Disclaimer: I don't own Lords of Dogtown.
A/N: For this story to work out the way I want it to, there is no Kathy/Jay relationship at all. I'm sure everyone will get over it haha. Thanks to those who reviewed. I REALLY appreciate it. Conditions still stand though. At least three reviews before I post the next chapter.
This Photograph is Proof
Chapter 4: Venice Noodle Company
"Hey, hey, pull over!" Tony told me on the way to Venice Noodle... or wherever Stacy was going. Tony leaned over the side of the car at two girls walking down the street, both Hispanic looking.
I pulled the car to the side of the road, seeing Stacy was already one step ahead of me and had done the same. One of the girls waved to Stacy's car with a large grin on her face before looking over at my car skeptically. Fuck, more locals that I have to impress. And girls at that.
It's easier to win guys over. I'm a female, and I like to believe I'm fairly attractive. I've always gotten along pretty well with guys. I mean, Matt used to be my best friend. But girls? As if they aren't territorial enough...
"Who's this?" one girl asked, looking a little pissed off as they both walked from the sidewalk to my car.
"Chill Blanca. This is Liv. She's pretty cool for a val. Dinner's on her. You comin'?" The girls looked at each other unsurely so I offered them a harmless smile, which seemed to convince them.
"Hi, I'm Kathy, Tony's sister," the one who'd waved to Stacy's car said, seating herself in the middle of the front seat between Tony and I. The other girl, Blanca, was pulled into Tony's lap and he kissed her rough on the mouth. Girlfriend I guess.
"Nice to meet you," I said, peeling out into the road to catch up with Stacy who was already at the intersection. Both girls squealed with laughter and the three testosterone fueled males howled and hooted and again, Tony blared the music so everyone in a ten-mile radius could hear it.
It was only a few more minutes until Stacy pulled into the small parking lot of the Venice Noodle Company.
I parked and everyone jumped out of the car, talking loudly amongst each other. I noticed Kathy run over to Stacy happily, obviously flirting with him judging by her mannerisms. Maybe they're dating or something...
"Jealous?" I felt the hot breath on the back of my neck as Jay said the word loud enough for only me to hear. I turned around and raised my eyebrows. I've had about enough of him.
"Listen, I don't know what you're getting at but—"
"Don't give me that bull," he interrupted, a smirk on his face. "You've been all over Peralta since you met the guy."
"All over him?! He's the only one of you I could talk to without being made fun of!" I know I probably looked childish, but I stomped my foot and crossed my arms over my chest angrily. "Not to mention the only one of you with manners."
"You know, you're gonna need some thicker skin if you wanna hang with us," Jay said, sliding his fingers down my arm, but I slapped his hand away. He's pissing me off with his extreme attitude problem. "And Stacy and Kathy kind of have a thing, so back off, okay?" He didn't wait for an answer before walking into the small restaurant where everyone else already was.
I had half a mind to leave them there. But no, that wasn't fair. The rest of them didn't do anything really.
I'll just make Jay starve.
I stomped into the restaurant, slouching down in my seat, stuck next to Jay since we were the last to get inside. Damn it all.
I buried my face in a menu, happening to be the only one bothering to look. They must come here often. They each put in their orders and I opted to go last, not all that sure what I was going to eat.
"Uh, I'll have the garden salad and a water," I said uninterested.
"Boo!" the entire table chorused. I looked at everyone crowded around.
"Eat a steak or something," Red Dog called from the other end of our table.
I sighed and glanced over the menu again. "Okay, I'll have a chicken Caesar salad an Iced Tea."
"Boo!" It was louder this time. I sighed again and tried to fight of the smile curving at my lips.
"Chicken tenders, fries and a Coke," I finally caved, looking back at everyone for their approval.
"Hey, make sure it's extra greasy for her!" Tony called after the waiter and everyone, including me, laughed.
"So Liv, you got a number or some shit so we can call you when we're hungry?" Wentzle asked. I gave him one of those 'girl' looks and he stopped his snickering right away and cleared his throat.
"Seriously, give us your number," Tony demanded, tossing a napkin at me. Kathy dug around in her bag for a pen and found one, handing it to me.
"I'm, surprised I'm worthy enough to hang out with you guys. I thought Dogtown was locals only?" I chided as I neatly wrote down the seven digits of my phone number.
