The Last Chicane

Paparazzi

"You're doing really well Claire. Before you know it, you'll be taking my job." We had just finished giving report to the nurses taking our patients for the night.

Claire looked at me shocked. She quickly shook her head. "Uh uh. Nope. I'm not ready. I never will be ready."

I laughed, "You know more than you think."

I walked into the break room where our lockers were, grabbing my back pack. Tessa was sitting in one of the chairs, playing on her phone.

"It's about time. I thought you'd never finish." She said.

I just rolled my eyes at her. "Oh I'm sorry. I had to give report on our patients as well as give charge report. I'm so sorry you had to wait 10 extra minutes for me."

She smirked, winking at me. "Well it's a good thing I love you, otherwise I'd be long gone by now."

That earned a laugh from me. "Yeah yeah. Are you ready now?"

She nodded, "Let's get the hell out of here before something else happens today."

We started making our way to the parking garage. Knowing it would take me a second to find my keys, I started digging through my bag as we walked down the hallway.

"Where are they.... Ah! Here they are." I fished them out of my bag.

"We really need to work on you keeping up with your keys." Tessa muttered.

We made it to the breezeway leading to the parking garage.

"I know exactly where they are. They just get lost in the bottom of my-"

Click.

My attention is drawn to the camera being shoved in my face as the double doors to the garage open up.

"What the hell?" I say.

Click.

Another camera shoved in my face.

"Blake! How long have you been dating Charles?" Someone yells out.

"Oh shit." Tessa says as she grabs my hand so we don't get separated from each other.

I look around, counting maybe twenty people with cameras all pointed at me.

"Blake!" I heard numerous people shouting my name. "Look this way Blake!"

"What department do you work in Blake?"

Questions were being yelled out over the shuttering of cameras.

I hold my free hand up to block the flash coming from the cameras as I feel Tessa pull me forward through the crowd.

"No comment." Was all I could think of to say.

"Come on Blake. Just pose for one picture for us!"

"She already said no, okay?!" Tessa shouts.

She keeps pulling me in the direction of our cars.

Click.

Breathe Blake.

Click.

It's okay.

Click.

Just a bit further.

Click.

Almost there.

Tessa brought me to the driver's side of my jeep. I quickly opened it and hoped in. Throwing my bag into the passenger side, I looked back at Tessa.