Cali Crew - Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word

Nikita bit her lip and knocked on the door of the room she and Nikka shared.

Nikka gave a deep sigh pausing the video she was watching. "It's open." She chimed.

“Hey,” Nikita said quietly, opening the door, but not crossing the door frame.

"So you're leaving. Congrats." Nikita said half-heartedly.

“I mean, after my probation period is up, I can bring people in. Then we both get a bonus when you fill your contract. I think you have to be 18 first though.” Nikita said, unwrapping a piece of gum and offering it to Nikka.

"Well only two years to go …" Nikka said dully eyeing the gum before taking it. She was only so strong and gum seemed to be a genetic weakness in the family.

“It’s only 3 months,” Nikita said. “And if I hate it, I don’t have to go back.”

"Yea I'm sure you hate working on a tropical island making how much a day." Nikka said with skepticism in her voice.

“Don’t be mad at me for taking a good opportunity,” Nikita said, tapping her knuckles against the door frame. “Out of the three of us, I’d be least likely to attend college. This could lead to bigger things. And we can text, and I’m sure we can video chat. You won’t even know I’m gone, except when you stretch out comfortably in the back seat.”

Nikka gave her a look. "That crap and you know it. We're all plenty smart to go to college. I mean we all know how this will go … you'll send money to help, then life will get good cuz you don't have a screw-up of a sister to deal with. But you'll still send money, now out of guilt, then only visit on holidays, because by then you know what a life that doesn't involve dog shrimp is like and eventually calls and texts get awkward and it trickles down to nothing but a contact on an old phone." Nikka said salty with a heavy sigh.

“Except that I love my screw-up of a sister,” Nikita said with a wry smile. “And I don’t know what I would do without her. You help keep me sane. And you aren’t getting rid of me that easy. Do you really think that little of me that I’d be a drop-a-postcard sort?”

“Postcard? How old are you?” Nikka wryly teased. “Pretty sure I was doing the opposite of sane, to everyone.” She muttered.

“One hundred and sixty-eight,” Nikita kidded. “You zapped me back in time with your spooky time magic. Look, it’s not your fault. Not what happened in Cali, and I shouldn’t have said what I said. I was just angry, not at you, at the situation. But this? This is my way of helping. I’m excited about it. I want to see what there is to see. I might not get the chance again.”

“Not even funny, okay mildly funny.” Nikka snorted. “Who wouldn’t be excited about a tropical island? That poor arm of your arm, twisted. At least you won’t have to move around the next time my powers go rogue on me.”

“Are you kidding?” Nikita asked. “If we didn’t have to move because someone’s power went haywire, we might still be living in Lincoln Nebraska. Cheyenne Wyoming. Hobs New Mexico. That brought us to Cali Beach. You found Bishop for Nike. You brought us here and found me this job. I was just too self-involved to see it.”

“You wern’t wrong though.” Nikka admitted.

“Something happens when you become a big sister,” Nikita said. “Where sometimes you worry so much that you act like a total ass. Happens to Nike all the time. Guess it happens to me now too. You know I’m going to miss you most, right?”

“Of course, but you’ll have tropical beaches getting a tan with your new friends as a soothing balm as you forget all the things I do that annoy the piss out of you.” Nikka chuckled.

“You squeeze the toothpaste from the middle like a savage,” Nikita laughed.

"I was raised by wolves, whatcha want from me." Nikka laughed.

“You’ll come see me off, right?”

"Yea, duh."

“Good. And keep an eye on Nike. Make sure she doesn’t dreamwalk us into a niece or nephew,” Nikita warmed.

"Yea I am not going to get in the middle of that." Nikka laughed making a face.