Disclaimer: I don't own Victorious or any of it's characters. I don't get anything for writing this, save your reviews.
:}
The good thing about Tori performing angry was she exhausted herself on stage, only having the energy to insist that Jade be the one to carry her to and from the car. But the singer was feeling a bit better as time went on. She was hurt, because to her mind Trina had manipulated her. She could see it was in her best interest, but it still hurt to be played like that. To make things worse, Tori suddenly was given carbon copy emails of every decision that Trina felt she should have a say in. Venue changes, vender issues, Tee shirts, merchandising, and a host of things Tori wished she'd never knew existed. 'She does that much? This can't be on a daily basis.' The singer moaned as she went through the next set of emails.
It only took a couple of days before Kasey found herself with the job of wadding through the various emails and business issues and giving the pop princess a synopsis. The assistant was both happy, cause Tori had been relying on Jade more and more to do a lot of the things she was supposed to, and upset, cause this was a lot of work to get through. It seemed to the assistant that Trina and Malcolm were riding herd on a whole load of people hell bent on changing the rules as they went along. While a lot of the stuff the proper reaction was to just ignore it, or tell the other party to stick to the original contracts, Trina did have to work with a lot of people to keep the concert experience as smooth as possible for the fans, the band, and Tori. Trina also seemed to have to stay on top of every performers rider, since the venues didn't always pay attention. There were emails reminding people about water brand preferences, what kinds of foods were appreciated, and who had what kind of food allergies. 'Condoms? The band has how many fudging condoms at every show? How could they use that many?' Tori wondered, one again reminded that her band may have other things they did beyond playing for her.
Seventeen shows in Asia, including a couple for the USO, and they were on their way to Oceania. They would be flying everywhere in this region, so they had a layover day between each performance, necessary for them to recover, as well as giving them time in case something interrupts the flight schedule. All kinds of things including weather and airport conditions could interfere with their flights, so they needed the extra time. It also allowed for most of their sets to either be sent home for the north American tours, or be flown out ahead of them to the next venue for the show. She had a lot of stuff moving about now, and needed to give time for things to get there and get set up. And again, it seemed that Trina stayed on top of all of that, from what Tori was getting in her daily reports.
Even with the layover days, it was exhausting. Tori had to reducing the teasing of her bodyguard just to keep sane, instead allowing their circumstances do it for her. This was done so by insisting they go places where the attractive, blue eyed girl would be asked to "Blend in." That would often mean she was dressed in swimwear, like Tori, while the other guards were allowed to wear suits, or other appropriate cloths. Tori seemed to love relaxing on beaches or similar places, almost as much as she loved being there for her fans. So naturally, Tori would decide to sign autographs, give back to her fans, and Jade would have to help control the crowds wearing nothing more then a bikini chosen by her employer. Then, Jade would be subjected to the crowds during said autograph signings. The situation was getting worse, until in a hotel in Sydney, where they were resting after a beach trip, Jade was ready to scream. She was holding it in, barely.
"We'll, people here do give us our space on the beaches." Bill commented. Some of the beaches near Sydney were world famous, and apparently the natives knew to give celebrities a bit of privacy. That was, until they got back, and Tori decided to give her fans a moment and sign autographs.
"But I was in this, three strategically placed post it notes, and we were dealing with autographs outside the hotel." Jade growled.
"It's why we get the big bucks." Andre said, still smiling. "Um, Jade, If I can get her to lay off, let you do your job, would you be willing to do me a favor or two?"
"I'm not liking the direction this conversation is taking." Jade replied. She knew he meant well, but was too frazzled to be nice.
"Just a couple of things to help Tori." He insisted. "Nothing you'd object to, hopefully. I need your help, both as a bodyguard, and as a woman."
"What?" Her interest was peaked, even if her tone was still to sharp.
"You remember Japan?" He asked. "That was a trip, how the fans just lined up in specific places, were so polite, never gave us any trouble."
"You're point?" The raven haired girl asked. But that memory was calming her down.
