The Opportunity Has Just Begun

“You want to get the door?” Sid looked up from the stove as he was playing master chef for the night.
“Sure,” I slipped off the stool and went to get the door our Russian guests awaiting our not so fine dining experience.

“Hey,” I opened the door to see Geno standing there with his arm around a certain blonde woman I had been waiting to meet, “come in. Watch out for Sid he is crazy when he cooks.”
“Sid is cooking?” Geno frowned as they followed me into the kitchen, “maybe we order instead.”
“Hey I heard that,” Sid looked offended.
“Just tease Sid,” Geno waved him off.

“Hi I am Cameron,” I snuck around Geno’s as he headed over to annoy Sid.
“Hello I am Oksana,” her accent was similar to Geno’s in the way that you knew they spoke more Russian than English. I guess it was just an accent that would never really fade.

“Cam, have you taken your insulin?” Sid spoke up before I got chance to say anything else to her.
“Not yet,” I admitted walking over to the fridge to grab my kit, “your so god damn bossy,” I grumbled.

Everyone had been looking out for me the moment we got back from New York. It took me well over an hour to convince my parents I was ok and that they didn’t need to come down from Toronto to see me. Sid hardly let me out of his sight and was always asking me if I was ok. I already wanted to just forget about having this disease.

One thing I was trying to prepare myself for was the media. I had kept away from them a lot of the time but now my agent was asking me to become an ambassador. I had pushed them away the first time about being the first female but I didn’t want that to be something people labeled me as. Maybe now I was going to have to open up though, embrace the opportunity I had and start making a name for myself.

I sat up at the bench and laid my things out in front of me. I could feel everyone watching me but it was just something else I was going to have to deal with.

“Does it hurt?” Oksana frowned as I looked down at my insulin pen like it was my enemy.
“Not really, I just don’t like needles that much.”
Geno put a reassuring hand on my back but it wasn’t helping, not with his girlfriend on the other side of me and the needle I was about to put in my stomach.

“Deep breath,” I told myself, “In and out.”
I took in a deep breath and let it out feeling my whole body relax before putting the needle in.

“You ok?” Geno squeezed my shoulder as I put the pen down.
“Yeah I am fine,” I slid off the stool and packed my kit back up.

I really was fine I just didn’t want people feeling sorry for me. So I put on a brave face and aimed to distract them with a new article I had read in sports illustrated.

“Alright who wants what?” Sid pointed to the lamb chops on the tray.
“Smell good Sid,” Geno nodded approvingly getting a closer look at each one, “good job,” he slapped his shoulder.

“Which one do you want?” Sid put his arm out for me to step closer and decide.
“I don’t mind, let them pick first,” I gestured to Geno and Oksana.

Oksana smiled at me and winked before her eyes directed at Sid who I then caught looking at me.
“What?” I couldn’t help but smile as he chuckled.
“Nothing just hurry up and pick one,” he snapped the tongs near my face.
“Get out of it,” I pushed his hand away before he really did catch me with them.

I kept finding my eyes falling on Geno and Oksana all throughout dinner. It was a different side of Geno, a side I wouldn’t have mind being graced with. He had his arm slung around her shoulder as he whispered things in Russian to her. It hurt to see them together because I knew a part of me liked him but I was in so much denial that I was actually happy for them.

“What do you do?” I spoke up looking at Oksana trying to keep myself from thinking too much.
“Study literature,” she smiled.
“Like Shakespeare?” I rose an eyebrow at her and smiled.
“Yeah like Shakespeare,” she laughed, “just Russian.”
“I wish I had have done something cool at college like that.”

We continued talking and if there was one thing I learnt about Russian’s was their love for talking about the place. Each time I was around them I heard about the fantastic architecture, churches and every detail of Russia. As one sided as the conversation got it was still interesting to sit and listen, something I preferred over talking about myself.

We eventually made our way into the lounge room and sat down watching some movie that was already on television. I didn’t care too much about what was on the screen, more preoccupied with Oksana snuggled into Geno’s side and wanting to be her.

“You ok?” Sid looked at me with concern in his eyes.
“Yeah I am fine,” I pulled away and laid down letting him pull my feet into his lap.

Sid was nice why couldn’t I just like him? It would be a whole lot easier if I did. Sure he is my captain but we get along so well and he cares and he doesn’t have a girlfriend. I hated my mind sometimes, it really was cruel.

“Poor thing,” I heard Sid talking as I was half asleep, “she’s been through a lot.”
“Yeah, but you look after her. She be ok,” Geno said.
“I guess,” but he didn’t sound convinced. It seemed like there was something else there.

“Cam,” he shook my shoulder lightly, “time for bed.”
I didn’t want to open my eyes though so I stayed curled up on the couch until he did something about it. It was probably selfish in way that as he scooped me up I wrapped my arms around his neck but I liked being close to Sid. He always smelt clean, like just plain soap but it was nice because it was Sid and that was relaxing.

I buried my face into the crook of his neck as he carried me upstairs. I wanted so badly to kiss his skin but I couldn’t, it would be wrong to do that to him. I was looking for some kind of company because I was jealous of Oksana.