Chapter two: New Trio
Lori and Marisa walked out of their apartment building in fairway. They walked in the direction of the parking lots.
"So you invited her again?" Marisa asked.
"Yeah. Why not?" Lori asked.
"Oh nothing against the idea. I like Tatiana."
"I guess why." Lori and Marisa entered the parking lots.
"Will she eat here?" Marisa asked.
"Yeah I made something for us." Lori said.
A black Mercedes AMG entered the parking lot and stopped on a free lot. Tatiana got out.
"Hey. Good to see you." Tatiana said.
Lori and Marisa looked confused at the Mercedes and then at Tatiana.
"What happened to your Van?" Lori asked.
"Yes. The one with Jaruzelski recycling." Marisa said.
"No doubt a great vehicle. But it's the company vehicle. When I'm not at work, then I use this beauty here." Tatiana said and pointed at her Mercedes.
Lori and Marisa walked to Tatiana's Mercedes, and looked at it.
"How many horse power has this thing?" Marisa asked.
"Over 400." Tatiana said.
"Not bad. By the way I made a meal for you." Lori said.
"Really? What did you make?" Tatiana asked.
"A lasagna with meat."
"Ah nice. Then we go to your apartment?"
"Yeah. Come."
They entered the apartment, went to the kitchen and sat at the table. They started eating the lasagna.
"Wow. It's good. You're great at cooking." Tatiana said.
"Thank you." Lori said with a happy tone.
"How did you learn that?"
"My dad. He is pretty good at cooking."
Tatiana looked at Lori.
"Now I know why this tastes so familiar."
"You were often a guest in our home."
September 26, 2013:
Tatiana rang the doorbell of the house of the Louds. It was evening, around 6 p.m.. Lori opened the door and looked happy at Tatiana.
"Awesome! Come in." Lori said.
Tatiana entered and closed the door behind her. Lori gave her a hug.
"Wonderful to see you." Lori said.
Tatiana hugged her back.
"We saw each other yesterday you know." Tatiana and Lori broke the hug.
Lynn senior approached them.
"Hello Tatiana. Nice that you're here." Lynn senior said.
"Thank you mister Loud." Tatiana said.
"He made the lasagna again." Lori said.
"Okay. What lasagna?"
"With meat. My kids like it and I'm sure you will like it too." Lynn senior said.
"Okay." Tatiana said.
"It's really great." Lori said.
They went to the dinner table. At the table were the other members of the loud family. Rita, Next to Lola and Lana in their baby chairs, as well as Lucy who also had a special chair. Lincoln, Lynn, Luan, Luna and Leni.
"Hello." Tatiana said.
"Hi Tatiana. How are you?" Rita asked with a smile.
"I'm fine."
Leni smiled excitedly.
"Hi Tatiana!" Leni said cheerfully.
Tatiana waved briefly at Leni, and then sat on a chair next to Lori.
"So, and now we can eat." Lynn senior said and sat down.
Tatiana tasted the lasagna. She nodded and looked to Lynn senior.
"It is very good." Tatiana said.
"Thank you very much. I'm very glad that you like it." Lynn senior said.
"How is it going with your life?" Rita asked.
"Good. Anastazja is learning English. And it's nice with Samantha's family."
"How well is she speaking English already?" Luna asked.
"She can make simple talks but not much." Tatiana said.
"But she improves and that is important." Rita said.
"And your brother?" Leni asked.
"He isn't my brother." Tatiana said.
"He isn't?" Leni asked, confused.
"No. Samantha's family isn't mine and Anastazia's family."
"Okay." Leni said and continued with the dinner.
"How is school going?" Lynn senior asked.
"It's like it always was." Lori said.
"We arrive, we sit in the class, have to learn and go home when it's over. There's nothing special." Tatiana said.
Rita, Lynn Senior, and Luna looked suspiciously at Lori and Tatiana.
"What are you hiding?" Luna asked.
Lori and Tatiana looked surprised at them.
"We didn't do anything." Lori said.
"Why are we always treated like criminals?" Tatiana asked.
"What you said sounded like you hide something." Lynn senior said.
"Always always am I hiding something. I'm not here to get treated like this." Tatiana said and got angry.
They continued the dinner. After they ended it, Tatiana and Lori went in Lori's and Leni's room.
"What do we have at Monday in school?" Lori asked.
"Monday school stuff and please don't annoy me with school I had enough this week." Tatiana said.
"I get it but I need some help with math." Lori said.
"I hate math."
"But you're the best at it."
"Maybe."
"Please."
"Fine. But you have to share my time with Jane. She asked me the same."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Jane needs help too. So you will have to learn at her side while I have to show you how it's done."
"Okay. That's fine." Lori said.
"Okay. And please remember what I will teach you because I'm not happy to do it."
"I get it. I will give my best."
March 2020:
Lori, Marisa and Tatiana sat at the table in the kitchen and still were at the dinner.
"I haven't had any food of your father since our group ceased." Tatiana said.
"Yeah it was a long time. I see if I can bring you anything when I visit my family again." Lori said.
"Great. Your cooking talent reminds me so well at the talent of your father."
"You once brought me some of his lasagna. If you go again, then please bring something for me too." Marisa said.
"Don't worry I will."
"Can you tell me something about your middle school time again? It was awesome to hear your stories the last time and I kinda want to know more." Marisa said.
"Well there isn't much to tell. School was in nine out of ten days always boring. But we had our ways." Lori said.
"And wich?"
"One was the building room." Tatiana said.
"How do mean?" Marisa asked.
"We had a secret room. And it was great."
September 2013:
Carol, Tatiana, Jane, Quinn and Ava sat outside on a small wall made from cobbled stone in the school area. It was lunch time. Lori approached them.
"We meet at our place. In five minutes." Lori said.
"Okay. A special reason?" Jane asked.
"Would be good if I know why I should crawl to the boiler room again." Quinn said.
"I want you to come there to plan the rest of the day there." Lori said.
"We come later." Tatiana said.
"I thought you would be happier Ava. You love to crawl through air vents." Jane said.
Ava shrugged.
"She's happy." Carol said.
They finished their lunch and went to the school building. They reached a room, and looked at an air vent in a wall.
"Why couldn't we find a better room for that?" Quinn asked annoyed.
"We tried." Jane said.
"And it's the best place we were able to find." Carol said.
"We should have tried to find something better." Tatiana.
"We can be happy that we found something. This gives us a chance to hide from Alex and Victor." Lori said.
"At least that." Jane said.
Lori opened the Air vent and crawled through, followed by Ava, Tatiana and Jane. Quinn went through the vent as the next one. And got stuck. Carol looked irritated at Quinn.
"It happened again?" Carol asked with and irritated tone.
She heard Quinn's voice with a dull tone.
"Yes." Carol got on the floor and pressed against Quinn with her back.
