6teen Fan Fiction ❯ 7teen: Alcoholics Anonymous ❯ Warning! ( Chapter 2 )

CHAPTER TWO

Jen was still busy working on the inventory for the shelves, and Coach was still pestering her asking about his looks, and when he learned that Bill, himself, was in the mall. “WAH…!” cried Coach and he ran around the store like a manic panicking. “He's here! He's here! He's here…!”

Jen just had to call Caitlin up.

“Hello…?”

“How's work going…?”

Caitlin explained that everyone was going just fine. She and Bill were heading to the Khaki Barn for the first bit of the shoot. Jen hoped she'd reach the Penalty Box soon. “Coach is driving me up the wall.”

Caitlin couldn't make any promises, but she told Jen, again, that this was going to be so much fun. “Wish me luck.”

“Luck…!”

No sooner had Caitlin hung up did she and Bill arrives at the Khaki-Barn where they were greeted by the Clones. “Welcome to the Khaki Barn! Have a Khaki Day! EEE…!” they all shouted.

Bill was quite surprised, and actually confused the Clones as triplets, much to Nikki's dismay. “Unbelievable.”

Never the less, Caitlin and Bill set up, and the shoot began. They took many good pictures of the store. A couple of them were Nikki, snoozing on the job without a care. By the time the session was over, Bill was very impressed. Especially with Caitlin's job, “You really handled that nicely.” He said.

Caitlin felt really flattered.

Then Bill asked if he could use the employee washroom since the regular washrooms were too far away. The Clones were only too glad to oblige, but once inside… Bill snuck another swig form his flash again. He even used some breath-spray to try ad cover the smell of the alcohol he drank, still in his mouth.

Nikki helped Caitlin pack the cameras and equipment onto the cart, “I gotta admit, you really are starting to seem like a professional.”

Caitlin giggled again, and explained Bill was starting to call her the best assistant he ever had, even though they hadn't done much work yet. Nikki was just glad to see Caitlin so happy, and also impressed to see Jonesy passing by on his rounds, and doing a good job too.

She waved at her husband, and he shot her a wink and clicked at her.

Bill came back. “Come on, Caitlin. We've got more places to see.” he said. Then they left the Khaki Barn together.

…

I was having my lunch at McFlipsters when Jude came along, and, boy, did he look beat. His hair was messier than usual. He had oil stains on his shirt, and he was wiping his head with his tuque. “What happened to you?” Wyatt asked.

“The Zamboni's grill overheated, and the Stick-It tank spewed oil at me.”

Wyatt and I suspected that Jude meant to say it the other way around, but was exhausted from all this excess work. “Maybe you should take it easy, Jude.” I suggested. “It's just a photo shoot.”

Jude had fallen asleep so he didn't answer. “Poor thing…” said Wyatt.

I chuckled, and then busted my tray. “I better get going. Gotta make sure my displays are all set…”

Wyatt sensed some excitement in my voice. “I thought you said it was just a photo-shoot…”

“Uh… well it is… but maybe I could just be a little excited.” I said.

Wyatt shrugged, and he wondered how Caitlin was getting on…

…

Caitlin was doing very well…

She and Bill had been to a few stores already, even Albatross N' Finch. They had taken such marvellous shots that Caitlin could barely contain herself.

Suddenly, she smelled something funky. “What's that smell?” she asked.

“Hmm, what smell?” asked Bill, but his voice sounded muffled, and his mouth full. Caitlin looked over her shoulder in time to see Bill hiding his flask away in his jacket. “What are you doing?”

“Oh, uh… I'm just… looking for my breath spray. Ah! Here it is.” And he quickly sprayed the inside his mouth, but Caitlin no fool. She saw him. He had been sneaking a drink. “How many of those have you had?”

Bill hesitated for a moment and then he answered. “It's only my seventh sip. Is that a problem…?” he sounded a little cross. “I hope you're not planning to tell on me, Caitlin Cooke, because I think that that would be… a very… very… big mistake!”

Caitlin felt as if she were under a giant's shadow. “Are you okay…?” she asked. “Please don't shout at me like that. You're scaring me.”

Bill calmed down, and apologized. He didn't mean to scare Caitlin, but he warned her not to tell anyone, especially Jonesy that he had been sneaking drinks from his flask. Otherwise, “Jonesy will most likely throw me out, then the whole shoot would be cancelled, and your friends would be so disappointed… and would all be your fault.”

Caitlin was in a dilemma now. She knew that drinking wasn't allowed in the mall, but she didn't want wreck the shoot for everyone. So, she decided not to tell anyone.

“Good girl.” Bill said. “And remember… not a word!”