Please see chapter 1's disclaimer. Nothing's changed, I don't own.
:}
It felt strange, after the get together and over the next couple of weeks, how they'd text one another. It wasn't the usual, just sharing news, checking in. No, there was a difference to the subtext of the texts. It felt like they expected to see something, some hint of a change. Like they expected at least one of them to have met a great guy, and be ready to share their happy news with the world. Trina felt it, the hope, the expectation, of hearing that somehow the spell worked, and they'd all get the man of their dreams. Despite the warnings they'd read on how long even the quickest spell might take, she almost expected someone to have already met someone. Any sign that would fill the others with hope that their man was coming. But as the days went by, nothing like that happened. They were still the same girls who they'd already been, dealing with the same chiz they'd always dealt with, and no man materialized to change all that. It seemed that whatever magics they'd tried to invoke had failed miserably.
Trina wasn't alone in that feeling. All the girls had been waiting, watching, hoping. Yet even as Trina kept up with the vigil, she felt it was more from expecting the girls to take more chances then anything mystic happening. After all, isn't that how this kind of thing worked? One expects something to happen, so one is looking, more open to invitations. But there was no progress as it felt like the other girls were content to watch, expecting their invoked perfect man to somehow find them, thus nothing was gonna happen. Disappointed but not surprised, the elder Vega girl chalked it up to a night of experimentation, silently thanked her parents for helping her have friends who weren't druggies, and moved on. There were, as always, bigger goals to chase then obsessing over what she did on that fun but silly night she'd spent among her friends. Other events that she felt impacted her life far more then that one dance with the dark arts.
Like the fact that Beck and Jade had broken it off for good.
Jade had made the announcement on her slap page. Then, a short time later, it was confirmed by Beck on his. Each gave a short statement about the breakup, and then seemed to want to move on from the announcement. They had included the usual chiz about remaining friends, but even still, after only one day, Trina could tell that this had been the last breakup for the two of them. Everyone could see it, the way they interacted was so different, with each just letting the other go their own way. The whole school could see the new dynamic developed, one where Jade was no longer obsessing about her ex. It made many girls bolder in their flirting with the handsome Canadian, while also making the entirety of the school, faculty included, feel safer.
Of course there was a good reason for Jade's new attitude. A reason most of the student body had no idea existed, but still happened. It seemed that Beck hadn't just let Jade go, he'd handed her off, giving his best friends devotion to someone better emotionally equipped to love the pale beauty. So the school was in the dark about who got Jade, who was her new one and only, save Trina.
There were subtle clues. Like how, suddenly, just after the breakup, Jade was a regular at the Vega residence. Unlike before, when Jade would be there as part of the group, now she was also often there alone, joking around with Tori, or watching a movie, or just hanging out, having teenage fun. Of course the two girls tried to play it off as them just being friends, with Tori supporting Jade while she recovered from the breakup. Trina wasn't fooled. Tori and Jade were developing that uncomfortable glow that comes with being in love, that feeling that nauseates everyone around them who isn't. While they could hide it from their friends, it wasn't so easy to hide from the Vega family. In fact, simply being around them for any real length of time, watching their banter, it became obvious that Tori was Jade's new relationship.
Trina was elated. More then being happy that her sister was with someone who might not break her heart in three weeks, this was her chance to win the hottest boy at Hollywood Arts. She started carefully, keeping herself under control. 'Last time he and Jade broke up, he wasn't interested. I need to figure out how to approach, cause I'm not gonna just scare the boy away this time. Not again. Not this time. No, I need to play this right, cause hay, I've been wishing for this for a long, long time.'
The first thing Trina did was make sure she'd be around Beck enough for her plotting to work out. Altering her habits wasn't that hard, with her just making excuses to be around her sister, who was often around Beck anyways, so she seemed to be a part of the crowd, blending int the group almost seamlessly. The plan was to make it so the boy was more then used to having her around him, unlike the many girls who had just thrown themselves at him. Next, and almost as quickly as she ingratiated herself, Trina started dressing just a touch more provocatively. Each outfit was chosen to make sure her best features were presented in a flattering, but not explicit, way. She also started showing off her athleticism, deliberately taking a martial arts acting class to show off her physicality. That had the added benefit of allowing her to strut around in tights, showing off her toned tush. She hoped Beck, who was a student of Stage Fighting, would check out the class, despite not having the requirements needed to take it. The class required every student be a trained fighter of some kind, and Beck, a stage fighter, hadn't pushed his combat skills enough to qualify. Trina, however, was both qualified, and willing to take the class, just so Beck, and any other hot guy who might notice, could see how sexy she looked panting and covered in sweat. She hardly noticed the fact that this was the first time in a long, long time she was excelling at one of her entertainment classes. Instead, she made a point of dropping hints that she was in that class, dressed to kill, and working her tight ass off, whenever she could, just to draw attention. 'Best to do it more widely, so as not to seem to be aiming at Beck. he'll see through anything less then causal.'
