A/N: This is my very first attempt at writing Jori and it came from the inspiration of my friends Pouty and Kben. I have only watched two episodes of Victorious so far; so I apologize if I didn't do a good job. However, it helped me break out of my wicked case of writer's block and I'm grateful for that; also I love this story. I hope y'all enjoy it too.

Disclaimer: I do not own Victorious, these characters, or the song used.

JADED

Tori was sitting in her seat when the bell rang just as Jade entered the classroom and shot her an angry glare; she didn't know what she had done to deserve it this time but it was probably because she breathed the wrong way. Before their staring match could continue any longer; Sikowitz breezed into the classroom and hopped up on the stage. Tori took her eyes off of Jade. She looked at her teacher and was instantly worried about the evil grin on his face.

"Hello class… we have a school assembly coming up in a few days; as I'm sure you are all aware," most of the class nodded. "Well I have been put in charge of the entertainment for it so I have decided that I am going to choose one student from each of my classes who will all perform a song of their choosing," everyone grumbled and Sikowitz smiled wider.

Sure they all loved performing but they loved having school assemblies even more; there was nothing better than doing nothing and pretending to listen for a couple of hours instead of doing schoolwork.

"And for this class… I choose," he paused as his eyes scanned the room. "You," he was pointing at Tori. "Miss Vega!" Her eyes popped open and she looked up at him.

"What… why me?" She grumbled.

"And because of your stunning display of excitement over being chosen… you my dear get to perform first," Tori's mouth dropped open. She wanted to say more, to argue her case, but she decided to be quiet and not make things even worse.

"Well since that is settled. Today's lesson is going to be about…" Tori tuned out his voice as she slouched in her seat and pouted.

/

After class, as the kids filed out of the room Tori stood off to the side and waited for Andre to come out. When he did, she grasped his arm and pulled him over to her.

"I need your help," she began to say to him but before she could elaborate Beck and Jade came out of the room hand in hand. Jade glared at Tori as she so often did.

"Congratulations Tori," she said in the tone where she was mocking Tori's voice. "And when you're out there performing; try not to uhh… choke," she finished by making a choking sound as she walked away.

"I DON'T TALK LIKE THAT!" Tori shouted after her but it was no use as she was already gone. Andre gently tugged on her hand to get her to focus back on what she needed his help with. "Why… why do I feel this way?" She asked and he smirked; he couldn't help it.

"Because we can't help who we fall in love with," he said simply.

"Yeah but why her," she motioned animatedly to where Jade had just been standing. "She obviously hates me," she saw that he was nodding but the smile across his face was something else.

"What?"

"Nothing it's just that…" he trailed off.

"What?" She repeated; a little more annoyed this time.

"It's just that I don't think Jade hates you at all… in fact I think her aggression toward you is how she fights her feelings for you."

"Jade…" she paused. "West…" she paused again and Andre merely nodded. "Has feelings for me?" She snorted laughter and he continued nodding.

"Yes… I think she does."

"Why in the… what in the… how in the world did your obviously confused brain come to that conclusion?"

It's easy," he said with a shrug. "Do you remember when I thought I was in love with Jade?" She cringed at the memory.

"Uhh yeah…"

"Well I felt none of the same animosity toward me that she gives to you."

"Which means she at least doesn't hate you," Tori told him as if it were obvious.

"Maybe… but it also means that I didn't elicit any feelings inside her whatsoever," he could tell that she was confused by the incredibly confused look that she was giving him. "But the anger, and sometimes rage she feels towards you-"

"Obviously means she hates me."

"It means," he continued as if she had said nothing. "That you elicit many feelings in her. Feelings that she doesn't know how to deal with so she just acts out toward you."

"But-"

"But then other times, you somehow manage to push past her walls and she lets you see the real Jade; the girl who maybe- just maybe- loves you back."

"That's a stretch," Tori sighed in disbelief and tried to hide the tinge of hope in her tone; but Andre didn't miss it.

"I don't think it is… and I don't think you think it is either," he responded; and for a moment she let that hope she had always kept at bay slip slightly into her mind. She smiled at the thought and then just as quickly as she thought it; she pushed the idea right out of her head.

"Yeah okay Andre," she said with an exaggerated eye roll. "Forget it and help me come up with a song to sing at this stupid assembly." And after a moment Andre's smile spread across his face and he grasped Tori's hand.

