~Tori~
I already miss waking up cuddled next to Jade. It sure beat waking up to find that Trina hogged the shower again, and then when I finally got to get in, the time for breakfast had passed and my mom was unwilling to make anything. Not that anyone could with the eggs gone. Then Trina came down with a Pear Pad and headphones, letting out awful squealing sounds. I frowned, wondering if she was trying to sing or attempt some kind of animal call. I put my hands on my hips.
"Your singing's not getting better," I told her.
"I'm doing vocal warm-ups. It's what real singers do," Trina retorted. Oh, so that was what that was. All right.
"Uh oh, girls, you better hurry or you're going to be late for school," our mom said, getting up from the table.
"We have tons of time," Trina refuted.
"Uh-uh, they're shooting a movie right down the street," mom said.
"So?" I dismissed.
"So to get to school, Trina's going to have to go up to Mulholland and take the long way," she explained.
"That's a forty-minute drive," I stated, starting to worry. And not because I was going to be late, but because the thought alone of being trapped with Trina that long was frightening.
"I better go get dressed," Trina said, rushing from the room while squealing some more.
"I'm gonna sing in the car!" Trina screech-sung, her voice echoing down the stairs to me. My mom had already sat back down to finish eating and was now sipping at her coffee.
"Mom, you've gotta drive me to school," I pleaded. I couldn't sit in the car that long with Trina 'singing'. It would be a nightmare. And I might even suffer from hearing loss.
"I can't," she refused.
"You have to!" I begged, grabbing at her shoulder.
"What's wrong with Trina?" she asked.
"What isn't wrong with Trina?" I shouted, throwing up my arms. She shook her head at me.
"You know, you made her," I went on.
"But Trina always drives you to school," she pointed out.
"It's usually a five-minute ride. I can handle five minutes trapped in a car with Trina. But not forty," I said, starting to pace a little. She tried to console me, but I kept talking over her. She forged on, still trying to calm me down. I grabbed at her hand, and she placed the other on my head.
"It's going to be okay!" she shouted over my panicking.
"I wish I could drive myself," I groaned. Or that Jade could drive me every day. But sometimes she wasn't available. Maybe I could strike up a new deal with her? Kisses and coffee in exchange for unlimited rides to and from school? She wouldn't say no to that.
"Well, maybe you should get a driver's license like a normal teenage girl," she suggested. I stammered a response, but she shushed me.
"I'm going to help you through this. Just close your eyes," she said after some thinking. I did as I was told.
"Now put your arms over your head," she directed, lifting my arms.
"And lock your fingers," she guided, pushing my hands together. I took deep breaths and waited for the next step. But it was silent.
"Okay, now what? Now what?" I asked. Still no reply.
"I'm alone, aren't I?" I groaned, letting my hands fall to my head. So much for helping me through it.
"Okay, I'm ready! Let's go!" Trina yelled, clopping down the stairs with her backpack and an extra bag in hand.
"I'm not ready," I told her.
"Well, get a move on!" she ordered, dropping her stuff on the couch and sitting down next to it.
"What is that?" I inquired, pointing at the hot pink bag.
"You'll see," she answered, smiling. I didn't like the sound of that. I left to get ready, shooting Jade a pleading text to save me. She responded that she would, but she was currently locked in a long line at Jet Brew. She was regretting ever going to the one near her house because it was always like that, but she was desperate. So, no Jade to save me. I came back down in record time, despite what was waiting for me. I still had to get to school on time. Trina led the way out the door and I followed with a frown. We got in and she took off, instantly cutting in front of the first driver she saw. As soon as we cleared our neighborhood and were out on the street among busy traffic, she blindly reached for the bag and pulled it to the front. I watched as she zipped it open and pulled out a razor and shaving cream.
"Help me out," she addressed me, holding out the supplies. I blanched.
"No way," I denied.
"Then put on the shaving cream for me and hold my foot so I can," she commanded instead, lifting her foot in my lap. I made a face but complied. See, this was why I couldn't be trapped with her for more than five minutes. Any longer and I was her servant again.
"Do you really have to shave your legs now?" I questioned, wiping my hand on a napkin and holding her foot up for her. I glanced at the road every now and then. I might not be the best driver, but I knew that this wasn't safe.
"I can't go to school with stubble," Trina argued in a tone that made me sound like the crazy one.
"Why didn't you shave your legs before we left for school?" I demanded.
"I didn't know we had to leave forty minutes early!" she exclaimed, dragging the razor down her leg. Her eyes were on the task longer than they should be. She shifted and her big toe started to poke me in the face.
"Well, it's a little awkward for me- ugh, Trina! That hit my tongue!" I complained. She grunted and shifted some more, trying to get the back of her leg.
"You just toe poked me in the eye!" I shouted, shoving her foot away. The car swerved a bit.
"Hey, what's your problem?!" she grunted.
