From Fire to Fire

Chapter 2

Within the last week Paul's attitude had gotten worse. And yet, he wouldn't talk to anyone about why that was nor would he ask for help. At this point he was worse than Judd was with hiding his feelings. Until New Year's Eve, that is.
Paul, all of a sudden, was walking around with a big smile and a peep in his step, and boy did it bother the rest of the crew.
"Hey, what got you in such a good mood?" Marjan asked as she walked up to him.
"Nothing, just finally realized that there was no point in being all sad and down about missing someone," He said with a smile that only he knew was faker than half the stuff his captain believed in.
"Dude, that's sounds like really sad when you say it like that," Mateo said from on top of the truck.
"Nah, it sounds like someone got laid," Judd said walking past them.
"Ooo, go Strickland! Go Strickland!" TK and Mateo joked.
"So who's the lucky girl?" Marjan asked with a lifted brow.
"No one, honestly I just realized I was spending time on missing someone that ain't coming back, at least not for a while," Paul said as he continued to clean up the truck.
"Again, sounds depressing," Mateo responded.
"Hey, Paul. Cap wants to see you," Judd said walking down the stairs.
"Okay I'll be right there."
Paul continues to act like he is feeling the greatest he has ever felt, knowing it's just an act so that everyone will stop bothering him. That is until he goes to see Cap.
"Hey, sit down," Owen says.
"I'm going to be honest Cap, I'm not liking the vibe of the room," Paul said as he sits down in a chair opposite of his caption.
"Yeah, well there's a reason for that. I just got a call from an old friend. They warned me that you might get a visitor later on."
"Oh really? Did they say from who?"
"I don't remember them mentioning a name, no."
"Okay, we'll thanks for the warning. Anything else?"
"Nope that was it. You can get back to doing whatever it is that you were doing," Owen said as he got up and opened his office door."
"Thanks Cap," Paul said as he left the office.
As Paul walked down the stairs he heard some of the other crew talking about what they thought was going on with him. But as he got closer they all shut up real fast.
"Wow, way to act normal, guys," Paul said loud enough for them all to hear.
"Sorry, Paul," they all said in unison.
"Why don't you just ask me instead of talking behind my back?"
"Well, we tried that but you shut us down faster then a southern Baptist trying to refuse food," Judd said with a matter of fact tone.
"Yeah, I'm sorry about that. I was having a bad day. You can ask all your questions, but I may not answer them all," He said in a tone that can only be described as a Paul tone.
"What is even going on with you?" TK asked.
"Holiday blues, as Judd said earlier."
"Oh, you heard that?" Judd asked
"Yeah, y'all aren't as quiet as you think," he said with a chuckle.
"Shoot, man, I'm sorry," Judd said laughing, the rest of the crew agreeing with him.
"Nah, y'all are fine. I just wanted to see how long it would take y'all to ask again. I made a bet with Nancy and Cap, and I win. You owe me twenty bucks by the way Nance," He said.
"Oh, you traitor!" Marjan said.
"I never took you for the secretive, double agent type," TK said with a chuckle.
"Yeah, wonder what else she's hiding," Tommy responded with a curious face.
"Can't say, if I keep it a secret it's cause it's not my secret to tell. Anyway! Back to Paul," Nancy said, trying to throw them off her trail.
"Wait, no! What other secrets are you keeping from us? I think we deserve to know," Paul said with a shocked face and tone.
"No! The only thing you deserve is a twenty, which I will go grab now," She said walking- no running off.
"What was that about?" Judd asked.
"I don't know, but I sure as hell want to know," Mateo said seriously, which is unusual for him.
They then moved there suspicions from Paul to Nancy.