"C'mon I have the perfect song idea," and then he dragged her away.

/

"No way… absolutely not… NO!" Tori stomped her foot and crossed her arms over her chest as Andre tucked his hands into his pocket and waited for her rant to end. "You cannot possibly think that I would ever sing this song at all… never mind in front of the entire school and Jade… NO… NOT GOING TO HAPPEN," she grabbed the sheet music he had in his hand, tossed it in the air, and let it fall to the ground between them. Andre bent down to pick it up; he could tell that Tori was still fuming.

"Why not?"

"Why not… WHY NOT!" She was shouting again. "IS THIS AN ACTUAL QUESTION?"

"Yes," and before she could start screaming at him again he continued. "It is an actual question because how else are you ever going to know?"

"She would kill me," Tori replied honestly.

"What if she doesn't… what if she doesn't hate it?"

"What if she does? And what if she uses my public humiliation… because that is exactly what you're asking me to do here Andre; humiliate myself, in public- and what if she uses it to torment the rest of my life here at this school?"

"What if she doesn't?" He repeated and Tori threw her hands up in aggravation. "No hear me out… what if she doesn't, what if after all this wasted time she feels the same way; has always felt the same way… and was also just too scared to say anything." He could see that she was listening; really listening. "Do you really want to graduate from this school never knowing? Do you really want to go on to college or whatever life has in store for you next without ever knowing if those steamy glances… and the taunting and teasing meant something more; that maybe you and Jade could've just been more than kind of friends? Wouldn't that feeling… wouldn't knowing once and for all be better than never knowing; and wouldn't dealing with any public humiliation be worth it if you finally knew?" He finished and knew his words were sinking in.

After several moments of silence; Tori sighed loudly, snatched the sheet music out of his hand, and met his eyes.

"If this ends badly… I'm going to blame you forever."

"Well, if you're willing to risk it… so am I," she smiled at him and they started to practice the song she now planned to sing at the assembly.

To Jade.

In front of everyone.

God, what am I thinking?

/

Tori paced back and forth backstage. She was more nervous about this than she had ever been in her life; and she had performed loads of times; but this time was different.

This time was for her.

She was tired of their back and forth, push and pull relationship.

Well that wasn't entirely true. She would never tire of it… it was exciting, and arousing.

But what she was tired of was… not knowing.

Not knowing if Jade really did hate her, or if Jade felt the same way about her.

If she felt the way that nothing or no one had ever made her feel; angry but excited, challenged but believed in. It was the kind of hate that wasn't hate at all. The kind of hate that was a lot like love.

"Hey Tori," Andre's voice broke her out of her mind confusing thoughts and she looked over at him with a deer in headlights look in her eyes. And either he didn't notice how scared she was or he just chose to ignore it. "Hey, you're up soon," she nodded nervously and swallowed hard. "Are you ready?"

"No," Tori replied with a tremble to her voice. "I-I can't do this… I can't sing a song to her," she said the word differently. As if Jade's name, or in this case a reference to her felt differently in her mouth. And then she was thinking about other things being in her mouth.

And again Andre's voice broke her out of fantasy land.

"Of course you can," he reassured her. "You got this Tori… and remember this is the only way you'll ever know."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah Andre."

"Hey Tori… break a leg," Cat said as she walked through the back toward the seats along with Robbie with Rex, Beck, and Jade.

"Yeah Tori, break both of them," Jade called over her shoulder and continued walking. Once they were all out of sight Tori turned back to Andre and was very animated with her hands.

"Did you hear that? Oh yeah that was pure love," she mocked his voice as she said it.

"It is," he said simply but she ignored him.

"What was I thinking? I can't do this," she felt Andre's hands on her biceps and he gently shook her. She stopped panicking for a moment to meet his eyes.

"Listen to me, ignore that. Jade will always be jaded," he laughed at his own words causing Tori to roll her eyes. "If you ever want to get out of this endless cycle with her you're going to have to make the first move… because she never will."

"Yeah I know but-"

"You know… and that is the only thing that matters," she nodded because he was right. "You can do this Tori, and remember there are only two outcomes, either way at least you'll know."

"Yeah but what if she doesn't feel the same?"

"But what if she does," he countered. She smiled as she thought about all the wonderful things that could happen if Jade did feel the same way; and she used those thoughts to build her confidence.

"You're right," she said with a huge grin plastered across her mouth.

