Dan and Nick own iCarly and Victorious. The San Francisco 49ers belong to the National Football League (NFL). All I own is Angeles Village, Orangefly's, The Naked Longhorn and The Middle Of Nowhere. This is another idea that I couldn't get rid of, so here I went in Doc Manager. Like "Advice From Dad", this takes place before "The Tech Whiz And The Former Grunch" and "A Shower And Two Valentines (The Best Shower Ever)", but this deals with the day that Trina comes back to L.A., or rather, the first time that she sees her family and friends after doing so. But anyway, here goes "Maybe Someone Does Like You". Hope you enjoy it.
(Hollywood, Los Angeles, California; Saturday afternoon, June 2015)
It had been a day since she finally came back to Los Angeles and moved into her new apartment at Angeles Village, but for 22-year-old Trina Vega, her return wouldn't feel complete until she made one important visit. Although she wasn't aware of her plans, and knowing that this impromptu visit could also lead to her running into their parents, Trina's only concern was to see Tori. The two had talked a great deal while Trina lived in Austin, and her "baby sister" had even made the trip to see her a few times. But now, this meeting was even more special, since it was the first time that they would see each other after Trina returned to L.A. the day before.
After parking her red convertible in the driveway, and dressed in a black tank top with the San Francisco 49ers logo in the middle, blue jean shorts, and black-and-white Converse sneakers, the oldest of the Vega sisters used the key that she still had to open the front door of her old home.
Once inside, she noticed how everything virtually looked the same, and thought that it was almost as if she had never left. Not long after Trina made it into the house, Tori, who was dressed like her sister except for a plain white tank top, had made it downstairs and back into the living room. She was about to walk to the kitchen when she was suddenly greeted by her older sibling.
"So, I finally make it back home, and my little sister can't say 'hello'?" Trina jokingly asked after noticing Tori come down.
"Trina?" Tori said excitedly once she realized her sister was in the room.
"The one and only."
"Ahhh! Come here, you!"
In a matter of seconds, both siblings had embraced each other in a tight hug. Even though the two of them hadn't lost contact in the three years that Trina was in Austin, her time there had left a void just the same, so it wouldn't have been a surprise if the two were in each other's arms for a great deal of time.
"When did you get here, and why didn't you call or text or something to tell me you were coming over?" Tori asked, still excited about her sister's sudden arrival.
"I just got here not too long ago, and I didn't say anything because I wanted it to be a surprise," Trina began. "I figured that I would come to see you after all of the times you went to Austin to see me."
"Well, I'm glad you decided to stop by. But wait, how'd you get in here if nobody let you in?"
"I still have my key, baby sis. Apparently, Mom and Dad weren't too concerned about me to ask for it back."
"Got it. So how long are you gonna be back in town?" Tori asked, unaware that Trina had come back to L.A. for good.
"Well, unless I have to move again for whatever reason, I'm here for the rest of my life," Trina answered.
"Wait, you're moving back?"
"No, I'm not moving back, Tori. I already moved back."
"Oh my GOD, you're full of surprises today," Tori said happily. "When did this happen?"
"I just moved yesterday, but I actually found a place a few weeks ago."
"Really? That's great. Where do you live?"
"This place called Angeles Village."
"That's pretty good. I've heard of that place. So... do Mom and Dad know that you're back now?"
"No, they don't know," Trina responded. "I'm still not ready to really deal with them just yet. I don't plan on ignoring them forever, but I'm not gonna go running back to them, and I definitely don't want them to think that everything's okay between us just because I'm back in town." Seeing Tori nod her head, Trina decided to shift the conversation to a lighter subject. "So, enough about me. How's everything going for you?"
"I'm doing good, actually. Probably not as good as I would have been if I stayed at Neutronium, but I'm fine," Tori answered. To her credit, she was telling the truth, as she had managed to maintain a good living as an aspiring actress and singer, partly due to her singing and writing with André, who had a surprising amount of success as an independent artist. She also scored brief parts in various TV shows, and even scored a role in a film titled The Middle Of Nowhere, which Beck had also been in.
She had also been selected as a model for the fashion column of a local magazine. And for good measure, she managed to land gigs singing at Maestro's, much like she had during her and André's spur-of-the-moment performance when they were on Hollywood Arts' "ping-pong team".
"Well, considering that you managed to make it on someone's album, TV and movie screen, and not to mention you being 'Little Miss Model' now, I'd say you're just getting started," Trina teased.
