A/N: I took artistic liberties when it came to the science of the apocalypse. This story is largely inspired by Ingrid Michaelson's song, "The End of the World" and adapts a lot of Garrett Murray's short film, "Forever's Not So Long."
A first foray to the Jori fandom. Enjoy.
Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.
9:45 AM
The world is ending in eight hours.
All of the news outlets on television confirm that, yes, the sun is approaching Earth and it will soon set the little planet ablaze. Every other channel has scrolling marquees repeating identical information.
Loud, blaring car alarms and shrill screams outside barely cover up the incessant honking of drivers who have deluded themselves into thinking that if traffic somehow let's up enough, they would be able to escape their impending dooms.
But as Jade purses her lips and stares at the television, attempting to drown out the noise from outside, the first thing that pops in her mind is the disappointment that the end of the world was not, in fact, a zombie apocalypse.
It takes a little longer for the panic to sink to the bottom of her stomach before rocketing up to her heart and holding it hostage. When it does, Jade slowly collapses behind the couch, the remote control stumbling out of her grasp. Her mind jumps into overdrive about the things she hasn't gotten a chance to do. Stupid motivational quotations about living life to the fullest repeatedly stamp themselves on her forehead just so she can face palm in regret.
"Shit."
Her list gets longer and the weight of her wasted potential starts to crush down on her chest.
"Oh shit."
She hasn't sung the national anthem at a football game. Or gone spelunking. She hasn't ridden an elephant. Or eaten an authentic Philly cheese steak from Philadelphia. She hasn't skinny dipped. Or won multiple EGOTs. She hasn't gotten a movie deal for one of her screenplays. Or dived with sharks. She hasn't travelled the world (Canada hardly counts, honestly). Or visit the largest pair of scissors in Sweden. She hasn't even passed high school yet and the world is ending.
At the thought of high school, she grimaces. Her life has barely started and the world is all ready to quit on her. Leave it to the universe to give her life plans the ultimate fuck you. As Jade sits on the cold wooden floor her frown deepens when she recognizes that at this moment - the one that is literally numbered before the end of the world - she is completely alone. Any other time would have been welcomed, but this is the first (and probably the last) time that she wishes she wasn't.
Luckily, before she can completely cocoon herself in feelings, her phone rings. It's continuously been buzzing on the coffee table from the influx of messages, and she's hard pressed on ignoring all of them, but this is the first time that it's actually ringing.
After a slight pause, just to make sure she's actually hearing it go off, she jumps from the floor and clambers over the couch to retrieve it from the table without checking the caller ID. She doesn't know who to expect.
"Jade? Are you there?"
This is the first (and probably the last) time Jade has been so relieved to hear Tori's voice.
"Oh, thank god," she says, placing her hand on her eyes.
"Jade? Are you okay? Is everything okay? Are you hurt-" It's not lost on her how comforted she feels that Tori, even at the end of the world, is still the same.
"Chill out, Vega. I'm fine." Pretending everything is normal sounds like a good plan right now, so Jade sighs into the phone. "Was there a reason you called?"
There's a scoff on the other line and Jade can just imagine the other girl rolling her eyes in disbelief. "Oh no reason, Jade. Just, you know, checking if you were free for lunch today before the world ends and all that."
"Yeah, sure."
Another pause and Jade's rolling her own eyes. "What?"
"Lunch, today. I'm free. Where do you wanna go?"
"Jade, I was kidd-"
"Why not, Vega? What else do you have planned today?"
There's a considerable amount of silence from the other end of the line and if the world wasn't literally ending today, she probably would have hung up on her. But Jade stays on the line anyway and waits for Tori to speak, eventually.
"Meet me at my house. I doubt there would be any real food available today with everyone running around. Plus, we have a lot of food here."
Jade bites her lips and picks herself up from the couch, already making her ascent to her room. "Not my house? You don't wanna hang around my dead animal collection? I'm hurt."
The sputtering on the other end is enough entertainment that she eventually cuts Tori off from further making a fool of herself.
"I was kidding. I'll be there."
"Oh. Okay. Well, don't forget to wear sunglasses and put sunscreen on that…delicate skin of yours. It's pretty hot out."
