This was supposed to be posted on Liz's birthday but work kicked my butt and I spent a lot of time sleeping so I didn't get to finish it in time. But it's finished now, so happy belated birthday to Liz and I hope this didn't come out crappy since it was created by a tired mind.
It shouldn't have been as hard as it was to convince everyone that throwing Jade a birthday party was actually a good thing. It would get the usually moody girl to see that her friends cared about her and wanted her to have a good time during the one special day of the year. Despite knowing that she didn't like birthdays, Tori was going to do it anyway. Because when did she ever listen to Jade? And also, why not? The girl hadn't had a single day to herself in what Tori would wager was forever. Whether that was her own doing or not didn't matter because today would happen with or without Jade's consent and that was that. Tori nodded to herself and checked her phone again. Everyone would arrive soon.
She had gathered all the macabre decorations and was now just waiting for help. When they were done, it would look like a cross between Halloween and a haunted house mixed with birthday elements. Jade would appreciate scary and creepy over the traditional bright colors. She was sure mentions of Cat's personal style would come up in a teasing manner if she went with that route. Her phone pinged and she unlocked it. Everyone finally answered, agreeing to help. She made sure to shoot Jade a text asking her to join them at a later time. Hopefully they would be done with everything by then. Everyone arrived ready to go and Tori was immediately excited when she saw how happy they were to help. They quickly got to work.
"You know, if I was Jade, I'd really dig this," Andre commented, looking around at the work they already did. Cat nodded, hesitantly pushing aside a skeleton that did not look fake at all.
"This punch is gross. I like it," Beck observed from the table loaded with snacks. The large bowl was filled with red liquid. Eyeballs of various colors floated around the surface.
"I hope the zombie skin cupcakes and the chocolate bar fingers taste as good as the recipe sounded when I made it," Tori fretted, picking up the skeleton to take it to the piano, posing it to look like it was playing it.
"Judging by the other goods you've baked I'd say they'll be great," Robbie assured her, looking everything over.
"Suck up," Rex quipped. Robbie scowled at the puppet sitting on the couch but didn't retort.
"Anyway, everything is almost ready. I'll round up the gifts to put in the gift coffin," Andre said, heading for the door.
"I'll help you," Beck added, following him. The others took the time to rest but Tori kept going. When the two came back they set the presents in place and flopped down too.
"No, guys! Get off your lazy butts and help me finish! I know it's been a while but we're almost done!" Tori encouraged.
"Hey Tor? Not to question all this, 'cos it's pretty awesome, but are you sure Jade will take this well? I mean, why wouldn't she with all this? But a party? You know the girl hates birthdays. No matter what they might look like," Andre gently pointed out.
"Well I think she'll love this one. She has to," Tori disagreed. The others shared a grim look with Andre but he only shrugged. Tori had already turned away to make sure everything was in order. It was almost time. She glanced at the coffin, now closed. It was made from plywood, and with Cat's measurements, Jade would fit perfectly inside. It was literally made just for her. It was painted a dark scarlet and gleamed like new thanks to Beck's hard work. Tori made sure to pull out all the stops prior to the planned day. She encouraged her parents to take some time to spend together and even convinced Trina to bug someone else. It also involved lots of sneaking around and hiding things from the soon-to-be birthday girl, but it was worth it.
With the lid closed, a picture of the gang sat on top from a year back during Halloween. It was one of the few times Jade looked happy and was having fun. She wanted to give her surly friend more happy memories to help her through the bad ones. After all, it was she who Jade went to when home life was rough. She even spent the night a few times. Of course, they could never speak of it after it was over, but it still happened. Jade still chose to open up to her, confide in her, and she had to make sure Jade knew she would always be there for her no matter what. Her small, tiny, barely there crush sure didn't have anything to do with it. Nope. Tori sighed and shook her head. She just really looked up to Jade and admired her. Yeah, that had to be it. She was just a close friend.
"Tori, she's here!" Cat cried, pointing at the door. They all heard the car pull up and turn off. There was a slam of the door and harsh boots stomping over paved ground. Seconds later there was three loud knocks and then the door opened. Lately, with their secret closeness, Jade had taken to announcing her arrival before coming in. It was slightly better than just barging in, but could still use some work. The knocking gave everyone a few seconds to get ready and then they all held their breath when Jade entered. They watched her walk in, kicking the door closed behind her.
