A/N: New Jori One-Shot. I had so much fun coming up with this idea and writing it. I may have laughed a few times at myself but whatever. Hope you guys like this one.
Twitter: BrittanaWatson
-B
"Out, get out." Sikowitz shooed and everyone looked around the room while I just lifted my head and arched a brow at the weird man. "I'm speaking to all of you children, shoo!" he waved us towards the classroom door.
"We've only been in class for twenty minutes." Andre pointed out as I sighed and got up.
"Who cares," I said, waving my hand towards Sikowitz, "Are you really going to complain about being let out early?"
Andre, Beck, Cat, and Robbie all looked at each other, and at Tori, before they jumped up with the rest of the slackers in the class and rushed out the door. I turned to follow and paused when Tori didn't move and continued to stare at the wall to her left.
Something had been going on with the girl since the beginning of the week and usually I wouldn't give a rats ass but it was getting ridiculous already; she was bringing down my mood, and that's saying something.
"Vega!" I shouted at her and watched her flinch, turning her head quickly towards me. I held my hand out, silently asking her what the hell she was doing, and only then did she seem to realize that the room was empty, minus us and Sikowitz.
"Oh," she said quietly before grabbing her bag and getting up. She paused beside me, looking at the tiny space between me and one of the chairs in her path to the door. I arched a challenging brow and she shifted, sliding passed me while sucking in so she wouldn't touch me. I smirked inwardly at how I still scare her after the years she's been here, and turn to leave when I'm being called back.
"What?" I groan, backing into the room before turning to face Sikowitz standing on the stage with his arms crossed, holding one of his coconuts with a straw.
"Do me a favor and take a seat." He said, motioning to one of the front chairs.
I eyed him suspiciously as I hesitantly walked over, and looked over the chair before actually sitting down.
"I have an assignment for you." He began.
"You can't assign me anything after letting the class out!"
"Ah, I can if my reason for letting them out was so I could speak with you privately." He grinned, sitting on the edge of the stage in front of me. I crossed my arms with a scowl and he just grinned widely at me. "Your anger is hilarious."
"I'm so glad you think so." I grumbled, shifting to get comfortable in the chair, "Can we get on with this or…"
"Right!" he nodded and crossed his legs, resting his hand under his chin. "I'm sure you've noticed how down in the dumps depressing Tori has been as of late."
"And that affects me how?"
"I want you to cheer her up." Sikowitz grinned as my jaw dropped.
"You're kidding me right?"
"Nope." He popped the 'P' and I clenched my jaw. "I've already had Andre, Beck, and Cat try to cheer her up this week. Needless to say, they failed." He huffed.
"What about Robbie." I offered and he gave me a look. I sighed heavily and he continued.
"Now as I said, this is an assignment, and being so, I will fail you if you refuse to do this."
"You can't-"
"I can, and I will." He exclaimed happily, jumping to his feet. "I can't deal with the depressing feel of the room and it's not good for my health. So, in doing this and helping Tori see the sun, you're actually helping me. Your favorite teacher." He state with a grin as I threw daggers at him with my eyes.
"We're not even friends, how am I supposed to cheer her up. The last time I did something nice for someone, Beck's father was sent to the hospital." I stated and Sikowitz's smile fell.
"Well let's try for that not to happen again, shall we." He chuckled nervously, shifting away from me as I got up. "Anyway, I don't really care how you do it, but the next time I see Tori I want her smiling."
I groan loudly in frustration and storm towards the door pausing before looking back at him, "What if I can't do anything either? What if I fail like the others? You can't fail me if I try and it doesn't work."
"Depending on how hard you try I can." He said, "And you're Jade, you can do whatever you set out to do." He said before climbing out of the classroom window. I blinked after him in confusion before I shook my head and stomped out of the room to find the cause of all my pain; Vega.
I stormed out to the Asphalt café and stopped beside Fetus's truck, narrowing my eyes as I scanned the place for my group of friends…and Vega. I cleared my throat and straightened my back as I walked over with purpose. It was ridiculous how this girl always managed to ruin my life.
