The Crew

Chapter 2

ONE YEAR LATER
It was a sunny Friday afternoon in February as I sat in my silver sleek Lexus Convertible waiting at the front of Bond University for my friend Cassandria Jenkins, or Cass, as we all call her. It had been one year since the accident. Or suspicious accident as the police were calling it. Things had changed drastically since then; I had been discharged from hospital with only bruised ribs, scars and a fractured ankle which actually healed pretty well. Although no charges had been laid yet against who hit us, there was an ongoing investigation, which was kinda delayed due to my mild amnesia. My parents, and the law, had decided that I was no longer to associate myself with anyone from the car scene, or get behind a high performance powered vehicle or be a passenger in one for that matter, ever again. The Mustang was sold and with that money, my father had bought the Lexus convertible, a decent more upper class type model that would take me to work and back. I was also forbidden to see Billy and he was forbidden to see me. Not that it mattered anymore as I couldn't feel anything. All I felt was numb. Now I was sitting at the wheel of a fancy upper class luxury car suitable for snotty people in suits whilst my car scene lifestyle was traded in for a photography assistant position at a local art and photography studio.

Finally 5 minutes later a tall skinny girl with long platinum blonde hair strutted down the steps towards the car in strappy silver stilettos and a sea green wrap dress. Her black Gucci sunglasses was propped gingerly on her nose, shading her sea green eyes. "So how'd it go?" I asked as she slid into the passenger seat. Cass had just started her induction course into hairdressing and beauty. Ever since she had moved down to the Goldy, she had been obsessed with manicures, pedicures, hair and makeup. She had told me once, if there was ever a film crew nearby, as there always is on the Gold Coast, she wanted to look her best if they ever asked her to be in a movie. She had also tried to get me into the course but I had no time or patience to do anyone else's hair and makeup besides my own. Cass grinned as we pulled out of the parking lot and onto the road. "I think it went quite swell, really. In due time I'll be owning my own salon, but baby steps first," she replied as she leaned in to check her reflection in the rear view mirror. I rolled my eyes but smiled. Since the accident I had been struggling to recall some things because of the amnesia. The only memories that I remembered at that time was seeing Billy for the last time before I was discharged. He'd come off worse than me, with a broken leg, broken ribs and arm, and a head concussion from hitting the dashboard. It was then that he had told me it was over between us, which also made things a bit easier.

I sighed out loud as I turned into the street of the apartment that Cass and I now shared. The accident also gave my parents a new perspective on my life. Calling Cass and getting her to move from Logan to the Goldy to check up on me was one thing, but actually kicking me out of the house to teach me a lesson was a whole different level. Mum had been more distraught and disappointed than angry, but dad was furious and had told me, if I wanted to be independent then this was how it was going to be. So along with Cass, they helped pick out an apartment which Cass and I would rent from and helped moved our stuff into it. The apartment itself wasn't too far from the Surfers Mall, and a five minute drive from my work. My parents also gave Cass strict guidelines as to how I would commute to work everyday and even though I was 22 years and no curfew, I still had to let her know where I was, where I'd be going and what I was doing or who I was with apart from her. I was to keep a stable job since I deferred collage and that would be that. But it was obvious to Cass and I that keeping an eye on me wouldn't really happen since Cass was a wild child herself, she just like to keep it subtle and well hidden.

"Are you okay?" Cass asked when we finally pulled into the apartment's parking lot. I parked next to Cass's red Honda Civic which was almost out of gas hence why I had to chauffeur her around. I nodded and ran my hand through my long wavy brown hair. "Just a bit tired, got a lot on my mind but it's so fuzzy it hurts...........by the way, I'm going to just drop you off, I have to head into work again, apparently my boss wants to ask me something," I replied with a shrug and an eye roll. Cass's eyes glinted with mischief and she grinned slyly. "Ahh, Josh the Hottie wants some alone time with Miss Pretty here, aye?" She teased, nudging me. I pulled a face. Josh Hollister, or 'Josh the Hottie' as Cass calls him, was my boss at Indie Photography. He was the same age as me, 22 years old, annoying as hell sometimes, very tall and lanky but also handsome and very cute. I was trying to remember where I had seen him from as he did seem familiar but my brain was still fuzzy. After dropping Cass off, I waved goodbye, calling out that I'd hopefully be back for dinner.

