A/N: Let me take this time to remind everyone that the characters Lauren, Chase and Jenna are the creation of Teentitan12!
They were supportive players in the first story and here is my opportunity to give them the spotlight they deserve.
For The Record opened up to the normal Saturday crowd.
While folks came through the establishment throughout the week, the biggest draw was on Saturdays as people had work or school. But this being the summer break for the county, Tori and Miles anticipated a bigger turnout for the next couple of months. Fortunately, they had the extra help they needed.
Speaking of which, they were waiting on one more.
"Sorry I'm late!" blurted out Jenna, who came through the door like a hurricane.
"Did you oversleep?" smirked Mia cheekily.
"No!" replied Jenna. "I just ran out of gas this morning because I never got around to...the point is I'm here now."
Tori came up behind the tardy teenager.
"Good to hear," Tori smiled. "I understand we're not exactly down the street for you, so go get started, girl!"
Jenna bounded away to sign in on the clipboard behind the counter. They still hadn't hung up a time thing on the wall so employees could clock in. Tori felt it was an unnecessary expense. They aren't a big box store with 300 workers. They can keep track of hours longhand.
Jade put her arm around Tori, concerned.
"You are way too nice," the former goth chided her.
"What? No, I'm not."
"This was the second time she was late this week," Jade reminded her.
Tori scoffed.
"I live above the business; I don't have to worry about a commute. So, I cut people like Jenna a little slack."
Jade could see where Tori was coming from, not trying to be a hypocrite. But if one had a commute, shouldn't it be their responsibility to make time so they are punctual? This is one of those grey areas in life nobody tells you about growing up. She knows Jenna's a good kid, but Tori had a history of being taken advantage of because of her good nature. Jade just didn't want her to revert back into her people pleaser mode.
"Oh, come on. When I was her age and I was late at the Chicken Chapel, my boss would've threatened to dunk me in the deep fryer!"
Tori crossed her arms while shaking her head.
"Clearly she wasn't had a job before," the tan woman explained. "There's a learning curve. Mia on the other hand had been helping out in the shop since she was three. And Alice...she's probably been a responsible little nugget her whole life."
Jade chuckled and kissed Tori's neck.
"Can't quite explain how that happened, but yeah."
"I'm sure Jenna will come around. It's part of growing up."
"I know," Jade sighed. "But...any other job where she keeps showing up minutes late, they would fire her."
Tori sighed, momentarily distracted by Jade's scent. She reveled in that body wash she used, smelling of cherry blossoms after a shower.
The subject of smells sparked a question.
"Why did you leave the chicken place again? I mean, besides your clothes reeking of honey mustard?"
The dark-haired one, swirled her tongue inside of her cheek on contemplation.
"I remember the exact moment. My grandmother died and I took off for the funeral. You know how those things go; they have to be arranged very quickly."
Tori nodded, leaning her head against Jade's.
"I originally requested for time off, but I was denied. But I went anyway."
The Latina smirked, seeing that was on brand for teenage Jade West.
"Funny thing is," Jade continued. "I actually apologized for bailing. I mean, I left a voicemail, but nobody checks that thing. But my boss didn't want to hear it. He said he was going to write me up and I told him to go fuck himself. Then I threw my stupid white hat down and walked."
"As much as I appreciate stories of your badassery, does this anecdote have a moral?"
Jade rolled her eyes.
"The point is...Jenna is going to be an adult before she knows it. And people aren't going to be so understanding. Her future boss won't be nice or accommodating...like you."
Tori snuck her hand up the back of Jade's shirt, which was their little silent alarm that they had to get somewhere private right now.
She started up the steps to the apartment while Jade followed closely behind. Once there, the Latina kissed her girlfriend.
"What's that for?" Jade asked.
"I just felt like it. And I couldn't wait until after I said my peace before doing it."
"And what's that?"
"Maybe the world sucks because of people like your old boss. Maybe, if we keep bringing up these kids with love and patience, like our own daughters, I don't know...we'll have made the future a little brighter?"
Jade bit her lip and gave into the urge to kiss Tori again.
Seeing her filled with hope like she was back in the day was so invigorating to see. And it warmed up her heart that she was partly responsible for that. Tori Vega would not sacrifice being sweet and reliable for those that need her in the fear that a few out there might have bad intentions.
"I love you."
"I love you, too" Tori smiled. "And you know...it is possible to be positive and even a little silly without being naive and stupid. Haven't I taught you anything, West?"
"Did anything about me rub off on you, Vega?"
For years, Tori insisted her full married name be spoken: Vega-Larson. But Jade held a special place in her heart and given their history, had the exclusive privilege of referring to her as "Vega." She had forgotten how it made her stomach do flips when she called her that.
"As a matter of fact...yeah."
Jade instinctively held on as Tori charged a couple of feet, pinning her beloved against the wall.
"Holy shit!" Jade breathed.
"You taught be to be less timid...to go after what I want. And because of that, I get excited with every morning now. This home is alive again, the store beneath our feet is alive again, and I have never been more contented to have my hands full!"
The pale one shivered as she pondered if that thigh poised between her own legs was accidental.
(That is fucking hot, you tan temptress!)
"Wakey, wakey!"
Chase rolled over in response to his uncle's laid back alarm clock.
"Come on, kid!" Neil playfully smacked his chest.
That made him open his eyes and look up ruefully at his guardian.
"What's up?" the boy asked.
"Well, I was hoping to get some breakfast. But you slept so long, they switched to lunch. So, get up. Let's get some burgers."
