The Real South West living in Lane's Universe
"Is this even going to work?" I was in a mood. A shitty one at that. I didn't mean to take it out on Selena, but after the encounter I had with Lane I had been forced into a permanent slump. We were in the bedroom she lived in at Justin's house. Last night she had casually let me know that she had been living here going on a year.
"It doesn't hurt to try. You said it yourself, your previous psychic was pretty witchy" I roll my eyes.
"that's not even a word how-" Selena's hand covers my lips and I can't help the cringe that takes over my body. My lipstick wasn't the expensive type I was used to and I was sure it would smudge.
"How on earth does the alternate me fuck someone so pessimistic?" I blink several times and then narrow my eyes with a smirk.
"She thinks its sexy" now it's her turn to roll her eyes.
"Just be on your best behavior and let's see if we can't get you back to your world. I'm sure the other me misses you" my heart clenches. Before the switch I hadn't talked to her in about a month. We'd only fought between our lawyers over the loft.
" I hope so. I sure miss her." My voice is quiet as she tosses me a pair of clothes. Delancey and I hadn't exactly packed for 'daily outings with Selena Gomez' so we'd been borrowing countless outfits. At least I had been. Delancey had taken to wearing Justin's shirts and her seemingly endless supply of Lacey panties all day.
I take off the pajamas I'd been wearing and start to dress. Pausing when Selena comes up behind me and unhooks my bra.
"This top looks better bra less. You've got great tits" I look down. Lane's boobs weren't nearly as perky as mine and one even looked a teeny bit bigger than the other. But I was always overly scrutinizing my own body so perhaps the imperfections were nonexistent.
"This thing you have with Justin... are you guys..?" It was hard to focus with the way she pulled my bra down my arms and ran her delicate fingers over my shoulders.
"We're no strings attached best friends with benefits. I don't know how close the Justin and I are in your world, but we're pretty tight here. Child stardom and all. I'm surprised you're asking. I know you heard him fucking your best friend"
"Lane's best friend. And yeah. They were pretty... vocal" Selena continues to trace across my back before pausing right in the middle.
"What's this mean?"
"Huh?" She presses the ident of my back with her finger once more and I shrug.
"What is it? A freckle?" I had all mine lasered off before my first Vogue shoot. It wouldn't be odd if Lane still had hers.
"No. This tattoo." I walk over to the mirror and look over my shoulder to see the tiny ink that lay right in the middle of my back.
"Um..."
"No idea?" Selena asks and I nod my head before walking into the hallway, still topless.
"Delancey!" I call and I of course run chest first into a shirtless Justin.
"Damn" he whistles and I roll my eyes and push past him. He wasn't half the gentleman Bizzle was.
"Delancey!" I call again and she giggles before walking out of Justin's bedroom in just a sheet.
"Yay! Tit party!" She shrieks, dropping the sheet and shaking her small, pert boobs without a care.
"Jesus Christ. Are you drunk? It's only 12!" Justin burps and it smells like moscato. Delancey giggles some more. Definitely drunk.
"Listen, when did I get this tattoo?" I turn around and point to my back. The positioning must look off and awkward because Selena is quick to come up behind me and place her finger next to the inking.
"Morning baby" Justin murmurs before kissing her cheek. She smiles, pats his chest and then turns to Delancey.
"When did she get it and what does it mean?" Delancey picks up the sheet, wraps herself up in it and then steps closer.
"I can't believe you L!"
"What?"
"You got a tattoo without me? Rude!" I sigh. It was unlikely that Lane would get a secret tattoo without her best friend knowing. I shrug on the silky top Selena had suggested before sighing.
"As you were," I mumble before Selena hits Justin with a stern warning,
" use protection" she whispers and he pinches her ass in response.
"C'mon. Let's go find madame Zeroni"
"Oh. You found one?" Selena stares at me blankly before blinking several times.
"Right. Alternate Universe. Long shot, but have you ever seen the movie Holes?" I shake my head and she sighs.
"Whatever. Okay. Justin, baby, we're gonna take the Audi!" He calls out over the continuos giggles that Delancey keeps producing and says,
"Drive safe beautiful!"
"What a keeper" I say sarcastically and Selena pushes my shoulder playfully.