"I've noticed we haven't been stalked once, the entire international tour. Once we left the U.S., we've been only dealing with the normal shit. Overexcited fans that need to be deescalated, the occasional person who needs to be walked away, and threats that were never intended to be threats, like that girl who hugs your head off." The dark skinned man pointed out. "Beck in the states, before you came on, we had us a stalker, and when we realized this was an organized attack, we checked things out, heard it was some middle eastern guy with cash who wanted her as part of his harem."
"But if that was the case, why not make his move now, while we're close." Jade finished for him. "Japan would have been a bad idea, cause of how organized everyone is."
"Except that the Yakuza, for money, could arrange some kind of distraction, maybe a gang fight just down the street, and herd us into a trap where the guys hired for the kidnapping were waiting." Dre said. "We think strategically, cause we have too, and I spent a great deal of time coming up with a counter to just that scenario. I'll bet you'd have too, if you'd been in my position. But we didn't have that happen, or anything, really. I don't even get the feeling we're being watched. Well, not any more then normal. So I'm thinking, given how unstable some of the places we're going are, that this would be the best place to make an attempt. But we're safe, cause the guy behind this is in the U.S."
"And he's had months to plan is next move." Jade added. "Great. That means, among other things, that as soon as we're back in the states, we're targets." Andre started to speak, but she cut him off. "No, as soon as we're back in the Americas, cause then we'd be close, and as stable as South America has become, it's still the best place to make a move like that."
"And I need you to help me convince Trina, cause in some of those countries, we'll need extra men, just to be sure nothing bad happens." Andre said. "Jade, will you help me convince Trina? I've been having this argument with her forever, and we keep running into the Tori wall. But I have a way around this..."
"We get the promoters to add a bit of local security for us while we're in that country." Jade said, catching on. "That was what you were gonna say, right? Cause thats about the only situation I could see Tori agreeing to, and the promoters would be invested in making sure she was okay, had the best experience." He nodded, smiling. "Then again, she'd have to cut down on her side excursions, only go out with a group. I suppose we could pretend one of the security guys was a tour guide..."
The both agreed to talk to Trina about their suspicions. Andre, as the head of security, was going to approach first, with Jade there as confirmation. It wasn't hard to find her. "Trina, we've been talking about the tour, and Jade here has an interesting theory."
"Really?" Trina asked. Oddly, she seemed very interested in what they'd been talking about. She addressed the black haired bodyguard. "So what've you come up with?"
"I was just talking with Dre here about the attack that led to me getting hired, and I mentioned that the theory that everyone had, it's wrong." Jade started. "It couldn't be a middle eastern man of wealth, cause he'd have tried again at least once in Morocco, as well as Germany, and lets be honest, France. No, we had it relatively easy, with people being their normal selves, but nothing out of the ordinary. We haven't even noticed anyone stalking the band, and we've been looking. I think whomever this is, their reach is only the Americas. That means we should be ready for the chiz to hit as soon as we get back. I suggest we add a bit more security, but keep is hidden, and be ready to act as soon as this jerk does. The only good news is, I doubt their out to just hurt Tori..." Her voice faded.
"But whatever they want, it can't be good." Trina agreed. "I'm thinking the basic idea is right, someone wants to own her, and has the resources to make that happen. The question becomes why?"
"Not something we'll figure out here." Andre said. "Best we can do is plan for it, and be ready. Jade here had a plan."
"Good, she can tell me about it later." Trina said, looking at the head of security. "Um, Andre, have you handled that other thing yet?"
"It just hasn't been the right time." The boy replied.
"Could you handle it now?" Trina made it clear, in her tone and her stance, that this wasn't a request.
"Yes ma'am." Andre replied, giving a half salute before walking out of the room.
"I'd better go get changed." Jade said as she headed towards the door. She was still in the bikini she'd been in earlier that day.
"Actually, if I could have just a bit more of your time..." Trina asked.