"Vega, you better have something worth watching than Celebrities Underwater while stuffing our faces with food because I can't stand seeing another idiot survive- whoa, what the chiz happened here?" she ranted, finally taking notice of the drastic change. She looked from the supposed dead body at the piano, the red decal hand prints on the windows, the black balloons crowding the ceiling, the snack table, the coffin, and then all her friends standing around with a half hopeful half scared expression on their faces. Jade was mildly intrigued at the setting.
"Looks like this place has finally gotten cleaned up. Nice makeover," she remarked. Tori rolled her eyes and stepped forward.
"Glad you approve because it's for you! Surprise!" she shouted, smiling. It fell as she watched Jade process what she said.
"You didn't try very hard to surprise me," she stated, crossing her arms.
"That's near impossible to do, but also, you don't like them so we held back on the whole hiding and popping out deal," Tori explained, miming the act with her hands.
"Exactly. Which is why you shouldn't have tried to do it in the first place," Jade grumbled, looking away. Tori let out a sigh but the others held in a groan at the unappreciated hard work.
"Can you please behave so we can celebrate together?" Tori questioned as an offer of peace.
"Maybe. Depends. You got anything to make me want to stay?" Jade bargained.
"This isn't enough?" Tori prompted, gesturing to the room. Jade merely lifted an unimpressed brow.
"Fine. Coffee. Lots of it," Tori quickly corrected.
"Not good enough," Jade declined.
"Espresso shots? Trina is crazy about them right now. She'll be angry at me if she runs out, but if that's what you want…" Tori proposed.
"Deal. What now?" Jade agreed, looking around.
"Now, we enjoy the party," Tori responded.
"Enjoy?" Jade repeated, skeptical. Tori only gave her a frown but said nothing. Instead, she grabbed Jade by her right forearm and tugged her forward so that they could get started. Jade's brows shot up at her bold determination and let herself be dragged along. With every activity and every aspect she was presented with she couldn't help making fun of it, mocking it, scoffing at it. It was a cover for just how touched she was that they had put this together for her. And Tori. The youngest Vega was trying the hardest of them all and Jade could tell. But she just couldn't bring herself to show anything but distaste. She was afraid. She afraid of opening herself up to someone. She couldn't get hurt if she stayed closed off.
Slowly everyone started to give up trying. Tori kept trying but Jade continued to complain about the food choices, presents, and how long the party was. Eventually, they exhaust themselves for nothing. The gang left to go home tired and unhappy, disappointed in Jade and sad for Tori who still had hope even when she was proven wrong. Jade didn't like the party and they had wasted their time putting it together. Jade walked up to the record player Tori scrounged in her garage for, knowing Jade appreciated the scratch of vinyl. The needle was lifted and the turntable was stopped. Jade wiped at a spot of dirt, rolling the confession around on the tip of her tongue, but still it wouldn't spill.
"Jade…why? I thought you would like all this. I mean, yeah, it's a birthday party, but you didn't have to think of it that way. It could have been just a cool, extra special hang out day. Or an early Halloween party. Or-or something! Anything but taking a metaphorical bat to everything I put together for you! And yes, I said metaphorical, because I swear, if you say anything about not taking a bat to anything I'll- ugh, you just…I just wanted today to be perfect. I wanted someone I care about to have a good day. That's all. What irony that the person it was meant for is the one to ruin it. Not just for me, but for herself," Tori fumed, starting out soft then yelling only to come down quieter than she started, hurt.
"Tori…" Jade started, but Tori shook her head.
"I'll help you get your gifts together. If you still want them, that is. I planned to have Beck take the coffin to your place later," she explained, moving away to gather everything.
"I still want them. And the coffin," Jade mumbled, trying in her own way to apologize but failed.
"Surprise, surprise. Ok, I'll let Beck know," Tori replied, bringing back a large bag packed with opened presents. Jade took them from her. They stood there silently, neither having anything to say for different reasons. Jade tried to get out an apology but the guilt quickly swallowed it so she remained quiet.
