She could remember it like it was yesterday. Joy had been with her, thick and thin. Joy was the glue that stuck with her. Melanie did not come into their lives until a few years after Joy and Victoria became friends. By then, the two women shared a rich history that only the two of them knew of.
They knew each other well, right down to the favorite food. Joy introduced Victoria to British culture, and Victoria taught her American slang. They knew each other's favorite drinks at the bar, to the point where when they went out, one or the other would order for both of them. Victoria and Joy talked daily, getting to know each other's quirks. Joy found Victoria to be sometimes self-absorbed, neurotic, but when she knew a friend needed help, she'd do almost anything for her. Victoria found Joy to be sometimes cynical and moody, but underneath that, she found a caring, loving friend who when she was needed would put her friends first. The two women bonded fairly fast, and Victoria finally found someone she had something in common with. A kind of friend who wouldn't use her friendship for fame. Joy didn't seem the type that would do that. Victoria smiles at the vivid memory. Sometimes, she found it hard to believe that the two of them shared a bond that long. She looks over at Joy, and the two women share a mutual smile.
"I can't believe we've been through a lot."
Joy looks up from the magazine she was reading, smiling.
"Me neither. It's been a hell of a ride, hasn't it, Tori?"
Victoria smiles sweetly. "It has, it sure has."
Victoria reaches over, reaching for Joy's hand. Joy smiles sweetly, taking her hand.
"Remember when we first met?"
Victoria takes Joy's hand, holding it. She smiles at the memory.
"It seems so long ago," she says, her fingers clasping around Joy's.
The sounds of the Bangles playing, it was their latest album. People were dancing madly in this hip club she always frequented. It was small, but packed a ton of people, especially on Fridays. Fridays were 'Glow stick Night' and it was also 'Free Drinks' night.
Dancing under the glow of the black light, Victoria danced, holding a martini glass that was quite big. Her hair was teased and crimped, with wild streaks of bleach blonde weaved in her dark hair. Tonight, she was wearing her favorite minidress, complete with fishnet stockings which were quite torn, on purpose of course and four inch high stiletto boots. These came up to her knee. Fashion was her thing; she always stayed on top of the latest and greatest. Her makeup was thick, lips painted bright red, and eye shadow that made her eyes pop.
Victoria was an actress by day. She starred in a soap opera, Edge of Tomorrow, playing Honor St. Raven and various other things. She had everything she could dream of, a big house, cars, beautiful jewelry. She didn't have any awards for her work, but that was because Susan Lucci beat her out quite often.
But tonight, she was Victoria Chase. She continues dancing to the loud beats of the new wave music, moving through the sea of people. Somehow, she manages to bump into someone.
Over the loud music, she could hear this person amazingly. The woman she saw looked quite a bit younger than her, but old enough to be in the nightclub. Adorned in the punk attire, and big permed hair, the younger woman smiled.
"Excuse me," Victoria says, quite embarrassed. The woman grinned.
"Quite alright." she spoke in a clipped British accent. Victoria smiled graciously, relieved that she didn't anger the woman.
"Who might you be?"
The woman grinned. "I'm Joy. Joy Scroggs. I'm an Esthetician."
Victoria raises an eyebrow." And what's that?"
Joy laughed. "I'm a cosmetologist. My specialty is eyebrows. You?"
Victoria nodded. "I'm an actress. Right now, I'm on this soap called Edge of Tomorrow."
Joy looked at her, shocked." Oh my goodness, you're Victoria Chase!"
At that recognition, Victoria grinned." Yes, that's me alright."
Joy smiles." What are you doing here?"
Victoria shrugs. "I'm just enjoying the single life. I just recently got out of a long term relationship."
Joy frowns. "Were you married, if you don't mind me asking?"
Victoria sighs." No. I don't handle commitment very well. He wanted to marry me, but I wasn't ready for it."
She takes a swig of the martini. Joy puts an arm around her.
"It's alright. I don't handle it well either."
Victoria sighs. "I've spent years in therapy to come to that conclusion."
She takes a second swig from her glass, and looks at Joy.
"Are you married?"
Joy laughs. "Hell no! I'm still very much single." She sighs though.
"I do have a son I gave up for adoption however. I wasn't ready to become a mother."
Victoria nodded." How long ago was that?"
Joy sighs." It's been about ten years or so."
Victoria puts an arm around her. "It probably was for the best. You're still much too young." Joy nodded in agreement.
"I was…sixteen to be exact," Joy frowns. She was embarrassed about it. She fell in love too fast, and out of a one night stand it produced a child that she would likely not see, unless the boy decided to look for her when he was older and could understand. A part of her didn't want to give him up, but she knew she couldn't take care of him. Joy knew that his adopted parents could give him what she couldn't. She was sixteen at the time, and still just a young woman.
"I think about him from time to time, hoping he grows up to be a lovely boy. Hopefully, someday he will want to find me."
Victoria puts an arm around Joy's shoulder.
"I'm sure he will someday."
Joy nods and smiles at what Victoria said, then reaches into her purse, pulling out a carton of cigarettes, holding it out to Victoria.
"Do you smoke?"
Victoria raises an eyebrow, and pulls a cigarette from the carton.
