Air Pressure
Chapter One

Tori scowls, pulling her legs up tighter to her chest on her bed's magenta comforter. She tries to refrain from drawing little hearts in the margins of her essay, but fails and doodles them anyway. She feels like she's going to throw up;Tori's chest pangs and she throws the pen down, the little penguin (connected by a spring) bobbing side to side. Tori tucks her chin behind her knees as her nose rests atop, and gives a hearty sigh. She growls, and furiously wipes at her eyes, tears leaking and sliding down the sides of her cheeks. She sniffs loudly and falls back, mattress squeaking, and turns on her side, smiling bitterly at the framed picture of her and Jade.

She slams it face down, cringing at the loud bang that resounds across the room, echoing off the walls. Tori's stomach lurches as she glares at her alarm clock, and bile rises in her throat and okay just no

Tori runs into her bathroom and slams the door, locks it, and hears a crash before glass breaks and she knows what happened.

Stupid.

;;

Tori curls up under her covers, squeezing her eyes shut. She shouldn't be this emotional about this. She's acting stupid. Tori frowns at herself—she's upset?—big whoop; what happened between her and Jade was… nothing. Those little looks and those nights and that thing that Jade does—did—, when she always knew what Tori was feeling, was nothing. It is now non-existent, barely there… but then how come Tori still smiles when she sees Jade?

There's a knock at her bedroom door, and Tori grumbles, throwing her pillow at the panel of oak—instantly regretting her choice as her head thumps on the hard mattress.

"Go away!"

She hears someone scoff—it's Trina—, and rolls her eyes, pulling her comforter back. The eldest Vega girl, self-proclaimed ruler of the world, barges in loudly, garbed in a tight metallic blue dress that stops short, silver stiletto heels, and bouts of makeup, giving the effect of a tacky shadowy eye that makes Trina look like a raccoon. Tori decides her sister can use the humiliation and doesn't comment. Trina storms forward, her lips pursed tightly together, and rips the duvet off of Tori. Tori whines and scrambles to grab it back, but Trina tips her over the edge of the bed, smirking down at her fuming little sister on the floor, waving sarcastically.

"Whoops!"

Tori grumbles, glares, and pulls her hair out of her mouth. She stands, shoulders hunched over, torturing herself by wearing Jade's forgotten black band t-shirt (that still smells wonderfully of vanilla and cigarettes—Tori refuses to wash it) and her own fuzzy penguin sweatpants. She crosses her arms and pouts as Trina rolls her heavily coated eyes—again.

"Are you still hung up over breaking up with Jade?"

Tori's mouth falls open as she wonders how Trina knew about them, since she hadn't told anyone. Tori shakes her head to herself and sighs, not wanting to know her sister's antics. She looks back up and frowns, eyebrows pushed down angrily.

"No!" –She doesn't deny the fact that Trina claimed they were dating, but—well—whatever. Trina snorts, and blinks, raccoon eyes momentarily looking like miniature black holes. Tori shudders.

"Yeah, okay—anyways," Tori internally thanks God "I came in here because I need a ride. Dad and Mom are out on some stupid date-night" Trina raises both of her hands, two fingers up, and bends them down in mock quotation "thing, and Gage Jones—you know him, right, super-hot senior? Or are you like, a full-on lesbian now?—is throwing a party, and he's, like, known for throwing awesome parties."

Tori raises an eyebrow, "And how do I play into this?"

Trina looks at her incredulously, as if whatever the reason is, it's the most obvious thing in the world. "What part of 'awesome party' do you not understand? There's going to be beer, duh, and I need a designated driver," Trina points to herself, "this beautiful being won't be getting into a car crash anytime soon—or, you know, getting arrested."

Tori sighs, "And why do I have to do this?"

"Because out of everyone I know you won't slip-up and drink, you damn tight-ass!"

Tori glares, "I'm not uptight!"

Trina rolls her eyes for the umpteenth time, "You don't even cuss, dude."

Tori heaves a great sigh, "Whatever," and waves her sister off "—just leave so I can get dressed."

As Trina walks out the door she mumbles something along the lines of, "Still can't believe you and Jade West of all people dated," and Tori still doesn't deny anything.

