Thank you for beta'ing, A Star In My Universe! Warning: talks of childhood sexual abuse and neglect.
Wow, it's been a whole year since I started this! I had the idea when I was on vacation after watching season 4 of OITNB and thinking of all the comparisons between the show and the other show, Pretty Little Liars...and when going home in a cab late one night, I knew what Nicky's first scene would be. Then I got home and wrote a bit of the first chapter. Over the next few days, I tweaked it and this fic was born on July 25th, 2016. I'm so blessed that y'all love this story-it's been really fun to write and I can't wait for the next years to come! It'll probably be finished when the show is done.
After thinking for a moment, Alex raises her hand. "I'd like a salt shaker on my left back shoulder, three red roses with green stems here," she points to her right upper arm, "a shooting star on my waistline, Betty Boop above a rose on my left upper thigh with three orange diamonds outlined in black all around the whole thing, and this one on both my wrists." She taps the tribal-looking design. "Also, the words 'love is pain' on my left forearm in black cursive, capitalize the L only, and orange flames on either side of the phrase."
Nicky whistles slowly. "You're brave."
"Oh my, that's a lot!" Lorna points out. "Why that last one, though?"
"It's true. Love hurts. I thought Piper really liked me more than a friend, but nope...she manipulated me, and she's not around anymore...now Sylvie, my first real girlfriend...she broke up with me over text...it didn't even sound like her...not friendly at all...and she and her parents moved away...so there ya have it, folks."
Nicky frowns and Lorna hugs her in sympathy. "I'm sorry..." the blonde girl says.
"Yeah, same, that's too bad!" Lorna agrees.
"Listen son, since you're a minor, I can't do that many...so pick one or two you like the best, and I'll do the rest when you turn eighteen."
"Okay, fine, then just do the arm designs, please."
"You got it."
Alex is muttering curses under her breath while gripping the arms of her chair and the girls rub her back and upper arms in soothing circles. When she's finished, Boo tells Alex to apply ointment on the sore spot for three to four days and then use lotion. "Keep away from the sun and watch out for infection, and the rest of you need to remember that as well."
"I will. Thank you!"
"You're welcome. Alright, next!"
It's now Nicky's turn. She gets a small black star above her right elbow. She doesn't seem to be too uncomfortable, probably because she's used to heroin injections, which require sharp needles.
"I'm just getting a red, unfilled heart with a small black dot at the top right under my left arm...kinda near my boob!"
As Boo touches Lorna's skin with a long black object, she jumps. "It's just my marker, hold still, I don't wanna fuck up the drawing!"
"Okay, sorry," Lorna apologizes and takes a deep breath.
"Do you like where it is?" Boo asks.
"Yeah." Lorna clutches Nicky and Alex's hands, preparing for the needle to pierce her flesh about a hundred times.
"Ow, not so tight, kid!" Nicky exclaims.
"That hurts!" Alex chimes in.
"I'm sorry, again! I really shouldn't be so nervous!" She'd used a knife to carve whole names into her arms, so this shouldn't be worse.
"Don't move until I'm done!"
She braces herself and grits her teeth when the pain begins. It takes a half hour and then, Boo gingerly cleans the area and tapes a piece of gauze over Lorna's tattoo. Her session ends around midnight, and Boo drives them to their respective homes after they pay her.
Leaves crunch under Alex's shoes as she walks to her trailer park with her keys in hand. She keeps wincing, but she knows it'll be fine later, and in six months from now, the tender spots will completely heal. Boo doesn't drive away until Alex lets herself inside and locks the door behind her quietly in case Diane is sleeping. She tiptoes into the bathroom and gets ready for bed.
"Allie, is that you?" her mother's tired voice rings out.
"Yeah, I just got home." Alex flushes the toilet and after brushing her teeth, flossing, and removing her makeup, she walks into her bedroom, takes off her glasses, and carefully changes into her pajamas and robe. She slides her glasses back onto her face and goes to kiss Diane good night. Not only is her mom awake, but she's also sitting up in bed with a bright lamp on. "Oh...what are you doing?"
"I was waiting up for you, kiddo. Thanks for your text!"
"You're welcome. Hey, Mom, check it out!" Alex takes the robe off her and displays her tattoo beneath the Saran Wrap. "Pretty artwork, huh?"
Diane sighs. "At least it's not drugs and you were honest about it," she comments. "Wow, those are cool! Who was the artist?"
"Pennsatucky's foster mom, Boo. She's awesome!"
"I can see that! I'm happy you're getting along with Pennsatucky now."
"Me too, life's better without drama!"
"Alex..." Diane pats the section of the bed next to her. "Sit here with me, sweetie."
"Okay..." Alex plops herself down next to her mother. "What's up, Mom?"
"You never mentioned that Charles works as a prison guard! How come? I could've prepared myself a little better!"
"I didn't know..."
"I thought you saw him at school, handcuffing those lowlifes!"
"I wasn't sure if it was him!"
Diane sighs heavily. "Well, now he knows about all the shit I did as a teen!"
"Yeah, and?"
"I have embarrassed myself in the eyes of the fuckin' law!"
Alex scoffs while rolling her eyes. "Come on, Mom, everyone does stupid things at my age, sometimes also illegal! It's not like he can arrest you for those petty crimes now."
"I know, but...I was even more sleazy, right when I met Lee. I'm way too dirty for Charles!"
"Absolutely not! It seems as if he still likes you!" Alex insists.
"That's because he's never heard my tales from then. I was a prostitute and a stripper...two icky jobs that would immediately turn a good man like Charles Ford, off."
"The losers you danced for and had sex with were shady. You were pregnant and alone, doing your best...and he would get that. You don't have to spill everything now...you may want to when you get closer, but do whatever makes you feel comfortable."
