008

July 19, 2014 (off camera)

Being back in New York City was reminding Kasey Summers just how much she missed living here. Granted, her residence had only lasted a few months before she'd relocated to Chicago to be closer to Kyle Kilmeade but there was something to be said about how easy it was to blend in with the crowds here. Celebrity sightings in The Big Apple were a dime a dozen, especially on Fifth Avenue. Nobody really gave her a second look as she wandered through Prada and Saks, overwhelmed by both the high-priced items and the ease with which other people were just snapping them up like money grew on trees.

Today had been a shopping trip, not for Kasey but for Tori in her performance as Nessa Wall. But while Carson had Tori occupied in one of the boutiques, it gave Kasey a chance to get to know her brother, Jason, who had tagged along for the shopping trip. Having grown tired of looking at clothes he'd never wear since he wasn't a girl, he found a couple empty chairs not far from the entrance and took a seat, checking his text messages for a moment before he turned his attention to Kasey.

"I'm not much for shopping, especially for girls clothing. But I also didn't want to leave my sister alone in a city she's never been in really. I've only seen New York in pictures on the internet and a postcard I got once. This is all a lot to take in." He told her. As it turned out when Tori wasn't in arm's reach, her brother was a bit more talkative. It was difficult to hear him anyway whenever she was around.

Kasey nodded, "yeah, it's kinda loud. I bet Tori is having the time of her life here since it's right up her alley." As if she realized the faux pas, she blushed slightly, looking down at the single shopping bag on the floor between them. "I uh... that came out all sideways and stuff. I just meant that with all the rude cab drivers and stuff, she won't take any of their... uh... you know... guff."

"It's alright. She's pretty loud regardless of where she is. But you didn't hear me say that. I've just gotten used to it since we started the business.....of being you." He said sheepishly, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck as he watched a few of the women in the boutique walking around and sliding hangers along the racks. "Normally I wouldn't have gotten involved, but I didn't have a job at the time. And this paid alright after that Nessa chick set us up. I built your website. Ended up being Tori's chauffeur sort of...she had her license revoked for mooning a judge. And a whole lot of parking tickets."

"Mooning a judge?" Kasey giggled, putting a hand over her mouth to keep from bursting into laughter, "oh my God... I can picture that. She just doesn't have any filters, does she?"

Jason shook his head. "Not really. He didn't buy her story about taking her sick grandma to the hospital when she was pulled over for speeding. Mainly because there wasn't anyone else in the car when the cop stopped her. So...she tried to tell her she was in the trunk because she had a fear of open spaces. He wasn't sure that was the truth, took her last points, and she...showed him her butt for it. Also got fined for contempt of court too. I've had to drive her everywhere ever since." He shook his head just thinking about it. "But it's cool, I've met some interesting people. Some shady promoters, some weird fans who wanted to buy your panties and bikinis, Mr. Black, and now....well you."

"The best part about this business is the people you meet," Kasey said quickly, trying really hard not to read too much into that little bitty pause before he mentioned meeting her. "I mean, sometimes you meet really crazy people who worship feet and then there are ones who think they're great and tap out to Cookie Monster-- it's an adventure. The fans, though. They're amazing, you know? They don't care if it's raining or snowing or nine million in the shade. They're out there, waiting hours before the show starts just to try and get a glimpse of you. That makes me feel really special..." she trailed off, realizing she was dangerously close to rambling incoherently in her nervousness. The crush she had on him was pretty unmistakable now, but she kept telling herself that it was nothing more than infatuation because he was so different from Richard. Different and so much better looking. "God, I'm sorry. Sometimes I just open my mouth and words come tumbling out."

"Oh, that reminds me!" He said, snapping his fingers as he reached for his phone. He opened up one of the applications and read a word off the screen with the definition. "I have this app on my phone that teaches me a new word every day, so I can improve my vocabulary..or lexicon." He whispered the next bit. "I learned that word Friday." He cleared his throat and read today's word, quirking a brow at the definition. "I try to use the word I learn in conversation. This one might be a challenge..." He turned the screen back off and pushed it back into his pocket. "Weirdos are everywhere; I imagine it's far worse for girls than guys though. That must make it very......" He blinked for a moment. "Turgid."

She stared at him for a second, blinking because she recognized that word from all those awful steamy romance books with the shirtless cowboys and Vikings and pirates on the covers that she'd read as a teenager. She thought of ripped bodices and heaving bosoms and started to feel lightheaded in the process. "I..." her cheeks were redder than her hair as she looked away, fidgeting slightly, "I should... probably get an app like that since everyone thinks I'm an idiot." Looking back over at him, she sighed softly, "oh and you probably shouldn't use that one again because it's kinda... vaguely..." she trailed off, not sure how to put it without sounding like a complete pervert.

"There's a lot of them, I just found the one that had the most stars on the App Store. What's wrong with the word? Did I use it wrong?" He asked, fishing out his phone and checking the definition again. "Swollen, distended, tumid." That caused him to sit silent for a moment. "I just thought it meant hard." He showed her the screen as well. "Good thing I have this app then, huh? Guess I should have read the definition better."

"It's... uhm... I read that word before once." She nodded at the screen and then grew self-conscious when she looked up to see he was looking at her. Her eyes dropped down to her lap; she was completely mortified as her mouth kept right on going, making it worse with every syllable. "In a book. And it was..." she bit her lip, "one of those sexy books. And they used it for an adjective for man parts and..." she brought her hands up to cover her burning cheeks. "Oh God."

Jason was about to give her a nudge to try to deflate her embarrassment when the sound of his sister's voice echoed from one of the dressing rooms.

"THIS IS BULLSHIT!! I'M NOT DOING THIS!"

Tori's voice was hard to miss as Carson walked from the back with a grin on his face. He moved towards Kasey and Jason, curious as to why her face was so red. "Everything alright?"

Kasey looked up, that sunny smile back on her face as she nodded. "Yeah. We were just learning some new words and..." she glanced over at Jason, realizing they had a private joke now. That made her feel a little thrill of excitement that made her grin even bigger. "There was a funny one. That's all."

"Ahh." Carson replied. "Well I wanted you to see firsthand what these fine ladies here at the store and I have put together for Tori..."

"YOU DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THIS! I WANT MORE MONEY IF I HAVE TO DO THIS!"

Carson grinned again. "I'm sorry. I should say....meet the new and improved Nessa Wall. Complete with appropriate clothing for this occasion."

Tori emerged out of the dressing room, her hands holding up her dress on each side as she walked into view.

And she was wearing a wedding dress.