The Busker finished his cigarette, flicked it to the grass, and stubbed it out with his shoe. What did he think of her? It was clear that he didn’t recall her from the afternoon. She could say something. She mulled it over. If she didn’t talk to him about their first meeting she’d regret it. ‘I think I know you,’ she said, turning back to him.
‘Yeah? You know me?’
‘You’re a Busker, right?’ she asked.
He laughed again. ‘You’ve got me. I’m guessing you’re a fan?’
‘I saw you at midday today.’
He stood still, staring at her with a new intensity. His eyes shone in the moonlight from under his curly hair.
‘You were busking by the harbour earlier, weren’t you?’ Sally asked.
‘The harbour? This afternoon?’ He dropped his light tone. He was serious now.
‘You were, weren’t you?’
‘Yeah.’ The Busker nodded. ‘I was.’
‘Well, I saw you there.’
His nodding turned into a smile, his cheeky smile she liked. ‘Now I remember. You were staring at me. That was you, wasn’t it?’ he asked.
‘I wouldn’t say I was staring at you,’ Sally replied.
‘Yeah, you were staring. The Staring Girl,’ he chuckled to himself. ‘Hang on, didn’t you run into me?’
‘What?’ Sally winced at his suggestion. ‘I ran into you? It’s more like you ran into me. You bumped into me so hard you made me drop my friend’s phone. You basically broke it.’
‘Hey, what are you talking about?’ He asked, raising his hands again. ‘I didn’t break your friend’s phone.’
‘Yeah, you did,’ Sally said, her voice rising.
‘Let’s straighten this out. You were the one who ran into me. The phone must’ve slipped out of your hands.’
‘No, you ran into me.’
‘Let’s agree to disagree,’ the Busker said.
Sally frowned. ‘Whatever.’ It came out colder than she expected, and the Busker flinched.
‘We’ve got into a bit of a weird situation here,’ he said. He started to walk over to her. He stopped. The Busker was now standing directly in front of her, and Sally was at the edge of the cliff.
20
The Busker offered out his hand to Sally, she looked at it, and then looked at him. ‘How about we start over?’ he asked, smiling.
‘Okay.’
‘My name’s Charlie.’
‘I’m Sally,’ she said, and they shook hands.
‘Good to meet you.’
‘You too,’ she replied. She couldn’t help staring at him. Charlie was attractive up close, despite his unshaven appearance. His face was sharp, his lips full, his nose prominent under his curly hair. If Ashley saw him she’d say he was Sally’s type. She wouldn’t be wrong. Sally was drawn to him in the same way she was drawn to him at the harbour. She liked his energy. They’d spoken fast with each other. It was like they connected, like they’d known each other for years. Sally hated the word, but she had to admit that they had some form of chemistry.
She was stuck up here with him, stuck talking to him until enough time had passed. Until she could safely assume Jim and Sam had left the hostel room. This was the chance to understand why Charlie had pushed her earlier. This was the chance to find out who he was. She’d missed him in the crowd at the harbour, but here was her chance to set things right.
She wanted to get to know him.
‘So, why have you come all this way around the world?’ Charlie asked, and Sally scoffed.
‘How did you know I’m a tourist?’
‘The accent gives it away,’ he said.
‘Oh.’
‘So, what are you doing here?’ Charlie asked again. ‘And don’t tell me it’s to stare at buskers.’
‘It’s something like that.’
‘Ah, you want to be mysterious. I get that.’
Sally couldn’t stop gazing into his eyes, like he had a spell on her. She liked him.
‘Sort of. Do you live here?’ she asked, pointing at the beach suburb below. The lights of the apartments and bars twinkled in the night. She’d been right with Ashley earlier, the view from here was beautiful.
‘Something like that,’ he said.
‘Very funny,’ Sally replied. She decided to tell him more, what harm could it do? As long as she never revealed where she was staying, or anything else identifying. Despite her newfound interest in the Busker, she was still wary of him. He was still a stranger. ‘My friend and I wanted to travel, and we finished university together earlier this year, so we thought it’ll be a good chance to go. We arrived a few days ago.’
