Page 1 of Only ever you-Ana & Byron
Chapter one
Chapter 1
Ana& Byron (eight years old)
"Did you know sharks never blink?" Byron announced, grinning proudly as he plopped down beside Ana on the grass.
Ana didn't even bother to glance up from her book. "Fantastic. Have you found one to adopt you so that the world will be safer without your stupidity?"
Byron blinked before continuing like she hadn't spoken.
"It's not stupid! It's cool. Sharks are-"
"About as bright as you," she muttered, turning a page.
"Coincidence? I think not."
Since reception, Ana, Byron, Gray, and Cadi had been a tight little cluster, bound by neighbourhood, school, and the kind of friendship that came from scraped knees and shared biscuits. Gray and Byron were rugby mad, forever chasing balls and tackling things that didn't need tackling. Ana and Cadi had been best friends since toddlerdom,glued together through dolls, picture books, and whispered life-changing secrets. But because Gray orbited Cadi like she was the sun, it meant Ana and Byron were often thrown together like mismatched socks.
At eight years old, friendship was muddy, loud, and full of accidental elbows. Ana, for her part, was trying to read. She was halfway through a battered copy ofCharlotte's Webwhen Byron flopped down beside her again with no respect for personal space, all grass stains and boy smell.
"Did you know the All Blacks do this scary dance before matches?" he asked loudly, without any hint of retreat.
Ana sighed. "So?"
"It's called the haka. They stick their tongues out and slap their legs, and shout. Like this-"
He leapt to his feet and gave a truly horrendous impression of it. People passing by looked and then sped up.
"Byron!" she hissed. "Go away! People will call the ambulance because you look like you are having a seizure."
“What is a seijure…seizure? Seizure?” asked Byron, looking confused.
Then he grinned and dropped down next to her again. He continued, not waiting for a reply. "They wear black. All black. That's why they're called that. Bet you didn't know."
Ana snapped her book shut. "Did you run away from the zoo?"
He blinked. "Huh?"
"Because only wild animals behave like you," she said, eyes narrowed.
From under the oak tree, Gray snorted into his jumper. Cadi covered her mouth to hide a giggle.
Byron, unbothered, flopped onto his belly and kicked his feet. "Oi, Ana," he mumbled into the grass, "D'you think Gray's gonna ask Cadi to be his girlfriend?"
Ana glanced at the other two. "He should. She's really clever. And pretty. He'd be lucky."
Byron looked over at Ana. "I think you're prettier."
Ana made a face. "Ugh. Go eat a worm."
He reached out and gave her braid a tug. "D'you wanna be my girlfriend, then?"
Ana slowly turned toward him like a queen deciding whether that deserved an answer. "Yuck. Boys eat their boogers."
Byron looked genuinely hurt for a second, then shrugged.
Ana stood, brushing grass off her knees and sighed. "Well, if you ever grow taller than me... maybe I'll think about it."