"I'm always swearing-"
"I'm sure he uses a few cuss words of his own, but if he doesn't, whatever! Nobody's perfect. Why are you so concerned about all this? Don't tell me you're falling for him!"
"He's cute, I'll admit...he's nice and we're getting to be friends. I cannot ruin this by appearing indecent! I'm not gonna just throw myself at him...that's a grave mistake that many people make."
"I know."
"Who's that?" Nicky asks as she and Lorna pass Mr. Morello, Mikey, and a guy in his early twenties.
"I dunno, one of Franny's boyfriends, probably. They're always cheating on her by groping me and taking up space when she's not home. She has the worst taste in men." Lorna says this emotionlessly and it shatters Nicky inside.
"You girls wanna sit on Santa's knees?" he calls out when they're about to head upstairs, and Nicky expects Lorna's father and brother to say something, but they're concentrating on the dumb game. Lorna flips him off and exits the room. "I guess you'd like coal this year!"
"Why don't you fuck off?" Nicky hollers. "I'll slit your throat if you dare molest Lorna."
"Hey, we don't permit language like that in my house!" Lorna's dad yells.
"Sexual harassment and abuse isn't cool in my book," Nicky says firmly. "Your daughter's had enough, and your other one is working her ass off late into the night while her pervert of a boyfriend is goin' around bein' a piece of dung! They're your children, your baby girls, why do you not give a shit?! Oh, and did you forget about your wife who's deteriorating? You claim to be so Catholic, isn't that all about being a morally correct human being?"
"We're watching this!" Mikey shouts.
Nicky moves in front of the television. "Did you touch my sister inappropriately? I'll fuckin' kill you."
"No, now move it!" the bratty twelve-year-old demands. "You don't wanna see Pop when he's mad."
"Shame on all of you," Nicky mutters as she storms out. She searches for Lorna until she can tell the small brunette is in the bathroom, and then goes into the room that she and Tricia are sharing. Her sister is reading in the fully lit-up room. "Hey, Trish, anyone bug you?"
"Nah, its chill here."
"Good. Uh...time for bed. As you know, I'm skipping school tomorrow, but you're gonna be up and outta here by seven-thirty."
"Okay...I set the alarm!"
"Awesome! I'm gonna go check on Lorna. Good night!" Nicky kisses Tricia's cheek and tucks her in.
"Ew, I'm not a baby!" she complains.
"Sorry, kid, you'll always be my little sis."
"Night!"
Nicky tries to open the door to Lorna's room silently, but the floors creak beneath her feet. In the moonlight coming through the window, she sees Lorna shoot up in bed with a frightened gasp that turns into a squeak. "Oh...it's just you. Thank goodness!"
"Who else would it be? Does that son of a bitch crawl in your bed, too?"
"Only when he's drunk or on something...he unlocks my door with a coin and he's fully naked...trapping me so I can't get away. Stay with me, please." She reaches out and grabs Nicky's hands.
"I'll be here all night long if that's what you want." Nicky climbs on top of the bed and lays next to Lorna, who's curling up in the fetal position while whimpering. "Have you told her?"
"No. You're the only one who knows. It's not...I'm used to it. I don't care, I'm barely home without her. I'm sneaky, I find ways to avoid 'em."
"How long has this been going on?"
"Since I was eight, but the first few times, it was a joke. Franny brought these older boys home, around seventeen, and they'd call me sweet cheeks 'cause I still had my baby fat. My mother reprimanded them, and I didn't understand why."
"Eight years old," Nicky repeats in disgust and holds Lorna close to her. "You were a just a little girl. Those were pedophiles, just like that sicko downstairs."
"They were attracted to my really red lips, and I started puberty around eleven. When I was thirteen, one of them kissed me, and I did it back to him because I thought he had a big crush on me, and I was flattered. Piper caught us and said I had to tell Franny or she would, but she shut her mouth when I threatened to let the cops in on who was in charge of the prank. Then, uh, Piper destroyed their relationship some other way and Franny got a new boyfriend. The Morello women have no luck in love at all! I guess I'm not really worthy of it..."
"You are, I promise, baby," Nicky murmurs and kisses Lorna's temple softly, as if she's delicate. "I'm not gonna call you shortstack any longer."
"I don't mind it coming from you, 'cause you're real sweet to me. My family is so fucked up," Lorna sobs in Nicky's arms, getting her shirt wet with tears.
"That makes two of us, kid."
"No, but the thing is, it hasn't always been this bad...we'd go to church every Sunday, have outings...my parents used to be so active and lovey-dovey! Me and Franny were tight with our brother. Ma would go shopping with us girls and we'd get our nails done or a pedicure. It changed when she got sick...that wasn't her fault, though. My father got meaner when he had to get put in the wheelchair, and my brother started giving me and my sister a hard time. I'm the closest with her and Mikey became our dad's number one fan. My mother now has weak teeth and brittle bones...she's not herself anymore. She's slowly fading away, and there's nothin' we can do to stop it."
"Damn, that sucks, babe. I'm sorry." Nicky strokes Lorna's hair comfortingly and wipes away her tears with the pads of her thumbs.
"I'm so fucking done with all these perverts makin' things worse...I hate having big breasts sometimes...my father reminds me to cover up, not look too mature...be a good girl in the eyes of the Lord, don't entice men. I shouldn't be blamed, though...lust is one of the seven deadly sins! When I said that, he told me not to talk back and...he got rough...before I knew it, I was on the floor and my lip was bleeding. I was nine and Franny wasn't home, so I cleaned my injury, put ice on it, and took off...I saw Notting Hill in theaters and cried. Afterwards, I got hungry and I started to miss Franny, but she was sleeping over at a friend's house...so I couldn't interrupt her. I had to return...I needed to eat dinner."