Charlie nodded. ’And your friend is the one who’s phone I’ve reportedly broken?’
‘Exactly.’
‘Have you been here before?’ he asked.
‘No,’ Sally replied. ‘My Dad came here when he was my age, and he loved it. He visited the beach down there. He wouldn’t shut up about it.’
‘Good for him, but I reckon you should get out of the city. You should see the real country.’
‘You think?’
‘Yeah. Screw the city. What’s the point in coming this far just to look at buildings?’ He smiled. ‘And buskers?’
‘My friend won’t want to leave the city. She likes it here.’
‘Go on your own.’
‘I can’t do that,’ Sally said.
‘Why not?’ Charlie asked.
‘Well, it’s not safe,’ Sally replied. ‘Besides, I don’t even know where to go.’
Charlie took a step closer to Sally so that he was right next to her. They both were a step away from the edge of the cliff. He leaned over to inspect the drop. He whistled at the distance. ‘Not knowing where to go makes it even more exciting, don’t you think?’ he asked. Were they flirting?
‘I’m scared of snakes, though. And spiders.’
‘The best experiences are usually not safe,’ Charlie said. ‘Why are you really up here?’
Sally bit her lip. What to say? She could say lots of things, but for sure she wasn’t going to mention Jim. ‘I wanted to get away from where I’ve been staying for a little bit.’
‘I see. You’re staying with the friend who’s phone I allegedly broke?’
‘Yeah.’
The waves thundered below them. They fell into a silence between them as they viewed the dark ocean. It wasn’t an awkward silence like it had been in the bar queue with Sam. It was comfortable standing there next to the Busker. Natural. She was irritated at how he made her feel at ease. A stranger shouldn’t have that kind of power over her. This weird little meeting at the top of a cliff was better than any date she’d been on.
‘It’s a good view,’ Sally said, breaking the quiet.
Charlie gestured towards the city. ‘This will all be gone one day. All of it,’ he said. ‘They say the sun will explode and wipe out the solar system.’
‘Really? Who says?’
‘I don’t know. Scientists. The whole world will be gone, can you imagine that? It makes me think sometimes. Like, our lives are completely meaningless, nothing matters.’
’Please tell me you aren’t going to jump.’
Charlie closed his eyes and took a step forward so that his feet were at the edge, in the same dangerous spot Sally had been earlier. He cocked his shoulder back, preparing to dive. She'd been joking about him jumping, but now her heartbeat quickened. He might actually do it.
Charlie opened his eyes and winked at Sally. ‘I'm kidding,’ he said. He took a step back from the edge and spun to smile at her, his face only inches away from her own. She could see him up close, she could see how his skin was smooth and his teeth white. She could smell the smoke on his breath. He was sexy, and he knew it. ‘You thought I was about to jump.’
‘No, I wasn’t.’
‘Yeah, you were.’
‘I wasn’t,’ she replied.
They stared at each other for a moment until Charlie turned towards the
beach again. Sally was so aware of his presence, and how close he was to her. She shivered. ’Isn’t it odd we saw each other this afternoon, and now we’re here? We’re in this city of millions, and yet we end up in the same place twice in one day?’ Charlie pondered.
‘It could just be a coincidence,’ Sally suggested, but she was also wondering how strange it was that they’d seen each other twice in one day. She didn’t believe in it, but it was like destiny. Like they were fated to meet.
‘You’re probably right,’ he said and sighed. ‘Anyway, I’ve got to go.’
‘You’re leaving?’
‘Yeah, as long as you’re okay from that fall.’
‘I’m fine.’
‘You’re not lying?’ he asked. The whites of his eyes glinted in the moonlight. Sally liked them. She did find him attractive. She wanted him to stay, to keep talking to her. She liked how he’d been able to calm her. She liked his soft voice.
‘I’m fine, Charlie.’
‘Well, it was nice getting to meet you, Sally,’ Charlie said. ‘Best of luck with your little holiday. And make sure you get out of this horrible city.’
