Streets of Manhattan

[[Seth to [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]]]

[[Ashton and Lola from [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]]]

"So what's on the agenda for tonight?" Lola asked as they drove through Midtown.

"Well, I figured we'd start off simple with dinner, and then take it from there. I don't know if you've been to an open sushi bar before. It's really cool. This place serves the best squid too." He turned down a few side-streets, and onto 32nd Street, past a few residential buildings and past Central Park. The car slowed and he turned onto a large parking area, heavily filled, and drove around for a spot. "As odd as squid sounds, it really tastes kind of like chicken."

"You mean calamari? I love that stuff! Sounds like fun, I've always wanted to go to one of those places." Lola beamed, she remembered Brooke telling her about one of those places of how the chef cooks the food and stuff in front of you.

"Well, it is sort of like calamari," Ashton said, turning onto 58th Street on the other side of the parking lot. "They call it Yariika, the type of squid used, because calamari is actually just Mediterranean fried squid."

They parked into a spot near a small restaurant in a chain of restaurants. Ashton got out, looking around. "There it is."

[[Ashton and Lola to [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]]]

[[Ashton and Lola from [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]]]

Ashton unlocked the car and they got in. He headed out of the lot towards Greenwich again. "So after all that fabulous planning, I feel liek I should know who I'm working with," he commented, steering in traffic with one hand as he fiddled with the radio dial. He glanced sideways at her. "So what is my co-producer like?"

Lola had crossed her leg, leaning back in her chair. "Well I enjoy long walks on the beach, romance novels. Candlelit dinners...." Lola widened her eyes sounding like those stupid romantic girls.

She then laughed, "I'm just kidding. Well I like yoga and gymnastics. I love tattoos, and piercings. I like to go out and have fun, watching movies. Doing make up and hair, acting, singing, dancing. I just like to try a lot of stuff. I love animals and coffee flavored anything. I have an older sister named Olivia, and my mother's name is Melissa and she is a nurse. And I wanna be an actress." Lola listed off just a few things about herself.

"What about you Ashton, besides being a twin and the only sane person in a group of insane friends? What do you do when you're not breaking the windows of girls dorms?" Lola joked.

"Oh God, you had to mention that," Ashton mumbled, grinning a little at the memory. He tapped his fingers on the wheel as they inched along in traffic. "We-ell, I'm a twin, Antonio is older than me, even though he acts like the baby of the family. I skipped two grades in elementary school and graduated two years earlier in highschool. Went on a backpacking trip around Europe to fulfill that life requirement. I love hiking, camping, all that outdoor shit. Unfortunately, I am terrible with directions and the only reason I know where to go right now is because I was born and raised a New Yorker. I'm pure Italian, however, and speak Italian to my 'rents. I don't sadly have an accent but," he winked at Lola, "I can fake one. That used to be a favorite trick of Tony and mine in highschool, when we realized girls dig guys with accents."

He turned the car onto another street. "I hate anything with peanuts, not because I havee allergies, I just don't like them. I have automatonophobia, which is fear of ventriloquist's dummies, dolls, or any other thing like them. This might sound really odd but I had nightmares about a puppet I had when I was a kid - anyways. It jsut grew. Luckily I'm not really around dummies that much, or dolls. And by doll,s I don't mean Barbies and shit. I mean those Chuckie type dolls." He cringed, a shudder going through him.

"Tony had the bright idea once when I was ten to lock me in a closet with this ugly-ass doll to help me get over my fear. That ended really badly and he was grounded for a week. Um, I love tinkering with anything. I'm considered a computer geek by Seth, and this has come in handy for his idiotic ideas so I wholly embrace it. I like to read, I play a bit of piano, and I would love to sing in Italian, but for some reason, I just can't. I also, like white jelly beans," he added as an after thought.

Lola nodded, "Wow. Tony sounded like a little turd growing up, locking you in a closet with those dolls. Those things are scary though, I don't blame you for being afraid. Umm I'm afraid of falling down stairs, clowns, and being locked in tiny spaces. Especially just like a douchebag older sibling move. My sister locked me underneath the stairs and my dad used to have this creepy looking clown thing in there." Lola shuddered, remembering that.