"Now, come on, Treen," Tori began, calling her sister by her nickname. "I'm not the only one who did a little posing and stuff since we've been out of school." Tori was referring to the modeling jobs Trina had done in Austin, particularly in her first months there.
"Well, this body is useful for a lot more than just waiting tables and working poles," Trina joked as she stood up and motioned her hands in a "look at all of this" type of manner, referring to her time as a waitress and, as she preferred to be called, an exotic dancer.
"You know, you're either pretty brave, or pretty crazy to have ended up working at a strip club. If you needed money, you could've just called me, or even asked Mom and Dad."
"I didn't need money, Tori. Dancing at The Naked Longhorn and working at Orangefly's got me through just fine," Trina responded. "Besides, if push came to shove, and I did need some money, I would have thought of something else. In fact, that's one reason why I started dancing there in the first place, so I wouldn't have to come to you, and especially Mom and Dad, for anything."
"So what was another reason?" Tori asked.
"It... It sounds dumb now, and if I ever danced at another strip club ever again, I wouldn't use this as a reason, but... but when I got up on stage, it felt good. I felt good. I liked the attention that I got when I went on stage or when I danced for somebody on the floor or in one of the private rooms. I used to act like the center of attention when I was still here, but I actually was when I danced for the last three years. I mean, a lot of times, I had to get rid of some losers and assholes, and every so often, I would run into someone who was with somebody else, and as a result, they probably shouldn't have been there. But more often than not, when I danced for a guy, or even a girl sometimes, I felt like... like I was the woman out there. Like I really lived up to all of that hype that I put on myself when we were younger. I never really had that feeling before I had moved away."
Realizing that she may have ventured on to a rocky subject, and not wanting to drive her away again, especially when she had just returned, Tori moved on from the topic of Trina stripping... or dancing in an exotic manner.
"So, what were you planning on doing today?" Tori asked.
"Well, aside from this, I hadn't really made any plans," Trina began in response. "Seeing you was my only real mission for today, since everything is already settled at the apartment."
"Okay, well, since you said that, why don't we hang out for the afternoon? Grab some lunch, go shopping, maybe even surprise some friends?"
"You want me to go with you so you can show everybody that I'm back in town?" Trina asked, having recognized the last part of her sister's plan.
"Nothing gets past you, does it?" Tori responded jokingly.
"You brought it up in the first place. It wasn't a hard case to solve."
"Yeah, well - "
Just when Tori was about to finish her thought, the doorbell had rung. She was gonna get the door herself, but Trina had gotten up from the couch instead.
"So you answer doors now?" Tori joked.
"Yeah, I do. Are you surprised?" Trina fired back in a humorous manner.
"Actually, yeah I am, because you used to wait for someone else to do it."
"Very funny, baby sister." And with that, Trina went to open the door. If the simple fact that Trina was answering the door was shocking, then that would pale in comparison to the reaction from the young woman on the other side of the door.
"It's about time, Vega. I was wondering when you were - Trina?"
"Hey, Jade."
Even though the pair had talked over the phone, through texting and social media, Trina and Jade hadn't physically seen each other since the day of their graduation, since Trina had left the very next day. And since they patched things up between them just before then, what was about to happen, which once would have been considered a sign of Hell freezing over, didn't seem so odd now.
"Oh my GOD. Hey Trina!" Jade exclaimed as she went to hug Trina, which she happily returned.
"Hi, Jade," Trina answered as she hugged Jade back.
"You know, it's funny that you two are all hugged up like that, because I remember when you two hated each other's guts," Tori joked. "And Jade, I don't think you ever hugged anyone else like that."
"Are you jealous, baby sister?" Trina teased as she and Jade finally separated.
"No, I'm not jealous. I just find it... interesting, that's all."
"Well, for one thing, in case you forgot, we all made up with Trina before she suddenly left," Jade said. "And besides that, I may not hug you guys or anyone else like that, but I haven't gone three years without seeing you in person either. Even with everything going on, I still see you on a regular basis."
"That is true," Tori admitted. "So, Jade, me and Trina were going to lunch. Wanna come with us?"
"Sure, why not?" And with that, the three young women were headed out of the door.
Okay, so to start off with, Trina's back in Los Angeles, she's reunited with Tori, and now, she's done so with Jade as well. In the next chapter, whenever that is, Trina and Jade will talk some, and other stuff will get sorted out too. Until then, though, just let me know what you think so far.