A/N: I was listening to my Beatles records earlier today and this one popped in my head when I heard this song.
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Jade slinked into the Hard Rock Café on Hollywood Boulevard. Even for a Thursday night, the place was jumping. A lot of her music writing class frequented the House of Blues on account of the more indie direction the establishment took in recent years. But Jade still refused to go; for fear of accidentally deciding to go one of those nights where Belushi or one of those older actors got on stage with sunglasses and a harmonica.
She would rather stab herself in the eyes.
Despite being crowded, Jade didn't pay the patrons much mind. She eyed the memorabilia on the walls, intrigued by the posters and gold records and signed photos. She was looking at a black and white picture of Janis Joplin scrawling on some papers. Jade tilted her head, squinting to try and make out what she was writing; perhaps lyrics to a song. Her attention was dashed by a familiar voice.
"Oops, sorry. Sorry."
The brunette turned around and rubbed her eyes to see Tori Vega of all people trying to get through to the bar.
Just the sight of her reduced the Goth's skin to gooseflesh. The two of them have been through a lot in the past six years; Tori never giving up on her.
It started out as friendship. Back then it was easy. Much easier to rebuff her affections because they were so vague and innocent. Sort of like how Gru in Despicable Me makes a balloon animal for a sad boy, uplifting his spirits, only to pop it a moment later. That was their relationship in a nutshell.
But lately, Tori's affinity toward Jade was less broad. There was a change in everything from her cadence to her mannerisms. Only when addressing her. At first, Jade didn't know how to read Tori. She seemed like she woke up one morning and lost a vital part of her brain. At a distance, she seemed like her old self shooting the shit with Andre or Cat but when she got closer; the half Latina sort of hung there like she didn't have any bones.
Again, she didn't think much of it until one day Tori didn't close her locker all the way when she ran off to third period. So the door slowly swung open with a hush. Now if Jadelyn West wanted to "investigate" one of her friends or anybody else from the student body; she had made jimmying locks with her trusty scissors into an art form. Little did Jade know, something inside the bubbly girl's locker was something of great interest.
Taped to the inside was a picture of Jade when she was dressed as Miss Lovett from the Hollywood Arts Senior Class production of Sweeney Todd. Being a fan of the musical and the Tim Burton adaptation in particular; she insisted she dressed as Helena Bonham Carter did in the movie. To her, it was the first time Miss Lovett looked attractive in a mysterious and sad way. And Jade was just like that; down to the makeup to give her the sunken eyes look. Also keeping in step with Carter's choice of wardrobe; Jade was in a more low cut dress which accentuated the pale girls'...well, girls.
This promotional photo was taken years ago to advertise the show which went on for weeks and closed right before Christmas vacation.
And Vega held onto it all this time, she thought.
Jade tried to ignore the whole thing, hoping it would all go away. But it didn't. One day Tori brought up the courage to formally confess her feelings and ask Jade what she thought. Sufficient to say, Jade was far from polite. The Goth had no issue with someone she knew being gay but she wasn't ready to have someone gay for her.
It was flattering for a moment; being able to make another person question their own sexuality. But Jade's feelings turned more hostile when she started questioning her own. She has had curious moments here and there, but nothing ever came from them.
There was that time she played spin the bottle and it kept landing on a non-boy. After the third or fourth attempt; she jokingly kissed Wendy March open-mouthed so that her stupid turn would be over. She wiped her mouth afterward, claiming it wasn't her scene. Truth was she just didn't care for the copious amounts of lip gloss Wendy would wear. Seriously, the girl looked like she had been eating fried chicken.
Damn in, Jade hissed internally. I haven't thought about that kiss in years. Not once. Why am I having girl on girl flashbacks?
Summer camp; second base with Kelly Chapman. Her first brunette.
What the FUCK!?
Jade stomped her foot in frustration. Who was she kidding? Dating Beck and Moose and those others were fine distractions but that's all they were. She tried to hide it from herself but there was no mistake. Jade West was gay. The more she allowed herself to accept the idea, she felt slightly more at ease. It's okay to be gay. And it's okay to be happy.
I want to be happy, she thought.
Suddenly, Jade heard familiar strings and drums on stage. She turned and for a moment thought she had stepped into a time machine. Standing before her were the Fab Four, looking just as they did in the early to mid-60's, before the beards and long hair. Those four boys were not only dead ringers for John, Paul, George and Ringo; but their playing is just superb. And this cover band went the extra mile to have their Lennon impersonator have a vintage Gibson J-160E, which was basically an electric and an acoustic guitar rolled up into one.
