Author: pammiechick

Lexie

I had to have a major talk with Jenny after the Sisterhood basically went into meltdown mode with her. Luckily, Dom had a heart and rescued her from Elara’s clutches. But according to Jenny, Dom had put Elara up to it. An unlikely scenario since Dom hated Elara’s evil guts. But still. Jenny must have really insulted them for everyone to be on Elara’s side.

I called a meeting and soothed over all hurt feelings. Honestly, I was surprised Jenny didn’t bolt. But I guessed she was still happy with our arrangement (she only had about two weeks left until she was going to move into her penthouse all the way on the other side of San Myshuno. This made me crazy and sad all at the same time! I was soooo going to miss her!)

I got up early to go into work. God, I loved my job.

The atmosphere encouraged creativity and I really liked my co-workers.

“Hey, Noah,” I said to the guy next to me. He was my best friend at work. I could always count on him to have my back.

“Hi, Lexie. Ready for the big meeting today?”

“I think so. Just a few more animations left to go over.”

But when I opened the file I’d been working on, I noticed none of my latest work had been saved. “What the hell?”

“Noah, did I happen to send you the animations I was working on yesterday? My file didn’t save for some reason.”

Oh shit. My boss was coming over no doubt to check up on me.

“Sorry, Lexie, you usually don’t until you finish.”

Unbe-FREAKING-lievable! I was sunk.

My boss, although amazingly talented, could be as nice as Mary Poppins or as mean as Cruella DeVil. And if I didn’t have my shit together, Cruella would show her very beautiful but very terrifying face.

“So, Lexie, let’s see what you have so far. I’m hoping to knock my boss’ ass off with this.”

My stomach gripped tight.

I clicked on something older from last week which was dreadfully undeveloped.

“Is this all you have?”

“Uh…” my mouth froze. I hated confrontation–especially with uppermanagement.

“How am I supposed to present this? What the hell have you been working on all week?”

“I-I’m sorry…I guess it didn’t save?”

“You better have something else to show by our 1 o’clock or a head will roll and it won’t be mine.”

She pushed away from my desk as my face lit up on fire. I tried to hold back tears and went straight to work. It shouldn’t be as hard to fix since I already knew how to approach the motions, but with all animation, things took time.

Before I could get into a groove of manipulating models, Silas Moon, the one person from Brindleton Bay who worked here, came over. He’d just gotten a job with Chicken Tooth Animation only a few months ago. We were childhood friends since my parents were friends with his. He was like a brother to me. Too bad from the minute he’d walked into the office, he’d flirted with me constantly. I’d tried to tell him in every way possible that I saw him as a friend only, but he seriously thought I should grovel at his feet. He’d been popular in high school and I was…well…not. And since we were now adults, he felt I was worthy of his manly presence.

Huge eyeroll.

“I see you’re in deep shit with the boss,” he said, sitting on my desk. “Want to shoot me part of your work and I’ll help you?”

That wasn’t a bad idea.

“Um…uh…sure, Silas. That would be great. Thanks!” Maybe I’d been too harsh on the guy.

He leaned in and said, “And then you’ll need to take me out tonight.”

I took that back. “Is this…extortion?” I didn’t look up from the screen.

“Call it one coworker helping out another. Seriously, Lexie, taking me out to dinner for saving your ass is not too much to ask.”

He wouldn’t leave me alone and I hated it. “No. That’s okay. I’ll die at that meeting first.” His middle name must have been pig. Or asshole. Or both.

Rubbing my arm, he said, “Aw…don’t be like that. We’ve been friends for so long. And we’re both single, so it makes sense we should at least go out once. What would it hurt?”

My skin felt as if someone was grating it like cheese.

What I should have done was told him how far to stick it up his ass, but instead I said, “I’m not single.”

“What do you mean? You’ve got a boyfriend? This is news!”

When I didn’t say anything, he said, “Really, Lexie, why play hardball? I want to do you a favor, and in return, I promise to show you a good time. I know you’re not dating anyone. Why do you have to lie like that? It hurts.”

Looking straight at him, I blurted, “Fine. You don’t know about him because we’ve had to keep it a secret. He’s…f-famous. Okay?”

Smirking, he asked, “Who is it?”

“James Sanderson, if you must know.”

Eyes widening, he said, “Of the Heartthrobs? You’ve got to be kidding me. Come on, Lexie, you can do better than that.”

“It’s true!” I screeched, sounding like the liar I was.

He looked as if he was rolling this unlikely fact in his mind. Then he said, arching an eyebrow, “Okay…how about this–I’ll help you with your animations and you and your famous boyfriend meet up with me tonight. Anywhere you like. If what you say is true, we’re cool. I won’t bug you anymore. But if not…you have to take me out. Deal?”

“Silas…” I stared into his blue eyes. He wasn’t going to give up. I knew it. It almost felt like Jenny wanting me to date her brother only she was terribly sweet about it. He was…just a  dick. “Fine. We’ll meet at Heroes Nightclub. At 7. Don’t be late.”

He lifted the side of his mouth. “Oh…I won’t. Send me your stuff. I’ll get right to work.”

He sauntered over to his desk as I face palmed.

“What the fuck have I done?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lexie

I tossed and turned that night. Images of me and James flooded my dreams. I was cowering on stage along with five screaming teenagers when suddenly, James pulled me to him and asked, “Will you marry me?”

Then I was transported to a nursery with five screaming kids. All ours. And I watched him on TV, girating like usual.

What a horrific nightmare!

I must have moaned because I felt somone shaking me. My vision cleared to see Jenny’s beautiful face. I gasped. “Thank God it was a dream.”

“What’s the matter, sweetheart? You were crying.”

Shaking my head, I said, “It was awful. I was married to your brother with five of his brats wailing around me. Oh my God, I hate kids.”

“That was a dream, honey. James wouldn’t want more than two.” Jenny stroked my back soothingly, helping to calm my erratic heart.

“You’ve got to promise to stop asking me to date him, Jenny. God…it felt so real.”

Looking down, she said, “Would it really be that bad? If you would just give him a cha–”

“NO!” I cut her off. Just thinking about the nightmare gave me chills. “I…I better get dressed for work.”

I didn’t like making Jenny sad, but that dream just told me James and I weren’t meant to be. I mean…who was I kidding? Even dating Charlie was out of the question. Marrying famous people just wasn’t a good idea. My grandmother suffered from my extremely famous great grandfather’s divorce. I couldn’t do that to any kid. So, I decided not to ask Jenny for even another chance to meet Charlie, and for sure she would never convince me to date her brother. That would be the end of it.

I was fine being one of the bazillion Throbbers who would fangirl from afar.

*****

James

My plan to go out with Lexie was fizzling by the minute. That damned nightmare she’d had about me kicked me in the balls. Hard. There had to be some way I could sneak into her life as me. But it was complicated as shit since “Jenny” couldn’t be around. And I was running out of time, too. We were going on tour in two weeks. And then I’d probably never see her again. Story of my life. I finally meet the girl of my dreams and it was like we were strangers. My fame ruined everything.

With Lexie gone to work, I was under the gun to transform back into James and make a Heartthrob photoshoot by noon. Lexie usually acted as my PA and I couldn’t use my real one (I’d given him the month off), so I figured I’d pay one of the girls in the house to do it. None of them seemed to have jobs anyway.

“Domina, darling, just the girl I wanted to see,” I said, hoping to butter her up. Out of all the eccentric ladies of the house, Dom was by far my favorite.

“Yeah, Jenny? What’s up?”

