How Not To Be A Groupie

Chapter Forty: Telling Phil

Stelle and I stared at each other across the table. She kept glancing to her right and I kept glancing to my left, shaking my head. Stelle stuck out her bottom lip. "Please?" she mouthed. 

"No," I mouthed back. I could feel the tension between us. Stelle promised on the way here she wouldn't say anything. She wouldn't tell anyone I was a time traveler. But now with our present company, I guess the urge was too strong. 

Some papers rustled and a hand reached across the table to grab an apple out of the bowl. Phil looked back and forth between us over the top of his newspaper. "What?" he asked. 

Stelle opened her mouth to answer but I beat her to it. "Nothing," I said quickly. Stelle had forgotten she promised to drop by Phil's hotel room for a friendly chat. I could only assume she brought me along to keep her in check. I realized I was going to have to tell Phil the truth that day unless I wanted Stelle to do it for me. 

It was my responsibility. 

"Ya' seem awful twitchy," Phil said, looking at me. Right then I felt a muscle twitch in my eye.

"What makes you say that?" I asked looking like a nervous wreck. It was hot in Phil's room, hence the reason he had the fan blowing directly on him while he left his shirt on the armrest of the couch. I meanwhile, shivered in my shorts. Phil shrugged and turned the page in his newspaper. 

"I dunno," he said. "Ever since you came to Australia you've been jumpy an' waitin' for one of us to strike." I glanced at Stelle who turned her attention to her cup of tea. Or I was waiting for someone to catch me in the act. "We really don't bite, love."

"Most of the time," Stelle muttered over her cup and Phil laughed. 

"Right," he said. "Most of the time." He stood up from the table to pour himself another cup of tea. I declined any tea as I was anxious enough already without the added caffeine. Stelle leaned across the table and I leaned closer too, so our heads touched. 

"When are you going to tell him?" she asked. "I'm dying over here."

"I don't know," I whispered. "I want to tell him when we're alone."

"I can leave," Stelle said. "I can pretend I left something in our room and wait outside until you're finished."

I shook my head. "Thanks, but it doesn't feel like the right time." I couldn't explain it but it didn't feel right telling Phil now. Phil and I had barely spoken to each other the entire time I was here and dropping this on him felt unfair. I wanted to gain his trust first. Right now he kind of felt like a neighbor. Friendly enough but I didn't really know him. 

Phil came back and Stelle and I backed away from each other. "Happy for another day off from work, Phil?" Stelle asked. "Shame the concert got canceled." My ears perked up. 

"Yeah, it's a drag," Phil said. "Lookin' forward to smashin' it out on the drum kit. But I'm alright with another break. The pool sort of...tired us all out."

"It's so hot outside, I wouldn't mind another swim, right, Hannah?" Stelle eyed me over her tea. Phil also looked over at me and I shrunk. "How about we go to the beach?" Phil sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Something wrong with the beach, Phillip?"

"Nah, nothin's wrong," he sighed. He stretched out his hand and waved it helplessly. "It's jus' so far from my chair an' I'm so comfortable right here...."

Stelle snickered and shook her head. "Alright then, what do you suggest? We can't let this beautiful day go to waste."

"You takin' photos today?" Phil asked.