Chapter 3

By lunchtime Brian called the training session to a close he was pretty happy with the work out from his players and before he let them have the rest of the day off he had talk to them in their team huddle.

'This has been pretty cool.' Andrew remarked.

'I know we don't ever get to watch other teams train except for the Storm so it is a nice change.' Ani said everyone looked at her and laughed.

'What?' she said pouting slightly her friends were still giggling.

'So what are you guys doing for the rest of the day?' Brook asked.

'I'm working at 4pm.' Natalie replied.

'Yeah me too except I start at 5pm.' Sally replied; while her friends were discussing their plans Vickie paid more attention to the players on the field; Brian finished his team talk and started to head off the ground with his coaching staff while the trainers packed up the gear, some of the players opted to head off the field and head out to enjoy the rest of their day off while a few continued to hang around on the field kicking footballs.

'Are you coming Vick?' Sally asked she quickly turned her attention back to her friends they each looked at her expectedly.

'Um—actually no. I think I'll stay for a bit.' She said she could see her friends knew what she was thinking they didn't say anything just nodded with smiles on their faces they saw their goodbyes and started to head out of Olympic Park.

'Chased your friends off?' Anthony asked she turned around she smirked at him.

'Well no they decided to leave, but if you wanted them around longer I can arrange it,' she remarked he laughed.

'Hmm. I may think about it next time.' He remarked she playfully hit him on the arm.

'Funny I am sure your girlfriend would be impressed.'

'Ah don't worry she's pretty cool with it as she always tells me,'

'Quit bragging.' Mitchell answered he strode over to them he had his jacket slung over his shoulder with a bottle of water and the white towel in his hands. Vickie didn't say a word watching him walk over she tried not to stare though it was difficult to tear her eyes away, Anthony though noticed, glancing sideways at his friend he smirked and gave her an elbow. She glanced up at him and seeing his expression immediately her face blushed.

'I saw that look.' He said she tried to play it down.

'What look?' she asked he chuckled.

'You know, the look I could tell and I can bet even Mitch is noticing.' Anthony said Vickie rolled her eyes at him.

'So what are you trying to say?' she asked.

'I think you know.' He said.

'Well I think you're just seeing things Mini. There is nothing going on we're friends and that is it,' she replied.

'If that is what you want to believe.' Anthony answered she ignored him.

'Now why were you suggesting if I had plans?' she asked Mitchell leant over the fence he unscrewed the bottle cap taking a big gulp of water.

'Well we got no plans for the rest of the day and I was thinking of doing a bit of shopping,' he said Anthony held back his laughter and Vickie gave him a sceptical glance.

'Shopping.' She said Mitchell nodded his head.

'You are being serious.'

'Yes.'

She looked at Anthony he shrugged his shoulders.

'His suggestion it's got nothing to do with me.' He said.

'I'm not getting involved you two though go and shop.' He added waving at them, and pushing himself off the fence he strode back to the change rooms.

'So you still up for it?' Mitchell asked Vickie raised her eyebrows.

'Well as odd as your request is then yes I'm up for it.' She answered.

'It is not odd.' He said.

'It is, you can do lots of shopping in Sydney as well; not like there is anything you can't get there and here.' She said he just smiled he stood up straight taking another drink of water.

'You'll see.' He answered she frowned.

'Then let's not waste anymore time and get going. The shops won't wait for you.'

Mitchell and Vickie had shopped well over an hour at Bourke Street Mall in the city. Nobody even gave Mitchell much of a second glance, though being a city mainly dominated by a very different football code in AFL He enjoyed not being noticed by anybody and just went about his shopping business, wanting to stop at almost every store and spending minutes browsing and browsing before giving up and moving onto the next one.

'Aren't you finished yet?' Vickie groaned she watched Mitchell step out of the HMV store yet with another bag to add to his pile.

'Just one more than we can have a break.' He answered.

'Sometimes I wonder if you were a woman in your previous life.' She said.

'Ha ha very funny.' He retorted they walked to the next shop a few doors away from HMV and to Jeans West.

'You really don't need anymore clothes.' She added pointing to the stack of bags he purchased earlier.

'They may still have something I like.' He said striding in, they moved to different parts of the store browsing casually. Vickie saw a few clothing items she liked she pondered over them; one a short denim skirt, a pair of black hipster jeans, a plain white short sleeved vest top and a black long-sleeved tight flannel shirt. She took each one off the rack and headed for the change rooms near the back of the store. One of the staff members was stood just outside of the change rooms flipping through a health magazine she looked up quickly scanned the items Vickie had in her hand and handed over a plastic tag with the number 4 written in black font.

'In there whichever one is free.' She said jabbing her head in the direction. Vickie didn't say anything she followed instructions but she was unimpressed with the woman's attitude. She walked into an empty stall pulled the flimsy red curtain across the entrance then set the clothes on the hook and her own belongings on the floor.

'Vick, you in here?'

'Yeah give me a minute!' she yelled worried Mitchell might just pull open the curtain without warning she hurriedly removed her clothes and put on the jeans and the two tops and adjusted her hair. She pushed the curtain aside walked out and Mitchell whom was talking to lady Vickie thought was rude turned he smiled.

'Well, well.' He said.

'Well what?' Vickie asked hands on hips.

'Didn't know you had good taste.' He smirked she wagged her finger at him.

'You're such an idiot.'

'Hey I'm being honest.' He said.

'All right let's see how your taste is then.' She said pointing to the clothes he had in hand.

'You're on.' Mitchell replied he entered the empty stall next to her stall, and while she stayed outside she heard him shuffling around trying to get his clothes on.

'Sounds like someone is having a little trouble!' she quipped.

'No.' he huffed.

'But if I was then I'm sure you would love to come in and help!' He said Vickie struggled for a come back she noticed the lady giving her a pissed off look at the same time.