“I have a sizzling opportunity for you. I think you’ll love it.”

“Oh! An opportunity!” the ever cheerful Brooke exclaimed. I didn’t know what to think about her. She was Jekyll and Hyde in real life. Well, that’s what Lex said.

Lifting her eyebrows, Domina answered, “Okay. What’s that?”

“I thought I might employ your services this morning.”

“My…services. This isn’t…kinky…is it?”

I laughed. “No…nothing like that. Let’s sit and chat, and I’ll tell you more.”

“If she doesn’t want the opportunity, you can ask me!” Brooke said eagerly.

I nodded. Couldn’t hurt having two of them getting my stuff done.

We sat on the couch and I explained, “So, since all of you don’t seem to have a job, I’d like to pay you to do a few little things for me this morning.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Since we don’t have a…job?”

“Yes, so I’d pay you 100 simoleons. I need my dry cleaning picked up by eleven, Simballs has my order ready for the exclusive Sapple Watch that just came out, and my car needs to be washed. Go to the one on 5th and Pike St. because any other place just doesn’t know how to clean chrome. Do you think you could accomplish all that before noon because I’m stretched for time?”

Domina waved her arm and said, “Let me get this straight…you think I just sit on my ass all day playing video games and that I’ve got nothing to do but run your errands. Is that right?”

“Well, I do see you sitting on your ass as you say and you do play a lot of video games…so…” I wasn’t sure if she was pissed or if she just wanted me to make things clearer.

“Brooke, you want to hear this?” Dom asked with a smile.

“Jenny thinks we do nothing all day and have gobs of time to fetch things for her.”

Just then, Reese came over and sat next to me. If Dom or Brooke couldn’t work maybe she would. “Well, Dom, it’s okay if you don’t have time. Any of you girls will do, I think.”

“I’ll be right back,” Brooke said with a weird look on her face.

Next thing I knew, Elara was glaring at me on the couch. “Tell Elara Shadowalker what you asked Lady Langosta.”

“Oh, honey, that get up is a scream!” I said, laughing. “You look like you walked right out of The Game of Bones.”

Reese laughed along with me. These girls were fucking hilarious.

“Uh oh, Jenny,” Dom said, drawing in a breath. “Now you’ve done it.”

Elara’s eyes shrunk into tiny slits. “Tell me. Now, fool.”

“Eheheh, you better tell her, Jenny,” Reese said, nudging me with her elbow.

I relayed everything (as if she didn’t know already–didn’t she have the same brain as Brooke?) Then Elara smiled and said, “I will do all that you ask, maiden, but first, I desire you to tour my…chambers…”

The look on everyone’s faces kind of creeped me out, but hell, I needed to get this shit done, so I was down with whatever they wanted. “Uh, okay then. Thank you!”

The next thing I knew, the freakshow locked me in irons and pulled my arms up uncomfortably. “What the fuck is this?” I asked, not even hiding my deep voice.

“We do not take kindly to people ordering us about like slaves. For your information, all of us have jobs. Important jobs. And what we do on our free time is not for you to judge.”

This girl was a nutjob. “I-I wasn’t judging,” I defended.

“You were. You thought that since Dom played videogames, she was doing nothing. But in fact, that IS her job. She tests them. And you assumed wrongly that Brooke did nothing as well, but SHE works at night as a festival coordinator. I am a highly sought after Empress of the Dark, so I do not need to stoop so low as to even have employment. Reese is a marketing rep at her firm, but she works from home. And Copper goes to school online. If you’d cared an elflock about us, you would have known that by now.

“Furthermore, if you wanted us to do a favor for you, all you had to do was ask as a fellow sister. But you didn’t. You asked as someone who thinks they’re better than us. This will not be tolerated in the Sisterhood. Any questions?”

“Yeah. One. Lexie, where are you?!”

 

Lexie

These past few weeks were literally like a dream come true. Living with THE Jenny Sanderson was exactly like I’d envisioned: late night popcorn fights, gigglefests over the latest Starlight Shores gossip, makeovers, braiding hair chains, the list went on and on. I was so girlied-up that I thought my female meter might go off the charts and explode into cute chibi stuffed animals.

As Jenny painted my toenails, I gazed at her perfectly upturned nose and clear skin. She was breathtaking just to look at. I felt a twinge inside. Like a connection to a person I knew I’d be friends with for all my life. “Why are you so nice to me?” I asked.

“What’s that, honey?” she sang, not looking up.

I shrugged. “I don’t know…you’ve just treated me like a true friend when you never knew me from a hole in the wall before. Most people wouldn’t try so hard, but you…you’re the sweetest person I’ve ever met.”

She chuckled nervously. “I-I’m not that nice. Just take a look at your walls, sweetheart. If I was a saint, I’d put Charlie back for you.”

I smiled. “I don’t mind them anymore.”

“Ah HA!” She waved the nailpolish brush around. “So you WILL go out with my brother.”

Shaking my head, I said, “Nope. Just because I like you doesn’t mean I’ll like him. He’s too much of a diva. Sorry…I don’t want to be mean…”

“That’s what the tabloids say about him. It’s so not true, babycakes. Take a chance! Just one date and I’ll stop pestering you.”

A twinge of guilt nagged at me. I tried to think about going out with James. Girls cried in his presence and he couldn’t give them the time of day. He was notorious for not handing out autographs when all the other guys in the band did–especially Charlie. Now HE was someone I wanted to date. Not just because he was easy on the eyes, but because he was so good to his fans, too. He cared about them. Anyone who could be that unselfish was tops in my comic book. But I was wrong about getting access to him through Jenny. She said she didn’t have much contact with the band even though her brother headlined. I’d heard that about famous people not really letting in their family. Another strike against James. Too bad he wasn’t like his sister–I’d date him in a heartthrob heartbeat.

“My God, would you look at those hangnails. Girl, when was the last time you had a decent manicure?”

“Since never,” I confessed. “Seems like a big waste of time and money. I’m not famous and rich like you.”

She blew on my nails to help them dry. “I’m not famous. That’s my brother. Thank God, too, or I wouldn’t be able to function.”

“You’re famous to me,” I said, “I fangirled hard when I saw you at my door.” I still got out of body moments when looking at Jenny holding my hand. This was so surreal. I went from her biggest fan to her best friend in a few weeks.

In the end, I hated my nails any color but natural so I wiped off all the nail polish. Jenny shook her head at me, “What did you do, pretty kitten? I spent all that time painting those.”

“I’m sorry, Jenny…it’s just not me. I’m not gorgeous like you are. I can’t pull off nail polish and make up and fluffy hair.”

She grazed her hands over my cheeks. “Are you kidding? You’re the most beautiful girl I’ve seen. I like that you’re not all made up. You don’t need anything. You have natural beauty.”

“You’re such a little liar!” I said, trying to hide a smile. “You’re always nagging me to do my hair or go out with make up on or wear my contacts.”

She put her hand up. “Did I say such things? No…that couldn’t be me. I’d never want you to change. Now as for my twin brother, though, he might like a more sophisticated style for you…”

I took a pillow and acted huffy. “If you say something about your brother one more time…”

“Are you threatening me, honeybee? With…a pillow?”

“It’s cocked and fully loaded.”

“Go out with my brother and you wouldn’t have to resort to such violence.”

“Ugh!” I cried, trying to cover her mouth.

“No. More. James!” I yelled.

“All right, all right, I’ll stop!” she said, giggling. “But right after you go to the movies with… JAMES!”

