Chapter 22: 3458 Ashbury Avenue

Presidential Penthouse #5973…

"Damn it Trish… I can't stay here… alone… with him. It's too… AWKWARD. I mean, he's into me." Nikki joined Trish on the sofa to chat.

Trish placed the Cosmopolitan magazine off to the side. "So? What are you saying?"

Nikki sighed. "What I'm saying is," Nikki sighed sharply. "I mean, it's too damn awkward. It doesn't feel right." Nikki whispered.

Trish nodded. "True… but he's one of us now, you're going to have to treat him the way you treat John."

"I guess so." Nikki sighed and hugged a pillow.

"Hmm…" Trish flipped through Cosmopolitan once again.

"Do I get to decorate my room?" Randy asked from the top of the two-step stairs leading into the foyer.

Trish snickered. Nikki turned around and replied, "Yeah, uhuh, sure, but you have to pay for the decorations. But after we get your stuff next week."

Randy left for his room.

"Doesn't he act like a child at times?" Trish asked form behind her magazine.

Nikki nodded. She stared at the walls. "I'm getting old."

Trish stared at Nikki blankly. "Excuse me? You're not getting old. I'm already 27, well, turning 27, and you're only 22. Now tell me about old."

Nikki chuckled. "Eh… I guess so."

Trish and Nikki laughed.

John hopped up on the recliner next to the couch. "Talk about old, I'm 25 already." John shook his head and grabbed the remote. "So… Randy's living here now?"

"Yeah, totally, uhuh." Trish and Nikki replied.

"Cool." John looked at the remote. "Um… hey woman, how do you work this thing?"

Trish snatched the remote. "For the fuckin' last time, do not call me woman! Ugh! You fuckin' idiot! The big red button will turn on the TV. God dammit… How stupid are you!"

"I mean how do you turn on the remote!" John screamed.

"It's already on! All you need to do is press the buttons!" Trish argued.

John pressed the buttons. "See? Nothing happened! This thing isn't on!"

"Press the big red button to turn it on you fuckin' idiot!" Trish yelled.

"Shut up bitch! I can do just fine!" John yelled back.

"You were asking!" Trish argued again.

"I didn't say you had to reply back!" John yelled.

"Well I assumed y—"

"QUIET!" Nikki pushed in between them, as they were about to hit each other. "Look, little things people, little things! Both of you make them a big deal! What is it?"

Trish and John started talking at the same time in childish argumentation voices.

"Shut it or I'm gonna pull out your lips until you can't talk. Gosh damn it! What's with you 2? Just siddown and shut up! Let's watch some goshdamn good shows OK!" Nikki yelled.

They did as they were told. Trish snatched the remote from John and started muttering, John got up and tried to smack Trish, but Nikki shot him a look.

Randy came running from his room. "Whoa, whoa! Hold the phone! Is everyone OK?"

There was a moment of silence until Trish and John started arguing again.

Nikki sighed sharply and got up to stand next to Randy. "Well… it was until you came running here to ruin the peace."

Randy pouted. "I guess I'll move out then."

Nikki smacked him in the head. "I mean when you came running here screaming your ridiculous little statement." Nikki left for her room. "Oy… These people drive me nuts." She muttered on her way there.

Randy ran after her. "Is it like this all the time? Or just now, since I got here?"

Nikki was sitting on her couch. "It's like this all the time, good thing I'm here. Or they'll be both probably would've killed each other by now. Or would've committed suicide."

Randy nodded and went back to his room, which ended up being right next to Nikki's. Randy came back 5 minutes later. "What's the address here?"

Nikki had closed her eyes. But she replied softly, "3458 Ashbury Avenue, Presidential Suite #5973, Manhattan, New York, 94863."

"So many numbers… I'll try to remember." Randy left the room.

Trish stormed into Nikki's room. "I am never speaking to that fuckin' moron ever again. And you're not going to make me. Hmph." Trish stormed out of Nikki's room and went into her own room and slammed the door.

Soon Nikki heard John going inside his room too, who tried to shut the door but eventually knocked his hand into it, so had to shut the door again. Nikki grabbed her pillow and stuffed it in her face. She then silently screamed. Nikki got up and calmly walked next door to Randy's room, to see what he was up to.

"Sorry, I know no TV yet… or bed. But you can sleep in one of the guest rooms until next week." Nikki told Randy, who was sitting on the floor staring at the blank four walls.

Randy chuckled. "OK… If you insist. I had a better idea though." Randy lifted his eyebrow.

"Hmm?" Nikki questioned.

"Never mind." Randy snapped out of his fantasies.

"OK… I'm getting a really bad headache, so Imma go to bed now. Night." Nikki gave Randy a goodnight hug.

Randy hugged back. He wanted more of a kiss from her though. Oh well…

Before Nikki left for her room, she turned to ask one more question. "Did you really get Vince to sign my absence?"

