Welcome to Trainwrecks, a free-to-read fiction serial that follows a group of six Seattle-adjacent friends from the year 2004 to the year 2015. Join Luna Cruz, Sebastian Velasquez, Dimitri and Victoria Hale, Duke Kingston, and Jasmine Nolan as they stumble their way from adolescence to adulthood, falling in love, making mistakes, overcoming their pasts, and staying together through it all.
For series introduction, character profiles, relationship charts, and general orientation, check out the Table of Contents!
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May 21, 2005
Sir Duke: I didn’t get very good at surfing before I left. Mom wasn’t a fan of me doing it.
Victoria: But she’s alright with snowboarding?
Sir Duke: Mountains don’t have sharks.
Victoria: But there are avalanches! And trees!
Sir Duke: Now who’s the one worrying?
Victoria: Anyway, Hawaii sounds lovely.
Sir Duke: Blue skies, island breeze, crazy beautiful beaches, green everywhere you look.
Victoria: Are you saying Washington isn’t green?
Sir Duke: Different shade. You’ll see when you go there.
Victoria: It’s a shame I haven’t yet. I AM part Hawaiian.
Sir Duke: You should ask your aunt to take you.
Sir Duke: Or just come with us. We’re going in August.
Victoria: Please, as if my father would ever let me!
Sir Duke: I’ll take a ton of pictures for you, then.
Victoria: I’ll look forward to them.
~*~
AOL Group Chat—So Fetch
May 22, 2005
Victoria: Did you know Duke is going to Hawaii in August?
Moona: Yeeeeeeeeees. I can’t believe he’s ditching me again!! o>O<o
Moona: He’ll be here for his birthday, though!
Victoria: When is it?
Moona: July 15th. He’s throwing a pool party at his house.
Smooth Jazz: I thought Duke refuses to swim in his pool because it’s too cold here.
Moona: He does.
Moona: So I told his MOM like five months ago that we should throw a pool party at their place
Moona: and she was like “Zat iz a wonderful idea!”
Victoria: I should get him a nice gift. Perhaps something he can use on his trip?
Smooth Jazz: You’ve got a whole month and a half to think about it.
Moona: At least I have you guys to hang out with in August!
Smooth Jazz: Actually…
Moona: JASMINE NOOOOO
Smooth Jazz: East Coast family reunion. Sorry. ):
Moona: Victoria?????
Victoria: I’ll be here.
Moona: Yay! <3
Victoria: It’ll be a bit quiet without Duke around.
Moona: Trust me, Dimitri will make enough noise on HIS birthday to compensate for our tragic loss.
~*~
Moona: Please tell me you’ve noticed it.
Smooth Jazz: She’s been talking about Duke. A lot.
Moona: YES. I KNEW I WASN’T CRAZY
Smooth Jazz: Don’t try and pull it out of her. She’ll tell us when she’s ready.
Moona: Do you think she’s even realized it yet?
Smooth Jazz: Probably not.
Moona: So… just a little nudge? :D
Smooth Jazz: No. Let her figure it out.
Moona: >O<
~*~
Dimwit_Genius: Heard you went to prom with Seb.
Smooth Jazz: He did convince me to tag along, yes.
Dimwit_Genius: So you weren’t his prom date?
Smooth Jazz: Nope. Just two friends going to a school dance together.
Dimwit_Genius: Good.
Smooth Jazz: Why is that good? Don’t tell me you’re having regrets about not dating him.
Dimwit_Genius: I’m not.
Dimwit_Genius: I just don’t want YOU to start thinking you’re good enough to date him.
Smooth Jazz: Wow.
Smooth Jazz: That might have hurt my feelings if I had any romantic interest in Seb.
Smooth Jazz: But I don’t. Vow of celibacy remember?
Dimwit_Genius: As long as you’re aware~
~*~
Text conversation between Sebastian Velasquez and Duke Kingston
May 28, 2005
Sebastian: You should ask her out.
Duke: What
Sebastian: Victoria. You guys have been flirting all night.
Duke: No we haven’t.
Sebastian: Dude
Duke: QUIT TEXTING ME SHE’S GONNA SEE
Text from Luna Cruz: I agree with Seb.
Duke: STOP LOOKING AT MY PHONE
~*~
AOL Chat Room—Peanut Butter Cups
June 17, 2005
Moona: VACATION’S ALL I EVER WANTED
Moona: VACATION HAAAAD TO GEEEET AWAY
Sir Duke: Summer break FINALLY thank god
Dimwit_Genius: Enjoy it while it lasts, children. The work force doesn’t believe in holidays.
Smooth Jazz: Don’t you work part-time?
Seblasquez: Lol
Victoria: I’m sad. I don’t get to see you all as often.
Moona: What are you talking about? Just get Dimitri to bring you over here.
Dimwit_Genius: You want me to drive from Renton to Seattle and back, then back again?
Moona: Please and thank you~! :D
Sir Duke: You don’t want your poor sister to be all by herself, do you?
Dimwit_Genius: You shut the fuck up
Victoria: Perhaps I could take a bus?
Sir Duke: NO
Moona: NOOOO
Smooth Jazz: No
Dimwit_Genius: NO
Seblasquez: It’s not safe.
Victoria: Really?
Sir Duke: You still got a lot to learn about America V.
Smooth Jazz: Why don’t we just go hang out at Victoria’s house?
Moona: Wow. How come I didn’t think of that?
~*~
Victoria: I just realized…
Sir Duke: What
Victoria: You’re the youngest in the group!
Sir Duke: No I’m not. Your birthday’s in October.
Victoria: I was born in 1989.
Sir Duke: Really??
Victoria: Five months before Luna.
Sir Duke: Aaaaah fuck
Sir Duke: Don’t tell Dimitri.
Victoria: Your secret’s safe with me. :)
Emoticon Key for Emoji Users:
o>O<o - a frustrated face with an open mouth and flailing fists
>O< - a frustrated face with an open mouth
Author’s Note: You know that stage in a budding crush when you start talking to them more? And then you keep bringing them up in conversation with other people? And then you want to spend more time with them but it still hasn’t hit you that maybe, just maybe, this is more than friendship? Victoria’s right about there.
Happy New Year, everyone! I decided to road trip back to Denver in an effort to conquer my anxiety, so pray for our safety and my sanity. As soon as I return, I’ll be diving into the Season 2 trenches in the hopes of getting it out to y’all by March. The edits are scary, but the hijinks are good.
<3
Everyone talking about Duke and Victoria with a side of Jazz and Dimitri snapping at each other. Perfect episode 😘👌