They were doing a Saturday morning ritual for a little while where they got breakfast from McDonald's. It was the proper start to a day where anything or nothing at all could happen. Lately, Chase was sleeping in for so long, he would narrowly make it under 10:30 a.m. He wished they would bring back the all-day breakfast. But now, it's well past eleven which mean so long, hotcakes and scrambled eggs.
"You stayed up all night talking to Lauren again, weren't you?" he grinned.
Chase's eyes darted to the left and then back to Neil.
"Yeah, that's a guilty face if I ever saw one."
"Not all night," Chase said in his defense.
"I get it!"
Neil pushed Chase's legs, coaxing him to sit up to properly awaken.
"Young love and all that," the older musician said. "But not at the cost of your health, boy! You need sleep."
"Says the guy who woke me up?"
Neil wrestled with him a bit, securing him for a noogie.
"You should turn in at a better time. You don't work third shift, you're not an addict. Not saying you have to get up at dawn, but this is really pushing it."
The teen stretched and reached for the shirt he discarded the night before. The A.C. in the building was on the fritz and the landlord promised it would be repaired this weekend. Chase needed a box fan to not overheat at night. He could not sleep when he was hot. That's when he started sleeping shirtless.
Neil prayed the air conditioning gets fixed soon. By the time July hits, he doesn't want his nephew to get desperate and go to bed starkers.
"Did my mom call you?" Chase asked.
"No, why?"
"She talked to me earlier this morning. Woke me up, too. Guess it runs in the family."
His uncle laughed and stood up.
"And how was she?"
"Good," he replied. "Just getting on my back about sleep."
Neil nodded with satisfaction.
"Well, good. I say that's pretty evident. Now, come on. We're late for breakfast but we're right on time for lunch!"
He was about to leave when he turned back in the doorway.
"Oh, and Chase?"
"Yeah?"
"Might want to get a shower first, for the sake of the others in the restaurant."
The boy quickly inspected his pit and the collar of his old shirt. He winced and agreed that he needed to freshen up.
Ryan stopped over that afternoon to see Mia and the others.
Tori thought it was adorable watching her daughter's posture and speech change dramatically whenever the boy was present.
"She's got it bad," she smiled to herself.
Mia had to excuse herself from talking with Ryan to help out a customer for a bit. While that was going on, a girl with short red hair walked into the shop.
"Hey, Ryan!" she said very perky.
"Oh, hi" he responded politely.
He was looking over in Mia's direction but that was upset by the intrusion of the girl.
"I'm sorry," Ryan admitted. "But I don't know your name."
"Oh, it's Brie. Remember? We had the same photography class."
It honestly wasn't ringing any bells, but he didn't want to be mean about it, so he lied.
"Oh, yeah. Nice day, isn't it?"
Ryan tried looking around Brie, losing sight of Mia.
"Well, it's nice to run into you but I gotta..."
"Whoa, wait!" the redhead insisted. "I thought we'd hang out, get some..."
He maneuvered around her and casually stepped back.
"Sorry, Brie. But I've got a..."
Mia was staring daggers at the mystery chick.
"...and there she is!" he smiled nervously.
Brie was bubbly but she wasn't dim. She looked between the pair and put two and two together and got out of there.
"Down, girl!" he joked.
Mia wasn't amused.
"Sorry, I was trying to nicely tell her that..."
The tan girl sighed.
"No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have scared her off. It's just...I saw her getting all chatty with you and..."
"Well...there's nothing wrong with a little conversation," Ryan said. "She might have had ulterior motives, but usually it's just friendly."
Mia blinked.
"Oh? And how many pretty girls do you have friendly chats with?"
Ryan swallowed, looking a deer caught in the headlights.
"It's not like that...I..."
The Latina caught sight of an older gentleman waving over. He was a regular, so Mia knew he needed help finding something.
"Whatever! I gotta get back to work."
Ryan was left bemused.
(Not sure what it was I did.)
Miles recognized the scene and put his arm around the guy.
"Women. Been there, buddy."
Chase and Neil were sitting at their local McDonald's having a later-than-average Saturday meal.
But it didn't matter in the long run because they enjoyed using the time to catch up after the hoopla of the previous week.
Sunday was generally a whatever day. Chase might hang with friends. Neil might have a date. Sky's the limit, basically.
"Enjoy it now," Neil said, pointing to Chase's spicy chicken ranch sandwich. "You know these guys, something cool and interesting and God forbid spicy leaves the menu fast and in a hurry!"
Chase chuckled before taking another bite.
"You know, I've been talking with your mom lately and... she misses you."
"I miss her, too" he said while trying to chew his food.
Neil sipped his coke.
"Anyway, I feel like she's wanting to ask you to come over for Fourth of July."
"You mean fly back to Nashville?" Chase asked.
"I know, I know, you probably were planning to kick it with your crew. I know you'll miss Lauren, naturally. But...it would be a nice gesture. I reckon it would make her very happy."
Chase had reservations about going back. Not just with the bad terms that him and his dad left on. He only really conversed on the phone or through email with Sheri. Plus, there was the occasional call from his old buddy Dennis. It would start out nice and it felt good to catch up but the longer it went on, the more it seemed they had less in common nowadays.
Honestly, Dennis seemed like the exact same person he knew those few years ago.
"Can I think about it?"
Neil was concerned for both his younger sister and his nephew. He would love for them to see each other again for a spell at least. But he didn't want to force the issue, not wanting to mimic Chase being made to ship out west. Only this time it was in reverse.
"Okay, no prob" Neil said.
A/N: In case it hasn't been made clear, Tori and Jade are chomping at the bit to take their relationship to a physical place. Scenes like these are fun to write, NGL. So, enjoy the journey my JORI fans! And rest assured, that is the tip of the iceberg.