"Stop it!" I yelled, catching her foot and holding it steady. She glanced at the road and centered the car just as an angry driver sped by honking their horn.
"If you don't want me to shave my legs, you do it," she said, shoving the razor at me.
"No," I refused, despite taking it.
"Then give it back and I'll do it," Trina said, reaching to snatch it back. I fought her off and the car swerved again, an angry horn blaring.
"Keep your eyes on the road. I'll do it," I snapped at her. I sighed and started shaving her legs.
"Watch out for that sore," she commented.
"This could not get worse," I groaned. When I finished that leg, she insisted on doing her underarm next. She slapped on the shaving cream and waited for me to start.
"It got worse," I almost cried, reaching over to start. At least her foot was back on the floor, and we weren't in danger of crashing anymore. But the torture didn't end there. Oh no, because Trina was determined to make me miserable. By the time we got to school I was about ready to throw myself out of the car whether it was moving or not. But I waited for Trina to park. As soon as we came to a stop I jumped out of the car before she could make me do anything else. I dragged myself inside just as the bell rang. Andre and Beck were over by the soda machines at the end of the hall. They both gave me concerned looks when they saw me. As they should. I was a mess. My shirt and hair were wet, and I was already exhausted. I think I might need another shower to get the Trina gunk off me.
"Oh my god," Andre said, heading over to me.
"Did you swim to school?" Beck asked.
"No. This is sweat," I corrected. They both groaned their disapproval.
"Why are you all sweaty?" Andre wondered.
"'Cause Trina turned the heat up in her car all the way," I answered.
"Why?" Beck asked next.
"She's doing some new kind of yoga, and 'It has to be done in one-hundred and twenty-degree heat'," I responded with air quotes.
"She made the car that hot?" Andre inquired dubiously.
"Yes. I tried to roll down my window, but she pushed her little driver's side button that locks it," I whined.
"I hate that button," Beck commented.
"Yeah, it gives the driver way too much power," Andre agreed.
"Wait, you only live, like, five minutes from here," Beck realized.
"I know, but they're shooting a movie near my house, so we had to take the long way here," I explained.
"Okay, I'll tell you what," Beck began.
"What?" I wondered.
"I'll give you a ride to school," he offered.
"Really?" I said, a little surprised.
"Sure," he affirmed.
"Or you could just get your driver's license like a normal teenage girl," Andre added.
"Yeah, you're almost seventeen," Beck joined in.
"And you've got no driver's license," Andre reminded me.
"It's a little ridiculous," Beck said, voice high in a playful manner. Not helping.
"Maybe her mom would let her get one if she put some training wheels on the back of the car. Squeak, squeak!" Andre joked. Hey, when did this turn on me? Well, I wasn't going to deal with Trina and now them.
"Hey, do you guys like hair sweat?" I inquired innocently. They stood there, confused, until I started shaking my head and flinging sweat on them. They cowered and started running down the hall to escape me. I let them go with a triumphant grin. That would make them think twice about teasing me next time.
"Good one, Vega. Couldn't have done it better myself," Jade said, coming down the hall behind me. She held two coffees and offered me one.
"One sugary overload for you. Hopefully it makes up for having to survive forty minutes of hell with Trina," she said. I took the cup from her with a smile and took a sip. Ah, just how I liked it.
"Do you really think you couldn't have done better?" I asked, cradling the warm drink in my hand.
"No, I could have. But it was good for you," she admitted with a shrug. I would happily take that.
"Have you figured out what you're going to do about your situation? I looked it up and the movie won't be done filming on that street until the end of the next week," Jade informed me.
"Beck offered to give me a ride on Monday, but it would be great if I could just go with you," I answered hopefully. Jade averted her gaze with a frown.
"I can take you home, but I could probably get away with giving you only one ride to school. I have to take my bother to school all next week. My dad is in the office earlier than usual for some big board meeting, I don't want to bother my mom, and I refuse to ask for help from the step-mother," Jade shared quietly, eyes flicking to the surrounding students as we walked to class. She stuck close to my side. Jade didn't like to mention anything about her private life where people could overhear.
"Aw, man. Thanks for the one day though," I replied, offering a smile. Jade returned it, albeit a little on the rueful side.
"It's okay. I understand. I just have to stick it out until the end of the week," I assured her. We stopped at my first class, and I looked around before quickly pecking her cheek when the coast was clear.
"Thanks for the coffee. See you later," I said with a wave. Jade held up a hand in farewell then turned to leave. I quickly downed my drink and tossed it. I would have loved to savor it, but it wasn't allowed in the classroom. I should ask Jade how she managed that one.
Thankfully, the weekend was fun. Jade and I spent Saturday watching popular movies from the fifties that Jade liked. We then spent Sunday watching popular eighties movies that I liked. The next day Beck arrived on time to pick me up. He made sure I was comfortable and asked what music I wanted. It was nice. Then we somehow got to talking about Jade.
