A/N: QUICK NEWS! For those who don't know (because emails are STILL down!) my new story had just dropped:
You demanded it and it's here now: My Victorious Summer, the anticipated sequel to VictoriNEXT. Picking up right where we left off, we follow our characters during the summer break and wow, so much is going to go down. This will be one unforgettable summer!
Please give the first chapter a read if you haven't yet and I will check my PM's daily for any messages since I'm not getting the notifications like we should!
But with all that out of the way, I'll let you know this story isn't slowing down. I'm working on Stuntwoman and My Victorious Summer simultaneously because I am highly motivated right now. And this isn't the first time I had overlapping projects. Expect a chapter each week, unless I'm really productive and can do more! We shall see...
Jade went over the call sheet with Malcolm as Tony was unable to come in due to one of his kids being sick.
Call sheets are a key item of film production. They detail all of the actors and crew required for the day's work. Because unnecessary personnel on the set means burning money, it's essential to mull over the director's shot list and determining who would be needed on that given day. If we are shooting primarily action scenes, make sure that your stunt performers are present but Jessica's mom, who is in mostly dialogue scenes, will not be there as she isn't on the schedule right now.
If this was day one, Jade would have been unsteady. But she's been settling into her groove.
Nearly everyone on the set got along with her. She seemed virtually unflappable when confronted with an issue. There was an actor who got into a bar fight over the weekend and his scar wasn't able to be covered up by Wendy and her makeup crew. Jade suggested to Malcolm to shoot an exchange of someone asking him about the scar on his face and he shrugged it off, quipping that he's lost track of the damages inflicted on him by his enemies. There was only one or two shots that showed the guy before his scar so they re-shot them to make it consistent. That was a relief to Cat.
Malcolm told Jade he appreciated how much help she has been and taking flying solo today like a real champ. Tony was expected to return tomorrow.
One of the production assistants, John, was looking rather lackadaisical compared to other PA's like Robbie. Whenever Jade rounded a corner, there he was taking a smoke break, or playing with his phone, or taking a nap. One day last week, the boy didn't show up at all and nothing felt different. That was a real testament to how useless he really was.
Jade walked over to handle the situation. Sure enough, John was playing with his Nintendo Switch instead of working.
"Hey, John?"
The kid didn't even acknowledge her.
"John!"
He paused his game and looked up at the production manager.
"What are you doing right now?" she asked.
"Taking a break," he huffed.
"I see that," sighed Jade. "I saw that every time I looked at you. I need someone to pack up this equipment."
He barely said anything audible.
"Where?" he finally asked.
"The gear that's all around you."
"And where is it going?"
"Into the trunk you are sitting on," Jade grumbled. "Can you manage that?"
"Uh-huh..." he said, eyes down back to his portable console.
Jade had a bad feeling that this was not going to be done and left as she had other matters to see to.
"Okay, everyone! Fire in 3...2...1..."
BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!
Malcolm called cut and everyone nearby took off their ear protection.
It was a safety procedure on set insisted by Rick Chambers, the stunt coordinator who was also one of two weapons wranglers present. Blanks were primarily used for filming as they produced the desired "BANG" synonymous with gunfire. However, there are no projectiles in the gun (at least there shouldn't be). Dummy rounds on the other hand are just that: bullets with no gun powder purely to demonstrate a pistol was in working order.
After the tragedy of Brandon Lee on the set of The Crow, everybody learned that conflating dummy rounds for blanks could have devastating consequences. But that particular film was also breaking some rules, such as modifying bullets to function differently and not checking the barrels for any fragments. This kind of negligence resulted in Lee getting shot by a blank unintentionally.
Rick would take the gun being used by the actors and fire it before filming the take to make sure the correct cartridges are inside. But no matter what you use, there are dangers involved. Obviously, a blank is still a projectile leaving a gun and can cause serious or even fatal injury if it hits you. But because of the lack of pointed tip associated with standard bullets, they are "less bad," which is a common misconception. Meanwhile, you can sustain bad powder burns from a dummy's little puff of fire and smoke. Not to mention that both can be quite loud when fired. Both have their function and their consequences when mishandled, so a competent stunt coordinator and weapons expert are invaluable.
Rick handed Tori one of the tested guns, safety on with the barrel pointed downwards, as was the common way to hand a weapon to another user safely. This is beyond the entertainment industry. This is safe practice for military, law enforcement and amateurs alike.
Tori turned the safety off and was ready to begin filming.
"What are we waiting for, ACTION!" called out Malcolm.
Two hulking men dressed in black lunged toward Tori as Jessica, who aimed between them, effectively firing her pistol at the prop fire extinguisher rigged to pump the room full of CO2. This blinded the bad guys and allowed Tori to fight them and make her escape before the smoke lifted.
