A/N: From an idea by readerluver128.
This one's going to be a short story (about 6-7 chapters) that's a little what if? scenario. Here, Tori Vega is the same girl we all know but here Jade West is a high fashion model in the heart of NYC. What can come of this? Let's read on.
Please leave your reviews. If you had any issues with it in any way, please just give them to me. readerluver128 planted the seed and it was a good prompt. It's up to me to make it sink or float.
Enjoy!
The Village is a quirky neighborhood in the lower side of Manhattan Island. In its heyday from the 60's all leading to the 80's it was to the East Coast what Haight-Ashbury was to the West. Artists, musicians, performers of all guises congregated to this district and many lived there for years. Young adults from the more affluent areas all the way to the more down to earth places like Brooklyn would flock to the Village just to soak in the local color. For a creative soul frustrated with a world that could care less about loftier ideals and culture; the Village was leaving a black and white planet and riding a glorious rainbow.
A yellow taxicab turned the corner of Minetta Lane onto historic MacDougal Street. While she was interested in seeing her old friend again, Trina Vega had to admit that the reason for her presence in New York City was quite strange.
"Is this it?" Tori asked, leaning over Trina's lap looking out the window.
"Yeah, this is the place" the older Vega replied. She then tapped on the glass behind the driver. "Stop here."
The car skidded to a halt on the freshly wet ground. It had stopped raining a couple hours ago, shortly before the Vega sisters landed in LaGuardia Airport after a long layover in O'Hare. The girls were exhausted at this point and it was late afternoon. Trina was hoping to get settled in. Somewhere.
What Tori was hoping for...
...it was too crazy, in Trina's opinion.
Tori went around to the back of the cab as the driver popped the trunk. She grabbed her rolling luggage and put it beside her. Tori got a firm grip on Trina's suitcase and felt great resistance. She tugged and tugged on it, but it didn't budge.
"TRINA!" she called out.
"What is it Tori?" replied Trina. "I'm trying to pay the guy."
"Your bag is stuck," Tori sighed.
Trina blew a lock hanging in front of her face. "Tori, listen to me. This happens to me all the time. Just get a good grip on the handle, use your foot for leverage and pull."
Tori threw her hands up and did exactly as Trina described and suddenly found herself on the ground with her sister's heavy suitcase on top of her. She looked up and saw Trina standing over her.
"Was that so hard?"
"Why did you pack so much?" huffed Tori.
Trina reach out her hand to help her up.
"You honestly think that I would concede with this wild goose chase of yours without bringing the essentials?"
"I don't know how many days we'll be here and I packed light."
Trina sighed, snatching her bag's handle. "I. Never. Pack. Light."
"I forgot. You're idea of 'roughing it' is being hungry past room service hours."
"You're right, little sis. Shame on me for having standards."
Tori looked at the old building that stretched to five stories.
"So, how do you know this girl?" Tori asked.
"Are you being serious?" Trina replied, stunned. "She was like my best friend all through middle school."
"Then why haven't you seen her?"
Trina groaned. "I told you. She got accepted into Julliard and I got into Hollywood Arts. And the rest is history."
"No...wait" Tori mused. "Then why after the last couple of years this is your first attempt to visit her."
"I was busy," Trina shrugged.
"For your best friend?" Tori annoyingly asked with air quotes.
The older Vega parked her suitcase and turned to look her sister in the eye.
"Okay, you want to know the truth...fine. Last time we were together, we got into a fight. Happy?"
Tori grabbed her sister's shoulder.
"Over what?"
"We used to perform together. We'd do plays and sing together and you name it."
Tori nodded.
"Then she gets accepted to the most prestigious performing arts school in the country and I'm stuck in LA."
"That's why you guys never spoke in years?" Tori asked.
"Tori," sighed Trina emphatically. "To put it in terms you'll understand: Julliard is like being accepted into Harvard and Hollywood Arts is like being accepted into Brown by comparison."
Tori punched Trina in the arm. "Hey, it's a nice school," she protested. "And I'm sure that Nikki doesn't feel the same way you did." She then walked past her sister and pressed the buzzer marked next to "Nikki Probst" on the name tag.
"Hello?" came a voice out of the speaker by the door.
"Hi, I'm Tori Vega."
There was a long pause.
"Trina Vega's sister?" asked the voice.
"Uh-huh" Tori responded.
A loud buzzing was heard and the girls heard the dock unlock. Tori approached the door and pushed it, propping it open with her body.
"That's probably a good sign," grinned Tori in her hopeful peppy way.
"Yeah well, just wait" warned Trina as she dragged in her suitcase.
The sisters ascended the narrow stairs leading up to the fourth floor and knocked on the furthest door, 3D as the paper downstairs indicated.
Tori knocked and a chain could be heard being unlatched and the door swung open. Staring at the two girls was a five foot seven blonde with fair skin and hazel eyes.
"Trina?" the girl asked, looking past Tori.
The older Vega reluctantly stood her suitcase up and cleared her throat.
"Hey, Nikki" she huffed. "Long time."
"Yeah," she raised an eyebrow in response. "You two look like you both ran a marathon," she commented.
"Yeah well, these bags are heavy..." Tori began.
"Then why didn't you take the elevator?" she asked.
Trina's shoulders slunk.