He turned and headed towards the road. Sally didn’t want him to go. She was only just starting to know him. He intrigued her.
‘Wait,’ she called out after him, willing him to come back. ‘You owe me a phone,’
Charlie stopped. ‘Do I?’ he asked, unconvinced.
‘Yes. You broke my friend’s, and now she wants me to pay for a new one.’
He considered what she said for a moment, then he strolled up to her, back to the edge of the cliff where he was standing a moment before. ‘You see that bar there, the one on the other side of the road to the pavilion?’ He pointed a finger down towards the beachfront.
‘The one with all the lights out front?’
‘Yeah, that one. You like to stare at buskers, so here’s a chance for you to do so. I’m performing a gig there with my band tomorrow night at around seven. You should come.’
Sally frowned. Was this a date? This was too fast. She didn’t know him a moment ago. Could it be a date if he was performing? She did want to see him again though. But she remembered Ashley. ‘I can’t. My friend has plans. We have to stick to her schedule,’ she replied.
If he was affected by her rejection, he didn’t show it. ‘I might be able to give you some money for your friend’s phone,’ he said.
‘Really?’
‘Well, you’re saying I broke it,’ Charlie said.
‘Okay, sure. I mean, you don’t really have to give me cash. I was kind of joking.’
‘You’ve changed your tune,’ Charlie said. ‘I want to. Obviously, I won’t pay for all of it, but I can give you some cash tomorrow.’
‘At your gig?’
‘Yeah. Come along.’
‘I’ll see,’ Sally replied.
‘You should.’ He smiled at her.
She smiled back. ‘I said I’ll see.’
‘Your choice.’
They fell into an easy silence. Two people looking out over a view of the ocean. She did want to know more about him. Maybe she should go to his gig tomorrow, but what would Ashley think?
A faint noise drifted from down the cliff, somewhere from along the path.
The noise stopped, and then it started again. Sally strained to hear what it was. It was someone shouting.
Sally.
Charlie turned to her. ‘Is that your name? I think I can hear it.’
It was someone calling her name, a voice drifting from the bottom of the hill. For a moment, Sally’s heart stopped. Was it Jim? No. Sally recognised who it was.
Ashley.
She stormed up the path towards them, not having seen them yet. She was wearing new clothes, and her arms were crossed.
‘Sally?’ Ashley called out.
‘Who’s this?’ Charlie asked Sally, his eyes narrowing.
‘It’s the friend I was talking about, the one who I’m travelling with. The one whose phone you broke.’ She waved an arm towards the outline of her friend. ‘I’m here, Ashley.’
‘She looks angry,’ Charlie remarked.
‘She does,’ Sally agreed.
Ashley was out of breath when she reached them. She ignored Charlie and strode up straight to her friend. ‘Sally? Where have you been?’ she asked.
‘I’ve been up here.’
‘You’ve been up here? I’ve been looking for you everywhere.’ Ashley spoke fast like she was in a rush.
‘What’s wrong?’ Sally asked her. ‘How did you know to find me up here?’
‘You said it after your swim earlier, remember? You said you wanted to see the view from up here.’
‘Oh, yeah. I did.’
Ashley gestured towards Charlie without even looking at him. ‘Who’s this?’
‘Hey,’ Charlie said. ’I’m Charlie.’ He offered her his hand to shake.
Ashley didn’t move. She ignored him and his hand. ’Great. Whatever.’
‘Wow, you’re a bit confrontational,’ Charlie remarked.
‘Excuse me,’ Ashley shot back. ‘I don’t know who you are. I’m talking to my friend, so back off.’
Charlie chuckled in derision, and he retained his cool composure, not matching Ashley’s high-strung energy. He took a few steps back. ‘You seem nice,’ he remarked.
‘Let’s go, Sally.’ It annoyed Sally to see Ashley so aggressive towards Charlie, a complete stranger. Ashley’s impatience was grating.
‘It’s okay, Ashley,’ Sally said.
‘It’s not okay. I’ve been running around looking for you. I don’t care who this guy is. Let’s go back to the hostel.’