“Now you’ve done it!” I said, putting my weight on top of the pillow.

I dove after her as we wrestled around on the bed. Then we collapsed after my sides pinched I’d been laughing so hard.

In a few moments, our eyes locked, and I felt a bit uncomfortable and comfortable all at the same time.

“Thanks for letting me stay with you, Lexie. I’d never said that. You’ve…you’ve really helped me get through one of the lowest times of my life.”

I wanted to ask her what happened to make her feel badly, but I didn’t want to pry. I figured she’d tell me when she wanted to. It made sense why she’d answered my ad and allowed herself to share a room with a stranger. She needed a break, I guessed, from stress. Probably a bad break up. Who knew? But I was glad things happened the way they did.

I reached for her hand and squeezed. “Of course. I’m always here for you, Jenny, if you need a friend.”

“How about a sister-in-law?”

I laughed. “You never give up!”

She kissed my forehead, smiling gently. “Goodnight, sweetpeeps.” Then she closed her eyes to go to sleep.

I shut out the lights and followed, not minding sharing my bed. It was like I’d gained a sister, something I’d never had before.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next chapter Monday, July 2nd

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Lexie

I could not believe Jenny Sanderson was my actual roommate! I seriously must have bathed in four leaf clovers as a child.

The following morning, I watched as she surveyed all my glorious Charlie Tsui posters, wondering how she was going to make my dreams come true. Would we meet under a starry sky, eyes connecting, hearts flying? For sure it was going to be love at first sight. Well, on my end anyway, that’d already happened.

“Well, there’s a few things I can do with this, Lexie, darling,” Jenny said, chewing on her pinky. She was beyond adorable! It was like living with a life sized Barbie doll.

“You want to stick candles underneath them and make a shrine?” I asked. I was totally half kidding, thought I’d get a laugh, but she still chewed on her finger, thinking.

I actually thought they looked good on that wall. It’d be bare otherwise. Charlie was the cutest guy I’d ever laid eyes on. My heart hammered in my chest just staring at his picture. And in person, he was even dreamier. Why did she have to mess with perfection? But I’d do anything if it made Jenny happy, including changing up a few things in our room.

I sat down at the computer as I had a few emails to answer.

“Just leave it to me, sweetheart. I’ll make this room sing. Would you care if I changed out the bed and added another one? My favorite color is purple and I think that would be just the color to make it fresh.”

“Do what you wish, Jenny. I trust you!” And I did. Her taste in clothing, jewelry, makeup was all to-die-for stunning. What could go wrong?

We sat on the bed, chatting for a while. Jenny had two brothers–her twin and an older brother, Gentry, who lived with their father in San Myshuno after their parents’ divorced. Jenny and James lived in Italy with their mother until they were twelve–James always played instruments, Jenny liked fashion. Their lives changed when James tried out for Italy’s version of the Voice and won. He was instantly chosen by a US producer to be the frontman of The Heartthrobs and Jenny came along hoping to find her way in the fashion industry. When that didn’t happen, she took to vlogging and the rest was history on her side.

“You’d be perfect for James, honey. He likes sweet, funny girls. In fact, he’d like any girl. He never dates. Let me set you two up. M’kay?”

“But Jenny, like I’ve told you….Charlie is my man. Can’t you set me up with him?” I didn’t want to tell her I thought her brother was an insufferable snob–so unlike the down to earth nature of his sister. I adored her already!

Her face fell as she sighed. “Charlie? I-I think he has a girlfriend…I’m almost sure of it.”

This gutted me. “Really? The tabloids don’t mention one.”

Darting her eyes around, she said, “H-He’s really good at hiding her…Well, I need to get ready for bed. Lack of sleep is horrendous on my eye bags.”

“Pshaw,” I scoffed. “You? Eye bags?” I jumped up, flicking through my closet. “But I have them, so you’re right. Let’s get dressed for bed.”

I whisked off my shirt and bra when I heard a gasp behind me.

“What ARE you doing, darling? Wait until I hit the bathroom at least before you undress.”

I sucked in my breath, covering myself. “Are you…gay?” I cried. I couldn’t believe I just undressed in front of a lesbian. How rude of me!

“NO..no…I’m not gay, honey, not at all.”

“Whew,” I said, letting out a breath. “Well, that makes things easier.” I dropped my arms and scratched an annoying itch on my back. “Then why are you blushing?”

She blinked rapidly and said, “Um, I-I was raised Catholic. Very strict. I’m just not used to…seeing…those…huge…”

She turned around and slipped away into the bathroom.

Strange. I guessed different people had different boundaries. I could live with that.

James

I had to get control of myself or I’d be outed in no time. Thank fuck for roomy dresses. My dick was harder than a flag pole on a cold day.

But who the hell could blame me? She was a vision. Like a goddess who hid behind huge shirts, bad hair and glasses.

I didn’t know what possessed me to set something like this up. It was a stupid idea that was going south by the minute.

I’d always been told all my life that my pretty face was wasted on a guy, so when my fame got crazy, I decided to go out in public as a girl. It wasn’t hard. I bought a wig, watched a few makeup tutorials, found a dress and voila. Jenny Sanderson was born.

It worked.

No one noticed me. I could run around, shop, eat at restaurants without getting mobbed. But then I started liking it. The clothes. The makeup. All the fun of changing the way I looked. Guy’s styles were for shit. But women’s…the creativity was astounding.

I was hooked.

Fast forward a year, I decided to start vlogging. Had no clue I’d be good a making videos. It was fun, too, and a welcome break from my Heartthrob stuff. But when I started getting depressed, I had to get out and take a break or I was going to crack. That’s when I found Alistair Scott’s book, RE-IMAGING. He said to let go of yourself and become someone else. Just for a little while. To de-stress. It sounded exactly like what I needed.

He cross-dressed, too, and told about how he’d found an apartment complex that liked to rent to women when he went to college. Being around girls helped him forget about his problems and really focus on other people. So, when I saw Lexie’s ad on Sim’s List, I felt as if a way had opened for me to do something similar.

To re-imagine my life for just a month. Sort of like a re-boot.

I’d met Lexie earlier at the end of a show. I was very attracted to her. Had no intention of ever calling her even though her dumb friend gave both Charlie and me her number. But it was too coincidental that her ad popped up at just the right time for me.

I felt as if it was fate.

But now I was beginning to think I’d made a mistake. How could I live with a girl I was attracted to? It was going to take a lot of willpower on my part.

I figured I’d survive the four weeks and maybe get her to go out with me. The real me. Then she’d forgive me once I had to tell her the truth.

I hoped.

*****

Lexie

When I walked into my room, I shuddered. “Oh. My. God. What have you done?”

Jenny blew on her fingers she’d just painted. “What, sweetheart? Don’t you like the changes? We now have a huge closet. And I told you that you could wear any of my things. We’re like sisters! What’s mine is yours!”

James Sanderson literally girated acrossed my walls. If it wasn’t so bizarre I might have laughed. But the worst was my poor Charlie!

I soooo wasn’t happy.

I was envisioning Jenny’s barbie doll head flinging off like all the ones I used to play with as a kid. Grrr…

Jenny flew to my side and said, “You don’t like it, honey? The beds are too big? The closet too enormous? Tell me, dollface, and I’ll fix it!”

Pointing, I said through clenched teeth, “Why don’t we start with that monstrosity over there?”

“Huh?” she cried. “But that’s my very talented, very sweet, very nice, oh-what-a-catch twin brother! You can’t mean for me to take those down!”

