It was nighttime now, and the whole town of Wattle Creek was buzzing with excitement.
Tomorrow was the big unveiling of the giant wombat statue, and Mayor Frank William Dodd had been talking it up for weeks.
He'd promised everyone a huge party with tons of food, music, and dancing.
The kind of celebration that would bring every single person in town together, young and old, to eat, laugh, and make memories.
But Matilda wasn't thinking about the party. Not really. Her mind was all tangled up with thoughts of Jack.
She liked him so much it made her head spin and her stomach do little flips.
She was a city girl, born and raised in Sydney, where the streets were loud and the lights never dimmed.
She wasn't supposed to fall for a country boy like Jack, with his muddy boots and easy smile.
Yet here she was, sitting on an old tire by the barn, her heart full of him, her thoughts a jumbled mess.
The air was cool, brushing against her skin like a soft whisper. Stars were starting to sprinkle across the dark sky, twinkling like tiny lanterns.
The barn stood nearby, big and quiet, its leaky roof finally fixed after the last big rain.
Matilda pulled her knees up to her chest, picking at the dried red paint stuck to her fingers.
The giant wombat statue loomed just a few feet away, its tarp pulled off earlier that day.
It stood tall and proud, all ten meters of it, its red paint gleaming under the moonlight, exactly as Mayor Dodd had wanted.
Jack walked over, his boots crunching on the dry, dusty ground.
He stopped beside her, leaning back against the tire, his arm just barely brushing against hers.
Matilda noticed the touch, and it sent a little spark through her. She didn't move away—it felt nice, like they were sharing a secret moment, just the two of them.
"Matilda, it looks so cool," Jack said, his voice full of awe as he stared at the statue. "Like, really, really awesome. You did such a great job helping with it."
She smiled, her fingers still picking at the paint. "Thanks, Jack," she said softly. "It does look pretty neat, doesn't it? I didn't think it'd turn out this good."
They sat there for a moment, the crickets chirping all around them, filling the quiet with their steady song.
The night felt calm, peaceful, like the world was slowing down just for them.
Matilda's thoughts drifted, and she couldn't help but think about how different this place was from Sydney.
Wattle Creek was small, simple, but it had a warmth she hadn't expected. And Jack—well, he was a big part of that warmth.
After a bit, Jack spoke again, his voice quieter now, like he was thinking hard about something.
"Lily's been real quiet today," he said, staring out into the darkness. "Haven't heard a single word from her. Not a peep."
Matilda rolled her eyes, a little huff escaping her lips.
"Good," she said, her tone sharp but playful. "Lily's such a pain in the neck, Jack. I'm so over her nonsense. She's always stirring up trouble, and I just don't have the energy for it anymore."
Jack scratched the back of his head, leaving a smudge of dirt in his messy brown hair.
"Yeah, I know," he said, sounding a bit guilty. "I'm really sorry about all that, Matilda. She's been a real jerk lately, and I hate that it's been stressing you out."
"It's not your fault," Matilda said quickly, glancing at him. "Seriously, Jack, don't worry about it. Let's just not talk about Lily anymore, okay? I'd rather think about something else."
"Okay," he said, nodding with a small smile. "No more Lily talk. Promise."
They fell quiet again, just sitting there, listening to the crickets and the soft rustle of the breeze.
Matilda's mind wandered to her parents. They were still set on moving to London, halfway across the world.
She'd called them yesterday, her voice shaking as she told them she wasn't going with them. She was staying in Wattle Creek with Uncle Ben.
The call had been messy—her mom had cried, her dad had gotten mad, and Matilda had yelled more than she meant to.
But in the end, she'd made her choice. She wasn't going to run away like her dad always did when things got tough.
Not this time. She was staying put, right here in this little town.
"Jack," Matilda said suddenly, her voice soft, almost a whisper, like she was scared to disturb the quiet night. "Can I tell you something?"
"Yeah, Matilda?" he said, turning to look at her.
His eyes caught the starlight, bright and kind, making her heart skip a beat.
