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The sound of musicians tuning their instruments fills the auditorium. A trumpet player is running through their scales, a violist is making sure their strings are tuned, a clarinet player is quickly going through the set, squeaking up a storm, and kids can be heard mingling on stage. “Erica, are you recording my little brothers’ recital?” “Maybe…” “You don’t have to. It's just a bunch of middle schoolers, I promise they won’t be that good.”
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Erica Stone’s Parents: Jake and Amy. No siblings. Jake and Amy. Jake and A-
“Erica? Princess, are you upstairs?”
Shit.
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--- Erica backed Trini into a corner. Trini could have easily stood her ground but the look in Erica’s eyes shook Trini to her core. In one hand she’s holding her phone and in the other is a handful of whipped cream.
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“No, Erica, let’s talk about this.” She stepped closer and Trini’s back hit the wall. “Okay, Okay! I’m sorry I ate the last strawberry donut but I can buy you another one.” Trini laughed at how ridiculous this situation is. “Just put the whipped cream dow---SHIIIIIT!” She juked her girlfriend and ran up the stairs as fast as her tiny legs could to the safety of her room, only to be met with Erica, waiting at the top. Trini needed a minute to catch her breath. “How-- did you--” Smack. Trini licked around her mouth and sighed. “Was this really necessary Princess?” Erica kissed Trini then licked the side of her face and hummed. “Yep!”
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Erica sits outside on the porch. It's raining; not too hard but thunder can be heard from a distance. “Erica?” Trini says from inside the house. The door opens but she doesn’t turn around. “Hey, I was calling you. What're you doing out here, is everything okay?” “Yeah, I’m fine. I’m just recording--- Angel Grove in its purest form.” Trini thought for a moment. “Do you ever listen back?” Erica hummed. “Only when I miss it.” They watched the rainfall for a while, wrapped up in each other's arms. “Well let’s get back inside, it’s cold you’ll get sick.”
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--- All her life she was obsessed with voice recordings. Something about being able to hear what you just said played back to you was magical to her. When she learned that her first pink flip phone could do just that, she just about freaked out. She filled up that phone’s storage with adventures in her backyard, interviews with her stuffed animals, and secrets she wouldn’t dare say to another soul. She takes a deep breath. For the first time, she’s nervous to record herself. Maybe because this time it actually means something.
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“It is Monday, May 17th, 2010. --- I am a recent graduate of Angel Grove High and I’ve been lying to my girlfriend since the moment I met her.” She takes another deep breath. “I’m recording this to try and save the most important relationship of my life. The time is currently 6:37 in the pm. It’s getting dark, so I can only assume that there’s a storm coming. Huh, how fitting. I left my charger at Krispy Kreme which means I have about,” She squints at the quarter empty battery bar on her phone, “a little more than an hour to convince Trini that we’re still in love.” She wishes there was a feature that could tell her the actual battery percentage."