"Not crazy about white jelly beans? Those tend to be coconut flavored. Hmm oh before any of you came along Jake used to drag me on his insane missions with his best friend Ryder. Jake knows all of his freaky circus moves because everyday I came home from gymnastics when I was little he demand that I teach him everything. I used to do ballet when I was little until I discovered a hip hop class when I was eight and ditched the tights. I dabbled with piano and guitar a bit. But I enjoy singing and dancing more so. I got my first pair of glasses when I was nine, I lose my contacts constantly. Just like you I know Italian, but no accent either. I have five tattoos, and um... eight piercings. But I never wear all eight at the same time cause then I look a bit odd. I'm five foot four and yes this is my natural hair color." Lola went on and smiled at Ashton.

"We're both very interesting people. I have to admit." Lola said quirking an eyebrow at him.

"You beat me in tattoos," Ashton informed her with a laugh. "I only have two. Not much of a tattoo guy but if I see something interesting, I get it tattooed. No piercings and will never have them. Hmm...let's see, I also collect souvenirs. Like of interesting places, even people. One of my great0uncles gave me this weird bear-tooth pendant that I still have. He used to hunt, like, seriously hunt. Hm, what else? Oh, yeah, I like to stay out of jail," he added seriously. "Although given Seth and Jake's persuasion skills, I don't doubt my so-far-clean record will go under in the next couple years. Also, my new year's resolution was to move out and avoid Seth and Jake like the plaque when they come over, Seth specially, asking me to bail him out of jail or do something for him."

They turned into the street near campus and Ashton circled to a parking lot.

Lola laughed, "Yeah good luck with the clean record. Even I have a record thanks to Jake. It will happen to you eventually. Nothing huge though, it was mostly trespassing and stuff like that. For some reason we went through a phase of breaking into abandoned buildings. And face it as much as you wanna avoid Seth and Jake. They rope you in. Its like a damned spell, you can't say no to them. Talk about your peer pressure." She snorted.

Ashton grunted in assent, slipping the car into a parking slot and unlocking the doors. "Yeah, well, hopefully it doesn't go further than an albino twin." He got out, shivering as snowflakes drifted past his face.

"Oh yeah I keep forgetting he has white hair. I guess its cause Seth's hair is equally as shiny and distracting. I sometimes feel like I'm staring at the same person so I forget." Lola said pulling her gloves out of her pocket and pulling them on over hands.

"What about your romantic life? Or is that pretty much non existent because of Seth and Jake too." Lola smirked.

"Umm," Ashton locked the car and began walking across the campus to the Freshmen building with Lola. "I have dated around. Let's see, my longest relationship lasted two months, which, in highschool, is really long, but uh, seeing as I was two grades above girls my own age, I was only ever around older chicks, so..." He shrugged. "Not that I minded, they did, apparently." He scratched his freezing ear. "Um, that longest relationship was with some chick named Leora, unpronounceable last name. I actually met her abroad when I stayed in Italy with my grandparents. Summer fling, ended fairly quickly, no strings attached. You?"

"I had a couple of boyfriends in junior high, of course it was the whole. Go out with a guy for a week thing. Then I went out with Jake's best friend Ryder. I kind of had a crush on him in eighth grade and we started going out in tenth grade. Umm then junior year almost senior year, things ended bad between us. It was before Jacob had went to juvie. So we ended things then." Lola said biting on her lip.

Remembering Jake's hospital stint, Ashton bit the inside of his cheek and then sighed and nudged Lola. "Well, now you have dibs on punching him when we catch him," he reassured her. "Plus, I'm sure Jake'll be too busy keeping the missus happy to beat Ryder up, so we'll have to handle it ourselves."

He pulled open the lobby door for her and entered behind her.

[[Ashton and Lola to [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]]]

[[Sour Ducks from [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]]]

Babe I can seduce anyone ;D James sent back.


Jacob had been driving quietly for a bit, as he drove down the street. He realized it was kind of quiet in his car and Evelyn was busy texting someone since he wasn't being entertaining. Just then he stopped on a station when he heard one of his favorite songs.

"I LOVE THIS SONG!" Jake declared loudly.

"Mama... just killed a man!
Put a gun against his head, pulled my trigger now he's dead!
Mamaaa! Life has just begunnn... and now I've gone and thrown it all away!!! " Jake sang along. Rocking back and forth to the beat, at the stop light while he waited to turn.

"MAMA!!! OOoooh whooo!" Jake burst out singing as he turned. "DIDN'T MEAN TO MAKE YOU CRY! IF I'M NOT BACK THIS TIME AGAIN TOMORROW, CARRY ON. CARRY ON. Like nothing even matters... "

"Jake," Evelyn said, and then snickered, relieved he was back to somewhat normal. "What song is that? And it sounds like something you'd sing to your mother someday."

