When we stepped out onto the rooftop, I saw just how many people were involved in making the show. In my mind, it was simply the director and the film crew, but there were so many other professionals milling about, all with jobs to do.
Trev stood by the far corner of the roof talking to the director, Barry, while he limbered up and stretched. You’d think he’d be decked out in athletic gear, but instead he wore a hoodie, a pair of loose-fitting jeans and Nikes. In this get-up he reminded me so much of the boy I first met in a dark, crowded nightclub, the one who was full of smiles and easy charm.
He caught my eye and gestured for me to come over. I closed the distance between us and shot Barry a polite smile.
“I want you to meet an old friend of mine. This is Reya. She’s filling in for Jo while we shoot.”
“Nice to meet you, Reya,” said Barry, reaching out to shake my hand. His expression was polite but businesslike. He looked like a man with a long string of tasks to complete—slightly harried. “I hope you’re quick on your feet, otherwise this lot’ll run rings around you.”
“Oh, I’m aware,” I replied with a laugh.
“Anyway, I better be off. I need to go talk to Callum.”
When he was gone I turned to Trev. “That sounds serious.”
“Not really. Somebody always needs to talk to Cal. It’s like the sun rising in the morning,” he joked, then continued more seriously. “Used to be they had to talk to me as well.”
I smiled at him. “But not anymore because you’re a grown-up now?”
He winked. “I’ll never be a real grown-up and we both know it, but let’s keep that our little secret, yeah?”
Something came over me with his wink and I folded my arms to keep from doing anything ridiculous—like swooning.
“Our little secret.” I nodded.
“So how’d your day go with Leanne and Paul?” he asked, fluttering his eyelashes when he said Paul’s name. I pinched him lightly on the arm, knowing he was teasing me for my crush. It wasn’t really a crush. At least, it wasn’t anymore. Now that I’d spent time with him I knew all I felt for Paul was friendship. I still admired him, because after all, he was extremely talented, but now he felt more like a little brother than anything else.
“It went fine. I had fun. Is this a camera?” I asked, poking at the contraption hooked up to the neckline of his hoodie. I guessed it was for all those first-person shots they used in the show.
“Hmm, why so thin on the details?” Trev asked back, ignoring my question. “Did you and Paul have a romantic smooch by the riverside or something?” He wasn’t letting up.
I narrowed my gaze, refusing to let him get to me. “Why? Are you jealous?”
Trev walked around me, or should I say prowled. There was intensity to his movements, even though his eyes were smiling. I shifted, my back brushing the wall at the edge of the building as he penned me in. He tilted his head, his attention moving over my features when he finally answered, “Maybe.”
My stomach flipped and our gazes held until Leanne interrupted us. “Hey, you two. Neil’s handing out bottles of water if you want some.”
Trev finally dragged his eyes away from mine. “Nah, I’m good.”
“I’ll go get one,” I said, needing an escape. I felt Trev watch me as I walked away and like always, his attention had me questioning myself. What was I doing here? I mean, what was I really doing here? No matter how much I convinced myself it was all for the music and the travel, I had to admit that a part of it was to do with Trev. I’d be ninety and still asking how high whenever he said jump. It was an unwelcome thought.
A couple of minutes later the filming began in earnest. All eyes were on the stars as they huddled together, discussing the logistics of what they were about to do. Callum spoke directly to the camera, but I couldn’t hear what he said. I moved closer, trying to hear better, but then they all formed a line with Trev at the head of it. The cameras followed as he stepped up onto the edge of the roof, and my pulse sped up like it always did.
I’d witnessed him do this countless times before, but my reaction never changed. My hands still grew clammy and my throat still clogged up. My entire body buzzed with adrenaline.
I guessed that was why freerunning held such an allure for people. The excitement. The fear.
There was a perverse sort of attraction in all of us to those who took chances, risked their lives to do what they loved. They faced fears far bigger than anything we might ever encounter.
My stomach fluttered in anticipation when Trev spread his arms out wide, and then just dropped. Without thinking I ran to the edge of the building, peering down. A small part of me imagined he’d jumped to his death, even though another part knew this was all calculated. The others followed suit and by the time I reached the edge all five of them had jumped. I looked down and saw a connecting roof lower down, a drop of about ten or twelve feet.
There was a cameraman with a handheld capturing the group until they leapt to the next roof. My eyes scanned the distance and I saw at least five other roofs with waiting crewmembers. There were narrow gaps between the buildings and a shiver ran through me as I watched the group jump through the air like it was nothing. My attention was mostly on Trev though, the sure, steady movement of his legs, the strong, muscular line of his shoulders as he made each giant leap.
“Pretty amazing, isn’t it?” came a heavily accented voice from behind me and I startled.
I glanced over my shoulder, and there on the wall sat a young dark-skinned guy. He looked about seventeen or eighteen, and he wore a green T-shirt that said Boo-yah.
“It’s incredible,” I replied, looking back out into the distance. They’d reached the end of their run, all gathered on the last rooftop. Even though I’d been on tenterhooks, I knew this was an easy stunt. Roof hopping was something they did every day as teenagers. Over the course of the filming they’d build up to bigger and bigger risks, upping the theatrics each time.
“Do you work for the show?” asked the young guy, and I returned my attention to him.
“Yes, do you?”
He shook his head. “I’m just a fan. Don’t tell anyone but I snuck up here. When I heard the guys were filming in the city I had to come see for myself.”
“Ah, well, your secret’s safe with me,” I said and smiled. I didn’t know why, but there was something about him that I warmed to.
“So, what’s your job?”
I climbed up onto the wall to sit next to him. “Me? I’m just an assistant, and a temp at that.”
“Damn, hoped you might be someone important,” he joked. “Thought I might be able to sweet-talk my way into a part.”
“You do parkour?” I asked, impressed. My eyes traced his fit, athletic form and I knew he was telling the truth. He carried himself just like Trev and the others.
“I try. Got the cuts, bruises and broken bones to show for it.”
I laughed. “Where are you from? You don’t sound Belgian.”
“South Africa, Johannesburg. Been living here for two years now with my mum and sisters.”