“Try me.”

“But sweetheart, you said I could change anything I wanted in the room. Don’t you think I deserve a little leeway, seeing how I have to share a room and not have my own? And didn’t you promise me that you trusted my judgement on these matters?”

“Did you throw my things away?” I was ready to throw punches. CHARLIE!

“Look, I didn’t throw anything away. All of those…things…are in the basement, ready to be put back after I leave. Won’t you just deal with it for just a few weeks?”

She had a point. And what was the big deal about seeing that narcissistic James every morning? At least I had his sister with me. Maybe if she felt bad enough, she’d at least let me meet Charlie again. I’d promise not to bolt like a horse fleeing from a fire this time. But I had to act really angry so maybe she’d feel sorry for me.

Sighing in defeat, I said, “Oh…all right.”

“That’s my girl.”

I shook my head. “I don’t know why you’d want to look at your brother like that anyway…it’s kind of…weird.”

“But sweetheart, those posters aren’t for me. They’re for…” she shot gun fingers at me and crooned, “YOU!”

“Me?”

Draping her arm around me, she said, “You’re going to succumb to his devilishly handsome looks and ask me to set you up. I can feel it in my bosom.”

I laughed. “When hell freezes over.”

She kissed my cheek and sang, “I hear there’s an ice storm gathering over hell right now. You’ll see…”

Lexie

I couldn’t believe I was staring at JENNY SANDERSON!!!!

Was I just a lucky shit or what?

Jenny rubbed a finger over her cheek. “Oh dear, I fear I’m at the wrong place, darling. Does Lexie Day live here?”

Squee! Jenny Sanderson said my name! Cosmetic lessons, free samples she was bound to be given by her sponsors, and…ahhhhh!!! She was my ticket to meet THE Charlie Tsui! For reals. Not like some weirdo stalker chick.

Oh crap.

I was supposed to get rid of her. Well…that wasn’t happening.

I smiled, trying to squash anything that might turn me to into a blubbering idiot by just being in her glorious, swoon-worthy presence. “I-I’m Lexie Day. You must be looking to become our new roommate?”

“My God how you’ve changed, sweetheart. I’d never recognize you. Bad hair day?”

I cocked my head. “And you know me…how?”

Her eyes popped and she laughed. “Oh, well, um…shit. I mean, oh snap! Did I say change? I meant, I pictured you much differently from your ad. But no matter, I need a place to stay for four weeks. I’m prepared to pay for the three months you require. My name is Jenny Sanderson, by the way. Nice to meet you.” She barged in like she’d already lived here, sashaying to the living room, head held high.

OMG.

My roommates were going to freak that I didn’t send her away. They didn’t like strangers  and this barbie doll in the flesh would not be welcome without loads of gentle introductions.

I ran after her before they could swarm.

“So, hey, guys,” I said, plastering on a smile, “there’s a change in plans. Um…this is Jenny Sanderson, and she’s going to be our roommate after all!”

All at once, protests and mayhem chattered, swirling around me.

“We don’t have the room!”

“Who is that?”

“Are you kidding me?”

“Over my undead body.”

“I clearly will not give my authority.”

Waving my arms, I said, “Hold on, guys, look. I’m more than willing to make a sacrifice here. She’ll stay with me. It’s only for four weeks.”

“Good God, did I just stumble into an episode of Dr. Who or what?” Jenny said, hand on hip.

Copper, who was the shyest of all of us said to her girlfriend in a tiny voice, “Tell her she can’t stay, baby. She looks like my bully from 8th grade. I’m getting flashbacks. I can’t handle it!”

With an evil smile, Elara said, “Don’t worry, Copper dear, we have to vote. Elara Shadowalker will not give her approval for this…fraudulent bosomed strumpet.”

“You won’t, eh?” Domina turned to me. “Lexie, is this a friend of yours?”

“Well, sort of…” I said. God, was being a total WooTube fangirl a friend?

“Wait a minute…did that weird chick just call me a ho?” Jenny asked.

“Then you have my vote, Jenny.”

“You dare defy Elara Shadowalker’s ruling?”

“In a heartbeat, witch.”

“I’m all for another girl in the house,” Kate said, putting out a hand to shake Jenny’s.

Thank you, Kate! That’s another point for Lexie-gets-to-meet-her-favorite-man Home Team.

“I’m sorry, honey,” Reese said to Copper, “but if they all vote for the woman staying, there’s nothing I can do. It was our fault she answered the ad.”

“Yo, people?” Jenny said, “I can hear you, you know. I might look like a mean girl but I can assure you from the tip of my thousand dollar Simmy Choos to the top of my blown out hair, I don’t have a mean girl bone in my body.”

This was getting ugly fast. “Let’s discuss this in the Hall of Wonders, okay?”

The Hall of Wonders was the name of our basement where all our meetings took place as well as when we played games as a group. At the moment we were split down the middle–three for Jenny staying and three against. I had to use a loophole.

Elara sat down next to me. As much as I hated to flash my Brooke card, I was desperate. “Um, Elara? Technically, you don’t get a vote here. Can you fetch Brooke for us?”

Arching an evil eyebrow, Elara responded, “My presence has been requested by my followers to attend a banquet in my honor. Tonight.”

“But this is an emergency, Elara,” Kate said. “We can’t keep the poor lady waiting.”

Elara shot daggers at me. “Very well. But you’ll pay dearly for this vexation.”

She rose out of her chair like a jewel encrusted queen and strutted to her room. I wondered what that threat might cost me. Well, whatever she had up her devilish sleeve, it would be worth it if Brooke voted my way.

“Reese, can they do that?” Copper whispered. “Brooke is bound to side with Lexi.”

Reese turned to me and glared. “I call foul play, Lex. We use whatever form shows in this house. Elara by all rights is a part of the sisterhood.”

“Nope. That’s not right,” Kate countered. “Remember the fiasco night of BS? Elara came home early and refused to get Brooke. We needed her arrows? You even said Brooke was our true sister and she had to come forward.”

“Oh yeah,” Reese said, sighing.

I owed Kate a signed instrument of her choice after this. She was a music savant and could play anything by ear. If Charlie and I started dating, he’d probably be able to get her something if I batted my eyelashes! Okay fine…I was getting ahead of myself. Maybe Jenny and I could become bff’s and SHE could drum up some free lipstick or nail polish!

In a few minutes, Brooke bounded in. “Hey guys, what’s up? Elara mentioned you had a disagreement?”

Dom rolled her eyes. She’d gone round and round with Brooke about acting like she had no clue what Elara knew, but hey! She took her roleplaying VERY seriously. I had to respect that.

Kate filled her in then Brooke sat down and said, “So…Lex wants this woman to room with her?”

“I’m taking the fall here, Brooke, but yeah, I just couldn’t turn her away,” I said, trying to milk my sacrifice for this poor, innocent-nondescript-famous-wootuber-person!

Copper spoke in her tiny timid voice, “B-But before you decide, Brooke, remember I have a deathly allergy to perfumes and all sorts of non-hypoallergenic cosmetics. That woman is a walking drug store. I say she’s a detriment to my health..among other things.”

With a graceful smile, Brooke answered, “We’ll just ask her to refrain from using perfume, and we’ll approve her cosmetics. Would that make you happy, Copper? We certainly wouldn’t want to send the poor thing away. And from what I’m hearing, she must be in need of womanly company as she obviously could afford any apartment in the city. She was wearing Simmy Choos!”

Omg…why didn’t I think of that angle? Brooke was a genius when it came to arguments. Unlike her alter ego, she could talk anyone into anything.

