A/N: Think we have about two chapters to go before our girls leave for their big excursion east.
But we have some unfinished business here in L.A. first.
"Good morning!"
Gary grinned at his daughter, who was hunched over her bowl of cereal. She said an almost non-verbal response.
"Uh-oh. What's wrong?"
Jenna glanced over to her dad and sighed.
"Ran into some old faces last week and it's been bugging me."
He smiled, pulled up and chair and sat beside her.
Jenna went on to talk about the whole Tambry thing with her dad, along with the conversation with her old coach. He could see this was eating away at her and began to suspect guilt was on her mind. He explained how maybe she felt like she abandoned them.
"Why would I feel guilty?" she shrugged. "All I did was change schools."
Gary folded his arms and nodded.
"Jen...you know what your biggest strength and biggest weakness is?"
She shook her head.
"Your ability to commit," he smirked. "It's a strength because you are able to focus on your goal and see it to the end. Despite it all, you finish what you start when you set your mind to it."
He placed his hand on her shoulder.
"But...it can also be a negative for you. Oftentimes, you commit to a fault. Without trying, you block out everything. Think of a racehorse with blinders on."
Jen raised an eyebrow.
"I'm a horse?"
"I expect an old athlete to know a metaphor when she heard one."
The teen sighed as she ate some of her Cap N' Crunch.
She did something similar years ago. For a time, Jen was really into Girl Scouts. But when sports became her whole life; she stopped going to the meetings, barely sold any cookies and was way behind in the badges that the rest of her troupe was earning. Eventually, she quit which didn't bother her as basketball became her world then.
"The point is," Gary went on. "I think in your excitement of getting into Hollywood Arts and this acting thing...maybe you neglected to look up your old friends?"
On a lark, Jenna checked her contacts and indeed, the likes of Abby, Tambry and the others haven't been contacted since many months ago.
(Oh, fuck! He's right. I just ignored them. Oh man! It's not like I did it on purpose! I just got distracted...)
"It's not your fault the team is the way it was. Seems to me that there were bad vibes for some time. All you did was...slowed down the inevitable."
Jenna lowered her head onto the cold kitchen table.
"Funny how that doesn't cheer me up, dad."
"Sweetie, you've got a big heart. If you were bitter and cruel, you'd be like that Stephanie. She would want the Dragons to crumble without her. But that's not you."
"They did wish me luck at Hollywood Arts," Jen reasoned with folded arms. "Can't say it didn't work out for me."
She quickly finished the last of her breakfast and briskly put her bowl and spoon in the dishwasher.
"I see what you're saying, dad. I'm going to make this right."
Alice was laying on her stomach in bed, devouring her last volume of Red Camellia/White Camellia. Sora was "red" because of her criminal ties and Akiko was "white" on account of her virtuous position in law enforcement. They were referred to as camellias after the flower found around Japan, known for enduring in the harshest of winters.
The writer was biting her nails reading this book. Not only because it was her very last one and she was forbidden from buying more until after her birthday. But also, because this volume was intense. Jade had her promise to finish packing today and Alice did swear she would.
(Just 40 more pages! I mean I'm almost to the end!)
In the story, Akiko was investigating a human trafficking ring. If that wasn't already terrible enough, it dealt mostly with children which infuriated her boss. Akiko was in hot pursuit of a man allegedly connected with the operation. She chases him through several alleys until she spotted the perp going into a warehouse.
The lights came on and Akiko found her surrounded by bad men with their guns trained right on her. The officer's heart pounded like mad as she sized up the situation, thinking of a way to gain the upper hand. One wrong move and she would not be walking away from this.
The men shouted as the lights were cut off and what sounded like whistling wind rang in Akiko's ears. Within seconds the ring of villains got more and more quiet until there was terrifying silence. The cop held her breath as she turned on her trusty flashlight to reveal Sora, covered in blood while wielding a samurai sword.
Her head turned around, quietly observing her handiwork. Obviously, she cut the power and in cover of dark, slaughtered the gangsters. Sora muttered something to nobody in particular that these crooks were moving in on the organization's turf and in the worst way by catering to perverts. The Yakuza dealt with sex workers and adjacent businesses but there were lines that even they didn't cross.