"My god! If you get any fatter we need the fire brigade to free you one time!" Carol said while pushing against Quinn.
It needed half a minute of hard pushing. Then Quinn went through the narrow part. Quinn crawled forward. Carol crawled after her. Eventually Quinn was behind Jane. She heard Lori from the front.
"We're here. Only go when the other one is out of the vent." Lori said.
The girls heard a squeak of something sliding and air started moving. Then after ten seconds they heard Loris's voice, distorted and with echoes.
"Out!"
The air moved again. Ava went down. Loris's voice came again.
"Out! Next one!"
Tatiana went down, and the air moved again.
"Out!" Tatiana's voice said.
Jane went down. Then her voice came up the vents.
"I'm out!"
Quinn crawled forward and looked at a dark slope, where she was able to fit through.
"Now me." Quinn said and slid through the darkness.
The air moved strongly after Quinn. Then her voice came up the vent.
"Ready."
Carol crawled to the vent and laid down. She slid down and became pretty fast. She felt her heart beating like when she had panicked. Then in the next moment she slid out of a wall in a room, lit by old light bulbs, and full of isolating material and pipes. The girls sat on the floor.
"Do you know how to pass the math test?" Lori asked.
"This is why you got us down here. Next time you tell me what you want to talk about before getting me down here! Just remember what I told you and you get through it." Tatiana said with a mad tone.
"That's all? That's why we had to crawl through those terrible vents? Because you wanted to talk about the math test? I leave." Carol said and got up. Jane stopped her.
"Please don't leave." Jane said.
"Okay. Lori, give me a topic that is so spicy that we need to talk about it here." Carol said.
"We try to cheat on it. Well, I and Quinn. Jane refuses." Lori said.
Jane started sweating and looked panicky.
"I'm not capable of this. And please don't do it. I don't want to be involved in it." Jane said.
"Why do you stress Jane that much? You know she can't lie." Carol said.
"We thought she would like the idea." Quinn said.
"She doesn't." Ava said.
The girls looked in the darker corner and just saw a shadow. The girls looked closer. A portion of Ava's face was barely visible in the darkness.
"Ah there you are." Carol said.
"Ava is right. I don't like this." Jane said.
"But you won't cheat anyway." Quinn said.
"But you and I know you do and it makes me feel anxious!"
"We're sorry. You don't need to do what we do." Lori said.
"Please let me out of those plans in future. This is too bad." Jane said.
"Okay. But calm down please." Carol said.
Jane nodded.
"Here you get a panic attack but when we blow something up you laugh. You're a funny girl." Tatiana said.
"I get that I have a double standard but please can we let this topic aside?"
"We better go. We should be in class at the right time." Lori said.
The girls walked to the door. Ava appeared from the void and followed them. They left the boiler room and walked upstairs.
"How much time until class starts?" Carol asked.
"Ten minutes I think." Lori said.
Tatiana and Ava turned to another hallway. Lori, Carol, Quinn and Jane walked to the math classroom, where Mr. Gibson was preparing the math. Becky and Whitney were sitting in the classroom. And Bobby. He was wearing a green blue checkered T-shirt and blue jeans. The girls sat down and looked at the math test. On Lori's left was Quinn sitting. Behind Quinn was Carol, and behind Lori was Jane. Whitney was in front of Lori, and Becky in front of Quinn. To Becky's left was Bobby. Lori leaned to Quinn.
"You ready?" Lori whispered.
Quinn nodded and touched her sleeve.
"Ready." Quinn whispered.
"Good. We will make this."
The test started. Lori looked carefully at Mr. Gibson. He was busy. She carefully pulled her sleeve back and looked at the test results written on her skin.
"This is a bad idea, but it will be worth it." Lori whispered to herself, and carefully wrote the answers on the paper.
Jane looked stressed at Lori from behind.
"Not good…" Jane whispered.
The test ended half an hour later. Lori, Quinn, Carol and Jane left the classroom. Jane was shaking on her whole body.
"Are you alright?" Lori asked.
"No… Panic attack… Don't feel good…" Jane said with a panicky voice.
"Calm down please." Carol said.
"You're not involved. All is okay." Quinn said.
"Yes. Please don't panic." Lori said.
"I try… I can't…" Jane said.
"Stop it." Carol Said sternly.
"Act normal!" Quinn said sternly.
Jane started sweating and walked forward.
"This is too much… I need to get home…"
Jane walked fast ahead of her friends, and at the end of the hallway, she went out of the door and left the school. Lori, Carol and Quinn looked worried and confused at the door where Jane left.
"We have overdone it with her." Lori said and looked worried at the door.
"We shouldn't tell her such stuff next time." Quinn said.
"We should apologize to her if we see her the next time." Carol said.
"That might be tomorrow. Maybe even then she is stressed out." Quinn said.
"Probably." Lori said.
Lori, Carol and Quinn went to the last class of the day. After the class ended, Lori and her friends went home. Lori entered her home and closed the door.
"Mom! Dad! I'm home!" Lori said.
"Hi Lori. How was school?" Rita asked from the kitchen.
"It was good. We had a test and I think I did well."
"Great to hear. I make hamburgers for dinner. Is that good?"
"It's great." Lori said.
Lori walked upstairs to her room. Lori started drawing. This time she drew a cow on a meadow, next to a forest. Ten minutes later, Rita called her.
"Lori! Leni! Luna! Luan! Lynn and Lincoln! Dinner!"
Lori got up, and walked downstairs. Leni, Lynn and Lincoln ran from the living room to the dining room. Lori went after them into the dining room, and sat on a chair next to Leni. Rita put a plate with a burger in front of each of their kids, except Lola and Lana. The burger Lucy had was cut in small pieces.
"So, I hope you like what I made." Rita said.
"It looks great." Lori said with a smile.
The family started eating. After the dinner, Lori went upstairs and took a shower. Lori finished it ten minutes later. She dressed up in fresh underwear and put on light gray pajama shorts and a light blue pajama shirt. Lori left the bathroom and walked to her room. She sat on the chair at her desk and took the hand microphone of her radio. She turned a switch and the red LED display showed the number 37, and noise came out of the speaker. Lori pressed the PTT button on her microphone.
"Jaruzelski1, DarkAva6, Pringrey11, Quinn21, here is Loud20 calling for you. Jaruzelski1, DarkAva6, Pringrey11, Quinn21, here is Loud20 calling for you."
Lori let go of the PTT button. The noise disappeared and a voice came from the speaker. The scale on loris radio showed a relatively strong signal.
"Loud20 here Pringrey11."
The noise came back for not even a second and the next voice spoke, with a polish accent, and the scale on Lori's radio jumped to it's maximum value.
"Loud20 and Prigrey11, here Jaruzelski1."
The next voice spoke.