The studio was quiet and the parking lot was almost empty when I got there that late afternoon. Hollister's modified silver Honda Accord stood in the designated spot and the receptionist's little blue Toyota Corolla was parked next to it. I smirked at the little Yoshi figurine dangling from the rear view mirror in his car. Josh seemed like a quirky nerdy but cool type of guy. I walked into the studio doors to find Josh in his office, fiddling around with some prints he had on his desk. Dressed in a blue work shirt and black pants, he looked like someone that had stepped out from an Abercrombie fashion magazine, apart from the ink stains on his skinny black tie. He looked up and smiled a genuine smile as I stood in the doorway. "Hey........so you wanted to talk to me?" I say casually, ignoring the thumping of my heart and the jitters that had started to form in my stomach. Josh ran his fingers through his auburn brown hair and leaned back in his chair. He looked a bit nervous as I was. "Umm yeah, I've been told by a few people that you used to be in the car scene........you were involved in some stuff, right?" He asked, his piercing blue eyes studying me. I gulped and tried to shake the jitters off. "Yeah.............that was last year, before the accident. But I can't do that stuff anymore, I'm banned from going anywhere near a meet," I explained, wondering how and where he had heard this from. Josh nodded and kept looking at me intently. "I see.........what if we say it's for work purposes then? I have a personal favour to ask but I could always say it's for work. I mean, you work brilliantly with the equipment here as I can see and I've seen the stuff you've film, you're the only one that knows how to use the advanced camera with the long shot besides me and I need a second hand, so would you.........be able to help?" He asked. I raised my eyes. Was he for real? Did he not hear what I had just said? I had been warned, knowing what the consequences would be and I didn't like that road where I would be heading if I ever disobeyed. And since the police was still trying to figure if Billy had purposely parked us there so that we could get hit, made things even more complicated. "Seriously Josh, I can't, even if I really wanted to," I answered flatly, trying not to make eye contact. Josh moved closer and put his hands on my arms making me look up into his pretty boy blue eyes.  "Ella, I promise you, it'll be alright. You will be with me the whole time and like I said, we can just say it's for work if anyone asks. I won't let anything bad happen to you," he replied, then realising what he had said, went pink from embarrassment. I scratched my chin, my mind working overtime. What did he mean by that?  Did he know something bout the accident that I couldn't remember? Our eyes locked and I blushed. His eyes really did look like blue skies and had so much concern in them. Our locked gaze was soon broken by the chimes on the outside door of the studio as Annabelle Montego breezed in wearing a light pink mini dress and her blond hair in a stiff updo. Josh instantly dropped his hands to his sides and the warmth that I had felt on my forearms was now gone. "Sorry to interrupt, but I'm heading off for the day, will see you later at the meet tonight," Annabelle announced, giving him a flirtatious wink before turning towards me and giving me an icy stare as she headed back out. Since working at the studio Annabelle always seemed to have a grudge against me and I never knew why she hated me so much. I also decided that it was high time for me to leave. "Ummm, good luck with the meet, and her tonight, I've gotta head off before Cass starts fretting where I am," I mumbled as I headed towards the door. Josh stood for a second before striding over and grabbing my hand. "Wait! It's not.........it's not what you think it is. Annabelle comes sometimes because she's friends with some of the people in my crew. Please Ella, come with me tonight, I will show you what I mean," he pleaded, looking at me with puppy dog eyes. My hand was tingling where he had just grabbed it and I felt myself caving in. "Alright, you hooked me, I'll go," I replied with a relentless sigh. And that was how I found myself back to the start again, but this time tings were very much different