"AND CUT!"
The sound of vacuums came on as hoses sucked the smoke out of the area, revealing the coughing stuntmen.
"You okay?" came Andre from behind his setup.
One of the dudes gave him the thumbs up while he finally got his bearings.
Shelby Marx was standing on the sidelines, clapping for the actors for a job well done.
"You two were awesome!" she beamed, making the massive lugs blush.
She then turned to Tori.
"And YOU!"
Marx gave Tori a high five.
"Just make sure you give me something cool to say," the muscle girl pointed to the starlet.
Tori turned to notice Jade watching her with enthusiasm. No matter how busy she was, Jade was present for every time Tori was working. It wasn't unimaginable since she was the production manager.
The Latina smiled at the young woman who looked like a lovesick schoolgirl watching the captain of the football team get a touchdown.
Later on, while the rest of the crew was at lunch, Tori happened upon Jade. She was about to approach her when she realized what she was doing.
The raven-haired woman was packing up the equipment that she explicitly told John to put away.
The stuntwoman could see a few scenic backdrops over the production assistant in question chatting up some girl on the phone. She got to know all of the gofers on set since the beginning and she knew John. He was definitely the lazier of the bunch. Tori took issue with anyone who didn't pull their weight but for Jade, who had been running around like a madman all day, was now doing his job on top of hers?
Tori cracked her neck and marched toward the twerp.
"Hey, you!"
Of course, the boy didn't move until he noticed it got darker.
John practically jumped at the sight of the woman.
"Holy shit!" he blurted out. "I nearly pissed myself."
"Care to explain to me why our production manager is packing up things while you fart around?"
"Uh...I was..." John said, looking around. "...on my...break?"
Tori planted her finger on his chest.
"Bullshit! You know, we all have a job to do and Jade busts her hump every day! But whenever I turn around, you're on your ass! Maybe if you pulled your weight like the rest of us, Robbie wouldn't have to eat his food on the way to the next thing and Jade would not have to put off her own job to finish yours! You leave at a certain time, but she leaves when she's done and that gets later and later when you don't do your part!"
The kid stuttered and backed away, nearly tripping over some crates.
"Uh, sorry. I'll...go clean!"
Tori exhaled and turned to suddenly be face-to-face with Jade.
"Jade?"
"Tori," she sighed, folding her arms.
"How long were you there?"
Jade smirked.
"I appreciate the concern, but if I have a problem with anyone here, I will address it."
Tori huffed.
"I know, I know. It juts irks me to see someone who gives being taken advantage of. You don't deserve that."
Jade's cheeks flushed.
"But I... don't really mind. As long as it gets done."
Tori leaned in.
"You're sure you don't mind?"
"Okay, it does bother me. But I'm not going to let things go to hell because of one asshole."
The Latina shook her head at the girl.
"You are something else, Jade West."
Jade walked a few yards to the production office, which was basically one of those no-frills mobile homes you see at construction sites. All that was inside was a large table, a couple of chairs, a potted plant and a copy machine.
"Talk about luxury," grinned Tori. "I should talk, this is nicer than my first place."
Tori had to admit that if this was the first time Jade struck out on her own, then her apartment was stellar. She seemed to have her shit together. No wonder she was thriving with this job. Jade was an interesting chick and damn it, was she easy on the eyes.
(Wouldn't that be cruel? The first girl in years that you might be serious about trying, who is actually gay! Imagine making a play for her and she's not interested.)
(What is the matter with you? A woman hasn't made you this weak in the knees before. What's happening?)
Her inner monologue can be an insensitive asshole.
The tan woman figured go big or go home. She would regret it if she didn't shoot her shot before production wrapped and then never see her again.
Tori wanted to ask her out for the last few days now and it was eating at her. But she knew she had to play it cool because too eager, she might fly away.
"Jade...um," Tori started and then clearing her throat. "I was wondering if we could hang out...outside of work."
The paler one put her papers down and regarded Tori with a bemused expression.
"Haven't we done that already?"
Tori shrugged, "Well, the first time was a coincidence, and the last time was you asking me for help moving. What if...us hanging out, getting some dinner or doing something...was the reason we met up?"
Jade swallowed what felt like a bowling ball.
"I guess," Tori chuckled. "I basically described a date."
"You want...a date...with..."
"With you?" Tori finished.
The girl from Jersey nearly fell over from missing the chair. She caught herself and sat down because her legs were not working.
"With m-m-me?"
Jade was really not prepared for this encounter. She practiced a million times in front of a mirror, including the bathroom at Hijinx when nobody was around, her asking out a girl on a date. She didn't entertain the idea of her being the one who got asked out. Especially having it come from Xena Warrior Princess over there.
