Erica and Tanya: or You Ought to Be in Pictures! (part 3 of 7)

a Original Fiction fanfiction by Shanejayell

Back to Part 2
Erica looked over at Tanya curiously, her black hair falling into her 
eyes. "Did you have a place to eat in mind?" she asked curiously.

Tanya shook her head, blonde hair swinging, "Not really." She noticed 
Erica's smile and asked, "Do you have a place in mind?"

"A nice place that's not that far from here," Erica nodded. She leaned 
on the roof of her car, looking remarkably boyish in her T-shirt and 
jeans as she asked, "Do you want to follow me in your car or ride 
together?"

"It's not too formal, is it?" Tanya asked, answering the question by 
walking towards Erica's sleek sportscar. 'I've wanted to ride in there 
since I saw it,' she mused, blinking in surprise as Erica opened the 
passenger's side door. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Erica smiled back. She climbed into the driver's seat 
smoothly as she said, "The place is pretty mixed, actually, it's one of 
the reasons I like it."

"Good enough," Tanya agreed.

Erica started up the car, the engine giving a throaty purr as she pulled 
the car off of the lot. She drove with a smooth style, keeping an eye on 
other cars as she navigated them through busy Hollywood traffic. "So how 
did you get mixed up with this?" she asked curiously.

"Simon asked me to," Tanya answered, "apparently he saw me in the 
'Blood' movies and thought I'd be good in this."

"He's got good instincts," Erica agreed. "He sends me scripts 
occassionally, going around my overly protective agent."

"And you liked this one?" Tanya asked curiously.

Erica nodded. "It's pretty rare for a movie to have as much implied 
between the characters as this one does," she said. She made a face, 
"Though it could use a better title."

"Angel of the Battlefield," Tanya nodded wryly, "it doesn't exactly trip 
off of the tongue." The car was slowing as she said, "I didn't even know 
who Simon was when he sent the script to me, but the part was so good I 
couldn't pass it up."

"Simon has good taste," Erica said as she turned the car into a crowded 
parking lot. The vehicles in the lot ran from antiques to junk heaps to 
expensive luxury cars, all parted side by side. "Here we go," Erica 
murmured as she turned the car to slip into a open space.

Tanya got out of the car, looking at the building thoughtfully. "Jenny's 
Place?" she blinked, reading the sign above the door.

"She inherited the place from a maiden aunt," Erica said. "It used to be 
a lesbian club, but she opened it up to a mixed crowd when she took 
over," she explained.

"Ah," Tanya nodded, following Erica in through the front door.

There was a small dance floor to one side, a bar up against the wall. 
The crowd was a mix of men and woman, some in casuals, others dressed 
up. Some students from the university mingled with actors and 
acctresses, business people and many others.

"Come on," Erica led Tanya forward.

There was a door in the back, revealing a separate room with several 
dining tables, customers being served by two waitresses. "Hi Erica," a 
waitress came over, giving her a sunny smile that was just a bit too 
friendly to be casual.

"Hey, Sal," Erica smiled warily at the pretty young waitress.

"Are you dining together?" Sal asked, tossing Tanya a less than friendly 
look. In fact, she pretty much glared at the actress.

"Table for two, yeah," Erica handled it casually.

They were led over to a table back in one of the corners of the large 
room. Sal handed them both their menus then smiled rather reluctantly, 
"I'll be back to take your orders in a few minutes."

"Friend of yours?" Tanya asked once Sal was gone.

"She's an ex-girlfriend," Erica admitted quite frankly, "and not too 
happy to be in the `ex' category." She paused before adding, "Sorry 
about that, I didn't think Sal would be working tonight."

"She doesn't really look like a Sal," Tanya admitted, watching the young 
woman bouncing between the tables, blonde hair flowing.

"Sal is short for Sally," Erica chuckled softly, "she shortened it to 
try to be tough, I think. Didn't quite work out."

Tanya chuckled softly. She tilted her head to the side, "So, do you have 
many ex-girlfriends around Hollywood?"

Erica blushed charmingly. "Not really," she said with as much dignity as 
she could muster, "I don't date much." She scowled suddenly, "Despite 
what the gossip columns might say."

"They do seem to assume if you're with a young woman you're dating her," 
Tanya said. She frowned, "Unfair, considering they don't with most male 
actors."

"Pretty much," Erica agreed. She looked over at Tanya thoughtfully, 
"Turnabout is fair play, you know."

"Eh?" Tanya blinked.

Erica grinned at Tanya impishly before she drawled, "Do you have many 
ex-boyfriends around Hollywood?"

Tanya's coloring made her blush even more visible as she laughed softly. 
"No, not really," she sighed. Her eyes narrowed dangerously, "There's a 
few too many types I've met who seem to want something from you."

Erica nodded thoughtfully, "I can sympathize."

"And as old fashioned as it may sound," Tanya looked down at her menu 
shyly, "I want to be in love.…"

"It's not old fashioned," Erica looked up to meet her eyes, leaning just 
a bit closer to add, "just charming."

"Are you ready to order?" Sal came up to ask, frowning at how close 
together the two women were leaning.

Erica shot her a glare as they shifted back but nodded, "I'll have the 
steak sandwich, fries and gravy, with a coke, please."

Tanya nodded thoughtfully, "I'd like a steak sandwich too, but a salad 
as the side dish and another coke."

Sal jotted the orders down on her notepad then she was off with a wave 
and a cheerful, "Be right back!"

It only took her a few moments to come back with two heavily loaded 
plates. The steak sandwiches were substantial and Erica's fries oozed 
thick brown gravy. Tanya's salad was vibrant with color, the scent of 
the dressing vinegary but mouth watering.

"Wow," Tanya blinked, looking down at her dinner in awe.

"One of the reasons I love eating here," Erica agreed. She smiled 
sheepishly, "a bit of a guilty pleasure…."

Tanya took a hesitant bite of her sandwich, her eyes widening in 
pleasure as she chewed. "That is so good," she laughed.

"You got that right," Erica agreed, digging in as well.

The two women ate and talked for nearly an full hour, sitting there at 
the side table. When they finally rose from their seats it was with real 
reluctance and both of them grabbed for the bill at the same time.

"I'll pay," Tanya smiled.

"I suggested the restaurant," Erica pointed out, "I should pay."

"But I was the one who asked you out to eat," Tanya offered.

"Well," Erica hesitated, "how about you pay this time, and I'll pay when 
we go out together next time?"

Tanya felt a blush appear on her cheeks as they walked over to pay, 
"You'd like to go out again? I'm glad I didn't bore you too much."

"You're not boring," Erica grinned, "and I'd love to go out with you 
again."

Onwards to Part 4


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