Your destination is on the left
“Shit, already?” Lost in thought, she jerks the steering wheel to the left onto a dirt road, almost hitting a minivan. “Jesus. Sorry!” She cringes and shakes her head. “They can’t hear you, why’d you say sorry?” The road is bumpy, to say the least. “Holy fucking shittt,” she sings as she drives over the uneven path. “Something is gonna jump out of these woods and kill meeee. These will be my last words. Oh, I’m gonna dieee.” She pulls up to the rest area, “Okay-- This is it. --- Whenever Trini needs a quiet place to think or blow off steam she goes to her secret spot in the mountains. She took me here on one of our first dates.” a smile spread across her face at the thought. She takes a deep breath, grabs the manila envelope that was sitting on the dash, and gets out of the car. “It’s only a short hike from here. Which gives me plenty of time to think of what I’m gonna say.” She starts her treck uphill. “Hey, sorry I haven’t been at school or answering your calls lately. No. Fancy seeing you up here. Nope. I’m sorry for lying about who I was for our entire relationship please hear me out?” She sighed. “Well, it’s a start.” Contemplating on what to say, she hears the faint sound of metal music echoing across the woods. She walked towards it and finally saw her. Trini was wearing her green jacket, yellow beanie, and white headphones over the beanie. “Trini?” She called out. I think her music is too loud. She picked up a pebble and threw it at her. “Jesus Christ,” Trini screamed. “Erica?” She took off her headphones. She waved and motioned for Trini to come closer. “Fancy seeing you up here?” she said sheepishly. “Erica where have you been? You can’t just disappear for 2 days and then show up out of nowhere!” Trini looked at her hand. “Why are you holding your phone? Are you recording this?” “--Maybe.” “Are you fucking kidding me?” “This is for me.” “What the hell does that mean--” Meow “Uhh what was that?” She asked. Trini stiffened. “Nothing.” Meow “Was that a cat?” She smiled. “No!” “I-is it in your hood?” She was full on giggling now. Trini sighed and reached behind her and pulled out a grey kitten with the bluest eyes she has ever seen. “Okay fine. Yes, it’s a cat and his name is Zordon. I found him hanging around the woods and he’d always watch me do yoga up here so I gave him a front-row seat. Besides Zack, he’s probably my best friend at the moment.” She leaned forward to pet Zordon. For the record, he has a wise old man energy to him. She mustered up the best old man impression she can think of and said, “You must shed your masks to allow yourself to bare this armor.” “Where did that come from?” Trini laughed. She shrugged, “It was an old fortune cookie.” “What are you doing here?” “Here,” She handed her the envelope. For the record, Trini is opening the envelope . “You might need to shake that out.” Trini handed her Zordon. She pulled out some pieces of paper and shook out what was left at the bottom. “A box of matches. What is this? The Experimental Generation of Interpersonal Closeness.-- Oh, the 36 questions?” “Will you do the 36 questions with me, again?” she said in her Zordon voice, holding up the little kitten. “Figures, we fell in love when we did it the first time, so why wouldn’t it work twice.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “Do you really think you can just bat those pretty eyes at me and I’d be wrapped around your finger again? No. I need answers first.” “You think I’m pretty?” She joked. “Is that really all you got out of that?” Trini sighed. “Who are you? Why did you lie?” “You haven’t unlocked my tragic backstory yet.” she laughed but quickly stopped and cleared her throat when she saw that Trini wasn’t laughing. “Come on! I bet Erica isn’t even your real name.” She was silent. “Unbelievable,” Trini took Zordon and stormed off. She took a deep unsure breath and closed her eyes. “Kimberly,” she said quietly. Trini turned around. “What?” “My name is Kimberly Ann Hart.” The two girls stared at each other for a while, unsure of what to say next. It started to drizzle. Kim looked at the sky. “Let’s get out of this rain. Remember our spot? The cave down by the quarry?” Trini nodded. “Come on, my car is right down the path.”
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Kim followed Trini to the cave, carrying a box. For the record, it is now 7:04 pm. This cave is very dark and damp. Hey, our fireplace is still here! “What’s in the box?” “Me.” “What?” Trini set Zordon down on the floor. “If you want to know about the real me, we have to kill the fake me.” Kim took out a large manila folder. Trini looked at her confused and slightly concerned. “We have to burn all of my fake identification. My fake ID, my fake school transcripts. Everything. Hence the matchbox.” “How symbolic.” Trini deadpanned. “So, what, you want me to burn your-- Krispy Kreme punch card?” “I’m serious Trini. If we want to move forward, we have to move on.” For the record, I am dumping all of the documents into the fireplace and soaking them with lighter fluid. “This is stupid,” Trini stared at the matches. “Why do I have to help you ‘kill’ Erica? You made her up in the first place.” “It’s not stupid! Remember those summers when we would have a bonfire with the boys and burn all of our schoolwork? It's like that. We are honoring Erica Stone’s memory like the Vikings did it. And Erica’s existence was more collaborative than you think.” “Look Er-- Kim. I just want to know the truth.” Kim stared at her pink converse. She couldn’t look Trini in her eyes. “I was so incredibly ashamed of who I was when I first met you.-- And when I first looked over these personal, very deep questions, I saw the person I wanted to be. A person without a problematic past, a sweet, albeit impulsive person, with stable parents. A person named Erica Stone.-- I think it’s time to leave her in the past.” Trini was quiet. “Okay.” She sighed and struck a match. “Goodbye, Erica.” She dropped the match and the fire roared to life. Kim’s old life gone, just like that. Kim spoke into her phone. For the record, Trini has a far-off look in her eyes. " Well, this should keep us warm for a while, until the rain calms down.” She and Zordon moved closer to warm up. “How do you feel?”
