All About Me Read online

  Frankie Woods is a first-time author who has been writing stories since her teens. A dreamer at heart, Frankie lives in Melbourne with her husband, son, daughter and her dog Alby.

  The All About Series

  All About ME

  All About E

  All About M

  All About Us

  All About ME

  Frankie Woods

  PS Publishing

  Published by PS Publications

  All About ME

  Text copyright © 2019 Frankie Woods

  The moral rights of the author have been asserted.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted any person or entity (Including Google, Amazon or similar organizations), in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, scanning or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the copyright owner or the publisher.

  Book and Cover design by Chelsea Marchment

  For information contact:

  [email protected]

  ISBN: 123456789

  First Edition: Month 2013

  10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

  This book is for everyone who ever had a dream.

  How girls become women…

  Chapter One

  The burning sunset lazed across the sky, the girls had no idea this would be their last time together, on Gibson’s Beach. It had been their spot for most of their teenage years, a tiny beach that had been the place of so many moments, good and bad for each of them. From first kisses to diving off boats, lying in the sun with the comfort of their own silence, all their crazy conversations and wild confessions had been on this sand. This beach had seen the inseparable trio grow from gawky girls into young woman full of life and laughter.

  Eve packed her beach bag, listening to her two best friends’ bicker, over sand of course... she wondered how they could be bothered going at each other in the relentless heat, Sydney had been a heat wave for the past two weeks.

  ‘Really… are you for real Tessa? Every time we pack up, you shake sand everywhere.’ Bad beach manners made Zoe angry, she was easily pissed off, and the lack of sleep due to the heat wave had her grumpier than ever. Tessa did this without fail, at the end of each pleasant beach day all summer, every summer.

  ‘Oh please,’ Tessa drawled, ‘you’ve just spent the day lying in the sand under your stupid umbrella like a princess, now you’re going to get all freaked out over a few grains of sand.’ Tessa snapped back, she hated it when Zoe overreacted. Zoe was always so precious when it came to sand, it drove Tessa mad, it was such a princess thing to do, she didn’t understand why Zoe would come to the beach in the first place if she was going to get uptight about sand.

  ‘Just don’t shake your towel like a crazy person, I’ve got sand in all my things.’ Zoe felt her heart rate rise, Tessa had infuriated her with her boisterous antics, again. How could this girl who has spent her whole life at the beach, be so ignorant to beach etiquette? Zoe asked herself. Zoe was a perfectionist in almost every aspect of her life, flicking her blonde hair about as she folded her towel, so precise and without a speck of sand.

  ‘How are we going to spend ten days together? You are going to fucking drive me nuts.’ Tessa said, shaking her towel again, putting extra effort in to making sure sand flicked in Zoe’s direction. What she really needed was to go home and take a nap and redo her hair and makeup, then she might just settle the fuck down, Tessa thought; they had a big night ahead of them, and she didn’t want Zoe being a downer all night.

  ‘Whatever Tessa… You are such a child. If you weren’t so fucking hot, I wouldn’t even be your friend.’ Zoe lightened the mood with her sarcastic joke before it got serious, realizing she was getting a little out of hand over granules of sand.

  The youngest child and the only daughter, Tessa had three older brothers. Zoe thought Tessa should have gone to finishing school as she and Eve did last year in France for the summer, she needed it most of all. It always amazed Zoe that someone so gorgeous, could be so tom boyish.

  Tessa Rossi was tall and slender, naturally sun kissed, unlike Zoe who was not your typical beach babe. Tessa’s passion was dancing, she lived and breathed to dance, and it was her ambition to dance on Broadway. She had been to New York twice to audition in the past two months, she didn’t have university plans, only dance plans. Tessa was just like any other beach bum girl her age, when she wasn’t dancing her ass off at the studio, she hung out with her friends, drove her mother mad and fought with her brothers, each one of them scared shitless of her, she would take off after them and if she got hold of any of them, she could teach them a thing or two, they always came off second best.

