“Right,” boomed a voice through the crowd. A large figure brushed Marco aside and joined their circle. He was colossal but Dante was more focused on the fact that he looked like Viktor if Viktor was stretched about twelve inches. He was about 6’5, same horrendous hairstyle and matching eye piercing. His arms were much bigger, like the thickest part of a python. He seemed older, but by how much, Dante had no idea. He was basically Viktor’s sidekick and for whatever reason, James also known as “Diesel”, was fine with that.
By this point, almost everyone had arrived. The last two on the bus were the most interesting to Dante. He didn’t need Asmir to introduce him to these two.
“You know I’ve got a hat just like that, but it looks a hell of a lot better on you. I’m Dante by the way,” he said in an attempt to break the ice.
They both laughed. “Oh really?” the dark-haired one said. “It’s good to meet you, Dante. I’m Annie and this is my friend Becki.”
Her friend was shorter than her with long, blonde hair. She had a crooked smile and her nose crinkled when she laughed. But Annie was more his type. Fairly tall, chestnut brown hair that just touched her shoulders. She had a kind smile and a sort of innocence which for some reason he found endearing. Both were naturally tanned because they had been there for two weeks already and the weather had been kind to them.
“So you guys are from England?”
“Yeah, just outside London actually. But I don’t want to think about home right now. Work was getting crazy before we came here. We’re here to cut lose for a few weeks,” Annie said sliding her bag under her seat.
“You mean Uni?” Dante asked.
“No, we own our own fashion line. We had a gap in our schedule so we left our CFO in charge. You at Uni then?”
“Yeah, Canwell. But that’s not as impressive as owning my own fashion line. How old are you guys?” Before he’d even finished the sentence he knew he’d made a faux pas. His Mum had always told him to never ask a woman her age. If she wants you to know, she’ll volunteer it.
Mortified he quickly tried to repair the damage. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean…”
But Becki interrupted him. “Relax, Dante. I’m nineteen and she’s twenty-one.” She had a husky, gravelly voice like she’d been smoking for twenty years. He liked it.
But before Dante could say another word a stumpy, hazel-haired woman popped up at the front and coughed into the loudspeaker.
“Hey guys. My name is Mel Brown and I will be your guide for the duration of your trip.” A cheer went up. She smiled and blushed a little. “Welcome to the Pleasant Pheasant, everyone. I will do my best to make your trip with us three weeks of awesome.” There were a few giggles. She was obviously nervous and her Kiwi accent made the phrase sound even funnier.
“It will be a few hours until we get to our next destination so make yourself comfortable and enjoy the ride.”
Someone from the back shouted out, “Where are we going first?”
She smiled grudgingly as if to say, “You should have read the program,” but she had to be on this bus with a mob of youngsters for the next few weeks. She had to make a good impression or the rest of the trip would be torture for her. She simply replied, “Hot Water Beach.”
Dante shuffled sideways back to his seat and squeezed past Asmir to the safety of his corner.
“Az, what the hell is a ‘Pleasant Pheasant’?”
“Oh, so you’re a convict then, are ya?” This line and the commotion that came after it was what threw Dante out of his peaceful sleep.
“Shut your face, Viktor!” screamed a guy who he hadn’t met yet. He had dirty blond hair and a slightly darker beard. Dante could tell by his accent that he was Australian.
“What’s Carl saying?” Viktor mocked, turning towards James for a reaction. James obliged him.
“Something about shrimps and barbecues, I reckon,” James chuckled.
“Ignorant idiots!” Carl flew at Viktor and landed a couple of blows to the side of his head before anybody could intervene. James then threw out a huge tattooed arm and grabbed Carl tightly by the shoulder.
“I don’t like hurting people, but I will hurt you if you make another move,” he said menacingly, his eyes fixed on Carl.
Dante could see Carl weighing up his options and realizing pretty quickly that James had size and reach on him so he backed down, still glaring at Viktor who was grinning smugly from behind James’ gigantic left shoulder.
Mel had seen this and decided to stamp this kind of behavior out early. She called them both up to the front and spoke quietly enough that she wouldn’t be embarrassing them, but sternly enough to ensure it never happened again. Dante only heard one sentence of the lecture, but one sentence was enough in this circumstance.
“If this happens again, pack your bags, your tour’s over. Understood?”
They both nodded.
An eventful morning, Dante thought to himself.
Dante looked out the window and was hit by the bright sunlight. He raised his hand to block it as best he could. It was obvious they were coming close to the coast. Seagulls circled above and the salty scent of the ocean drifted in through the open window. Dante loved the ocean. He had lived there for years in his childhood. His cousins had been close by. Every day after school they would head over to the dunes just around the headland and roll down them, run down them, whatever they felt like on the day. He remembered how he had just sat there, after they had all gone home and stared at the sea. Rain or shine, he cherished that moment. But he could safely assume that he wouldn’t get that kind of time to himself for a while. Especially with Asmir around.
He turned to Asmir, “Hey. Thanks again man for getting me to come on this trip. I needed this.”
Asmir beamed at him and slapped him on his back. “We’re gonna have a good time. I’ll make sure of that.”
Dante laughed. If there was one thing that Asmir was good at, it was ensuring he had a good time. He couldn’t finish an assignment on time but he could take you on the night of your life.
Mel stood up at the front as he knew she would and announced, “Wipe your eyes and stretch those thighs, we’re here!”
There was a collective cheer which ended up more like a collective groan. Half the bus had been asleep and had not taken kindly to Mel on the loudspeaker.
This was it then. The start of the trip of a lifetime. It would be unforgettable.
“Do you need help down there, mate?” came a voice from behind him.
“Erm… No… No thanks, I’m fine,” Dante mumbled as he tried to get himself together.
They were at Hot Water Beach and Dante had been the last to disembark. In his haste to catch up with the rest of the group he had rushed down the stairs, tripped and fallen flat on his face. He felt the sand beneath him, hot on his skin from a full day of sun. He must’ve been on the ground a second or two before instinct kicked in and he thrust himself to his feet with ease. As he brushed the sand off his face and clothes he turned towards the kind soul that had offered his help. It was the bus driver.
“Kid. Watch your step next time. Lucky it was only me that was here to see that. I’ve seen the same happen to other kids and they were legends for the rest of the trip,” then, just to rub it in he added, “in