CH 7: Serendipity
"But Jade, the thief didn't take it. We did."
It was half past drunk and Tori and I were totally nine o clock.
"You're just not getting it Vega." I begin, slowly tipping out of my seat. "We just pretend it was the thief who took all granny's expensive wine."
"But if the thief didn't really take it… then who did?" She asks, taking another sip from her bottle.
Hmm… that's a good question…
"Does you think there's two thief's?" Tori concerns.
"Yeah." I laugh. "And their names are Tori and Jade!"
She smiles. "I think I know someone who's named is Tori."
"Oh, I doubt it!" I smite. "You're so drunk, I doubt you could even remember your own name at this point!"
…wait a minute.
"Jade."
I look to her.
"…Jade, hi."
I wave at her, then take another swig of my drink. "Hi."
"You're so pretty." She giggles.
As much fun and games this provided, fact of the matter is there was no food left. As I begin thinking on this, I came to a decided to stop.
"We should stop drinking." I suggest.
"No."
"Okay."
…what? She put up a fierce argument!
About three bottles of vintage wine later, I was sitting upside down in my chair while Tori was playing her New Zealand story on the waaaay, way way other side of the garage. And the garage was flipped upside down, and… so was Tori. And all the games.
"Did you win?" I call.
"I don't know; when the power went out, I think it erased all my high scores." Tori responds.
"The power went out?"
"It did?" Tori questions. "When?"
I just don't know. Too many questions.
"Wanna play a game?" Tori asks when I don't respond to her.
"You are playing a game." I point out.
She stands from the chair. Well, she stands, falls back down, then slowly wobbles up while holding the side of the game for support. "I mean, like, a drinking game."
It's been a while, hasn't it?
"Hell yeah!" I excite. "But first you have to get off the ceiling.
She reaches down and pulls me up. I was on the ceiling too now… whoa!
"I think you might be drunk."
"Psh, don't be ridawnulous! Now common, what're we gonna to play?"
"If you could!" She blurts.
"Noooo! That game's so boring fast." I whine, falling against her as I do. "How about we play beer pong?"
"Does your granny even have shot glasses to play with?"
Guess not.
"What about that game… um… have you never?" Tori questions.
"Have you ever?" I correct.
"Have I ever what?"
…what?
The game went on for hours and hours, as I recall. I claim that I'm bored of it, and we decided to quit. I think it went something like this…
*Flashback*
"What about that game… um… have you never?" Tori questions.
"Have you ever?" I correct.
"Have I ever what?"
"I'm bored."
*Flashforward*
Yeah… good times. But now my head was starting to hurt a bit. I wasn't as dizzy anymore, where as Tori, on the other hand, was downing yet another bottle.
I swipe it form her. "You're done."
"W-what?" The confused girl stutters. "Jade! That's nime!"
Uh huh. She's done.
"You took my drink!" She calls as I slowly work my way up the steps. "You're must be the thief!"
Her tantrum didn't last long. By the time I cleaned the mess up, she was sitting quietly and playing her game.
"Feeling better?" I comment, crossing my arms as I re-enter the garage.
"I'm mad at you." She huffs. "I don't remember why, but I am. And my head hurts.
Good. Not that she was quote-un-quote 'mad' at me, but at least she was feeling better.
"Drink some of this."
I toss her a bottle of citrus seltzer water, which ends up landing on the floor next to her. She didn't even attempt to catch it, but even if she did I doubt it would've done any good.
She grabs the bottle and mopes toward the table, where I was now sitting too.
"Can you go grab me some crackers?" She asks, halfway through her bubbly drink.
"I wish I could." I sigh. "We don't have any food, remember?"
"Oh… right."
We both sigh in unison, then the door bell rings.
"Shit!" I freak, standing up. "You think it's you uncle?"
She shrugs.
"Go hide, I'm gonna check."
Come to think of it, her uncle at the door wouldn't even be the worse case scenario. With the luck we've been having, I wouldn't be surprised to see a cop standing at my doorstep with a breathalyzer handy.
"Dad?"
I peak through the blinds to notice my father standing at the door. I open it, and he steps in. He had a large paper bag in his hands.
"You're okay, that's good." He greets.
I look outside at the car. "Where's gran?"
"Still in Florida." He responds. "But she's doing a lot better. I figured she could manage by herself for a few days while I came back up here."
"You took a three day drive up here just to check on me?" I question suspiciously.
"Jade, I worry about you! …and mom may have been nagging me about coming back to check on you."
So it was gran that was worried about me. That makes more sense.
Oh, that reminds me! "She spoke to you then?" I excite.
"Well, yes." My dad replies.
"Did she mention anything more about the thief that took her vase?"
He shakes his head. "She's having a hard time remembering."
Well, so much for that.
"Oh, and I brought you some food!"
He didn't stay too long, because there was a cab waiting for him to take him to the airport. He had to drive here, but taking the plane back would no doubt save him time.
He left the bag on the counter, and after he left, Tori peeks out from the garage.
"Did your dad say he brought food?"
I swear, that garage door must be hollow or something.
But right; we have a huge bag full of cereals, chips, soups, and other food items, as well as the keys to grandma's car.
"This is great!" Tori smiles as she pulls out a pack of crackers. "Now we won't have to walk everywhere and risk getting caught!"
