Compelled (a Hat Films Fanfic)

Longboard

        I hear Amanda's cellphone ringing while I drove and glanced over at her quickly to see her digging through her backpack to find it. Giving a small exclamation as she triumphantly pulled it out, she pressed a button and gave a quick "hey!" as she brought it to her ear. I could just barely make out a voice coming through the other end, but considering the deep mumble and the fact that Amanda doesn't get many calls, I had a good idea who it was.

        "Yeah, actually we're driving back from Ross Hornby's parents' house," she said, answering some unheard question, "I can get working on it as soon as we get back." Amanda ignored me as she continued her conversation about some video or thumb nail Nick needed her to edit, and I felt mild irritation at the idea of her working all night tonight. I had planned on having our own late Christmas celebration when we got back, and I was really looking forward to giving Amanda her gift. Out of selfish jealousy, I reached over and took hold of her hand as she listened to the man on the other side of the conversation. She elbowed me and shook her head , apparently seeing through my gesture, but still held onto my hand.

        Nick seemed to say something that surprised her, and she perked up as she shrilled a "Really!?" into the phone. I looked towards her and she was smiling out towards the road, apparently having received good news. "Hat Films' were invited as well," she chirped, "I'll be going with them as one of their cameramen!"

        My grip on the wheel tightened and I watched my knuckles whiten as I guessed what they might be talking about now. If Nick was going to the Witcher event, then all my plans for that weekend were ruined. They would be all over each other, and even if it wern't in a romantic way they were still good friends and hadn't seen one another in a while. Smith and Trott were already planning things that they wanted to do while Amanda and I were spending time together alone, but I feared that now any extra time would be spent with her old room mate. "Just let me know when you're going to be buying your ticket and we can work something out," she continued, not noticing my discomfort or looking towards me for approval. 

        We pulled into my apartment complex and Amanda said, "I gotta go, just email me the feed and I'll get working on it as soon as possible, okay?" She said her goodbyes and started collecting her things as I parked the car. "Nick Valentine is going to the Witcher event too!" she told me happily.

        "Great," I said with false enthusiasm, rolling my eyes and getting out of the car. I didn't do a very good job of hiding my disdain, not that I attempted to.

        "Hey," she called from the car, her voice no longer chipper or excited. She slung her backpack over her shoulder and walked around to the boot where I was pulling out our suitcase. "Don't be bitter," she said seriously, grabbing onto my arm. Her smile had fallen and her eyes pierced into me with annoyed criticism as her eyebrows creased together.

        I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at her again and said, "I'm not," very unimpressive. I was tired from driving and my mood had been killed by that short phone call, so I didn't try to mask my feelings.

        She took a step back as if I were some volatile creature. "You want some fries with that salt?" she asked incredulously, her retort coming out irritably and only adding to my announce towards her. I knew I was just irrationally jealous, but any mention of Nick made me sinfully prideful and competitive. I still shouldn't be taking it out on her, so instead of instigating an argument I just walked towards my flat. 

        I could hear her padding after me, and a small hand grabbed my elbow just as I stuck the key in the door. "Ross Hornby," she said, tugging me to face her, "What has gotten into you?"

        "What do you mean?" I asked, trying futilely to soften my temper as I stepped inside and pulled the suitcase in behind me.

        "You were all happy and excited this morning," she pointed out.