"He may not be your Justin, but he's good enough for me. Hop in." She grabs a pair of keys that hang from a holder and soon a yellow Audi is beeping and the doors are raising into the air.
"Suicide doors? Really?"
"Your Justin isn't flashy?" She accuses and I think back to the parking lot full of cars that Bizzle owned. Maybe they were alike. I look around his property and roll my eyes.
They were one in the same. Selena drives just as terribly in this world as she does in mine and by the time we pull up into downtown LA I'm green and car sick.
"Who taught you how to drive?" I gasp out, climbing out of the car and reveling in the fresh air. She pulls on shades, a ballcap, and even a hoodie before stepping out. I frown. In a strange narcissistic way I really missed the paparazzi. It was strange being a nobody.
"Justin taught me like last year. I was way too busy before to get my license so I'm sort of a work in progress." She takes my hand and walks down the strip of people selling false designer bags, cheap jewelry, and other novelties before we stop in front of a shop.
"This place looks pretty scary. Let try it." I look down the block and see other psychics, some even doing tarot cards on the streets others smoking outside their own shops.
"The vibe is definitely here" I say with skeptical approach. As soon as my hand is on the door handle the shop door jerks open and a woman appears.
"Inside. Quickly." She says in a hurried whisper Selena adjusts her hoodie and glasses and follows her inside. I say a quick prayer to no one in particular and follow her lead.
"Please, take a seat." The woman gestures towards two large pillows that lay in the floor and Selena and I take a moment to get settled on top of them.
"My name is Anahit" Selena takes off her sunglasses and the woman's eyes widen just a bit. But then. narrow once they land on me. She looks familiar, but I cannot place her.
"I sensed you outside of my shop. You're in distress" a chill races up my back and Selena, sensing my discomfort takes my hand and holds it in her lap.
"She's lost." Selena clarifies and Anahit nods.
"Oh, but she is more than lost. This child is misplaced" I tense up and clear my throat.
" I'm not supposed to be here. Not just here in his shop... but here in this..."
"Universe" Selena supplies and I nod. It was a heavy word. To my total shock Anahit looks unsurprised.
"Where is the mark?" She asks, her long black hair glistens in the candle light and I gulp.
"How did you-"
"It's on her back. Turn around South" I obey and Selena lifts up my top and pushes my hair out of the way to reveal the tattoo. Anahit let's out an exhale of breathe.
"You angered her." Anahit mutters and I turn around to get more information.
"Who? Who did I-"
"My sister. Spandaramet." Selena snorts.
"To think that I thought South was a bad name. Who the hell-"
"Exactly. Hell." Anahit says her tone is even and her eyes are serious and Selena gives a nervous laugh.
"Hell?"
"You met with my sister didn't you? Before you came to this earth."
"Holy shit. This earth?" Selena asks. A hand pressed to her forehead and her eyes wide and questioning. Anahit nods.
"There are several earths. My siblings and I occupy each one. However, Spandaramet and I... How do I put this.... Co own the earth that South is from. My presence on her earth keeps it balanced as
Spandaramet can be... eccentric."
"Wait so... you're some kind of wizard?"
"I prefer the laymen term... goddess." My heart drops to my ass. A goddess.
"I cannot explain much as my siblings and I have rules in place, however I can help you South. No one should have to survive in an earth that isn't their own. My sister loves mischief you see. That is why she cannot be trusted with her own world. I haven't been to your earth in many moons and I can only imagine the havoc she's wreaked." Anahit looks beyond stressed out, but only one phrase echoes in my mind.
"You can help me?" Anahit nods and dips her hand into what I think is water, but as she guides it onto her own arm I realize it's a mixture of henna ink. She draws my tattoo.
"This is the symbol of past, present, and future change. It is how Spandaramet marked you and your doppelgänger. It will take some time, but I can conjure a poultice to remove the mark and send you on your way. Tears spring to my eyes and I look towards Selena who still looks lost and a tiny bit frightened.
"I'm going home?" Anahit smiles.
"Yes child. Now, who would like their cards read?"
Selena lets out an airy laugh before fainting and falling backwards.
💕Anahit & Spandaramet are both goddesses in Armenian Mythology. I chose Armenian because the Kardashians are all half Armenian :)💕