He asked how we were doing and if Jade was treating me all right. I almost laughed at his concern. Jade was more than I ever thought she would be. Sure, she could get cranky, and she was so stubborn, but it was obvious that she was trying to treat me right. Spending time with her was great. I didn't know when I would ever get used to how nice she could be. Beck laughed at that.
"Yeah. I had to remind her to be nice at first. She can definitely be a handful, but when she lets you in…it's special. I'm sure you know how fun she can be," he said, smiling softly. I nodded. I did know.
"Despite Jade's huge attitude, confidence, and penchant for rebellion, it's mostly a front to cover her vulnerabilities. She could be insecure and second guess herself just like anyone else, although she'll never admit to that. And her relationships are important to her even if she acts like they don't because she doesn't like to be alone. I know you, Tori. You'll keep those things in mind. You guys will be a good match," Beck shared.
"Thanks, Beck," I replied.
"I was always rooting for you guys. Since the first day Jade admitted to liking you. I had to help her find that person who would be there for her," he continued.
"I'm glad you encouraged her, but are you sure that's me?" I checked.
"A hundred percent without a doubt," he stated. I guess opposites attract and all that. It was sweet of him to be so supportive. I certainly hoped he was right. The conversation died when he stopped to pick up his first guest passenger.
"What are we doing here?" I wondered, looking at the unfamiliar house we just pulled up to. Beck rubbed at the back of his neck.
"I, uh, promised to drive some other…friends to school too," he explained, clearing his throat.
"And you didn't bother telling me?" I questioned, a bit sharply. He chuckled nervously.
"I see Jade is rubbing off on you a bit," he jested. I frowned and crossed my arms.
"As long as we aren't late," I mumbled, dropping my arms and looking out the window when a girl came out of the house. The way she was dressed didn't look like she thought they were friends. I bet she was from Northridge. I raised a brow at him, and he shrugged. I couldn't tell whether he was acting oblivious or if he was actually that dense. She jumped in the car with a glare at me, her earlier smile gone in an instant. She probably thought I was competition. As if.
Beck introduced us but we didn't greet each other. It looked like my conversation with Beck was officially over. With each stop, girls piled into the car. Four in total. Three in the back and one crammed between me and Beck. I grit my teeth at the obvious flirtation attempts, adoring sighs, and giggles all directed at Beck. I retreated to my phone.
Riding to school with Beck…
IN A CAR FULL OF IDIOTS!
Feeling: Cramped
I closed The Slap and pulled up my messages.
I think I made a big mistake. This might be worse than Trina
How so?
Did you see my post?
Hold on
This was awkward. While I waited for Jade to reply I tried to start up a conversation, unwilling to sit in the awkward silence any longer.
"Um, do you think Sikowitz is going to make us memorize-" I tried to say, but gank number three quickly spoke over me.
"Hey, Beck, what kind of car is this?" she asked him, leaning forward to hover over his shoulder.
"It's a sixty-seven GTO," he responded.
"That's so hot!"
"No way!"
They all started giggling loudly and then sighed with even more adoration. I raised a brow but kept my mouth shut. If what Beck said was true about me acting like Jade, then I was going to end up doing more harm than good here.
"I really wished you mentioned this when you offered to pick me up. It would have been nice to know you would have other…passengers," I forced out, stopping myself from calling them names.
"Oh, sometimes I don't even know until the last minute. If I'm not asked at school then girls just show up at my house and ask for rides to school," he mentioned. And he just gives them a ride? Was he just being nice or did he like this kind of attention? How did Jade deal with this? I made a mental note to ask her.
"Isn't he sweet?" Gank number one asked loudly. I stared ahead at the road, refusing to give her my attention.
"Like candy," I said with a nod.
"Yeah," she said, agreeing. Wow.
Are those idiots you mentioned a bunch of airhead chicks that can only function if they're staring at Beck?
Yes
You poor thing
Not helpful
I wasn't trying to be
How did you deal?
Lots of threats of bodily harm and yelling
Figures
It gets the job done so I don't have to actually go through with it. I could give you some ideas
I could already see her sly smirk.
No thanks. I'm good
Suit yourself
I grumbled under my breath and glanced at Beck when he started talking.
"So, are you going to come with us to Nozu after school?" Beck questioned. It took me a moment to realize he was talking to me.
"Yeah, I'm gonna try to, but first I have to find out-" I began to reply. Again, I was cut off.
"Oh my god, Beck, your hair smells so good. You guys, please smell this boy's hair," Gank number three complimented.
"Oh, baby!"
"I know, right?"
It was unfortunate that I didn't have a pair of scissors on hand.
Help me
Just knock some sense into them
I can't do that
Then deal
Violence isn't always the answer, you know
Isn't it?
"What kind of shampoo do you use?" Gank number one inquired, as close to Beck as possible.
"Oh, just some kind in a bottle," Beck said, humoring them. When they laughed he didn't even crack a smile. Maybe he didn't like the attention. Maybe he was just being nice.
