When it came time for the English boys to speak, they also decided to stand up to recount their story as a duo. It turned out they were both 21 years old, had recently completed university that year in England, and were traveling around the world on a gap year. They had already spent time in India, the Maldives, and Thailand, before arriving in Bali about a week ago. They'd been in Kuta, Bali's most popular coastal resort area, enjoying a 'beach break' before joining the tour. The group laughed at the idea of taking a 'beach break' during a round the world trip – surely that's all they had been doing so far? The tans they had certainly made it look that way at least!
Again, Mark did most of the speaking, while Henry kept himself to himself. He seemed comfortable in his own skin, but just didn't say much. Was he arrogant? Did he not like the group? Jenny kept her gaze on him as they stood: there was something undeniably attractive about him. Aloof, laconic, and charming with his English accent, Jenny was drawn to him. He, however, seemed little interested in much at all, least of all her.
After another drink and some more casual chit-chat, the group began to disperse. Andy had given them a quick run down of what to expert over the next few days, and it appeared that early starts were going to be a common thing. At 11.30, therefore, and with jetlag still to be battled, Jenny and Sarah both made their way to their room.
Jenny brushed her teeth and strolled out onto the balcony for one final glance at the starry sky before settling in to bed. She looked down to see Mark and Henry still at the table by the pool, lighting up cigarillos with another Bintang beer in hand. The way Henry smoked, the way he casually sat, laid back and secure in himself, drew Jenny in further.
That night, lustful thoughts of Henry began to creep into her mind, replacing the memories of Trent that had been plaguing her recent dreams.
Chapter 3
The following day was fantastic. Early the next morning the group spent time on a walk through Ubud and some of the surrounding temples, before heading back to the hotel for lunch. From there, Andy had arranged for rental bikes to be delivered to the hotel. With their travel rucksacks and other belongings packed into a 4x4, driven by a separate driver, Andy guided the group along tracks; passing fields, rice paddies, villages, jungles, and rivers, as they went. Along the way they stopped off to explore intricately carved temples, and enjoyed a late lunch at a roadside cafe with some authentic Balinese food. Before long, they'd reached the peaceful and scenic village of Sidemen, with the imposing peak of Bali's highest mountain, Mt Agung, in the background.
For Jenny, this was exactly what she was looking for. Something adventurous, exciting, and completely different from her life back in New York. Feeling the warm sunshine on her skin and the clean unpolluted air in her lungs gave her new vigor. Screw Trent and all his shit. This was what life was about – experiencing different things and...meeting new people. With this thought she instinctively glanced over at Henry. He was being photographed by Mark standing next to his bike, with the mountain behind framing the picture. His vest was tied round his waist, and his lean 6 feet 2 inch body was glistening with sweat from the ride. He looked strong, yet athletic, the sort of body that wouldn't look out of place gracing the cover of a men's fitness magazine.
“Found a new fancy man have you?” Sarah popped up from behind Jenny. “Yeah, don't look so coy, I've been watching you checking him out since yesterday! No shame in that....he's hot! Why don't you talk to him? A holiday fling might do you some good at the moment!”
“I dunno. I don't think he's interested at all. I haven't seen him looking at me, maybe he's already got a girlfriend back home?”
“Well, you'll never know unless you ask....come on, go talk to him!”
Jenny shuffled nervously. She felt a little intimidated by Henry's looks, but also by the way he carried himself. Sure, he was only 21, a couple of years older than her, but he seemed a lot older. Jenny herself was also a looker, but she never really saw herself that way. Perhaps it was a step-mother who always put her down, or the fact that she'd been cheated on by a string of ex boyfriends. Whatever the case, she didn't feel comfortable approaching him, at least not yet anyway.
“I think I'll give it a miss for now. I'm sure we'll speak as the tour goes on.”
With that, she ambled her bike in the opposite direction towards Andrew, who she'd struck up a friendship with over the morning's ride. His Irish “craic”, as they called it (that's humor or banter to you and me), made Jenny laugh, and that was just what she wanted right now.
The rest of the day and evening was spent exploring the village of Sidemen and the surrounding countryside. Despite his jovial and cartoonish way, Andy was extremely knowledgeable about the local area, giving the group fascinating insights into the local geography, its flora and fauna, and the religious and cultural customs they'd be likely to witness. This belied his clean shaven head, muscular frame, and tattooed skin, and the entire group seemed sucked in by his passion for the country that he now called home.
In the evening the group retreated to their hotel before settling in for an early night. With Jenny and Sarah still combating their jetlag, they were perfectly happy to oblige. However, before bed, Jenny couldn't help but seek a glimpse of Henry, sitting out beside the pool with his mystery book in hand. He looked pensive and deep in thought, jotting down a few sentences every so often. Jenny turned away and slunk into her bed, quickly entering a deep slumber.