Akiko drew her gun on Sora, ordering her to surrender. The taller woman tilted her head like a curious dog. She squatted down with all the grace of a ballerina dancer and wiped her blade clean on the back of a dead man's suit. She apologized for all this violence but said that she as much as anyone understood that sometimes their worlds present them with tough choices.
The police officer was steadfast in her stance, keeping the gun on the mass murderer.
She ordered for Sora to give herself up and instead the lady got even closer to the cop and playfully lowered the barrel of her gun. She told Akiko that she won't kill her. Akiko told Sora that while she was grateful for the intervention, it doesn't change that she is connected to the Yakuza.
Sora shrugged and brushed back Akiko's long hair, which made the cop blush.
"A worse crime would be for such a perfect beauty to be slain by some savages."
Akiko caught the mysterious woman's reflection in her own katana.
"You only fire your weapon when threatened..." Sora teased with a smelling of Akiko's neck. "And you know deep down I am no threat."
With the sound of sirens approaching, Sora took her leave into the shadows, leaving a shaken and somewhat aroused Akiko standing there dumbfounded.
Akiko was a good cop, wanting to join the force for all the right reasons. Sora only killed those that deserved it, who posed a genuine threat to civilians. They would have to do more than displease the Yakuza and they knew better than to try to assassinate her. Best to keep such a skilled killer in your good graces. They observed the other from afar for some time and this was one of few actually physical interactions. Both women harbored intense feelings when apart, making scenes like these extra electrifying.
The volume ended with Sora watching from a nearby building of Akiko giving her statement to her superior.
She sheathed her katana and blew the officer a kiss before vanishing.
Alice closed the book and rolled onto her back, speechless. The pale girl then hugged the book to her chest, thinking warm thoughts.
Jenna returned to the court with her resolve strengthened. She understood Tambry's frustration, but she won't be deterred by it.
"Oh, what the FUCK!" groaned Tambry. "It's back."
"Hold up!" said Jenna with raised hands. "I want to talk."
"No."
The girl made a mean face and pivoted her foot.
"Wait!"
Tambry grumbled as she reluctantly turned around.
"What?"
"Let me help you," Jenna said.
The girl scoffed.
"You help us? That's hilarious."
"Please, just talk to me!"
"You have thirty seconds," Tambry huffed.
Jenna swallowed.
"You're right."
Tambry raised an eyebrow.
"Huh?"
"I gave it a lot of thought and... you were right. I was so excited about a new school, a new me; I threw myself into it and I didn't think of you guys. You encouraged me and the least I could do was go to a game and cheer you on."
A sadness overcame her face with Jenna's words. But she shook her head.
"It's too late. The team's already split. Now I'm the only one left to pick up the pieces. Hence why my 5'2" ass is the captain."
And since Coach Dickinson is home with a bum leg, Tambry has no backup. She had to be captain AND the coach.
Jenna glanced at the gaggle of discorded underclassmen standing on the sidelines.
This sucked. Jenna really felt for her friend. It wasn't fair for her to bear the load by herself.
"Tambry, let me make this right. I can help you guys with your training. They can be better if we work together..."
Her finger poked Jenna through the gap in the fence.
"Listen, Parker! There is no we anymore. You turned you back on the Dragons and that's that."
Tambry sighed and turned back to her teammates.
As she walked away, she said, "Just go away. Do your acting thing. I just didn't know you were doing it this whole time."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Jenna asked, narrowing her eyes.
"I said what I said. I thought we were all friends, but we only got along because we were part of a team."
She turned her head to face Jenna again.
"Once you were no longer on the squad, it's like we didn't matter anymore!"
A single tear escaped Tambry's eye.
"Why did you leave?" her voice broke.
"I found my calling," Jenna admitted. "But that didn't mean I cut the game out of my life. I still play for fun."
"Do you?" Tambry asked. "Because I haven't seen your Amazon ass on this court ONCE!"
Jenna hugged herself, fighting the urge to start crying.
It was a big pill to swallow, hearing from the horse's mouth that you let your old friends down.