I slowed as I neared the table, Beck, Robbie, and Andre in a conversation about god knows what, Cat looking at the ends of her red hair with an innocent smile, and Vega poking her salad around with her fork. I frowned at her with narrowed eyes. What was her problem? Curiosity spiked within me as I quickly thought of what could be the reason.
"Jadey!" Cat called happily after spotting me and the table looked at me, besides Vega. I stared at her and made my way over watching Vega in all her depressed glory.
"Why were you standing over there?" Robbie asked before squeaking and shrinking when I shot him a sharp glare. I looked at Andre and Beck with an arched brow and nodded pointedly to Vega.
Both shrugged and I rolled my eyes in annoyance before turning to face Tori, holding her chin in her hand.
"Hey, Tori." I said with a fake smile, hand on hip. No response. I narrowed my eyes and slammed my hands on the table in front of her, "Vega!" I shouted beside her making her jump and look at me with wide eyes.
"H-Hey, Jade…" she swallowed, smiling a smile that was so clearly fake; her eyes uncharacteristically dull. Jesus, was she ever a downer. I had enough.
"That's it." I said and grabbed the girl's wrist, pulling her from the table and into the school, heading for my spot; the infamous janitor closet.
"Jade…"
I ignored Vega and yanked the door open, pushing her inside before stepping in after her and crossing my arms with a hard look. Obviously Andre, Beck, and Cat's approaches were terrible, whatever they were; so I decided on the going the most logical approach. Outright asking.
"What the hell is going on with you, Vega?" I demanded and Tori frowned.
"What do you mean?" she replied, crossing her arms defensively. I rolled my eyes and put my hands on my hips, stepping closer, trying to intimidate the answer out of her.
"I mean, why are you so damn depressed lately?" I said slowly, narrowing my eyes at her. Tori's brows lifted in surprise before she shook her head and pinned me with a look.
"What are you talking about?"
I groaned in annoyance and Tori furrowed her brows with a cautious look as I ran my hands through my hair, "Look, I don't really care what's wrong with you. All I care about it not failing Sikowitz's class because you're all sad and blue." I said harshly. Tori flinched and I pushed my head forwards, daring her to say something.
"I-I don't know what…"
"Forget it. You're hopeless." I sneered, storming out of the closet, leaving a confused Vega behind.
"Why didn't you tell me Sikowitz told you to cheer up Vega?" I grumbled, lying on Beck's bed in the trailer. We were currently having a date; if you can call it that. All our dates within the past few months have been either Beck or me studying while the other lies on the bed or floor on our phones.
Beck looked up from his laptop and furrowed his brows at me in confusion.
"Well?" I snapped and Beck ran a hand through his hair, lifting his shoulders.
"Babe, I have no idea what you're talking about. Sikowitz never said anything." He said and I studied him carefully, searching for any sign of a lie, and sighed heavily. "Why, did he tell you to find out what's going on with Tori?" he asked, putting his laptop down. I watched him as he moved to the bed, plopping down by my feet, and I grunted, nudging him away with my foot. He smiled and swatted at my shin, "What's going on?"
"Sikowitz wants me to get Vega out of her funk." I stated with an eye roll, "If I don't, then I fail the class."
"Wow…seriously?"
I pinned him with a glare and he held his hands up, "That's all you have to say? Wow…seriously?" I mimicked him and he rolled his eyes. "I may fail his class all because Vega is being a baby."
"Hey, cut her some slack." Beck said, "She really seems gone. It had to be something pretty big to get Tori in a funk."
"Oh!" I shouted, "So you're on her side."
Beck threw his arms up, getting to his feet and held his hands out to the side, "What side? There is no side. I'm just saying…"
"Well don't just say! I'm you're girlfriend and you don't seem to care that I might fail a course just because Vega is throwing a little tantrum!" I argued, standing defiantly against Beck.
"You're not going to fail." He sighed heavily in frustration. "Sikowitz is just trying to scare you…"
"I don't get scared." I said quickly.
"And besides, Tori wouldn't let him fail you on her behalf."