"I never would've guessed, seeing how happy you are all the time, but that movie choice doesn't surprise me."
"Yeah, I'm a little broken...but I feel safe with you, Nicky...ever since you rescued me that night. I'm so glad you're here."
"I wouldn't wanna be anywhere else. Lemme ask you this, did anyone freak out?"
"No, my father and brother ignored me, playing video games, my mother was ill, so she couldn't help it, and I made food...macaroni and cheese, for all of us."
"You're too precious for this world."
Lorna sniffles and wraps her arms around Nicky's waist. "Thanks. I apologize for keeping you up."
"It's okay. I couldn't sleep anyway."
"How come, 'cause of Piscatella and withdrawal?"
"Yeah, I didn't want nightmares."
"I thought I was gonna lose you forever, like earlier this afternoon."
"No, doll, uh, because of you, I'm alive. You were there...so were the others, but you were cradling me, making sure I wouldn't hurt myself even more...and I appreciate you so much for that. I know how hard it must have been for you, taking care of a drug addict, but you did it."
"You're not just a junkie, you're my best friend. I couldn't live without you. It would be too devastating."
This makes Nicky smile. "Same here, Lorna."
"We need to talk about what we did yesterday," she whispers. "My father can't stand lesbians. If he caught us-"
"It'll never happen again, even though I did enjoy it. It was just wild hate sex, right?"
"I don't hate you..."
"Neither do I, but we were kinda fighting beforehand..."
"Yeah, but you were looking at me during it...nobody's ever done that before."
"Why not? You're beautiful," Nicky murmurs, stroking her cheek with her knuckles. "Is this okay?"
"Yes. So are you."
Nicky's heart warms at this. Lorna is so soft and nice to hold, and sometimes, when the short girl gives her a hug, some of her makeup gets on Nicky's shirt. It makes her feel special because it's proof that she got to touch a pretty girl. She loves Lorna's cute, excited voice when she's talking about things she's passionate about, and Nicky wants to be the cause of her big smile and sparkling eyes as often as she can. Moonlight streams in through the sheer white curtains and it's making Lorna look even more exquisite than she already is. Nicky's so in love with this chick, it's unbelievable. She's never felt this way about anyone.
"Will you sing me to sleep? You have such a pretty voice," Lorna mumbles while laying down, and Nicky's heart lifts.
"Of course. What would you wanna hear?"
"Have you seen West Side Story? It's my favorite movie!"
"No..."
"Okay, then whatever comes to mind!"
Nicky exhales deeply. "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine...you make me happy, when skies are gray, you never know dear, how much I love you, please don't take my sunshine away..."
Lorna yawns and snuggles into Nicky. "Love ya, girl. We'll be besties 'til the end of time."
"We should let Daya rest," Maritza whispers. "I gotta eat, ain't you hungry?"
"Yeah, but like, I don't wanna leave her out," Flaca responds.
"We're not doing it to be mean...she needs this, she's preggers!"
"Okay..." Maritza steps out of the room quietly as Flaca crawls ahead of her. She scoots herself down the stairs with Maritza following, and her tiny friend helps her into her wheelchair. "¡Whoa, eso fue rápido!" Flaca notices aloud when she sees a strange man in the kitchen wearing her mother's jacket and making chilaqueles. "¿Se durmió?" At this, Maritza giggles.
Whoa, that was fast! Did he sleep over?
"Marisol!" Theresa exclaims as her face turns red. "Uh, lo siento, cariño, este es Kubra, mi novio. Sólo me está haciendo el desayuno antes de que èl se vaya, y luego empezaré a trabajar. Kubra, esta es mi hija, Marisol, y su amiga, Maritza."
Sorry, sweetie, this is Kubra, my boyfriend. He's just making me breakfast before he leaves, and then I'm gonna start work. Kubra, this is my daughter, Marisol, and her friend, Maritza.
"Hola, chicas," he greets them politely.
Hi, girls.
"Kubra...casi como cobra, pero está bien," Maritza says, and Flaca nods in agreement. She turns to the guy and chuckles awkwardly. "Hi. She and I also speak English."
Kubra...sounds like cobra, but okay.
"Hey, ambos son bilingües, como yo. ¡Qué asombroso conocerte!"
Hey, you're both bilingual, like me. How awesome to meet you!
"Sí, tú también. Um...tienes un nombre genial."
Yeah, you too. Um...you got a cool name.
"Gracias, ustedes son bienvenidas a tener algo de esto." Kubra hands Theresa a plate of chilaqueles, and then the girls get their own servings. "Eso debe doler...¿cómo te rompiste la pierna?"
Thanks! You're welcome to have some of this. That must hurt...how'd you break your leg?
"Un conductor idiota no miraba adonde iban y me golpearon con su auto."
Some idiot driver wasn't looking where they were going and they struck me with their car.
"Oh, no, ¿los atrapaste?"
Oh, no, did you catch them?
"No, sólo se fueron."
No, they just left.
"Eso es muy malo. Espero que la policía los encuentre pronto."
That's too bad. I hope the police find them soon.
"Yo tambièn."
Me, too.
When they're finished, he says, "Adiòs, oso de azúcar," and gives Theresa back her jacket while pecking her on the lips. She lets him out the door and closes it while grinning.
"¿Oso de azúcar?" Flaca asks. "¡Ustedes se están poniendo serios!"
Sugar bear? You guys are getting serious!
"¿Qué piensas?" Theresa asks.
What do you think?
"Él es agradable."
He's nice.
"¿Hermoso?"
Handsome?
"¡Sí, buena elección!"
Good choice!
Theresa grins proudly. "Gracias."