The next day was more relaxed. The group learned the Balinese art of 'songket', or basket weaving early in the morning at a local workshop, before trekking the gentle slopes into the mountains for some incredible views of the island's volcanic landscapes. At one point they came across a magnificent waterfall cascading into a pool of glistening blue water. Andy encouraged the group to jump in and get behind the waterfall, taking the lead in typically gung-ho fashion. Soon, Andrew, Mark, and Henry were following suit, stripping to their shorts and diving in.
Once again, Jenny couldn't help but be impressed by Henry's physique, watching his back muscles ripple as he swam towards the falling water. She and Sarah weren't strong swimmers, so instead kept themselves to the shallower end of the pool, stripping to their bikinis before plunging in.
From here Jenny looked up towards the rocks to see Henry looking at her from a cave behind the waterfall. His eyes caught hers and he quickly turned away, twisting his lean torso and diving back into the depths. Jenny continued to splash and play with Sarah, bringing an incredulous Eno into the action by steering their water-sprays in his direction, soaking his t-shirt. Not one to complain, he counter-attacked by dive bombing into the pool himself, sending a powerful wave over them, as Miley smiled, watching on from the banks.
Soon they were all back on the rocks, lying down beneath the hot summer sunshine, Andy and Mark engaged in a heated debate about cricket. “Five more minutes, and then we're off,” called Andy to the group, purposefully cutting Mark off from his insinuation that England were now better than Australia at sport. Mark let out a wry smile, stepping off towards Henry to gather his things.
The rest of the morning and early afternoon continued in this way, the group bonding and getting to know each other as they trekked through the jungles and hills. By mid-afternoon they were back in the hotel, packing their bags for a shortish drive north toward Mt Batur.
On arrival the group unpacked at their hotel, a beautifully scenic place sitting in the shadow of Mt Batur and right on a lovely expansive lake of the same name. The hotel seemed almost like a classic motel in America, Jenny thought, long trailer-like structures divided up into single storey rooms. Each of these rooms stepped out onto a large courtyard with al fresco dining just across the road from the lake. There were plenty of tables, but very few tourists. Again, Jenny was pleasantly surprised by how few travelers she had seen beyond the group.
The group gathered for dinner in the middle of the courtyard, well served by the many waiters who seemed to have no-one else to attend to. Jenny looked over to her roo
m and saw Henry and Mark appear from the room next door. Henry was well dressed in a casual blue shirt that really brought his tan to life, and seemed to have arranged his brown hair more neatly for the evening, swiping it across to the side in a manner similar to superman. He sat down opposite Sarah, giving her a friendly smile as he did.
Dinner was quiet and relaxed, excluding an episode where Andy questioned the state of his chicken. Having eaten half of it, he came to the sudden realization that it might not be as cooked as it should have been and, after questioning the group about its appearance, decided to take the drastic measure of removing it from his gut manually using a glass of water and copious amounts of salt. On return, he seemed fine, and began briefing the group on the following days activities, which would include a very early morning trek up Mt Batur to catch the sunrise, something he assured them would be well worth the 4.30 am start.
After the odd grumble, the group began to get up and leave the table. Sarah and Mark, having sparked up a bit of interest in each other over the previous couple of days, wandered off down towards the lake. Eno, the chief grumbler concerning the early morning get up, trundled off to his room for a good nights sleep, while Miley, Andrew and Andy each said their goodnights and went their separate ways. Before she knew it, Jenny was sat alone at the table with Henry, both of whom had a half glass of local wine left to finish.
“I guess I'll leave you to it then Henry.” Jenny had gotten the feeling that perhaps he'd rather be alone. “Have a good night”.
“Leaving so soon?”
This caught Jenny off-guard. “Um, yeah I suppose it's best to get some rest before tomorrow, don't you think?”
Henry looked at her and smiled. Jenny's heart missed a beat, and she coyly smiled back. He had beautiful white teeth and a dashing smile. “I don't think I'll be going to bed for a little while yet. Maybe it's the university life, but I can never seem to get to sleep before midnight. Won't you stay and have a drink with me? As long as you don't mind me smoking?”
“No, not at all. Um, OK, I guess I can stay for a drink.”
With that Henry stood up. “What would you like?”
“Another glass of wine would be lovely, thank you”
Henry nodded and strolled over to the group of waiting staff that had gathered over by the bar. He carried himself so well, immediately engaging the waiters, who smiled at him as he made his request. Within a moment he returned, cigar in one hand and a pack of matches in the other. Jenny was struck by his assertiveness, his calm demeanor, and his confidence. Confidence, not arrogance, Jenny realized... confidence.
