Adrianna: Fourteen

“Are you excited for your party Noelle?” Adrianna asked between pancake bites.

“Yes, we've never had a party before!” Noelle said bouncing in her seat.

“ We've never had the money.” Gemma muttered and Adrianna cleared her throat.

“Well the new renovations should be done by then so your rooms will be finished.”

“Really?” Noelle asked excited, they had been expanding the girl’s bedrooms for what felt like ages now and they had been camping out on the living room floor. “I can’t wait to see it!”

It seemed like the day went on forever for Noelle before she was finally standing in front of her birthday cake. “Here goes nothing…” She whispered to herself as she bent down to blow out the candles.

When the sparkles around her subsided she took a look at herself in surprise. She felt very different then she had just moments ago. Now all she wanted was for her adult birthday to get here as soon as possible so she could get started in her rock star life. She also found that the boys at the party were pretty darn cute.

“Thank you so much for the party mom!” Noelle said finding her mom hiding in her bedroom. Adrianna hadn't wanted to be in the way of all the teenagers in the living room.

“You’re so welcome I’m glad you’re having fun.” She smiled.

“I really, really am you’re the best.”

“In that case here’s your present.” Adrianna handed her a gift box and watched Noelle’s eyes light up when she looked inside.

“You are the best mom on the planet!” She squealed hugging her before running from the room.

Noelle got right to work in the kitchen playing her brand new guitar. This would be her ticket to fame all she had to do was get really good at playing so when she graduated nobody would be able to turn her away. Of course she would also have to work on getting some connections and she knew where she might find one however her mother might not be too keen on it.

While Noelle had her rock star dreams to focus on Gemma was doing her best to impress her father. “I am by far the best in my drama club.” She told him one night after she had finished a long training session.

“That’s fantastic Gemma, Jackson tells me your training is going well also.” He said proudly.

“Yes I've even managed to work out my issues with the treadmill.” She joked but her father just stared at her. “Anyway, I will be fully prepared for my duties when graduation comes.”

“Good.” He smiled and then excused himself.

“Don’t worry about it kid he’s not an affectionate guy.” Her aunt Winter said walking over.

“Does he ever show any emotion but pride?” She asked.

“Well to be fair it’s the only emotion our father ever showed so he’s just immolating his hero.”

“What happened to your dad?”

“He went crazy after our mom died, she was human, and he just ran out to get the paper and poof dust.” She shrugged as if the death of her father didn't bother her, which Gemma supposed it probably didn't.

“So the sun really is dangerous?”

“Once you come into your full power.”

“Why didn't you become a vampire?”

“I wasn't born one and Dad was very much against turning humans, he thought it muddied up the blood.”

“Sounds like a great guy.”

“He was… different.” She sighed. “He would have liked you though.”  Gemma smiled not knowing what else to do. It didn't really matter to her that her grandfather she never met would have liked her in fact she didn't really care if anyone liked her other than her father.

It took a whole day of school for Noelle to work up the courage to approach her mother with her request. She still wasn't sure how Adrianna was going to react and had a bad feeling she wouldn't like the outcome. “Hey mom?” She asked finding her in Gemma’s room.

“Hey sweetie what’s up?”

“I have a question…” She started shakily.

“ OK…”

“See I really, really, really want to go into the music business after I graduate and I've started learning the guitar and stuff but I really think I need connections in the industry to make it big you know?”

“Umhm…” Adrianna said sensing this conversation was heading in a bad direction.

“Well I know that we never really talk about him and everything because of what happened but I think that he can help me…” She took a deep breath. “So I was hoping you’d let me meet my father.” Adrianna stared at her wide eyed. “I know you hate him but he’s got connections and I need them…”

“Honestly Noelle I don’t know if he’ll even want to see you.” She said finally. Isidro hadn't been in contact with Adrianna since long before Noelle’s birth and she couldn't be happier about it.

“I know, but I could at least try… I mean if he agrees to help me it could really give me a boost.”

“It’s still early to be thinking about your career though you’re just a kid.”

“Mom, I’m a teenager everything I do from here on out affects my future career.” She sighed. “Please just let me try, the worst that can happen is he’ll say no.” Seeing the importance of this to her daughter she couldn't find it in herself to deny her.

“ OK fine, but be careful.” Noelle smiled and threw her arms around her.

“Thanks mom!” Adrianna could only hope she didn't just agree to let her daughter in the line of fire. 

~

Noelle took a deep breath as she stepped into the lobby of the warehouse. Despite her determination to ask her father for help she was very nervous about the whole thing, her mother had always said worse things about Isidro then she had Fall. Of course Noelle wasn't here to have a relationship with her father the way Gemma was always striving for, no she could care less if he wanted to actually be her father as long as he’d help her. She pushed her nerves down and stepped into the main room. It was pretty empty since it was only two o’clock in the afternoon and nobody really wanted to be seen at bars that early in the day. She spotted him behind the bar almost immediately. He was older then she’d expected, grey was already covering his hair and there were wrinkles set into his face.

“Hello can I help you with something?” He asked her with a friendly smile. She couldn't believe this was the man her mother spoke so poorly of.