Since Gloria and Aleida didn't want to leave Daya home by herself, they'd let her sleep over at Flaca's house. She startles herself awake when she hears the sound of paper rustling. "How much have you read of my diary? It doesn't look like you're any closer to figuring it all out."
"Are you a mirage?" Daya wonders aloud while closing her eyes, trying to dispel the optical illusion of her dead friend who appears to be very much alive. It doesn't work.
"You're not seeing things...it's me, in the flesh." Piper fans Daya with one of Flaca's CDs. "You're sweating. So, its true, then? You're pregnant?"
"Mm-hm..."
"Did one of Aleida's boyfriends knock you up?" As Piper comes closer to her, Daya backs up on Flaca's bed and pulls the covers to her chin.
"No."
"Well, I didn't think so...it seems like she's turned over a new leaf! So, who was it?"
"Mr. Bennett, he's a new teacher, you don't know him." Daya's heart is pounding out of her chest. She doesn't believe in ghosts, so this must be a figment of her imagination. She's dreaming.
"Typical Daya, going for the older guys. Let me give you a little piece of advice. It sounds sexy, delicious, and gossip-worthy, but at the end, you wind up torn apart."
"He's not like that."
"Ask your mom why her relationship with a certain Rick Hopper went down the drain."
"Was he your murderer?"
"No, I'd never give that away."
"Piper, it would really help if you gave me a clue. Mysteries don't get solved without them!"
"They're around...you just need to find them." Just after she says that, Piper vanishes. The CD is still on Flaca's bed, where Piper had left it.
"What should we do today, since there's no school?" Nicky asks.
"Alex called an impromptu meeting for Piper's friends at the Shake Shack, so that...you and Maritza would be bored there! It's how we deal with her death, in a way, I guess. We don't mean to leave you out, it's just..."
"We didn't know her," Nicky finishes Lorna's sentence. "It's okay, I'll work on a project...not the mural yet, but something else. I'm crafty, I like to keep my hands busy." She's been wanting to build something for Lorna and personalize her bedroom door, anyway.
"Oh, like what?"
"You'll see when you get home."
"After we're done, you and Maritza can meet up with us...I'll text ya." Lorna ties up her hair and pulls out a few strands at the front to frame her face. She smiles a little while putting on shimmer blush, and looking extra pretty as she does all of these things. She leaves behind stray glitter after applying her eyeshadow and it's angelic.
"Cool, sounds great!"
"I took too much lotion," Lorna explains as she rubs the excess on Nicky's hands. The physical contact is amazing. "Here, moisturize!"
"Thanks."
"You like my outfit?"
"Yeah, especially your dress, it's adorable!" Nicky compliments her. It's coral, with white flowers.
"Thank you!"
Nicky walks Lorna to her front door and gives her a hug. "Have fun!"
Lorna smiles at her appreciatively. "I will!"
Once she leaves, Nicky sends Red and Blanca messages, asking how they're doing. To her satisfaction, they're completely fine. Blanca is now tending to Diablo and Red's in the cafeteria, making food for the teachers and students who didn't participate in the strike. Nicky goes out and buys supplies for her project and works on it while listening to Stockings by Suzanne Vega on her headphones. She hums along to the lyrics, really feeling them in her soul, because it's about the singer being in love with her straight best friend.
I don't care for tights, she says
And does not tell me why
She hikes her skirt above her knee
Revealing one brown thigh
I see, I say, and wonder at
Her slender little fingers
How cleverly they pull upon
The threads of recent slumbers
Nicky puts her hair into a bun so it doesn't get on anything. She grins as she sands down the wooden letters that spell out Lorna's name. She paints them, alternating between bright pink and yellow, the brunette's favorite colors. Her vision board is giving Nicky ideas. She nails them into a smooth board and makes sure they're secure.
Do you know where friendship ends
And passion does begin?
It's between the binding of
Her stockings and her skin.
(Oh yeah)
She stayed up so late I thought
She'd ask me to go dance
But something in the way she laughed
Told me I had no chance
Nicky gathers up the fake hearts and flowers and begins gluing them onto Lorna's door as a decoration. She wants only the best for her girl, even if they're not anything more than friends.
The fiction in her family
Was that she was never nice
I'd say she was very
I just did not see the price
Do you know where friendship ends
And passion does begin?
When the gin and tonic
Makes the room begin to spin.
(Oh yeah)
Nicky goes through the recycling downstairs and finds ripped up old magazines and newspapers with what she thinks is blood smeared across the pages, but she breathes a sigh of relief when she sees it's only red nail polish.
There may be attraction here
But it will never flower
So I'm assigned to read her mind, now
In this witching hour
Here's no game for those who claim
To be easily bruised
But how can I complain
When she's so easily amused?
Nicky cuts out pictures and words she thinks Lorna may like and pastes them all over a neon blue vase she'd bought. She saws out the doorknob and installs a new one that came with a key. Lorna doesn't seem to get enough privacy. She stands back and admires her handiwork.
Do you know where friendship ends
And passion does begin?
(When she does not show you
The way out on the way in) -
It's between the binding
Of her stockings and her skin.
(Oh yeah)
"So, what's this all about?" Flaca asks as the four girls sit down at a table. "Super neat tattoos by the way," she compliments Lorna and Alex.
"Thanks!" they say together.
"I love the heart and the roses the best," Daya tells them enthusiastically, and they smile.
"You would, fellow hopeless romantic!" Lorna rests her elbow on Daya's shoulder.
"Okay, I appreciate your kind words, but before we get off track...we haven't heard from P lately. Don't you think that's a bit weird?" Alex questions the girls.
"Yeah, we're friends with all the people we suspected, except Leanne," Daya says.