Meow
“Sad.” Trini picked up Zordon and gave him a hug. “Same. I loved her almost as much as you.” Kim reached into the box and pulled out a pair of sharp scissors. “Woah, what’re you planning to do with those?” Trini asked, slightly worried. “Relax. As a sort of final, last goodbye to Erica, I want you to cut my hair. For the record, my hair goes down to the middle of my back and I want Trini to cut it to my shoulders. Will you do it?” Trini sat on a rock to think. “Fine. This night is already so goddamn weird.” Kim cheered and gave her a hug. “Alright calm down.” She pushed her off. “Give me those and sit down you tall person.” For the record I am 5 inches taller and “I love it when you're dominant.” Kim winked at her and giggled. Trini blushed. “Shut up, weirdo.” She’s hesitant to make the first cut. “I-I’ve never done this before.” “I don’t care. It’s just hair, it’ll grow back.” Kim gave her a smile that made her knees weak. Trini nodded and started cutting. It was a little uneven but she did her best. “There.” Trini stepped back to look at her handiwork. “For the record, Trini is staring at me with lust in her eyes.” Kim laughed. Trini smirked and smacked her arm lightly. “Now what?” “Now we do the questions.” “What, like the past 2 years never happened?” Trini got up suddenly which startled Zordon who was drinking from a nearby puddle. “We don’t have to.” Kim stood up and brushed off the hairs that were stuck to her shirt. “Trin if we do the 36 questions then you’ll meet me. Kimberly. Kim. Nice to meet you.” She put out her hand. “Please do the questions with me.” Trini’s eyes went wide. “Oh fuck. --Fuck!” She was starting to panic. “What?” “We burned your license! How are you supposed to drive home?” “I still have my real license,” Kim said calmly. She stopped hyperventilating and looked up. “You do?” “Yep, it’s got my legal name and everything. Wanna see it?” Trini nodded. Kim pulled out her wallet and showed her the piece of plastic. For the record, Trini is staring intently at my picture. “Okay, you really are Kimberly Ann Hart.” She gave back the license. “There are still so many things left unanswered.” “Then let’s do the 36 questions.” Kim smiled. “No,” Trini said sternly. “I don’t have 36 questions. --Just one. Why? Why did you lie to me for 2 years?” “You’re asking me why I made a split-second decision when I first met you? Me? The second most impulsive person you know." Kim shook her head. "Now before we get too off topic, Trini Gomez, be honest-- right now, given the choice of anyone in the world, whom would you want as a dinner guest?” “Obviously-- wait.” Trini pointed an accusatory finger at Kim. “This is a trap.” “What are you talking about? I just asked you a question.” “It’s not just a question, it’s the question. The first stupid question of 36 other stupid questions some stupid scientist made up to make stupid people fall in stupid love.” Trini crossed her arms and turned away. “I’m not answering it.” Kim walked around to face her. “Why not? Do you not want me to know the truth? Come on. Dinner, your place, get to know someone.” “Emma Gonzalez.” “Wrong. Pick again, you know that’s not true.” Trini groaned and mumbled, “It’s kind of true.” She let out a frustrated scream. Zordon perked up his head at the commotion and tilted it to the side. “Trin? What are you doing?” For the record, Trini is pacing around the fire pit. Trini huffed and yelled. “I would have dinner with you! Okay?” Her words echoed throughout the cave. "I’d choose you over Beyonce or Hayley Kiyoko or even my celeb wife Kate McGrath. If I could have dinner with anyone in the world, it would be Kimberly Ann Hart. I’d ask her so many questions-- no, actually just