Jade froze. It'd been a long time since the two of them had a private face to face talk. Trina almost always had someone else there, usually Ryder or Andre, and she normally dealt with business through one of those two. Whatever it was, it felt to the bodyguard like a major issue. "Okay, what?" She hoped that the boss wanted to hear the details of her and Andre's plan to add security without breaking Tori's arbitrary rule about who rides with whom.
"I've… No, that not right." Trina stumbled for the right words, another thing that just wasn't like her. Sighing, she started over. "Jade, you've been with us a while now, right?"
"Since before the beginning of the world tour." The blue eye'd girl said. "That was what, ten years ago?"
"You're normally funnier then this." Trina quipped. "But lets not get distracted. Too much of that going on as is." The older girl hesitated again, taking in a deep breath that pushed her chest out, reminding Jade that she wasn't the only busty girl on the tour. "Andre said Tori's teasing is just shy of sexual harassment."
"She's not used to having a girl around in my capacity." Jade shrugged it off. 'Even after all these months, she's still not used to it...'
"So, your not offended that she has ten different pictures of your ass on her phone?" Trina asked. She watched for Jade's reaction, and smiled when the blue eye'd girl managed to look surprised, but then let it go. "I'm just being cautious, given your history, that your not reading the wrong thing from all of this."
"We have a professional relationship." Jade insisted.
"I was afraid of that." Trina said, looking down. "Jade, it may mean nothing, but I'm thinking that maybe Tori's feeling a bit more for you then she lets on."
"You think that Shapiro guys right?" Jade asked. Jade had suspected, but intentionally dismissed that thought every time it had popped up.
"I don't know." Trina corrected. "I'm just saying, while it's probably harmless, her just trying to get a rise out of you, it may be more. And if it is…." She hesitated, not sure what she wanted to say next.
Jade jumped in at the opening, choosing her words carefully. "I'm not one to mix business with pleasure. Trust me, nothing will happen."
With that, Trina knew the answer she'd wanted, and it wasn't the one she'd gotten. "Good, lets keep it that way." Jade nodded and started heading out of Trina's room. "However, if something does happen, talk to me. We need to make sure that whatever happens, Tori's protected." Jade only paused long enough to hear the other girl out, then proceeded to her room.
Andre approached Tori cautiously, knowing the singer was in her own space right now. "Um, Tori, a word." He called out to her. She'd been sitting in the lounge area reserved for her and her crew, enjoying the view while waiting for her sister to finish what she'd been doing.
"Sure, no problem." Tori said. "Um, is it really that big a deal who makes the tee shirts we sell on tour?"
"Huge." Andre said. "A lot of the people who can afford the shirts are looking at your image, and nothing ruins an image more then not playing the country where your shirts are made cause the locals can't afford the show. So yea, it makes a huge difference. Why you asking?"
"I'd asked Trina to include me in all the decisions, and holy hell, she makes a lot of them." The singer complained. "I think I preferred it back when I was in the dark." Her face got solemn. "Only I can't. Not after I've argued I need to be included more. Not after I told her I need to be a part of these decisions. Not if I'm gonna be a grownup." Her eyes misted, just a bit, but she held her tears in.
"Maybe you don't need to grow up quite yet." The security expert said. "Trina's spent years getting very good at this. Have Kasey go through this shit and give you a synopses. Be aware of whats going on, but don't try to micromanage everything. Thats just not you, and you'll blow a gasket if you keep trying. Just, I know it hurts to have Trina controlling everything, but it's like the Illuminati, controlling everything behind the scenes, but we don't notice cause they keep the world running." He smiled, happy to share one of his conspiracy theories.
"Thanks, Dre, glad to have you here when I need something." Tori said, laying back in her chair. 'I already have Kasey doing that, and it still feels like way too much…' She thought, but something about the way her friend was sitting there made her nervous.
"Yea, about that..." He suddenly looked nervous. "I need to know, whats up with you and Jade?"
"Nothing, we're just playing around." Tori assured him. "Or I'm just playing around. She's forgotten how to have fun, and I'm gonna remind her."