"You think I have delicate skin?" she asks, but when she hears Tori explain herself, she cuts her off. "No, don't actually tell me. I'm hanging up now."
She stares at her phone for a second after she ends the call wrapping her mind at the idea that, out of everyone she knows, Tori's the one to call her. She's not prepared to investigate the reasons behind it, so she blocks it away. She's good at that; she'll do that instead. After all, none of it matters anymore.
She moves on to more pertinent questions like if it's even necessary to change especially if she's only going to see Tori. She decides on a few things. First is that, yes, she's going to change even if it's only Tori because end of the world or not, she's not going outside in pajamas. Secondly, she dons a white tank top and jean shorts only out of necessity because the weather just absolutely sucks. Third of all, no on the sunscreen. She doesn't want the undeniably gross smell of sunscreen to be the last scent she has on. Besides, she doubts any change in her current skin care regimen is going to make much of a difference.
She takes a look at herself in the mirror and instead of focusing on her appearance, her eyes land on her possessions. She knows they're just stuff, but they hold so much meaning for her. She affords herself a couple of minutes to just stare at them; she runs her fingers over each pair of scissors she owns, over the stack of screenplays she's written, over her cluttered jewelry box. She only stops when she can feel tears at the corner of her eyes.
Jade eventually makes her way around the room to collect her keys, wallet, and phone. She catches herself looking for her things and acknowledges the uselessness of her search. So she takes one last look around her room and heads out.
But not before she plucks a pair of sunglasses from her vanity.
/
10:01 AM
It is no surprise just how ungodly hot it is outside. The sun, after all, is approaching the Earth with the one purpose of transforming it into ashes. For a second, Jade contemplates going back inside to put sunscreen on or force Tori to trek to her house. But she figures just how much of a waste of time that would be. So she just pushes her sunglasses up and pedals away from her driveway.
"Goodbye house!" she yells as her bike touches on the street pavement. Jade congratulates herself in choosing a bike as her mode of transportation after seeing the massive pile-up of traffic on the main road a block away.
Even though she knows that she doesn't have the time for it, she doesn't race to Tori's house. As much as she wants to, she's not going to do anything she doesn't like for the last precious hours of her life. So she tries to enjoy the bike ride to Tori's house weaving her way in and out of traffic and pedestrians that are making their way around the soon-to-be abandoned city.
Jade focuses on select things on her ride over. For example, she is aware that she hasn't ridden a bike in a long time. She is aware that it is undeniably hot under the sun and that she will probably burn. She is aware that her favorite coffee shop is probably not open anymore. But Jade ignores that the hundreds of people running around her are probably on their way to the people that they love. She ignores that a lot of them are probably not going to see their loved ones. She ignores that there is absolutely nothing anybody can do about it.
Jade hasn't even gotten completely onto the Vega property when she hears that unmistakable voice calling for her. She muses that it's now the second time that she's relieved to hear that voice.
"Finally! I wasn't sure if you were even gonna get here." Tori almost collides with her as she rushes in for a hug and Jade has half a mind to stand her ground. She's trying to subtly maneuver the bike as a barrier, but the other girl is already reaching for her in a tight hug.
"No one said you could do that, Vega."
"Oh shut up, you grouch." Jade feels Tori's arms grip her tighter and she abandons the bike and places her arms around her.
"I got you a present," she says as she brings her hand up.
"What is i-oh god it's a dead bird!"
"Yeah. Picked it up on the way over."
"I thought you'd have gotten some coffee or something."
"Where could I have possibly carried cups of coffee on a bike?"
Tori shrugs helplessly but takes hold of Jade's wrist before pulling her towards the house.
"Drop the bird, Jade."
Dutifully, she does as she's told. She drops the bird on the driveway, and walks behind Tori. Jade basks in the familiarity of her interactions with Tori remaining as they were as if it was any other day. She'll never voice it aloud, but right now, it's keeping her together.
/
10:39 AM
"Ugh, ice cream. It's your fault I haven't been able to look at it the same way."
"My fault? How is it my fault?"
"Need I remind you the torture you put me through trying to find those damn letters?"
"That wasn't just me!"
"Still blaming you."
"So why are you still eating it?"
"Because it's cold and refreshing and the temperature is not."
"…Pass me an ice cream sandwich."