  Zoe’s forte was in fashion, whereas Tessa struggled with what to put with what. Tessa always needed a little direction when it came to fashion, and Zoe was always there to help her out, she fancied herself as a personal stylist.

  ‘Let it go girls… we’re leaving town tomorrow and, I for one, can’t wait.’ Said the voice of reason, Eve was always refereeing Zoe and Tessa. A little quieter and reserved than her two best friends who competed with being outgoing and loud, Eve balanced the trio out with her soft calming voice and her gentle way.

  ‘I need at least until eight thirty to get ready, I need to put a treatment in my hair and do a face mask, the past few days have completely dehydrated me.’ Zoe exaggerated the need to look her best, so self-indulgent, having treatments for one thing or another. She loved to treat herself with luxurious pampering sessions at her mum’s salon. She had a permanent hairdresser’s appointment weekly, not to mention the false nails and lashes, she was a high maintenance teenager. She envied Tessa, who couldn’t have cared less about her appearance, and yet she was so perfect with natural beauty. The ends of Tessa’s hair had always been sun-bleached, she never had to get highlights, her tan was natural, she was stunning without bothering, making Zoe’s life look obsessive and manic. Zoe was obsessed with her appearance, she had to look good even at the beach, everything had to match. Her mum owned the best beauty spa in Double Bay, her older sister ran the other spa in Bondi, everything about Zoe’s life was beauty orientated. Stick thin, her eating habits varied depending on what fad diet she was following, the all green or the no carbs, it was always something different. At seventeen she was considering a boob job; it was her latest self-obsession. Blonde highlighted hair religiously cut blunt just below her shoulders, Zoe had sky blue eyes, with a peaches and cream complexion. She loved makeup and anything cosmetic. Zoe Green was Watson Bays very own Barbie Girl.

  The girls each went their separate ways halfway up the hill. They had a big night planned at Ruby’s. A cool café in the day, that transformed into a fun bar at night. The owner and staff didn’t seem to realize or care, that their most regular patrons were all underage.

  Watsons Bay was one of the harbours prettiest bays, the local kids all had parents who were something or someone, and they didn’t seem to mind their kids hanging out at Ruby’s, or maybe they just didn’t know. The girls loved Ruby’s, they would go for breakfast, lunch and dinner, then return for the evening bar session. It helped that all three of them looked a touch older than their seventeen years. They knew the owner, and all the staff by name, the girls were hard not to like.

  Eve Frank lived up the hill, in a large white art deco mansion that looked out over the harbour. It was a masterpiece. Large archways that revealed the most amazing view of the harbour. Way too big for its two occupants, Eve and her mother Anna Grant, a freelance political legal consultant. Anna had kept her own name when marrying Eve’s father, she was not a traditionalist. Eve’s father James Frank is a criminal lawyer who lives in the CBD. Her parent had never had
an official separation, they just didn’t live together…

  Eve started the short walk down the hill and around the corner to Tessa’s house. It was Boxing Day evening; the weather was balmy like the tropics; everyone was getting over the heat. Dressed in her favorite shoestring black short dress and flat strappy sandals, Eve wished she had tied her hair up. She could feel her long dark curls sticking to her arms and back already, and she had just left the house.

  Looking completely different to her friends, Eve was not tall, coming in at five feet one, what she lacked in height, Eve made up for in other ways… Petite with womanly curves, full round perky breasts, deep cinnamon colored skin like she basked in the Mediterranean all year round. But by far her best asset was her mass of dark curls that hung all the way down to her hips. She had this exotic carnal vibe going on, the past year had seen Eve develop into a rather desirable young woman, so god damn fast, that nobody had even realized... Eve herself certainly didn’t feel exotic, she was so used to being the short hair ball friend, that she hadn’t even seen the changes in herself. Zoe however did have an eye for a great asset, being the fashion guru, she made it her mission to have Eve use her voluptuous curves to her advantage, encouraging her friend to buy skimpy revealing clothing on their many shopping expeditions. Way out of character for Eve, but a lot of fun all the same.

