A/N: Well, Hello There! I have to admit, I'm pretty damn excited about this. Naomily in the USA. I feel like the title says it all, but just in case you're thinking this is going to be too tame for your liking, have no fear. We are still talking about our favorite Skins generation. There will be strong language, drug use, sexy times, identity theft, and maybe, just maybe, some falling in love...you know, all the great things we've come to expect from these crazy kids that we love.
I hope you enjoy!
Chapter 1
A black chauffeured towncar pulls up to the curb for departing flights at JFK International Airport in New York City. The back door of the car is flung open before the driver can even get up and out of his seat. A young girl, about 18, with flame red hair, wearing jeans and Converse, emerges from the back seat and proceeds to the back of the car.
As she's opening the trunk, the driver hurries over to assist. "Ms. Murphy! Please, let me get your luggage for you."
The girl disregards the driver's request and pulls her backpack from the trunk. She shuts the lid before the driver has a chance to help. "It's cool, Teddy. I got it." The redhead swings her backpack over her shoulder and steps up onto the curb.
"Your mother would prefer that you refer to me as Theodore, Ms. Murphy." The driver holds his cap in his hands.
The girl shrugs as she replies. "My mother would prefer a lot of things, but what I'd prefer is to call you Teddy and for you to call me Emily."
Theodore thinks about it with an uncertain look on his face. "Could we at least use proper names when the elder Ms. Murphy is around?"
Emily holds out her hand, which Theodor takes. "Deal!" They shake hands. "See ya on Sunday, Teds!" Emily gives him a pat on the shoulder and starts to walk away.
Theodore calls out after her. "Yes, I'll be waiting at the gate upon your arrival, Ms. Murph-"
Emily stops and turns around with a frown on her face.
"Emily." Theodore corrects himself just in time. "Have a wonderful weekend."
Emily smiles and give him a thumbs up as she's walking away. "You're much cooler than our last guy."
A 1960s Ford Falcon convertible drives along the winding roads of Sonoma County's wine country. A handsome man in his 50s drives the classic car as a young girl, perhaps 18, sits in the passenger seat, wearing big dark sunglasses and a "Jackie O" scarf tied under her chin to keep her hair from flying around with the top down.
"So if anyone asks you where you're from, you're going to say Sonoma, California." He waits for the girl to join in. When she finally does with a huff, they say in unison. "Sonoma makes wine. Napa makes auto parts."
The man raises his fist in celebration. "That's my Katiekins! Make your old dad proud. Go Blue!" Katie just shakes her head as her father, Rob, continues on. "I just can't believe you'll be off to college next fall. Where has the time gone?"
"Off to college or design school, remember?" Katie looks over at him for a confirmation, which he doesn't give her. "You said I could go to Parsons if I got in! You promised!" Katie is on the verge of a tantum.
"Michigan or design school, yes. I remember." Rob shakes his head. Katie is appeased for the moment as they drive on, but Rob tries his luck again. "You know, I'm sure I could arrange a meet 'n' greet with the dean of the University of Michigan's art school during your tour weekend, if you want."
"I'm going to Parsons, dad! Deal with it!" Katie folds her arms across her chest in a classic Katie Fitch huff. Rob decides to cool it for the rest of their drive as they pass by a sign that reads: San Francisco International Airport, 50 miles.
A shuttle bus painted blue and yellow with Welcome to the University of Michigan painted across the side slows to a stop. The door swings open and a gaggle of excited young people scamper off the bus with backpacks and small suitcases. The last off the bus is Emily who is the opposite of excited by the look on her face.
As she follows the group of kids into what looks like a student housing building, she stops to read the banner that is strung across the entryway. Welcome to U of M's Children of Alumni Weekend. Emily looks at the photo of the man striking a thumbs up pose on the banner and flips him off.
Emily is finally at the front of the line at the registration table. The man seated behind the folding table greets her enthusiastically, but without looking up. "Welcome to The University of Michigan's Children of Alumni Weekend. Please state your name."
"Murphy. Emily Murphy."
The man looks up at her and she recognizes him from the photo on the banner.
"The name is Doug. You can call me Doug. I'll be the event coordinator for this weekend. If you have any questions, please feel free to come to me." Doug hands Emily a welcome package. "You'll be staying in one of our best dorm buildings, your room number and key are inside your package. Your roommate has not yet checked in. Next!"