"DarkAva6 QRZ."
And the final voice.
"Quinn21 here."
Lori pressed the PTT button.
"Great, we are all together. I don't think Jane wants to talk for today so we start. Tatiana, I saw what your were doing, just don't get caught. Microphone to you."
Lori let the PTT button go. Tatiana answered.
"Don't worry. Good to talk to you all. Did you have dinner already? Microphone to Ava."
Ava's voice spoke.
"Yes. Meatloaf. Microphone to Quinn."
Quinn's voice now came from the speaker with a rushing in her signal.
"Sounds great. We had spaghetti carbonara for dinner. Microphone to Carol."
Carol started speaking.
"My mom made rice and curry. Was a bit too hot because I burned my tongue. But it isn't that bad. Lori microphone to you."
Lori pressed the PTT button and started speaking.
"Mom made hamburger. Was pretty good. Even Lucy had some. But cut into little pieces because, you know how small she is. Now, before I give the microphone to Tatiana, I think I should give our talk a new direction. Because we really stressed out Jane today. Microphone to Tatiana, and did you hear anything about how our test went?"
Lori let the PTT button go. Tatiana's voice spoke.
"No. Ava and I had our class and we didn't hear anything. But let me guess you did something and Jane is now stressed out? Microphone to Ava."
The noise appeared for a second, and then Ava spoke.
"DarkAva6 microphone to Carol."
Carol started speaking.
"Ava, please speak more. Yeah I don't want to say too much here on the airwaves because everyone can hear us. But, Quinn and Lori did something Jane wasn't okay with and freaked out when we did it once. Now, the hell did you come up with telling Jane about that stuff explain that to me Quinn."
The noise returned. Quinn started talking.
"I didn't tell anything to Jane! I knew she would freak out. So Lori, why?"
Quinn's signal disappeared and the noise started again. Lori pressed the PTT button.
"I have a good excuse. These question were hard and I am not Tatiana. Tatiana could sleep and make no calculation mistakes. And I couldn't shut up towards Jane because… I can't lie to her. I know we do much worse things sometimes but I can't lie in her face. She asked if I would go clean through that test, and I couldn't tell her anything but the truth. That's why I told her. Microphone to Tatiana."
Tatiana spoke.
"I get your point but it was stupid to do it… I'll be honest, couldn't have done it better. Microphone to Ava."
"Microphone to Carol."
"The hell Ava, why do I have to speak for you!? Before this talk continues you will say what you say!" Carol said angrily and her signal went off.
Ava started speaking.
"I don't have much to say. We need Jane to feel well again. And you don't have to speak for me. Microphone back to you Carol."
Carol spoke again.
"My god. Ava, I know you like the radio thing we do. But that doesn't bring anything if you don't talk. Anyway, microphone to Quinn."
Quinn started speaking with smaller cracks in her signal.
"Before I start, Tatiana, my signal meter shows me a strength like you would send from the house right next to me. You might went to far again. And Ava, you barely talk and love radio things. You should get the license and do that digital stuff with text on the radio. What was it called? PSK? Anyway Frank, who is often here on the channels, told me about that stuff. No talk and yet radio stuff. Anyway, we should apologize tomorrow to Jane. We should have taken more care of her. Microphone to Lori."
Lori pressed the PTT button on her microphone again.
"We should. But it's mostly me who should apologize. I did it… And I need to fix it again." Lori said and let the PTT button go.
A new voice appeared. And disappeared as fast as it came. It was Jane.
"QRZ."
Tatiana answered.
"Z station I heard you. Jane, you got the microphone."
Jane started speaking.
"I listened to your talk. I heard since you started. I… don't feel good since you told me what your wanted to do Lori. And I still don't feel good. Please, never do anything like that again. Tatiana, could you decide who gets the microphone?"
Jane's signal went silent.
"Okay. I will now take the lead of the group because I want a structure. Lori, I give you the microphone. Then give it to Jane, you give it to me, I give it to Ava, then to Carol, Carol gives it to Quinn and then back to you Lori. Lori, you get the microphone now."
Lori pressed PTT.
"Okay. Jane, I try my best, to never do anything like that again. I apologize for what I did to you. Can you forgive me?"
Lori let the PTT button go. Jane spoke again.
"I accept your apology. Please, don't do that again. Microphone to Tatiana."
Tatiana's voice came out of Lori's radio.
"Good that you accepted Lori's apology. That's a good thing. Ava, do you want to say anything to this? Microphone to you."
Ava started speaking.
"I'm glad you resolved your issue. I hope this will not happen again. Microphone to you Carol."
Carols signal appeared.
"Yes it's super that we were able to resolve this now. Still, I think you need to something for Jane as an apology. And Jane's sudden appearance, and the fact that she listened the whole talk, reminds me that everyone can listen here, seventy three to everyone hearing us out there. Anyway I need to head to bed. I wish you all a nice evening, girls. Seventy three and microphone to you Quinn."
Quinn started speaking.
"Okay Carol. Good night to you. Jane, I take this moment to apologize to you too. I did it with Lori and I am also guilty of this. Lori, microphone to you."
"Carol, Good night. And Quinn, you did way less than me. It was me. And Jane, your turn."
Jane spoke again.
"Okay. Good night Carol. Quinn, I also accept your apology. Lori, don't be that harsh to yourself. Now you make me feel guilty for making you feel bad. So, please don't feel bad. Tatiana, microphone to you."
Tatiana started speaking.
"Yes. So, Lori, don't be harsh to yourself. And I going to make a Carol. Good night to you and seventy three. Microphone to Ava."
Ava's signal appeared.
"Good night. I also have to sleep. Good night you all. Quinn, your turn."
"Okay. Good night girls. I think, we both had to apologize. We both knew how you would react. It wasn't fair to you. Microphone to Lori."
"We really weren't fair to you Jane. I also need to go. Jane, I wish you a good night. And also for you Quinn. Jane, microphone to you."
Jane's signal appeared.
"Okay. Good night Lori. I hope we will go to school tomorrow like always. Yes… I also want to go to bed. Quinn, I give you the microphone for the final speech. Good night girls seventy three eighty eight."
Quinn started speaking.
"Thank you Jane. I am sure we will have an atmosphere like every day tomorrow. Anyway, Good night. Seventy three eighty eight. This was Loud20 and Reed44, on the microphone Quinn11. Good night."
The channel went silent and the rushing sound of the Aether was the only thing audible. Lori turned her radio off. Lori turned around and in that very moment she felt like she had a heart attack. Leni was standing directly behind Lori's chair. Lori let off a scream.
"Leni?" Lori said and held her hand over her heart. Leni smiled at her.
"Lori! What did you do?" Leni asked with a joyful tone.
"I talked with my friends." Lori said.
"Okay. Why did you apologize to Jane?"