She took a deep breath, her fingers fidgeting in her lap.
"I'm staying here," she said, her words steady even though her chest felt all fluttery. "I'm not going to London with my parents. I told them yesterday—I'm staying in Wattle Creek with Uncle Ben."
Jack's face lit up, his eyes wide with surprise.
"Really? You're serious? You're not leaving?" he asked, his voice full of excitement.
"Yeah," Matilda said, a small smile tugging at her lips. "I meant it, Jack. I'm staying right here. This is where I want to be."
"That's so awesome," he said, his grin big and genuine, the kind that made her feel warm all over. "Matilda, I'd miss you so much if you left. Like, a whole lot. You have no idea."
Her heart did a little leap, and she felt her cheeks get warm.
"You would? Really?" she asked, her voice quieter now, almost shy.
"Yeah," Jack said, his tone serious as he looked right into her eyes. "I'd miss you tons, Matilda. You're, like, my favorite person to hang out with. I mean it."
She looked at him—his messy hair, his muddy boots, his eyes so bright and honest under the stars.
Her chest felt tight, like it was holding something huge, something she couldn't quite put into words.
"I'd miss you too, Jack," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "A whole lot. Like, more than I thought I could miss anyone."
He gave her a small, real smile, the kind that made everything feel okay, like the world wasn't so big and scary.
"I'm really glad you're staying," he said softly, his voice warm and sincere.
"Me too," Matilda said, meaning every single word.
She scooted a little closer on the tire, their shoulders touching now. The warmth of his arm against hers felt comforting, like a hug she didn't know she needed.
The stars grew brighter above them, twinkling like a big, sparkly blanket stretched across the sky.
Matilda's hands shook a little in her lap. She wasn't good at this stuff—feelings, liking someone, talking about it.
She'd never had a boyfriend before, never even come close. She didn't know if Jack was her boyfriend, but she wanted him to be, and that thought made her nervous and excited all at once.
"Matilda," Jack said after a while, his voice low and a bit shy, like he was nervous too. "Can I say something? Something kinda big?"
"What?" she asked, turning to look at him, her heart beating a little faster.
He took a deep breath, like he was gathering up all his courage.
"I really like you," he said, his words slow and careful, like he'd been thinking about them for a long time. "Like, more than just friends, you know? I've liked you for a while now, and I just… I had to tell you."
Her breath caught in her throat, and for a second, she couldn't speak. Her face felt hot, her heart pounding so loud she was sure he could hear it.
"I like you too," she said finally, her voice shaky but honest. "More than friends, Jack. I really, really do."
His eyes widened, like he hadn't expected her to say it back.
"Really? You mean that? You're not just saying it to be nice?" he asked, his voice full of hope.
"Yeah," Matilda said, her face burning. She didn't look away, even though part of her wanted to hide under the tire. "I mean it, Jack. I like you a lot. Like, a whole lot."
He smiled, a big, happy smile that made her heart feel like it was glowing. He leaned in slow, just like he had under the gum tree that one day.
This time, Matilda didn't pull away or run. His lips met hers, warm and gentle, and she kissed him back, her hands grabbing the edge of his shirt.
It wasn't rushed like their first kiss—it was slow, real, and it made her head spin in the best way possible.
She liked him so much, maybe even loved him, though she wasn't sure what that word meant yet.
All she knew was that it felt huge, like her heart was too big for her chest.
They pulled back, both of them breathing a little faster. Jack smiled at her, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
"Was that okay?" he asked, his voice soft and a bit unsure, like he was worried he'd messed it up.
"Yeah," Matilda said, a big smile spreading across her face. "It was really okay, Jack. Like, super, super okay. I liked it a lot."
"Good," he said, looking relieved and happy.
He reached for her hand, his fingers rough from paint and dirt, and she held it tight, not caring about the mess.
His hand felt warm and strong, and it made her feel safe.
They sat there, under the stars, the wombat statue standing tall nearby, like it was keeping watch over them.
