Page 63 of Kicks

“Where’s Crystal?” Eddie asked as he slung his bag down.

“Checking her appearance. We have a job to do.”

Eddie winced as he sat down. “Fuck, my legs are going to be in agony tomorrow.”

“Oh dear, someone’s out of condition.”

“Why don’t you come and stay tomorrow night and I’ll show you who’s match fit.”

“That sounds like fun. But can you come to me? I’m not leaving Crystal alone in the flat all night. God knows what will happen.”

“You sure?”

“Of course. She’ll over the moon. You have a fan there.”

“So what’s this task?”

Before Billy answered, Crystal slumped down in the spare chair. “I’ve got to do an intro video for some of the scouts.”

Eddie frowned. “Really? Why?”

“Apparently they need to tell who can gel the best,” Billy replied.

“So it has to be good,” Crystal added.

“We wondered, with your skills in sales, if you might be able to help,” Billy said.

The pair looked so earnestly at them, how could Eddie refuse?

“Okay,” he said, rubbing his hands together. “Let’s get you over by the railing. The view will have the football pitch behind you.”

He ignored the pain coming from his thighs and helped Crystal find the perfect pose. It had to be natural and perfect.

“You look like a statue,” Eddie replied.

“Because you told me not to move.

“I didn’t mean it literally.”

They were all giggling now. Crystal shuddered. “I hate doing shit like this.”

“Stuff like this, thank you,” Billy cut in. “Less of the language.”

“Bro, I’m nearly sixteen.”

“So you keep saying.”

Eddie adjusted her crumpled shirt.

“What do you want to talk about?”

“I don’t know,” Crystal replied, her voice getting higher as she got more stressed. “There’s nothing interesting about me.”

A few years before he came to Pleasure Seekers, Eddie had worked for a marketing company. His main role was to go into the streets of London and film strangers’ reactions to whatever product they were trying to flog that day.

“Let’s think of three things,” Eddie said calmly. “That’s all it needs.”

Crystal seemed deep in thought. “How about I won the player of the league last year?”