Sinjin led the charge of boys who either tried to join the martial arts acting class, or just found reasons to participate. Robbie, however, went with the much more sensible approach of just watching. In fact, it was a stroke to the girls ego just how many boys decided they wanted to see her sweat. For the often confident seeming girl, that was a much needed ego boost, giving her more confidence to move ahead with her plan.
Beck, however, didn't seem to notice. Worse, Trina's attempts weren't nearly as subtle as she'd thought, to the point where everyone could tell she was practically throwing herself at the Canadian. After about a week and a half of this behavior, Jade approached Trina at the Vega home, taking a chance to talk to the older girl while away from prying eyes.
"Trina, got a moment?" Jade asked, looking so neutral it would shock anyone to think she'd had an agenda. To Trina, this could be her asking if there was more coffee, or maybe where Tori was, since Jade had chosen a moment when the youngest Vega wasn't there. She hardly noticed how odd that was, given that Jade sometimes waited, claiming it was a much more inviting environment then her own home.
"Tori had another audition." Trina said. "She went with..."
"Beck, I know." Jade cut in. "He asked me before he took her, so I know this is on the up and up."
"So..." Trina shifted, not sure where to go from this. While she'd figured out that Tori was kinda dating Jade, the two girls had never told anyone, not even Tori's family. Trina suspected they didn't even acknowledge themselves that they were dating, just kinda hanging out, figuring things out. "What do you wanna tell me?"
"Back off from Beck." Jade hissed.
"So you're going back to him?" Trina raised an eyebrow.
"God no!" Jade said, her face contorting into a brief moment of disgust. "Just, this isn't gonna get you any closer to winning Beck. In fact, normally I wouldn't bother to tell you, but Tori is kinda my friend, and I felt..."
"What?" Trina pushed.
Jade sighed. "This thing you're doing, with the tights, acting all provocative, it's not what Beck likes. In fact, he's kinda turned off by the obvious way you're flinging yourself at him. Worse, it's making you look extra desperate, which normally I'd just laugh at." She looked to meet the other girls brown eyes. "Still, you are Tori's sister, sooo… This thing your doing, the desperately throwing yourself at Beck, it's worse then just making a fool of yourself in front of the whole school. Some of the guys, guys like Sinjin, they're noticing, and starting to whisper. Hell, they're starting to think that maybe your not all that hot, and that maybe you're not worth the effort. Guys like Sinjin, who have to rent their dates, are talking like maybe you're too desperate, and that maybe your too easy. That the only guys you'd wind up with would have some kind of disease. And these are the guys like Sinjin, or Burf. Guys who, as much as it pains me to admit it, just aren't in your class. You can be pretty, the outfits you've been showing off prove that. But all you come across as is cheap and easy. They seem to think that, if your throwing yourself at a guy, any guy, then you're not that hot. Honestly, it does make you look desperate."
"I'm not throwing myself..." Trina started.
"Compared to what we did with Moose, no." Jade admitted. "But that was for a short term, and we learned our lessons. This, it's not that obvious, but it also not nearly as subtle as you seem to think it is. Trina, you're working way too hard at making people notice how you look, and it's drawing the wrong kinds of attention. You look desperate." The last three words were directly at her, leaving no room for argument.
Trina stood there, not imagining that Jade would ever say that to her face. Needing something to hold onto, she tried "So you're not wazzed I'm trying for Beck?" Trina'd wanted to accuse Jade of bring jealous, but her history with the goth had shown her that Jade wasn't shy about threatening violence. No, this was something else. Something the older girl suspected, and was now about to find out for sure.
"I'm..." Jade seemed lost.
After several seconds of silence, Trina said "You're dating Tori." The words weren't said with any particular emotion, yet they shattered the air, rending the calm as attention shifted to the new topic. Now, this topic was going to be discussed.
"No, not dating..." Jade blurted. She looked around, making sure no one else heard. Then, almost too quickly, she said "Tori and I are just friend, and cause of Cat, I can be kinda touchy feely with my friends. Yea..." Even to Trina, it sounded wrong. Jade was a better actress then that, and Trina knew it. The older girl jumped in.