Randy nodded, apologetic.

Nikki nodded back. "It's OK, if I over work my ankle anymore, I might need a surgery." Nikki walked back to her room.

Randy gave a soft laugh and walked to the guest room.

The Following Morning…

Randy woke up with the sweet scent of vanilla. It smelled delicious, so he walked outside to the family room to see what was going on. Instead, he found John, Nikki and Trish goofing off in the kitchen, as Trish was making breakfast. The 3 spotted Randy, and gave a cheery good morning.

"Hey! Look who finally woke up!" John yelled in a gleeful voice.

"Sleep well, Orton?" Nikki waved.

"You want any fruits on your French toast?" Trish asked.

Randy waved back and replied, "I slept fine, and is there any blueberries? I love blueberries on my toast."

"Awesome." Trish said, then added blueberries onto Randy's toast.

"Another blueberries fan! Nikki loves blueberries too." John bit an apple.

Randy joined Nikki and John on the breakfast bar and began eating his breakfast. "I freaked out when I looked outside my window last night."

"Why?" John mumbled between his bites.

"I looked out and realized how high we really were. I freaked out, I've never been up this high." Randy said.

"Ah… the true Missouri native." Trish added.

"And why?" Randy asked.

Nikki swallowed her bites first then answered, "Missouri is so flat, not many hills around there, or even mountains, that you've never been anywhere this high. Am I correct?"

Randy nodded.

Trish pointed her fork at Randy. "I rest my case."

They all laughed.

"Better get use to it, we're not moving out of here until a long, long time." Nikki said.

"Why move out?" Randy asked.

John mumbled between his bites again, "We're not staying here forever. Who knows? Maybe in the future we're all going to get married and maybe eventually move out of here."

"Hmm." Randy replied softly.

Trish finished eating and placed her dishes in the sink. "Your turn John, I have to go pack."

"For what? We're off until tomorrow." John replied.

Trish walked to the stairs, and then turned to answer John, "My boyfriend's picking me up, he's taking me somewhere."

The other 3 turned to look at one another and replied, "Oooh…"

John hadn't had enough, he added, "… Someone's getting low tonight!" John laughed hysterically, and then Nikki and Randy joined in too.

"Pffft. Whatever. At least I'm in love." Trish stuck out her tongue and left to go upstairs.

"Ss… Oooh… dissin' a friend." Nikki replied, who had also finished eating and placed her dishes in the sink as well. Nikki walked to the family room and turned on the television.

"Oh, I've been meaning to ask, how long exactly have you all known each other?" Randy asked.

"Since we were kids." John replied.

"And how exactly? You grew up in Massachusetts, Trish came from Toronto, and Nikki grew up in Malibu." Randy said.

"True, John grew up in West Newbury, but Trish didn't come from Toronto. She was born in Toronto, moved to Malibu --- Who coincidentally, her mother is like "soul sisters" with my mom, --- lived next door from our estate." Nikki explained.

"And… John?" Randy asked.

"Mm! Her grandparents live in West Newbury, like 2 blocks away from our house in that huge mansion. And they would come to visit almost every summer. Trish would sometimes tag along with the Keiblers, and when Nikki and Trish were walking around, they saw my brothers and I playing wrestling and they wanted to watch." John said.

"Haha…! I remember that brief moment when you thought Trish was the cutest girl you've ever seen! Too bad she is 2 years older! HA!" Nikki laughed.

"And your friendship has stood the test of time?" Randy asked.

"Totally. We've had ups and downs, and downs, and ups, but we've made it." Nikki answered.

John started to put the dishes in the dishwasher and cleaning the kitchen. And Randy went over to the family room to sit on the couch next to Nikki. Randy felt all sweaty, sitting next to Nikki with nothing to talk about. Made him feel all gushy and mushy. Soon Trish came running into the room with a camera.

"Lemme take a picture! I want to waste this thing so I can get it developed." Trish said. "OK, Randy and Nikki, smile!"

Nikki moved closer to Randy to make sure she fit in the snapshot.

"Awesome! Thanks!" Trish ran over to John and snapped a photo of him making a funny face.

The receiver near the door buzzed. Trish walked over and pressed the button. "Presidential Penthouse #5973, yes?"

The man on the other line replied, "Good morning ma'am, there is a man here saying he is here to pick up Miss. Trish Stratus. Should I ring him up?"

"No need, I'll be right down." Trish replied and released the red button. "Everyone, I gotta go. See you all later!" Trish grabbed her luggage and walked out the penthouse.

"Later." They all replied.

John jumped over the couch to sit as well, making Nikki sit in the middle.

"Great… I'm sandwiched by the wannabe gangster and the interrogative moron. Someone please shoot me."

"Wanna play dance dance revolution?" John asked.

Nikki was the first one to get up and grab the mats. "You're going down… sucker!"