“Yes, my name is Noelle Leavitt…” She said letting the name hang in the air until realization crossed his features and he studied her face.

“Should have known you look just like her…” He said almost thoughtfully. “What can I do for you?” He asked taking her by surprise. She had expected him to respond to her angrily not polite.

“Um…” She stammered. “Well I’m… I’m…” She cursed under her breath this was supposed to be easy he was supposed to just be some jerk that didn't want her around not a polite old man, she guessed it was true what they said about getting old. “I’m interested in becoming a musician and the little my mom told me about you leads me to believe you could help me get some connections.” She blurted out in a rush watching his eyes widen.

“A musician huh?” He said rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “Well I may be able to help you, that is if you have the chops. Care to play something for me?” He raised an eye brow at her and she crossed her arms.

“Any requests?” She asked him.

“Surprise me.” He smiled.

She walked around the bar turning her back on him as she played one of her favorite tunes. Isidro watched listening carefully, he had to admit the girl had some real talent and he defiantly owed her. “I happen to know a guy who is in the business, his name is Jude Sandoval.” He told her when she returned from her song. “I’ll give him a call and set up a meeting for you. I can’t make any promises but he’ll at least listen to you play.”

“Thank you so much.” Noelle said happily, she couldn't believe he actually agreed to help her.

“You’re welcome.” He said before turning and walking away.

The very next day Noelle got a call from Jude asking her to meet him at his house. She was overjoyed and sped right over. “Hi I’m Noelle.” She said enthusiastically shaking his hand.

“Jude.” He said with a charming smile. “Isidro tells me you have some real talent with the guitar.”

“I’m not bad, I've only been playing for a little while but I love music.”

“Well lets hear you play.”

She walked to the corner of the room and took a long shaky breath before pulling on her guitar and starting. Jude stood across the room with his mother and her friend watching her closely. She put him out of her mind closing her eyes listening to the notes and feeling the music.

“Are you sure you've only been playing a little while? You’re fantastic.” He praised once she finished.

“Thanks.” She said awkwardly.

“If you stick to this you certainly could have an amazing music career. I’d love to help you out with that.”

“Seriously?” She nearly shrieked at him.

“Yeah, if you’re willing to put in some serious work I’ll have you ready to record by graduation.” He told her and she could feel her heart pounding. It was better then she could have hoped a real musician wanted to help her.

“I will do whatever it takes Mr. Sandoval.”

“Well then firstly call me Jude.” He laughed.

“…and he is going to help me make it big!” Noelle said happily recounting the story to Gemma.

“Uh-huh…” Gemma replied looking over her homework at her sister. “Guess it also helps that he’s smoking hot huh?”

“I didn’t say that!” Noelle blushed.

“Vampire Ellie…” Gemma smirked knowingly.

“I thought you said you wouldn’t do that to me!” She pouted.

“You were projecting I couldn’t help it!”

Noelle had’t been the only one working to further her career; Gemma had been spending more and more time getting close to her aunt who has serious connections with the branch of criminals Gemma one day plans to be a part of. She’s not really sure when it happened but one day she just realized she got so much delight out of others misery.

“All you got to do is suck up to the boss and you’ll be golden.” Winter assured her.

“How do I do that?”

“You’re a vampire kid you can read his freaking mind.” She laughed.

“Won’t he know that?” She asked, as the emperor of evil he should at least be able to block vampire powers.

“Please he thinks he’s the big bad and nothing can touch him.” Winter shakes her worries away with the wave of her hand. “Just watch out for your coworkers and you’ll do fine.”

She also always made sure to chat with Jackson who had just had his birthday and surprised everyone by joining the Music business. Gemma couldn't fathom how her brother who wanted so much to impress his dad had up and decided to do something his dad would hate. “Look sis I get it, it’s going to be you… you’re better than me at being a vampire and you’ll make a better crime boss then I could. I just don’t have the… knack for it you do.” He told her when she questioned him.

“But you always dreamed of following his footsteps…” She reasoned.

“Not really. Sure I wanted to make him proud but some part of me always wanted this.” He shrugged. “You’ll understand it someday.” Gemma rolled her eyes; adults were always telling you that. She wasn't that far off from being an adult now and she didn't see how having a birthday was going to give her this big epiphany.

“You’re not going to turn out like him are you?” She asked Marie, who had also had a birthday becoming a teenager.

“Seriously? No way music is lame.” She said. “I am going to be an infamous tomb raider.”

“Really?”

“Heck yeah, as soon as I graduate I’m blowing this joint and heading to Egypt.”

“But what about the business?”

“You’ll have it covered I’m sure plus what I’m doing will broaden our reach… there is only so much to steal here.” Gemma sighed it looked like it was up to her to take over and she could only hope she would be capable. 

***************

So Noelle finally met her dad, oddly enough the game doesn't recognize him as her father however I'm guessing that's why she looks so much like Adrianna. As I said before the girls are pretty much taking over focus at this point, Adrianna still isn't doing much besides working (She's at level 7 in her career now). Gemma is still very oblivious when it comes to her father and will remain so for a while still eventually though she will realize the truth.