"Oh, so now you're an expert on Tori." I laughed bitterly, grabbing my things.
"Jade, c'mon!" Beck began, reaching to grab my things. I pulled away from him and headed for the door, kicking it open. "Seriously? You're going to leave now?" he asked in annoyance. I spun around and stepped back into his trailer, glaring at him.
"Yes, Beckett. Do you have a problem with that?" I growled and Beck faltered slightly before running a hand through his hair and dropping it to his side.
"Actually yeah, I kind of wanted to spend the night with…"
"Sucks for you." I cut him off, leaving the trailer with a vicious slam of the door.
I yanked the front doors open as I marched into school on Monday, signature smirk and arched brow on display. A weekend away from all the idiots in the building was exactly what I needed to clear my head. Only problem being I couldn't for the life of me get Vega out of my head. Not like that. I couldn't stop thinking about what the hell her problem might be and it was infuriating.
As I took a sip of my coffee I spun the dial on my locker and pulled it open, grabbing my books for my classes before slamming the locker closed and turning to head for class.
I stopped mid step as the reason for my constant headache walked up to locker, tucking her hair behind her ear as she opened the metal case. I narrowed my eyes and took another drink of my hot beverage, observing as Vega fumbled with her things in her locker, jumping back when two of her textbooks tumbled from their place and onto the floor.
I felt my lips curl into a pleased smirk at watching Vega struggle with keeping her frustration on the inside and lifted my chin as I headed over.
"Vega." I greeted as usual, tilting my head with a smirk as Vega looked up at me from her crouched position.
"Not now, Jade. I'm really not in the mood." She mumbled after a defeated sigh, getting to her feet. I quirked a brow as she pushed both textbooks into the locker, retrieving the ones she needed at the time being.
"Damn, and here I thought this week would actually be decent." I groaned.
Vega paused and looked at me with furrowed brows.
"What do you mean?" she asked, wrapping her arms around her books as she held them in front of her chest. I narrowed my eyes, looking over her plain grey jeans, black sneakers, and black tank top. Damn, when was the last time Vega wore black? I lifted my gaze to her eyes, noticing the dark circles under her eyes, poorly covered with concealer and frowned. Something really was wrong with her.
"Nothing." I said after thinking it through. Vega rolled her eyes and sighed, looking down before lifting her head and forcing a faint smile.
"See you in class, Jade." She mumbled, turning around to leave.
"Wait!" I said, grabbing the back of her shirt. She stumbled back and I let out an chuckle, watching her fix the hem of her shirt with a frown.
"What's wrong with you?" she pouted and did a double take when she caught my amused smile. "What?"
"Here." I held my coffee out to her and she eyed it suspiciously.
"Jade, the last time I took coffee from you it was…"
"Yeah, yeah, I bought this on my way here." I told her and rolled my eyes when she didn't budge, "Fine." I huffed, taking a healthy sip before swallowing and holding it out to her again, "See? Delicious."
Vega hesitantly accepted the cup and lifted it to her nose, taking a cautious sniff. She slowly lifted it to her lips, watching me intently, and I rolled my eyes, shifting as I waited for her to take a sip. "Hmm…why did you…"
"You look like you're already having a crappy day." I shrugged and Vega quirked a grin, "Don't make a big deal about it, Vega." I shook my head, walking passed her.
"Jade!" Vega called. I spun around slowly and she lifted her gaze from the floor, giving me a smile. A real, Tori Vega, sparkling smile. "Thanks." She said quietly, smiling shyly.
I turned my head faintly to the side, eyeing her with a faint smile of my own and shrugged, "No problem."
"Tori, Andre, and Cat, to the stage!" Sikowitz said, waving his arms around before pointing to the stage. I looked away from Beck's hand resting on my shoulder, his arm around me, and watched Vega walk to the stage.
Andre and Cat smiled at her and Vega returned them faintly, glancing at me before focusing on Sikowitz.
"You three are best friends at someone's house, and Tori, you're revealing a deep secret. Action!"
I bumped Beck's arm from me and heard him sigh as he pulled it back, focusing on the three on stage going about their improv scene.