“Yes, that’s true,” I added. “She did look lonely. Sort of like a lost puppy.” I hoped that did the trick. Copper was a sucker for anything that needed help–barbie dolls included.

“Hmm…I never thought about it like that,” Reese said, with a wistful stare. “It’d be like we were taking in a stray cat.”

Copper sighed, looking defeated. She always deferred to her girlfriend’s wishes. “Well…I guess it’d be okay then.”

Yes! I took no chances. “It’s time for a vote. All in favor of allowing Jenny Sanderson to be our roommate for four weeks, do the Super Serafina Hero Call.”

“One…two…three…WOOP-YA-YA!”

Running up the stairs, I told Jenny the good news. “You’re in…so, let me show you to your room and see how you like it!”

Arching an eyebrow, Jenny asked, “I heard you say something about…sharing?”

My heart pricked. I hoped she didn’t mind rooming with me. “Um, yeah, you see…we did have a vacancy, but that fell through and now we don’t and since you seemed desperate and all, I just…er…um…” God! What was I going to tell her? That I was such a fangirl that I NEEDED her royal presence with me for the next month?

“Don’t worry, honey, it’s okay. As long as you don’t snore, fart, or drop your clothes on the floor, we’re good.”

I blinked. Wow. This was going down easier than I’d expected.

I brought her through my door, heart banging in my chest. I was picturing us having sleepovers every night–you know…painting each other’s nails (with her stuff cuz I didn’t own any nail polish), talking about men (hers because I didn’t date any) and eating TONS of ice cream. It’d be like high school in Brindleton Bay all over again.

“Oh. My. LORD!” Jenny yelled.

“You’re a…Chucker,” she said, mouth hanging open.

I stared into Charlie’s beautiful dark eyes, dreaming about how Jenny was going to set us up on a blind date. Omg…this was going to be so much fun. I wondered what our babies would look like at that very moment!

And then the name “Chucker” sunk into my romance-blurred brain. “Chucker” was soooo not a very nice name to call fangirls of Charlie Tsui. It was in reference to “upchuck” and his name.

“What the hell do you mean by ‘Chucker’?” I asked. I was ready to forgive her but she’d better grovel by calling me that.

“Sorry, sweetheart, but I just…can’t…um….room…with a Chuck…I mean…one of Charlie’s fangirls.”

My bottom lip quivered as my throat thickened. “Why not?”

“Well…er…you can understand that my alliance is with my twin…right? And if you’re into…um…someone like HIM, you just…” She shook her head. “Let’s just say good-bye right now. No hard feelings, okay, dear? I’ll send you a few signed posters from him, though. You’d like that, right?”

Did I say I wanted her to grovel? Hell no. I dropped to my knees and did the best pathetic begging I could muster. “Oh, please don’t leave. I’ll do anything. You can call me Chucker all you like. I’ll even fetch your dry cleaning, run your errands, pick up coffee from your favorite coffeehouse. Please say you’ll stay!”

“Oh…I don’t know, honey. I have rules. Chuckers are definitely a different sort of fandom..very rare and…s-strange…and I just…”

I put my hands together. “You can have my bed! I’ll sleep on the floor. You can have first dibs on the shower!”

“I…just…can’t…” she said, covering her eyes.

Then she turned, walking away. “Now where’s the door, dear? I’ve got to leave.”

“No, please, Jenny. Say you’ll stay. Just for one week and see how you like it.”

I had no clue what came over me. It was like some demon from the dregs of hell possessed me, forcing me to do the most embarrassing things. I grabbed her leg and held her from finding the door. “I’ll give you the whole closet. And I promise not to complain if you leave toothpaste blobs in the sink.”

“Oh, come on now, girlfriend. Give it up. Let my leg go.”

But I wasn’t going to let go. If nothing else, Alexis Bianca Day might have been the worst Chucker fangirl on the face of the earth, but when Lady Luck shone her light on me by bringing Jenny Sanderson to my door, by God, I was not about to allow that luck to fly away in Simmy freakin’ Choos.

Thankfully, it worked.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I wanted to give a shout out to the FABULOUS RABOOSKI for designing the Secret Serafina Sorority House. It’s an amazing feat of architecture and she even designed every bedroom with perfection! If you have a geek that needs a lot of space, this home is for you: Geek Sorority House

Next chapter Monday, June 25th

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Lexie

Weeks passed and my uncle told me he needed to discuss something with me. I didn’t like the sound of that.

“So, Bernadette and I are pregnant,” Uncle Darius announced like he’d taken the pregnancy test himself.

“I didn’t know guys could get preggers. Congrats, Uncle,” I joked, trying to laugh off the feeling like I’d just jumped out of our 18 story window. What the hell? Not more babies!

Bernadette said, “Not be mean, sweetie, but we both feel it’s time you found a place of your own. We know how much you don’t like children. But you have time. I’m not due for seven months.”

Shooting an acusatory look at my uncle, I said, “I thought you two weren’t going to have kids.”

“It was a happy accident!” Bernadette cried.

“Yeah, we weren’t going to but things have changed. I’m pretty stoked about it actually,” Uncle Darius said with goofy parental stars in his eyes.

Well, I knew living with them wouldn’t last forever. I’d been putting it off for too long. Time to grow up and get a place of my own. But where?

That afternoon, I babysat my little brother. No way in hell was I going to live with my dad. And with Mom pregnant, too, I was stuck.

That’s when Brooke had an amazing idea. The sisterhood needed a place to stay–Brooke was barely hanging on by a thread with the threat from her Bridgeport family, Domina was living with her grandmother (who was constantly on her about getting a boyfriend and settling down), Kate was living with her ex boyfriend and his girlfriend (very awkward, yeah, but when rent’s so high in the city, you deal), and Copper and Reese wanted to move in together.

So, Brooke said why don’t we all find a place together. There was this old haunted mansion at the edge of the city right beside an underpass. It was loud as hell due to the traffic above, but the rent was doable with all six of us chipping in. It had five bedrooms and a dark basement that we turned into our secret gaming/meeting room.

So fast forward a few weeks and we were all settled in like six plump ticks embedded in an armpit.

Domina sat next to me with a smirk on her face. Uh oh. Something was up.

All six of us got a long so well, I couldn’t believe our luck. There was just one little yuck in  the middle of our cozy yum. That was my bff’s LARPing character, Elara Shadowalker. Normally, a game character would be no big deal, but Brooke loved not only to get into “character”, she was literally the embodiment of that character whenever she’d don the witch dress and elven boots.

And, um, Domina and Elara hated each other.

I braced myself. “Brooke is sweetly playing on her computer. No Elara in sight!”

“Okay…but you do realize we have rent due this month. Has anyone answered your ad for a roommate?”

Reese and Copper were leaving town for a semester while Copper went to a culinary school overseas. They couldn’t afford to double pay so I offered to find a replacement roomie while they were gone.

Me and my big mouth.

“What happened to that old lady I interviewed yesterday?” I asked.

She lifted the side of her mouth. “She has a 31 year old grandson who lives with her.”

“You mean Zack wasn’t her dog? She told me she’d pay a pet deposit for him.”

“Clever old bird, I’ll give her that. She was trying to skirt our ‘no men’ policy so she could sign a contract and hope we wouldn’t balk. I told her it was a nice try when I gave her the big kick in the ass out the door.”

I shook my head. The next time I got a bright idea, I was going to scotch tape my mouth shut.