/
10:42 AM
As Jade eats her ice cream cone, she wanders around the house, not paying much attention to Tori watching her as she does so. It's when she no longer feels a set of eyes boring into her that she steals a peek to see the other girl sit back on the couch and pick up a random magazine.
Jade shifts her attention back to the house. She follows a trail of photographs hanging from the walls of the stairwell. She closely observes pictures of the Vega girls in school portraits, school performances, birthdays, family trips. Jade feels like she knows Tori. She can trace Tori's life in a series of photographs and feels a slight twinge of envy in her chest. Annoying sister aside, even Jade can't deny that at least in these pictures Tori's been pretty lucky to have the life she leads. She's not aiming for a heart to heart or anything because Jade likes her life fine, but it's not hard to see all the things Tori has that she doesn't.
It's only when she almost trips after attempting to take a step above the top stair that she discovers she's already upstairs, no longer hearing the rustling of magazine pages. A moment of hesitation springs up in her mind when she thinks maybe she shouldn't be up here, but a pervading thought wins: nothing is going to matter anymore.
So she opens the first door to her right because she remembers it as Tori's. Being in there again is oddly familiar and she recalls bits and pieces of the room. The one new thing she doesn't remember, however, is a picture frame on the dresser. It's the two of them at Nozu during their play date just after they finished singing together. She remembers that night. She thanked Tori with a very short hug and an awkward pat on her back which the other girl gladly accepted.
As Jade continues to peruse around Tori's room for a second time, she wonders how her life would be different if things turned out another way, if she hadn't initially felt threatened by Tori's appearance at Hollywood Arts or if they were actual friends.
She jumps a little when she hears Tori's voice. But she welcomes it nonetheless. She even goes so far as to smile back when Tori offers her another cone of ice cream.
Jade thinks that if things were different and they had been actual friends, their life would probably feel a lot like today.
/
10:58 AM
"Jade, you're gonna get ice cream on my comforter."
Without thinking, Jade responds as she turns a page of the magazine she's reading. "It doesn't matter, does it?"
She fights herself, not knowing how to respond. So she doesn't. She deliberately ignores the forlorn expression on Tori's face and concentrates on the photoshopped bone structure of a particular model on the page.
"No, I guess not."
She pretends not to hear Tori. It doesn't do them any good. Instead, she turns another page of her magazine and refuses to look in Tori's direction.
But she does her best to lick the ice cream before any of it drops on Tori's bed.
/
11:11 AM
"Make a wish, it's 11:11."
"I wish you would stop speaking."
/
11:12 AM
"I wish I'd gotten a tattoo."
"I can make it happen. I'm gonna need a lighter, a needle, and a pen."
/
11:13 AM
"I can't believe you just bit my arm!"
"I can't believe you thought I wasn't going to do it!"
/
11:18 AM
Jade somehow convinces Tori to stop resisting and let her draw on her arm; a decision that gets a wide and childlike smile from Jade.
But when Tori forces her to promise not to draw a penis, Jade's smile turns into a childish pout.
She reluctantly agrees. It's only when Tori's not looking that Jade fits in a drawing of a small penis before quickly turning it into a flower stem.
/
11:23 AM
"Jade, let's play Twenty Questions."
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because I'm not done watching this paint dry."
"Har har. Very funny. Come on, you're not doing anything."
"I can't, I'm also watching this water boil."
"Fine. I'll just creepily stare at you until you play with me."
"You already do that."
"W-what? I don't, uh I don't do that. I don't."
"Let's play Twenty Questions. I'll ask the first question. Why do you keep staring at me?"
"What? What, no way. I do not keep staring at you."
"…"
"…"
"…"
"Fine. Ever since I've met you, there's been this nagging voice inside my head that just wants to know what you're going to do next, okay? You always have something on your mind, or at least it looks that way, and I wonder what you think about. I can pretty much guess what other people are thinking about like how Andre thinks about his music and pretty girls or how Robbie probably rewinds his conversations with Rex about how much he likes Cat. Or even Cat and something crazy that her brother's done. But you're hard to guess because there are times when you do something so unlike you. And I wonder if you're thinking about something evil or if you're just coming up with stories inside your head. Or what you think about Sikowitz's class or any time Beck's around you, whether you were actually together or not. Basically, even if you're kind of a jerk, you're still an interesting jerk and my curiosities get the best of me. That's why. Are you happy?"