"While showing her the world, right?" He asked.
"Precisely." She agreed.
"And it has nothing to do with the way you look at her when you think no one is watching." He added. She gave a confused look, prompting him to continue. "You know, that hungry look, like you wanna rip her swimsuit off and ravage her right there. Or maybe you want to go to a nude beach and watch her running around, just to see her tits bounce."
"ANDRE!" Tori screeched.
"Okay, too far, but she has a great figure, and I can see why you like it." Andre backpedaled, but not far. "Tori, I need to know, are you crushing on Jade?"
For moments, the singer glared at her former bodyguard and current head of security. The anger boiled just under her skin, telling her to lash out at this man who was accusing her of...'What?' she thought. 'Whats he accusing me of? Having a crush? Acting like a school girl?' Like that, denial overcame her rage, and she started laughing. "You think I'm having a fucking school girl crush on Jade?" But the laughter felt wrong, like it didn't quite fit, while her eyes hinted at a fear she'd held a long long time. "Please, I'm totally straight. I mean, yea, she's a looker, no denying that. But tell me what law says I can't appreciate her dedication to staying in shape. I mean, those arms, strong but not bulky, perfect for a bodyguard. I'll admit, I do feel safe in her arms..." The smile faltered, and Tori almost panicked.
"So, not a crush?" Andre asked. "Just curiosity? Thats good. Then again, it'd be just as good if you and her were gonna have something. I just don't want you caught in between. Cause, I know you, Tori, and you love being in love. You need long term. Maybe not Beck, but someone. And so, either admit that you feel for this girl, or you admit that you don't. Just, stop treating her like a piece of meat. And know this, most of your fans would still love you either way."
"Thanks." Tori replied, but her mind was racing, going in deep to cut off any feelings she might be having with that pale girl who'd been assigned to protect her life. 'It's natural. Some girls like their mate to be strong, protective. Jade keeps me safe, so naturally there's an attraction. It's just displaced, a feeling I need to express. Once back in the states, I'll fill out one of those on line dating services, find myself someone.'
That was the end of that conversation, a conversation mercifully driven out of the everyone's mind less then twenty hours later when the latest DirtNow magazine came out, featuring a rare written story by Robbie Shapiro. The story, entitled "Beck Oliver's secret", seemed to leap off the page.
Trina couldn't give that her immediate attention because she also noted a filler story. That story, in the magazine but hardly worthy of a front page spot, was from a confidential source in the Vega tour telling about Trina sleeping with one of the bodyguards. So while everyone on tour ripped into the main article, Trina checked out the smaller blurb, and the article attached with it.
'Wow, she got a lot more then I'd have expected, since I never named names.' The manager mused as she saw the picture that went with it. The story went on to say that her experts had ripped the picture apart, and it looked like a strictly no strings attached kind of thing. They then branched into how Ryder had been an old boyfriend of Tori's before taking up security as a profession, and speculated if he'd been sleeping with Trina before he'd been hired. Lucy seemed to value their relationship enough to hint that Trina and Ryder were both into this fling, and that while unprofessional, it wasn't illegal, or immoral. 'Just showing me as either out of control, or trying to control EVERYTHING!'
After checking to see the kind of damage her fling with Ryder could cause, she started into the main article, and immediately knew there would be blow-back. 'Okay, this isn't exactly what I'd hoped for, but I hope it hurts you Oliver. Suck on this.' She felt an evil smile crossing her face as she picked up her phone and called her assistant. "Malcolm, I'm expecting a couple of angry people beating down my door. Could you make sure I have a chance to talk to each of them?"
"Yes ma'am." The assistant said. "Shall I send them right in, or try and hold them off for a bit first?" His voice stayed neural. "Is this a throw my body in the way moment? Am I getting hazard pay?"
"One of them might be Tori." Trina said, and left it at that, returning to the article.