;;

Tori angrily jams the keys into Trina's car door and unlocks it, plopping in. She slams the door closed, silently fuming as she turns the sedan on and pulls it out of park. She's wearing light wash, distressed skinny jeans, those black knee high boots that Jade said she just loves, said person's black band t-shirt and a thin red jacket covering it. If you ask her, Tori will say that she was lazy, that she didn't even want to go this stupid party anyways, that she was dragged here by that stupid sister of hers—but in reality, she's nervous. Tori's never really been to a huge party like this that'll most likely have drugs and, since Trina confirmed it, alcohol for sure. And Jade's scent and the fact that she's worn the shirt before, kind of gives Tori comfort.

Trina hops in after grabbing her clutch, and the drive to the Jones household is quiet, what, with Tori scowling and Trina adding even more makeup to her lids, there's not a lot of room to talk. At a red light, Tori slows to a stop and drums her thumbs against the wheel, also making some beat-box noise through her lips. Trina glares at her through the corner of her eye and she stops. The light's turned green anyways.

Five minutes later Tori turns left and into Harlem Boulevard, a rather expensive street with stuck-up snobs for families. Music pulses down the street, and a bunch of teens are gathered around a house (obviously the location of the party), lights flaring from inside the house and through the windows. Toilet paper is carelessly lying around, atop bushes and in a few trees. The kids are holding classic red plastic cups, and Tori's stomach lurches when she pulls up, noticing a few bags with white powder being passed around.

"Trina—," her voice is strained as she attempts to parallel-park, "I don't think we should've come here, they've got—"

But Trina's already flitting out the door and Tori shakes as she turns off her sister's car. The keys fall in her lap, and Tori raises Jades t-shirt's collar to her nose and takes in a deep breath, before swallowing thickly and zipping up her red Super Mario Bros. jacket. She looks down and fiddles with the keys, stares at Luigi while Mario rides on Yoshi as Toad runs after everyone, her heart going a mile-a-minute, nerves wracking.

"We can't do this, Tori—"

Tori squeezes her eyes shut tight, teeth of the keys digging into her palm. The scent of vanilla and cigarettes is so much more apparent now.

Tori purses her lips, lifts her hand, lets her fingers graze over the knuckles of Jade's right—the one that's holding the cigarette.

"Jade, you shouldn't smoke. It's bad for you."

Jade smirks, flicking her eyes up to chocolate brown ones, "So?—people do a lot of things all the time that hurt themselves. Like bungee jumping."

Tori scoffs, "That's a completely different concept."

Jade shrugs, and lets the cig fall to the ground, smashing it with the toe of her boot, "See? There. I stopped."

Jade leans over and kisses her maybe-kind-of-girlfriend on the nose, and a supple grin ghosts Tori's lips.

"Stop!" Tori shrieks, head bobbing as her hands slam against the steering wheel harshly—she can't remember, because remembering hurts and Tori doesn't want to be in pain anymore. She stumbles out of the car, crisp nighttime Californian air hitting her like a brick. She presses the lock button on the keys and stuffs them in her back pocket, buttoning the flap with shaking fingers so no matter what, she won't lose them. Tori walks onto the lawn awkwardly, trying her best to avoid drunken teens. A boy that looks strangely like Sinjin throws up near a tall bush and the people around him cheer, raising red cups most likely filled with stolen, bitter beer.

Tori walks inside, rubbing her hands against the sides of her thighs, scoping out the packed living room for a familiar face, because Lord knows where Trina went. She swallows, a nervous sweat breaking out on her hairline and pushes up her sleeves. A few kids with bloodshot eyes and empty giggles bump into her, and Tori whimpers, heart clenching. She really wants Jade.

Tori walks through the crowd of tangled, dancing teens, and out the backdoor, finding herself in a relatively barren backyard; the only occupants a boy and a girl making out and some guy passed out with a foot dipped into the in-ground pool. Tori sighs and walks to the large platform-porch-thing beside the pool, heeled boots clunking on the steps. She slumps into a sunken cushioned lawn chair, resting her elbows on her knees, holding her forehead, hair tight between her fingers. Jade, Jade, Jade—a sob climbs up her throat and Tori's body lurches, dear God she's going to be sick.

Tori opens her mouth in desperation, eyes wide and staring at soaked wood. She eats up the sweet air as if she's never breathed before, and jumps when a slim hand lands between her shoulder blades.

"Tori."