"I'll go," she practically whispered, turning to leave. It was a testament to just how upset Tori was that she didn't say a word or walk her to the door like she always did. Jade trudged to her car, looking back before getting in. Once again she was reminded why she didn't deserve such things. She didn't deserve to be cared about when she couldn't find it in herself to care about others. She was almost home when her stomach growled. She didn't eat as much as she would have liked. She spotted the Chinese place she liked to frequent and decided it was as good a place as anything else. She found a seat and sat down, ordering her usual. She pulled out her phone and played a game while she waited. She didn't look up from the screen until she heard the clink of metal hitting the table. She glanced up and saw a strange coin or medallion spinning on the table in front of her.
She watched it spin and spin then slow down gradually until it came to a stop, clattering to the tabletop. She glanced around to check if anyone was watching then reached out and rested a hand on the object. She picked it up and held it closer to get a better look. It was a bright gold in color, round along the outside but bared a square shaped hole in the middle. What she assumed to be Chinese writing covered the space around it on both sides. It was strange, because although the coin looked to be ancient it was in great condition. The face hadn't even worn away yet but it must have been handled many times since its creation. She turned it in her hands a few times, letting herself think about the mysterious appearance of the coin and not how she let down the one person she really cared about. After fully examining it she pocketed the coin and dug into her food. When she finished and was heading home she decided to add the coin to her collection of oddities.
"As long as it doesn't pull a Freaky Friday on me or something," Jade grumbled, getting out of the car. She entered her house and put her stuff away before turning in. Sleep came easy after the day she had.
In the morning Jade woke up to her phone, glass shattering. She picked it up and blearily glared at the screen only to see that Tori had texted her. Her stomach turned and she bit her lip nervously. What did Tori want? What was she supposed to say? She wasn't ready, but she opened the text anyway.
Everyone is coming over to my place today to hang out around 5. Come over. You'll have lots of fun! :{)
The words on the screen confused her. Tori was inviting her over at the same time as yesterday. Did she not care what happened? No, but something felt strange. She tried to scroll back to the previous day but the date was off. She exited the app altogether to check the date.
"It can't be," she murmured. And yet, the date of her birthday was shining back at her. She opened up the messaging app once more and told Tori that she would stop by later tonight. Just as she had last time. Or was last time this time? What she was sure of was that she hadn't texted the others before so she asked them what they were up to. They mentioned going to hang out at Tori's house. She asked them what they were doing at the moment and got interesting answers. Robbie was playing a board game with Rex and loosing. That was crazy because Robbie stopped playing with him when he kept winning. Or cheating. It depended on who was telling the story. Cat was supposedly arranging her closet of costumes, but what was the use of that when it was always in order?
Andre was helping his grandma overcome the shrieking fire alarm that was yet another monster from hell. And yet he complained enough about when his grandma woke up and when she snored the hours away so right about now she should be snoring. Beck claimed to be working on a friend's car but always avoided who it belonged to. He was always a bad liar, but in this case, everyone was lying. Most likely about the party, if the theory of a repeat day was still possible. She wasn't quite sure what was happening. There wasn't much she could do there so she got out of bed and picked up the book she read last time. She opened the book and stared at the exact page she started on. She recalled what would happen in the book then flipped ahead and read the exact timeline of events.
"This does not feel like déjà vu," she spoke out loud. She took a deep breath to settle herself and then sat down to continue where she last read. She might as well save time by flipping forward and reading ahead. Later, she got ready to head over to the Vega household. She briefly contemplated not going, but if being a gank last time hurt Tori than plain ignoring the whole thing would devastate her. So Jade headed out, parked in the same place, and walked up to the door. She knocked as always before stepping in. She immediately looked around to see the same set up as before.
"So I see this is still going," she mentioned, to the confusion of her friends. No one knew what to say to that.
"Happy birthday?" Cat offered hesitantly. Jade realized her comment and pointed at Cat.
"That is probably what this is, isn't it? Because if not, you really like Halloween, Vega," Jade remarked, quickly covering her earlier comment.
"You aren't mad?" Tori asked, wringing her hands, worry lining her face.
"Well, you know, I kinda had a feeling something was up when I texted everyone and they had some weird responses. So it wasn't really a surprise, ergo I'm not angry," Jade explained.
"But it's still a birthday party," Robbie pointed out. Everyone silenced him in varying ways and he let out a startled squeak but did as he was told.