"Of course I do. It's a filthy habit, but it's so hard to quit."
She sticks the cigarette in her mouth, and Joy hands her a lighter. With a flick of the lighter, she lights the cigarette.
A quick drag from the cigarette, and she watches as Joy lights hers. Inhaling and exhaling, Victoria looks at Joy, the cigarette dangling from her middle and index fingers.
"I feel as if we were meant to be friends. We're more aligned with each other than we know."
Victoria smiles, continuing her train of thought. "I've never met someone so caring, so understanding. Friendship has never been easy for me. I've dealt with a lot of people who use me for my fame."
Joy looks up at her, frowning. "That's terrible. I would never do that to you! Bloody users…"
Victoria laughs, as she takes another drag. "Yeah. It's terrible. What's even worse is when my father flirts with them."
Joy's eyes bulge when she hears that tidbit. Apparently, Victoria's dad was a big flirt.
"He gets his hands on anything that moves trust me Joy. And that's why I've been in therapy. He doesn't realize his actions bother me."
Joy sighs, "We've got more in common than we think, my dear."
Victoria smiles as she dabs out her cigarette, knowing she just made a new friend.
Joy smiles at her, "We did have a lot in common. We're both tall, we have parents who were overly critical of our looks, we're both neurotic, and had between us too many failed relationships to count.
Victoria nods, "True…don't forget my failed marriages too."
Joy laughs, "Oh, how can we forget those."
She puts an arm around Victoria, smiling.
"We still do have a lot in common, don't we?" Joy asks, her eyes sparkling with excitement. Victoria smiles, and says, "Of course we do!"
Joy smiles; even twenty some odd years later, Victoria still was unchanged. She noticed it when she was younger; it was a shift that Victoria tended to take when she was in a relationship. When not in a relationship, Victoria was self-absorbed, and ignorant to other's feelings. When she was in one though, Joy noticed a vulnerability that she only saw. Melanie never saw it, but Joy did. Joy saw a woman yearning for acceptance and love, both that she hardly had from her parents. Victoria in Joy's eyes was caring, loving, and all around just perfect. They had nicknames for each other—Victoria called Joy her "princess," or by her full name, Rejoyla. Victoria loved the way the name rolled off her tongue, but she was surprised Joy allowed her to call her by her real full name. Joy never let anyone else, sans Elka call her that. Victoria felt special. Joy's names for Victoria were usually shortened versions of her name, but she mostly referred to Victoria as either Vicky, or Tori, sometimes even Tor. Victoria didn't mind one bit. She thought the nicknames were cute.
Joy smiles, and looks at her friend.
"Remember the night we had girls' night? Our first one we had ever?"
Victoria thinks for a moment, then smiles. She remembered that night clearly.
"I've got something to ask you, and promise me that you won't be weirded out by it."
Joy smiles. "Sure. What is it?"
Victoria clears her throat then she starts. "This isn't easy for me, but I seem to think I like you quite a bit, more than sisterly type love."
Victoria couldn't stop thinking about her. The sweet smile when eyeing Victoria, that beautiful, crisp British accent of hers. The way Joy mimics an American accent to near perfection, the way Joy's eyes twinkle at the sight of seeing her. She knew Joy saw more in their friendship.
Joy smiles at her, touching her hand lightly. There was something about Victoria she was falling for. At 5'10'', Victoria was slightly taller than her, but enough to where she didn't have to worry about being taller than the person she was with. Joy's awkwardness stemmed from years of being bullied about her height and her legs. She loved her legs, slender and still fit from those years of dance her mother Phillipa paid for. Joy got her posture, and years of dance in before an injury set her back from professionally dancing for a living. That's when she had turned to becoming an esthetician. Joy smiles at Victoria, hoping she was feeling the same exact way she did. She loved Victoria more than anything, and she wanted to tell Victoria badly. Biting her lip, she sighs, then looks at Victoria.
"To be fairly honest, I feel the same too. There's more to us."
Victoria takes Joy's hand, squeezing it affectionately. So, what she said was true. Joy did see more to them than just a friendship. They had something…the chemistry was there.
"Well, should we try and find out?" Victoria asks, hoping Joy wanted what she did. She could only hope Joy wanted more. For months, Victoria held back, a part of her telling her that maybe Joy may not be into that sort of thing. She bit her lip nervously, waiting anxiously for Joy to answer.
Joy grins slyly, saying, "Wouldn't hurt."
A smile came across Victoria's pursed lips. She knew it; Joy wanted something out of them too. Leaning in, she kisses Joy on the cheek.
"You have no idea how long I wanted to do this."
Joy smiles, then turns around and grabs Victoria, planting a kiss on the lips.
Instead of stopping they continue, Joy pressing Victoria close to her, smiling.
Five whole minutes, then they parted.
"Is it too soon to say that I love you?"
Joy giggles at that memory. She looks at Victoria, smiling. It was hard to believe that they finally got together, and this time, lasted more than a few months. But, the memory of their first confession of attraction stuck in her mind, reminding her of how much she loved her.
Clasping her fingers again around Joy's she holds her hand, sharing a mutual smile.
"I love you my princess."