Nowhere to Run

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:


Chapter 12 (Jason's Family and Friends)

The inside of the home looked large due to the lack of doorways or halls. Stepping into the home was like stepping into a palace. There was a brown, square tiled walkway leading from the front door-with carpeting for the rooms on either side of her-to the front room.

To her right was a patch of peach carpeting with a long oval dining table positioned neatly before a china cabinet. A fake potted tree was positioned in front of the window overlooking the table. At the corner of the carpet was a square brick pillar rising up to the ceiling. Above the table was a fancy looking light structure hanging on a brass chain-it looked like a crystal earring dangling in midair.

To her left was a large open room-the 'second' living room that Jason had spoken of. It had an extremely high ceiling, and a blue sectional that hugged the wall adjacent to the door, and the wall beside the 'cross' formed by the four long windows. There was also a television stand in the opposite corner of the room, and a desk positioned against the wall opposite of the cross.

Because of the windows and lack of shades, this room was the brightest room in the house, lit up by the sunlight.

Between it and the main living room was a bar area that had a simple plain countertop and a black stool-chair inside of it. Anyone could swivel and look in the direction of either room.

The primary living room, straight across from Trina, was much smaller than this second one and a little darker due to the lack of lighting and the curtains over the three windows. There were two recliners with an end table between them that faced the television, and a brown couch that was propped up against the back wall to overlook the front of the house. Beside it was another end table and a fancy lamp, then she noticed a brown television stand in front of the recliners with a large black flat screen television.

"God this is a beautiful home," Trina said while walking towards the living room. She glanced to her right when she arrived at the intersection of the walkway. There was another path that led to a wooden door, which was closed. "Is that a bedroom?"

"Yes," Pam answered, "That's my bedroom. Also, I'm glad you like the house."

She heard Tori's enthusiastic gasp and turned towards her sister. "It really is wonderful," Tori remarked. "I love how bright your living area is. Is that not your primary living room?"

"No it isn't." Tori walked into the bright room and sat down on the blue recliner that was facing the windows and television. "I like to go in there when I want to think from time to time. We joke about it and call it our 'chapel'." Pam laughed once and put her hands to her hips. "And no, we don't hold church in there."

Tori snickered and Trina shook her head. She walked down the path on the right, musing over the small alcove where two desks sat. This alcove was separated from the kitchen by an ornate, brown, wooden wall that had diamond shaped holes for visual. One desk had a lamp and paperwork that covered it, while the second desk had a desktop computer sitting on it.

The alcove had two tall windows on its left, allowing a clean view into the main living room.

Between the wall adjacent to the bedroom door and the alcove was the walkway into the open kitchen. There was a large, nine door pantry, before the counter where the stove was on the right side. To the left was a long countertop that ran from the wall and curved around, ending halfway into the kitchen.

It was a breathtaking sight. Once again she noted an open area; circular and on the other side of the counter.

This circular area had a small, round table with a floral centerpiece. Travis and Lindsay were sitting at there with cards in their hands. The sunlight shone in through the windows that encircled them and splashed over them, giving them a subtle glow.

"Hey!" She waved and smiled when they looked up from the cards. Lindsay grinned and Travis raised his eyebrows.

"You're a bit early," Travis remarked, "I think Jason's still in the shower."

"He can wait," Lindsay smirked. "He's seen her more than we have, after all." Lindsay walked towards her and looked her over with her eyes. "You look amazing. Who did your hair?"

"My sister."

"Sweet!" Lindsay put her hand to her chest and leaned back, whistling once. "She has a knack for hairstyling. I should take her to the salon I go to, they might like to take her under their wing."

"That might be a good idea, actually." Trina walked towards the part of the counter that separated the kitchen from the living room and leaned over it. She had to duck to avoid the pantry above her head, and was careful not to hit the coffee pot on her left. She tried to look past the wall to peer into the brighter living room. "Hey Tori-"

"I heard," Tori shouted back, "I'll at least think about it." Trina smiled as her sister started to groan. Lindsay's eyebrows rose and she pushed her hands down to her waist.

