Page 11 of This Stays Between Us

Phoebe

Then

In retrospect, I should have gotten up half an hour ago when Claire first tried to wake me. By the time we get to the dorm’s rec room for our Adventure Abroad orientation, Claire and I are ten minutes late.

Once we pull open the heavy door, the rumble of air-conditioning floods our ears.

The room looks like it hasn’t been updated in decades.

A projector hangs from one wall, and pool and air hockey tables are squished into a corner.

A combination of beat-up couches and an odd pairing of random recliners and fold-up chairs, almost all of which are occupied, decorate the middle of the room.

The others look a bit worse for wear, but at least they all managed to show up on time.

Ellery’s face is slightly green beneath her heavy makeup, Kyan is wearing sunglasses despite the low overhead light, and Hari manages only a small smile as we enter.

The only one who looks immaculate is Adrien. Of course.

A voice booms from the man standing next to Hari.

“Oi, you’re late.” He’s the largest person in the room by far, both in height and weight, and he’s wearing an impressive scowl.

A huge, bushy red beard extends from his chin, complemented by shoulder-length ginger hair tied back in a ponytail.

An Australian Hagrid, with all the size and none of the kindness.

I suddenly feel trapped beneath his anger and the others’ attention, and I feel my flight-or-fight instinct kick in. I settle on the latter option.

“So sorry about that,” I say, my voice saccharine. “But I promise you, we’re worth the wait.”

I glance over at Kyan, who smirks, and I feel a ripple of victory as Claire and I sit in the two fold-up chairs next to the couch where he is. I feel a prickle of irritation that Adrien managed to grab the spot on his other side.

“Well, aren’t we lucky,” Australian Hagrid says, sarcasm dripping from his rangy accent.

“Just the type of humility I appreciate in my students.” He clears his throat.

“As I was saying before that little interruption, my name is Nick Gould. I’m the faculty member at Hamilton College who’ll be leading this expedition.

And this here is Harriet, my teaching assistant.

She’ll be accompanying us over the next month. ”

“Nice to see you all,” Hari says primly. Upon sensing Nick’s curiosity, she turns to him, her voice softer. “I ran into a few of them last night.”

“Entirely sober, I suspect,” Nick says with an eye roll.

Before Hari can respond, he continues. “As you should all know by now, this program is intended to introduce you to Australia and all the country’s adventures.

” He flicks his eyes across the paper he holds in his massive hand, reading from it verbatim.

“‘To establish connections with people from all over the world and to understand why nearly twenty-six million people on this planet have chosen to call this magnificent country home.’” He drops the paper with a flourish. “Well, this is bloody rubbish.”

Tomas laughs lightly, apparently assuming that was the expected response. Nick’s stare fixes on him until the sound dries from Tomas’s mouth.

“Okay that’s enough of that shite,” Nick says, resuming his presentation.

“Since we’ll be stuck with each other for a month, we may as well get the introductions over with.

You know me and Hari already, but this stupid thing,” he sneers down at the paper, “says everyone in the group needs to go around and say their name, where they’ve from and—oh God—a ‘fun fact’ about themselves.

” He sighs. “Well, let’s get this over with. You start.” He points at Declan.

We go painfully around the group, repeating our names and hometowns like we did yesterday, this time adding in our “fun fact,” which, as Nick predicted, is definitely not as exciting as its name suggests.

Although, some do surprise me. Kyan’s family owns a luxury hotel company that operates throughout Southeast Asia; Ellery is fluent in three languages and proficient in two more; Adrien’s spent the last few summers volunteering in an orphanage in Lesotho .

God, those poor kids , I can’t help but think.

Others are blander. Tomas has dreamed of traveling to the Outback since he was a child; Claire never learned how to ride a bike (an admission she makes ruefully); Declan’s secondary school football team was named one of the best in Ireland.

I scour my mind for one that would be equal parts tantalizing and impressive, but my memory lodges on that one night.

My hand on the wheel, the shattering of glass.

“Leonardo DiCaprio hit on me at a bar in LA,” I say when it’s my turn.

Not exactly true, and by not exactly, I mean not at all, but it got the response I expected. That is, from everyone except for Adrien, who I heard mutter “bullshit” under her breath. Funny, I could say the same about her claim of being an off-brand Angelina Jolie.

Through it all, Nick seems nonplussed. It’s not clear if he’s even listening half the time.

Kyan leans over to me at one point, the feeling of his breath in my ear sending a ripple of pleasure down my spine.

“Should we continue our game from last night?”

It takes me a moment to remember what he’s referring to, but then it clicks. Truth or dare.

I turn and whisper, “Dare.”

Kyan smiles, shoots a look to make sure Nick isn’t paying attention—he’s not so furtively checking his phone as Ellery shares her fun fact—and whispers, “I dare you to do something to embarrass Nick.”