"…"
"…"
"Jade?"
"Is that your question?"
"What?"
"'Are you happy?' Is that your question?"
"Uh, sure."
"Well, let's see… I woke up and found out that the world was ending today, so I was kind of cranky. But then I had some of that ice cream and you're not so annoying right now, even though your confession about staring at me isn't as exciting as I thought it would be. I wouldn't label it happy, but it's close enough."
"Um. Thanks, I guess."
"What's your next question?"
"Stop staring at me and let me think."
"Now you know how it feels."
"I'm ignoring that. Okay, I've got it! Between Godzilla and King Kong, who do you think would win?"
"Godzilla, no doubt. Come on, that giant dinosaur is so much more badass. His name starts with GOD. And it ends with ZILLA."
/
11:46 AM
They argue about what movie to watch for five minutes. The only reason She's the Man plays is because Tori gets up from the couch and puts the disc in the DVD player. When Tori asks if she has any better ideas, Jade just shrugs and claims that she's already taken her seat on the couch and can't be bothered to get up. She smirks when she senses Tori's hesitation chucking the DVD case towards her. Jade complains for another five minutes about Channing Tatum's lack of talent and how the movie premise was completely unrealistic. But when Tori glares at her, she grins victoriously before shutting up and watching the film.
They laugh at the movie and Jade can't decide which feels more surreal to her: watching She's the Man or hanging out with Tori.
What she does decide on is how much she's enjoying herself, all things considered.
/
12: 13 PM
"You know, I just realized-"
"I don't care."
"-that most apocalyptic stories are so dark and intense. Like, really tragic stuff."
"You don't think suffering through She's the Man is tragic?"
"All we've done is read, eat, and watch movies."
"I'm glad you didn't say eat, pray, love or I'd have pushed you down the stairs."
"I'm serious."
"Me too. But, we can always push you down the stairs now."
"That's only tragic for me!"
"So?"
"We're not pushing me down the stairs."
"Tsk! I am adamant on terrorizing the joy and happiness of those around me."
"I don't talk like that!"
/
1:28 PM
The movie ends and Jade doesn't hesitate to shut the television off just to avoid the obnoxious title screen music. They sit in a surprisingly comfortable silence until Jade hears herself speak.
"Why are you alone too?" She outwardly cringes because she actually planned to say it nicer. She doesn't know what to make of Tori's expression, and she doesn't get a chance to do so when the other girl looks away.
She hears controlled breathing and she just waits patiently. Tori turns back to her. "Well," she starts, "my parents and Trina are making their way from her Vegas audition. But they're stuck in traffic and they're going to try to make it back as soon as possible."
Jade nods because she can relate. But Tori's stopped looking at her completely and instead fiddles with the hem of her shirt. "Why didn't you just go with Cat or Andre or even Robbie or Beck?"
"You know why. There's not enough time. Cat's with her mom and brother and they're already rushing towards the rest of their family. Andre is spending time with his grandmother and trying to do the same thing Cat is. As for Robbie and Beck, they weren't in town to begin with."
"So you called me."
"You were the only one that didn't text me," Tori says, defending herself. "Beck texted me to check in on you, too, since you hadn't gotten back to him either."
"Oh."
Tori brushes her hair behind her ear and offers a small smile. Jade clears her throat.
"I guess I should thank you for checking in on me. I'd have been alone."
"At least now we can be alone together," Tori says with exaggerated thumbs up and a cheesy smile. Jade wonders if this is how Tori's handling herself, with an uncharacteristically high level of enthusiasm.
Jade rolls her eyes but otherwise still amused. "Well, there are worse things."
Tori laughs at herself and braves patting her on the shoulder. Jade lets her.
/
1:32 PM
Jade randomly wonders aloud if Trina would have gotten the audition in Vegas. She closely watches Tori's reaction. But she doesn't know what to make of it when all Tori does is shrug, pick up an old newspaper and turn to the crossword.
When she thinks that Tori's not going to say anything at all, Jade finally hears her voice – small and rough – say that she has no doubt that Trina got the part.