"But it doesn't have to be tonight!" Tori quickly said. "I get that you're probably slammed since Tony wasn't in. How about tomorrow night?"
Jade licked her lips, feeling a bit lightheaded.
"NO!" she blurted out.
She cleared her throat and shifted her papers around in no particular way; she just needed something to occupy her hands. Jade would kill for a fidget cube right now because she was a mass of jangled nerves.
"Is tonight really okay?" asked Tori.
"Yes," Jade squeaked emphatically.
The Latina let out a genuine smile of delight and relief.
"Great!" she said. "Let's do it...erm...what are we doing?"
Jade slumped in her chair.
"I don't know; you're the one who asked me out."
She was really hoping that Tori couldn't see her pinching herself beneath the table. Jade wanted to be sure this wasn't a dream.
"I guess...we can just meet...after work?" Jade suggested.
"Sounds like a plan," grinned Tori. "I'll see you."
Tori backed up, not realizing she was off by about a foot and banged her head against the door frame.
She rubbed the back of her head with a chuckle.
"You drive."
Jade just nodded, suppressing a laugh. Her neurons fired enough to make her wave as Tori left.
Once the well-built woman departed, the already pale girl managed to turn several shades whiter.
She wasn't aware of Cat when she stepped inside.
"Jade? Jade?"
"I..." she stuttered. "I...h-h-have a d-date with a goddess."
The redhead looked confused.
"Come again?"
THAT EVENING...
"Okay, so here's what happened..." Tori managed to get out in-between fits of laughter. "Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute!"
Jade's face was red from laughing herself.
Without any ideas of where to go or what to, the pair didn't want to waste the whole night trying to decide. So, they figured to go to Hijinx to tie one on and see where the evening goes. After all, it's kind of their place at this point.
"There I am..." she snorted. "I'm on this fucking rig, like I thought flying rigs were uncomfortable but holy shit!"
Jade shook her head.
"I can't believe they had you hanging on a bus!"
"Upside-down!" Tori pointed.
"Then what happened?" asked an intrigued Jade.
Tori cleared her throat and grabbed both of their drinks and positioned them single file.
"This is the bus and this behind me was the camera car."
The Latina found it harder to contain herself as she tried to tell the story without becoming a giggling mess. She did find the tale funny in retrospect but the addition of alcohol made it the most hilarious goddamn thing that's ever happened.
"So, the director calls action."
"Who was the director?"
Tori shrugged, "I can't remember. Some French dude. Anyway..."
She takes the little plastic stirrer out of her drink and used it as a pointer like she was giving a lecture.
"The director called action and the bus started moving. We go for a block or so and then the bus sped up. Well, that was an interesting moment to find out they could have double-checked the harness that affixed me to the bus. Oh, yeah. They made sure I was in the rig, but they failed to make sure those brackets were reinforced. Next thing I know, my 200 lb ass goes FLYING!"
Jade's jaw dropped as Tori illustrated with this crude model in inches what would have been several feet in real life.
"You landed on the camera car?" asked a shocked Jade.
Tori blew a raspberry, nearly spraying her date as the laugh came tumbling out.
"I practically t-boned one of the camera assistants. His little clap board broke in half."
"Jesus fuck!"
The tan woman sipped her drink and exhaled.
"Dislocated my shoulder...and I think a couple of bruises."
"That's all?" Jade asked, wide-eyed. "How did you not die?"
Tori gave the "I dunno" face and finished her beverage.
"Haven't decided if you're the luckiest person alive, or the unluckiest."
"I feel pretty lucky because I'm sittin' with you."
Jade turned beet red.
"You're only saying that because you're drunk."
"No..." smirked Tori. "The booze just helps me say what I wanted to."
"So, what do we do now?"
"I want food!" frowned Tori.
Jade folded her arms.
"I think we're too loud for any restaurant. We'd get kicked out."
"Damn it, you're right."
Tori's eyes sparkled and narrowed toward her date.
"What's the look for?" Jade chuckled.
"Let's go back to your place," she suggested. "We can have something delivered. And we don't have to worry about nothing if we're fucked up and tired."
Jade recalled her open invitation to her apartment for this very purpose.
Inside she was excited and overwhelmed because she never thought this lady would take her up on that offer.
(You sat there in silence for too long!)
"Sure," grinned Jade.
Back over at Jade's humble abode, the pair was enjoying some Chinese which hits the spot like nothing else after drinking on an empty stomach.
"You want some?" Jade asked, offering a bite of her general tso's chicken.
"Is it spicy?" Tori asked.
"Gonna have to find out."
Tori smiled and leaned over to get a forkful and chewed it.
"That's really good. Never been to this place, so I wasn't sure how theirs was."
