Blood Rivals (On Hold)

Chapter three

That's nick --------------->

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"Please make sure your seat belts are securely fastened and prepare for landing."  the pilots words were heard over the intercom.     Vivian held the white paper bag open, crinkling it nervously every few seconds.  Every time the plane lurched downward another couple hundred feet she felt like she was going to vomit.  An elderly man, probably about sixty or seventy years old, sat on her right, and there was a little girl, around the age of eight, on her left.  Vivi sat in the middle, sandwiched between a screaming terror of a child and a drooling, snoring, heavy old man. The girl screamed and kicked the entire flight, claiming that her mother was rich and she deserved to fly in first class. She had long blond hair in low pigtails, big blue eyes, freckles, and she wore a hot pink mini-dress. Every time she would kick and scream, she ended up kicking the guy in front of her who would turn around and yell, "Take better care of your children lady!" and Vivian would open her mouth to retort and then think better of it.     While this went on throughout the flight, she was being drooled on on her right shoulder, and was given the duty of slipping the glasses back on the old man every time they slid off his nose and into her lap.  Every once in a while he would pass gas, and she'd hurriedly grab the waxy paper bag and lean into it. The old man's head would slip off her shoulder, he'd wake up, stare at her with her head in the bag, and then eventually doze off again.  This was one of those times.        When she finally felt her stomach calm down she put the bag back in the seat pocket and eagerly looked out the window.  They were flying below the clouds now and she could see the brown, desert hills underneath her, and some lush green mountains up ahead.  Eventually she was able to make out tiny cars on little roads driving through the huge city of LA.  Slowly, the plane kissed the California ground and came to a smooth stop at the airport gate. Everyone stood up quickly and fumbled for their carryon luggage, pushing their way through, trying to get off the plane.  

As soon as Vivi stepped off she whipped out her phone and dialed Nick's number.      "Hey! How was the flight?"                        "Terrible! There was so much turbulence and I was stuck sitting next to some old, snoring, drooling man and a little bratty girl! For six hours!"       Nick laughed and Vivian glared at him through the phone.  She paused for a second, and Nick almost thought she had hung up on him except for the fact that he heard her heavy breathing into the phone.            "I think maybe I made the wrong decision coming here." she said at last. "Really? Why do you think that?  I mean, I understand that after what happened to-" he stopped himself from breathing her name, "after what happened, that it might be difficult to move on, but why do you think going there was the wrong choice?  Where else did you plan on going?""I don't know... It's just a feeling."  She shifted her weight to her other foot uncomfortably.  "Maybe I'm not ready to be in college.  I can't stand the thought of being in a new place with so many people I don't know.  And I'm not in any mood to make friends."     "Yeah, I understand what you're saying, but I think you should give it a chance! You're usually good at that kind of thing. Besides, who else would be willing to take me to Rodeo drive to see all the celebrities?"           A smile found its way onto Vivian's face and she shook her head lightly from side to side. "I still don't know what we're going to do with you." she laughed. "If you think a salary from Sephora is going to be enough for a trip here, you've got another thing coming."         "Oh well, it's the best I can do for now. If something better presents itself I'll take it if it means coming to visit you sooner. You know that. But, anyway Vivi, I have to go.  My lunch break is almost over and I still haven't eaten yet.  And there's some old lady by the counter who I think really needs a makeup artist."       "Do you even know anything about makeup?" Vivian asked incredulously.     "You'd be surprised!  Anyway, sorry I've gotta go!"    "Okay, bye!"         She hung up the phone and stuck it in her jacket pocket.  She knew LA was generally perfect weather but she didn't want to take any chances in case it got cold.  She walked to the baggage claim and waited for her suitcases.  But what if I did make the wrong decision?