Disclaimer: I don't own it!
Author's Note: I am really sorry about the mix-up with my last update. I am replacing and rewriting that with this replacement update. Consider this compensation. You see, I usually type my chapters on a special device for the blind and then translate it into rich text format and upload it to this site, but apparently it seems to be malfunctioning, so I will for the time being type it directly on my laptop. Okay, now that the explanation is over, we can get started. Okay, here we go!
Year: 1999 (the same day)
Tori's point of view
As soon as my parents' big car was gone, I turned to Auntie West. "What first, what first, what first!" I shouted, pulling in air with my lungs really hard. She reached over and tapped my lips with a finger. "Not so loud please, Victoire," she said. I nodded my head yes.
"How about you go play with Jade in her room and we'll all go to the zoo in a little while?" she suggested. I nodded, a huge smile on my face. I had never been to the zoo. We had never had time to go.
"I made a coloring book, Tor-Tor. Wanna see?" Jadey asked me as we went up to her room. "Okay." Jade reached up real high on a shelf in her room and came back with a little black book. She opened it and showed me pictures of flowers, people and fruits, except they were all black. Some of them were colored in, and I could see Jade had used black crayon to color them in. I got kinda mad.
"Jadey, you're not supposed to color these things this way!" I almost shouted, remembering just in time to use my inside voice since Aunt West and Uncle Jon were downstairs. Mama says I have lots of trouble using my inside voice.
Jadey gave me this look. "You should be an individual, Tori," she told me, saying the new word real slow so she wouldn't mess up. Plus also I think she was trying to make a point. Mama and Daddy do that sometimes when they're real super mad and they want me to understand that they are being real serious.
I made a face. "What does that mean, Jadey?" I asked. Jade was quiet for a little bit, then she looked me in the face, real serious.
"It means being different. It means not caring what people think of you. It means buying the boy's toy even though people all around you tell you that you have to buy the doll or the tea set. It means being able to do what you want, dress the way you want, and be happy, even if no one likes you. Mom told me about it."
I smiled. I really, really, really liked that! "That's really smart and cool, Jade," I told her, hugging her again. Jade smiled, messing with my hair a little. "It's because I'm six," she said, joking with me. I laughed and kissed her cheek. "I looove you, Jadey West," I said, listening again to when Mama tells me to tell the truth always because honesty is always, always, always the best policy. Then I giggled a little bit.
Jade looked at me a little funny. "Are you okay, Tor-Tor?" she asked, sounding kind of worried. I laughed a little harder.
"What?" Jadey asked, sounding kind of mad.
"You have whipped cream on your face, Jadey!" I laughed. We had had strawberries with whipped cream and chocolate for dessert. "Don't tell your mama," Aunt West had whispered in my ear, giving me a secret wink. "Our little secret, my Victoire." I felt all warm and fuzzy inside after that.
"Here, I got it!" I moved front a little and licked it off Jade's face. Jadey laughed and hugged me, then pulled away and made a face at me. "You're so gross, Tori!" she said, pretending to be mad, but I could tell she wasn't really. "Be and Individual," I said carefully, trying to say it just like she had. "It's an individual, Tor!" she said, smiling and kissing my cheek.
Soon we heard Aunt Vivienne from downstairs.
"Jadelyn, Victoire, we're going now!"
I smiled as I slipped my hand in Jade's. "Your whole name is Jadelyn?" I asked her.
"Yeah. Got a problem with that, buster?" she asked, trying to sound like a tough cop again. For truth, I didn't hate it. I loved it. It fit her somehow.
"Not at all," I said as we walked, almost ran, down the stairs and into the living room.
Author's Note: The first part to Tori's adventures at the zoo. I really hope you liked this chapter. Please speak up, even if you're just being mean. Tell me if you guys want to see the whole week or just a little bit or what. Till next time...