‘Give me a moment,’ Sally replied. She thought about telling her that Charlie was the Busker, the guy who’d accidentally bumped her that afternoon. But, judging from Ashley’s face, now was not a good time to relay that sort of information to her friend.
Ashley was already starting to march down the hill, beckoning behind with her hand at Sally. ‘Let’s go,’ she said.
‘I’m coming,’ Sally called out to her. Ashley was speeding away.
‘Your friend seems lovely,’ Charlie remarked.
‘She actually is,’ Sally replied. ‘She normally is. Just not tonight it seems.’
‘It seems like that,’ he said. ‘You better go after her before she kills us both.’
‘Alright. Have a good night,’ Sally said.
‘So does that mean I’ll see you tomorrow?’ Charlie asked her, smiling.
Sally laughed. ’Maybe.’
‘You should come.’
‘Whatever,’ she replied over her shoulder, running to catch up with Ashley, leaving Charlie behind.
When she reached further down the path she took a risk and glanced back. Charlie was still standing on the edge of the cliff, looking out over the ocean view, cigarette smoke lingering out of his mouth into the cool night sky.
Sally told herself she wouldn’t be seeing Charlie again, that it was just a strange coincidence they’d seen each other on the cliff like that, they won’t ever meet again. But there was also a little voice, hiding in the back of her head, and it was saying, yes you will.
And she knew the little voice was right.
21
Sally discovered, too late, that now was not the right time to joke with Ashley.
‘Did you have a nice time with Sam?’ she asked her friend, smiling.
Ashley fired a warning shot. ’Sally.’ It was a serious warning shot, but Sally ignored it.
‘Was it more or less fun than the pool game?’ she teased again. Sally was doing it out of spite, for how Ashley had behaved up on the cliff with Charlie. She wanted to annoy her, and it was working.
‘Stop,’ Ashley cautioned, glaring. The whole walk down from the cliff she kept her arms crossed, a silent display to show Sally she was Not Happy. She’d done this before, and Sally was used to it. Sally didn’t know why she was so upset, but it irritated her.
/> They’d made it to the bottom of the hill, where the path merged into the beach front’s walkway. The side of the street they were walking on faced the beach. The busy bars and pubs were on the other side. With its long queue still stretching down the street, Sally could make out the bar they’d been in with Jim and Sam further along the beachfront.
They didn’t speak until they passed the bar, and that was when Sally decided to fight back against Ashley’s moodiness. With every step, she was growing more annoyed about how curt Ashley had been on top of the cliff. Something was wrong, and she wanted to find out what.
‘This is stupid. You’re pissed off, and I don’t know why. What was that performance up there on the cliff?’ Sally asked, but Ashley didn’t respond. Instead, she hurried forward on the path, her sandals flopping loudly on the concrete. Sally rushed to her side, careful not to trip on the pavement. ‘Okay, what’s wrong? Why the rush?’
Ashley’s words came out sharp and fast. ‘I’m cold, and I’m tired,’ she said.
‘If you were cold and tired, then why were you looking for me?’ Ashley didn’t reply. ‘I hate it when you’re silent. Talk to me, please. Tell me what’s wrong.’
Ashley remained silent, facing straight ahead, continuing at a brisk pace.
Sally remembered once, back at university, Ashley had decided not to speak to Sally for an entire day because of some drunk argument they had late at night. The next morning Sally couldn’t even recall what the argument was about, but Ashley continued to remain silent for the whole day. This was another repeat.
She tried again to prod her friend with more teasing. ‘Sam was really that bad, huh?’ Sally asked. No response. ‘Look, I don’t want to go back to the hostel if Sam and Jim are still there.’
‘They aren’t there,’ Ashley corrected.
‘Good. Then tell me what’s wrong. I hate it every time you do this silent treatment, it freaks me out, and it’s making me sound needy.’
‘It was lucky I went up there,’ Ashley said, pointing to the cliff behind them. The night’s darkness shrouded the top of the hill. If Charlie was still up there Sally wasn’t able to see him. ‘You were right on the edge.’
The Busker: A gripping psychological thriller Page 11