"Tam...please...I can help. Let me, please!"
"No. Besides, you probably don't even have it anymore. A year off; hanging out with those acting types, probably made you soft."
"That does it!"
The tall girl marched around the fence to the open doorway and went right up to Tambry's face.
"I challenge you, Fun Size."
Tambry blushed at the term of endearment. It was affectionately used by those closest to her on the team. At average height, she stood out like a sore thumb among the other girls. But she hustled to make up for her lack of physical intimidation. That nickname was a token of respect among the more vertically gifted players on the squad. Tambry was considered their equal, not a lesser athlete who needed protection. While she was shit on blocking, her speed more than made up for it.
With all of her old teammates gone, it's been a while since someone called Tambry "Fun Size."
"A challenge?" Tambry asked. "Let's hear it."
"One on one," Jenna replied. "If I win, you must accept my help."
"And if I win?"
Jenna sighed heavily.
"Then I will never bother you again. I'll be a phantom. What do you say?"
Tambry stared Jenna down, or in her case up.
"Ladies!" she commanded the others. "Someone get me a quarter!"
At her desk, Alice scrawled away in her drawing pad. She was putting her 2B pencil through its paces.
Jade had gifted her an artist' pencil kit last Christmas and it hadn't been opened until recently. Anyone with an artistic bone in their body would never read a comic or watch an animated show without attempting their own fan art! It was an assortment of black graphite pencils of varying grades, complete with blending tools, charcoal sticks and erasers.
She had first tried her hand at drawing Akiko, and it wasn't bad. The first instinct was to draw her in uniform and then she did one of her reclined in her off-duty clothes. Capturing Sora was a bit of a challenge. She relished wearing traditional Japanese clothing, which meant they hung freely. Form-fitting clothes came much easier to the teen but with looser garments, you had to get the holds and shading just right.
Alice didn't pay much attention to the face, having it burned into her brain from reading dozens of these books. She just allowed her hand to roam.
When it was all finished, she blew the leavings from the eraser and held it up for closer scrutiny.
She was surprised to see Sora didn't look like Sora at all. If she were honest, the character was remarkably similar to Becky. Alice didn't even bother to darken the hair, as Sora always had jet black hair which made her easily hide in the shadows.
(What the hell? Why did I draw Becky?)
Stranger still, Alice didn't instinctively throw away the drawing. Instead, she regarded it some more, a smile forming on her lips.
"That's actually a good look for her."
Alice could see her suggesting that as a cosplay for Becky, or maybe a Halloween costume. Either way, she was receptive to seeing her friend dressed as this cool, sexy assassin. While she had tall friends with more of an attitude that would lend to a Sora cosplay, Becky dressed as Akiko's forbidden love seemed the most natural to Alice.
A flash of Becky (as Sora) caressing her neck jumped into her imagination, which shook the girl.
She put down the drawing, looking back and forth between her sketch of "Not Sora" and "Akiko." Alice sucked on the very tip of her thumb, letting reality around her fall away.
"The bigger they are," taunted Tambry as she moved like the wind behind her, tapping the ball out of Jenna's grip.
She moved down the asphalt and made the jump shot, nothing but net.
"Well, you know the rest."
Jenna smirked.
The tall girl then took possession of the ball and bounced it around Tambry, her green eyes fixed on Jenna.
The thespian faked out Tambry to veer left while she raced right, toward the basket. Jenna didn't need to leap far to grip the orange rim with one hand while she landed the shot with another.
The underclassmen stared in amazement. They look like they never saw a girl dunk before.
"Guess we both underestimated the other," Jenna said.
Tambry was far from amused.
She glanced over at her teammates, who were watching the match with great interest. Jenna's eyes couldn't help but glance over to them briefly and a feeling overcame her gut.
The ball bounced toward Tambry, who seized the moment and with flashlight footwork, escaped Jenna's defense and started to make another shot. The taller girl ran after her, arm stretched out to determine to make her lose her grasp and steal the ball back.
Jenna looked up, seeing the backboard was fast approaching and got in front of Tambry.
She made her shot anyway but Jenna blocked it easily, which irritated the shorter one. It was a classic scenario for the average heighted individuals on a basketball team, like the football players not built as a tank.