*****

The following evening after work, Domina came bouncing in. “Good news, everyone! Ship Creese will make the payment after all. Copper’s class was rescheduled to spring. We can officially stop searching for a replacement roommate!”

She stopped short when she noticed Reese and Copper sitting with us. “Oh, I guess you know already.”

Copper nodded. “Yeah, but there’s a problem, Domina. Someone answered the ad and is coming over.”

“What? That sucks…um…Lex?” Domina winced. “You’re going to have to let her down. Sorry.”

My stomach leaped. The one thing I hated worse than meeting strangers was dealing with confrontation. After what’d happened to me in high school with Emery Straud, I avoided it at all costs. “Why me?”

“Your idea, sweets,” Dom said, winking playfully.

Kate added, “I’ll have to agree with Dom on this one.”

That’s what I got by rooming with a bunch of introverts.

Just then Brooke’s LARPing character, Elara, entered the room. Everyone froze. When the evil dominatrix showed up, we all turned into these sniveling minions, lapping at her feet at whatever ridiculous thought would come out of her mouth.

It was pathetic.

But I loved Brooke, so I put up with it.

“How may I be of assistance?” Elara asked.

“Oh, good God, she’s going to help again,” Domina said, rolling her eyes. “Yeah, like that turned out so well last time. Our neighbors now greet us with their middle finger.”

“As I plainly stated when that unfortunate melee happened, it was not my fault. They put their garbage can on OUR side of the street. What was I supposed to do? Simply ignore that fact?”

“Yeah, well, throwing their garbage in their yard wasn’t exactly my first choice…”

Before they started ripping each other’s hair out, I interjected, “Listen, I’ll deal with the lady, okay? No need to fight.”

My phone gave a welcome chime notifying me that my favorite WooTuber had just posted. A welcome distraction from roommate problems.

After I’d followed the Heartthrobs, I noticed James Sanderson (the lead singer) had a twin sister, Jenny, who liked to vlog about fashion and cosmetics. She was so hysterical, I was hooked from the first video.

But before I could put my ear buds in to stream, Elara asked, “Aren’t you going to answer the door, Alexis?”

Damn. Have to see you later, Jenny, dear, I thought to myself, blowing a kiss at my phone.

Steeling myself to let this poor lady down, I opened the door.

Then I choked on my heart.

“Hello. I called about your room for rent earlier?”

OMG!

Jenny FREAKING Sanderson!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next chapter Wednesday, June 13th

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James

Damn. Not another breach in security. I was going to have Anderson’s head on a platter. Why the fuck couldn’t some asshole we’re paying way too much money ward off a few  teenagers? Was our privacy too much to ask? I couldn’t count the number of times we’d been mobbed, my clothes ripped off my body. One time, a crazy teen pulled my sunglasses, scraping my ears because she wanted to see my “gorgeous blue eyes”.

Charlie, don’t talk to them, I wanted to shout. It’d just encourage them to jump us.

Then I noticed these weren’t teens.

And one in particular caught my eye.

If every Throbber looked like that, I wouldn’t mind a few groupies hanging out.

In my bed.

But before I could gawk a little on my own, the beautiful fish swam away.

“Whoa. Who was that?” I asked. “She’s not the typical Throbber.”

“I have no idea,” Charlie answered, “but I’d love to find out.”

“Hey, boys,” her friend said, twirling her fingers. “Would you like her phone number?”

*****

Lexie

I made Gabby promise never to ask me to go to another Heartthrob concert again. Sure I was Charlie Tsui’s number one fan, but meeting him was like standing next to a god. You don’t mind looking from afar, but being right next to him? I thought I’d get torched on the spot.

Thankfully, today I was meeting up with my best friend, Brooke Marx. We’d been friends since my junior year in college when we met at Geek Con. We both bumped into each other at a LARPing (Live Action Role Playing) booth. I was kind of interested in it, but Brooke was practically made for the game. She was now in a huge gaming league and was trying to develop her own LARPing system. Unfortunately, she hadn’t found a real job in a few years, so her rich parents were threatening that she was going to have to move back to Brideport and live with them in their huge mansion full of old relatives and goofy cousins (her words, not mine! I’ve met a few of them and I think they’re cool!)

Geeks R Us glowed like a pink beacon on the water.

Ahh…it was like my second home.

I’d been waiting on this night for two months! It was the Super Serafina cosplay contest. I’d sewed my costume, bought a pricey wig, and commissioned one of my fellow co-workers who honest to God was like a modern day blacksmith to make her daggers.

I was sure to win.

The prize was just a few signed copies of Super Serefina’s newest comic book as well as a super sized poster–not much–but this kind of thing was fun since you got to meet a bunch of other nerds who loved Serafina.

Did I say nerds? More like geek city. But who was I to judge? I was a card carrying member.

One dude dressed like Serafina’s nemesis/love interest, The Slash. He was kind of cute (even though he was a bit big to be Slash).

And then we waited around, not kidding, for an hour on the judges.

They never showed.

“So, like, is someone going to do Serafina’s Slash and Trash move?” one of the guys in the crowd asked.

“Yeah,” his friend added. “We’ve been standing here, waiting. What are you? Serafina wannabes?”

“Shut up, dork,” a girl next to me retorted. “You’re lucky you’re getting a good look at our goods. It’s not every day I stand here letting assholes like you rubberneck. Where’s the manager?”

“Now, we must be patient,” Brooke said in her always sunny voice. “The judges are just a little late.” That’s what I loved most about Brooke–no matter the situation, she found the good side in it.

“Late, my ass,” the girl next to me said. “More like they had something better to do with their lives unlike us.”

Brooke giggled. “You’re funny.”

“Yeah…the joke’s on us.”

I liked that girl’s sass. As soon as we were finished, I decided to introduce myself.

“You thinking what I’m thinking?” the dude in glasses said.

“Yeah. Totally. These girls are lame anyway.”

“Oh my God…what the hell am I doing with my life to have to be insulted by asswipes while I shiver in the air conditioning in nothing but a body glove? I knew I should have listened to my grandmother and finished my pHD.”

The jerks walked out as a woman sauntered over to us. “I’m very sorry, but we’re going to cancel the contest tonight. One of the judges has a conflict in his schedule. But here’s a couple of 10% off coupons you can use on any merchandise in our shop.”

“You see?” the girl said, waving her authentic Serafina Staff. “They just crap all over us then give us a measly ten percent coupon when I could find a better one online. This sucks balls.”

“I’ve got an idea,” Brooke said, “Let’s see if they have any freebies upstairs. They’re bound to have at least knock off comic book merch for us to scour.”

“Yeah!” said another Serafina cosplayer with the hot pink hair.

I ambled over to a gaming system and found the newest DLC to Black Scourge, my favorite MMORPG. “Ladies, do any of you like BS?”

Everyone’s eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas Day. One girl answered, “I’m a 100 Level Dark Elf who can speak the rare High Language. You?”

Without pause, I said, “I’m a Level 120 Grunt Orc who can kick anyone’s pansy ass in five seconds. Heavy armor, two handed swordskill. All around tank.”

“My girlfriend is a fairy healer.” What I guessed was her girlfriend waved at me. She even looked sort of like a fairy.

Brooke geeked out and added, “I can back you up with my bow, if you’ll allow me to join!”

The funny chick also wanted to play which left the magenta haired girl who said she had a few characters to choose from.

And just like that, we formed the Super Serafina Sisterhood Guild.

