Chapter 72: Back to LA III
The next day, Charlie was on the deck with a woman who was giving instructions to her son.
"No going in the water, no throwing rocks, and remember, if you can't see us, we can't see you." She turned to him. "Is there anything you'd like to add, Charlie?"
Charlie joked, "Why can't they throw rocks?"
She laughed and gave her son a light pat. "Go."
"Ernie loves the beach. Thanks for inviting him."
"Anything for the kids. They're our future."
"So, where's Alan?" the woman asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I sent him to the movies. He deserves a break, and I get some quality uncle time with Jake."
"I think that's really nice of you." But she quickly yelled to her son, "Ernie, put that down, it's dead." She sighed. "That kid will pick up anything, no matter what it looks like."
"Been there," he muttered, earning a chuckle from her.
Then Daniel walked onto the deck. "Hello. Name's Dani."
"Kate," the woman shook his hand.
"Well, Charlie, I'm heading to Leonard's house, but I know Jake is in good hands."
"Nice meeting you, Kate," he said before leaving.
After he left, Charlie explained to Kate, "That was my youngest brother. He may not look like it, but he's seventeen. He had some difficulties with our mom... so I let him live here."
[Daniel commentary]
Daniel was already seated in his Porsche 911.
"There's a rule in this house: help your bro score more points. And just like in the soccer game Jake played, there's no such thing as scoring too much."
[Commentary ends]
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Daniel was walking up the stairs when he spotted someone familiar ahead of him.
"Penny," he called out.
She turned around, and immediately wrapped him in a hug. "Dani, you're back."
"Yeah," he said, still holding her waist. "I missed you."
Penny gave him a slightly ironic smile. "Really? Because I heard you had a lot of fun with Vivian."
"That I did," he admitted shamelessly. "And I invited you. I would've paid for everything."
"You know I had work," she pointed out, feeling sorry she couldn't go.
"Sooo... are you seeing anyone?"
He knew the status of friends with benefits could change easily after a few weeks without seeing each other.
"If I were, I wouldn't be letting you hold me this long," she said, amused, wrapping both arms around his shoulders.
He smirked. "So, we are still a thing, right?"
"I don't see why not," Penny whispered, leaning closer. "Or now that you're famous, you don't want poor little me?"
He answered by kissing her deeply.
"Oh, please don't tell me you're going to do it in the hallway," a dry voice spoke from nearby.
"Hey, I miss you too, Lexi."
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"Ohhh, it's adorable, Dani," Penny said affectionately, loving the Tiffany bracelet. They had just walked into Lexi's apartment.
"Do you guys want coffee? I just made some," Alexandra offered. She was staring especially at Dani, who was snooping around.
"I'll have some, thanks," he replied, opening one of the drawers.
Lexi raised an eyebrow, "What are you looking for?"
"Porn."
Penny choked when she heard that. "Dani!" she scolded, half laughing.
"I'm kidding. I was just curious to see what Lexi keeps in her apartment. I mean, it's my first time here."
"Right," Alexandra agreed, ignoring his first comment. "And thanks for the necklace, Dani. It is very cute." She opened hers as well, after handing him a cup of coffee.
"Hey, Lexi, come over here," he called her, shifting to the side and leaving the space between him and Penny for her to sit.
"What?" She tilted her head.
"Come on, sit near us." He repeated, still pointing at the couch, "It's been more than three weeks since we last saw each other."
Alexandra got up from the armchair and went to sit on the couch with her friends. He took her hand the moment she sat down.
"I also came because I wanted to watch your premiere on The O.C. tonight, but if you'd rather, we can let you watch it alone."
Daniel finished, looking directly into her eyes. "It'll be alright, Lexi." He had noticed that she seemed a little tense.
"Yeah, I'm sure you'll do great!" Penny hugged her friend from the other side.
"Thanks," Alexandra muttered, but then added in a deadpan tone, "You really know how to woo girls, Dani."
Daniel made a face, feeling wronged, and tried to pull his hand away, but Lexi held on tighter, the two of them continuing to hold hands.
[Alexandra commentary]
"I was a bit nervous today," Lexi confessed.
"With all the popularity The O.C. has been gaining, this role is very different from what I did on All My Children."
Then she explained. "Only the main cast watched the episode. I still haven't seen it, and I don't even know which parts they kept and which ones they cut."
Alexandra changed the subject, now talking about her friend. "For all his ego, flirting, sarcasm... and pervy nature, Dani can actually be very perceptive and attentive."
"... there's also the fact that he didn't do it just out of friendship. I'm pretty sure he did it to score some 'brownie points' with me." She gave a small, ambiguous smile.
[Commentary ends]
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The trio were sitting together watching the episode, with Lexi still in the middle.
"Wow, Ryan is cute," Penny commented about one of the show's main characters.
"You're not going to complain or anything, Dani?" Lexi nudged him.
He shrugged. "I'm still holding your hand, resting my head on you, and I'm sleeping with her tonight. Penny can call all the male cast cute if she wants."
Then he joked, "and I'm waaay better than a dude with a brooding face!"
Both girls laughed.
"Dani," Penny asked him, "Who would you choose, Summer or Marissa?"
"Why do I need to choose? Why not both?"
Alexandra gave him a light shove with her shoulder.
After a while, Alexandra's character finally appeared on screen - Anna Stern.
"You look really beautiful on TV, Lexi," Penny praised, with Daniel nodding in agreement.
He added, "Now, I'd choose Anna, out of the three girls."
After they finished watching the entire episode and talked about it for a while, Daniel's phone rang.
"Hey, Raj. Yeah, I'm at her apartment," he answered. After listening to what his friend said, he replied, "Okay, I'll tell her. Bye, Raj."
"Raj and Howard praised your performance, Lexi," Daniel relayed the message.
"And they asked in what universe does a geek like Seth ends up in a love triangle with you and Summer."
They stayed silent for a moment.
Now more relaxed, Lexi stretched and looked at her friend.
"Dani, if you want to see the porn, it's in the second drawer of the nightstand. But I warn you, you might feel a little small." She smirked.
Daniel opened and closed his mouth, but quickly recovered and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Don't worry, Lexi. I can compensate with my awesomeness, swagger, energy... and a Pringles can."
Penny laughed and then pointed at her friend, "You're blushing, Lexi. He just called your bluff."
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