"Yes, that was hilarious," I said to myself. They kept laughing a minute longer before dying down.
"Does anyone have any gum?" Beck wondered.
"I do!"
"I have gum!"
"He wants gum!"
My eyes widened at how fast they reacted, leaping to serve him. I glanced at him to see what he was trying to pull by asking them for something. He caught my eye and smiled, seemingly innocent. I narrowed my eyes at him, but I couldn't hold the eye contact because the chick between us was all over the place. Why were they even getting worked up over this?
"So this is real life. This is actually happening right now," I remarked sarcastically.
"I found gum!" Gank number four announced, agitating the others.
"Here, Beck. I unwrapped it for you," she said, leaning over to pass it to him. I couldn't help my next comment.
"Ooh, so none of you guys are gonna offer to chew it for him?" I taunted, knowing they would jump at the chance. Beck stared ahead, stoic. He was not amused when they all started fighting over who would chew the gum.
"I'll chew it!" he yelled over them. They fell silent with pout.
"Hey, aren't we supposed to take a left up here?" I spoke up, pointing ahead.
"Oh, yeah," Beck agreed, chewing on his newly acquired gum.
"Leave him alone," Gank number three snapped.
"He knows what he's doing," Gank number four chimed in.
"You don't own Beck," Gank number one spat. My mouth dropped open at their hostility.
"Grunch," Gank number three added. That was going too far.
"Did you just call me a grunch?" I said, turning to stare at the offender. My temper rose to the occasion.
"Oh, yes I did call you a-" she started to say with such confidence, but I had had enough.
"Okay, that's it!" I shouted, throwing myself at her. Maybe Jade was right about violence. I started swinging, getting a few good shots in at the two others in the back while I attacked her. I ignored Beck calmly trying to defuse the situation with words. No one was listening. Nothing was going to stop me now. I was barely aware of Beck attempting to stop the all-out brawl in his car. Eventually he pulled over and physically removed me. Then he scolded the fan club to behave so that we could make it to school in one piece. He climbed out of the passenger side, satisfied that everyone was done fighting, and turned to me.
"What was that, Tori?" he questioned. I stood with my arms crossed and nose throbbing. This must be how my dad felt when Trina whacked him in the nose with the mini putt golf club. I brushed at it to assess the damage.
"They started it! I just want to get to school peacefully! Would you want to be called a grunch for no reason? And where were you when they were ganging up on me?" I ranted, my arms all over the place. Gesturing at the car, and the girls, and him.
"So you decided to throw hands?" he concluded.
"It worked, didn't it?" I pointed out, waving a hand at the now quiet and sulking fan club. All injured in some way. Beck pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. After a moment, he chuckled.
"What? What's so funny?" I wondered, subconsciously checking my nose again.
"I can't remember how many times I've been in this situation with Jade," he remarked, smiling in amusement.
"Well, I'm starting to see why," I grouched, crossing my arms. Beck outright laughed at my behavior and shook his head.
"Well, I'm starting to see why Jade likes you so much," he replied, moving to get back in the driver's side. I couldn't help but be self-satisfied about that.
"Really? What exactly did she say?" I inquired, following to push Gank number one to the side so that I could sit next to Beck. She gave me a dirty look, but I disregarded her. She wasn't going to try anything after proving that I would fight back. I mean, unless she wanted another injury to go with that black eye.
"Oh, no. You're not getting anything from me. I don't want Jade to catch wind that I spilled all her secrets. You'll have to ask her," he told me, playful.
"Darn," I said with a snap of my fingers. He started up the car and we were on our way again.
You were right this time. It is the answer
Really?
Yep. See you soon
I won't say I told you so. See you
I let my phone drop to my lap with small smile. The rest of the ride was spent in tense silence. No one said anything and no one dared to try. I made my point that I was not to be messed with. The ganks were dropped off and then we reached the school parking lot soon after. Jade waited with crossed arms at the entrance. Her scowl turned into a concerned crease of her brows when she saw me get out.
"You're so late," she said, walking over. I shrugged.
"I know. But it was worth it," I replied. She raised a hand to gently touch my nose.
"You gave them something to think about, I see," she said with a proud smirk. I nodded.
"Some chick called me a grunch for no reason. And I was already tired of them beforehand, so they deserved it," I explained.
"Let's get you to the nurse and then to class," she advised, taking me by the hand.
"Beck," she called to him as we started walking. He froze in place and rubbed at his neck nervously.
"No more giving rides to those ganks," she lightly reprimanded. He gave her a salute in response and started heading inside.
"So, can you give me a ride tomorrow?" I asked hopefully. She shook her head.