"She's a little hesitant about getting a job right now. Not entirely sure why." She straightened her back and turned towards Lindsay. "If you're serious about that offer, you could take a picture of my hair. Tori's styled my hair a lot, so I do actually have other pictures of us where my hair's been styled by her…you could show those to your own hairstylist and see if they like what they see."

"I think I'll do that. You don't mind?"

"Not at all. Anything to get Tori started somewhere." She looked back to the living room and smiled at the open doorway between the back wall and the bar area. She pointed to it and raised her eyebrows. "What's back there?"

She could see one room with a bed and a desk, seated in front of a window with blinds drawn and a blue curtain running along the top. Lindsay turned her head and shrugged. "Just another hallway that goes out to the garage."

Lindsay leaned over the counter and hunched her shoulders. "There's two guest rooms and a bathroom back there-of course, Jason's uncle is turning one of those rooms into his personal bedroom. Probably the front room that you can see there."

Jason had his own place, to Trina's understanding. It was over on Harwood Terrace, which was under two miles away and on the other side of Harwood Rd. She hadn't seen the place yet.

"I wish Jason told me his mother worked as a call girl once, I wouldn't have worried so damn much about her approval of me."

Lindsay pat Trina's back and laughed. "He doesn't tell people that because it's not his place to, but I understand. Pamela's got her own things, so she tries to accept everyone she can. Still, Jason's mother, it's normal to be nervous meeting the parent of the guy you're interested in."

"Makes me wonder what would happen if he ever had to meet my dad." She pursed her lips and rolled her head to the right. "I don't think that'll ever happen though. At least I hope not, my dad's not exactly someone I want to associate with. Tori more than myself, though."

"Ouch. Sounds like you left on less than friendly terms."

She moved her right hand over her left and pursed her lips before sighing heavily. "Pretty much." Her head dropped and she shook it once. "It wasn't the brightest moment for any of us, even him."

"I'm sorry." Lindsay pat her forearm. "You haven't had any contact with him since?"

"No. Mostly out of pride, and Tori really doesn't want to talk to him. She's angrier with our dad than she is Mr. Sikowitz and her friends, if you can believe it."

"I won't pry, but it must be hard not having a relationship with your dad." She lifted her head, smiling at the image of her father taking her to a shooting range. She missed spending time with the man, but those days seemed to be distant now.

"Sometimes. I try not to think about it." A wry laugh fell from her lips and she raised her right hand up to the side of her head, tucking her fingers through her hair. "That might be the one thing I have in common with some of the stripper stereotype."

"What?"

"Parent issues."

"That's a stereotype?" Lindsay started to laugh, much to Trina's surprise. "I think we all have parent issues somewhere down the line. I know I do. My dad went to prison when I was a teenager."

Tori furrowed her brow and leaned upright. "What'd he do, if I can ask?" Lindsay set her right forearm on the counter and leaned against it with a sigh.

"He went into a store and waited in the bathroom until they closed, and took some money from their register." Lindsay rolled her eyes and brought her hand up to her forehead. "He would have gotten away with it if not for two things: The janitor was still there, and the store had cameras. My father was an idiot just for deciding he had to steal in the first place."

"Damn."

"I was twelve or thirteen when it happened. Mom divorced his ass and I think I resented him for the rest of my teenage years. I didn't start acknowledging his existence until I went back to college."

"What made you decide to do that?"

"I guess…" Lindsay's head tilted and she hummed contemplatively. "I guess I just felt like having a dad was better than not having one." Trina closed her eyes and shrugged.

"Maybe so. I've never looked at it that way." Her eyes opened partially and turned to the side where she saw Travis walking into the kitchen. "So I've been wondering…how come I haven't seen Jason's other friends around? You know, the ones that dragged him and his uncle to the club a couple months back?"

"Those guys?" Travis put his arm around Lindsay's waist and reached up to remove his cowboy hat. "Jason's been a little miffed at them since then. They're alright, rowdy as hell but they're alright. Still, he's not as close to them, so he doesn't hang out with them much. I'd rather he didn't, anyway."