"The Chinese restaurant back home tasted different. They used a special oil, I couldn't think of it but it hit in its own way."
Tori chuckled.
"Shame I never was a fan of how these places cooked vegetables. I like some snap to my greens. Looks at this broccoli!"
The poor floret was doused in orange sauce and as limp as a cooked strand of spaghetti.
"Look at this thing!"
Jade laughed as Tori continued to brandish the piece of broccoli before finally eating it.
"How is Jersey?" Tori asked. "I never been."
"It's cool. Some things I miss, like Wawa."
Tori swallowed and looked intently at her date.
"What the fuck is Wawa?"
"It's like a gasoline convenience store on steroids. Some of the best sandwiches and donuts you'll ever have. Them things were open 24 hours so truckers loved those places. And get this: full service! Somebody comes out of a booth and fills your tank."
"Now I know you're making this place up," Tori smirked.
"I'm serious!" Jade insisted. "New Jersey is one of the few places they won't let drivers pump their own gas."
"No shit!"
Jade nodded.
"That's it, I'm fucking going one day. Maybe you can show me around."
She couldn't believe how well this was going. Tori was being so cool, and Jade didn't want it to end. People have all these grand ideas for a first date (walking on the beach, picnic under the stars, etc.) Jade and Tori were just enjoying each other's company.
"Just hope I don't bump into one of your exes. That would be awkward."
The smile faded from Jade's lips, and she set down her takeout container.
Tori picked up on her shift in demeanor right away.
"Hey, you okay? I'm sorry about what I said. I uh..I guess things ended badly."
Jade turned away from Tori.
"It's not that."
Tori put down her food and sat closer to Jade, who was refusing to look at her.
"Sorry, it wasn't your fault. All this talk about back home, my old stomping ground, a lot of memories came back."
"Not all of them were good, were they?" Tori asked softly.
Jade shook her head, sniffing.
"No."
"Jade..."
Tori put her hand on her shoulder reassuringly.
"What happened?"
The fairer one bit her lip.
"Remember when you saw me at the bar the first time?"
"Uh-huh."
"That was actually...my first real try...dating I mean."
Tori couldn't believe what she was hearing. The fact that this gorgeous girl hadn't had much dating experience, and that Tori was her first were both too incredible to wrap her head around. She was certain that Jade had broken some hearts back in the Garden State.
"You weren't...out...back home, were you?" Tori asked.
"My parents know and...I tried to tell this girl...we were friends and..."
Jade felt arms wrapping around her as she cried. She resisted at first but surrendered to the loving embrace.
"It didn't go well?"
Tori was trying to give Jade an out in case the story was too terrible for her to relive the past. All she had to do was say "yes" and that would be the end of it if she was too uncomfortable. The ball was in her court.
"It was horrible," Jade admitted through tears. "My parents had to pull me out of school."
She cried even harder.
"They just...wouldn't STOP!"
"I'm so sorry, Jade. That must have been the hardest thing."
Jade swallowed and her breathing calmed down. Being in Tori's arms right now did help.
"Look at me, Jade."
The production manager turned to the stuntwoman.
"Those people were assholes; I don't care if they were teenagers! Jade, you are a smart, interesting, beautiful person. The more I dig, the more I get to know, the more amazing you are."
Jade blinked out fresh tears but remained silent.
"I have a good time when I'm with you. This is the most fun I've had in years, honestly."
"I've...had fun, too" Jade said, wiping her eyes.
"Jade, I promise...when I'm around...nobody's going to hurt you. I mean it, they'll have to go through me."
They both laughed a little.
"I really would like..." Jade cleared her throat. "...to see where this goes. I feel so dizzy when I'm around you and I like it."
"I like how you make me feel, too" Tori grinned.
"Does this mean what I think it means?" asked Jade.
Tori brushed back Jade's dark locks gently.
"Jade West, will you go out with me? I mean...will you be my girlfriend?"
Her nails dug into her own legs, the thing she thought would never happen just happened and Jade's heart pounded like a drum.
"YES!" Jade finally replied with a bright face.
"Okay," chuckled Tori.
"Can I ask you something now?"
Tori nodded.
"Can I... kiss you?" Jade asked, her posture shrinking shyly.
The bodybuilder leaned in, making Jade's pulse race.
"No."
"What?"
Tori smirked.
"I want to kiss you."
Her hand cradled the back of Jade's head while her other hand was on Jade's thigh. Tori went in closer and closer until their lips crashed together. Jade's bewilderment wore off after a few seconds and she began kissing back.
When they broke, Tori felt her lips. Pretty sure it was the spice still on Jade's mouth from the Chinese food, but she was sure there would've been fire regardless.
"I really wished we met sooner."