"Vega!" Sikowitz's voice broke her out of her thoughts this time and caused both her and Andre to nearly jump out of their skin. "You're up… don't suck," he continued before booming out of the back as loudly as he came in.

"Break a leg," Andre whispered before he too made his way to his seat.

"Yeah… or I'll break both of them and fall flat on my face," she said to herself.

And then she could hear Sikowitz introducing her and she took a deep breath.

This only has two possible outcomes- she thought.

"I got this," she said confidently to herself as she made her way to the front of the stage.

She walked toward the microphone stand to the sound of applause from her fellow classmates. She could see her friends sitting in the second row. They were all smiling and seemed to be cheering her on; except for Jade.

Jade was slouched in her seat, arms crossed over her chest, and a smirk across her mouth as she glared at Tori. It seemed as though she was almost willing Tori to fail.

And instead of inciting fear and panic it made her confidence grow because something just occurred to her. As soon as she was singing, the whole school would know she was singing to Jade; and the girl would also be the center of attention today.

And if this was going to end badly at least she wouldn't be alone in her humiliation. A smirk crossed her own lips and her eyes locked on Jade's as the music began.

Inside, she felt on top of the world as she watched Jade squirm in her seat because of their eye contact. And as soon as it was her cue to sing; she didn't hold back.

And she rocked it.

"Hey j-j-jaded, you got your mama's style," Tori began the song. When Jade's eyes widened; she knew she had her full attention and it wasn't in a mocking way. She was suddenly far more nervous than she had been before; but she pushed it all aside and continued the song.

"But you're yesterday's child to me, so jaded. You think that's where it's at, but is that where it's supposed to be. You're getting it all over me… and serrated," As she was about to hit the chorus she could see that the audience was getting into her performance; so she pushed the worrying aside and let her feelings pour into the words.

"My, my baby blue… Yeah I been thinking about you," again she locked her eyes on Jade's baby blues. She was feeling more and more confident and she wanted there to be no doubt in Jade's mind as to whom she was singing. "My, my baby blue… Yeah you're so jaded, and I'm the one that jaded you."

In the audience all of Tori's friends were having some kind of reaction to the music. Andre, Robbie, and Rex were all swaying in their seats.

Beck and Jade wore matching expressions of confusion.

And Cat was happily bopping her head and singing along.

"Hey j-j-jaded… in all its misery, it will always be what I love and hated; and maybe take a ride to the other side, we're thinking of, we'll slip into the velvet glove, and be jaded," Tori took a deep breath and glanced quickly at Andre who nodded approvingly before she once again locked eyes with a still stunned Jade and hit the chorus again.

"My, my baby blue, yeah I'm thinking about you… My, my baby blue, yeah I'm so jaded… and baby I'm afraid of you," Tori saw Jade flash a quick smile before she crossed her arms over her chest, and relaxed in her seat again; now with a smirk on her lips.

Something had changed.

And Tori saw this as a challenge. She was now feeling completely confident; it was almost as if they were flirting. But then again; when weren't they?

"Your thinking's so complicated; I've had it all up to here. But it's so overrated, love and hated," this time she saw Jade nodding with that stupid smirk still in place; so Tori did the only thing she could think of… she winked at her; and then rocked the rest of the song. "Wouldn't trade it… Love me jaded."

And it was then that Cat realized what everyone else already knew. She mouthed the word Oh as she looked over and pointed to Jade.

"Hey j-j-jaded, there ain't no baby please when I'm shooting the breeze with her, when everything you see is a blur, and ecstasy's what you prefer… My, my baby blue, yeah I'm talking about you," and just so that everyone was completely clear Tori pointed directly at Jade and cocked her head to the side as she sang that line. "My, my baby blue, yeah I've been thinking about you… my, my baby blue, yeah you're so jaded… baby… jaded… baby…"

Just as Tori was about to sing the final lines of the song; she watched as Jade got out of her seat and walked out of the room.

Oh no.

She hated it.

Her mind was racing but she quickly put those thoughts out of her mind and she finished the song.

"You're so jaded… cause I'm the one that jaded you," she finished beautifully.

To a standing ovation.

She felt proud of herself, but the moment was dampened by the fact that the only person she cared to hear it… the only person whose praise she wanted… had just walked out.

Jade.

She hated it- Tori's mind was racing again; so with a quick bow and a slightly trembling lip Tori practically ran off the stage.