The first and most likely two interested in the article, were Tori and Jade, who arrived before Trina had the chance to finish the it. 'Just my luck, Tori AND Jade at the same time. This is gonna be bloody.' She plastered a smile on her face and waited for her sister to rip into her.
"I wanna hear it." Tori opened with.
"Sorry, what?" The older sister asked, genuinely surprised.
"Jade's 'American Voice' audition tape. I wanna hear it." Tori repeated.
"I don't have it." Trina said. "I doubt I could get it. But apparently Lucy has it, and she listened to it. I'm thinking she thought quite a bit about it, seeing as Shapiro all but accused Beck of picking that fight, back in American Voice, to get rid of Jade here." She turned her attention to Jade. "So, how out of practice are you? I'm wondering, if your not too far gone, maybe you can do double duty as a backup backup singers." She then chuckled to herself. "Backup backup."
"I'm not in voice any more." Jade stated. "But while I seemed to come out of things fairly unscathed, the article made it sound like you knew about my history before you hired me, and used me to piss off Beck."
"Which you already know isn't true." Trina shot back. "I had no idea until the day in Bermuda. I assume that was poetic license by Shapiro, trying to make things look more combative then they were. He's suggesting I hired you cause I knew Beck was cheating, and you'd either scare him straight or drive a wedge in between them. As I recall, it was him talking Tori here into a bit of S&M that was the final straw. And Tori, just a reminder, you're not a sub, and you shouldn't be treated like that. Beck, however, I think he's a sadist."
"Whatever." Tori said, holing up her hand. "I know you had something to do with this, and while I don't know what, or why, I wanna. And Jade, it's been months, and it's time you sang for me. It doesn't have to be good, just fucking sing."
"No." Jade protested. "I'm a bodyguard, not some clown to entertain you."
"I'm a singer, an entertainer, and we're not clowns." Tori argued back. "Now, sing something, anything, before I make you." It was a hollow threat, but left a lot to the imagination.
"And what should I sing?" Jade asked, looking slightly upset.
"You're a Heathens fan, so what about 'Animal?' I think they have a karaoke version somewhere." Tori pulled out her phone.
"Johnny Rock would never make a karaoke version of his song." The bodyguard protested.
"But the internet would." Trina added, pulling out her tablet and queuing the song. "Sorry, Jade, but it's time for you to sing."
"I don't suppose I have a choice, do I?" The blue eyed girl asked. She was nervous, upset, angry, and a whole set of other emotions. Mostly, she was confused, cause there was no reason for her to be singing now, and yet here she was, about to let loose with a song. Her eyes pleaded, asking to be spared this humiliation.
"Do it here, or in front of the entire cast and crew." Trina threatened.
"What do you mean or?" Tori teased.
"You realize, the story makes it seem you've held a bit of resentment towards Jade here for being Beck's Ex, so thats why you've been harassing her." Trina teased back.
"Sing for me." Tori demanded, ignoring her sisters comment in favor of hearing her bodyguard sing.
Jade took a deep breath, sighing, then hit the play button on the pad. Seconds later, the music filled the small room, and Jade cut loose with the song, prompted by the lyrics on the pad. Her voice, it seemed, was still in practice, just a bit rusty.
After her performance, where the more trained singer and manager could both hear where she was still a touch off, they both agreed it was a good performance. "So, you can see, not a singer." The bodyguard said, feeling very self conscious.
"You could have made it." Trina informed her. "Maybe to the finals. Tori was gonna win it..."
"Cause I was the best." Tori finished for her sister.
"No, cause you were the best managed." Trina corrected her sister. "Tori, sweety, you were the best, but that hardly mattered. One by one I watched as your real competition was voted out or put in jeopardy by bad reactions from the crowd. Hell, you remember that hack, Riley? She should have been gone with the second elimination, but she played on peoples sympathies, and made it to the final eight. Girl knew how to cover her deficiencies. In a way, I felt lucky she was taken out, cause she was your real competition. Never did find out what happened to her."
"Well, if we're done embarrassing me..." Jade motioned like she was ready to leave.
