A Life More Complete(71)
“You’re right. I just don’t want to have to deal with her petty comments every time we see them.”
“We don’t have to see them if you don’t want to. Let’s stop talking about this, I’m getting annoyed.” He exhales loudly and runs his hand through his hair again. “I was thinking it might be time for you to get a new car.”
“Why? I like my car.”
“Because it’s getting old and it’s the kind of car you buy for a sixteen year old girl.”
I roll my eyes. Everyone mocks my little car.
“There’s nothing wrong with it and it’s only seven years old. People keep cars far longer than that. And why is it your business what kind of car I drive? I don’t like it when you tell me what to do.”
“This isn’t supposed to be an argument, Krissy. It was just an idea. A bad one. I can see that now. Forget I asked.”
“Sorry. It’s just that it’s the first new car I ever bought on my own. It holds some sentimental value.”
“I just thought that now that we have two incomes you might want something nicer, newer. We can just go look and if you still want to keep your old car, then that’s fine. “
“Okay,” I concede, smiling lightly.
“Maybe this weekend? We can go check out a few dealers. I’ve been doing some research.”
“As long as you don’t try to get me to buy a Range Rover. It will never happen.”
He furrows his brow and glares at me. I giggle and wrinkle my nose at him. This is the Tyler that I love. The one that is silly and fun.
“No Range Rover, I promise.” He laughs and his eyes crinkle at the corners. “I have to get to bed. I’m exhausted. I love you.”
“Love you, too.”
---Chapter 20---
The next night I meet up with Trini for the first time in weeks. Somehow with Tyler’s assistance and a judge that is obviously taking pity on her, Trini avoids jail time. Shocking to the media and in all honesty, me too. With Tyler gone I have more free time in the evenings so I agree to meet her for a late dinner. She looks better than she has in weeks and I truly hope this the end of her troubles. She bleached her naturally light brown hair to platinum blonde and it suits her, blending well with her tanned skin and blue eyes. She would have been nearly unrecognizable to most of the public, but the pictures of her leaving the salon hit the internet just hours after the transformation and with her trying to repeal the nasty image her behavior has left her with, she started a Twitter account. The new hairstyle posted to Twitter with a picture of her looking adorably cute posing in her bathroom mirror wearing a slightly cropped pink tank top and bikini bottoms. She knows exactly what she is doing and right now millions of teenage boys are beating off to that picture and their girlfriends are wishing they were her. If she can stay out of trouble she’ll be back like she never even left because it’s what she does. At nineteen she is a media genius, a public relations nightmare and a perfect example of how to stay relevant. She knows any press will get her noticed and if she can mix the right amount of bad with the good she will land on top every time.
Right now, that’s exactly what she’s doing, by being seen with me. That ups her positive media coverage. She’s getting her life back on track or at least that’s what she wants the media to think. She’s dining with her publicist. It’s normal. She’s sitting at a table in the back of a popular restaurant that I normally wouldn’t be caught dead in. She eyes me from across the room and jumps to her feet. Her hands flap in front of her excitedly as I approach. She pulls me into a hug and squeals in my ear. This is the Trini I know. I can’t tell if it’s an act because she plays her life that well.
I remember back to the first review she was given after she broke free of her image as a child star. I don’t think anyone thought she’d prove to be an actress that could stand the test of time. Her first role after her show ended was as a teenage prostitute and the reviews were stellar. She’s an amazing actress and something tells me that’s because she is legitimately crazy. I think you have to be a little bit crazy to be able to constantly play someone you’re not.
“I’m so glad to see you,” she says taking a seat across from me. “It’s been too long since we’ve done this. How are you? How’s Tyler?”
I talk to Trini at least once a week but mostly to check in on her. Our conversations are never very detailed due to the fact that most of the time she was slipping in and out of lucidity. She has pulled it together famously over the last week or so and the change in her is phenomenal. I know she’s been offered two movie roles and one small part on a television show. She’s agreed to all three and seems to be out to prove she’s not slowly fading away.