"Maybe the day after that," she replied, holding the door of the main office for me. I entered and she followed me inside, taking me by the hand again. The rest of the day was pretty much normal. I caught students looking at me, questioning the bandage on my nose with their eyes, but they never asked. When Andre was filled in at lunch, he offered to be my next ride and I happily agreed. It had to be better than this morning. At the end of the day, he reminded me that he would be there on time the next morning. When I got home, my mom and dad and even Trina wanted to know what happened. They laughed at my misfortune. But I stood my ground and that was all that mattered. In the morning the swelling went down and the tiny cut across the bridge of my nose stopped bleeding. I bandaged it again after my shower and headed out to see Andre waiting for me. I greeted him as I climbed in.
"Morning. Slept all right?" he asked, driving down the street.
"Yeah. You?" I checked. He hummed uncertainly.
"What's that mean?" I questioned.
"Grandma," he summed up in one word.
"Ah," I said, understanding.
"So, driving with Beck was really that bad?" he brought up, referring to the mayhem that was the previous morning with a point at my nose.
"Bad? I got in a fight with four idiotic girls. My nose still hurts," I reminded him.
"You took on four girls?" he asked, concerned but impressed.
"Yes. Oh, and one of 'em bit my elbow," I answered, showing him the irritated skin.
"Now I'm probably going to get Northridge fever," I whined, looking it over for any changes. Andre shook his head.
"Anyway, thanks for giving me a ride to school," I thanked him.
"Hey, no problem. Any time you need a ride, just know you can call-" he was saying, but a loud voice startled us both.
"Andre! I can't find my contact lens!" his grandma shouted from the back seat. Was she back there this whole time? How did I not see her?
"Grandma, you don't wear contacts," he told her.
"Then where are my glasses?" she asked.
"They're on your face," I answered, noticing Andre's silent irritation.
"Was I talking to you? I don't think I was!" she shouted in my ear. Ow.
"Grandma, please just eat your oatmeal," Andre told her.
"Okay, Andre!" she agreed, shifting around to get it.
"So…your grandma rides to school with you every day?" I guessed.
"If you don't like it, why don't you drive yourself?!" she yelled. I flinched at the volume of her voice.
"I don't have my driver's license," I said. She laughed loudly, making my eardrums ring.
"Grandma, finish your breakfast. Eat your muffin," Andre ordered.
"Okay, Andre! I gotta find my muffin! Girl! Would you hold my oatmeal for me?" she asked, staring at me with her wide eyes and holding up her mug of oatmeal.
"Sure," I accepted, cringing at every word she screamed.
"Put you hands out!" she yelled.
"Okay," I mumbled, waiting for her to give me the mug. Instead, she turned it over and dumped oatmeal into my hands. Oh my gosh. At least it wasn't too hot.
"Why did you do that?" I asked, staring at the glop in my hands with disgust.
"You said you'd hold my oatmeal!" she responded. Yeah, but that wasn't what I meant!
"Why didn't you just hand me the mug?" I asked her.
"I'm not letting you touch my mug!" she screamed, hugging it to her chest. I let it fall and slowly squeezed the rest of it off my fingers.
"Uh, you want a ride tomorrow morning?" Andre ventured.
"Nope!" I said with a shake of my head. Never if this was what I had to deal with. Not as bad as a ride with Beck, but who knew what Andre's grandma would do next time.
"Cool," he muttered, understanding. As soon as we pulled up at school, I bolted from the car to wash my hands. The oatmeal was starting to dry and turn into a crusty mess mixed with some still moist areas. I couldn't even stop to ask Andre what his grandma did while he was at school. I idly thought about that while washing my hands. I felt my phone go off and hoped it was Jade. I quickly dried my hands and pulled it out.
Did you survive?
Yes, but I did have the honor of holding oatmeal without something to hold it in
Gross. That stuff is literally vomit
Gee, thanks for the reminder
You're welcome
Come to the girl's bathroom on the first floor?
I'll be there
With Jade on the way, I felt better. I opened The Slap and decided to post an update to my profile.
Did you know that warm oatmeal
feels a lot like puke?
Well, IT DOES.
Feeling: Icky
~Jade~
Poor, hapless Vega. I would have laughed if I didn't like her. It was pretty funny, but I wouldn't tell her that. What were the odds that every ride she accepted so far turned out bad? I really wished I could go back to picking her up, but it just wasn't possible this week. The best I could do was help her through it. I groaned at my train of thought and ran a hand through my hair as I made my way to the girl's bathroom Tori was hiding in. We were going to be late to class again, but if Tori wasn't bothered by it, I wasn't either. A passing student had the guts to glance at me in interest as I passed, and my worried expression quickly shifted into a scowl. He yelped and ran down the hall.
My reputation was slowly starting to crumble, but that didn't mean I was going to lie down and let people assume I wasn't a threat anymore. Just because I cared a bit more than usual, didn't mean I wouldn't vandalize another car or scare the wazz out of someone. I pushed open the door to the bathroom and paused at the threshold. Okay, maybe I cared more than I thought. Tori stood at the sink, staring sadly at the mirror. She was taking her time drying her hands. I strode in and she looked up to offer a weak smile. Without a word I embraced her. Tori liked hugs, and while I could do without them, I knew she needed it. She clung to me and rested her head on my shoulder.