“So how are you finding the tour so far,” Jenny asked as the waiter brought over their wine and laid it down in front of them.
“Excellent, and you?”
“It's great, just what I needed right now, certainly makes a break from New York life.”
“I would have thought New York life would be quite exciting,” responded Henry quickly, enquiringly.
“Well, yes, and no,” she said, dropping her voice. “I guess when you're so used to somewhere it's not that exciting anymore.”
“I suppose I know what you mean. The grass is always greener on the other side, as they say. I'm sure when you get back from this trip you'll perhaps feel differently.”
Henry spoke those words carefully, knowingly. It was as if he knew what she was talking about, that she was escaping a break-up; mending a broken heart. He looked at her and continued: “So how long are you here for? Is it just the tour, or are you going anywhere after?”
“Well, we have a week in Seminyak after the tour ends before we have to catch our flight. Do you know it?”
“Yes I do as it happens. Mark and I were staying in Kuta last week, and it's just down the road, all part of the same coastline. It's very different from what we've had on this tour so far. Full of bars and nightlife – it's where all the Aussies flock to for their summer holidays.”
Jenny responded that she was looking for an authentic experience, but that a little extra fun might be good at the end of the tour. “And you, are you staying on after the tour?” Her question was hopeful.
“Not really. We have a day or two when the tour ends but have a scheduled flight to Singapore to catch. All part of our round the world ticket.”
Jenny's heart didn't quite sink, but it certainly dropped a little. “Well, hopefully we'll be able to get to know each other a little better before you have to leave,” she said, the words springing from her mouth unexpectedly. She blushed, and took a sip of wine.
“I certainly hope so,” said Henry, looking straight at her. “I think we'll get along well.” They both smiled at each other.
They continued to chat for a little while, seeing Mark and Sarah pass by and head off into their own rooms, both of whom offered surreptitious glances to their friends as they went. Jenny spoke about her life at college, her degree in medicine, and her family. Henry reiterated her sentiments about parents – both had experienced broken marriages – and described his love of sport, passion for animals, and ambitions to be a writer. He wasn't as she'd expected, and nothing like the “jock” types she'd seen so much of back home. He was more mature, seemingly less inhibited by expectation and social pressure. Whether he was like this where he lived she didn't know, but she did know one thing – she wanted to know more; she wanted to spend more time with him.
As midnight approached, Jenny glanced at the clock hanging up over the bar. She didn't want to go to bed, but felt she must. Henry noticed her concern, and quickly pointed out that they should probably call it a night. The way he said it, and Jenny's expression when she heard it, showed both their desires were to the contrary.
They stood up and felt an immediate chill in the air, a cool breeze brushing over them from the lake. A light fog was beginning to settle, creating a beautiful glow over the water from the light of the moon. They stood there together for a moment in silence, gazing out over the water and mountains beyond, thousands of stars sparkling in the distant skies. “It really is beautiful isn't it,” Jenny said.
“Yes....beautiful,” replied Henry, turning to look in Jenny's deep green eyes as he did.
With that, they turned together and walked back to their rooms. “Goodnight,” they said simultaneously, before turning away and disappearing from each others sight.
Chapter 4
Beep! Beep! Beep!
Jenny's alarm blazed into life at 4.15 am after only 4 hours of sleep. She rubbed her eyes, sat up in bed, and had an almighty stretch. Sarah strolled out of the shower, towel around her body. “Have fun last night did you?” She had a cheeky smile on her face.
Jenny couldn't resist a smile of her own. “Yeah, it was nice,” she said, trying to keep casual. “Nothing happened really, just talking, you know.”
“Sure....talking. I'll bet!”
“Well what about you,” Jenny exclaimed, trying to divert the attention back to her. “You and Mark seemed to be getting along very well...taking a romantic walk down to the lake, what's that about?”
“Oh nothing really, just kissed, nothing much.”
“You kissed!” Jenny didn't know why she was no surprised, Sarah was very popular with the men.
“Easy there Jen....yep we kissed, it's not exactly headline news! He's cool though, I LOVE his English accent, makes me swoon!”
They continued like this for a few minutes, back and forth. Sarah seemed convinced that something had happened, and wasn't gonna let Jenny give her nothing.
“Why are you so convinced something happened? Yesterday was like the first time we actually talked, why would I go kissing him straight away?”
“Oh I dunno, maybe because he likes you and you like him? That's usually a good enough reason Jen!”
Jenny couldn't help but pick up on Sarah's comment: “Did you say he...likes me? What makes you say that?”
Sunrise in Bali - Across the Pond Trilogy (Book 1) Page 2