~*Four years ago*~
"Good morning, Denver! Today's weather forecast is 80 degrees and sunny with possible thunderstorms later on in the evening. If you're going out tonight, bring an umbrella just in case!" the sound of my radio shooting me up from a deep slumber echoes throughout my bedroom.
I groan as I slam my palm against the snooze button on my iHome, keeping my eyes closed as I lay there almost motionless. I didn't want to move, regardless of how beautiful the weather was supposed to be today. I honestly wish it was going to rain all day. I favored the rain over the blistering heat any day.
My eyes slowly opened, looking at the surroundings of my room around me. Photographs were pinned in an organized fashion across my baby blue painted walls. Photographs of family vacations, the beautiful nature Colorado had to offer, and of course some photographs of my passion: hockey.
I loved hockey and I was a huge Avalanche fan. I enjoyed going to games as often as I could, pressing my camera against the glass during warm ups. I would stare in amazement at all the players, snapping pictures of them either shooting, stretching, or being caught up in some pregame conversation.
This year I had the privilege of being the Avs' professional photographer. I was ecstatic when I found out the news. I probably jumped up and down on my bed for at least two hours until my legs felt like rubber.
Photography was a huge passion of mine. I brought my camera with me everywhere, because I wanted to capture the unexpected; such as lightning strikes over the mountain range, or maybe seeing a doe and her baby in the meadows. Colorado was the perfect place for a photographer like myself. There was so much here to capture and the memories rested upon my bedroom wall.
I rubbed my eyes with my palms before looking at my clock on my nightstand. It was 6:30. Today was the first day of Avs training camp. Today was also the day where I would snap their head shots for the season, maybe having them pose in different positions for the Avs website. I was beyond excited, but also terrified. Today my photography was going to be put to the ultimate test.
I rolled out of bed and I sprinted to the bathroom, quickly taking a hot shower in order to calm my nerves. I wrapped a towel over my body as I looked at my reflection in the mirror. My wet blonde hair hangs in my face, drops of water falling on to the floor beneath me. My blue eyes blink rapidly as my breathing hitches. I needed to make myself look presentable today for my first day on the job.
I picked out an outfit consisting of a black pencil skirt, black flats, a black tank top and a blue ruffled sleeveless blouse to wear. I slipped into the outfit and then applied my makeup, consisting of foundation, blush, eyeliner and mascara. I dried my hair and curled the ends slightly, spraying it to hold it all in place. I felt like something was missing and I bit my lip in apprehension. I put on my black rimmed glasses, hoping to look professional. I didn't really need the glasses, but I was hoping to hide the small bags forming under my eyes.
I rushed to pack up my photography equipment. I brushed a strand of my hair behind my ear as I put everything into the passengers seat of my white Nissan sentra. I sighed to myself as I had trouble starting the engine, but a smile of relief spreads across my face as I hear the small engine -somewhat- purr.
I realized I had time before I needed to arrive at the practice facility, so I stopped at Starbucks and ordered myself a green tea frappucino with a shot of raspberry and a slice of blueberry crumble cake. I arrived in the parking lot and devoured my crumble cake, slowly sipping my frappucino as I saw cars pile into the parking lot one-by-one behind a gated area, which was the players parking lot.
There were several new faces on the team this year, including the 2nd overall draft pick Gabriel Landeskog. He was only a year or so younger than I was, which was pretty crazy. But at least I would be around someone my own age, even if it was for brief moment.
Other new face was a goalie we acquired from the Washington Capitals. Semyon Varlamov, I believe his name was. I was scared I was going to completely butcher his name, because I still wasn't one hundred percent sure how to pronounce it. The words, "the Russian one" will most likely slip out of my mouth, causing even more of an embarrassment.
I grabbed my equipment and frappucino as I slowly made my way inside the facility. I asked several faces where to go, and finally I made my way close to the media room. I set everything up, testing out my camera as I point it at several different things.
A knock on the door catches my attention. I turn around quickly to see a tall, dirty blonde male looking at me. I believe his name was Justin, if I wasn't mistaken. He was basically the head of almost everything the Avs did. He organized team events and he was the one who told me I was hired by the Avalanche.
"Are you ready for your first day on the job, Cameron?" Justin asks me, walking up to me as he holds his hand out for me to shake.
I grip his hand firmly, giving his hand three shakes before releasing it from my grasp. "I am, though I am not sure what to expect."
"The players will come in one-by-one and you will take their yearly head shot picture. We are organizing them to come in by their number, which means the goaltender will come in first because his number is one," he replies, making direct eye contact with me.
"Right," I reply unsurely. "And his name is?"
"Semyon Varlamov," he replies. "Don't fret, I just learned how to pronounce his name not too long ago," he adds with a slight chuckle.
"The players will be here in about ten minutes. They're putting their jerseys on as we speak." Justin says, giving me a reassuring smile before we say our goodbyes.
I quickly run over everything, making sure my equipment is set up properly. I take a sip of my frappucino, looking down to see the bottle completely empty. I frown as I shake the bottle in my hand. I sigh in defeat, soon tossing it into the trash can across the room.
I take a minute to fix myself, making sure my skirt wasn't wrinkly and my hair wasn't frizzy. A knock on the door catches my attention. I turn around and I see a tall, brown haired man poke his head into the room. He wears an Avalanche jersey with the number one stitched on the arms. His blue eyes lock with mine and a dimple filled smile spreads across his face. As he smiles, I notice his front tooth is chipped, adding some sophistication to his features.
"I come in now?" he asks, his English very broken as his Russian accent shows deeply. This must be him. This must be Semyon Varlamov.
