Passage to Australia [Passage to Australia Trilogy Book One]

Chapter V Australia Bound

Chapter V

Australia Bound

Was he really going to do it? Paris closed her eyes, expecting their lips to come into contact any minute. She waited. And waited. Finally she opened her eyes and found him grinning at her, amusement quite evident in his hazel eyes. Anger and humiliation flooded her senses and she came dangerously close to slapping that adorable face, leaving the imprint of her hand for him to wince in pain and attempt to explain it to Uncle Parker. How dare he!

But the door opened just then, breaking her resolve. Instead she jerked his arm off her waist and stormed out of the elevator, thankful no one was waiting at the entry for a ride. As fast as she could force herself to walk in Janine's killer heels she made her way to the door marked "Stairs".

"Paris!" She heard Erik call behind her but she paid him no mind and willfully slammed the door shut behind her, spitefully hoping it would catch his nose. She hobbled down the first half of the flight, but unable to bear it any longer, she stopped and quickly pulled her shoes off and carried them in her right hand, taking the rest of the steps barefoot.

The door on the seventh floor opened readily to her forceful push. She stomped the short few yards to the door of the stateroom she shared with her cousins and twisted the knob with vigor. It turned and the door opened to Janine and Brandon, the latter unpacking her suitcase into the closet and the other flipping channels on the TV. They both stopped in mid-motion when she blew in, her face a storm in and of itself and both hands waving wildly. She looked at the shoes she held in her hand. The cause of the whole catastrophe! she thought and threw them on the bed.

"I hate those shoes!"

Janine gasped and rushed to pick them up.

"Are you alright?" Brandon screwed up her face and gently took one of Paris' gesticulating hands.

"I'd be better if I hadn't just made a stupid idiot of myself!" She flung face down onto the bed and moaned, "I don't know if I can face him again."

There was a stunned silence above her before Janine said softly, "You mean Erik?"

"Who else would I mean?" She hadn't meant for her voice to come out so harshly but she knew her cousin wouldn't take offense.

"What happened?" Brandon sat down softly at her side and stroked her brown hair.

Someone knocked on the door and Janine went to answer it.

"The ship is about to set out, girls," Aunt Fiona's voice came from the hallway. "We're all going up on deck to watch. Come on." Her tone brooked no argument.

Paris dragged herself up off the bed and quickly rummaged through her baggage until she found a suitable pair of flats and slipped them on before following quietly behind her aunt and cousins.

She hesitated slightly when they came to the elevator, but Erik was no where to be seen. Six other people crammed into the small space with them and she moved with difficulty to press the "11" button. A couple minutes later the elevator stopped and let them out on the top deck, already dotted with people come to wave a last good-bye to loved ones on the docks. Fiona spotted Parker and they made their way to that part of the railing.

"Where's Erik?" Aunt Fiona asked after a quick glance around revealed only Parker and Paul.

"Hopefully he fell overboard," Paris muttered quietly. Brandon snorted and Janine sent her a concerned look.

"Are you sure you're alright?" She questioned, attracting Fiona's attention.

"Is something wrong, Paris?" Her aunt leaned over to closer inspect her face.