'So I am right.' He added stepping out from the empty stall she tried to regain her composure.

'I don't know what you mean,' she said.

'Sure you don't.' he said.

'I don't.'

'How do I look then?' he asked. Vickie motioned for him to move back so she could get a better look. He had also taken a pair of jeans though it was of a faded blue a bit loose around the waist, and he had a dark red polo t-shirt.

'Hmm..' She started crossing her arms over her chest her head slightly tilted to the side.

'The top is ok but the jeans are wrong. You look like a clown with them being so daggy.' She said.

'They are comfortable.' He remarked.

'Also with them being slightly loose it can always come in handy.' He added cheekily.

'I'd rather not know thanks.'

'I just have one more thing to try then we can go.' She said he nodded. She went back into the stall quickly whipped off the jeans but she didn't realise she hadn't pulled the curtains across the entranceway giving him a bit of a view. He quietly hummed to himself a slight smile on his face. As she pulled the denim skirt over her knees it felt become a bit stuck.

'Argh!' She grunted.

'Having a little trouble?'

'Be quiet.'

He laughed still taking the opportunity to watch her while un-noticed.

'Ok I'm coming out now.'

Mitchell moved away from his vantage point so as to not look too inconspicuous and when she emerged from the stall he could feel the back of his throat dry up.

'What?' she asked with hands placed on hips he struggled to speak as if his voice box was suddenly removed from his body. He shook his head slightly and cleared his throat hoping to move the dryness away.

'N—no-nothing. Its—it looks good.' He croaked.

'Just good?' she said.

'Yes—yeah.' He answered she didn't know what was up with him.

'Are you ok?'

'Yeah fine.' He replied glad to be able to gain a bit more confidence in his voice again. She shrugged her shoulders she didn't know what was wrong but dismissed it and went back to the stall to change back to her normal clothes. Mitchell let out a deep sigh bending his head back he stared up at the ceiling. * What the hell was I thinking? * He thought.

After they changed back into their regular clothes and bought their selected choices they decided it was time for a break.

'What do you feel like?' Vickie asked.

'Whatever is easiest to find I guess. Can't have too much otherwise trainers won't be happy with me.' Mitchell joked.

'Damn and here I was thinking of some junk.' She replied he laughed.

'You can and I'll just look like the idiot not touching the tray,' he added. She was glad his mood had chirped up after they left the clothing store. She still was unable to figure out what had made him behave odd, she wanted to ask him and find out.

'Sandwich is probably good.' He said they'd stopped outside the shop window of Gloria Jeans Coffee.

'They do some ok stuff.' She said he shrugged his shoulders his mind still elsewhere he pushed open the door and walked inside she followed him they went to sit at a table next the window allowing them to watch other people walk past the shop, their own hands also filled with shopping bags. Mitchell picked up the menu keeping his eyes focused on it.

'What is up with you?' Vickie asked.

'What?'

'You're acting odd.' She replied.

'I'm fine.' He said.

'You're not. Come on, fess up I know it had something to do with the last shop we were in.' She said.

'It is nothing don't worry about me.' He answered.

'So you're not going to tell what is bothering you.'

'No.'

Vickie sat back in her seat she burrowed her eyebrows.

'Why can't you just tell me? I mean it can't be that big a deal.' She replied.

'I don't want to discuss it.' He remarked this time he was a bit more agitated she dropped the subject, but she would need to find out what was wrong.

'Can I take your orders?' a waiter asked appearing at their table.

'I'll just have an iced lemon and the turkey and ham sandwich.' Vickie answered.

'I will have a plain chicken sandwich and a white coffee thanks.' Mitchell said.

'Very well I won't be long,' the waiter said he finished jotting down the notes ripped the paper from the notepad and took it to the counter.

'So, whatever went on with you and Todd?' Mitchell asked she glared at him.

'Nothing.' She said.

'Why do you want to know?'

'Curious.' He said.

'What did he tell you?'

'Well, not much, but we know you guys have some kind of a history.' Mitchell answered. Vickie looked outside at the people passing by the shop.

'Yeah we did that was during his playing days in Canberra. My dad at the time was working for a computer company and they wanted him at their head office in the ACT. My mum and I went with him so we stayed there for a while. It was a bit weird because I was still in school so my parents just yanked me out of there and into another school. While I was there I was doing just some off the cuff volunteer work and ended up at the Raiders.' She explained.

'So yeah we were friends. Everyone knows about his troublesome background and I saw all of it I was there every time he did something wrong. I tried to help him out as best I could, but when I felt like there was progress made there would be a new problem from him.' She said.

'Todd didn't say you guys were friends.' He remarked. Vickie wondered how just much Mitchell knew about this and why was he so interested to find out.

'Why?'

'Like I said I'm curious.'

'Mitch I'm not stupid I know you're asking for a reason. If it isn't for yourself then someone else and I guess it is Todd asking you to ask me.' She said and she knew she was close to being right judging by his reaction. He avoided looking at her and instead also chose to look out the window.

'So instead of just asking all about me why don't you tell me what it is he wants and why he's getting you to do his job for him.' She answered Mitchell let out a sign he aimlessly played with the napkin on the table.

'He says he just wants to talk. You know, about stuff he wants to clear it up and maybe be friends or something.'

He saw her face screw him ready to disagree with the suggestion.

'All his words got nothing to do with me.' He added. Vickie shook her head she didn't want to talk about it; things were still hard for her to understand. She and Todd were friends pretty much from the moment they met while she volunteered at the Raiders.

'Well.' She said after a few minutes of silence.

'I don't think that talking will be happening, at least not anytime soon.'

'Why?'

'Look can we just drop the subject now?' she said getting irritated Mitchell nodded his head.

'Sure.'