"Why?"

"Because they're a bad influence." Travis raised an eyebrow and Trina laughed. She would have to agree, if they were dragging Jason off to strip clubs and bars on a regular basis. "That, and I'd rather beat him at billiards more often."

"So he just hasn't been hanging around with them much?"

"Nope." Travis grinned and his eyebrows rose further beneath his bangs. "After all, they're just using him to run errands and trying to get him drunk on a regular basis."

"Oh yeah, cause I remember he had to stop by that college to pick something up for one of them."

"Yep."

It was a strange feeling that she got, feeling like she was the only one these days without friends that she was pissed off at. "So Tori's pissed off at old friends no longer in her life, Jason's pissed off with a few of his friends-which you seem to be irritated with too…am I the only one here that isn't pissed off at any amount of my friends?"

"Probably." Travis smirked and Lindsay shook her head. "Do you have anyone you're pissed at though; friend or otherwise?"

"Well, when you put it like that." She grabbed Travis's hat from his hand and held it up. "If this were white, I would put it in a shredder if I could." His mouth formed a circle and he grabbed his hat back, yelping in shock.

"Why that?"

"Because there's an older guy that loves to shoot pool and always wears a white cowboy hat wherever he goes." Trina's eyes formed narrow slits and the right corner of her lip slid upwards. "He frequents the VIP lounge at my club and is a regular thorn in my side-but let's not discuss that man."

"Damn…" Travis put his hat back to his head and adjusted it. "How annoying is the guy?"

"He thinks I owe him a debt because he helped me get a job at the club."

Lindsay's expression turned sour and Travis let out an annoyed groan. "Is he any good at billiards? You said he plays."

"I think it's his livelihood or something. He's probably never been beat or something. Don't know, and I don't care."

"If the guy isn't leaving you alone-"

"It's nothing I can't handle, really."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah." She bent her arm up and perched her chin onto her closed hand. Her eyes drifted to the hallway entrance and a lingering sense of longing rose. "You said Jason was still in the shower?"

"He's probably finished by now." She let out a sigh and watched Pam, Tori and Mr. Sikowitz walk into the main living room. She had heard them talking amongst themselves about the décor in the other living room, but it hadn't been an interest for her at the moment.

Sikowitz sat in the brown recliner on the left while Tori moved to the couch. Pam walked along to the back door and stood between it and the curve of the countertop where the sink was.

It was the first time Trina noticed the front. There was a red tiled porch out front with a black brass table and chair set propped against the window. Where the tiles ended, the garage and driveway began, leading out to the grassy area.

"It looks nice out there."

Pam glanced outside and breathed in astonishingly. "It really is. Would you like to step outside and look around while you wait for Jason?"

"No, it's okay."

"You could go back and check on him if you wanted to." Her eyebrows shot up and a blush rose to her cheeks as she imagined Jason still getting dressed. It didn't seem appropriate to go back at the moment.

"I think I'll wait. I don't want to disturb him."

"I'm sure you wouldn't be. Jason probably doesn't realize you're here, since we weren't expecting you for another hour."

Travis snickered at the woman and pointed to the hallway. "Just to be clear Ms. Pam, you're asking the girl your son is dating to check on him while he's probably getting dressed?" Pam raised an eyebrow and dropped her hands to her hips.

"Well lord knows he's probably asleep or something." Trina leaned her head back and Pam glanced at her. "Jason usually takes a nap after he goes for his jog and takes a shower."

Travis pulled the tip of his hat down and his toothy grin increased. "Of all the things I can think of that Jason might not have wanted his mother to tell his girlfriend…"

"Girlfriend? Have we-have we reached that point already?" She stammered for a moment and pushed herself back from the counter. "Um, I guess I can go check on him. Are you sure?"

Tori leaned against the arm of the couch and stretched her legs out across the cushions. "If you don't, I will." Trina chuckled nervously. She ran her hand over the back of her neck, feeling the heat of her blood against the surface of her skin.

"Okay."


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