The voice is velvet and all too familiar. Tears spring into Tori's eyes and she scoots over, allowing Jade room to sit down, head still in her hands. Jade doesn't, and instead stands in front of her, gently grasping her wrists. She pulls them away from her face, and Tori finally looks up, neck cramping. Jade's wearing a strapless black dress with a white belt at the waist and a ruffle skirt. Her usual combat boots are on above dark pantyhose. Tori frowns—anger flares in her chest—who the hell is Jade trying to impress?

Yet all anger fades away as Jade moves in closer, so as their foreheads touch. The smell of vanilla and cigarettes overpower Tori, and she nearly suffocates. Jade's lips graze her forehead, and then move down her tan nose, finally pausing at her lips. Tori leans forward as Jade rips away, and whines, eyes fluttering open quick enough to notice want in pale blue eyes before it disappears. Jade swallows, boots scuffing against the deck.

"You shouldn't be here, Tori," she murmurs. Tori purses her lips and starts playing with her sleeves, pulling loose strings.

"What do you mean?"

"These idiots are crazy," Jade raises an eyebrow as a disgusting, guttural moan is heard from the couple, now in the grass half-naked. Tori swallows.

"I'm here for Trina."

Jade rolls her eyes. She blinks, and Tori likes the fact that they don't look like black-holes, examines her long lashes before Tori swims in electric blue. She scowls as the West girl pulls out a pack of cigs and a lighter from her metallic clutch. Jade lights the cigarette and lifts it to her lips, taking a quick drag before rings puff out of her mouth, hand gracefully moving to the side.

"Ditch Trina, you know she'll get a ride."

Tori glares, "I can take care of myself, you know."

Jade pauses—"I know."

"I'm not a baby."

Jade ignores here, and focuses her attention on falling ash, "You need to go, I don't want to—"

"What?" Tori stands up, arms raised at her sides, fingers splayed out, and Jade whips her head back, "You what, Jade? You don't want anything that we had back; you want to throw it all away?"

"Tori, plea—"

"Shut up!" Tori shrills, arms now clamped down, fingers glued to her palm, "Just shut up, Jade! I'm fucking in love with you, but sometimes it seems you don't! You just… you just used me, and then just threw me away, like Cat said you did to her!"

Jade pales, eyes widening, "Tori, shut up—"

"I'm staying," Tori growls, "I'm staying and I'm going to get drunk and high as hell and I might just have sex with someone I don't know or maybe I'll go and get in trouble with cops, just so I can rub it your fucking face!"

Jade's voice is breathless, yet worried and threatening nonetheless, "You wouldn't dare."

Tori stomps down the steps and into the soggy grass, tossing back her hair as she looks over her shoulder.

"Watch me."

;;

The little bag feels like a ton of bricks. Tori's hands shake as the straw is passed to her, and she looks up, finding Jade staring at her from across the room, lips tight, and yet her eyes are brimming with concern. Tori takes in a deep breath and leans forward, settles her elbows on the table, and is about to put the straw up her nose when Jade's pale hand is holding her wrist in a vice-like grip. She vehemently rips Tori from the ruined-by-beer recliner, and the bag falls. Powder spills everywhere, and teens yell while few wolf-whistle as Jade drags Tori away, down the hallway, and into the bathroom.

She lets go of Tori, finally, throws her in the room, and slams the door shut, locking it. Tori scowls for the umpteenth time this night and settles herself on the rim of the claw footed bathtub, air around her (and Jade, but she tries not to notice her) is thickly scented with shampoo and bubblegum and beer, and now vanilla and cigarettes. She swallows, the various smells making her dizzy, and blinks, looking at a glaring Jade, who leans against the door. Tori straightens as Jade drums her fingers against the pale yellow-painted wood.

"So?"

Jade shrugs, "So what?"

"Why the hell did you bring me in here?"

Jade glares, "I wasn't just going to let you get high, and besides—I know you, Tori. You were freaking out and only I could see it."

Tori opens her mouth to retaliate, and yet falls short. Jade is right, Tori was freaking out. She felt like she was insane, snorting crack, she felt like she was letting herself and her mom and her dad and somehow even Jade down. She felt terrified, and Jade—as usual—came and saved her. But it's not like Tori will admit any of that. Instead, she fights fire with fire.

"You can't just tell me what to do Jade!"

Jade scrapes her fingernails against the door, angrily sliding her hands up. The terrible, ear-splitting scratch wracks against Tori's eardrums.

"Like hell I can't!"

Tori seethes and grips the rim of the bathtub harder, knuckles turning white. She shakily takes in a breath and tries to calmly say, "What the fuck, Jade? You've…," her heart hammers, "you've been weird lately."