She looked down at her buzzing phone and her smile flickered, eyes widening. Was James flirting? No, of course not...

He knew better than to do that!

She really didn't how what to reply. After hesitation, she texted him back, uncertain, but amused. James was just being James. And it was an improvement over the zombie he'd been for a while.

Even GiGi, huh? ;D

Jacob gasped, like someone had offended his honor! "EVELYN! How dare you! Its QUEEN! GUITAR SOLO!" Jake yelled turning the volume up so the song was blaring, as he head banged.

"So you think you can stomp me and spit in my eye?! So you think you can love me, and leave me to die!! OOOOOH BABYYY! CAN'T DO THIS TO ME BABYYY!! JUST GOTTA GET OUT! JUST GOTTA GET RIGHT OUT OF HEREEEEEE!!" Jacob sang loudly, and when he came to another stop did an air guitar solo.


Ewww x__x James sent back.

Evelyn pulled a face. "I'm not a Queen fan," she informed him. She looked down at her phone, typing back to James.

Tsk, you were supposed to be all turned on, Jamesy. ;D

***

[[Ashton, Lola, and Clone B and Stooge 1 from [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]]]

"Maybe after we hook Jake and Evelyn back up, we arrange a backseat rendezvous for Lola and Ash." Antonio suggested.

***

"Hmm true most girls don't like rock. Or at least Queen." Jake fiddled through the stations and then pressed the button for it to switch over to the CD player.

The song started up and Jake started to bop his head along to the beat. "Yeah you like this stuff." He grinned. "Cause we belong together nowww forever united here someohoww yeahh! You gotta piece of meee! And honestly!" Jake made his voice all screechy and whiny. "My life, would suck. Without youuu!" Jake screeched as he swerved in and out of lanes.

"Oh my God!" Evelyn yelped, nearly dropping her phone. She covered her ears (and closed her eyes because she was afraid Jake would hit a pedestrian). "I dislike Kelly Clarkson!" she informed him irritably. "Particularly Shakiro covers of Kelly Clarkson!"

She reached over and turned the dial. Rihanna's old song was playing on a station.

"Much better!" Evelyn laughed as she sang along, her voice a sharply sweet contrast to Jake's loud one:

"Got you where you wanna go if you know what I mean,
Got a ride that's smoother than a limousine.
Can you handle the curves? Can you run all the lights?
If you can baby boy, then we can go all night!"

She threw Jake a pointed glance and lifted her arms, swaying in her seat as she got to the meaningful chorus.

"'Cuz I'm 0 to 60 in three point five.
Baby you got the keys -
Now shut up and drive, drive, drive. " She pulled a face at Jake. "Shut up and drive, drive, drive."

***

Ashton heard "rendez vous" and spoke up, interrupting the debate. "You have the address for where Jake will be?"

Seth nodded. "I got it off his computer history," he announced proudly. "Also!" Seth reached into his jacket pockets and pulled out a remote that looked suspiciously similar to Jake's keys entry remote.

Ashton shot it a sideways glance and then fixed his eyes back on the street. "How'd you get that?!"

Seth dangled the remote smugly from a finger. "Jake keeps a copy. This won't drive the Mustang. You can only unlock it. It's for those stupid situations where you lock your keys inside the car. He keeps it in his room and he left the door open since i was in there when he left."

Ashton snickered. "Nice," he admitted. Seth was a born criminal.

"AHHH HELL NAW! I NO LIKE RIRI!" Jake announced changing the station. Just then it was the song that he remembered posting on Evelyn's wall as the bass thumped.

"GIRL YO BOOTY IS SO ROUND!
LET ME LOOK YOU UP AND DOWN!
CAN I TAKE YOU ONE MORE TIME! I WON'T STOP UNTIL YOUR MINE!
AND IF I CANNOT BE WITH YOU, MAYBE I CAN HAVE A TASTE. PUT YOUR ARMS AROUND ME GIRL
AND YO KISSES ON MY FACE!!
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM! LET ME HEAR YOU SAY WAYY OOH!! WAY OOH!"


***

Lola shook her head, "I foresee so much disaster. So we're gonna decorate their car and get them drunk on a Monday? You think they'll go along with it?"

"I say we just make them chug it." Antonio suggested.