"Maybe they don't wanna do it anymore after almost killing you, Flaca," Lorna murmurs.
"Nah, it seems like they're waiting for us to be alone, and we never really are," Flaca disagrees.
Alex's phone vibrates and she sneaks a peek at it under the table. There's a video of Leanne hooking up with that douchebag Ratman while hollering something inaudible, and Angie is pointing a gun in his face while grinning creepily. A feeling of dread settles in the pit of her stomach. Just kidding, nobody killed Ratman, but maybe he wishes he were dead! They're holding him hostage until he gives them both an A, and he has Stockholm syndrome with Leanne! You better make sure you behave, otherwise, you'll deal with this, too! Xo, P
"You look terrified, hon," Lorna comments. "Your face is all pale."
"Fuckin' meth-heads...they're frightening, but what else is new?" Alex responds. "We spoke too soon, P just texted me this." She shows them the message.
"Yeah, I got it as well," Daya tells the group.
"Same here," Flaca lets them know.
"I don't know what the point of this was," Lorna mutters, staring at her phone in annoyance. "We don't even care about Ratman."
"P might be trying to pin it on us," Alex replies.
"They just sent us proof that people we can't stand are doing something illegal. Maybe they wanna test if we're gonna turn it into the police?" Daya asks.
"We won't, because I don't want him released from captivity," Flaca answers. "Fuckin' P, makin' us wanna hide Leanne and Angie's secret!"
Lorna sighs and rests her chin atop her fist. "Me, neither. I know...I'm glad to have Nicky and Tricia move in...it helps me forget that P is lurking around."
"That must be real fun to have them stay with you!" Alex states.
"It is."
"You seem giddier than usual," Flaca points out.
"Oh, do I?"
Daya smirks. "Yeah...you're glowing."
"It must be the makeup I'm wearing." Alex, Daya, and Flaca exchange looks and start giggling. "What?"
"Nothing," Alex replies. She presses her lips in a thin line, as do the Latinas. "You just kinda radiate positivity."
Nice save! Flaca mouths. "Mm-hm, when you're genuinely happy, we are, too."
"Oh, it's like how yawns are contagious and babies start crying when they hear other babies doing it!" Lorna realizes aloud.
"Exactly," Daya says.
"For our group hangout, can we not include Pennsatucky?" Lorna asks. "I really don't trust her...I tried, but she's looking too suspicious. The only people she's actually close to is Boo, and out of all us girls, Nicky. That smells fishy to me. Why would she get all buddy-buddy with someone that I'm best friends with? It's like, get your own, you know? Also, I'm the least targeted out of everyone here. She's well aware that causing me serious harm would hurt Nicky, and she wouldn't wanna do that to her only real friend who's her own age."
"Yeah, you make a good point," Daya agrees.
"So, all in favor?" Alex wonders aloud.
"Too bad, she's got a great voice...well, okay, we'll leave her out," Flaca replies. The girls raise their hands. "Aye!" they say in unison.
"Not just for today, though. We give her the boot," Lorna corrects them. "She's out."
"Hey, there's your mom's boyfriend," Maritza informs Flaca after she, Blanca, and Maria have finished gushing over Lorna, Nicky, and Alex's new body art and Flaca and Daya are done checking out Nicky's. All of the girls are hanging out at the Sparrow Tavern and with the exception of Daya, having one drink each under Franny's supervision.
Flaca takes a sip of her wine. "I know, I'm trying not to look. It's kinda weird that we met him in our pajamas and he kissed her goodbye."
"Theresa's got a man, huh? Why'd ya never tell us this exciting news?" Lorna asks, gulping down her mimosa.
"They just got together late Saturday night, and I didn't think they'd make things official this quickly." Kubra gives Flaca a head nod, and she waves at him back. "He cooked for us."
"That's nice!" Maria comments.
"Just be sure your mom still makes time for you," Nicky says and then guzzles her beer.
"She does."
"You should talk to him," Blanca recommends. "He's kinda staring at our group."
"Maybe he feels just as awkward as I did, or he could be wondering what a bunch of underaged girls are doing in a bar," Flaca mutters. She scoots out from the table and wheels herself over to Kubra. "Hey!"
"Marisol, nice seeing you again."
"Yeah, I'm usually just called Flaca by friends, but I'm Marisol to my mom."
"I sincerely apologize for still being at your house when you'd just woken up...I thought I'd be gone by then."
"Nah, it's cool. Your leather jacket's groovy, by the way. My mom and I are big fans of them."
"They just make a statement, you know? I'm a rebel."
"Ah! So is she, actually. That's probably where I get it from."
"I can tell! She's pretty fantastic."
"Yeah, I know. I just gotta ask...are there other chicks in your life? She's in no mood to be the other woman."
"Oh, she's not...I wouldn't do that to her. I'm really a good guy, trust me. I'm crazy about her, only her. I understand why you wanna protect her, though. I, myself, was hyperaware of other men going out with my mom when I was your age. She was also single...my parents split when I was too young to remember."
"Awesome, well, if you betray her, I'll break one of your bottles over your head, and it'll be a bloody mess," she threatens him calmly. "¿Comprende?"
Kubra nods. "Got it."
"I dunno what's up with our moms going on dates...something's going on between mine and Charles. She says they're just friends, but I can tell she definitely feels something for him. It's too early though, and we're aware of that," Alex is saying as Flaca returns to the table.
Lorna gasps happily. "I've only seen 'em once, but they're so cute together!" she squeals. "Cheers!" She taps Alex's beer bottle with her glass.
"Yeah, I guess," Alex mutters. "I teased her about it on Saturday after he asked her out-"
"Oh my god, like on a date?" Maritza asks excitedly, touching her cup of martini to Flaca's wine glass.