/
1:38 PM
"What's a seven letter word for captive?"
"Hostage."
"…"
"What?"
"How do you know that?"
"I'm an educated young woman, Tori. Don't be so surprised."
"Uh huh."
"You know that staring thing? You're doing it again."
/
1:44 PM
Jade vows never to try to make popcorn again. The smoke that comes out of the microwave is enough to send Tori into hysterical fits of laughter. Sentimental and emotional conversations aside, she feels no remorse in wanting to kick Tori in the stomach for laughing so much. It's not that bad – this time. At least some of the kernels popped before the bag mysteriously exploded.
She demands Tori to stop or she'll start hurling kitchen accessories at her. When Tori can't control herself – Jade thinks she's pretending – she's met with spatulas to the head.
/
2:01 PM
"What are you doing?"
"What does it look like I'm doing?"
"Is there a particular reason why you're just lying down, then?"
"Nope."
"…"
"…"
"Okay. Move over."
"No way, get your own spot."
"I will purposefully sing off key until you do."
"You already sing off key."
"Hey! I resent that."
"Great, now go away. I wanna lie down in peace."
"You leave me no choice, Jade. Ahem, ahem. You don't have to be afraid to put your dream in action…"
"Don't do it."
"You're never gonna fade you'll be the main attraction…"
"I'm warning you, Vega."
"Not a fantasy just remember me when it turns out ri-mmph"
"I will literally put a sock in this if you don't stop, you got it?"
"Mmhmmph."
"I mean it."
"Whew! Thanks…blahblahblah wordswordswords Imakeitshine. There! I stopped."
/
2:22 PM
Jade catches her breath when the two of them finish belting out lyrics as they run around the house with the music on the highest volume. She unceremoniously drops down onto the couch, her legs propping themselves on the back of it.
Tori collapses on the armchair across the coffee table and starts giggling. It's so infectious that Jade finds herself giggling too. In no time at all, they're both laughing hysterically for no apparent reason.
When they've calmed themselves enough, Tori looks at her, joy still etched on her face. Jade comments on the staring and she's met with a light laugh. They listen to the music without singing or humming along. It's only when the song ends that Jade hears Tori's voice again.
Tori's thanking her for agreeing to stay with her. Jade shrugs and jokes that they better not make a habit out of it. She's run out of words if Tori says anything else, anything too honest, so she hopes that Tori doesn't press further.
Jade is more than grateful when the next words out of Tori's mouth are the lyrics to the next song.
/
2:27 PM
"I thought we would have been invaded by aliens. Like in War of the Worlds."
"I really wanted to have a zombie apocalypse."
/
2:40 PM
They finish their second bout of loud singing from the floor in the Vega living room when Jade's phone rings again. Everyone she can think of that's meant to call already has except for one. It's an unknown number and the same sinking feeling in her stomach when she watched the news only a couple hours ago shows up. She sits up and picks the still-ringing phone in her hands.
She reminds herself to calm down or she'll really fall apart. But her shaking hand betrays her and there's already moisture blurring her vision.
She hesitates in answering until she looks up and catches Tori's eyes. She places the phone by her ear.
"Jade? Jade, is that you? It's Dad."
The easiness that she felt not thirty seconds ago dissipates and is replaced by a force field of heaviness and tension that completely envelopes her. For the last couple of hours, she's forgotten why she's even here in the first place. But hearing him yanks her back down to the reality of not having enough time.
She clears her throat. "Uh, hey, Dad."
"It's so good to hear your voice." She hears her father's sigh of relief; he sounds different and she tries not to think about why. Except the sniffling confirms her suspicions.
"You too."
The silence is unnerving, so unlike the quiet she experienced earlier on the phone with Tori. Her brows furrow and she's chewing on her bottom lip. Hearing her father's voice sound so vulnerable scares her. The discomfort must have been evident because the distance between her and Tori shrinks so their knees are almost touching. She keeps eye contact with Tori, and she has half a mind to be impressed when the other girl holds her gaze, her eyes so caring and full of concern.
Thoughts of what's in front of her freezes when his voice reminds her of what's obviously absent.
"Jade, honey, I'm sorry I can't be there with you. I didn't think it would be this way. And now the airports are jam packed and it's just a mess and-"
She closes her eyes and presses a hand on them, a poor attempt to stop the tears she promised herself she wouldn't have. "Dad, it's fine. You had to work."