"Long story. I did something that stressed her out. That's why."
"What did you do?"
"Quinn and I cheated on the math test." Lori said.
Leni looked surprised and saddened at Lori.
"Why did you do this?" Leni asked with a sad voice.
"That math test was really hard. I was sure I wasn't going to do it. That's why."
"I thought you were good."
Leni wished a tear off of her cheek. Leni left her room. Lori stood still. She felt guilty. Lori ran to the door.
"Leni wait!"
Lori ran after Leni. She was in the hallway on the way downstairs. She turned around as she heard Lori, who approached her.
"Leni, I'm sorry that I did this. I didn't want to hurt you." Lori said.
"But you did something bad. Bad like plankton." Leni said and was close to crying.
"Like plankton from SpongeBob?"
Leni nodded.
"Don't to bad things."
"I'm sorry. I promised Jane I would never again do something like that. I promise you the same." Lori said.
Leni looked at her.
"Can you forgive me Leni?" Lori asked.
Leni opened her arms and nodded. Lori and Leni gave each other a long hug.
"It's still a bit time until mom wants to send us to bed. Do you want to watch this fashion competition show?"
Leni broke the hug and looked overjoyed at Lori.
"Fashion Fight? You want to watch Fashion Fight?" Leni asked with a big smile.
"Yes. With you." Lori said.
"Yes yes yes!"
Leni took Lori's hand and they went downstairs. In the living room, Luan was sitting on the floor and played with a puppet. Leni and Lori sat on the couch. Leni took the remote control and looked at the buttons it had.
"Can you do it?" Leni asked and held the remote control to Lori.
Lori took the remote control and turned on the TV. She skipped through the channels until she got the right one. DRWTV with the show Fashion fight.
"Fashion fight!" Leni yelled overjoyed.
After half an hour, Rita entered the living room.
"Okay girls. Bedtime. Luan, Leni, pajama. Lori, bed." Rita said.
"No. I want to watch it." Leni said.
"No Leni. You need to sleep. Pajama."
"She went through a little stress lately." Lori said.
"Well you always manage to calm down Leni. Bedtime."
Rita picked up Luan.
"For you too honey." Rita said and walked upstairs with Luan.
"Sorry Leni. I tried my best." Lori said.
"It's okay. I put my pajama on…" Leni said with a sad voice.
Lori and Leni went upstairs in their room. Leni changed her clothes to an ocean green pajama. Two minutes later Rita entered their room.
"Okay girls. Bedtime." Rita said.
Lori and Leni got in their bed and covered themselves. Rita went to Lori and gave her a good night kiss.
"Good night Lori. Sweet dreams."
"Good night mom."
Rita went to Leni and gave her a good night kiss too.
"Sweets dreams Leni. Good night."
"Good night mom."
Rita went to the door, turned off the light and left, closing the door behind her. Lori closed her eyes. She heard something from Leni's side of the room. Lori heard steps. She opened her eyes and saw Leni standing at her bed.
"Something wrong?" Lori asked.
Leni gave Lori a kiss on the cheek.
"Thank you for today." Leni said, and went back to her bed.
Leni laid back in her bed and covered herself again.
"No problem Leni." Lori said and closed her eyes.
March 2020:
Marisa, Lori and Tatiana finished their dinner and sat on the couch in the living room.
"How often did you cheat at math tests?" Marisa asked.
"Too many times." Lori said and scratched her head, feeling guilty.
"To defend Lori, the really important tests she did were free of cheating. Yet I had to help her and Jane." Tatiana said.
"That makes me feel a bit better knowing that you didn't cheat yourself to fairway." Marisa said.
"I am happy that I am here. Leni tried to ruin my reputation by disguising herself as me and screw up big time. She did it because she wanted me to stay with her. Leni isn't evil by no mean but that's a reason why I'm so happy to be here."
"Wow. Didn't think Leni would do something like this. By the way, is Leni still like she was?" Tatiana asked.
"She still has problems. But she is improving with every month. She now takes care of my siblings. And she does that pretty well."
Tatiana and Marisa looked impressed at Lori.
"That's great to hear." Tatiana said.
"You told me a lot about Leni. Like, I know her well. And it's great to hear that she does so well meanwhile." Marisa said.
"It's really great. I'm proud of my sister." Lori said.
Lori looked out of the window. It was getting dark.
"It gets dark." Lori said.
"Well, time to go home." Tatiana said.
"Oh you don't have to. You can stay overnight if you want and then do something with us tomorrow."
"So she doesn't have to go back and forth to visit us?" Marisa asked.
"I think."
"I like the offer. I take it. Can I use this couch?" Tatiana asked.
"Sure." Lori said.
"Okay. We can do some cool things tomorrow." Tatiana said.
"Like what?" Marisa asked.
"Cruising with my Mercedes through the city or visit my home."
"That would be cool." Marisa said.
"Yeah. And we could visit some cool places." Lori said.
"Good. You can show me your favorite places. And maybe I'll let one of you drive." Tatiana said.
"Wow! Cool!" Lori said excitedly.
"That will be so cool." Marisa said.
"Yeah. You girls will feel how powerful 400 horses are." Tatiana said.
Marisa and Lori nodded with a smile.
"I look forward to this." Lori said.
"Me too. Anyway good night to you. I head to bed." Marisa said.
"Night." Tatiana said.
Marisa went in hers and Lori's bedroom. Lori turned to Tatiana.
"I also go to bed now. Good night Tatiana."
"Good night."
Lori went in her bedroom. Tatiana turned off the light, and laid on the couch. Lori and Marisa put on their pajamas.
"Interesting that we let her stay here already." Marisa said.
"Why do you mean?" Lori asked.
"We know her for one week."
"You forget that I know her for years."
"Oh right. Well now it less odd that we let her stay overnight."
"Yes. Any by the way, it's like she isn't here when she sleeps. We had many sleepovers and she was the one that was the most quiet." Lori said.
"That's good to know. In that case she can stay here overnight more times."
"Good to hear."
"So. Good night." Marisa said and laid in her bed.
"Good night." Lori answered.
Lori walked to door and turned off the light. She walked to her bed and laid down. Lori pulled her bed cover over herself and closed her eyes. Lori woke up. She smelled breakfast. Lori got up and looked to Marisa, who was asleep on her bed. She got up and left the bedroom. Lori entered the kitchen and saw Tatiana making breakfast.
"What are you doing?" Lori asked.
"Breakfast for you and Marisa." Tatiana said.
Lori felt touched.
"Aww thank you." Lori said with a warm smile.
"Always for you Lori. I did remember that your favorite breakfast was bacon and eggs. So, I made some for you."
"You're the best Tatiana."
"Thank you."
Tatiana turned the eggs in the pan.
"With some thyme. I remember you really liked this."