"Better?" I asked, gruff. She chuckled at my reluctance and pulled back.
"Better," she confirmed. I took her hands in mine, examining them.
"I assume it wasn't hot oatmeal," I observed, seeing no burns or inflamed skin.
"No, luckily," she said, voice soft. I looked up to meet her gaze.
"What's with that look?" I asked, freezing. She gripped my hands in hers and smiled.
"You're just…so sweet," she confessed. I blushed lightly and scoffed to cover it.
"Whatever. Let's get to class before we start to make people think we're showing up late to class because we're making out somewhere," I teased. It was her turn to blush.
"Jade!" she exclaimed, smacking my arm. I laughed and pulled her along.
"You wouldn't mind," I continued to joke.
"Neither would you," she retorted.
"Not at all," I accepted. I walked her to class and then went to my own. I guess if I couldn't drive Tori to school then I could be there for her when she gets here. She would need it if her mornings kept turning out like this.
~Tori~
So far, any ride not with Jade has turned out to be a disaster. I really wanted this week to be over. At lunch, Robbie was the next one to step up and offer assistance. Cat said she would have liked to help but a ride with her strange brother in his equally strange car was a no go. I had already spent too much time in that thing to never want to be in it again. Then she ran off to sell more items she got on her new Tap It app. Someone really had to stop her from subscribing to things like that. It always turned into an addiction. Robbie assured me that a ride to school with him would be a breeze. Like a stroll through the park. His words, not mine. I was hopeful. But when the next morning came around, and my mom was still making breakfast for herself, I managed to eat a banana before heading out to meet with Robbie when he texted me. I walked out with a smile that crashed and burned when I saw what he was driving.
"Are you kidding me?" I whined, slumping.
"A stroll through the park, Toro. Just like I said," he insisted, giving the little horn a honk. I trudged over and sat down on the bench seat next to him. Rex sat in the basket in front. A peddle car. A chizzing peddle car! So much for not being late at least one day this week. I looked to him to start and then we fell into sync, peddling along. We stayed in the bike lane, moving at a steady pace. Cars honked as they passed by. It was quiet for the most part, but at the halfway mark I couldn't stay silent anymore.
"You said you had a car," I mentioned.
"This is a car. The car of the future!" he replied, enthusiastic.
"Uh huh, sure," I sighed. We kept peddling and a little old lady power walked right past us.
"We just got passed by an elderly," I said with a gesture of my hand.
"Well…well you're not peddling hard enough," he accused. I picked up the pace, scowling. Two kids on tricycles sped by, agitating Robbie. He honked his rubber horn and yelled at them. Wow. Never saw road rage like that before.
"Hey! Little girls! You can't ride those in the street!" he shouted.
"Wazz off!" one of them dismissed. Robbie and I slowed to a stop. I looked to him, kind of impressed with the little girl's attitude. That was probably Jade as a kid.
"Just…just-just keep peddling," Robbie stammered, not meeting my eyes. I groaned and kept at it. Speaking of Jade, once I get to school, I should see if I could get another hug out of her. Maybe make it longer. Especially if she's feeling generous. By the time we pulled up in the parking lot we were both tired. My legs hurt and I was sweating again.
"Nice ride, Vega," Jade jeered playfully. Robbie tried to peddle away from her, but her quick stride made it easy for her to follow along next to us.
"Tori, a little help?" he requested. I hopped out.
"Sorry, but this is my stop. See ya, Robbie," I said in farewell. He let out a loud groan but kept going on his own. I turned to Jade and held out my arms.
"Hug?" I pouted. She eyed me and sneered.
"With you all sweaty? Pass," she refused, tone even. Ouch. My arms dropped and I frowned. Jade let me sit like that a moment more then stepped forward to pull me into her arms.
"Never speak of this," she warned. I squeezed her to me, a smile lighting up my face. Jade pulled back and led the way inside for the usual walk to class. This new routine was just about the only good part of my day so far this week. I hope it continued past this week. Lunch came around and I was the only one at our table. The others were busy. I sat down heavily and started to eat, watching as Cat flit from one person to another, selling more discounted items. Jade waltzed over into my line of sight and my gaze followed her up until she sat across from me. She smiled but said nothing. I quirked a brow at her.
"Hello," I greeted.
"Guess what?" she began.
"What?" I asked.
"I can give you a ride to school tomorrow," she reported.
"No chiz?!" I exclaimed, reaching over to grab her hand resting on the table.
"No chiz involved. Hopefully. With your luck, I never know what could happen," she teased. I rolled my eyes and released her hand to return to eating.
"Be ready at the usual seven fifteen. We'll make sure to leave on time just in case we hit traffic or get caught in a tornado, or something equally unlikely," she went on, making me laugh.
"Stop. We'll be fine," I assured her, picking up my phone. Her clear gaze dropped to the device in my hands.