"Uh-huh."
"Aren't you happy for her?" Flaca asks.
"Of course, but I'm not all mushy about it!"
"They're gonna be so perfect, like Luke and Lorelai, the cutest coffee shop couple ever! Those two have the greatest chemistry, and your mom and Charles are like the gender-flipped version of them since she's a waitress at a food place, and he's the patron." Lorna's practically bouncing in her seat from exhilaration. "She's found her Lorelai!" At this, their friends snicker quietly under their breaths.
"Actually, you'd say she's found her Luke," Alex corrects Lorna.
"No, 'cause Charles doesn't own a diner, however, Diane is a single mom with a daughter she's real close to."
"My mom doesn't have a diner job either! It's a restaurant."
"Hmm, you're right...well, then maybe they're more like Lorelai and Christopher. I love that character, he has the same exact name as my Christopher!"
"He sucks, he's a deadbeat dad...you shouldn't like him just because of his name, no matter how infatuated you are with the real Christopher!" Maria says, stirring her orange juice and vodka.
"Actually, both Christophers are shitty," Daya points out. "Lorna, you and I watch it for the romance, not that guy!"
"Okay, what are you all talking about?" Nicky asks, leaning back in her chair. "I'm lost."
"Gilmore Girls. It's a show about a mother, Lorelai, and her daughter, Rory, who are like best friends, it's on its fourth season, and they always go to this diner that Luke runs. Even though Luke and Lorelai have never kissed, you can tell that they're in love with each other," Blanca explains. "Maria and I watch it for Lane, Rory's best friend. It makes me yearn for when I was a punk rock chick at twelve with three eyebrows."
"Hell yeah, Lane rules!" Flaca proclaims.
"She's my bitch, yo," Maritza agrees.
"I love her," Alex says. "I wish she and Rory were together, but it's only got straight couples. Ugh...I just watch it for Lorelai and Rory's bond. It reminds me of the one I share with my mom."
Nicky groans. "Well, no lesbians and I have mommy issues, so I can't relate to that."
"Actually, you and Red are like Rory and Lorelai, aren't you two pretty close?" Lorna asks.
"Yeah, I suppose I could try watching it with her...but she seems like the mother hen to everyone, not just me!"
"She has the softest spot for you," Blanca says. "I can see that."
"Well, she did tell me I was like a daughter to her," Nicky lets them know.
"Aw, that's sweet!" Lorna squeezes Nicky's hand while grinning. "Some other really good family shows are Charmed and Full House. We'd always watch reruns of both at our sleepovers and Charmed is on its seventh season...I'm not ready for it to be over next year!"
"Who's your favorite character in Charmed?" Nicky asks Lorna. "Now those sisters are hot! I watched it regularly until I was thirteen...I'll have to catch up!"
"Piper! She's a hopeless romantic like me and Daya, and I love her with Leo!"
"I like Phoebe, but I wish they made her be with a woman. At least they don't make jokes about people who are anything but straight like Full House does! People of the same gender kissing isn't something to fuckin' laugh at!"
"I know, right? That's so annoying, but it was from a different time. I'm happy people are more accepting now. You know what would really make me swoon, though, is if Charles carried Diane out of Friendly's, like the ending scene in Officer and a Gentleman when Paula is working in her factory, Zack picks her up and walks out with her in his arms," Lorna gushes. "Oh, that was so romantic!"
"She'd probably tell him to put her down," Alex murmurs, "but I'm not sure, maybe not! I don't want him doing that unless they're in a stable relationship!"
"Is Aleida still with that buff dude?" Flaca asks Daya. "I thought I saw them together at Maria's party."
"Yeah, it's been about three weeks now...he's the first of her boyfriends that I actually don't mind. The little ones are wary of him because they're used to Cesar, but Leon is like, so different. I've never seen him do drugs or scare us kids with guns...and he doesn't seem weird at all. He...protects us. A while ago, he put in a security system and the day after he and my mom met, he installed bunk beds for the children. He's almost part of the family."
"What a man!" Lorna squeals. "How'd they meet?"
"When she came here for her ladies' night, she got super drunk, fell back from her barstool, and landed right in his arms instead of on the floor."
"Oh my goodness!" Lorna hollers in Daya's face, and everyone holds their ears. "That's the cutest thing ever! Gosh, Daya, that's beautiful! It really is," she comments, fanning herself. "I'm gonna cry! Sorry, Alex and Flaca, but Daya's mom's story is too amazing and it wins the prize. Love at first sight after crashing into each other, just like me and Christopher, yes!" She's jumping up and down, squealing, "Eeeep! Eeep! Eeeeep!"
"Lorna..." Daya chuckles while Nicky and Blanca get Lorna to sit back in her seat. "Shut up, you dang hyper pixie!"
"I can't help it! I'm so happy for you!" She hugs Daya.
"I'm not sure if he was really in love with her at first, but she was definitely attracted to him."
"That's the opposite of my mom and Charles...he was more interested in her before she started having googly eyes for him. I think she's just wanting to prevent herself from a damaged heart again," Alex says.
"Wait, my mom and Kubra started flirting right away, and they were interested in each other mutually. I should win!" Flaca insists, narrowing her thin brows. "Who made you the judge of this thing anyway, Lorna?"
Lorna rolls her eyes. "Hello, I'm the romantic movie guru!"
"Yeah, don't be a sore loser, Flaca," Daya tells her. "Leon gave my mom his business card with his number on it, and she called him up the next day."
"Guys, it's not a contest!" Nicky reminds them. "Lorna's just very opinionated when it comes to love. Don't take it personal."
Maritza sighs dreamily. "Love's totally in the air. It's inspiring..."
"I wonder who we should set up next?" Flaca asks. "Oh my god...how about Gloria and somebody?"