We made the clerk take our picture:

Brooke and I stood on some chairs at the top (which we photoshopped out). The sassy girl’s name was Domina Langosta. On the left was magenta hair–Kate Meadows. And the other two were girlfriends, Copper Collins and Reese Greer.

We kicked some dragon zombie ass that night. It was awesome.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next chapter Monday, June 11th

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Lexie

I was in total shock by the end of the concert.

Me.

Alexis Bianca Day was a full fledged Throbber. Could my life not be a total cliche? I thought I’d tried really hard never to fall into any normalized pitfalls like this. At 22, I still liked anime. I loved to dress in cosplay and go to anime and comic cons. I was a guild leader in my favorite MMORPG, Black Scourge, and I could kick anyone’s ass as a sexy Orc named Candy Kiss. I didn’t date just because I didn’t feel the need. I was who I was and wouldn’t be defined by a dude. Independent woman came to mind. That’s what I wanted to be. I volunteered at our local animal shelter at least three times a week and took hot yoga classes to stay in shape.

But I sank tonight. Lower than I thought was possible.

And to make matters worse, instead of looking at the Asian hottie in glasses, the lead singer caught my eye. His dreamy electric blue eyes seemed to blaze like a neon romantic sign. But I knew exactly what he was all about so no way would I ever stoop so low as to become one of his million and one fangirls. James Sanderson was in the news practically every month, throwing some diva fit. Last piece of fodder for the gossip sites, he’d punched out a paparazzi, went to jail for it, and then told the judge, “Do you KNOW who I am?” He got off with just a fine. Seemed the judge did know who he was.

Huge eyeroll.

After all the screaming fans left, we stuck around because apparently, Gabby’s cousin got us back stage passes.

Or so I thought.

“What do you mean we just hide out here until they come out?” I asked Gabby incredulously.

“Yeah, so that’s what my cousin said was crazy about this stage. The Heartthrobs take their time getting dressed and will come out in the back. Security is very lax here. She knows because she used to be a roadie. It’s perfect!”

My eyes glazed over like hardened glue. “So, you want us to hide out and pounce like some crazed teeny bopper fangirl vultures? Um…no.”

“Come on, Lexie. Why do you have to worry so much? This will work. My cousin assured me.”

“I don’t know, Gabs, maybe because I don’t really like the idea of sitting  in jail for trespassing and invading the privacy of some famous boy band. These guys are sure to have body guards.”

She whipped her hands back and forth and whispered, “Hush! Someone’s coming!”

Tiptoeing toward the bushes, she raised her head up to get a peek.

God, my heart felt like it was running the hundred yard dash, trying to leap out of my chest. For some crappy reason, I didn’t leave my friends. I actually WANTED to see these guys. This was so dumb. But I couldn’t force my legs to move. I was like some weird fangirl sculpture stuck in the grass.

“The door is opening!” Gabby whisper squealed.

“Did you hear something?” one of the guards said to his partner.

I squeaked, covering my mouth and collasped on the ground. We were dead.

And then the next thing I knew, I was in front of them–all five singers. I winced, dying of embarrassment.

“Hey, ladies. What’s up?” my adoration said. Gabby told me his name was Charlie Tsui, the shyest member of the band. He didn’t look too shy to me.

I turned to stone on the spot.

*****

Charlie Tsui

I was never surprised when girls found a way to break through security. It happened at almost every venue. At first, I hated all the attention. But after a while, it became something I expected. Most of the girls were of a type–very young, usually 13 and under. So, I was eloquently blown away when a vision of the sexy kind blocked our way.

She was shocked even though I was not.

“Hey, my dudes. Do we have company?” Nathan asked, walking behind us. “Well, hello, there!” I could tell by his voice, he didn’t mind the intrusion either.

Maddox and Kaluha were in their own bro bubble, so they didn’t even notice. James was covering his face and dodging like he always did. He never liked fans. I wondered why he was the most popular out of all of us. He treated them like garbage and they didn’t seem to mind.

“Did you ladies enjoy the concert?” I asked. Since they somehow managed to slip through security, I thought I’d chat them up. I didn’t want them to get into trouble.

But the gorgeous one’s eyes looked like they were going to pop right out. “No,” I said, “it’s okay…just…” Before I could complete my sentence, she squeaked and darted away.

“…wait?”

*****

Lexie

Oh.

My.

GOD!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next chapter Wednesday, June 6th

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August & Beau, Briar: 39, Lexie: 22, Brayden Blackwell-Day: 3, Darius: 32, Seth: 65 Siobhan: 63 (and yes, Winter and Pax are dead now. Ghosts in my game. ;D )

Lexie

I’d been working on this animation project for weeks. I’d even brought some of it home with me. As my Uncle Darius always complained, I was basically married to work. I’d been living with him and his wife, Bernadette,  ever since I started college four years ago because:

1. Two dads who were always hot for each other made me very uncomfortable. It was bad enough I had to suffer through their honeymoon phase, shuffling between my mom’s and their penthouse. But once they got a kid? I was out of there.
2. Mom was just as bad since she got married to Jack. He moved here a few years ago since he was a lawyer and could basically live anywhere. He popped the question and now, yeah. Make out city. I was so done with all the smoochy stuff floating around me. And for some reason, I wasn’t interested in dating. Not after Cory. I mean, who could measure up to him? No one. Plus, I didn’t have time. With all my art classes, computer projects, plus a side job working at a comic book store, I was not about to shoehorn in a boyfriend. And then I landed my dream job at Chicken Tooth Animation Studio and the rest is history.

Yeah, I was pretty much living like a nun. A 3-D animator nun.

I’d been meaning to move out, but hey, the rent was free and I was too cheap and lazy to get my butt out the door to look for a place. (And I hated thinking about what kind of cockroach infested apartment I could afford in this city.)

Thinking back to my little brother, I’d never forget how ecstatic my uncle and Dad were when my dad’s cousin, Lacey Day (my Great Uncle Eli’s daughter), surprised them with the opportunity to be their surrogate. I thought they were going to rip off each others’ clothing right there. OMG!

I’d never seen such a beautiful woman. Talk about good genes. It seemed she’d just split with her cheating husband of nine years and needed some money. My grandmother put the idea into her mind and she said yes! Cousin Lacey had a nine year old son, Camden, which was an easy birth. (God, I had cousins out the ears on my dad’s side.)

Long story short, a procedure, nine months, and many fretful nights from Uncle Beau’s worrying, out popped a son, Brayden (who was now three years old). He was such a cutie pie. I didn’t mind babysitting for them.

Even though my brother could be a little monster from time to time.

Both Uncle Beau and Dad loved him so much. And sometimes, I felt a bit jealous since I totally missed out on those growing up years with Dad.

But those awful feelings didn’t last very long because I was mostly happy for the kid.

Brayden wasn’t going to be my only sibling, though. Just the other day, I was visiting Mom when I walked in on the two love birds. (I had a knack of doing that for some reason!)

Mom waved her hands like a banshee and gushed, “Guess who’s going to have a baby?” They’d been trying since they tied the knot. Mom was really old for a mother now.

I arched an eyebrow and said, “Of course, Mom. You’ve had that pooch for about a month.” I was thrilled for her, though, even though she was going to be a granny when the kid was my age.

She laughed at my joke then Jack went in for another kiss.

Omg, people. There’s bedrooms for that kind of stuff. It didn’t matter how old I get, I seriously don’t like watching my parents get it on.

Zoning into the present, I slapped my hands on my computer desk. Grr!

Trying to get this computer to obey me was like pulling teeth. I sighed. Then my phone buzzed. Saved from death by annoyance.