Jade is driving me to school.
Um…awesome?
Feeling: Endangered
I hit post and Jade's phone chimed. She pulled it out to read my update.
"Hey, not cool," she said.
"Stop teasing me, then," I responded, taking a bite of my food. Jade's eyes returned to me, and she smirked.
"That's the best you can do?" she challenged.
"Right now," I replied.
"You better up your game then," she said, an air of mystery in her tone.
"Wait, what do you mean by that?" I asked, watching her stand up.
"You'll see tomorrow," she replied simply, walking off. I watched her go, admiring her outfit and the way her dark hair curled around her shoulders. And that leather jacket. Why did she look so good in leather jackets? I decided not to fret over what Jade said. We were closer than we've ever been. She wouldn't do anything to ruin that. Reassured, I finished my lunch and went back to class.
~Jade~
I picked Tori up, we grabbed coffee, and then I turned us in the direction of school. But I didn't take the usual route. I gave nothing away as I casually went the long way. The long way that winded through the middle of nowhere. At first, Tori didn't worry. She only watched the trees pass by outside. But then she spotted the shovel in my back seat and hesitated. She returned her gaze to the window and finally noticed how far out we were. Her brows furrowed. I could see the gears turning in her head. I smirked but said nothing.
"Um, where are we?" she asked.
"Just driving to school," I answered evenly.
"Are you sure we can get to school this way? I've never been this way," she questioned next, uncertain.
"Relax, Tori. Everything's fine," I assured, still not bothering to explain what I was doing. I could see her fidget in her seat, uncomfortable. She looked worried but hadn't admitted to it yet. Despite our huge progress in the relationship department, I could still make her squirm. I wasn't going to lie. It was still fun to mess with her. Her phone alerted her, and she looked at it.
"Weird. My phone's not getting any signal. See? No signal," she shared, holding it out to me. I flicked my eyes at it and returned them to the road.
"Oh. Yeah, we're about to drive through Shadow Creek Park. There's not much signal up here. There's not much of anything up here," I told her.
"Oh," Tori mumbled, expression showing more discomfort. I started singing a tune from a horror movie and saw her body tense out of the corner of my eye. She lasted a minute before she surprised me. She yanked on the door handle and threw herself out of the car. I hit the brakes and screeched to a stop. I got out to round the car and pick her up off the ground.
"Vega! What the chiz! Why'd you jump outta the car?" I demanded, holding her steady. Her clothes were dirty and a bit ragged. I brushed back her hair to check her face then scanned down her body to check for injuries.
"Oh, no reason," she huffed out.
"Did I really scare you that bad?" I asked, concerned but unable to stop a laugh from bubbling up at the look she shot me.
"What do you think?" she said with a wave of her arms.
"I still got it," I stated triumphantly, smiling. Tori started walking back to the car with a frown and I followed.
"Not funny. I seriously thought you cracked, and this was all a ruse to get close to me only to take me out here to get rid of me and then bury me alive," she bemoaned. I frowned at that. I sped up to stop her from getting in the car, a hand on her shoulder to turn her to face me.
"I'd never hurt you intentionally. Not anymore," I promised, my hand squeezing her shoulder. She stared at me a moment then smiled.
"I just wanted to see if I could still scare you. I mean, with everything that's happened I felt like I was losing my edge when it came to you," I clarified. She shook her head.
"Nah, you're still plenty scary. You're just also really sweet," Tori replied.
"Stop saying that," I mildly complained. She laughed and reached up to tug at my flannel.
"If I had to rate these unfortunate rides to school, I'd have to rate yours at the top. You really had me going there," she told me. I let her pull me closer, my fingertips resting on the car door on either side of her.
"Yeah? Worse than mooning idiot girls, oatmeal hands, and a slow agonizing pedal car?" I checked. She nodded, biting at her bottom lip.
"Hands down," she confirmed.
"Flatterer," I murmured, leaning in.
"I try," she got out before I caught her lips with my own. My hands went to her waist and her own pulled me against her. We took our time, kissing in the middle of nowhere. No one to bother us. I pulled away to catch my breath, my nose brushing hers. She giggled.
"How can you scare the fudge out of me one moment and make me stupidly happy the next?" she contemplated.
"I'm just talented like that," I answered with a nonchalant shrug.
"You sure are," she said, kissing me once more. Short and sweet.
"Now let's get going. I'm late again. At this rate, I'm probably getting detention," she said, sliding from my loose hold to get in the car. I walked around to get in the driver's side.
"That's all right. I'll just do something to get detention too and we can spend it together," I offered.
"Sounds like a plan," she agreed. I started driving, a smile on both our faces. We parted in the main hallway and our day carried on. But what a great start to the day.
~Tori~
At lunch, Cat told me that she found me a ride to school tomorrow. I was wondering how I was going to get to school and now I had an awesome party bus picking me up curtesy of Cat's Tap It app addiction. I hugged her in thanks, Jade walking over in the middle of it.