The reply is lightning-fast—"No I haven't."

Tori sighs, slacking, "Jade, seriously. You were the one that—"

Tori gets cut off by Jade, who takes a long stride over and pushes up against her, attacking her lips with her own. Tori fears that she'll fall back into the tub, before Jade wraps her arms around her waist. Still lip-locked, Tori ignores that stupid voice in her head, screaming at her to stop, and instead presses herself against Jade, arching her back as her hands subconsciously slip under Jade's shirt, traveling up and down her smooth creamy back; Jade moans into the kiss as tongues waltz, and Tori tastes beer and chocolate, usually an un-tasteful combination that now seems delicious.

The bed dips as Jade moves over and raises herself above Tori, unclothed, locking her elbows and settling her hands on either side of Tori's head. She ducks her head down and sucks on tan flesh, nibbling her way up Tori's neck and jaw. She pauses, their faces centimeters apart, and Tori gulps, starts blinking rapidly as noses bump and Jade's sweet breath heats her face.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

Tori, slightly nervous (and yet still totally enthralled), nods, garbed in only bra and panties that have roses on them. Jade smiles, and moves her hands behind Tori's back, which is flat on the Wests' living room couch. She starts fumbling with the clasps as Tori gives her full command, eyes fluttering closed in bliss. She licks her lips as Jade moves the bra's straps down her shoulders, the clasp now unhooked. Tori wiggles, assisting Jade in getting the damned garment off, and for a fleeting second wonders why Jade is going so slow. It's almost as if she… cares. Cares that this is Tori's first time, and Tori had almost expected nothing like this… but it's really a pleasant surprise.

Tori is thrown out of her reverie by cheers from the kids down the hallway, and she throws Jade off of her, simultaneously pushing herself back, and falls into the tub as Jade slams into the wall. Tori's head bangs against the porcelain, and Jade quickly rushes over, hand raised and fingers splayed out.

"Tori!"

Tori, her head pounding, struggles and moves until her hands clamp onto the rim. She grunts and pulls herself up, keys painful in her back pocket. She slips out of the tub and Jade takes a step back as Tori stumbles to the door, her voice desperate.

"Just stop Jade!" Tears erupt in her eyes, and for a split second she sees sparkly wetness fall down Jade's cheeks; Tori averts her gaze and continues, messing clumsily with the lock.

"You're the one who said we were over, that you couldn't handle it! So just stop—stop coming back when all you do is just, just leave again!"

Tori doesn't know half of what she's saying. Part of her brain wants it to be like the night last month, with soft caresses and gentle touches, while the other part wants to run away, run away from LA and Jade and just everything. Finally, just as Jade's hand grazes her back, Tori pushes the door open and throws herself into the hallway, jogs into the living room and grabs her drunk sister, running out of the house against all protest. She walks dutifully across the lawn and pushes Trina into the passenger side, walks into the road, and is about to get in as well when, unbeknownst to her, three drunk and/or high (it's hard to tell, for sure) boys in a sedan speed up in front of Tori, laughing. They finally notice her and hit the brakes a little too late, for when Jade freezes in the doorway and Trina screams, Tori turns, and the car hits her, full on.

Things are in slow motion as Tori falls. She smiles at the night sky, at the people already crowding around her, and at Jade, who pushes Trina out of the way and is at her side in an instant. She tightly grasps Tori's hands, and Tori thinks she's crying, whispering stuff that she can't exactly make out. The sounds are like hearing the TV from another room. Characters say things and there's an empty laugh track, before it switches it a Peppy-Cola commercial. Tori giggles as Jade sobs harder, and her fingers twitch, thankful that if she dies, the last thing she smells is vanilla and cigarettes while her right—or left?—leg erupts in fire, and the world gets veiled by black.

;;

A/N: So… hey. If you haven't heard already, my computer's down, and will be for a while. In the meantime, I'm using my parents' laptop, which is how I was able to write this (obviously). Anyways, I've had this idea in my head for a while, so I decided to write it. No updates next week because I'll be in Florida (you are jealous), both for this and Reversed (which I'm trying to write again, as I lost the nearly-done chapter when my comp screwed up), and, uh… yeah.

Review if you care.

About Jori.

And if you don't care about Jori then it's your loss and you certainly shall not be getting any leftover Easter candy.

(Just kidding I ate it all lol ~trollin'.)