Now with the ball back in her possession, Jenna readied herself for a three-point shot but Tambry impeded her progress. Luckily, she avoided losing the ball in her maneuvering away and had to settle for a standard two-pointer. After all, they were only counting baskets, not points specifically.
Jenna ran the layup and was in prime position when her foot faltered and she half-heartedly launched the orange orb into the air. It climbed and climbed, until...
BONG!
It bounced off the metal rim and Jenna caught it solemnly.
(Guess I missed.)
She passed the ball to her opponent.
Tambry dribbled around and got in position for her own two-pointer. And this time her efforts were met with a SWOOSH!
The other girls erupted in cheers as they rushed Tambry, congratulating on her victory.
Jenna nodded silently and picked up her bag and took her leave.
The actress was nearly clear of the courts and almost out of the park but someone was hot on her heels.
"Hey, wait up!"
Jenna looked back and stopped when she saw Tambry running up to her.
"Still fast," she smirked.
Tambry wiped her brow and caught her breath.
"You had me back there, Parker. Why didn't you take the last shot?"
"I did and I missed," Jenna shrugged.
"Bullshit!" Tambry pointed. "That was a simple layup. Jenna Parker doesn't choke on a layup."
Jenna shook her head.
"Has it ever occurred to you that maybe I was rusty, like you said?"
Tambry chuckled.
"You didn't look all that rusty in the beginning. Do you really think I had the upper hand all along?"
She had a point. In a full game of five versus five, Tambry was a force to be reckoned with in the speed category. But one on one, Jenna clearly had the advantage because of her height. But Tambry wasn't in the best of moods and didn't back down from a challenge anyway.
"Don't think you're slick, Parker," Tambry pointed. "You took a dive!"
"No, I didn't."
"What am I fucking blind? Like I didn't see you make ANY attempt to block the winning basket?"
Jenna sighed and slung her bag over her shoulder.
"I don't have time for this," she said. "You won and I promised to leave you alone if you did."
"Goddammit!"
Tambry grabbed Jenna's wrist and wouldn't let go.
"Why did you do it? Why did you let me win?"
Jenna pulled her arm free, nearly yanking Tambry off her feet.
"Because what would I have to gain from whooping your ass in front of your team?"
"I knew it!" sneered Tambry.
"You want to hear it, fine! I wanted to win, and I looked at their faces, they were pulling for you. They're newbies, they had no idea who I was! But you, Tam, you're their captain! They need to follow you, respect you."
Tambry wasn't expecting that answer.
"I'm not accepting your fucking pity, Parker!"
"Just take the W and move on."
She dashed in front of Jenna, blocking her path.
"Fuck that! I want a rematch! Just you and me."
"When; tonight?" asked Jenna.
"My parent's anniversary is tonight!" replied Tambry. "We're going out for dinner."
"How long's it been?"
"26 years," Tambry replied.
"Well, I'm happy for your folks."
"Good."
"Tomorrow night?" Jenna asked.
The taller girl mentally went through her schedule. There was that special luncheon, but it would be over before the evening.
"You got it!"
Jenna stepped closer.
"And where? Because I'm not coming here after dark!"
"My place," answered Tambry. "Sundown."
"Fine," agreed Jenna.
"Fine."
Sleep did not come easily to Alice that night. She wasn't this restless since her whole crisis with choosing a look for her locker.
Ironically, Becky had something to do with that, too.
She bit her lip as she got up and wandered to the hallway bathroom. The snores from the closed door across the way let her know that her mom was still asleep. Alice was careful not to wake her up. With a twist of the faucet, cold water filled the plastic cup. Alice downed the refreshing drink and sighed contentedly.
Alice stared at herself in the mirror.
"Oh no..."
The revelation was like a Peterbilt in her chest, an 18-wheeler barreling through her heart.
(I think I'm falling for Becky!)
This would've been at least exciting news EXCEPT she knows Becky was interested in someone else.
(Oh, SHIT! What am I gonna do?!)
A/N: I came up with Tambry's old nickname before I remembered that was also the title of that movie starring Victoria Justice.