"Have you kissed her yet?" Trina asked. "You know what, forget it. I don't need to know." Trina took a deep breath. "Okay, you were trying to help, cause you and Tori are such good 'friends'." She made bunny ears with both hands, the symbol for quotation marks, in case the way she modulated her voice didn't emphasis it enough. "I guess I should thank you. I'm just glad you trusted Beck enough to have him alone with Tori while she auditions."
"You'd have me send her with Cat?" Jade asked. Then she shook her head, smiling for a moment. "No, I truest Beck." She hesitated. "That is, I trust him now, since he started dating this new chick."
"What?" Trina asked, inhaling almost too quickly as the shock overtook her. "He's dating? Who is it? Is it Marsha Walsh? I knew she had a thing for him. I'll bet she..."
"Whoa there." Jade jumped in. "He's not dating Marsha Walsh, or any other girl from Hollywood Arts. Hell, he's not even dating one of those Northridge skanks." Jade closed her eyes for a second. "Alyssa Vaughn..."
"So she finally admitted they were more then friends, huh?" Trina said quickly. She then saw the annoyed look on Jade's face. "I should let you finish, shouldn't I?"
Jade growled. "Alyssa introduced him to some model she knew, and they hit it off." The pale girl didn't seem too happy about that, but pushed on to let Trina know about Beck's new girlfriend. "I haven't met her, but I've seen them together. I was with Tori…" She shook her head, a sign of release, "She talked me down."
"So whats she like?" Trina asked. She didn't know why, but she needed to know about the competition.
"Imagine what a stereotypical California girl is supposed to look like, and enhance that." Jade said. "She's tall, maybe an inch taller then Beck. I know, cause she was taller then him, and she was wearing flats." Jade smiled awkwardly. "I checked." She coughed. "Anyways, tall, busty, probably bigger then me, athletic, with tanned skin and a really pretty face."
"You know, you're with my sister, right?" Trina said, just to keep from screaming.
"Doesn't mean I can't judge the competition." Jade said. "Not that I'm competing with this girl, but she walks down the street, and guys go," Her voice shifted to a much more masculine sounding one, edging on the base, "Damnnn, girl."
"You know, your far too good at that." Trina said, but couldn't help but smile. "Hows her ass."
"Tight body, her ass is more of an athletes, but it looks good." Jade said. "And your right, I sound kinda gay now, don't I?"
"No judging here." Trina said. "That is, as long as you don't cheat on my sister."
"I don't cheat." Jade emphasized. "Besides, I'm about more then the looks."
"I saw the way you reacted to Moose." Trina informed the blue eyes girl.
"And infatuation fades." Jade said. "I got over him. No, I need a lot more, and Tori is more then hot enough for any guy."
"So Beck has a new girlfriend, huh?" Trina shifted back to the point she was comfortable with. She had her answer about Jade and Tori now, and didn't need to push that point any more. 'In time, we'll make sure this is a good thing for Tori. Just give them time so Tori can get her hooks in this girl, nice and tight...' A smile crossed her face, only to fade as the imagined image of Beck's new girl shot through her, drawn back by the goths response
"Yep." Jade said. "So stop making a fool of yourself. And you don't have to stay in Mister Trejo's class, either."
"Why?" Trina asked.
"Because, physically, it's the single hardest class at Hollywood Arts?" Jade said more then asked.
"But I'm getting an A." Trina protested.
Jade managed to hide her shock. "Then stay in the class." She relented. "It's probably good for you."
"Thanks." Trina replied.
"So, I think I'll go now." Jade said. "Just, don't tell your parents."
"Tell my parents what?" Trina was smiling now.
"Look, Tori and I aren't really sure what we are, so no sense in telling anyone until we figure that out." Jade explained.
"I'll give you both time to figure things out." Trina assured Jade. "And once again, thanks or telling me. I really appreciate it." She resisted telling the girl that her parents already suspected, knowing they'd made progress, and she didn't want to tarnish that. Not if Jade was dating her sister. 'Best to get along with my sisters girlfriend…. Man, why does that sound so right? Did I always suspect, or have I suspected long enough...' She pulled herself out to make sure Jade made it out of the house, and to lock the door. Her mind was already wandering to other topics.
Trina watched the pale girl leave, then locked the door and sat down to let it sink in. 'Beck has a new girlfriend. Someone he met through Alyssa Vaughn.' Her mind circled back around. 'Beck is dating a tall blond girl with huge knockers and a tight ass. How the hell am I supposed to compete with that? I mean, my best features are my tits and ass, and Jade said she has better on both fronts. Man, how the hell am I ever gonna get a great guy when, for whatever reason, Los Angeles is full of hot girls?' Trina thought for a moment, and a darker thought hit her. 'Wait, I know why their here, they wanna steel our hot guys.'
