Chapter 67 69

Chapter 67 69
LARA PARKER.
New Year started off on a good note for me if I have to say so myself. For the first time in my life, things were actually working out for me in my favor, and I am thoroughly enjoying every minute of it. To begin with, Mrs. Vance at the very top of my list actually kept her promise and gave me my bonus as well as my column. Somehow, I had even gone from being the journalist at the very end of the table, to having my seats moved up to the front to her left during meetings.
The conference room smells faintly of coffee and printer ink somewhere nearby. I scribbled some notes from what Mrs. Vance was briefing us about on my journal. As the Sports Editor, she was seated at the very helm of the table, and all sports journalist on her team, a total of 8 of us were seated four on each side of the table, listening in.
 I watched as the assistant sports editor went on to project the week’s schedule on the screen, lines of matchups, arenas and time slots that everyone already knows considering the season had continued right where it had ended.
“Parker.” Mrs. Vance voice came, gaining my attention.
I blinked, shifting my gaze to her to find her already with her pointed gaze on me. “Yes, Mrs. Vance?”
“White Phantoms match. You are on it. I want rink side access information. I trust that you will be able to get it. No summaries. I want the sound of skates cutting ice.” She said, her tone leaving no room for me to even plead otherwise.
Not that I had intended to.
I took in a sharp breath, knowing she is doing this considering how I managed to land the shoot with Killian last time. “Got it.” I gave her a firm nod, my lips curling into a tight slipped smile. “I am on it.”
A reporter opposite me leans forward, flipping through his notes. “I will take the rival’s game. It is a home game and tension is already building between the two teams. It is best to get a coverage from both angles.”
“Sounds good.” Mrs. Vance replied with a curt of her head, her lips set into a thin line as always. Those hawk likes eyes shifted between I and the guy opposite me that volunteered to cover alongside me for the game tomorrow night. “I am sure I do not need to repeat myself to you two, but I want everything. There has been a lot of buzz in our column recently, and it is best to retain it.” She tapped her fingers on the table, before turning to face everyone. “That is it for today’s meeting. You can all disperse.”
She pushed her chair back and got on her feet first, and in a short while, she was already walking out with her assistant in tow. I exhaled a small breath, gathering my belongings as the others did, and starting filing their way out.
I picked up my coffee last, bringing it to my lips to take a sip of it as I made my way towards the exit as well. Before I could open the door however, a hand struck out from behind to push it open for me. I turned my head around just in time to meet the face of the journalist from earlier.
I flashed him a small smile. “Thank you, Evans.” I stepped out with him following behind me.
“No worries, mate.” His Australian accent was prominent as ever when he spoke, and then he fell in line with me as we made our way back to our stations together. “So, I suppose Mrs. Vance is putting you on every Phantoms game because of the cover shoot?” he inquired, starting out light conversations.
If it was someone else in the team, I would have suspected them of trying to form small gossips from my response, but it is Evan. Of all my other colleagues, he is best known for minding his business and not interacting with others except when necessary. You would never catch him involved in work place gossip and truthfully, I am even surprised that he is bringing this up with me.
I did not think much into it however, and instead, flashed him a smile in response. “Is it that obvious?”
He flashed me a dazzling smile in return, and his side dimple, a feature of his that always stands out makes an appearance. “To a certain extent.” He mused, and we ended up chuckling at that.
Bringing the black coffee to my lips, I took a sip of it, wanting to finish it before it gets cold.
Beside me, I could see him look at me through the corner of my eyes, and then I heard him say. “I thought you hated black coffee?” His question had me giving him a questioning look as I dropped down the disposable cup from my lips. Seeing the look on my face, he offered me a sheepish smile, rubbing the nape of his neck before adding. “I noticed…whenever the team is ordering a drink you always opt for tea with milk. You are the only person so…it is hard not to notice this kind of things.” He glanced at the cup in my hand, then added. “Recently you have been into black tea often it appears.”
Perceptive, that he is clearly. No wonder he excels the most in the team.
“Oh.” He is not wrong. I am notoriously known for strictly tea and no black coffee unless when I am truly in need of feeling rejuvenated, and those are only when Mrs. Vance stresses the living crap out of me, which she has not been lately thankfully.
“Just cravings.” I shrugged, though even I am a bit surprised by my sudden liking to black tea. “Milk leaves me unsettled these days…” Just the mere thought of it makes me feel nauseous.
And I thought it was just a fleeting thing.
“Well, I—”
I hunched forward, patting my chest with my hand holding my journal, truly feeling nauseous beyond it in my head. “Excuse me…” I quickly rushed away from him, making a dash towards the direction of the restroom without looking back.
Uncaring that I had thrown the door open, I was barely aware that my journal and coffee cup had slipped out of my hand as I rushed to the wash hand basin. Hunching over and gripping the pedestal and I found myself vomiting out the contents of my stomach.