“Hello?”

“Lex!” my Brindleton bff, Gabby Cook’s voice rang in my ear. “We’re here! Let us up.”

Damn. I totally forgot Gabby and Mariana Sala were coming into town. The reason I forgot? They practically forced me into saying yes to going to a Heartthrob concert. They both would fly out every time the boy band would come to San Myshuno.

Do NOT get me wrong. I’m no Throbber–what’s a Throbber? You know, those weird, maniacle teenyboppers who cry and worship at the feet of five twenty-something, over fluffed guys. They were all chosen based on looks, not talent, so yeah. Not a fan.

I clicked the button and said, “You’re buzzed.”

In a few minutes, Gabby burst into my room. “Oh my LORD, Lex. What the hell are you wearing? You CANNOT be seen looking like that. It isn’t done, my dude. Isn’t done.”

“What? This is my sexiest outfit.”

“Heheheheh…um, Lexie…that is soooo not sexy. Let us into your sanctuary, babe.”

“No.”

“Aw, c’mon. I know you’ve got good stuff in there.”

“Yeah, Lex,” Mariana chimed in. “This is your first outing and we might get to meet them!”

Snapping, Gabby said, “Straight up! My cousin is going to get us an in with them. We totally could meet THE HEARTTHROBS! Okay…let me at it. Now, girl, before I have to get my ugly on.”

Rolling my eyes and sighing, I relented. “Fine. But I approve before you touch.”

My sanctuary was my huge closet full of thousands of dollars worth of cosplay costumes. Dresses, boots, stilettos, wigs, you name it, I owned it. But some of that stuff was so trampy, I’d never wear it out (well, except at an anime con.)

After several wardrobe changes, we finally agreed on this ensemble. “Lexie, I do NOT know why you won’t wear contacts. Those glasses hide that barbie doll face of yours, hon.”

“I like her in glasses,” Mariana defended.

“Thanks, Mariana,” I said. “Gabs, I feel like I’m walking around naked without them. Just be thankful I’m allowing this. I’m only using these cosplay contacts just this once. They’re kind of scratchy. I hate it.”

“Well, you look like an A Plus Throbber,” Gabby sang.

“Great,” I said, trying hard not to gag.

“Just think. We’re going to meet some famous guys. Maybe we’ll get them to autograph our boobs.” Gabby waggled her eyebrows. “Wouldn’t that be fun?”

“Yeah,” Mariana cheered with a strange look in her eye.

Throbbers. They were the weirdest fandom ever.

“If one of them even tries to look at my boobs,” I hissed, “I’ll deck ’em.”

*****

Wading in a sea of overmade, oversexed teenagers, we milled toward the front. Gabby showed off the front row tickets nearly sticking her tongue out at some of these maniacs as they threw scary darts from their jealous eyes.

I stared at how narcissistic these guys were. I mean, we could see them on the stage, right? Why did they have a huge, 100 foot banner of them right behind? It just didn’t make sense visually to me. And then giant, pink stuffed animal teddy bears loomed over us as decorations. Creepy.

Omg…I couldn’t believe my friends who had grown ass jobs actually were throwing themselves, screaming to tunes like Baby, Baby, Oh Baby, Baby, Baby Love.

Brilliant writing. Right?

Now their dancing wasn’t half bad. I had to admit it. In fact, I’d think I’d died and gone to heaven if I could pull off some of the girations these clowns did. No way was this awkward body ever going to be able to do that.

So, I ignored the cheesy props, cheesy lyrics, and well a whole boatload of cheesy screaming fans and just concentrated on enjoying their dancing.

Then I noticed one of the guys bebopping around in a cute, trendy hat and chic glasses.

My heart seemed to jolt right through my body.

It was like I knew him. Like something was telling me he had some sort of weird connection to me. I mean, I had no idea what this strange feeling was but it was a knowledge. I didn’t know, but it was there like a magnet pulling at my heart.

And then I couldn’t look at anyone else.

He was…

ADORABLE!!!!

And I found myself screaming right along with all the nutjobs around me.

Crap.

I’d never tell the guys at the office. They’d laugh me to death.

*****

James Sanderson (lead singer of The Heartthrobs)

Just one more hour of sweat, aching muscles, tight throat, squeezing lungs from dancing AND singing, and ear splitting screaming from a whole host of teenaged girls jumping and crying.

I fucking needed a break.

And I’d get one. Just had to gut through this performance. I was going on a six week sabbatical soon.

The lights of the city streamed down beyond the huge, raucous crowd. I did enjoy San Myshuno. The fast pace. The food. The shopping.

Normally, I liked hanging out with my bros, but lately, I’d been feeling stressed out. I was the main producer. The one everyone looked to for inspiration.

But after a six month tour, I was lights out. Nothing creative was coming from me. I’d been reading a self help book about “reimaging”, getting away from everything, and just giving yourself a break from normal life. It sounded radical, but something had to give or I was going to find myself checking out, quitting the band, and sinking into depression.

When I was first chosen to lead The Heartthrobs, I thought all my dreams had come true. Money. Fame. Girls. Yeah, mostly girls. But I found the opposite was true. It was like I’d been handcuffed to work with little time for anything more than sleep, writing and producing songs, constant rehearsals of dance numbers…the list went on.

Only two more songs…that’s what I kept telling myself. And then it was vacation time. A time to hide out and enjoy life incognito.

I couldn’t wait.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next chapter Monday, June 4th

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Lexie

“But I don’t want to leave,” I whined into Cory’s warm shirt like a petulant child. How could I say good-bye? It literally made me feel ill. I mean…this was not how we were supposed to break up. One of us was going to get tired of the other or we’d start fighting and throw cuss words at each other or…we’d live happily ever after, making tons of cute blonde and brunette babies. And if one of the rotten munchkins messed up at all, we’d say it was the others’ fault like a funny, cute old couple.

But no.

It was like someone was about to rip off one of my fingernails. Pure torture.

He tried to comfort me like always. “Listen, Lex, I’m sure we’ll go to the same college and that’s only two years from now. So, it’s not forever good bye.”

I sniffed. “But you’re going to find another girl who’s way prettier and smarter and who won’t fall over her big feet all the time.”

Stroking my cheek, he said, “There’s no one prettier or smarter than you. And I like catching you when you fall.” He blinked then said, “If we’re meant to be, Lexie, it’ll happen.”

“You sound like my uncle.”

“Well, it’s true.”

Tears pooled in my eyes. “And if we’re not meant to be?”

Eyes glittering, he whispered, “Then I got the privilege of knowing the prettiest, smartest, funniest girl who I love more than myself.”

He gave me a salty kiss as our glasses clinked but I didn’t care.

And then both of us cried for a bit until my mom called for me.

“Bye,” I said as our hands parted. It was like a ribbon that attached us was snipped by some evil scissors.

I knew I’d never see him again.

 

*****

I wanted to be bitter. To blame Uncle Beau and my father for ripping me away from Cory, but as the weeks passed, and I saw how happy they were together, I couldn’t stay mad.

Fast forward to their tiny wedding, and I wholeheartedly was a fan.

The pure love I saw in my dad’s eyes made me extremely happy.

I hoped one day, I’d find someone who’d love me the same way.

My mother burst into tears when Uncle Beau said his vows.

It was such an awesome day that I couldn’t even crack one joke about it.

Now that’s saying something!

Congratulations, Mr. & Mr. Blackwell-Day.

My two dads.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next chapter Wednesday, May 30th

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