"There was an elevator?"
Nikki started cracking up, holding onto the door frame for fear of losing herself and falling down.
"Aw, Trina" she smiled brightly. "You always knew how to make me laugh. Just like in sixth grade when I had my tonsils taken out and you did a one woman rendition of My Fair Lady."
"You remembered that?" Trina asked, genuinely surprised.
"How could anyone forget that?" Nikkie turned to Tori. "I have seen a lot of Eliza Doolittles but your big sis was the best Henry Higgins after Rex Harrison."
Tori opened her mouth wide in a huge smile, looking at Trina who was looking more relaxed.
"Fuck me, you two got to be exhausted" Nikkie quipped. "Why don't you both come inside?"
"Thanks," Tori said.
Trina just smiled politely as they rolled their luggage into the apartment.
"Anyone up for tea?" asked Nikki.
"Yes, please" replied Trina.
"Thank you," added Tori.
Nikki filled a silver teapot with water from the sink and put it on high heat on the electric stove.
"It'll be a few minutes," Nikki said. "So" she clapped her hands together. "Want a tour?"
The sisters nodded.
Nikkie proceeded to walk about the room with Tori and Trina following behind her.
"There's the kitchen," she pointed. "And the living room, bathroom, um...there's a window right here..." Nikki then stopped and shrugged. "And that's it."
"Where do you sleep?" asked Tori.
"Right here," she bounded over to what looked like a regular wall until Nikki tugged on a rope and down came a bed that landed with a metallic twang on the floor. She saw their mouths agape. "I know what you're thinking..." she pointed at them. "Does she ever wake up in the wall?" Nikki plopped down on the bed. "The answer is...sometimes."
"That's nice," Tori said looking at Trina.
"Oh my god," Nikkie jumped up. "Why don't you guys just stay here? It'll be fun as hell. You and me Trine, we can catch up and shit..."
Trina held up her hand. "That's great and we appreciate it but we were gonna just get a hotel..."
"NO!" protested Nikki. "What good is knowing somebody who lives here if you can't save a few hundred bucks and bunk with them."
"I don't think your little bed in the wall can fit all three of us."
Nikki shook her head.
"Vega, you're silly," she smiled. "You two can crash on the sofa. It folds out."
The sisters look at one another, then back at Nikki.
"Then why don't you just sleep on that?" Tori asked.
Nikki said, "Because its for company, duh."
Tori rubbed her head.
Trina said she was talented. She said nothing about her being a genius.
"Tell me," Tori said as they all sat down. "Why haven't you guys spoken?"
Trina gave her little sister a glare the very instant the hot water whistle blew. Tori did her best to keep a straight face until Trina broke eye contact. Nikki returned with three steaming coffee mugs.
"All I've got is camomile," Nikki said almost apologetically. "You still like camomile, Trina?"
She nodded in response.
"So, Tori" Nikki began. "It's kind of a hard thing to discuss. I mean this is the most we've seen or talked to each other in years."
"Was it because of school?" Tori asked.
"Yeah and no," she replied. "See, I did this ballet recital back in LA. It was supposed to be my entry into Hollywood Arts. I didn't know this but my mom filmed the whole thing and it went viral. Next thing I knew, my parents were getting a call from Julliard. Apparently, the video must have left an impression."
Nikki gazed for a moment at Trina when she wasn't looking and could tell the half Latina looked uncomfortable.
"What happened was they offered me a kind of kickstarter program where a high school age student could be like a pre-undergraduate."
Trina put down her mug and stood up. "And next thing I knew, I had to say goodbye to my best friend." The moment those words left her mouth, she immediately covered it. She looked at Tori, whose face was downcast. "Tori, I am so sorry. I didn't mean to..."
"It wasn't intentional," Tori shook her head. "But thanks."
Nikki bit her lip. "Now I'm a little confused."
"Tori's friend..."
"Best friend," Tori corrected.
"Sorry," Trina earnestly said. "Best friend, Andre died in an accident a couple months ago."
The blonde took the younger Vega's hand.
"Oh, Tori...I'm so sorry that happened. I bet he was really special to you."
Trina tapped Nikki on the shoulder and mouthed the words 'they weren't like that'. Nikki nodded.
"The point is..." Tori started. "Is that you two are still around. You really shouldn't wait to make up, so you better do it before you regret it. You can't just pick another best friend from a garden."
Nikki and Trina looked at each other for the longest two minutes.
"I..." Trina stammered. "I thought that you didn't want to be friends anymore because you were offered to go to New York."
Nikkie shook her head. "And I thought you didn't care. But you really thought that I already made my decision. Maybe I would've stayed."
Trina slapped her arm. "Don't say that," she chided her. "It was a great opportunity and I'm happy for you."
"Aww, Trinie" the blonde's face lit up and she hugged her best friend tightly. Trina chuckled at the sentiment as she returned it.
"So, I guess we're cool?" Trina asked.
"Why would I offer to put you girls up if I were holding a grudge?" she smiled. "Now tell me, even though I'm glad you bothered to look me up, what are you girls doing in the Big Apple anyway?" she asked, taking a long, slow sip of tea.
Trina took a deep breath and looked at her younger sister.
Tori looked at her and then at Nikki.
"You really want to know?"
