We Can Do Anything ♪ kickthestickz

VII

PJ didn't have to wait long for the footage. The very next day, Phil emailed him thirty-two clips of him and Chris. Most were short, a few were longer, and one was almost two hours long - a behind-the-scenes from one of the school productions in which Chris had played the main character and PJ the antagonist.

He sat back in his chair, sighing. He had another few hours that day, plus all of Sunday to choose footage, edit and find locations before filming on Monday and Tuesday. His plan would involve a lot of travelling and a lot of smooth talking, and it could potentially take a very long time.

Twenty minutes later, armed with a cup of tea, PJ began to edit. The first clip was a very recent one - one of them laughing together after Chris had thrown red dye on PJ's face while filming Colour Bandits - and PJ clenched his fists, willing himself not to cry. This was going to be a more difficult task than he expected.

Six videos in, and he came across something he'd been trying to forget about until then. He and Chris had both been dragged along to a party, and they'd seen each other in the garden. Chris, very drunk, had dragged PJ behind a bush, and turned a camera on him. "Say hi, Peej," he'd slurred.

"Hi, Peej," PJ had replied, giggling. Watching himself, PJ realised he must have been a little more tipsy than he'd thought. "Say hi, Chris."

Chris had turned the camera on himself. "Hi, Chris," he'd mumbled, staggering over to PJ and slinging an arm around his shoulders. "You're my best friend, Peej, you know that?"

PJ leaned forward, watching more intently.

"I'm my best friend too," on-screen PJ answered, leaning on Chris.

"You're annoying."

"But you love me," PJ had said, smiling lopsidedly at Chris.

"I do! I loooooove you," Chris slurred, planting a kiss to PJ's cheek. "You're the best."

The recording stopped abruptly, leaving PJ feeling shaken. That was it. That was the recording that had ruined everything.

He clicked off the video, feeling ill and hoping he wouldn't actually throw up. Thinking quickly, he turned his phone on, and rang Phil, praying he'd pick up.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Phil."

"Peej! What's up?"

"Did you know that video was in there?" PJ asked, gripping the arm of his chair tightly.

"Which video?"

"That video."

"Oh. Oh. No, I didn't." Phil sounded apologetic. "I'm so sorry!"

"It's okay," PJ said, holding onto his chair tighter as though it would keep him grounded, although he felt himself feeling more and more sick by the second. "I just panicked a bit, that's all."

"Are you alright?" Phil asked, sounding concerned.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. See you on Monday?"

"Mmhmm. Call me if you need me, okay?" The worry hadn't left Phil's tone yet.

"I will. Bye!"

As soon as PJ hung up, the cheeriness left him completely. He slumped down in his chair, his breathing uneven, and tried to stop the tears running down his face. God, he was a mess. How could just seeing that video put him in such a state?

Around two years ago, that video had been spread all around his school. Everyone with a phone had seen it, and it resulted in hate being thrown at PJ and then, when PJ defended himself, Chris. The person who spread the photos wasn't intending for Chris to be targeted, so they sent out more pictures of PJ - one from primary school, when he'd been a little too full of himself, and one from five years ago, when he was slightly overweight and at the swimming pools.

Phil tried to defend PJ, but that just led to embarrassing pictures of him being sent out, too. After a few days, PJ, Chris and Phil were all targets, and it was all PJ's fault. Phil forgave him instantly - years of friendship weren't overridden by him inadvertently causing bullying - but Chris was a little angrier about it. He and PJ had argued pretty badly, and all because of one drunken video.

PJ deleted the file off his computer.

Sunday afternoon came, and the footage had been pruned down and cut up and assembled into one short sketch. PJ knew what he was aiming for with this - all he needed was a cameraman to film the remaining sections.

He rang Jamie, who picked up almost immediately. "What's up?"

"Can we go film? Just you and me, it's not a complicated job."

"Yeah, sure," said Jamie, who seemed surprised. "Shall I bring the microphones?"

"Microphones, that simple tripod and a small camera - I don't know what you have, but something along those lines."

"Where are we meeting?"

"Round at mine. We've got some to film here before we go everywhere else."

Jamie didn't question his plan. When PJ got started on a film, there was no stopping him.

^ no clue what this was but i hope you liked

also hopefully a One Day update should be coming your way next week :)