"You really remember everything." Lori said surprised. Lori opened her arms and felt really touched.
"Come here."
Tatiana turned to Lori and wrapped her arms around her.
"I missed you girl." Tatiana said.
"I missed you too. Please. We need to stay friends this time."
"We will."
Lori broke the hug after a minute.
"Let me help you."
"I would have made it for both of you." Tatiana said.
"It's okay. I love cooking."
Lori took a spatula and turned the eggs.
"Okay. Then I prepare the orange juice." Tatiana said.
She opened the fridge and took a bottle of orange juice out.
"Where are the cups?"
"I'm the third cabinet." Lori answered.
Tatiana went to the kitchen cabinets and opened one. Many cups made of glass were in the one she opened. Tatiana took three and put them on the kitchen table. Marisa entered the kitchen. She looked around sleepy.
"You made breakfast?" Marisa asked and yawned.
"Good morning. Yes. Bacon and eggs." Lori said.
"Eggs with thyme." Tatiana added.
"Sounds good."
Tatiana put plates and forks on the table. Lori put the bacon and eggs evenly on the three plates.
"We can eat now." Lori said.
The girls sat at the table and started eating.
"What are our plans for today?" Lori asked.
"We sit in my car and drive around. I thought our first stop is the mall, to get some food for the time we're driving around. Then we would go to your favorite places in the city." Tatiana said.
"We could go on a small shopping tour. The mall is open at Sunday. And after that we could visit the big park. With the ducks in that pond." Marisa said.
"You mean small lake. That isn't a pond." Lori said.
"Yeah. Right."
"Okay. We have a plan for now. The mall, shopping, and then the park." Tatiana said.
"That sounds like a plan." Lori said.
"Yeah. Let's do it like this."
Lori, Marisa and Tatiana finished the breakfast. Tatiana took a shower and put on her clothes again. Lori and then Marisa also took a shower and put on fresh clothes. They left the apartment, locked the door, and went to the parking lot. Tatiana's Mercedes AMG stood there.
"So. Now we cruise a little bit. Who of you wants to sit in the front?" Tatiana asked.
"Lori can. Backseats are also great." Marisa said.
"Okay. Then get in." Tatiana said and remotely unlocked her Mercedes.
Lori opened the passenger door and sat on the passenger seat in the front. Marisa sat on the backseat and closed the door. Tatiana sat on the driver seat and put the ignition key in the ignition lock. She turned the key and the engine started running. It was like a purring. But not like a cat. More like a full grown tiger.
"Wonderful. This cat isn't just a cat. It's art. Art the Germans know how to make." Tatiana said and enjoyed the sound of the engine.
"Come on. Drive." Lori said.
Tatiana drove backwards and then put in the forward gear position. She drove through the parking lots and then on the street. Lori and Marisa had joyful expressions on their faces.
"This is awesome!" Marisa said.
"This is so cool." Lori said.
"I can't drive too wild now. There are way too many cars." Tatiana said.
"Why are you worried about the cars?" Lori asked.
"I'm not. But I can't drive wild here and show you what the car can because I would endanger both of you and anyone on and next to the street."
"Okay. And where could you show us what you want to show?" Marisa asked.
"The highway. But that later. We're here."
Tatiana drove on a parking lot of a new built mall near Fairway. They got out and walked to the mall entrance.
"Impressive this new mall." Lori said.
"The last part of the construction happened really fast." Marisa said.
"Sometimes they make buildings really fast. I see that often when I visit construction sites." Tatiana said.
The girls entered the mall. In the mall was a small well with palms planted around and on it. It was clean and nice.
"Nice. So clean." Marisa said.
"Really nice here. Ah, there is the fashion store." Lori said.
"You wanna go there?" Tatiana asked.
"Yes. We find some cute things there."
Lori, Marisa and Tatiana went to the Fashion store. They looked around in the store. Marisa and Lori each found something they liked. Lori found a dark red barrette.
"This looks awesome." Lori said and put on the barrette.
Marisa came from behind a clothes rack, with a long, orange red, with dark green and a little bit of yellow colored scarf.
"I know already that I want it." Marisa said.
"Totally. I also decided that I need that barrette." Lori said.
Lori saw something. It was a gray wool cardigan. She took it and held it to Tatiana.
"You had a cardigan back in our school time. A cardigan like this." Lori said.
"Yes I did." Tatiana said.
Tatiana took the cardigan and looked at it.
"I remember really well. That was the best piece of clothing I ever had. I hope this one is as good as mine back then."
Tatiana put on the cardigan. She touched the wool it was made of while trying to feel it.
"It is like the old one." Tatiana said.
"Do you like it?" Lori asked.
"I do. It feels like I've always been wearing it." Tatiana said.
"Then you should buy it." Marisa said.
"I guess I do." Tatiana said.
Marisa took off her scar.
"Then let's to this." Marisa said.
Tatiana took off the cardigan and went with Lori and Marisa to the checkout. They each put the things they wanted to buy on the checkout. After three minutes, they left the store with their new clothes.
"I don't wanna lie that was kinda fun." Tatiana said.
"Right? Now you know why Marisa and I love shopping." Lori said.
"We do that often by the way." Marisa said.
"Ah okay. I kinda get why." Tatiana said.
Lori, Marisa and Tatiana went to the subway in the mall and bought a sandwich each. They sat down at a table and started eating.
"What else could we do here?" Lori asked.
"There are two things a mall needs to have. A tool store and a pet store. Those are the stores we should visit." Tatiana said.
"Pet store sounds nice." Marisa said.
"Oh yes. Always loved the pat store." Lori said.
"Everyone who loves animals loves the pet store." Tatiana said.
"So we go to the pet store next?" Marisa asked.
"We do." Lori said.
They finished their sandwiches, and got up. Lori, Marisa and Tatiana walked to the pet shop. They stood in front of the fish tanks and watched the fishes swimming around. Under them neon tetras, Ram cichlids, and long-whiskered catfishes.
"I always think the antennas of the catfishes look strange." Marisa said.
"I think the same. And the way they move their whiskers is also so weird to look at." Lori said.
"I like the neons." Tatiana said.
"They're really colorful." Lori said.
"Imagine being in the Amazon jungle on the river there, with millions of them around you." Marisa said.
"Has to be wonderful."
"Surely. And they are glowing." Tatiana said.
"I wonder if they glow by themselves." Marisa asked.
"I once saw those fishes in a tank without light. They don't glow then, and look pretty pale. I think they just reflect the light. But they are still beautiful." Lori said.
Tatiana looked at another fish tank. A swarm of black fishes with red tails were swimming around. They were labeled as Red-tailed black sharks.
"Those there look pretty funny." Tatiana said.
"The red of their tail is really strong." Lori said.
"What do you mean with strong red?" Tatiana asked.