"Perfect, you took her name right outta my mouth!" Maritza says elatedly while rubbing her hands together.
Lorna squeals in exhilaration. "Aw, let's do it! She should have her knight in shining armor!"
"The last thing she needs is to meet a stranger online," Blanca tells them. "She's not gonna be down with this. If you wanna matchmake her with somebody, it needs to be at least a month after Arturo finally got locked up and we all have to know the person and trust him. We don't even know if she now hates men and refuses to date for the rest of her life. I wouldn't blame her. Gloria's the closest thing I've had to a tía. She showed me how to put makeup on over a black eye. It's unimaginable what she went through. She is not gonna be ready for a passionate relationship!"
Daya nudges Blanca. "Preach it!"
"Yeah!" Alex, Nicky, and Maria agree in unison, but Lorna, Flaca, and Maritza pout and shrug.
"What if she likes women?" Nicky wants to know. "You have no idea."
"Shit, you're so right," Lorna realizes out loud.
"Hey...see that guy sitting in the booth over there?" Alex tilts her head in the direction of where he is. "I know him, he's cool. That's Fahri, my babysitter from when I was a kid. My mom and I are trying to get close to him again. I'm gonna go say hi."
"Oh, he's cute!" Flaca points out.
Maritza sighs exasperatedly. "Do you have to have a crush on every dude you see?"
"What?" Flaca asks defensively. "I'm boy crazy, what can I say? It's not like I'm gonna go out with him...and anyway, how come you're so worked up about it?"
"It's annoying. Dudes are just not that special, to be honest."
"Right on, sister," Nicky murmurs, lightly punching Maritza's shoulder.
"Mari-"
"No, I wanna experiment with chicks," Maritza interrupts Flaca.
"Okay, that's fine. We girls are super cool, and we give off the best vibes!"
"Correct-a-mundo!" Lorna declares.
"Cheers to being a girl!" Blanca says, and they raise their glasses and tap them against each other's. She's almost finished with her piña colada. "Should we come with while you tell him hey?"
"Yeah!" Alex says. She leads them to where he is. "Hi, Fahri, these are all my friends. Before you ask, yes, Mom lets us go here if she or Lorna's sister, Franny, is watching us."
"Alex, how are you? Nice to meet you girls!" Fahri gives them a polite wave.
"You too," Nicky says.
"I'm fine," Alex responds.
"You and your mom can come to my apartment tonight, if you want."
"She has a date, actually. Maybe tomorrow?"
"That sounds wonderful! I'll have to look at my calendar."
"Okay, awesome!"
Nicky grins at Lorna until her dimples show. They play footsie and Lorna gets a tingly feeling when Nicky's toenails softly glide up and down her bare leg. She giggles suddenly. "I'm ticklish!" Nicky puts her feet up on Lorna's lap, into her crotch, and she quickly starts to squirm, but she's loving every single second of it. Nicky looks so good in her flannel blue shirt and black tank top. If only Nicky were a guy, Lorna would date her in a heartbeat, but she's not, so these feelings are useless. The orgasm Nicky had given her the other day was so powerful, though, and just thinking about it makes her horny.
"What's going on with you two?" Maria asks in amusement.
"We're just foolin' around," Nicky murmurs, not taking her smoldering brown eyes off Lorna. Her gaze is so deep that Lorna's heart skips a beat. She closes her eyes and gulps while fumbling with her napkin, momentarily forgetting that she's in a public setting. The blonde removes her feet and suddenly, Lorna jumps and her eyes snap open when she feels an icy glass bottle against her cheek.
"Wake up, Morello," Nicky says in the low voice she'd used with Lorna in one of their most intimate, hottest moments.
"Oh, jeez...I-I guess I nodded off for a-a sec," she stammers, looking away from Nicky.
The girls start laughing uncontrollably and Lorna doesn't understand what's so hilarious. Quickly, she thinks of something to take her mind off Nicky flirting with her. She really shouldn't be taking pleasure in this, not when she's working so hard to make her and Christopher a thing.
"What if Christopher's parents are real controlling? Like, they won't let him date me?" she wonders aloud. "They could be forcing him to go out with Angela, when truly, he loves me, because I know he does! Or...Angela's parents are forcing her to date Christopher!"
"That's a bit of a stretch!" Nicky says.
"No, it could be like in A Cinderella Story where the football player's all like, 'This is your dream, Dad, not mine!' and goes to kiss the main chick who works in the diner instead of the popular girl! They do it in the rain and everything!"
"Actually, it is already like that, because the jock chose the average girl over the popular, bitchy cheerleader, and while you're not a mean girl, you're the cheerleader in the movie! You're the captain, in fact," Maritza states.
"Well, then I'll quit the squad!"
"You shouldn't change yourself for a guy," Blanca advises her. "It's self-degradation, and the last thing you wanna do."
"I'll see about that, hon. I'm still gonna talk to their parents. I need to know!"
"Girl, I wouldn't," Alex discourages her.
"How would you even know where Angela lives?" Daya asks.
"I'm not going to their houses. I've been doing some extensive research...and I found out their places of work."
"Yo, that's super creepy!" Flaca points out, glancing nervously at Maritza.
A wave of anger washes over Lorna and she bangs her hands on the table. "None of ya needa be tellin' me what to do or insulting me!" She reaches for a glass, ready to smash it, but a pair of arms encircle her tightly and pull her away from the table. "I'm your friend, so support me!" She's attracting attention, but she doesn't care. She keeps trying to get out of Nicky's grasp, but the blonde doesn't let her go.
"Hey, Lorna, shhh..." Nicky murmurs sweetly. "Try to calm down...you're scarin' em, kid...and I don't want your sister comin' over here and snappin' at ya. Take a few deep breaths and count to ten, okay? One, two, three, four, five..."