"Yes! Of c-course!" I stutter nervously, watching him walk over towards me.
He holds out his hand as a smile paints across his face. "Semyon Varlamov," his accent echoes through out the room.
"Cameron Meyers," I reply, shaking his hand firmly, feeling sparks shoot through out my body. His simple touch was electrifying.
"I go over there?" Semyon asks as he points his thumb over his shoulder, gesturing to the white screen leaning against the wall.
"You guessed it!" I laugh nervously, soon walking over to my camera to have it focus on him.
Semyon stands there as if he's tense. He doesn't look comfortable at all. I notice his apprehension as I approach him, seeing him bite his lip in reply to my actions.
"Are you alright? You seem tense." I say softly, tilting my head to the side.
"I, uhh, yeah," he mumbles, looking down at the floor.
"You just gotta loosen up!" I say, resting my hands on his shoulders and moving him back and forth.
"Hey, what you doing? Stop," he whines, soon busting out into a contagious laughter, causing me to join in with him.
"I'm getting you loosened up. You want to have a good picture, right?" I giggle, still moving him from side to side. "I don't bite."
"Okay, okay!" he chuckles, his cheeks turning a deep shade of red.
I slowly remove my hands from his shoulders, him pouting his lips in response to my actions.
"What's wrong?" I pucker my lips, looking him in the eyes.
"That was fun," he pouts, soon a smile peaks across his face and he chuckles once again.
"Alright, alright. Let's get started." I smile, walking back to my camera.
I stand behind it and I look through the lens, watching Semyon take a deep breath before a sly smile spreads across his face. The clicking sound of my camera echoes across the room and soon I pull away from my camera.
"See? Not so bad, right?" I smile at him reassuringly, seeing him flash a smile in return.
"Do I need to do anything else?" Semyon asks, shrugging his shoulders at me in nervousness.
"I can take a picture of you in your goalie helmet," I suggest, tilting my head to the side once again.
He runs out of the room and returns with his goaltenders mask resting on top of his head. I take a picture of it resting on his head, then one of him wearing it while he glares into the camera.
"You are very photogenic." I smile, pulling away from my camera.
"Thank you," he blushes, soon resting his mask on top of his head.
"Welcome to Denver," I smile as I walk him to the doorway.
"Bye bye, Cameron," he grins and waves at me before I see him disappear into the hallway.
I continue to take pictures of the rest of the team, feeling a little bit uncomfortable when a handful of them try flirting with me. Some of the guys who I had never even heard of were total jerks, making me frustrated on the inside. Why couldn't they be like Semyon who was super sweet to me?
Practice had started as I moved all of my photography equipment towards the ice. My eyes scan the ice for Semyon, seeing him stretch his legs in ways I could not think were even possible. He does the splits and I make eye contact with him for a moment. Do the splits on me, my subconscious says. I shake my head clear of these thoughts. I wasn't that type of girl. But I could be for him, my subconscious adds.
He waves his glove hand at me and I return the friendly gesture, waving at him in reply before I hold up my camera.
"Smile!" I mouth at him, snapping a picture of him.
I take a couple more pictures of him as he purposely poses for me. I giggle to myself before I take pictures of the other Avalanche players. I prayed my camera wasn't going to die soon.
Practice had ended as I started to pack up my equipment. I would make eye contact with Semyon after every save he made during practice, mouthing the words "good job" in his direction, receiving a smile immediately afterwards.
I had packed my car with my equipment, soon sitting there for a moment in the drivers seat. My first day of being a professional photographer for the Avalanche was in the books, and I couldn't be anymore excited.
I turned the key in the ignition, hearing my car stutter in response. I try again, nothing. I sigh as I press my forehead against the steering wheel, defeat surrounding me. My car was dead. How lovely.
A knock on my window startles me. I turn my head and I see Semyon, waving slightly at me as a look of worry is written across his face. I slowly open the door and I look up at him, forcing a smile.
"Are you alright?" Semyon asks, his blue eyes looking down at me.
"No," I sigh in defeat. "My car is dead."
"Oh, no!" he exclaims, covering his mouth with his left hand. "Let me see."
I pop the hood of the car and I get out, watching him look at my car with his arms crossed over his chest. He now wears camouflage printed shorts that cut off just above his knee, a gray v-neck shirt, and a pair of black converse. He hums to himself as he looks at my car, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand.
"Jumper cables?" he looks over at me, raising his eyebrow.
I pull a set of jumper cables out of my trunk and soon he pulls his car up besides mine. His car was so much nicer than mine. Mine was a piece of crap that always broke down.
He hooks up the jumper cables to each of our cars. I turn the ignition, soon hearing the engine purr as I smile to myself.
I get out of the car as Semyon unhooks the cables, soon handing them back to me.
"Thank you so much!" I smile, holding the cables in my arms. "Is there any way I can repay you?"
"No, no. Do not worry," he smiles, holding his hand in air to deny my offer.
"Let me make you dinner tonight." I plead, pouting my lower lip as I give him the best sad puppy dog face I possibly could. "I know some Russian dishes."
"Hmm," he hums, rubbing the side of his face with his palm. "Okay," he adds with a smile.
I write down my address on a piece of paper. As he reaches for it, I pull it back playfully and a smirk spreads across my face.
"Seven o'clock," I whisper seductively with a wink. "Don't be late."
A/N -- Yay, first chapter of Fire & Fury is up! Sorry it sucks; and yes, I am purposely making Semyon's English incredibly bad. xD Please comment and vote! :)