First Encounter (A Perri Kiely story)

Chapter 5

Laura finished setting the tables. She stepped back and surveyed the room to check for anything she might have missed. She re-read her checklist. Finally satisfied, she called her supervisor over to appraise her work.

"Looks perfect Laura, did you get a ruler to measure the distance between the packs?" she joked

"I just want everything to be done right." She laughed. Secretly proud of her borderline ocd traits. She had thrown herself into her work lately, she was trying not to think of the two encounters with one of the most popular contestants the show had ever had. She had met some of the stars but those meetings were nothing like Perri's. Her sister had screamed at her when she told her that he nearly sliced her legs off with his skates. Apparently, she should have let him. She rolled her eyes at the memory. It was clear that her sister was a huge fan. She hadn't really thought about him in that way though. But knowing he was going to be here tonight made her a bit jittery. She loved her job, it was the gateway to her dream career. She didn't want a handsome dancer using her for fun and ruining her promotion chances and dropping her when he got bored. Did she just say handsome? She shook her head and gripped her clipboard tighter as she read it a third time.

The show director called the production team together. "Alright, everyone, the pros and celebs will be arriving any minute now, can you make sure you know where you are sitting and know who is showing which couples to their places, Laura will give you a table map." He nodded to Laura had just been given a stack of paper from the production secretary. She started giving her colleagues a sheet of paper each showing them which table they would be sitting on. Runners were too low in the pecking order to be allocated a place at the tables, she would find a spot at the back of the room to hear the briefing.

Not long after the professional dancers and their celebrity partners started to be led to their seats by staff. Laura found herself searching the plan to see where Perri and Vanessa would be sitting, table 8 she looked up towards the location of their table but they hadn't arrived yet.

"Laura hun, Dan wants a couple of spare sparkling waters up front, can you pop down to storage and grab a crate?"

"Sure!" she replied, happy to be distracted from wherever her mind was going. She put her clipboard to the side and headed for the storage room. She found the crate easily enough, but it was heavier than she expected. She had to put it down a couple of times before she got to the lift. She shook her arms out and picked up the crate once more as the lift dinged and the doors opened. She shuffled out, her arms straining.

"Can I help you?" A smooth, deep voice behind her asked. Laura didn't have the energy to turn but she didn't have to because seconds later the owner of the voice overtook her coming to a stop directly in front of her. She recognised the tall, handsome, caramel-skinned man immediately. His long hair was pulled back into a low ponytail and his trademark glasses reflected the light. Perri's arms were already out and before she could argue he had gently taken the crate from her. Her burning arms didn't protest.

"Thank you." Laura said, trying not to show her relief by brushing the dust from her dress.

"You're welcome." Perri replied. "Where do you want these?" he asked, effortlessly lifting them up.

"Er the briefing room please." she replied, slightly flustered at his display of strength. Perri walked backwards still facing her, his open jacket billowing out behind him.

"My name is Perri by the way." His face split in an ear to ear grin showing a row of perfect teeth.

"I know who you are." she smiled. She suddenly realised what he meant, "Oh, I'm Laura" she said, blushing.

"Must be the satellite link" Perri teased looking up.

"Hey!" she protested, trying not to laugh

"Hello Laura." Perri then said, looking down at her his eyes fixed on hers. Laura blushed and broke the eye contact. She watched him continue to walk backwards and covered her eyes with her hands.

"Please turn around, I don't want you to fall." She squealed. Perri did as he was told and swivelled on his heel to face the front in a move that would have made Michael Jackson proud. She walked by his side scanning for anything that could trip him up.

"That would be karma for me almost hurting you twice, actually, do you wanna smack me with one of the bottles and make it even?" he laughed and Laura couldn't help but laugh with him. "Are you coming to the briefing too?" he asked. His tone hopeful.

"Yes, I'll be there." She replied. She checked her watch, we're going to be late if we don't hurry. She noticed Perri's smiling face dropped into an O. "Is something wrong?" she asked.

"Vanessa!" exclaimed Perri, screwing his face up into a cringe "I've left her in my room!" He suddenly kicked up speed, much faster than Laura could keep up with. "I'll put these in the room then go back for her." he called out, already at the briefing room door. Laura blinked at the change of events, one minute they were talking and laughing, the next he'd run off. She supposed she'd had a lucky escape. He would be very hard to say no to.