"Oh, we are." Trina assured her. "Tori, dear, now that the world knows you have a hot bodyguard, I'm assuming she can go back to playing that roll, instead of being your piece of fluff."
"What are you saying?" Tori demanded.
"Just, to be fare, we'll have to rotate which of your security personnel is in swimwear duty, and which ones are dressed like professionals." Trina locked eyes with her sister. "That is, unless there's another reason you dress her like that?'
"No, I see your point." Tori said, huffing. "I should be fair. But does that mean you'll stop boinking Ryder. I mean, ewe."
Trina smiled at Jade. "You can go now. I'm thinking Tori here wants to go over the receipts, make sure we're getting our share of the shirts. Cause I'm not talking about what Ryder and I do in our spare time."
Jade went to leave, but hesitated. "How'd she find out about you and Ryder? I mean, I get the feeling Beck didn't know about that."
Trina looked at the blue eyed girl, then sighed. "Tori, here's your next lesson in the big bad world." She then gave her full attention to Jade. "I told her, when I fed her a story of Tori being in a rebound relationship, to help fend off the press. I figured they'd see the way Tori was treating you, and jump to the conclusion that you two were doing stuff behind doors. I gave her both stories to protect Tori here, using the truth to make the lie more believable. Couldn't just feed her that kind of story without giving her something. I'll survive. May have to do something with Ryder, but I think he likes his current job, so, we'll see."
Jade knew she should leave well enough alone, but somehow couldn't. "You know he's smitten, right?" She didn't wait for an answer, just walked out the door and went to face the crowd of people who'd want to hear her sing.
"Now I don't regret recording her." Tori said to her sister, looking peeved.
Trina,. For her part, was floored by that revelation. She didn't even have the presence to scold her sister, or comment on how capable a singer Jade could be. Instead, she was left trying to figure out how she'd missed that one important fact about her lover that might well change everything in their formerly professional lives.
Once Jade was gone, and Trina was able to gain some control of her tempestuous mind, the sisters got down to working on the various things about the show Trina deemed safe to expose her sister to. It was safe, for both of them, drawing Trina out of her own trauma and allowing her something familiar to focus on while she got some sisterly time in. "You know, I'm not fooled by any of this. I still wanna know whats going on." The singer told her manager.
"And I'm including you." Trina replied, smiling.
"You really deal with all of this?" Tori asked. She gave her sister her best innocent face.
"Yes, but it's not as overwhelming as it fist seems." Trina felt like she was giving in again. "Many of the emails I get are things that legal needs to go over first, and I can often get them to give me a summery. Save me the trouble of going over the bloated legaleeze that these contracts are stuffed full of. I'm never to shy to ask for a summery. Sometimes you still gotta go through and make sure of the details, but the rest, we can handle that. Then we have the questions from the promoters. They just don't wanna have you get pissed off at them for not following the rider. And god, I had a blast with your rider. Did you know I made sure to have a list of things you'd accept instead of some of the shit you asked for."
"But I thought you said accept no substitutions?" Tori wondered.
"The rider is a tradition." Trina insisted. "Thanks to rock bands around the world, the rider is the place for you to make irrational pop star demands, like that clown masseuse you had in Marco. Man, he was good, and I had no idea they'd find someone who could do both. I spent weeks coming up with the full list, just so the promoters knew they were dealing with a star. It makes it easier if their worried about you being happy, so I'll know they're taking the important stuff, like our share of the merchandising, seriously. And yea, it gets funny sometimes. Did you know one promoter asked if he could substitute lawn furniture for the decorations I asked for. Not for you to use there, but since that kind of wood is plentiful and cheap there, he asked if he could ship some lawn furniture to your home instead of having the traditional decorations I'd asked for in your dressing room. Since we didn't need them, and he was having trouble getting everything I'd asked for, I agreed. So, you have new lawn furniture. They delivered it last week. It's beautiful. Also, I usually insist upon having a full sized couch in your dressing room, in case you need a nap before you go out and perform."