Trina allowed herself to wallow in her misery for a little longer, crying silent tears over losing another guy. Then, like she always did, she pulled herself together and promised, once again, that some day, a hot guy would be begging her to take him. After all, she was Trina Vega, and she was all that. 'Just need someone to notice.'
Needing a release, Trina went for a run. Despite the fact that Trejo's class was one of the most intensive workouts in Los Angeles, Trina just needed to do something physical, to help clear her mind, and release some held in emotions she hadn't realized she was hording. So she went for a short run, just to get out of the house and relax.
Trina was jogging along when she almost ran into a boy she hadn't seen before. Said boy was maybe six one, two hundred and thirty pounds, with dark hair and intense brown eyes. "Watch where your going." He snapped at her. She noted that he was wearing a black leather jacket over his Union Jack T-shirt and blue jeans, along with his tight, muscular body.
"I'm not the one who was hiding in the bushes." Trina snapped back. "Wait a second... what are you doing hiding in the bushes?"
"If you must know, I was looking for my girlfriend." The boy said, looking aggravated. Then he sighed, even as he tried to hide it. "Unfortunately, while I know she's around here somewhere, I lost the address..." His voice faded, just a touch, showing both his frustration, and his embarrassment at losing the address. He seemed ready to continue.
"So your stalking her?" Trina cut in, her hand sneaking to where she hid her can of pepper spray. While she was belted, even talented in her marital arts training, she knew a boy his size was easier handled with pepper spray.
"NO!" He snapped, looking around. Quickly gaining better control of himself, his voice was more normal when he next spoke. "Just, don't tell the police."
"My dad's a cop." Trina shot back.
"Is he near by?" The boy asked, a dark smile on his face. "You know what, forget it. I'm not the kind to hit a girl."
"Then..." Trina started. Her pepper spray was now kinda hidden in her palm, with her fist closed. She was ready to take this boy out.
The boy sighed, hands up in surrender. "My girlfriend dumped me for some pretty boy, cause she thought..." His voice seemed caught. "I don't get it. I know I'm hot, and I'm totally cool. Hell, I'm even tough. What could he have that I don't? I mean, I have it all."
"Now your reminding me of this girl I kinda know." Trina said, smiling. She saw the anguished look on his face. "You know what, never mind. What do you know, other then she's somewhere in the Hollywood Hills?" Trina tried to be comforting, cause the boy was right, he was hot, in a rough, rugged sort of way. "She IS in the Hollywood Hills, right? I mean, that's a big enough area, without anything else to narrow it down."
"I heard that this boy went to that school for pansies, Hollywood Arts..." The boy started.
"STOP!" Trina's voice was edged with rage. But she contained herself. 'You're lucky your hot.' She took a deep breath, and would have enjoyed how his eyes tracked her chest if she wasn't focusing on her next statement. "I go to Hollywood Arts."
"Well, your a girl." He said defensively. "You're supposed to be a pansy."
"I'm working on my third degree Black Belt in Kempo, so watch it, bud." Trina told him. Her pepper spray was once again at the ready.
"Sorry, kinda put my foot in my mouth." He admitted. "I'm Jax."
"Like the video game character?" Trina asked.
"I think you have the wrong name..." Jax said, trying to get back to his problem.
"So Jax..." Trina started.
"And you are?" ha asked.
'Trina." She replied. "Trina Vega."
"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, miss Trina Vega." He said, offering his hand while suddenly showing a lot of manors.. "So, you know of any guys at Hollywood Arts that just started dating a tall blond?"
"Okay, I can think of two people." Trina told him. "But I doubt it's Tony P." She smiled, bating Jax.
"And why don't you think it's Tony P?" Jax asked.
"Cause Tony P is dating Tony M." Trina filled him in. Then her eyes narrowed. "You don't have a problem with the gays, do you?" The threat edged back into her voice.
"Nope." Jax said, popping the P. "I deal with them all the time at my job."
"And that is?" Trina asked.
"Well, I'm aging out of working as an underwear model." He told her. "I think it's cause pedo's run that business, cause they like the boys. Lucky me, I'm tall and good looking enough to work runways." His chest puffed out. "Okay, I'll take whatever work my agent can find me, but yea, I'm a model. Have been one since I was fifteen."
"So twenty years?" Trina teased.
"Three, almost." Jax said. "Look, I kinda blew it with Maddy, and before I could make things up to her, she went and dumped me for this pretty boy she met through her friend, Alyssa."