But as soon as she was backstage and out of the lime light she stopped in her tracks; mere inches away from the girl whom she'd made a fool out of herself for.

The girl who had always kept her on her toes.

The girl who had completely swept her off of her feet while also keeping her grounded.

"J-Jade," Tori stammered as she unconsciously inched closer to the girl; who stood before her… guarded, with her arms crossed over her chest.

Tori couldn't help but look at her… like really look.

And what she saw was that Jade's eyes were glassy- possibly on the verge of tears… or something else. Her shoulders were tense, and her fingertips were digging into her hands. Tori also noticed that she had pulled her bottom lip into her mouth and then drug her teeth across it.

"Jade… I-I can, I can exp-"

"All this time?" Jade said cutting her off with a nervous shake to her tone; and although it could've just as easily been a statement Tori somehow knew that it was a question… and she held back a smile.

It wasn't a happy smile.

It was more of an of course Jade would call me out on this publicly, and she'll probably laugh about it for the rest of her life, but what do I have to lose now kind of smile.

Tori threw her hands up in defeat letting them fall back against her thighs with a dull clap.

"Yeah," she answered with a humorless chuckle. "All this time," she laid her feelings bare and Jade didn't say anything. Instead she inched closer, and this time she licked her bottom lip instead of biting it.

Tori couldn't help but find it insanely hot- even in the midst of this humiliation.

And then Jade nodded.

"Yeah," Jade husked and Tori felt her knees go weak. "Me too," she continued before she cupped the back of Tori's head, and brought their lips together in a kiss that had been building for years. It was full of many, many emotions but not one of those emotions was regret.

In a quick movement; Jade's other hand had slipped around Tori's back causing their bodies to press together as her tongue slipped past Tori's lips.

Tori let out a small moan as the moment she had always wanted, with the girl she had always wanted; was finally happening.

And for the first time ever… it wasn't an argument.

What they didn't notice; was that Andre, Robbie with Rex, Cat, and Beck had all joined them backstage and they were all standing there with various expressions.

Andre was smiling like a fool.

Beck, Robbie, and Rex were standing there with their mouths dropped open in shock.

And Cat was dumbfounded.

"They're kissing," she said in her signature singsong tone and then she smiled.

"They sure are," Andre said proudly.

"Dude… that's my girlfriend," Beck said motioning to the girls.

"Not anymore," came the sound of Rex's voice. Beck turned his angry glare on Robbie and his doll; but before he could say anything… Robbie spoke.

"And aren't you guys just beards anyway?" Again Beck's expression was that of shock.

"I'm not gay," he stated as if the fact should've been well known.

"If that's your story," Rex said.

"Shut it, before I rip the stuffing out of you," he shouted at the doll and then looked up at Robbie. "Both of you!"

"Beck… it's cool we all know," Andre spoke up trying to lighten the mood.

"I hate you guys," Beck growled at them before he stormed off.

"Does he hate us the way Jade and Tori hate each other?" Cat wondered and the boys laughed as they quietly left to find Beck; and to also give the girls some privacy.

/

The kiss was starting to become heated and Jade knew it was way too soon for it to be this heated. So, reluctantly she released Tori from the hold she had on her and backed away.

Not very far away- Tori had no intentions of letting her go now that she finally had her.

"Wow," she breathed out causing Jade's signature smirk to cross her lips.

"Everything you imagined?" Jade teased.

"More," Tori replied wistfully with a silly grin plastered across her mouth. Jade's smirk widened and that was when Tori noticed that she was teasing her. She playfully pushed her away. "Is this the part where you humiliate me publicly?"

"Nah…" Jade winked. "You already took care of that yourself," she pointed back to the stage and Tori pushed her again.

"I hate you," she said and began walking away; still wearing the stupid grin.

"You love me," Jade followed.

"Nope… hate," Tori waved her off but before she could take another step; Jade grasped her hand and spun her back so they were facing each other.

Tori sucked in a breath at the action; and suddenly Jade was inches away from her again.

"You love me," Jade cooed.

"I hate you," Tori challenged to which Jade merely smiled.

"Well…" she paused and the look in her eye, and the way her eyes kept going back and forth from her eyes to her lips; Tori felt like she was about to explode. And then Jade spoke again. "I hate you too," she said sweetly.

Tori smiled wide and then they were kissing again.

END.

A/N 2: The song used was Jaded by Aerosmith. Thanks for reading!