"Look at the color. The tail has a strong, vibrant red. It is the first you notice. That's what I meant."
"I get it. The red is truly strong." Tatiana said.
"Hey. You need to see them." Marisa said and pointed to a fish tank that had a blue glow from the lights.
Lori and Tatiana looked into the tank and saw red white striped fishes that had big stingers on their back. They were labeled as spotfin lionfish. And with an addition.
«Caution! Do not reach into the aquarium!»
"Okay. They don't seem to be a funny choice for a pet." Lori said.
"I think they are poisonous." Tatiana said.
"But beautiful." Marisa said.
"They surely are. But still, I'm not sure that they're the best pet to choose." Lori said.
"Then don't pet them." Tatiana said.
"Pet as a pet or to pet them?"
"The last one. The first one seems to be okay."
"Pet them or have them as a pet? Im confused now." Marisa said.
"Don't pet that pet but keep it as a pet."
"We said pet so many times now, that the word doesn't make sense anymore." Lori said.
Marisa looked like she started to think.
"Pet… Okay it doesn't make sense anymore."
"We should take a look at other pets." Lori said.
The girls turned around and saw a big cage two meters in front of them. A small sign read «Golden Hamster/Syrian Hamster» Lori, Tatiana and Marisa went to the hamsters. They spotted one that was eating dried Mealworms on his little house.
"He has lunch." Tatiana said.
"Hey. Look there." Lori said.
The girls went to a terrarium that had branches and some plants in it, with soil on the ground. Two small, yellow Leopard geckos were crawling around. Lori, Marisa and Tatiana giggled.
"They look funny." Lori said.
"Also pretty cute." Marisa said.
One of the leopard geckos went under a branch and hid under it.
"And he is away." Tatiana said.
"His friend is still there." Lori said.
She pointed to the gecko that was sitting on a rock. He looked to a small bowl where a larva of a bug was crawling around.
"He spotted his snack." Marisa said.
"Get it lizard. Get the larva before it's too late." Lori said.
The gecko stood for a moment and didn't move. Then he crawled off of his rock and towards the bowl. He climbed in, opened his mouth and ate the larva.
"Oh wow." Lori said amazed.
"He was really hungry." Marisa said.
"Cute creature." Tatiana said.
"For real. Look at those big black eyes." Lori said.
The girls left the pet store after some minutes and went to Tatiana's car.
"So. Any one of you girls who want to go on the highway?" Tatiana asked.
"Sure thing." Lori said.
The girls sat in the car.
"How do you like to cruise by the way?" Marisa asked.
"At day, with a decent speed and relaxed. At night, the same. But sometimes I like to speed." Tatiana said.
"Okay, whatever you do, don't do something that gets us in trouble." Lori said.
"Don't worry. I will drive well." Tatiana said.
Tatiana started the engine end left the parking lot.
"So the highway is in that direction." Tatiana said to herself and turned into a big street.
"How long do you have this car?" Lori asked.
"Since a year. Really a great decision."
"It really was." Marisa said from behind.
"You fell in love with this car don't ya?" Lori asked.
"Yeah!"
Tatiana reached the highway entrance and turned in.
"Hold tight girls." Tatiana said and pressed the gas pedal.
Lori and Marisa heard the engine roaring and felt a force that pressed them against their seats. The road sign that showed the direction to Great Lake City came closer and Tatiana navigated the car on the right lane of the highway. Lori looked to the dashboard and saw the number jumping to 81 miles per hour. Lori looked to the side and saw the trees and the corn fields that's were next to the highway speeding past them.
"Wonderful." Tatiana said with a smile.
"Maybe. But you drive too fast." Lori said.
"How much does she drive faster?" Marisa asked.
"Six miles." Lori said.
"Can you please slow down a bit?"
Tatiana rolled her eyes and slowed down until the number 74 was on the speed meter.
"Happy?" Tatiana asked.
"Happy." Marisa said.
"Please don't speed anymore." Lori said.
"Okay okay. I will." Tatiana said.
Lori saw a highway sign that showed them that Great Lake City was just five miles away.
"We're soon there." Lori said.
They entered the city. Tatiana left the highway and drove the car to the park. She parked at the parking lot, and got out with Lori and Marisa. They walked through the park. A big pond was in the middle of the park, and a lot of ducks were swimming on it. People sat under trees and enjoyed the shadow. Tatiana, Lori and Marisa looked at the pond.
"Aww look. Ducks." Lori said and pointed to the ducks on the pond.
Tatiana and Marisa looked to the ducks.
"Do you see any ducklings?" Tatiana asked.
"I tell you when I see one." Marisa said.
A female duck held her head in the water and dove into the depths of the pond.
"The duck went down." Lori said.
"She probably saw something she wants to eat." Marisa said.
The duck appeared again.
"There she is." Tatiana said.
"Funny birds if you ask me." Marisa said.
"They are adorable aren't they?" Tatiana asked with a smile.
"Totally."
"The beak is funny." Lori said.
"Yeah. It looks like a spoon. And they kinda use it like one." Tatiana said.
"How?"
"If you watch them when they hold their beak in the water, they open and close it very fast. They filter food out of the water. And they look so adorable when they do this."
"Very adorable." Lori said and saw a duck cleaning itself.
The girls walked on. And then they saw a mother duck sitting on the bank of the pond with seven ducklings. Marisa and Tatiana gushed at the sight.
"Ducklings." Marisa said.
"I need to make a photo." Tatiana said and took her phone out of her pocket.
"Cute." Lori said.
She saw how Tatiana zoomed to the mother duck and the ducklings, making several photos of them.
"You really like ducklings." Lori said.
"I do. Or little chicks. As adorable as ducklings." Tatiana said.
"Al hatchlings are adorable." Marisa said.
The girls walked on, carefully past the duck mother. They walked on a small path with reed on the right side and with elderberries and cherry laurels on the left side. Then they reached a bench that faced on the pond. They wait down and looked at the water and the ducks swimming on it.
"Very nice. Never thought such a paradise could exist in a city." Tatiana said.
"You will be surprised what else you can find here." Lori said.
"You can find all you want here." Marisa said.
"Except car free streets." Tatiana said.
"Maybe not that, but still, here is a lot." The girls looked at the pond.
"Nothing really happens." Tatiana said.
"Hmm. Wanna go somewhere else?" Lori asked.
"Where do you want to go?" Marisa asked.
"Tatiana said she would let us drive her car. Is this offer still there?"
"Yes." Tatiana said and played around with the key of the car.
"May I?"
Tatiana got up.
"Sure."
Lori and Marisa got up with smile on their faces. They went to the car. Tatiana turned to Lori and Marisa.
"Who wants first?" Tatiana asked.
Lori and Marisa looked at each other and nodded.
"Me." Lori said.