"So you put that shit in there to make sure they read the contract, AND to fuck with them?" Tori asked.
"And to make sure they know your a star, but yea, sometimes." Trina admitted.
"So you and Ryder?" Tori switched topics.
"I'm not ready to talk about that right now." Trina protested.
"But you were a bit ago." Her sister pushed. "What changed?"
"Ryder." The older girl replied. "Tori, when I started that thing with him, it was just physical, stress relief, being with someone I knew wouldn't expect anything more from me then the then and there. But Jade says he's smitten, and I suspect she's right. I mean, she has no reason to lie about that. Problem is, that makes everything much more complicated."
"Wait, do you have…." The singer asked, watching her sister.
"I don't know, and thats bad." Trina replied, looking out the window. "I made plans for Jade, just in case, but Ryder's not her. I can't foster him off into some other, acceptable job. He's a bodyguard, and thats all he's ever cared about enough to put the work in. Hell, I offered him the head of security gig, and he said Andre was better suited for it."
"I'm not gay." Tori said, snagging onto only one part of her sisters rant.
"Never said you were." Trina replied, trying to get back on track.
"Just needed you to know, I'm not gay." Tori emphasized. "As for Ryder, I don't think we'll have an answer this week, so why don't you just wait and see if he brings it up. Still, sooner or later, you're gonna have to deal with your feelings."
"And sooner or later, we're gonna have to deal with your needs for a man, or woman." Trina teased. "Look, I was gonna send Jade to speak with Phillip once we were back in the states. But if your not gonna be doing anything, we don't have too."
"No, it's a good idea, even with us just being friends. I mean, it'll be hard to replace her, but..." Tori let her voice drop. "Wait, Phillip? I thought he wasn't doing favors for you any more. I mean, why else would he avoid talking to Beck whenever you asked?"
"I asked Cat that very question, and she says Pillip just doesn't like Beck." The manager said. "Something about his niece being one of Beck's conquests or something. The thing is, maybe nothing will happen, and Jade will just be there for a meeting between me and Phillip. Or maybe he can help her get something going in her life, something other then being a bodyguard. Regardless of what happens, we're not replacing her until after the tour ends." Trina told the pop star. "Then our lives change, and the need for security shifts. We can hire us a couple of new guys to keep us safe, and figure out what to do about Ryder and Jade."
"I'm not into her." Tori repeated.
"Never said you were." Trina replied. The way she dismissed the thought was quick, calculated, nonjudgmental, as if it didn't really matter which was Tori leaned. 'And Tori says...'
"Yes you did." Tori pushed.
"No I didn't." Trina smiled, enjoying the child like activity. 'Wonder how long she'll keep it up?'
They argued a bit more, then went over the numbers again. "Tori, I'll send you the summaries, and take care of the heavy lifting myself, okay?"
"Sure, and I'll stop treating Jade as my personal barbie doll." Tori agreed.
"You like her ass." Trina said.
"It's a good ass." Tori shot back. "And I so do not."
"Stick with the first answer." The older sister advised. "Lots of girls admire each others physical features. It's security when you can say it and not be hiding anything, or be embarrassed, or whatever. Own your words."
"Given how many Tee shirts we sell, a lot of people own my words." Tori joked before heading back to her room. 'Next week, we finish here in Oceania, and head back to the U.S. Hawaii gets their show before we hit the South Central American leg, then back to Canada, then the U.S. again. It'll be fun. Man, Hawaii will be so fun.'
:}
Okay, that was a bit longer then usual, but not too much. We have some level of resolution on the "Jokes" tori has been playing on Jade, including the sexualization of her bodyguard. We also have some denial going on, but I don't think Trina or Andre fooled by Tori. Jade, she's too professional right now, but neither Trina nor Andre are fooled any more. Wonder what they'll do about that? Guess we'll have to wait and see.
So, comments? Questions? Leave me a review, and let me know.
Thanks again for reading.