Andante con Brio

XXXVI

The trip took longer than he had thought it would. On the map their beach spot seemed right on top of Sydney, but in Australia everything always seemed to be further away once you were actually there. He got out of the car slightly stiffly. It was undeniably gorgeous here, even though they weren't even on the trails yet. There were big, jungle-like trees everywhere and the air was clear and moist. Cooler, too, for which he was grateful if he was to do any climbing. 
"The guys should be over there." Todd pointed to a little wooden shack at the end of the parking lot. "It's a bit of a hike to the rocks, I think."

'The guys' turned out to be identical twin Aussie boys called T.J. and Jack, with sunkissed skin, beach bum hair and athletic gaits. Everything about them spoke of ease; the way they moved, the way they picked up the supplies and hoisted them over their shoulders, the way their red shirts fell over their muscular torsos, even their grins as they introduced themselves and looked their victims up and down. 
Eddy had never felt more uncoordinated or gawky in his life. He eyed Brett sideways. He knew it was ridiculous, but yet he had eyes, and he could see how good these guys looked. Could... could Brett? 
But Brett's eyes were on the climbing gear they had sorted. For now. 
Shit, what the fuck was this? Was he being jealous? Brett had never indicated looking at anyone else, had he? So why was he suddenly feeling all insecure now? 
He tried to shrug it off as they walked out of the shack as a group, following the twins up a rugged path. 

The path was steep and headed up. He couldn't see many mountains as yet, it was just green and grey all around. Still gorgeous, though. 
Lily was walking by herself, a little bit ahead of him. She had been quiet the whole time, much more quiet than he was used to from her. He caught up to her with a short jog. 
"Hey, Lils, you good?"
She turned to him and smiled. 
"Sure. Thanks."
"For real though. You just worried about the climb? Or is there something else going on?"
He had to fall back for a moment to get past a particularly big jungly tree with branches all over the path. A group of tourists passed them noisily, trecking towards civilisation, their faces tired but bright. When he caught up to his friend her eyes were firmly fixed on the path in front of her feet. He put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it gently. 
"Hey, Lils, it's not because you're the only girl here, is it?"
Suddenly she looked at him and giggled. 
"Nah, Eddy, don't worry, I don't mind that. You're almost like a girlfriend, anyway."
He raised his eyebrows in surprise.
Wait, what?
"Er, thanks, I guess?"
To be honest, he wasn't sure whether to be happy or offended? But before he could decide either way she giggled again.
"I don't mean to say that you're girly, Eddy, don't worry. I guess it's just that I can tell you anything. And I know you don't want me in... well, you know, that way." She looked at him now, her large doe eyes suddenly serious. "It's nice."
Ah. Well. That changed things. 
"Cool." he managed, lamely. "Er, I mean..."
She nodded and interjected before he could say anything else. 
"Those guys though, right? They look like they've done a bit of climbing before?"
He shook his head morosely. 
"Yeah. I know."

"Okay, people, we're going to reach the cable car, which will take us close to where we're climbing. Hope none of you are scared of heights!"
Eddy wasn't sure if it was Jack or T.J. talking. Seriously, if you were going to be identical, you could at least put on a different colour shirt, right? He carried on walking mechanically. 
Was he scared of heights? He wouldn't have said so, per se, but a cable car? Exactly how high were these mountains? 

It was there very suddenly as they came around a bend in the path. The silver cable car was big, square, boxy, and somehow a bit ominous-looking. He didn't stall, he just jumped on before he could chicken out, but the last thing he had expected to find inside was the most gorgeous vista he had ever seen, spreading out in front of him.
Oh my God.
It was a several hundred metre drop below him, which he tried his hardest not to give too much thought to, but man, that view! His eyes were fixated on the mountains way over across the valley on the other side, but he could feel that Brett had joined him because there was a soft hand against the back of his. 
"Wow." Brett breathed. 
"Yeah."
"Hey. Wow."Todd and Ian were joining him on his other side, and Todd whistled through his teeth. Eddy could hear more tourists boarding the car behind them but he wasn't about to look away. 
"I know, right?" he said to his left shoulder. 
"Yeah." Todd said dryly. "Quite pretty, I guess, though, if I had found it it would be called the sort of greenish brown mountains."

They were all still sniggering when a heavy metalic clunk thudded above them, Eddy guessed from whatever mechanics were keeping the car attached to the thick steel wire. They tore their gaze from the view and took their seats. And he couldn't help himself; when he caught another glimpse of how far down it was in front of the car he gripped the side of his chair tightly. 
Fat lot of good gripping it will do if this thing falls, Eddy. 
Well yeah. That may have been true enough, but it felt better to grip it anyway.