So we went out for coffee and after that I made some excuse to leave. Once I was sitting in my car without the prying eyes of Justin or Trace I pulled out my camera. I gulped and asked God to forgive me as I watched my best friend leave the shop with Jess and raised my camera to my eye. Then I took a picture. And I felt so damn guilty for doing it. But I couldn't stop.
I kept on clicking away, making sure I got good enough pictures. It wasn't until Justin got in his car and drove away that I figured out what I would say to him if Trace decided to open his mouth. As I put away my camera I heard a loud rap on my window. I jumped out of my skin and looked up.
"Trace!" I squeaked and shoved the camera under the seat.
"What are doing here?"
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Trace boomed as I rolled down the window. I felt myself go bright red and tried to calm down.
"Nothing," I lied and leaned back in my seat. "Just heading off to work."
"Really?" Trace asked and raised an eyebrow at me,
"Because it sure looked like you were spying on J. I thought we discussed this."
"We did," I said and rolled my eyes at him to seem more believable, "And if you must know I was not spying. I just had coffee with them."
"Sure you did," Trace replied sarcastically and leaned against the door.
"I did," I answered and glared at him. "And what are you doing here? Spying?"
"No," he answered evenly. "I came to get coffee and saw you sitting here with your camera pointed in that direction." He pointed in the direction where Justin's car had been parked. "Now it might just be me, but I think the only celebrity I know with a silver 2006 escalade is J."
"Well it is only you," I snapped back, "If you've forgotten I make my living watching celebs and J is not the only one with that car."
"Really?" Trace asked, "So it's just a coincidence that ANOTHER celeb with the exact same car was at the same coffee shop as Justin?"
"Yes," I replied slowly and he just laughed at me. A big obnoxious laugh. I shook my head at him and started my car. "Now if you don't mind I have a job to do."
"Em," Trace said with a warning tone that caused me to look at him for a moment. "Don't do this. You'll live to regret-" I didn't wait to hear the end of his sentence. I rolled up my window to block him out and pulled out of the parking spot, leaving him in the dust.
I got home and sat in my dark room for a while, trying to pick up the courage to develop the photos I had taken and trying to ignore the million of countless messages Trace had left on the machine.
I did not want to see the photos, but as I finally picked up the courage to develop them, I liked what I saw. They were different from what I'd done before and for once they didn't look like some hick took them. I soaked the last of the prints in solution before hanging it up and heard the phone ring.
"Great," I muttered to myself and wiped my hands on my jeans before leaving the room to answer it. If it was Trace I was just going to hang up on him. "Hello?"
"Em?" It was Justin and for some reason I felt my feet melt into the floor.
"Hey J," I tried to act as casual as possible and not freak the hell out. "What's up?"
"Why don't you tell me?" he asked, his voice was cold and harsh. I gulped and closed my eyes.
"I asked you first," I answered and opened my eyes again.
"Is everything ok?"
"No," he answered bluntly and I knew the jig was up.
"Really? Why?" I asked, I wanted to drag this out as long as possible, so I could think of a way to kill Trace.
"Well T called me just now and told me..." Justin began but I cut him off. I could not hear this. I was already too guilty as it was.
"Oh crap," I said and made a beeping noise. "I gotta go man. There's cookies in the oven which are burning. I'll call you later ok? Bye." I hung up on him before he could respond and collapsed back onto the couch, taking in deep breaths. This was not good for my health. I made the decision right then and there to tell my boss I couldn't do the assignment.
"You have to do it," my boss said glaring at me from across the table. I cowered in fear and tried not ot panic.
"But I can't!" I protested, "You don't understand-"
"You're right," he snapped and slapped his hand on the table, "I don't understand. Why don't you explain it to me?"
"Conflict of interest," I immediately said taking in a huge breath, hoping he wouldn't ask any more questions.
"Conflict of interest?" he repeated, "What interest do you have in all this?"
"I..." I began and realized I could not tell him anything without looking insane. "I don't feel comfortable with the story."
"That's it?" he laughed and shook his head. "Look, I don't care how you feel ok? Just get it done."
"No," I answered and looked at him evenly. "I can't. I won't."
"Emma," he sighed and sat down again from his standing position. "I don't want to loose you ok? You are one of our best photographers but at this rate..."
"And you don't have to loose me," I interrupted him, "Just let me not do this job. Give it to someone else."
"You see I can't do that," he told me and crossed his arms over his chest.
"Why not?" I asked in shock, "We have millions of interns who would kill for this job."
"Yes but that's just it. They're interns and would probably put us in hot water," he replied, "Now with you you've had such a good reputation with the celebrities that I'm sure this will be a walk in the park for you. Just do what you do to get the shots ok? And you'll be fine."
"But that's just it!" I snapped and jumped out of my seat a bit. "I won't be fine! If I do this assignment than... then..... It just won't work."
"Emma," my boss said once I sat back down and leaned over to me, "Look, I don't know why you say it won't work and frankly I don't care ok? Just do it."
"So I don't have any option?" I asked just to be clear. He shook his head at me and picked up his phone as if to tell me we're done here.
"Is that all?" he asked and I nodded.
"I guess," I muttered and stood up slowly. I wondered how the hell I was going to explain this to Trace and Justin. That would be a train wreck.
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