Matilda stood under the blazing sun, right next to the giant wombat statue in Wattle Creek.
It was her sixteenth day in this small town, and today was the big moment—the unveiling of the statue.
The whole place was buzzing with energy. People were laughing, kids were running around like wild puppies, and tables were piled high with sandwiches, cakes, and all sorts of goodies.
Mayor Frank William Dodd had gone all out, turning the day into a proper celebration.
Bright, colorful banners fluttered in the breeze, and a local band played cheerful, twangy songs that made everyone tap their feet.
The wombat statue, painted a bold red, stood ten meters tall, strong and proud, gleaming in the sunlight.
Matilda had poured her heart into it, staying up all night to make sure every detail was perfect.
She was exhausted, but seeing it now, she felt a warm glow of happiness.
Jack was right beside her, his cap pulled low over his eyes to block the sun. Just last night, under a sky full of twinkling stars, he'd opened up to Matilda.
He'd told her he liked her—not just as a friend, but as something more. Then they'd kissed, a soft, nervous kiss that made her heart race.
She'd told him she felt the same, and they'd kissed again, sealing something new between them.
Now, standing here together, it was official—they were a couple. Every time Matilda glanced at Jack, her stomach did little flips, like butterflies dancing inside her.
She wasn't sure how to be a girlfriend, but with Jack, she wanted to learn, step by step.
"Look at all these people," Jack said, his voice full of awe as he nodded toward the crowd. "They're all here because of your wombat statue."
Matilda shook her head, a shy smile creeping onto her face. "It's not just mine, Jack. It's our wombat. You helped out too, you know."
Jack chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners in that way she was starting to love. "Nah, come on. You did the real work, Matilda. I was just, you know, standing around, watching you be amazing."
"Oh, stop it," she said, laughing as she gave him a playful shove on the shoulder.
Jack grinned, catching her hand in his. His fingers felt warm and strong, and Matilda didn't pull away. Her cheeks flushed, but she didn't mind.
All around them, the town was alive—Mrs. Elsie May Carter was busy pouring lemonade into plastic cups, Uncle Ben was leaning against a table sipping a cold beer, and a group of old men from the pub were chuckling over some joke.
Then Matilda spotted Lily by one of the food tables, her arms crossed, shooting them a sour, jealous look.
Matilda just rolled her eyes. Lily's silly rumor about her and Jack leaving town had fizzled out. This statue, standing tall and proud, was proof they were here to stay.
Mayor Dodd climbed onto a wooden box, holding a megaphone to his mouth.
"Hey, everybody, settle down for a minute!" he shouted, his voice booming across the square.
The chatter and laughter quieted as people turned to listen.
"Welcome to Wattle Creek's big day! This giant wombat is here because of two special kids—Jack Flynn and Matilda Harper!" he said.
The crowd erupted, cheering and clapping so loud it made Matilda's ears ring. Her face grew even hotter, and she felt Jack squeeze her hand gently.
"Come on, Matilda, give 'em a smile," he said, his own grin wide and bright.
"I'm trying, Jack," she said, her voice a little shaky.
But as she looked out at all the happy faces, her smile grew bigger, real and warm.
The mayor kept talking, his words spilling out about how the statue would bring tourists, how it would put money in the town's pockets, and how it was a new chapter for Wattle Creek.
Matilda wasn't really listening, though. She was too busy sneaking glances at Jack. His grin matched hers, big and proud.
They'd done this together, through all the fights, that terrifying moment with a snake slithering by, and that awful rainy day when everything seemed to go wrong.
"Pull the tarp!" someone in the crowd shouted, their voice full of excitement.
Mayor Dodd waved at Matilda and Jack, signaling them to do the honors. Jack grabbed the rope, giving it a strong tug, and the tarp slid off with a soft whoosh.
There it was—the wombat, tall, red, and shiny, its goofy face staring out at the crowd. The people went wild, clapping, whistling, and laughing.
Kids ran up, their little hands touching the statue's base, giggling at how big it was. Matilda couldn't help but laugh too.
Sure, a giant wombat was kind of silly, but it was their silly, and that made it special.
Uncle Ben strolled over, his beer still in hand, a big smile on his face.
"Nice work, you two," he said, nodding at the statue. "You're the town heroes now, no doubt about it."
"Thanks, Uncle Ben," Matilda said, rolling her eyes but smiling. "You didn't exactly help, you know."
"Hey, hold on now," he said, chuckling. "I drove you around, didn't I? That's gotta count for something."
Jack nodded, backing him up. "He's got a point, Matilda. Those rides were pretty helpful."
Uncle Ben winked, then wandered off into the crowd. Matilda watched him go, then turned to Jack, her eyes wide. "This is so wild, isn't it?"
"Yeah, totally," Jack said, scratching the back of his neck. "I mean, I wasn't sure we'd actually pull this off."
"Same here," Matilda admitted, her voice soft. "But it's pretty awesome, right?"
"Super awesome," Jack said, his grin returning.
He stepped closer, slipping his arm around her shoulders. Matilda leaned into him, her heart beating a little faster.