"Okay. Marisa, you're the next." Tatiana said and gave the key in Lori's hands.
Tatiana sat on the passenger seat and Marisa on the backseat. Lori sat down on the driver seat and looked at the dashboard. Lori put the ignition key in the lock and turned it. The engine started, and Lori looked surprised at the steering wheel.
"Oh okay. That was nice." Lori said with a positively surprised voice.
"Is great isn't it? Now, drive to any place you can think off." Tatiana said.
Lori thought for some seconds Ang then slowly drove off the parking lot.
"Where are you driving?" Tatiana asked.
"Bobby. By the way a super feeling with this car." Lori said.
"Bobby? The boy from school you had a crush on?"
"Yes. It's him. We are a couple."
"Congrats girl."
"Thank you. I am very happy that it worked. Even for some time with a big distance."
"I see. So he was first here and then you came to him again?"
"Kinda."
"Okay. Wouldn't you like to move with him? If the relationship is already so developed?"
Lori started thinking really hard. She said nothing for a minute, until she had the right answer.
"I don't know… I want… But I'm afraid and not ready."
"Okay. Just thought." Tatiana said.
"No your question isn't really wrong. It's… It's not the right moment. Don't get me wrong please. There is nothing else I want more than living with him. But…"
"But?"
"I…"
Lori turned in another street.
"I can't… It's too much."
"I get it. Don't stress yourself." Tatiana said. Lori turned into a street, and stopped next to a Apartment block made of red bricks. House number 148.
"So. There we are." Lori said.
"Not bad here." Tatiana said.
"Yes."
Lori widened her eyes, and looked to Tatiana with a smile.
"Wanna prank Bobby?" Lori asked.
"You have an idea?" Tatiana asked.
"I call him and tell him I'm standing in front of the door, and that he should come downstairs. Marisa and I will hide behind the car. You say that you're me."
Tatiana and Marisa Looked at each other and nodded.
"Okay."
Lori raised her thumb. She took her phone and dialed Bobby's phone number. The call got answered.
"Hi Babe." Bobby said.
"Hi Bobby. I was near you and decided to come to you. You have some time for me?" Lori asked.
"Always Lori."
"Thank you Boo-Boo-Bear. I'm in front of the door. Can you come downstairs please?"
"Sure. See you in a moment."
The call ended.
"Go go go." Lori said.
The girls went out of the car. Lori and Marisa hide behind the car and Tatiana went to the front door of the apartment block. Ten seconds later, the door opened and Bobby looked confused at Tatiana.
"Where's Lori?"
"Ah Boo-Boo-Bear. I know you like to play." Tatiana said with a laugh.
"Who are you?"
"It's me. Lori."
"Uhm… You're Lori?" Bobby asked and tilted his head with a confused look.
"Ah, you're funny. Thats why I love you."
Tatiana wrapped her arms around Bobby and gave him a strong hug.
"I have so many questions." Bobby said why being caged in Tatiana's arms.
Lori and Marisa want away from the car and sneaked up to Bobby and Tatiana. Lori kissed Bobby's cheek and Tatiana let him go.
"We're playing with you. Hi Bobby."
Bobby looked at Lori and smiled.
"Man. I really didn't know what was going on. Hi." Bobby said and gave Lori a hug.
"Now, please without any jokes, who is she? I remember her." Bobby said and looked at Tatiana.
Tatiana answered with a thick polish accent.
"Kurwa don't remember me?"
"Now. Natasha, no, Tatiana." Bobby said.
"Exactly." Tatiana said, without accent.
"You always hung up with Lori and the other girls. Good to see you." Bobby looked to Lori.
"What are you doing here?"
"I came here to spend time with you." Lori said.
"Okay. But tell next time you bring your friends with you."
"Sure."
"Ey man." Marisa said and shook her head.
"We're not annoying." Tatiana said.
"No. Nothing against you. But I like when Lori says that she brings friends." Bobby said.
"Okay. Whatever." Tatiana said.
"Wanna go upstairs? I can offer you something to drink." Bobby said.
"Sure. Thank you." Marisa said.
Tatiana gave thumbs up.
"Thank you very much Bobby." Lori said and gave Bobby a kiss.
They went in the apartment building and walked upstairs to the apartment of the Casagrandes. They entered and went in the living room where they sat on the couch. Bobby went into the kitchen.
"Nice here." Tatiana said.
"For real. Here is this Mexican atmosphere. I like it." Marisa said.
Bobby came back with four glass cups and a bottle of coke.
"I hope you all like coke." Bobby said.
"We really do." Marisa said.
"Yeah. I do." Tatiana said.
"Wonderful Bobby." Lori said with a smile.
Bobby sat down in a chair.
"It has to be years since I saw you the last time Tatiana. I remember you very well. But did we every have something to do with each other?" Bobby asked.
"Rarely. But I can remember some occasions where we had something to do with each other." Tatiana said.
"I asked Lori when I met her why she lives here now. Collage. Why are you here? What brought you here?" Tatiana asked.
"It was my mothers idea. She had a job offer here in the hospital. One of the man hospitals that exists in this city. We came here for a weekend. And after some… hard moments, also with Lori, my mother, my sister and I decided that it's a good thing if we live here. And after a year, Lori came here." Bobby said.
"Not here. Just sometimes…" Lori said and blushed slightly.
"Okay. And is it good here?" Tatiana asked.
"Very. It's really nice." Bobby answered.
"How did you sister take the move?" Marisa asked.
"At first, she hated the idea. But with time, she was okay with it."
"Same with my siblings. Especially Anastazja. She hated moving here." Tatiana said.
"So you didn't move here by your own?"
"No. Especially I didn't move to the city. I live a bit outside. Maybe the name Jaruzelski recycling tells you something. My foster family with my sister lives near my home. Though she has an own room in my home."
"Jaruzelski recycling. Yeah I heard that once. By the way, I run with my uncle the grocery store downstairs." Bobby said.
"Ah nice. I hope the business works." Tatiana said.
"Yes. It's well."
Tatiana took the coke bottle from the table in front of the couched and poured some on a glass.
"Thank for the drink. Na zdrowie." Tatiana said and drank the coke.
Lori poured some coke in a glass for her.
"Now I'm also thirsty." Lori said and took a sip of the coke.
"You drink soda?" Bobby asked, slightly surprised.
"Im very thirsty. And it's just once." Lori said.
"We drink tons of soda at home." Marisa said.
"Huh. I didn't know that. I should visit you more often." Bobby said.
"You're always welcome." Lori said.
They talked for almost half an hour. Then Tatiana and Marisa got up.
"We want to go. Doing something else." Tatiana said.
"Okay. I stay here. I'll catch up with you. Okay?" Lori asked.
"Sure." Marisa said.
"I can teach Marisa to drive like the ghost rider." Tatiana said.