"You guys suck at keeping a secret," Tori informed them.
"Hey, I'm an excellent keeper of secrets. Just not when it involves Jade," Andre protested. Tori rested her hands on her hips and shot him a look.
"Yeah, I know that," she retorted.
"Relax, Vega. Let's just get this going," Jade spoke up. Tori paused a moment, confusion plain on her face, but with a shake of her head she complied. This time Jade tried not to be so sour. She was mostly confused and lost in thought over the seemingly repeated day. She couldn't figure out what was going on and it kept her too occupied on her thoughts. She could tell the day went by sluggishly and uneventful which left everyone bored or sitting in awkward silence. It turned out a little better than before in a way but it still wasn't good. She went straight home afterwards and retrieved the strange coin from her collection. She spent the rest of the day looking it over and wondering if it was the cause of the repeated day. Or maybe she simply had a very vivid dream. She ended up falling asleep with the coin in her hand.
She woke up to glass shattering again and she groaned, hoping it wasn't the dreaded text from Tori. She rolled over and grabbed her phone, unlocking it and seeing the exact same text from before. At this point, Jade half wondered if Tori was messing with her. But no. She didn't have the guts. Plus the others weren't that great of actors. Tori might have been able to pull it off, grudgingly so if she put her mind to it, but not the others. So the day was repeating itself and would likely do so again. No one seemed to be caught in the loop so they didn't remember the previous days. Why not have a little fun? She replied to Tori's text first, telling her that she would be happy to hang out. Then she moved on to asking Robbie if he was winning at that board game he was playing with Rex. The boy was very confused, Jade could tell, but went along with it. She asked Andre if he saved his grandma from the fire alarm from hell. He was just as equally confused and responded that he didn't know what she was talking about. He also wondered if she was okay but she just laughed and moved on to texting Beck. She asked him how the mini cooper was doing, which puzzled him, but not in the way she thought it would.
How did you know I was fixing up a mini? I never mentioned it
You sure about that?
Yes
Well you did
When?
The other day
No, I'm pretty sure I would remember telling you
And why is that?
Because
Because why? Does some pretty girl own it and you couldn't resist helping her out?
I thought you would get mad so I didn't want to bring it up
I don't care who you see. We've been over for a long time now
I know, but still
And now you know, right?
Right
Good
So then how did you know?
Intuition
Beck wasn't really satisfied with her answer and she knew he wanted to keep pressing but he accepted the answer and she didn't bother keeping the conversation going. She got up and decided to go out walking around town. She experimented with public reaction to rude words and gestures. She was vicious to a kid who bumped into her but kind to a kid who accidently hit her with his toy. She made it hell on the barista at her favorite coffee joint then stopped to help someone push their broken down car to the side of the road. She alternated being mean and nice, experimenting with situations, and came to the conclusion that while being nice felt good it wasn't as fun as being mean. It was exciting and interesting but left a bad mark on her conscious. She killed enough time to pass the day then went to Tori's house. When she walked in she faked her surprise, deciding on being nice even if she had to pretend to be. She faked her enthusiasm and interest the whole day. Everyone was surprised at first but they quickly caught on and mistook her for mocking. No matter what she did to remedy the situation it failed and everyone eventually went home bitter and upset, leaving her with Tori.
"How could you?" the half-Latina demanded, hurt. Jade scowled.
"What did I do? I enjoyed the party," Jade responded, playing at ignorance.
"Yeah, right. We all saw you forcing cheery. You're never that nice and it was making it clear as day what you were really doing. Why would you throw it in my face like that after everything I did to make this day fun?" Tori continued, disappointment thick in her tone.
"I didn't- Tori, I wasn't mocking anything. I was trying to be happy and enjoy what you put together," Jade back-peddled.
"Sure you were. Look, I was only trying to be nice to you but you were determined to ruin it. Again. So fine, I guess I'll stop trying," Tori told her, crossing her arms and turning away. Jade flinched at the word 'again'. She was really starting to hate it. There wasn't much more to say so she left Tori heartbroken and went home. As soon as she stepped into her room she grabbed for the coin, finding it exactly where it had been since she brought it home.