You're going to lose that girl
You're going to lose that girl
If you don't take her out tonight
She's going to change her mind
And I will take her out tonight
And I will treat her kind
How poignant it seemed to hear such words when looking at Tori sitting at the bar. Alone.
You're going to lose that girl
You're going to lose that girl
If you don't treat her right, my friend
You're going to find her gone
Cos I will treat her right, and then
You'll be the lonely one
The lyrics were like a splinter in her mind. Jade had a tough time standing still. She found herself approaching the bar. A guy in a sweater vest left a few dollars on the counter and left, which left a vacancy next to Tori's left side. Jade slyly sashayed her way onto the chair and waited for Tori to kind of feel her there. She was willing to make a move but hell be damned she was not going to be the one to talk first.
"Oh, Jade!" gasped Tori when she turned around. She held her chest in shock. "A second ago, you weren't there. Somebody else and now you're..."
Jade scoffed, "Funny thing with chairs. They don't get picky. You just need an ass."
Tori laughed and snorted which made her stop immediately. She then looked ahead, brushing her hair back embarrassed. Jade was actually relieved. Her attempt to make small talk, she feared, made her come off as bitchy.
"Relax Vega," Jade said. "You have the good fortune of being one of those girls that look cute when they snort."
Tori gave her a look of bemusement.
"What are you drinking?" Jade asked.
The half Latina sighed, "Nothing yet. The bartender's been away for a while."
"Awww, does little piggy want a drink?"
"You know, if you're gonna be a gank..."
"Relax, Vega. Let me get you a drink."
Jade reached underneath the other side of the bar and produced two glasses and a bottle of Southern Comfort. She placed them with a clang on the table. Reaching back down, she almost leaned over completely but finally found two cans of Diet Coke. At this point the band began to play "Ticket to Ride"
"I thought you said you'd buy me a drink," Vega said.
"Didn't say buy; I said get," she smiled like the cat with the canary.
The chestnut haired girl turned her head, "So what are you making?"
"You wanna test drive that 21-yeard-old license? Rum and coke is a good start."
Tori took a whiff of the crude concoction. "It smells weird," she winced.
"Don't be a wimp. They'll be plenty of time for margaritas and wine coolers."
Jade held up her own and the girls clinked glasses.
"Skumps!" declared Jade before taking a heroic sip of hers.
Tori followed suit but took too big a gulp and hacked and coughed.
"Take it easy, Marion Ravenwood."
"Who?"
Jade rolled her eyes and put her head on the counter.
"Can I ask you something Jade?"
"Just did," was her muffled response.
"I'm serious, Jade."
The Goth sat up straight and brushed back her locks.
"What brought this on?" Tori asked.
"What do you mean?"
Tori looked her in the eye.
"I mean what has gotten into you. Before you would never in a million years be seen with me let alone sit next to me at a bar and fix me a drink."
Jade shrugged, "Can't a girl come to her senses? Can't a bitch like me say she's sorry for being such a bitch like herself? Can't I say that I had no reason to act all weird when you asked me out because I have no room to talk?"
"I don't understand."
"I'm gay, Tori. If I was anymore one with the rainbow, I would be standing in a pot of gold. I apparently always have been. I guess I needed a reminder of how good that side of me feels."
Tori tilted her head. "Are you saying I brought that out of you?"
"Lucky you, I guess."
"What about Cat?"
Jade shook her head. "No way. Cat's family; I would lay down in traffic for her. I don't want to fu-"
The word fell dead when her eyes met the brown ones of the girl across from her.
"You were...saying?" Tori asked nervously.
Jade rubbed her teeth with her tongue, her nervous system ablaze.
"Screw it," she said before grabbing Tori's neck and bringing her into a deep, warm kiss. Jade held on tightly with her fingers while her thumbs caressed the half Latina's lovely cheekbones. In a strange way, that kind of turned her on. It was as if her beautiful face had hips.
Speaking of hips...
...It's as handsy as you can get when you're both seated in a crowded place.
The kiss broke off with a smack that rang in their ears, much more noticeable than the live music.
"I'm sorry," Jade said like a deer in headlights.
"I...um..." Tori stammered. "It's perf...fine. Perfectly fine."
Jade inhaled and slowly exhaled, basking in the awkwardness of it all.
"So what now?" she finally asked.
Her breath hitched when Tori's hand landed on top of hers.
"Thanks for coming out."
"I'm not too late?" Jade asked.
Tori shook her head, "Just made it."