6teen Fan Fiction ❯ 7teen: Alcoholics Anonymous ❯ Bill's Arrival ( Chapter 1 )

CHAPTER ONE

Everywhere, people were preparing their stores and displays for the arrival of the photographer, Bill Bullion-- one of the finest around.

Coach Halder was driving himself, and Jen crazy in preparation. “MASTERSON…! How's my hair look?”

Jen groaned irritably, “For the hundredth time, it looks just fine.”

“Just fine…? JUST FINE…?!” shouted Coach “Where's your team spirit, girl? You need some
more style.” And he stacked a whole load of show boxes into Jen's arms. “Stack `em all up, then twenty push-ups, and a five minute major. Now! Now! Now…!”

“Yes… Coach…!” Jen called with her face buried behind all those boxes, but the load was so heavy she lost her balance and fell. “Uhn…!”

Nikki and I came along, both taking a break. “Overworked much?” Nikki teased as she helped Jen up. As she stacked the shelves she went on about how Coach was really going overboard with the whole shoot.

“Can't say I blame him…” I said, and then I motioned outside, “You should see what everyone else is up to.”

Darth and Julie had decorated Stereo-Shack and Wonder-Taco so they looked like the republican headquarters and alliance halls from Star Wars.

Taj MaHome was so polished and waxed for such a shine, even my shades didn't block out the shimmering.

Even the loathsome washrooms, for the first time since ever… they had been cleaned and smelled fresh too. “Wow! And I thought I was neat and tidy.” said Jen.

Nikki then noticed outside that Jonesy was talking to two other women, and it looked as if he was flirting with them, and even handed them two slips of paper. “Oh… he did not just… !” Nikki face was going beat red.

“Uh, Nikki…” I said to her, but Nikki was already marching out, and just as the ladies had gone too. Jonesy turned and saw his wife. “Hey, honey. How's it…” but Nikki just grabbed him by the ear. “Owowowowowow… Mercy! Mercy…!”

“Did you just give those girls you're number?” snapped Nikki. “How could you…?”

“Simple, first I had to click my pen…” Jonesy teased, but then he quickly caught on. “Wait! You think I was…” it turned out that Nikki had misjudged him and that he was merely giving the girls tickets for loitering in one place too long, just like Ron told him to. The girls were just taking it nicely…

Nikki felt really embarrassed, but her husband knew how to make her feel better, and offered her to come with him and meet Bill when he would arrive. “It's a date…” Nikki said, and they kissed on it.

…

Later that day, Bill finally arrived. He seemed to be a normal tall guy, about in his early thirties…

As head security guard, it was Jonesy's job to welcome him in. Nikki was with him of course, and they were helping the man load his gear on a trolley-cart. “Oh, I can't thank you two enough.” He said “My assistant is supposed to help me, but she's off tonight.”

Jonesy and Nikki were pleased to help out.

“By the way, we haven't been properly introduced. I'm Bill Bullion. Photographer-extraordinaire…”

They shook hands. “Jonesy Garcia-- Temporary head security guard. This is my wife, Nikki.”

“Hi! Nikki Wong-Garcia. It's hyphenated.”

Bill suddenly seemed surprised. “Not the Nikki Wong? The daughter of Alex Wong, president and CEO of that big company…?”

Nikki and Jonesy blinked, and gazed at each other. Then back again. “Uh… yeah…”

Bill felt honoured to be meeting Nikki. He knew her father when he donated a large sum of money to the magazine. What he couldn't believe even more was that Jonesy and Nikki were only seventeen, “And you two are married?”

“Yeah…” Jonesy said “For two whole months now… next week.”

Nikki thought it was sweet that Jonesy was actually counting, and Bill decided that this called for a toast. “A toast…?” Nikki asked.

“Sure…” said Bill as he pulled out form his jacket-pocket, a small silver flask. “What do you two say, huh?”

Nikki and Jonesy felt a little shocked to being offered a drink. “Um… we're underage. We can't drink.” Nikki pointed out. Jonesy nodded and then warned Bill that the consumption of alcohol of any kind in the mall was strictly forbidden. “It's a mall policy. So, sorry dude, but I'm going to have to ask you to put that flask away.”

Bill understood completely. “Say no more.” And he stowed the flask back in his pocket where it belonged. Then he, Jonesy and Nikki went off to find a place to set up…

…

The food court was the best place, seeing as how everyone was still off polishing up their stores. The rest of us all met up with Bill, and were glad to meet him. He was quite impressed with how the mall looked already. “We should get some excellent shots tonight. Let me tell you…”

That's when Caitlin got up her courage and asked if she could tag along. “I won't be much trouble. I'd just really like to tag along and see how a professional works.”

“Caitlin, come on…” said Wyatt “You really don't want to bother him all that much.”

But Bill assured Wyatt and the rest of us that it was no trouble at all. He had been looking through Caitlin's photo-albums and he was so impressed by her style, “Caitlin… a girl as talented, not to mention as charming as you are deserves more than to just tag along. How would like to be my assistant today? We'll work together as a team.”

Caitlin felt as if someone had proposed marriage to her. She leapt up on her feet, clapping and going “EEE…! I can't believe this! I'm actually going to work like a real photographer.”

Bill loved her enthusiasm. “That's the stuff! That's what I like to see. Ladies and gentlemen, presenting Caitlin Cooke and Bill Bullion… Photographers with style…!”

We all just had to cheer.

…

Caitlin had been saving something for just an occasion, and when she came out from behind the lemon. “Ta-Da!” she was wearing an outfit similar to Bill's. Her long blonde hair was tied in a few buns in the back of her head, and she even wore a pair of glasses, but with no lenses. To finish it off, her camera was dangling round her neck. “You… look awesome.” Jude complimented.

“Not bad.” added Wyatt.

Even Jonesy thought she looked hot, but didn't dare say it in the presence of his wife.

“You look fantastic, Caitlin. Real smooth…” said Bill.

Caitlin didn't know how to explain what she was feeling. Then Bill told the rest of us to go get ready, and Jonesy had to leave and do his rounds of the mall. Bill told Caitlin to set unload his gear and start setting up while he went to look for their first location.

Caitlin giggled excitedly. “This is going to be so much fun.”

However, what nobody noticed-- Bill had retreated to a quiet area of the mall, and snuck a swig from the flask in his pocket behind everyone's backs.