"I think I know the guy, and you've got your problems." Trina told Jax. "First, he's every bit as handsome as you've heard, and on top of that, he's got cool for days. Boy is calm, mature, controlled, and can handle simply amazing levels of crazy." She couldn't help smiling as she remembered where she'd seen him handle crazy. "He's also one of my sisters friends. Just spoke with his ex a short while ago."
"You're friends with his ex?" Jax asked, smiling. A plan seemed to be forming in his mind, even as they spoke.
"She's the walking definition of crazy." Trina filled in. "Girl lives for revenge too."
"She's not planning on hurting Maddy, is she?" The boy asked, now showing a touch of concern. "I mean, Craazy girl hurting her ex, that's fine, probably doing thew world a favor." He noticed the look Trina was giving him. "Or, if you prefer, she could just mess with him a bit, and maybe, after Maddy comes running back to me, you can swoop in and win yourself a hot boyfriend."
"She said that this time, the breakup between her and Beck, that's the boy, but this time it was mutual." Trina explained. "She's not gonna get involved in his love life. Not this time."
"And your just gonna take it?" Jax tried.
"I like the way he looks, and how cool he is, and the fact that he was, and is, the best boyfriend material at Hollywood Arts. Hell, I'd take a swing at this Maddy girl if I thought that would help me win him, cause of Beck's history. But three years dealing with miss cray cray has changed him, so I can't just toss his current girlfriend aside and take over." Trina said, then huffed.
"Who does that?" Jax asked.
"His ex." Trina said. "Between you and me, I used to think she was all bark, no bite. But I've seen her do thing that are not physically possible. Girl once cut up the janitors trash can with only a pair of scissors. The kind used for cloth."
"She's not that tough." Jax said, almost waving the feat off. "So it was what, plastic"
"Thick industrial plastic." Trina confirmed. "Takes metal snips to cut, and she did it with normal scissors. So, as a warning, you mess with him, you mess with her, and I'd hate to have that pretty face of yours messed up."
"How strong could that be?" He asked, acting all macho.
"She could probably crush your huevos with one hand." Trina informed him. "And that would be a major shame."
"So your saying I should move on, forget Maddy?" Jax asked. He stood up to his full height, smiling a much more practiced, and attractive, smile at her. "Like maybe the single girl I just met?" His voice dropped just a tad, becoming deeper. "Hello lady."
"Temped." Trina admitted. "Tell you what. I'll give you my phone number, and if you call to ask me out, and manage not to ask any questions about Beck and your ex, maybe we can go out for a date. Sound good?"
"Sounds great." Jax said. "Just, and this is for my own edification, was I even close?"
"Beck lives several blocks from here." Trina told him. "And that's about as close as I'm gonna give you."
"Never been threatened by a guys ex before." He commented as he pulled out his top of the line Pearphone. "Honestly, what is the worst she could do?"
"Mess you up, mind and body." Trina said, taking his phone. "Girls got a sick, vivid imagination, and might mess up your pretty face, just because. But the real damage would be across the board, to your life."
"Then I'm glad I met you, pretty lady." He said, pouring on the charm.
She took the time to program her number into his phone. After doing so, as she checked to see that her number was successfully saved, and found he had a lot of phone numbers. "Guessing you know a lot of people for work, huh?" Trina asked.
"You wouldn't believe the number of parties we go to." Jax said. "And the girls, they can wind up going to twice as many parties. I shit you not, there are a lot of guys, fashion critics and the like, who maintain a macho, two fisted drinker, tough guy image. In fashion!"
Trina laughed. "Must be compensating for something." She said, giggling. "So, Jax without a last name, I'll see you around, right?"
"Fitzpatrick." Jax said. "I'm Jax Fitzpatrick. Or my professional name, Jax F!" He smiled for a moment. "Um, there's an exclamation point at the end of that."
"I think this is getting awkward." Trina said. "Call me?"
"Definitely." Jax replied. "Or Text. One way or another, you'll be hearing from me."
Trina jogged home, smiling. 'Maybe I don't need to be all jealous of Beck and this new girl?'
:}
To the guest who reviewed, I may try my hand some day at Jade and Trina ship, but you'll have to be happy with their growing (Lets call it) friendship here. After all, Trina has a whole world of people she may meet. Speaking of, what do you think of Jax? Love him? Hate him? Wanna know more about him? So many possibilities here.
This story is one of my hard disk refugees, something I've had a while, and now that it's aged properly, I felt like finishing it up, editing it, and then seeing where it goes. That means I have a bit already written, but need to edit and modify before I feel good publishing. Still, I hope to have it up at a chapter every couple of days. Just, don't hold me to that.