Emily takes that as her cue to walk away from the registration table. She steps to the side and looks at the manila envelope in her hands. The label reads: Emily Murphy, daughter of Jenna Murphy, Class of 1994. A deep sigh escapes from Emily's lips as she looks up. To her right, she can go up the steps to her dorm room accommodations. To her left, she can go back outside and have a cigarette. Emily chooses to go left.
Emily selects the name Effy from her list of contacts on her phone. She brings it to her ear as it rings.
"Hello."
"Hey Ef. It's Emily." Emily brings her lit cigarette up to her lips as she takes a drag.
"Ah! That's why my caller ID said Emily when I answered my phone. Mystery solved."
Emily smiles and shakes her head. "I can tell you miss me already."
"Yeah?" Effy plucks a glass of champagne off the tray-pass and takes a sip.
"Yeah. You said at least 13 words to me in your greeting alone. That's got to be a record."
Effy smiles as she peruses the artwork hanging on the stark white walls surrounding her. "Just because your Friday night will consist of getting to know you workshops and cafeteria food, don't for one second think that I'm having any less fun at this all-you-can-drink gallery opening in Manhattan. One that your very own mother is throwing, by the way."
"You bitch." Emily takes another drag.
"You're the one who agreed to go on that lame college tour weekend."
"Hey, if it gets Jenna off my back for the rest of the summer, it's worth it!" Emily throws her finished cigarette on the ground and crushes it out with her heel.
"Just remember me when you're off to Berkeley in the fall and fighting off all the other lesbian do-gooders with a stick."
"I could never forget my first love! Even if we've only ever kissed and the thought of having sex with you makes me cringe a bit." Emily smiles into the phone.
Effy takes another sip of champagne. "Speaking of lesbian sex, I saw Mandy on the train on my way over here."
"Oh my god! Did she see you?"
"No. I hid behind a newspaper like I was a 1940s private eye."
Emily takes a breath of relief. "Why did you let me go home with her?"
"Don't blame me. You took off while I was indisposed."
Emily scrunches up her face. "That's true. I was so drunk. So drunk!"
"Well, she was with that weird stalker girl from English Lit."
"Sophia Moore?"
"That's the one. So maybe they'll hook up and leave us alone."
Emily looks up into the night sky. "We can only hope." There's a pause in conversation. Emily looks back at the front door of the building. "Well, I guess I better get up to my room. My roommate for the weekend has probably already made herself at home."
"She could be super hot and into it. You might get lucky this weekend, after all." Effy smirks into the phone.
Emily rolls her eyes. "Doubtful at best, but thanks."
"Just believe in the powers of positive thinking...and try to get her drunk."
"Thanks, Ef." Emily glances at the door again. "Have a good weekend. See ya Sunday."
"Later."
"Bye."
Emily waits for the elevator to reach her floor. The tag on her room key reads: Room 36. The elevator doors open on the 3rd Floor and Emily walks out of the cab. As she walks down the hallway, she can hear "Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen bumping in the distance. The music gets louder and louder as she approaches. Emily puts her key in the door with a somewhat concerned and weary look on her face.
The door to the dorm room opens as Emily carefully leans her head into the room. She spots a girl bouncing around the room, her back is to the door, as she sings along to the song.
"Hey, I just met you and this is crazy. But here's my number. So call me maybe! And all the other boys, try to chase me. But here's my number. So call me maybe!"
Emily is still unnoticed as she enters the room fully and shuts the door with a moderate slam.
The sound of the door closing alerts the other girl of Emily's arrival. She spins around and Emily comes face-to-face with the girl who looks exactly like her! The girls stare at each other with shocked expressions. They shout in perfect unison over the music.
"Who the fuck are you?"
"I'm your roommate, bitch!"
"What the fuck?"
I discovered that American Effy Stonem talks a lot more than British Effy Stonem. It makes sense to me for some odd reason, not sure why. Basically, I'm not going to question it.
I hope you enjoyed the first installment. If you did, let me know by dropping a review. I'm writing this for the sole purpose of entertaining the delightful and gorgeous 6seatertable, but I'm hoping a few of you lovely ladies out there will like it too. I kind of got tricked into this actually. 6seats made me promise to her last night as I drifted off to sleep that I would write and post the first chapter today. She waited until I was almost asleep, people! I'll agree to anything when I'm in that state!
Well, I guess since we came up with the idea for the Fitch Twin's remake of The Parent Trap so so long ago, I might as well make it happen, right? There's no time like the present.
Cheers!
-Blondie