"And it was all for nothing if I can't even be in the same city as my daughter. I'm so sorry, Jade. It's my one regret. I should be there now-I should have been there. I just-I can try to get to you, but I just don't know if it's going to be possible."
She squirms, her hand never leaving her face; Tori surprises her with her own hand softly moving up and down the length of her back. She doesn't say anything. Her voice too heavy to carry past her lips.
"Honey, are you there?"
Jade takes a deep breath and carefully breathes out. Again. "Yeah, Dad. I'm here."
"I know that this is too late, but I need you to know I'm sorry I didn't take the time to show you how much I love you. But that I do, I love you. So much."
She bites the inside of her cheek to even her breathing. "I love you too, Dad."
"I have to go now. There's too much stuff going on and I don't know how long I can keep this call. I'll try to reach you before-"
She cuts him off. She doesn't really want to hear him say it. "Okay, Dad."
"Okay. I h-hope you're not by yourself. Are you?"
"No, I'm not. I have someone with me. Tori's here."
"Wasn't she at your play? I'm glad you have someone, Jade."
"Yeah, me too. Do you-do you have someone there with you?"
"Just co-workers."
Jade can hear the static through the phone line and she has to wonder if this is really happening. She's written about static phone calls ending important conversations but those events are works of fiction. This is real life, this is her life, and this is not what should be happening.
"Dad, can you hear me? You're breaking up. I can't hear you." She hears her father's voice come in and out of the receiver and she's struggling to control her breathing.
"Jade, honey, I love y-"
"Dad!"
Jade wants to say she loves him too or that she forgives him, but she doesn't get the chance. She hears the dial tone. Even as she closes the call, the hand solidly pressed to her eyes, the one still trying hard to keep her tears from passing her eyes, never leaves her face. She drops her phone on the ground and brings her other hand up, sobs into them, succumbing to the onslaught of tears.
She falls as a heap of mess on the other girl. Tori just holds her and slowly rocks the two of them, one hand never leaving Jade's back and the other pulling Jade into her.
Jade sobs harder, finally feeling the overwhelming gravity of their situation. In no time, Tori joins her and they're holding on to each other for dear life, because this is the first (and probably the last) time that their life will depend on it.
/
2:56 PM
"Sorry about what I said earlier in your room. And I know it's probably not enough, but I'm sorry for everything else."
"…"
"…"
"Thanks."
/
2:58 PM
Jade will lie until the world ends before she ever admits that she's the one that leans in first. She will add to that lie and, if necessary, will blame all of her actions solely on curiosity because of their unique predicament.
She will not own up to the terrifying desperation she feels ricocheting in her ribcage to make one last genuine connection before she becomes a forgotten pile of dust. She will stay in denial about the actuality that out of the billions of people in the world, it's Tori that she's felt that connection with the most.
As the two of them settle on the couch, Jade notices Tori's hands. She's acutely aware of how softly but deliberately they roam all over her: from the sides of her neck down to the small of her back sliding forward and traveling down to her thighs just before returning upwards to her shoulders and landing on her cheeks.
She feels exposed like Tori's somehow unraveling her in ways that something only the end of the world can do. Tori leaves goosebumps in the wake of her constantly traveling hands and mouth that read like Braille of a story Tori's never heard of until now. Jade turns them over and rests her body between Tori's legs, pulling them closer around her and locking herself inside. Her only wish is that Tori doesn't let go.
Jade's absolutely petrified of what they're doing and why they're doing it in the first place, but she's more afraid of the possibility that Tori will leave her then and there; that in the last moments of their lives she'll be unequivocally alone. So she cheats her way into keeping Tori physically and mentally and emotionally present beneath her by urgently kissing Tori's pulse point to remind her that she's still very alive, that they both are.
They desperately cling onto each other in the most primal way they know. Tori navigates Jade's body and discovers for the first (and probably the last) time things about the other girl that Jade, herself, is unfamiliar with. Jade never once abandons Tori's body, her movements earnest just to keep reminding herself - the two of them - of their existence before it stops mattering.
/
3:34 PM
"Jade?"
"Tori."