  Going to Tessa’s house was always a treat for Eve, it was full of people, unlike her own home. With her father living in his city apartment permanently now to be closer to his office, that was his story anyway, the big house felt empty, Eve was often alone.

  The Rossi household was frantic, Eve arrived feeling like she needed another shower. This house made Eve feel part of a family, everyone was always up to something and there was always something going on or gossip to catch up on.

  ‘How is my hair Eve… Not to crazy?’ asked a bubbly Jackie. Tessa’s mum who was basically an older version of Tessa only shorter, blond, pretty, loud and funny. Jackie, a socialite and home maker who took great pride in nurturing her four children, and husband Mario. Everything in this home was her world, Jackie Rossi lived for it, in Eve’s eyes Jackie was awesome.

  ‘It looks great… I like it. Not too crazy at all.’ Eve smiled complimenting

  Jackie who looked gorgeous as usual, leaving her hair curly instead of her usual straightened look, a pretty pink dress with gold heels and several gold bangles, Jackie always looked elegant and beautiful, Eve idolized her somewhat, she watched her rush around the kitchen getting ready to go out, no doubt somewhere fun.

  ‘How are you Eve? Heading out tonight?’, asked Mario, who entered the kitchen with a bounce of the bottom step, one of Tessa’s older brothers Marco a few steps behind him. Mario was a tall man, everyone in the family was tall compared to Eve. She had always thought Mario Rossi was a handsome man, she would go so far as to say ‘Hot’, if he wasn’t her best friend’s dad… Mario was charismatic and friendly, Eve saw more of Mario, than she did her own father.

  Then, there he was. There was Marco. He came bounding down the stairs after Mario. Tall, dark and more handsome than his father, so very fucking handsome, Eve thought, totally lost to her racing heartbeat. Dark wavy hair, great summer tan, gorgeous brown eyes and so very masculine.

  ‘I’m great… I’m good, thank you Mario… Hi Marco.’ Eve said with polite cuteness, pushing her hair back from her face, trying to cool down and not making it to obvious her heart was melting, and it wasn’t because of the heat… The one and only guy she had lusted after since the age of ten, the guy who was now a man, who thought of her as his sister’s awkward little hair ball friend...

  'How’s things Evie, looking forward to Palm Cove? It should be fun,’ Marco passed through the kitchen like a whirlwind, pecking his mother on the check as he exited through the side door.

  ‘Yep. Can’t wait.’ Eve managed, her eyes following him as he vanished, holding her breath as he disappeared out of sight.

  Jackie and Mario had become very fond of Eve over the years. She was a nice girl, a grounding influence on their sometimes-crazy Tessa. Eve was a privileged child who had holidays in Europe, and a housekeeper who ran around after her, yet she was only ever polite and sweet in their company, and she was at their home most nights of the week. Their family had known Eve’s parents for many years, two totally different families. Jackie was always a present figure in her children’s life, and it bothered her how Eve, was often left alone in that big house alone with the housekeeper.

  ‘I hope Tessa and Nicolas don’t fight while you’re away. You’ve gone from one big brother bossing you girls around, to two. I just hope you all get along and the boys include you girls… I’ve told Marco, he needs to look after my girls.’ Jackie took a breath, she was flustered.

  ‘Jac, they will be fine,’ Mario said slowly, he drank a large glass of water as he frowned at Jackie. ‘Besides, you will be in Fiji, an ocean away. You won’t be able to do anything about it, even if they’re not fine... So, leave it to Marco, he can handle things.’ Mario told Jackie who was stressing herself silly.

  ‘I know, but-,’ Jackie was a worrier.

  ‘No. Jac. Please stop. They’re all responsible kids... Marco will look after the girls just fine.’ Mario was looking forward to being away in Fiji with his friends and his wife with no teenagers to disrupt them. Eve’s eyes switched from one to the other, as Mario tried to keep Jackie from getting carried away with worry.

