Page 13 of The Tape Job
“Vic, we can be friends, right?” he whispers close to my ear so no one else can hear.
Friends? Is he serious? I don’t answer him. I grab my things, and even though I’m overloaded, there’s no way I’m coming back in here.
“Let me help you,” he offers, reaching for one of my bags, but I fight him for it. Our hands touching briefly before he recoils as if I’ve burnt him. We’re both still for an instant, but I risk a glance at him, his eyes meeting mine for a moment.
“I’ve got it,” I say, turning and heading out, careful not to wobble on my heels under the burden of my bags. I’m grateful to get out of the dressing room and into the tunnel.
“Do you need some help?” Jenna is leaning against the wall outside, talking to Ryan. I’ve never been so glad to see her.
I smile appreciatively because I would like the help, just not from Liam. Liam can go fuck himself.
“How’s it going, Vic?” Ryan asks, shooting me a warm smile. I don’t know why, but he’s suddenly got a face I’d love to punch.
“Yeah, fine.” I shoot him my best false smile.
Jen leans up and kisses Ryan goodbye, I turn and start walking, because watching a happy couple is not high on my list of things to do right now.
Jen catches up to me and pulls one of my bags off my shoulder, and I sigh in relief.
“Thanks, Jen. I’m just going to put my lights in the equipment storage room for now since I need them tomorrow.” I lead the way towards the far end ofthe tunnels.
“I won’t ask,” she says.
“Good.”
“Not yet, anyway.”
I push open the door and flick on the light switch. It takes a few seconds for light to flood the room, but only about half a second for the memory of the last time I was in here to flood into my head.
We put my equipment, bar my camera, over in the far corner in silence and head back towards the ice. The tunnels are now filling with the support team, but thankfully, no one stops us to chat.
“I just need to take a few shots of the Zam,” I tell Jen, pulling my camera back out.
“Things will be fine, you know, Vic.”
I take a couple of shots of the Zam circling the ice, with the plan to add a caption: ‘Preparing for a new season.’ The illuminations above make the freshly painted surface look brighter than usual. I flick through the photos I’ve got, cycling back and forth between some of the one’s of Liam’s cubby.
“The GM wants these up on the website today,” I say, flashing Jen a look at the photos. “Will you have time?”
“Sure. I can do it now,” she says. “Are you okay, Vic?”
“I’m fine,” I lie.
“Things will be weird at first, I know, but it won’t be long and maybe you guys can be friends?”
“Not you too!”
“What?”
“That’s what Liam just asked me. If we could be friends!”
“Would it be such a bad thing?” Jen asks.
“We’ve never really just been friends, though. We didn’t start off like you and Ryan. We went from full blown avoidance, to sneaking about, to being inseparable. I don’t know how to be just his friend.”
“Well, maybe that’s what you need to do. Be friends. It may be an excellent opportunity for you to grow without the pressure of a romantic relationship.”
“For the love of Christ, Jen!” I almost yell, without thinking about how it comes across.