"Stupid piece of junk," she snarled, hurling it so hard at the wall it left a dent and a lone crack. With her anger out of her system she fell into bed with a heavy sigh. Sleep was harder to reach but it came all the same.
She woke up to the same sound and the same text which she answered with a simple positive as she had the very first time. She didn't bother the others. It wouldn't do any good or make a difference. No, she had to figure out why the day was repeating in the first place. She knew that whatever was happening had to have started because of the coin she got from the Chinese place. It was the last place she went to. She hadn't tried going since then. Which meant that she had to this time. Maybe it would make a difference? So she made sure to pocket the coin before heading out. As soon as she was inside the establishment she made herself known.
"Okay, who the chiz thought it was a grand idea to stick me with this thing!? I demand to know why and how to reverse the effects!" she shouted, garnering a lot of stares from the customers as well as the employees. She grabbed the nearest one by the front of his uniform.
"Where's your manager?" she snarled. He cringed away from her in fear. She was just about to yell at him again when a short old woman walked out from the back.
"Come with me," she spoke evenly, motioning to Jade and then to the curtain she had emerged from. Jade released the shaken waiter and joined her. They were silent until they passed through the curtain.
"Ok, now tell me-" Jade tried to say, but she received nothing more than a raised hand commanding silence. Strangely, Jade obeyed and wasn't upset at being silenced as she usually would have been.
"Patience," the woman said, turning to keep walking. Jade followed her to a room off to the side. It looked like it was an office but with much more luxury. The woman took a seat and Jade took the one across from her. She didn't dare say a word until the woman gestured to her.
"What is this thing?" she asked, fishing out the coin and dropping it onto the black lacquered tabletop between them.
"Ah, you have need of the coin I see," the woman said, simple and not at all helpful. Jade grit her teeth.
"Yeah, but why?" she questioned, keeping her temper back.
"Fate gives it to you when you are at your lowest and in need of some assistance. You must find out what it is you need in your life to be happy. It grants you the time in which to do so, freezing you in a day that holds the answer," she explained.
"What if I can't?" Jade inquired, a bit fearful of the daunting task. She was never good at figuring out what was best for herself or others. She had to admit she was bull headed and refused to acknowledge certain things if it didn't go her way. It left her blind to a truth that might hurt her at some point. It was a terrible and uncontrollable defense mechanism.
"Then you are doomed to repeat the same day until you do," the woman responded, gazing with grim seriousness into Jade's eyes. A dark gaze that was unwavering when met with Jade's bright but fear clouded eyes.
"What does that even mean!? Find what makes me happy? Lots of things make me happy. Just the other repeat day I did whatever I wanted and it was a blast up until that stupid party. How come that didn't fix things?" Jade demanded, as if the woman knew all about the details of her predicament..
"It wasn't what you needed," she emphasized, wise and calm despite Jade's rising temper and panic. She spoke as if she knew exactly what was happening and it made Jade a bit uncomfortable. The woman reached out to grip Jade's fisted hand resting on the table. She gently turned it over and uncurled it without resistance. Jade was too caught up in what she was doing to fight back. The woman picked up the coin and placed it in her palm, curling her fingers over it. She patted her hand once and then their eyes met again.
"Go home. Rest. In the morning, think over a few things. Don't worry and take your time. It will come to you and you will understand," she assured her. Somehow, Jade believed her. She nodded and squeezed the coin tighter. She stood to leave but the woman stopped her.
"It has chosen to assist you. Let it. It is not your enemy," she advised. Jade glanced down at her hand, squeezing the coin like it would damage it in some way. She nodded once more to show she was listening and then slipped the coin in her pocket. The woman smiled, patted her arm, and then gestured at the door. Jade left without another word. She went home. She relaxed as much as she could even if she was still upset and bothered by the whole thing. What right did anything or anyone have for trying to fix her broken life? Things were the way they were and that was that. Yet Jade couldn't help but wonder if there really was something that she needed to fix. That could be fixed. She lost hope a long time ago and it made her bitter. But this was her chance, no matter how unreal it was. She had to take advantage. So she went to sleep, even though she was fully aware that she would be woken to the sound of her phone getting a text.
