted he is.
“Where’s she gonna live? With you guys?” Will asks, and Chris shakes his head.
“We don’t have the space. Morgan is still working from home in the spare room, and even if she wasn’t, that room is too damn small for someone to live in. She’s going to crash with their parents, I think.”
I wince. The girls’ folks are okay, but their Mum can be a little full-on, and after living out of home for five years, I doubt Bri would enjoy living with them again.
“Well, she is definitely welcome tomorrow night,” I confirm, and Chris taps his beer to mine.
While we have a few other people coming, I know that the core group will be the ones to keep the night going into the early hours before crashing in the various rooms and on the many, many couches.
It’s going to be a great night.
And a small part of me is very interested in seeing how well Brianna Watkins has grown up.