The noise of the crowd—the chatter, the music, the kids shouting—seemed to fade away.
For a moment, it was just her and Jack, warm and close, like nothing else mattered.
They wandered over to a table loaded with food, grabbing a couple of sausage rolls. Matilda took a big bite, and a drop of grease dribbled down her chin.
Jack burst out laughing, reaching over to wipe it off with his sleeve. "You're such a mess," he said, his voice teasing.
"Shut up, Jack," she said, giggling as she swatted his hand away.
They ate their rolls, watching the party unfold. Kids were spinning around in circles, old ladies were huddled together whispering gossip, and the band was playing louder now, the music filling the air.
Matilda noticed tourists already starting to show up—cars were parked along the street, and people were snapping pictures of the statue with their cameras.
Mayor Dodd was right—this crazy wombat was already drawing a crowd.
"Do you think more will come?" Jack asked, brushing crumbs off his shirt.
"More what?" Matilda said, swallowing a bite of her roll.
"Tourists," Jack said, looking out at the cars. "Like, a whole bunch of them."
Matilda thought for a second, then nodded. "Yeah, I think so. This thing's weird enough to get their attention."
"Good kind of weird," Jack said, his voice soft and warm.
"The best kind of weird," Matilda said, smiling at him.
Jack smiled back, his eyes all gentle and kind. She loved that look—it felt like it was just for her, like he saw her in a way no one else did.
As the sun began to sink, the sky turned a soft pink, like cotton candy. The crowd started to thin out, people heading home with full bellies and happy hearts.
Matilda and Jack stayed by the statue, dropping down onto the grass to rest. Matilda's legs ached, and her hands were rough from all the work she'd put in.
But she didn't mind. She felt stronger, like she'd grown into someone new.
"So, what's next for us?" she asked, picking at a blade of grass.
Jack lay back on the ground, staring up at the sky. "No idea, Matilda. Just keep going, I guess."
"You mean stay here in Wattle Creek?" she asked, glancing over at him.
"For now, yeah," he said. "But later, maybe we could go somewhere else. Like the coast."
Matilda raised an eyebrow, curious. "For surfing?"
Jack grinned, his eyes lighting up. "Yeah, totally. You gotta come with me, Matilda."
Her heart did that little flip again. "You really mean that, Jack? You want me there?"
"Of course I do," he said, his voice serious. "I want you with me."
Matilda's cheeks warmed, and she nodded. "Okay. But I'm staying here for a while first."
"Me too," Jack said. "Wattle Creek's not so bad, you know."
"It's way better with you," Matilda said, her face flushing.
She felt shy saying it, but she didn't look away. Jack laughed, pulling her closer.
She leaned against him, resting her head on his chest. His heartbeat was steady, strong, just like him.
Uncle Ben wandered over, his grin wide and teasing. "Well, don't you two look all cozy," he said, winking at them.
"Shut up, Uncle Ben," Matilda said, sitting up quickly, her face red. Jack just laughed, not embarrassed at all.
"I'm proud of you, kid," Uncle Ben said, his voice softer now. "You too, Jack. You both did something real good here."
"Thanks," Matilda said, her tone warming. "You're not so bad yourself, you know."
"High praise from you," he said, chuckling. "Don't stay out too late, alright? Big day tomorrow."
Matilda tilted her head, curious. "What's tomorrow?"
Uncle Ben shrugged, his grin mysterious. "Life, kid. It keeps moving."
He walked off, leaving them alone. Matilda lay back on the grass next to Jack, staring up at the sky. The stars were starting to peek out, bright and sparkling.
"Life," she said, her voice quiet. "It's so weird, isn't it?"
"Yeah," Jack said, his voice low and thoughtful. "But it's good weird."
"The best weird," Matilda said, smiling.
She reached for his hand, their fingers locking together. The night air was cool, and the wombat statue loomed above them, solid and real.
Matilda thought about Sydney—her old life there was gone now, and her parents were leaving soon.
She thought about London, so far away, a place that didn't feel like hers.
But Wattle Creek? This was here, this was now, with Jack by her side. She didn't hate it anymore. In fact, she was starting to love it.
"We really did it, Jack," she said, squeezing his hand.
"We sure did, Matilda," he said, squeezing back. "We make a pretty great team."
"A really great team," she said, her voice full of warmth.
She turned to look at him, his face so close in the dim light. Jack leaned in and kissed her, slow and gentle, his lips soft against hers.
Matilda kissed him back, her hand resting on his cheek. It was perfect—the stars above, the grass beneath them, just the two of them. She didn't want this moment to end.
They pulled back, both smiling, their foreheads almost touching.
"One day," Jack said, his voice soft, "we'll go surfing together."
"One day," Matilda said, her heart full. "But I'm happy right here for now."
"Deal," Jack said, his grin wide.
They lay back down, the night wrapping around them like a blanket. Matilda felt full—happy, a little nervous, but so alive.
The future was big, full of things she couldn't predict, but with Jack beside her, it felt okay.
She'd stay in Wattle Creek, grow, learn what it meant to love someone. This place was her home now, and she was ready for whatever came next.
END.