Lori laughed a bit.
"I hope you have fun."
"Thank you. Come with me girl, you will drive a real car now."
"Okay." Marisa said softly, and went out of the apartment with Tatiana.
"They're nice. Was great to meet them. And especially Tatiana after those time." Bobby said.
"Yes. It was nice to meet Tatiana again." Lori said.
"Yes. And their presence was pleasant."
Lori leaned to Bobby and gave him a kiss on the lips.
"As pleasant as my presence?" Lori asked and wrapped her arms around Bobby.
"Your presence is the best." Bobby said and wrapped his arms around Lori.
"All I wanted is to cuddle with you." Lori said.
"That's why you're here?"
"Yes. I miss you every day."
"I miss you too."
Marisa looked at the steering wheel and the pedals of the car. She felt nervous. Tatiana, who sat on the passenger seat, noticed that.
"Hey. Focus. And no need to be nervous. This is a Mercedes. It will drive the way you want."
"Okay. That is good to hear. So I just start the engine and drove like I always do?" Marisa asked.
"Exactly."
"Okay. Then I turn the key."
Marisa turned the key. The engine turned on. Marisa slowly pressed the gas pedal and drove off.
"Wow. This feels awesome." Marisa said.
"Yeah right. Now drive where you want."
Marisa turned in another street. It was a bigger street where a lot of cars drove.
"Hmm. I kinda wanna go on a longer street to just cruise." Marisa said.
"That's especially nice when it's a long country road. Maybe we find a road that is made for cruising." Tatiana said.
"Maybe the highway?"
"Could work. We don't have the time right after work end so the highway should be clear."
Marisa turned and entered the highway. They left Great Lake City and were cruising between buildings that got less and less tall.
"So. Marisa. We heard many stories of why people came to the city. What is your story?" Tatiana asked.
"My story. So, I came from a place not far away from here. My family lives like half an hour away from Great Lake City. I went to school in a lovely town. And soon, I had to take an opportunity to get more education. I have a dream."
"Your dream is?"
"A vet. I want to be a vet. Heal animals. And make them healthy again. There is nothing better than making pets and animals feel good again." Marisa said.
"Unwound sign that statement. There really is nothing better." Tatiana said.
"Right? Even petting a kitty makes me feel great."
"You mean when they turn on their engine." Tatiana said.
"How do you… oh right. The purring sounds like a little engine."
"Exactly. I really love cats by the way." Tatiana said.
"Me too. They're so cute and so funny." Marisa said.
Marisa and Tatiana drove on. Half an hour later, they left the highway and went to a gas station. The gas stations had an entrance to a small tunnel, than directed them under the highway. And the moment they left the tunnel, they were already entering the highway again.
"It's a great thing that they made this tunnel. When I drove around, I often make the turn here." Tatiana said.
"I rarely use this tunnel. But it's good that we have it." Marisa said.
She drove back over the highway. Soon they left the highway and entered the small town of Fairway, and reached the college. Marisa turned onto the parking lot and parked Tatiana's car.
"You drove well." Tatiana said.
"Thank you." Marisa said with a smile.
"It's like I said. This car only does what you want. Now you might get why I like it that much."
"I get it. It felt awesome. It did what I wanted in the moment I wanted."
They got out of the car and went to the apartment building. After some stairs, they entered Marisa's and Lori's apartment. Marisa and Tatiana went in the bedroom of her and Lori. They sat down on Marisa's bed.
"When will Lori come back?" Tatiana asked.
"No idea. Maybe in two hours." Marisa asked.
"Okay."
"Wanna watch something until Lori gets home?"
"Sure. What channels do you have?"
"Every channel you want.
"Even the history channel?"
"Yes."
"Okay." Tatiana said and got up.
Marisa and Tatiana went in the living room where a small TV on a small table was standing. They sat on the couch and Tatiana took the remote control. She skipped through the channels until she got the history channel. The show Pawn Stars was being broadcasted.
"Yes! I absolutely love Pawn Stars." Tatiana said with a happy tone.
"Really? I saw that they gave interesting stuff but never really watched it." Marisa said.
"It's really cool. The things people bring. From rare dolls to rare baseball cards up to whole bikes and cars. I love it. And the guys there are also funny. Especially Rick Harrison and his father Richard."
"Okay." Marisa said.
Bobby approached the campus of the Fairway University. He stopped in front of the entrance of the parking lots. Lori, who was sitting on the passenger seat, looked at him.
"Thank you for bringing me here." Lori said.
"I would do that every time."
"Thanks."
Lori leaned to Bobby and hugged him.
"I love you."
"I love you too Lori."
They broke the hug.
"So… see you next time I guess." Lori said.
"See you babe."
"Bye Bobby."
Lori opened the door and got out of the car. She closed the door and waved again at Bobby. He waved back and turned his car. Ten seconds later, he disappeared on the main road. Lori walked to her apartment building and walked upstairs.
"They should have build in an elevator here." Lori said.
Lori entered her apartment and closed the door. She took off her shoes and walked into the living room, where Marisa and Tatiana were watching pawn stars on the TV.
"You watch pawn stars?" Lori asked confused.
"Yeah. You should know me well enough." Tatiana said.
"I was wondering that Marisa watches this."
"Nah it's actually cool. I think I get into that." Marisa said.
"If that's the case, you can come to my scrapyard next weekend." Tatiana said.
"Really?"
"Yeah. You too Lori. We can make stuff like seven years ago."
"Ah. Like back then when we looked for scrap and found stuff that we used to make funny stuff?" Lori asked.
"Exactly. Like the dancing washing machine or the dough mixer fly."
"What is a dough mixer fly?" Marisa asked with a confused expression.
"Very simple. You take a dough mixer, put a propeller on it, then mount it with a string to the ceiling, but it has to be long enough that the mixer is at your waist height. Then you turn it on." Marisa facepalmed herself.
"Why? Just… Why?" Marisa said with a even more confused voice.
"It was fun." Tatiana said.
"Until our parents saw what we did." Lori said.
"Okay… And how do you let a washing machine dance?" Marisa said and looked with a shocked smile at Lori and Tatiana.
"That's easy. You need to wire the motor of the drum directly to the power cord. Then you put a stone in the washing machine, power it and watch as it dances, until it dances itself apart."
Marisa let of a shocked chuckling.
"We did a lot of stupid stuff back then. Trust me." Lori said.
"Okay, you did lots of crazy stuff. We should definitely go to your scrapyard next weekend." Marisa said.
"Sure thing." Tatiana said.
Lori sat on the couch next to Marisa and Tatiana, and watched pawn stars together.
End of the chapter
Note by the authors:
We're open to your ideas. So if you have ideas what Lori and her friends should experience, then write this in the review. We will decide if it fits go the story.
We won't accept inappropriate or overly violent ideas.