"Yeah well, we made an exception for Sid. And he doesn't even have tits," Biniak pointed out, slurping the drink he'd just gotten form the waiter.
I had a light conversation with Peggy, Blanca and Kathy until our food finally came. I quickly learned that eating food with the locals of Venice Beach wasn't what I was used to. At all.
"Hey Shogo. Catch!" Peggy yelled, throwing a handful of the chopped onions offered for burgers and hot dogs at him. They littered his dark hair as he turned his head and tried to block them with his hands. Immediately retaliating, Shogo grabbed a handful of fries and chucked it her way, only to hit Wentzle in the face instead.
"Bitch ass!" Wentz yelled, tossing his soda, straw and all, over to that side of the table and getting both Tony and Shogo soaked.
An all out food fight then ensued. I tired to get under the table before I got hit with something, but Jay caught me by the arm. "No way val." He hooked his arms around mine and held me in front of him like a shield. "Initiation!" he yelled and everyone looked at me.
I was bombarded with everything from ice cubes to ketchup as they all threw food at me. Through my screams and laughs, I managed to slip away from Jay and grab a drink off the table next to us and dump it over his head.
He blew a spray of liquid away from his lips as it dripped down his hair and face. "You're dead val!" he threatened, but with a grin. We reached for the ketchup at the same time, but he was quicker. I thought fast and grabbed the mustard bottle instead and squirted it at him, covering him in yellow as he coated me with the red condiment.
"Out! Out! Get out!" the manager of the restaurant yelled and we all booked it when he mentioned the police. We all got into the cars, speeding away from the restaurant, covered in food and drinks.
Looks like no one was paying for dinner tonight.
"See you tomorrow pussies!" Biniak yelled out the window of Stacy's car as they turned a corner. Tony yelled back some smart remark as he turned the radio up again so I had no idea what it was.
I reached out and turned it back down once everyone's nerves were calmed and the laughter had died down. "So, where am I going?"
"We gotta get home Tony, or Dad'll kill us," Kathy pointed out and Tony nodded.
"Yeah, take a right," he instructed me. I dropped Tony and Kathy off at their house, keeping an eye out to make sure Rosa didn't happen to be outside and see me. Thankfully, there was no sign of her and Blanca only lived the next street over, so I got out of there fast to drop her off at home.
Once my front seat was no longer occupied, Jay crawled over the back and made himself comfortable in the passenger's seat and took over the radio.
"I think Jay's crashing at my place tonight, right man?" Sid asked.
"That was the plan," Jay yawned, stretching out in the front seat, being sure to 'accidentally' knock me on the side of the head with his fist, then ruffle my hair.
"So straight to the valley?" I mocked, eyeing Jay wearily as I said the last word. I couldn't believe how late it was already. I told Rosa I'd go home right after I dropped her off and instead I'd stayed out all afternoon. The sun had already been setting when we left P.O.P. and no it had to be at least nine o'clock.
I guess my adventure had to come to an end sometime.
"That one, right there," Sid told me, leaning forward and pointing to a house only a street away from mine.
"Really? I live on Arlington Drive," I mentioned.
"Yeah, yeah. I think your parents know my parents," he nodded as he got out of the car as I pulled into his driveway. "Thanks for the ride Liv," Sid called as he went up his driveway.
Jay got out slowly, taking his sweet ass time as he opened the door and came around to the driver's side to get his surfboard out of the back, since it had leaned on the empty seat where Jay had been sitting before he moved up front. But instead of getting it, he just stood there.
"So, where's my number?" I looked at Jay confused. "Your phone number, you know? Phone. Number." He's got to be kidding me.
"What? Why do you of all people want my number?"
"In case I need a ride somewhere, duh." I scoffed and he leaned forward against my windowsill. "Come on."
"If I give it to you, will you stop being such a jackass?" I asked, reaching into the glove compartment for a marker I knew was hidden in there somewhere.
"If you give it to me, I'll do whatever you want," he joked, wagging his eyebrows. Oh god. Bad choice of words. I definitely need to watch how I say things around these guys, especially the one right in front of me.
"Stop Jay. Just give me your stupid arm," I muttered, flushing at his innuendo. He smirked and offered his mustard smeared arm and I wrote my number as scribbley as I could, hoping he wouldn't be able to read it.
Should've just given him a fake.
He looked down at it proudly and grabbed his board out of my backseat. "Later val."