It was after 5am when Melbourne Train Girl got into her house.

"I think I'm going to miss you when I go away..." the Short Boy said as they once again sat in his car outside her house.
"And I think I'll miss you too..." Melbourne Train Girl replied.
"...which is is a little odd seeing as it hasn't been very long at all," he continued, smiling.

At 8:22pm that evening Melbourne Train Girl stepped onto the train. She was supposed to catch the earlier one, but it had taken longer than expected to get to the station. She sent the Short Boy an SMS telling him she would be late.

On the train there were people everywhere dressed in green and gold. They waved Australian flags and children laughed excitedly at the prospect of staying out much later than their bed time. Melbourne Train Girl decided she was the only person on that train going in to the city to watch a film instead of the soccer.

She took the hair tie she kept constantly around her wrist, and the bobby pins from her coat pocket, and tied her hair first up high, then low, and then to the side. Frustrated, she put the hair tie back around her wrist, the pins back in her pocket, and left her hair loose. It hasn't been cut in over a year, and Melbourne Train Girl doesn't know quite what to do with it. She thinks she is growing it. But she's not sure.

Once in the city more and more people dressed in layers of jumpers, coats and green and gold scarves joined the crowds coming up on escalators from train platforms and putting tickets through barriers. Melbourne Train Girl crossed the road with them, and stepped onto the first waiting tram.

The Short Boy would be in the book store near the cinema. Melbourne Train Girl walked in, and wondered which section she would find him browsing. She spotted his shaved head and black jacket at the magazines. He was reading an industrial design magazine - she liked that very much.

He kissed her hello and told her he had already bought tickets. It was his choice of film, and he had chosen well. Dark and funny; although after it was over they both agreed that the ending let it down. They sat close in the dark cinema, he on the left and she on the right. Melbourne Train Girl's left foot rested on her right thigh, her knee on the Short Boy's left. He held her hand and everything was so comfortable. At times she rested her head on his shoulder, and he rested his head on her's.

The Short Boy is only a little bit shorter than Melbourne Train Girl.

They stepped out of the cinema and into the bustling excitement of Lygon Street. All around people in coats and jackets and hats and scarves greeted each other, and restaurants and pubs were full with patrons and anticipation as large crowds drank beer and huddled around outdoor heaters, waiting for the soccer match to start. The street had been closed off, and police and security stood casually chatting to one another. They could afford to. The crowd were all surprisngly good natured.

At a busy pub Melbourne Train Girl drank hot chocolate, he a coffee, and they shared a plate of dips. Then the game started, and they decided to walk down to where one of the large screens was erected on the road. It was freezing cold. They stood, arms around each other, making bets on when the first goal would come. He said minute 37, she said 48. Both were wrong. At half time they walked to the other end of the street to watch the second half of the game on the other screen. This time the Short Boy stood behind Melbourne Train Girl, his hands in her coat pockets and his head on her shoulder. He hummed a little jig and they danced together to it to keep warm.

"What are you singing?" Melbourne Train Girl asked.
"Nothing. Just a made up song. The Short Boy's special song." he replied, still singing.

Melbourne Train Girl smiled and put her hands in her pockets to clasp his.

Australia lost.

The crowd dispersed, cold and subdued, walking back to cars or into homes. The Short Boy hummed again as they walked hand in hand.

"What are you singing now?" Melbourne Train Girl asked, "Short Boy's Song 2?"
"No, I think this is the same song as before. The second verse."

Melbourne Train Girl smiled again. She kissed him on the cheek and then they ran across the road to his car.

Melbourne Train Girl doesn't think she will see him again before he leaves, but she is certain he will call her. And he will miss her. She wonders if he realises just how much she will miss him.