The Editor • Hatfilms Book 1 ✔️

Chapter 9: Things go wrong... Really wrong

Chapter 9: Things go wrong... Really wrong

-Stephanie-

(One hour ago from end of previous chapter.)

“Hey Marcus,” I tilted my head up from staring at my monitor and looked at Ross.

“Oh hey,” I said with a low voice, “I’ve just finished some more editing for you guys, actually I’ve fished all of your recordings!” I felt shocked with myself, maybe because I wasn’t usually so hard-working with these things. Before I panned pack to my computer, I saw Ross’s face widen.

“Wow! You’ve finished all of them?” He asked; shocked. “And your content is really good as well?!” In my mind, I felt proud because someone appreciated my work. But in reality, I looked as if it was no big deal.

“Yeah,” I sighed heavily. “Means I’m totally free then.” There was a mix of emotion in my voice: maybe because it was enjoyable to do. Slumping on my chair, I spin around and wait for Ross to say something.

He then spoke, “If you’re free, we can play some GTA together with Smith and Trott. But don’t worry, it won’t be recorded.” I thanked him for the key thoughts about me so I totally accepted it and all of us prepared our computers. Placing my headset on, I grab my mouse into my grasp and opened up GTA5. I saw the others do also: with them mumbling in my ears – via the headphones.

“Are you guys ready?” I spoke with much confidence as I clicked with my mouse. Then, I heard Ross yell at Trott. I looked from my monitor to the two boys: who were throwing stuff at each other. It felt like we all knew each other for so long, especially whenever we were all in the room.

“Trott stop throwing foam stuff at me!” Ross roared and Trott gave a pout.

Trott retorted back with a squeaky German accent, “But it is tradition to throw foam swords at the holy Ross!” We all burst into laughter, with Smith calming all of us down afterwards.

We soon started off by stealing any vehicle we could find. After 15 minutes of endlessly driving a truck. I got my character throwing some other NPC out of there white looking-Ferrari and driving towards Smith.

I called out from my microphone, “Hey Smith.”

“What Marc?” He said back.

“Want to get a jet plane?” I asked and he nodded. We both drove (virtually) to the air force. There red spots appeared in my map and sirens went of instantly. We managed to take of right before we got shot by policemen running at us. Maniacally, we laughed our heads of and flew to find the others.

“Where are you guys?” I shouted from the ruckus.

I got a reply from Trott and he spoke slowly, “Me and Ross are not in the strip club...”

I slowly clap in my mind and thought, ‘Meet Ross Hornby and Chris Trott: number one perverts!’ Chuckling, I held my keys on my keyboard and flew over the mountain and into the city. Right on time, I ejected from my seat and slowly drifted down. Smith had kept the jet plane going as I landed on the ground in safety.

When I got up, I looked around my surrounding. And in front of me was a coffee shop.

Wait.

It reminded me of something.

There I gasped and all of the three fired me with questions.

“What? What’s the matter?!”

“Did someone?!”

“I need to eat sh*t!!!”

“Shut up!” I stopped them from shouting or even making sounds. Then, I swore under my breath.

“What is it Marc?” Smith – with a cooling voice: asked.

“I forgot to meet Minty at Starbucks!” I said, panicked. “sh*t.” Afterwards, I paused my game and roughly took my headset off. I heard the other three did so and looked at me with unusual looks. You won’t usually see your co-workers caring about you a lot, but this was in another level to any standard of friendship.

Ross said, “You want us to drive you there: it’s quite far from here if would’ve walked.”

“Okay,” I just said and all of us raced down and hopped into the car.

One of the things I’ve learnt during my experience as a boy was: your friends are actually equally supportive as what girls do. You don’t expect them to give you a ride or... tell weird and inappropriate jokes during recordings. It was what kept me lively with them, because they were different to what girls think of what boys are.

We soon arrived in front of Starbucks, Ross had parked beside the pavement: with a black Honda in front of us. We all got out of the car and we crossed the road. Then, we entered the busy shop. And unfortunately: she wasn’t there.

I frowned and said, “She’s not here...” Next, I felt someone’s hand placed onto my shoulder. Turning around, I saw Smith looking down at me.

“Don’t worry mate,” He reassured me. “She must’ve gone back to Yogtowers when we were driving here...”

“Must’ve,” I whispered as I turned back and exited the place. “Let’s get back.” All of them nodded and we headed back to Ross’s car. The black Honda car had disappeared somehow. Getting into my usual seat, Ross started the car and all of us went quiet for the rest of the trip.

Silence was interrupted by Trott’s phone going off beside me. I saw him take it out of his pockets; his eyebrows lifting.

“Lewis and the gang are heading back in an hour or so from the airport,” Trott read out.

“Well bloody good,” Ross spoke. “It’s never the same without the people in the office.” After all the serious stuff, we joked around with some games right before we turned around the block and into the private parking lot.

And what was more confusing was the same familiar black Honda car was there: parked beside an empty space. I knew that the other three had no worries, maybe because they didn’t noticed. However, all tension built up to who was driving that Honda. We got up to the regular floor, with me in front and Hatfilms behind me.

It was there I spotted Anya, leaning against the wall: patiently waited. Her face didn’t look as if she was p*ssed or anything. Actually, she was right opposite.

I shouted for her attention, “Hey Minty!”

She jumped and raced to me, “Well you’re quick in the bathroom!?” I raised an eyebrow. The room became awkward.

“And you’ve changed clothes?” She wondered and all of us had strange looks.

“What do you mean change clothes?” I asked, still utterly confused.

“You just said you were going to find the toilets a minute ago and then...” Anya paused within her sentence. Suddenly, her eyes widened.

I turned towards her sight direction to spot someone who was not meant to be even here.

“Stephanie!” My very identical twin exclaimed.

Then I felt my words burst out in fusion.

“Marcus!”

A/N: OH GOD!!! Things go down mothertruckers!!!! Welp... I hope you love that EPIC plot twist right there. And yes... YOU CAN HAVE ALL THE COOKIESSSSSSSS!!!!!