She made a mental note to change the text notification sound when this was all over. She reached out for her phone and glanced at it just in case it was something else. But no, it was indeed the same text as before. She gave the same neutral answer and then got up. She spent the hours going over the previous day, trying hard to find the answer. She ended up going in circles and she was pretty sure she wasn't focusing on what she needed to, but she kept trying up until she had to meet with the others at Tori's house. On the way over she reminded herself to make it a good day. She had to be herself but also on the nice side. Appreciative and grateful. Heck, that was how she should have acted the first time around. She strode up to the door, took one last breath, and then knocked before going in. She took in everything at once and suddenly realized just how much work went into the place. Her wide eyes full of awe came off as shock so she just went with it since it was a genuine reaction.
"Surprise!" everyone shouted.
"You guys scared the chiz out of me," she accused, chuckling a moment later.
"Sorry," Cat and Robbie said.
"Tori's fault," Andre and Beck added, pointing at her.
"Hey!" the youngest Vega exclaimed, pouting and crossing her arms. Jade smirked and shot her a light glare. Tori looked nervous until Jade stepped forward, glancing around once more.
"So you're the one I have to thank," she stated, offering a small smile. Tori responded with her own yet hers held more confidence than Jade's hesitant one. Tori suddenly ran forward and took Jade by the hand, pulling her forward.
"Let me show you around!" she exclaimed excitedly, quick to start the festivities. Cat joined in and the guys began to relax. For a moment there they thought Jade would react badly, but she seemed open to it. It was a surprise but it was a good one. Jade made sure to speak her mind in a nice yet 'Jade West' way so that it didn't come off as fake. Her compliments were the same way, subtle but still noticeable. She allowed herself to ease into the familiarity and found herself joking around, even if some were a bit rude or mean. They understood that it was just how she was. They could see that she was genuinely having fun.
When it was time to open presents she accepted them graciously and thanked each of them for their thoughtfulness. There was even a moment when she could believe that the people she called friends really did care for her. She made herself promise that she wouldn't cry, well, maybe at home safe in her room, and instead thanked everyone again for putting the party together. When it all came to an end and everyone was leaving she was once again left with Tori. This time around they were both smiling and perfectly comfortable.
"I, uh, don't say things like this often, but I really am grateful for you and the gang. I know I don't act like it, but I am. It sucks at home and I hate it, but that doesn't give me the right to take it out on you guys. I'm sorry. I'll try to lighten up but I can't make any promises," Jade confided. Tori grinned, taking the words to heart. Once again Jade was sharing her feelings with her and no one else. It always made her feel special. It also made her feel a little nervous to put her plan into motion. She only hoped it would work out in the end. Jade noticed her sudden hesitance and unthinkingly reached out to lift Tori's muddled gaze from the floor. At the last minute she retreated and shoved her hands in her pockets. In one was her phone but in the other was the coin. She brought it with her in hopes that it would act as a good luck charm. So far, so good.
"See ya later," she mumbled, turning away to pick up the bag full of gifts. She looked back one last time as she walked out the door, seeing Tori wave. She waved back and then the door closed between them. She returned home and sleep came naturally. It was easier to reach now that she was certain she found what she needed.
The next morning brought with it the realization that the day had reset again. To say she was outraged was an understatement. She was furious. So furious that she grabbed the coin from its spot and hurled it at the wall again. Then she tried to smash it under a hammer and even attempted to chuck it into the nearest lake. But when she got home it was right where it always was. She took a deep breath and allowed herself time to cool off. Trying to destroy or get rid of an obviously enchanted trinket wasn't going to get her anywhere. She had to take a step back. She would go through her day just as she had before. Nice without being fake. Complimentary. Honest but not too blunt.
She was just going to have fun, relax, but keep an eye out for what she was missing. The day had to be perfect. So when she arrived at the planned surprise party she got through it in the same manner as before. At the end she found herself alone with Tori who was yet again nervous about something. It occurred to Jade that she should have asked her what it was last time. But she didn't want to push at the time. Now she had a feeling she should. Because nowhere else in the day did she feel a need to change it. Except for this moment. So with a calming exhale she reached out and brought Tori's gaze up from the floor to her own.
"What's wrong?" she asked, concerned. A light blush colored Tori's defined features, causing Jade to wonder even more.
"I have another surprise for you," she mumbled, almost shyly.