"What's going on here?" she questioned.
"Cat got me a party bus for twenty bucks! I'll be riding in style tomorrow," I informed her.
"I want in," she said without a second thought.
"What about driving your brother to school?" I asked.
"The step-mom said she would take him. I found out during class. I was going to tell you at lunch, but you seem to already have a ride," I explained. Cat looked from me to Jade and back again, a thoughtful expression on her face.
"You've been giving Tori rides to school?" she questioned Jade.
"Yeah," she answered.
"Willingly?" Cat asked next.
"Yes," Jade replied.
"No funny business?" Cat kept interrogating.
"Well…" Jade began. I raised a brow at that.
"No. No funny business, Cat. We're trying to be friends, if you haven't noticed," she finished. Cat giggled.
"Oh, I've noticed," she said with a certain level of emphasis and a wiggle of her eyebrows. She poked at Jade who slapped her hand away.
"Whatever," she grumbled, blushing. There was no need to address what Cat was insinuating. I stared at Cat, surprised she caught on. When did she figure it out?
"It isn't for you to spread around school," Jade warned her. Cat pretended to zip her mouth closed and smiled.
"And don't tell anyone about the party bus," I added.
"Why?" Cat wondered.
"Because it's a party bus. Who wouldn't want a ride?" I responded.
"Kay kay!" she accepted.
"Seriously, Cat," Jade said, arms crossed.
"Not a word," Cat said with a nod. With that settled we finished our lunch and the rest of the school day. I was looking forward to tomorrow morning now. I woke up bright and early, ignoring my mom's latest self-served meal, and ran out the door to see the bus waiting out front. I ran over and climbed in when the door opened, tossing a greeting at the driver on my way past him. I stopped when I saw Beck, Andre, Robbie, and Rex in addition to Cat and Jade.
"Hey," I greeted, drawing out the word.
"You weren't gonna invite us?" Andre asked.
"I…uh…" I struggled. He waved a hand.
"I get it. You haven't had the best week. But when Cat mentioned a party bus, we had to get in on that," Beck explained.
"Thanks for understanding," I said, moving to take a seat next to Jade and across from Cat. The bus started to pull away when there was a screech, and it wasn't the bus. Trina shouted for it to stop and stumbled on at the last minute. Everyone groaned, Jade the loudest. Trina ignored us and sat down.
"I told you not to tell anyone," I said, staring at Cat. Jade lounged next to me, her arm draped over the back of our seat. The bus started to move again and was on the road in no time.
"You did not make that clear," she replied with a shake of her head. Sometimes Cat could be so oblivious. It was such a contrast to her all-knowing comments yesterday. At least she didn't tell everyone about me and Jade. I wanted us to do that when we were ready.
"Oh, come on, Tori," Andre said.
"Don't be a grunch," Rex added. Ugh, that word again. Did Robbie want me to chuck Rex out of a moving bus? Jade took it upon herself to get back at him and glared. Robbie cringed and hugged Rex.
"You know, it is kind of fun having you guys on the party bus with me," I said, looking at each of them. I was looking forward to grilling Cat on everything she suspected while enjoying time with Jade, but I guess that was going to have to wait.
"Hey, have you guys checked out our bus driver?" Jade asked. Everyone responded negatively.
"'Cause I swear he looks exactly like Dr. Rhapsody," she continued, looking over at him again. Everyone else did so too.
"That rapper from, like, the 1990's?" Robbie mentioned.
"Yes," Jade replied.
"I think that is Dr. Rhapsody," Beck agreed. Well, there was only one way to find out.
"Uh, excuse me? Sir?" I called to him.
"Yeah, what you need?" he responded.
"Are you seriously that rapper from the nineties? Dr. Rhapsody?" I asked him.
"Yep. The one and only," he said with a nod.
"I told you," Jade said, smiling.
"So why are you driving a party bus now?" Cat wondered.
"Hm, lot of reasons. I love parties. I love buses. I only have one hit song. My wife took all my money," he explained. Harsh.
"So why not?" he said with a shrug.
"Well, we love your song 'Five Fingers to The Face'," Andre told him. Everyone agreed with that.
"Oh yeah? You guys want to hear it?" he offered.
"Wait, you have it in here?" I spoke up, excited.
"Always! I got the radio mix, the club mix, the remix, the radio club remix, oh, and the karaoke version. Which one you want?" he listed. The choice was unanimous.
"Karaoke!" I answered for everyone.
"All right. Here it goes," he said, fiddling with the radio. The song started up and he sung the first line. I picked it up and the others took turns with each line. We really got into it, too. Dancing and singing, standing up to truly party. It was almost the most fun I had on a drive to school. It was hard to beat out the butterflies Jade caused when we had time to ourselves. I danced next to her with a grin she returned. The song ended with everyone falling back into our seats, laughing at the high energy. It was a good end to a terrible week.