I nod.
"Roooh?" Pickles picks up. She must think I have fish in the bag for her.
"When was the last time you fed the beast anyway?" Tori asks me, looking concerned for the dog.
I shrug. "We could give her a cracker or two I guess."
She throws one on the ground.
I have to admit, it's pretty convenient my father brought food around this time. We've been pretty lucky all day, actually. After breakfast, Tori got a call from her aunt Miriam saying that Greg went down to Florida. With him off our backs, we were able to retrieve the Black Jet! And while we were getting that, we found an abandoned tube on the side of Isle Serena. It looked fine, so we took it home with us.
The best part is, during the entire time we were out today, nothing was stolen.
Currently, I was sitting in the kitchen waiting for Tori to return from upstairs. Apparently she had something she wanted to show me? But she told me I had to wait for her here.
I hear the door open from upstairs, and watch her as she rounds the corner.
"Don't you look succulent." I grin as my girlfriend approaches me. She was wearing her bikini, and smiling just as much. I put my hands on her waist when she finally reaches my position, and scan her body. "What is it you wanted to show me?"
She shrugs. "Nothing. Can we go tubing?"
"Nothing? Why did you make me wait down here then?"
Again she shrugs, and this time laughs a little. "Cause, I knew if I asked you to go tubing you would say no!"
"And, why am I not going to say no now?" I question, not quite following her logic.
"Well… cause I'll change back into my normal clothes."
Like I said before, she puts up a fierce argument.
"Just because we've been lucky all day doesn't necessarily mean that-"
She pulls away from me and starts toward the stairs.
"I'll grab the boat keys."
"Yes!" Tori excites, doing a quick hop and squinting her face. "I'll go get the keys, you go change."
Whoever said I was going tubing? She left so fast I didn't have the chance to argue over it. Even if I do change, I don't have to get in the water, right?
…right?
By the time we got on, Pickles was already aboard and ready to go. I swear, that dog likes boat rides more than she loves car rides. And Pickles loves her car rides. A few minutes after Tori was done tubing, she insists I should go next.
"You can't drive my grandpa's boat!" I argue, swiping the keys back.
"And why not?"
Um…
"It's because… because… you're still drunk!" Is what I came up with. "Yeah, Tori. You're alcohol levels are way too high for you to operate a motorized vehicle, and-"
She shoves me off the boat and into the tube.
"VEGA!"
"If I were you I'd hang on!" She laughs, grabs the keys from the floor, and instantly starts the boat.
Next thing I know, we're speeding around lake, being thrown in all sorts of directions… It was… kinda fun, in a nostalgic sorta way.
She was doing sharp turns to get the tube to do jumps, and half the time I swear she wasn't looking where she was going. Eventually, her recklessness lead to me being flung off the tube and into Diamond Lake.
"Jade!" I hear her call, her voice was muffled form being under the water.
Tori began to circle back, and soon the boat was approaching me.
"Jade, are you alright?" The concerned girl asks.
I start hacking up lake water. "D-don't just stand there!" I continue to cough. "H-help me up!"
She reaches down to pull be out of the water, and I take her hand.
SPLOOSH!
I smile demonically as I pull her into the water. She looks at me with a furious expression when she finally pops up.
"Oh my god! You little- I was worried!"
"Common, I fell off a tube, it's not like I don't know how to swim." I laugh.
She slashes me. "I thought you were drowning!"
I swim closer to her now, and put my hands on her hip while kicking my feet to keep afloat. "Well what were you gonna do? Give me mouth to mouth?"
She pushes me away.
"Be serious!" Tori scolds.
So she was worried about me, and it's cute, but whatever. With how little of her skin was actually covered, I'm surprised I've been serious this long.
I approach her again, and plant a kiss on her lips. "I am serious." I smile against her smooth complexion.
She wrapped her arms around my neck in reaction, and quickly fell into the kiss. Our bodies we pressed against each other, and my head was no longer above the water. With my breathing constricted, and the way she was holding me, it made the kiss that much more exciting.
"Mmm…" She moans, bubbles flaring up from her nostrils. She continued to suck at my bottom lip, possibly not realizing we were underwater.
When we do pull up, both of us gasp for air.
"I think I might still be drowning." I mutter.
"Hmhm." She smiles as she continues to wade.
"Hey gorgeous? We should be getting back."
"Um… yeah." She sighs. "I guess so."
"Roof! Rawrrrrarf!"
The two of us look at Pickles, who was freaking out over something on the boat.
Once I climb back on, I see her harassing a local fish.
"Pickles, it's just a bass." Tori scoffs at my grandma's dog. "It's not gonna hurt us."
"Great." I groan. "I'm dating a girl who thinks that dogs understand English. Figures."
She glares at me.
"Tori, she's just hungry. Let's just go before she decides to-"
"Jump in?" She finishes.
I look at her in confusion. "Yeah, how did you know what I was going to…"
Upon further examination, it appears the mutt has already gone in pursuit of the fishy snack.
"Pickles!" I scold. "God damn it, it's not food! Get back here right now!"
"Uh huh. And I'm the crazy one who talks to animals?"
"Just shut up and drive!" I command, noticing granny's dog getting further away.
