‘Wonderful!’ Vanessa makes a notation on her clipboard and then proceeds to show me the bathroom, which is so small it takes practically no ‘showing’. There’s a toilet and a showerhead jammed right next to each other. There isn’t even a mirror. When I stand up inside of it, my head almost grazes the ceiling. I wonder how Hugh will fit inside, and then I realise that he probably won’t. The shower looks more like it was built for dogs than for humans, the faucet only comes up to my neck.
‘I know it’s small,’ Vanessa acquiesces, as we climb the ladders back up out onto the deck, ‘but a small boat is the only way we can get to the best reefs.’ She smiles at me, her bun spilling out all over head, and, despite the news that I’ll be crammed in a room with Hugh Harris for the next four nights, I can’t help but mirror her excitement. That’s what Millie had told me too. The best scuba diving in the world.
Derek and Natalie are the man with the camera and the woman with the scarf. I commit to remembering their names this time around. Derek is a hobbyist aquatic photographer and Natalie is his girlfriend. She hasn’t taken off her large sunglasses, so I never know if she’s looking at me or not. But she seems observant, her gaze constantly roving around the room. I stay quiet, trying not to draw any attention to myself.
Thankfully, Pippa does most of the talking for the group of us. After Aaron let us know the trip out to the reef was three hours, she started chatting away. When she asks Derek and Natalie how long they’ve been dating, Natalie shrugs and says, ‘A couple of months,’ and Derek says, ‘We’re in the honeymoon phase,’ while beaming. I wish Millie was here because the difference in their reactions is so stark that I don’t think they’ll last much longer than this trip, and I desperately want someone to gossip with.
I decide to avoid Natalie, at least for today. She seems forward and smart. And I’m nervous she’s the type to notice I’m going by a different name, and want to address it. So instead, I focus on Derek, making the mistake of asking him about his camera and getting trapped in what felt like an hour-long lecture on the pros and cons of underwater cameras and why this one in particular was the best money could buy. I find out that he works for a tech company, which confirms my worst fears: Derek is a very smart man from Texas who acts like a frat boy and buys the most expensive toys he can. Once again, I wish for Millie, but I see Pippa stifle a giggle when Derek asks if I want to see some of his old dive photos, and I feel a sense of relief that there is someone like-minded on the boat with me.
Throughout the conversation, if you could even call it that considering I hardly said more than three words, I see Hugh glance once or twice in my direction. We have settled into a familiar seat pattern. Hugh and I are on the same bench, Derek and Natalie are on the bench in the middle, and Pippa and Andrew are across from Hugh and me. We form a U-shape around Aaron, who presides over us from the captain’s chair.
At one point, Derek launches into an explanation of how cameras are instrumental in researching marine life. He accompanies this monologue with an explanation of the marine life present in the Great Barrier Reef. During his lecture, I see Hugh shift in his seat more than once. I see him fight back a smile out of my peripherals. It’s good to know at least one person is enjoying this conversation.
The more Derek mansplains, the more annoyed I get. I force a smile at him through clenched teeth, trying to ignore Hugh’s amusement.At least I’m being social!How was I supposed to know I was signing up for a lecture from someone who knows less than I do?And, in my defence, it was hardnotto ask him questions, given he lugged his camera back upstairs into the captain’s room and had his feet around the box like he was protecting a human life inside of it.
Mercifully, at some point Vanessa interrupts Derek to ask what his camera is doing on deck. She is not amused that he’s already gone against her rules. I turn away as she stares him down, trying to stifle my own laughter. I hear Derek tell Vanessa that the ‘sea breeze is good for drying out the equipment after all the humidity in Cairns’. I can practically see Vanessa’s eyes roll all the way back into her head. ‘But it’s anunderwatercamera,’ she points out.
I look around for another conversation to join but Pippa and Andrew are holding hands and watching the shoreline get smaller and smaller, Aaron is poring over a map and saying something into a radio, and Hugh has stood up and walked over to the railing to look out to sea. His hair has been ruffled by the ocean breeze and looks even more shaggy than it did when we met. We go over a larger wave than usual, and I watch as the veins on his forearm pop when he grabs the railing of the boat to steady himself.
He turns around and we make direct eye contact. I feel so caught in the act of staring at him that I immediately stand up, which forces me into an awkward situation of pretending like I have somewhere to go. Reluctantly, I make my way towards the front of the boat, where Miguel is readying our scuba equipment. The sun is beating down and the heat is unrelenting once I’m out of the shade. The aluminium guide rails are hot to the touch. I can’t wait to get into the water. To get to Miguel I have to pass Hugh, which turns out to be impossible given how much space he takes up and how narrow the sides of the boat are.
‘Excuse me,’ I say, attempting to edge around him but not wanting to touch his backside.
He shifts his torso completely so he’s parallel to me, effectively cutting me off from where I was headed.
We stand, in a stalemate, warily glancing at each other.
‘I was just going to sit back down,’ Hugh informs me.
‘I was just going to talk to Miguel,’ I reply. Neither of us move.
‘Oh, is Derek’s marine biology 101 class over?’ he says, his expression unreadable. ‘I have to say, I was happy to see you listening so closely. You do have a lot to learn.’
My heart skips a beat.So hedoesknow who I am.‘Oh wow, you certainly are something.’ Hugh cocks his head. A muscle in the side of his jaw ticks. ‘I’ve never met someone who ismoreannoying in person than online.’
‘What can I say? I don’t like to disappoint.’
I scowl.
‘Speaking of disappointments, did I hear Vanessa say we’re rooming together?’ he asks, with no preamble and certainly no smile. His mouth is still a perfectly straight line.
I check the box in my head that he in factdoessmile at everyone but me. My scowl deepens. ‘Yes.’
Hugh returns my scowl with one of his own. ‘Just my luck,’ he mutters, turning back towards the sea.
‘OK, you don’t have to be such an asshole,’ I mumble. It comes out a little louder than I intended.
Hugh whips back around. ‘I just need rest, that’s all. I didn’t know I would be sharing a room. Some of us have important work to do.’
I raise my eyebrows. ‘I’ll do my best not to get in your way, then.’ I turn to go, just as Hugh starts to crack a smile. He glances pointedly at the space I’m taking up in the walkway.
‘You kind of already are.’
I glare at him.
‘If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go see if Miguel needs help,’ I lie, knowing I won’t actually be able to help Miguel in any way. I pray Hugh doesn’t try to follow me.
Thankfully, he steps aside to let me pass, still smirking.