I raise my eyebrows. “You’re on.”

“Well, now that that’s over, let’s run through the agenda for the trip.”

“Actually Nick,” I say, raising my hand like a schoolgirl. “I have a question first.”

Nick doesn’t say anything, simply raises his bushy eyebrows.

“How open are Australians to foreigners?”

Nick looks at me like I’m an idiot. “We’re pretty welcoming, yeah,” he says in a tone that couldn’t possibly be more unwelcoming if he tried.

“I mean sexually.”

Nick’s face turns a shade that can only be described as puce as muffled laughter breaks out through the group. Confidence flows through me upon realizing some of it comes from the seat next to me. That is until Nick takes a step closer to me.

For a moment, I think he’s going to come after me. I close my eyes, already imagining the feel of hands on my arm, a voice in my ear. You are nothing.

But when I open my eyes, Nick isn’t even within touching distance. He won’t hurt you. Not like him , I tell myself. You’re safe.

Although based on the rage in Nick’s eyes, I’m not sure if that’s true.

“That’s enough,” he says through gritted teeth. “I don’t tolerate that shit here.”

I think about making another quip, but his expression makes me reconsider.

“Now, back to the agenda.” As he speaks, Nick’s tension releases slightly, like a balloon deflating.

“We’ll be starting here in Sydney for the weekend, taking it fairly easy, exploring, heading out to the Blue Mountains for a day before we head out.

All in all, we’ll be hitting four destinations.

I’m not going to run through it all, as I’m sure yous’re all familiar with the program’s schedule. ”

In that assumption, he’s wrong. I barely bothered to read the program summary in the brochure I snagged from my school’s study abroad office. Instead, I made my decision as soon as I clocked Adventure Abroad’s location—the furthest of all the programs from my university in Atlanta.

I steal a glance around the room at the others, all of whom seem to be more familiar with the schedule than I am and who are clearly excited about it. Except for Nick Gould.

“Fine, then. No questions. The bus for today’s city tour is waiting. We’ll start with the botanical gardens, then the opera house, and we’ll hit the barracks on the way back to campus.”

As Nick grabs a bag he’s slung over one of the tables, Josh perks up from where he’s draped across a couch. “Any chance we can stop for a Bloody Mary on the way? I could really use some hair of the dog.”

I see Nick’s spine go rigid, and when he turns, his face is a deep maroon.

“Oi. It seems like some of you think this program is a chance for you to get away from school and be loose and loud and do everything you wouldn’t get away with at home.

But it’s not. This is an educational opportunity.

” He delivers the last phrase with a healthy string of saliva.

“You’re not at home anymore, no mum or da here to keep an eye on ya.

And you better believe Hari and I won’t be babysitting yous.

You’re on your own out here, so ya best start acting like adults. ”

The speech is so similar to one of my father’s scoldings that I can’t help but sit up a bit straighter.

“Straya,” Nick continues, “is a dangerous place. It’s home to more deadly species than any other country in the world.

” Taking the time to make eye contact with each of us, Nick rolls up his sleeve, baring his forearm for the entire room to see.

Even from here, I can make out two red dots amid the bush of ginger arm hair.

“King brown snake,” he says, using his left hand to point at the scars.

“The largest venomous snake in Australia. Had to suck the venom out myself when I was hiking outside Jagged Rock, where we’ll be going.

Yous need to be vigilant. Careful. Focused on something other than flirting and drinking. ”

He shoots us another look as if daring one of us to contradict him. “Now head to the bus,” he orders.

I begin following the others to the door, but Nick’s gruff voice stops me.

“Oi, you.” When I turn, he’s pointing one of his hot dog-like fingers in my direction. “Stay back a minute.”

He waits for everyone else to leave, until it’s just the two of us.

Goose bumps prickle my skin as he walks towards me, apparently no longer concerned with keeping the bus waiting.

He doesn’t stop until he’s close enough that I can smell his breath, his broad shoulders leaning over me. I clock again how much larger he is than me, how easily he could break me. My spine stiffens as I hear that voice again. I can do whatever I want to you and nobody would care.

“As I said,” Nick says coldly. “I don’t tolerate that type of bullshit on my programs, got it?”

“I didn’t—”

“You did. I know your sort. Privileged, rich girls used to getting away with anything. Acting like you’re better than everyone.”

Despite the fear flooding through me, I feel a small ripple of anger. “That isn’t me,” I say, even though it’s not that far from the truth. “And you don’t know anything about—”

He grabs my upper arm, tight. I try to gasp, but my breath catches in my throat.

“Listen.” Specks of saliva land on my cheek and I cringe. “You do not want to fuck with me.”

I stare up at him, too stunned to speak, already feeling the bruises blooming beneath his fingers.

“Now get to the bus.”

He releases his hand from my arm and shoves me towards the door.