When Nicky's halfway finished, Lorna starts to sense her fury dissipating, and then she begins to cry because the girls seem afraid of her. "I'm so sorry...I just wanted to find out for myself...I...I didn't mean to go off like that...I just get real mad easily."
"I'll go with you, okay? We can find out together," Nicky says gently.
"Alright...thank you."
Their friends accept her apology, and to Lorna, all is right with the world again. Nicky's still pissed at Flaca, though. "Do you not have a filter?" she hisses. "Lorna's sensitive! You need to be careful of what you say to her, dude."
"I wasn't tryin' to offend her..." Flaca turns to Lorna. "You ain't...you know. It's just, the situation...of goin' to a complete stranger's workplace and talkin' to 'em about their kid...it's like...it ain't something I'd do. I wouldn't feel comfortable."
Lorna shrugs. "We all got our own opinions."
"Yo, what went down with Rick Hopper?" Daya questions Aleida while they're out shopping for new bedding.
"I got with him because he called me magnificent, and he was Christina's father...and one of the cops who arrested Cesar. He used to be a drug dealer, so I wonder what made him change."
"Did he do something to Piper?"
Aleida chuckles humorlessly. "Nah, but if you ask me, I say the little bitch got what was comin' to her. She fuckin' seduced him and destroyed our relationship...he didn't go for her, but she told him I put you in foster care and that I'm a whore. She even said that to my face. I never cheated on him, though. I only flirted with other men. Only when he and I got into bad fights because he thought women were wimpy damsels in distress, I fucked Cesar."
"What a homewrecker..."
"I know, but then I thought it'd be better this way. Who the fuck wants to have Hopper as a last name? We ain't bunny rabbits."
Daya chuckles. "Yeah..."
"So you want pink, right?" Aleida shows Daya a pale pink comforter.
"That's pretty!" Daya takes it and puts it in the cart. She notices a matching pillowcase set with tiny blue flowers all over it. "I'm definitely getting this! Then, I'll paint my room turquoise. Oh, and I'd like a goldfish." Aleida begins to speak. "Don't make some joke about me giving my fish to another man or I will walk away from you."
Aleida snickers. "I wasn't gonna."
"You do idiotic things, but at least you let me and John be together."
"Nah, I don't like that this has happened either, but there's nothin' I can do about it. You gonna sneak around anyway...and he's the father, he needs to be there for you."
Daya hugs her mother and Aleida pats her back gently. "Thanks for understanding that."
"Hey, no peeking! Keep 'em closed!"
"I'm not!"
"You are! I can feel your eyelashes fluttering around my fingers."
"It don't matta, I can't see nothin'!"
Nicky continues to guide Lorna up the stairs, with one hand covering her eyes and the other on the small of her back as she holds onto the rail. She's anticipating this surprise that Nicky has in store for her. The blonde is full of them. Under that tough, bad chick facade, is a silly girl with a big heart. Nicky's snarky comments and perverted side are just part of her personality. Even though Nicky seems like she can handle anything, Lorna wants to protect her-not only from being homeless or possibly brutalized by Vee and for sure Piscatella, but also from herself. Nicky's not suicidal-Lorna knows that-but she is certainly self-destructive.
"Alright, open your eyes, kid."
Lorna does so and gasps in shock and awe. "Whoa, you did all that for me?" She touches each letter and decoration softly.
"Yep, and check this bad boy out." Nicky hands Lorna a keychain with a key and a few heart charms attached. "This is for your room so you can lock your door, and you could hook your personal house key onto it. When Franny isn't here all night long, you can be with me, always. I know it's technically Tricia's room for now, but that's only during the night. We mostly chill out in your room."
"Thank you, Nicky!" she shrieks happily, wrapping her arms around the other girl's waist.
"You're welcome! I also gave you a pretty vase. I kinda modeled your moodboard thingy over there, so it matches." Nicky jerks her thumb toward Lorna's collage of magazine cutouts. "Hope ya like it."
Lorna picks up the vase and examines it carefully. "Oh, I love it! It's real cute!" She giggles and smiles so hard that her cheeks ache. "Nobody's ever done this for me before. You're so creative...and that lock? What a handywoman!"
Nicky beams, probably proud of herself. She should be. "I'm glad, Lorna. I enjoy making you happy. You deserve it!" Nicky envelopes Lorna in a warm hug and lifts her up slightly off the ground while spinning her, making her laugh out loud.
It's causing her to wonder if she's actually in love because she's seeing stars and her heart is doing funny things. It's confusing though, because she's only into guys and she has Christopher-when Angela and their parents are out of the picture.
No, she can't be. The rest of her friends treat her just as sweetly as Nicky does. They're wonderful and kind, like Nicky is. It's just that they've never made her feel so...
She can't figure this out.
Could she just be suffering from extreme loneliness and seeking out any form of attachment, mistaking platonic for romantic? Would she be this close to Nicky if Angela just got lost, never to be seen again?
Nicky is doing the exact same things that she wants Christopher to do for her, what she'd been pleading with Vinny for, and that is to be protective and gentle-which he was, but he thought her stories were fabricated, so she didn't bother telling anyone else-not the girls, nor her sister, nor Red, Gloria, and Diane. She'd just avoided being home when Franny was absent. They'd probably gotten the idea, but nobody had ever asked, most likely not wanting to intrude. Piper had slut-shamed her, which was another reason for her silence.
Nicky believed her. She'd listened. She'd wanted to.
That's why Lorna feels so much for her.
Nicky cares.
Thank you for reading and reviewing, Captainperoxideanddeadboy, cornedout, and HannahMiley1fan!