Matilda's heart was racing, but she wasn't scared anymore. Not with Jack holding her hand. She felt like she could face anything with him by her side.
"Hey, Jack," she said after a bit, her voice light and teasing. "You still wanna surf one day? Like, out there in the big ocean?"
"Yeah," he said, nodding enthusiastically, his eyes lighting up. "One day, I'm gonna get to the ocean and ride those waves. It's gonna be so cool, Matilda. I can just picture it."
She grinned, imagining him out there, flopping around in the water.
"Take me with you," she said, half-joking but kind of serious. "When you go, I wanna see it. I wanna see you try to surf."
"Deal," Jack said, his grin wide. "You'll love it, I bet. The ocean's so awesome. It's all wild and free, you know?"
"I'll probably drown," Matilda said, laughing at the thought of herself splashing around, trying to stay on a board.
"Nah, I'll save you," he said, squeezing her hand gently. "Promise, Matilda. I won't let you drown. I'll be right there with you."
She laughed again, leaning her head on his shoulder. The warmth of him made her feel safe, like nothing could go wrong.
"Okay, country boy," she said, her voice soft. "I'm holding you to that promise."
The night was perfect—cool, quiet, just the two of them sitting there, talking and laughing.
Matilda didn't think about London or Lily or her dad's mistakes. Just Jack, right here, right now, making her smile.
They kept talking, their voices soft in the dark—about the unveiling tomorrow, about what Wattle Creek might be like in a year, about silly stuff like what kind of food they'd eat at the party.
Matilda's favorite was the idea of sneaking extra cupcakes when no one was looking.
"Bet I could grab three before anyone notices," she said, giggling.
"Oh, I'd beat you," Jack said, nudging her playfully. "I'd have five cupcakes in my pockets before you even got one."
"Yeah, right," she said, shoving him back lightly. "You'd drop them all in the dirt, clumsy."
They laughed, their voices mixing with the crickets' song. Matilda's eyelids started to feel heavy, her voice getting sleepy, but she didn't want to leave this moment. Jack didn't seem to want to either.
"Stay a little longer," he said, his voice gentle, like he was asking her to stay forever.
"Okay," Matilda said, snuggling closer, her head resting against his shoulder.
His arm slid around her, warm and strong, and she closed her eyes, the crickets' song wrapping around them like a lullaby.
The stars blurred above her, and she felt safe, happy, like she was becoming a new version of herself.
She'd felt lost sometimes in Sydney, but not like this—not this warm, certain feeling. Wattle Creek wasn't Sydney, wasn't the home she used to know, but it was special in its own way.
With Jack by her side, it felt like more than just a place—it felt like somewhere she could belong.
Later, the headlights of Uncle Ben's truck cut through the darkness, bouncing over the dirt road.
"Time to go," Jack said, standing up and offering her a hand.
He pulled her to her feet, her legs wobbly from sitting so long on the tire.
"See you tomorrow," Matilda said, smiling up at him, her heart still fluttering like a butterfly.
"Yeah," he said, leaning down to kiss her again, quick and sweet, his lips soft against hers. "Night, city girl."
"Night, country boy," she said, her smile big and goofy, her cheeks warm.
She climbed into the truck, and Uncle Ben shot her a knowing grin from the driver's seat.
"Have a good night, kiddo?" he asked, starting the engine with a low rumble.
"Yeah," Matilda said, her voice full of happiness. "A really, really good night, Uncle Ben. The best."
He chuckled, shaking his head, and drove off down the bumpy road. Matilda glanced back, catching a glimpse of Jack as a shadow by the barn, his hands in his pockets.
Her lips still tingled from his kiss, her hand warm where he'd held it. She loved him—she knew it now, under the stars, and it was scary but so, so good.
Tomorrow was the big unveiling, the whole town coming together to celebrate. But tonight belonged to her and Jack.
She'd never forget it, not ever. It was the kind of night that felt like the start of something big, something real, and she couldn't wait to see what came next.