one. Who are you and why were you living a lie? Okay, that was 2 questions but still. You strung me along for 2 years.” She got quiet and a tear rolled down her face. “Did you even love me?” Kim stepped closer to comfort her but Trini stepped back. “Of course did. I still do. I’m still the same person you met 2 years ago.” After a pause, she asked, “aren’t you gonna ask me the question?” Trini wiped her face with the back of her hand choked out a laugh. “I bet I can give you an answer.” “You’d be right.” Kim laughed with her. There was a huge clap of thunder which caused both girls to screech and for Kim to jump into Trini’s arms. They looked deep into each other’s eyes. They stayed like that for a couple of seconds and then Trini looked down at how close the two were and quickly let go. Blushing in the process. “F-for the record,” Kim giggled. “Trini was just undressing me with her eyes.” Kim raised her eyebrows up and down. Her face was only getting redder. “Was not! I was just...looking at...your shirt.”
“Let it be known that amount of sexual tension that was in that embrace was palpable.”
“No, for the record, I was only looking at Erica’s shirt-” “Kim.” “At Kim’s shirt because her dumb strappy bra thing was digging into me and it was uncomfortable. Like seriously how do you wear that and function throughout the day?” Trini stared at her boobs once again. “Ha! For the record I just caught Trini staring at my boobs. ” “I- Shut up.” Trini huffed and crossed her arms. Her face is still red. Kim ruffled her still damp hair. “Don’t worry ya little perv. I have a jacket in my car. I’ll be back in the blink of an eye.” “Great, she left her stupid phone here.” Trini picked it up. For the record, this is self-destructive. Like I know this isn’t healthy for either one of us but I can’t seem to say no to her.--Also, for the record, I’ve been thinking about her wearing nothing but that damned strappy bra thing. She must’ve worn it on purpose. She rubbed her face with her hands and groaned. How am I supposed to get through 35 more questions? She looked over at the questions. You know-- I can use these questions to my advantage. All of her answers will remind me of how she lied. If I can just focus on them and not her clothes, I could make it out of here with what’s left of my dignity! “I’m back!” Kim skips back in completely drenched from the rain holding a slightly less wet pink windbreaker. As she put it on the shirt rode up a little. Trini didn’t know how see-through Kim’s shirt was until now. “I’m screwed.” “What?” Kim asked as she popped her head out of the jacket. Trini cleared her throat. “I, uh, said I’m gonna go find Zordon.” She quickly got up and went to the back of the cave. Kim let out a content sigh and wrung out her hair. For the record, I didn’t think it would go this well. I literally came up with this idea last night. She looked at the questions. To be honest, I have no idea how I’m gonna answer these. Should I tell the truth? Will she hate me if I don’t? Will she hate me if I do? Fuck, I’m regretting this. I’d rather be stuck in detention with principal Zedd shoving pencils in my eyes. Kim shook her head. No that’s dumb. I’ll just answer them like last time. I mean if Trini didn’t love me anymore why is she still here? There was another clap of thunder. Oh yeah. But she didn’t have to come to the quarry with me. That must be a sign that she- “Found him,” Trini yelled across the cave. She jogged over with the kitten in her hands who was slightly shivering from the storm. Meow Okay, for the record that cat is super cute. “So, where were we? Question 2 right?” Trini nodded and picked up the paper. “Would you like to be famous? In what way?”