Bell had just finished slipping into her post-session routine, hoping for a moment of peace, when her phone buzzed loudly on the dressing table. She glanced at it, feeling an odd mixture of apprehension and curiosity. The name flashing on the screen wasn't something she recognized—it read "Peacock."
Peacock? she thought, frowning at the screen. Why would Vivica save someone under such a name? The nickname struck her as strange but also familiar, like it was tied to something Vivica knew. She hesitated for a second before answering, mentally preparing herself for whatever lay on the other end of the line. With a deep breath, she picked up the call.
"Wassup, Summer?" The voice on the other end was playful, casual, familiar, and disarmingly warm.
Bell froze for a moment, her breath caught in her throat, and she paused, taken aback by the carefree tone. Summer? But the teasing tone made her realize it wasn't a mistake—it was another nickname, one probably aimed at Vivica. Her mind flashed back to what Liz had said about Vivica: energetic, lively, with close friends who were used to her quirks. She scrambled to remember who this guy might be, but before she could stammer out a confused response, he spoke again.
"Come on, don't tell me you're still mad about the Summer thing."
"Uh…," Bell started, blinking at the nickname. Summer? What? Then she remembered Liz's description of Vivica. Cheerful. Loud. Energetic. Playful. Her mind clicked into place, and she decided to roll with it, slipping into the persona she'd been practicing. Quickly adopting the persona, she smirked, playing along. "Hey, stop calling me Summer! The name is Winters, remember?"
The guy laughed, his voice sounding deep and playful vibrating through the line. "Yeah, yeah, well, what can I do? Summer's still my favorite season, remember, so you'll always be Summer to me"
Bell grinned, despite herself, settling into the banter. "Well, too bad, Peacock. Winters is in charge now, so deal with it."
There was a beat of silence before he laughed again, and Bell could tell they'd done this a hundred times before. "Still calling me that, huh? I can't believe you're holding on to that nickname after all these years. That's cold "
Bell felt a small surge of victory, seeing how smoothly this was going. Vivica's confidence seemed to settle into her as she continued. "Why wouldn't I? Why should I stop? It's still accurate, isn't it? You were proud when we first met, like a peacock strutting around."
"Unbelievable." He muttered, clearly amused. "You never let anything slide."
Still holding on to your first impression, huh?" The humor in his voice suggested he was used to this banter. "Proud peacock for life, I guess."
"Exactly," Bell replied, and despite herself, she smiled. For a moment, she forgot that this wasn't her life, that she wasn't Vivica. The conversation flowed easily, almost like muscle memory, as though Vivica's body was slowly offering her bits and pieces of its past. With each word, more of Vivica's quirks and mannerisms seeped into her mind, guiding her through the exchange.
There was a beat of comfortable silence before his tone shifted just slightly. "So, I caught part of your interview the other day. You mentioned DANCING!!"
Bell blinked, feeling her stomach drop. The interview. He must have seen Vivica talking about her dance career, which was something Bell hadn't given much thought to yet since she is battling with a lot on her mind.
"Oh, yeah, the dancing," Bell said, scrambling to sound nonchalant. "I just… felt like it was time, you know? Get back to the basics. I mean what's singing without dancing. I just felt like I need to focus on that path for my career, you know before acting. It's good to try out new things."
"Yeah, yeah, that's what I thought. You seemed really into it during the interview.. Like you're gearing up for something big. What's the plan? A performance?"
Bell tried to keep up, channeling Vivica's confidence. "You know me. Always got something cooking. But I'm taking it slow. It's been a bit since I really got back into the groove not like there was any groove to begin with." She said laughing.
The guy on the other end hummed thoughtfully. "Makes sense. But I gotta say, I'm excited. I want to see what you got. Vivica Winters dancing what a sight to see. Duck feet." The more they talked, the more Bell felt she was accessing Vivica's mannerisms, the easy flow of her relationships. It was like the conversation itself was unlocking memories stored within Vivica's body.
"Of course peacock, I know you will trust duck feet." she replied, feeling more confident now that she was slipping into Vivica's life more naturally. The rhythm of the conversation was easier, familiar, as if a part of Vivica was awakening in her. "But trust me, you all are not ready for the real me."
He laughed again, a sound Bell was beginning to enjoy. "That's my girl. Always keeping them on their toes."
"Well, don't overdo it, Summers," he teased again. "You've got a lot on your plate. But if anyone can juggle it all, it's you."
"Don't worry, Peacock. I've got it handled," Bell said, surprised at how naturally the words came out knowing she doesn't even know what she's doing.
Bell relaxed, realizing that despite her initial uncertainty, this guy—whoever he was—was one of Vivica's close friends, someone she could let her guard down with. The teasing, the back-and-forth banter, it all felt natural. She was slowly becoming more Vivica with each passing minute.
"Well, that's what I like to hear," he replied. "We need to catch up later, Summer."
"Well, I've got to run," he said after a bit more teasing. "But don't go ghosting me like last time, Summer. I mean it."
"Yeah, yeah," Bell responded, shaking her head with a smile. "You're never going to let that nickname go, are you?"
"Not a chance. Later, Peacock out."
"Later," Bell said, hanging up and staring at the phone in her hand.
As the call ended, Bell stared at the phone, feeling a strange mix of accomplishment and unease. For a moment, she hadn't felt like an imposter; she'd felt like Vivica. But then reality hit. What if I slip up? What if I can't keep this going? Whoever this guy was, he knew Vivica like the back of his hand, and she'd just managed to bluff her way through a conversation with him. But it was more than that—the more she acted like Vivica, the more it felt… natural.
And that realization sent a chill down her spine. But more than that, the conversation brought an uneasy reminder that Vivica's life wasn't just a role Bell was playing—it was real. The connections, the history, the people she was tied to. And now, she was tied to them, too.
Bell sighed deeply, the weight of her new life pressing down harder than before. What am I going to do?