"You know I don't do surprises," Jade joked with a smirk. Tori smiled and lightly smacked Jade's arm.
"You do now," she replied.
"Fine. What is it?" Jade accepted.
"Now what kind of surprise would it be if I told you? Close your eyes," Tori ordered. Jade raised a brow at her in distaste but it withered under Tori's own raised brows and hands on her hips, waiting. Jade couldn't help a small chuckle at the sight before she closed her eyes. There was a long moment of still silence in which Jade was starting to worry. She knew Tori wouldn't trick her but it was getting hard to remain in place, eyes closed, and not knowing what was going to happen or what Tori would give her. After her mind began racing it came to a sudden stop at the soft warmth pressed to her lips. Tori was kissing her, and for a second she couldn't believe it.
The sweet yearning drew her in and she returned the kiss, unable to do anything else. Her hands lifted to cup Tori's face. Tori's arms folded behind her head to rest on her shoulders, bringing them close together, practically against each other. They parted mutually but didn't go far. It felt like a weight was lifted off Jade along with something within her clicking into place. There was a refreshing sense of clarity. She stared at Tori in wonder and slight confusion. She was amazed at the feeling Tori awoke in her but at the same time it befuddled her that it was Tori of all people who caused it.
"Your eyes are so beautiful," Tori muttered, transfixed.
"Thanks. Is that you trying to tell me something?" Jade taunted, grin turning impish.
"Yes," Tori responded regardless, her blush returning.
"Well you could have fooled me," Jade mumbled, unaware that she was tucking back Tori's hair until she was actually doing it.
"Give me a moment," Tori requested, eyes fluttering at the gentle affection.
"Did I render you speechless?" Jade whispered distractedly, lips grazing Tori's once again.
"Maybe," she answered against Jade's mouth, falling into another slow kiss. It wandered a bit deeper than the first but only briefly. Tori pulled back breathless, heart racing. She slid a hand down to rest over Jade's equally excited heartbeat.
"I really, really like you," Tori confessed, shy.
"Really?" Jade teased. Tori shook her head at her antics.
"I really, really, really like you too," Jade answered playfully but meaning it.
"Then how about a date? Your choice. Try to guess a place I would like to go," Tori proffered, eyebrow raised.
"Ooh, a challenge. I accept. What day?" Jade replied.
"Once you have an answer I'll give you a day," Tori told her.
"Then I'll ask again, what day?" Jade repeated with a small grin.
"You already have an idea?" Tori questioned, eyes wide.
"Yep. I'm an overachiever. You'll come to appreciate that about me," Jade murmured suggestively, smirk crooked when Tori blushed darker than before.
"This Friday at seven. You can pick me up," Tori hurriedly stated, voice uneven.
"Of course," Jade said with a nod, moving to step back. However, Tori pulled her back in for one last kiss. Jade pulled away first, sharing a delirious chuckle with Tori. She never felt so happy before. They finally parted ways agreeing on the date and agreed to start spending more time together. Jade left, still in awe at the change in events. She went home to see the coin sitting where it always was. But this time, when she was starting to fall asleep, she was sure that the day would pass into a new one.
Jade was startled awake by the dreaded sound of glass shattering. She told herself it wouldn't be the same text as she picked up her phone. Well, the text was from Tori. It wasn't looking good. But when she opened it relief washed over her.
Good morning! I can't wait to see you. Wanna hang out after school? Sorry it's so soon but I'm just excited to get the ball rolling
Only if you keep your hands to yourself. Friendly interaction only until our date
Oh, come on! How about a kiss? One kiss?
Vega
One kiss or I'll smother you in hugs!
Jade rolled her eyes. That wasn't so much of a threat as it used to be. Judging by their embrace the day before she might actually be partial to them.
You're too cute when you try at threats
She laughed when all she got in return was a grumpy emoji.
Okay, one kiss
The next emoji to come in depicted pure joy. Jade laughed again and set her phone aside, stretching. She was happy that it was a new day, figuratively and literally. She got up and passed by her shelf of collections. The coin was gone. It probably moved on to someone else who needed it. Good luck to him or her. They would need it. She turned away to get ready for the day, an unnoticed smile on her face. She looked forward to exploring the new relationship between her and Tori. Maybe one day she would share with her the events that brought them together.