“Have I said something?!”

Jake looked up from the TV to see he wasn’t alone in the crew room. There was Lily, the new girl, standing in the entrance with her hands on her hips with a glare that could kill. Jake’s brow furrowed.

“Excuse me?” he asked lazily.

“You heard me!” she snapped, “Have I done or said something to offend you in some way? Because you’ve been nothing but completely antagonistic to me since the day we met!”

Lily had been holding in her annoyance with the thorn in her side that was techie Jake Parker since day one. Since starting on this musical as a dresser for the five week run, wardrobe and the rest of the crew had been warmly welcoming. All except Jake. She wasn’t exactly expecting to be Miss Popular, but what had she done for him to be so…cold? He barely acknowledged her, her polite greetings were either met with a cough or his mouth pressed in a firm line and when the crew was all together, he acted as if she weren’t there.

She knew she wasn’t going to please everyone in her life and frankly, she didn’t care. But there was something about Jake that just…irked her. Maybe it was his gruff, slightly prickly demeanour. Maybe it was how he swaggered down the halls or backstage and how all the girls on theatre’s payroll swooned over him. She’d seen him at the Press Night party, dancing and having pictures with all the women in the room that looked like professional swimsuit models, like a dime a dozen Casanova who was too big for his boots.

Nonchalantly, Jake took the remote and switched off the TV, standing up from the sofa to stare down at the voluptuous brunette dressed in loose blacks.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He loftily folded his arms, “Perhaps I just like to keep to myself.”

“Perhaps you do.” Lily bit back, “But seriously, whatever problem you have with me, just leave it stage door. I don’t have time for people being unprofessional. You already messed up one of my changes last night by getting in the way and Karen was late on!”

“Oh no!” Jake threw his hands up incredulously in mock upset, “However will Little Miss Perfect here recover?”

“Excuse me?”

Lily’s eyes narrowed at him. By God, he really was the arrogant sycophant she took him to be. She heaved an irritated breath while Jake brushed a hand through his sweep of onyx coloured hair.

“And besides,” he continued, “If I was being unprofessional,” he gestured speech marks with his fingers, “I wouldn’t still be working here after three years!”

“Ok! Ok!” Lily raised her hands. She’d had enough of this, “Look, this isn’t getting us anywhere. So I’ll just say this: Whatever problem you seem to have with me, leave at stage door. And when I’m doing Karen’s Mansion change I don’t want another cock-up like last time. So when that change comes just stay out of my way, will you?”

There. She’d said what she needed to say. With one final scowl at him, Lily turned on her heel and walked out of the crew room. But not without hearing Jake Parker call after her.

“Believe me sweetheart, I intend to!”

*

© 2018 – Life of Violet – Violet Grey

All Rights Reserved.

*Picture – Pinterest