"Are you…are you s-scared?"
"Yeah. I'm pretty fucking scared."
"Me too."
/
3:35 PM
In another time, a parallel universe, lying naked beside each other could and would and should mean a myriad of things, where they're significant and important and meaningful. But in this universe, at this very moment, lying naked beside each other stands only as a glaring reminder of what does not last and that they are a part of it.
Tori takes a deep breath only to surprise the both of them when she exhales a sob. Jade struggles to act. She's not old enough to know what to do; she hasn't gotten to that age where she learns a little bit more than what she does now. So it doesn't take her long to come up empty handed with any such comforting words.
She extends an arm to rest behind Tori before pulling her closer. Tori dutifully brings herself closer and cries into Jade's chest. Jade interlocks her fingers around Tori and just holds her there. She starts humming with no particular song in mind and she thinks it's a good enough alternative to words she doesn't have.
Soon enough Jade finds words even if they're not hers. She makes do with it the best she can, cradling Tori in her arms and singing the two of them to sleep.
At the end of, at the end of the world, will you find me so that we can go together, together, together.
/
4:18 PM
"Jade, wake up. We fell asleep."
"Some of us are still sleeping, Catherine Obvious."
"Very funny. What time is it?"
"Well, according to the freckle on my wrist, it's time to finish this nap."
"Your eyes aren't even open."
"I also have a clock behind my eyelids."
/
4:18 PM
Jade doesn't even bother protecting herself when Tori swats her in the face with the throw pillow without so much as a hesitation.
She smiles to herself with the belief that for what little time they have left, Tori'll be all right. And that's all Jade can ask for.
/
4:45 PM
"I'm going to miss you."
/
5:15 PM
Jade concedes defeat against her mind and lets it run while she surrenders her body to rest on the couch. By her calculations, the eight hours the world promised her today is almost up.
She senses an indiscernible kind of shift. Whether it's inside of her or the world outside, she can't quite tell. She avoids thinking about it, just closes her eyes, her arms sprawled beside her.
After a while, she feels the dip on the cushions when Tori drops herself on the other side of the couch. Jade opens one eye to look at Tori mirroring her – head tilted back and with her eyes closed. Jade notes the resignation on her face and imagines that she must be wearing the same one, too.
They sit unmoving for some time until Tori's fingers blindly brush against hers. When Tori reaches for her hand – reaches her – Jade lets her hold it. She doesn't hesitate in holding it back, squeezing it tightly, neither of them letting go.
Despite the imminent apocalypse, Jade can't help but think that the shift she's experiencing has got to be the one inside of her.
/
5:30 PM
"Here, wear these."
"Sunglasses?"
"We gotta leave in style, Jade."
"Fair enough."
/
5:39 PM
It feels a lot like the end.
Even with all of the curtains and the blinds drawn, the light is still bleeding through rendering them completely useless. Even with the air conditioner turned up to the highest level, they can't escape the increasing humidity quickly seeping into the house.
Tori perks up from her spot on the couch and moves herself to sit on the coffee table facing Jade. Their hands are still clasped together.
"Okay, last five honest things. Go."
Jade doesn't even question her, just sits up and starts thinking of her last five honest things.
"Fine. I watch Spongebob religiously that sometimes I would ditch you guys when there's a marathon on t.v. Um, my first screenplay was about this girl – me – who transforms into a fish to join her pet fish in his adventures. I secretly like the color orange. I never hated you."
Jade prays that Tori doesn't settle on her last, most honest, admission. She doesn't have the time to explain herself. Answered prayer or not, she doesn't press on the subject when Tori teases her about something else.
"Wow. Orange, huh? Never would've guessed."
"Shut up. It's your turn."
"Wait, that's only four, though."
"Well, come back to me for the last one. But it's your turn, before I melt."
Tori bites her lip in thought and focuses on the spot behind Jade's head. She chuckles to herself before shifting her focus on Jade.
"Okay, so one time I changed the face cream Trina had with foot cream, like in Mean Girls. When I was nine, I stole a bag of skittles from the grocery store and blatantly stared at the security guard to look like I didn't do anything. Sometimes I'd wish I was as mean as you so then I didn't have to always feel obligated to do nice things for people. I have a mild obsession with Britney Spears. This is embarrassing, but I've woken up from several dreams where I was making out with you."