  Mario was a property developer; it had made him a very rich man as he had developments all over the country. He and Jackie have a penthouse in Palm Cove, the three girls had spent the past few days talking Tessa’s brother Marco, into letting them tag along. Marco was going to Palm Cove for a quiet ten days with his mates, now there were three teenage girls and his younger brother Nick going. Marco didn’t mind, he loved spending time with Nick and Tessa when he could these days. Mario and Jackie thought it was such a kind gesture, for Marco to share his holiday with not only, his younger brother and sister, but her friends.

  Marco was responsible and always had been, he would take care of the girls, keeping a watchful eye on them. He was the middle son, a well-adjusted young man who everyone adored, some more than others! Marco was a good egg, everyone thought so. He had graduated from his exclusive private school with honors; he studied law and lived in Melbourne where he played football. In the off-season, he was always back at home with his family, that’s if he wasn’t off travelling and exploring the world.

  ‘Ok. I am ready for a big night,’ Tessa jumped off the bottom step into the kitchen, wearing a little red dress, her long hair randomly waving about, she looked ready for a good night out.

  ‘Remember, you’re flying tomorrow ladies, you don’t want to be sick on the flight.’ Jackie reminded them, knowing they would more than likely drink way too much in this heat, poor Marco would have to put up with three cranky teenage girls on the plane.

  ‘Oh, Jac. Please!’ said Tessa, pulling a pretend mature face at her mother. Tessa always called her mother Jac, like her dad did.

  ‘I think you owe me a little something since your sending both Marco, and Nick to Palm Cove to torture me,’ Tessa didn’t hide her sarcasm.

  ‘We are not sending anyone... You wore Marco down with your nagging and Nick has friends who are going to be there at the same time, of course he is staying at his own house.’ Jackie frowned at Tessa, that daughter of hers loved to push things to the limit, in every way.

  ‘Nick will be a pain in my ass the entire time, you should have said he couldn’t go.’ Tessa squinted her eyes at her mother. She and Nick didn’t get along ninety percent of the time, they were to close in age, Tessa was mature for her age, more mature than Nick who was two years older than she.

  Nick got off on getting his little sister wound up, the two of them and fought the most out of the four siblings, driving the other two crazies. Tom, the eldest didn’t seem to let anything faze him, he had always been super independent and easy going, he was
living in London working. Marco, well he was the easy child, he was kind, thoughtful and mature, also his mother’s favorite if the truth were to be known. Nick was always trying to stand out against the crowd, he was an attention seeker who often got himself in trouble; Jackie put it down to Nick being the youngest of the boys, but not the baby of the family.

  ‘Have a great night girls.’ Jackie said as they headed for the door.

  Meeting up with Zoe halfway down the street, the three girls headed off together. Ruby’s was on the beach near the ferry. The girls had laughed all the way down the hill and through the park as they walked along, coming up with stupid scenarios that might happen on the holiday with Nick, they had figured out if anything, Nick would entertain them with his mischievous antics.

  The air was thick; Ruby’s was packed in every direction, mostly with twenties and thirties, the warm weather bought people out, and everyone wanted to party by the beach. They walked thru the crowd to the end of the bar, it had become a habitual routine, going straight to order the first round of drinks, before heading off to the deck to get a good spot near the music so they could dance.

  ‘Merry Christmas ladies.’ Bruce the manager said as he worked the bar, smiling at the girls when he got closer with their drinks in hand. It wasn’t the best move he ever made, letting under age local girls hang out at his bar, however, they came and drank, spending heaps of money very regularly, besides, Bruce thought the girls where little cuties, they all looked older than their seventeen years, and it was good for the bar to have good looking girls hanging out.

  ‘We go to Palm Cove tomorrow you know,’ Zoe said leaning onto the bar with her elbows. She had a pretty, little pink shirt on with a denim skirt, Zoe loved to flirt with Bruce, more so, since she found out he was gay, it gave her a thrill of sorts. It was like she had set herself a challenge to un gay him. She was the ultimate flirt, gay or straight, young or old, Zoe loved men.