Jade laughs despite herself and Tori's face reddens. "Kinky. Was I at least good?"
"I'm not gonna dignify that with an answer. Anyway, back to you. What's your fifth truth?"
"I still haven't come up with one."
"Well hurry up!"
"Stop rushing me."
"Jade."
"Fine, fine." Jade sighs and avoids meeting Tori's gaze. "So this is not how I expected my last day on Earth would be because there aren't any zombies, but for what we had today, I couldn't have asked for anything else."
Tori lets go of Jade's hand and stands up, extending her arms out. Jade rolls her eyes.
"Really? You're gonna pick the one activity unsuitable for this looming sunpocalypse?"
"It's just a hug! We just had sex, like, two hours ago."
"No hugging. That's where I draw the line."
"That's where you draw the line? Seriously?"
"Yes."
Tori wiggles her body and leans forward, her arms still waiting. "Love me? Love me now? Come on, one last time, give Tori a squeeze."
Jade squints through the blinding light and the sweat dripping down her forehead. She'll never understand that this is the most unattractive she has ever been and will ever be and all Tori wants is a hug. Jade will never understand it, but even with the last few moments of her life, she wants to try.
Tori has been a relentless nagging presence in Jade's life. She has baited and prompted Tori to fight with her about everything ever since the first time they met. And she's wondered why Tori would give in to all of it and fight back – fight back hard – against her. But as Jade mentally recaps her last day on Earth, a part of her kind of gets it.
Tori has unwittingly been fighting for Jade. All she's ever done is champion a friendship that Jade has consistently refused to seriously consider. Jade finds more of herself because of Tori and her persistence in the belief that she's not actually a bad person. Tori, Jade finds, is a girl that's too honest. Maybe not for Tori's own good – and Jade's a little late admitting it – but certainly for her own. A miniscule pang of regret settles in her chest when she looks at Tori and reminds herself that, if she had let it, they could have been friends – real friends. Good friends.
Jade shoves her thoughts aside when Tori continues to keep her arms out for Jade, as she's always done, and waits for her hug. Being in the arms of someone, especially someone like Tori, is not the worst way to go.
So she slowly opens her arms out and closes the gap between their bodies.
She shouldn't have been, but it still catches her off guard when Tori embraces her with such vigor that it reminds her exactly of where they are, why they're there.
And all the feelings and thoughts that she's successfully pushed out of her mind floods back into her: about the finality of her life, of her universe, of everything about Jade West. And the rawest emotions of panic and fear and terror erupt from inside of her and spill forth in the arms of one Tori Vega.
She literally only has minutes left, so she stops her thinking altogether as she strengthens her hold and she grabs onto Tori's shirt. This is the first (and probably the last) time that Jade has been this thankful for having Tori with her.
Jade can almost feel the two of them melting together. It would have been oddly poetic if it wasn't the most tragic thing to happen to them. She thinks this whole thing could have been a good screenplay. If she gets reincarnated as another universe's version of a human being with the same talents, she'd write about today, about a girl like Tori.
Jade pulls back to look at Tori. She lifts her hand and pushes the sunglasses up to her forehead because she wants Tori to really look at her. She pulls the most serious face she can and stares directly at Tori who's now looking at her rather quizzically.
"Just so you know, this doesn't make us friends."
She's amused when Tori lunges forward and brings her into another hug as she feels, more than hears, Tori's laughter. The shake of Tori's body in her arms; Tori's breath on her shoulder; the light pat of Tori's fingers on her back. It's enough to comfort her - the two of them - into oblivion. There are, after all, worse things.
"No, of course not," Tori says as she pulls her face back with a wide smile attached to it.
Their laughter ceases when seconds later, there's a rumbling of their surroundings and they start to feel everything. From the shaking walls, the photo frames collapsing, the quaking underneath their feet, the cacophonous mayhem outside that they've somehow successfully forgotten until now.
The blinding light drowns them and, just like Jade's been futilely convincing herself all day, none of it matters anymore.
Except that it still does, up until the very end, and it means more to them now than ever before as they desperately cling to one another just pulling closer, tighter, with shut eyes and racing hearts – bracing for impact.