"Tori, you can tell us anything." Cat said reassuringly, rubbing Vega's arm. Andre nodded and put his hand on her shoulder, pulling her into a side hug.
"Yeah, Tor, we're here for you no matter what." He grinned and Tori forced a smile, nodding unsurely.
"Uh, okay."
Everyone waited for her to continue and both Sikowitz and I leant forwards in our seats, expectantly, but Vega just looked at Andre and Cat to say something.
"Oh! Um…" Cat furrowed her brows, biting her lip and Andre scratched his head.
"What if we guess what's bothering you?" Andre asked and Tori opened her mouth before Cat cut her off.
"Yeah! Ou, do you like someone?" she asked with excitement. I shook my head. Poor Cat, doesn't realize its still part of the scene.
"W-what? No!" Vega said quickly and my brows lifted in curiosity.
"Ou, sure you don't." Cat giggled, holding her hands over her mouth. Andre grinned and patted Vega's shoulder.
"Who is he?"
"It's no one, seriously." She said quickly, stepping forwards. "Scene." She said, curtsying before getting down from the stage and grabbing her bag, leaving the room as everyone watched her. I sunk into my seat, staring at the door and Sikowitz jumped up.
"Well that was a twist!" he exclaimed, drinking from his coconut. I rolled my eyes and grabbed my things when he dismissed the class, growling when he called for me to stay back. "You didn't fix her!" he sang and I turned slowly, narrowing my eyes at him.
"I don't even know what's wrong with her." I said, throwing my hands out, "And you lied to me! You told me you had Andre, Beck, and Cat try to 'fix her'."
"Of course I did!" he replied and I stepped threateningly towards him. "And by that I mean, of course I lied!" he shrieked as he stepped back, shrinking from me.
I growled and moved to the door.
"We can't have a sad Toro, Jade!"
"Her names Tori, Sikowitz!" I called back as I left.
Absolutely ridiculous, I thought as I marched towards our table. Everyone lifted their heads and Andre widened his eyes, leaning back as I headed for him, grabbing his arm and yanking him to his feet.
"We need to talk." I hissed, giving Beck a hard look and casting Vega a quick glance before leading the musician back into the school.
"What do you want, Jade?" he asked nervously when I let him go. We were standing in front of his locker and I was looking around, making sure nobody was around to overhear me.
"We need to get Vega out of this funk she's in."
Andre lifted his brows in surprise before nodding in agreement, stuffing his hands in his pockets, "How do we go about this?"
"I have something in mind." I grumble with an eye roll and Andre slowly smirked.
"By the tone I believe I like it already."
I gave him a fake smile and he chuckled, pulling his hands out and rubbing them together with excitement.
"Damn, Jade, you're really going to do this?" Andre asked as I adjusted turned the microphone over in my hands. I stopped and looked at him with a glare and he held his hands up. "I'm just saying. You and Tori aren't the closest friends."
"Yeah, well my life's gonna be hell if she doesn't get her act together so essentially I'm helping myself here." I told him, standing with my arms crossed in the empty asphalt café.
Yesterday after talking to Andre and getting him to help me out with cheering up Vega and telling him my idea he assured me he could find a few guys to help out. And he did. They were set up where Fetus's truck usually is. I managed to convince him to move it for the day with a bribe of fifty bucks.
We were skipping our just before lunch classes to set this whole thing up and oh, it better work. No way was I going to fail a class because Vega wouldn't smile.
"This is a pretty dope song too, Tori's going to love it." Andre grinned, throwing his arm over my shoulder.
"Yeah, yeah." I rolled my eyes and looked behind me at the boys when the lunch bell rang overhead. We had a piano, drum set, bass player, and two guys on trumpets. Andre had the bass and squeezed my shoulder before going to the rest of the guys and tuning up.
God, what am I doing, I thought to myself as students started piling out into the café. They looked at us in curiosity and I scowled at them, turning and grabbing a bottle of water from the piano player. I tilted my head back and took gulps, lowering it when I saw Beck, Robbie and Rex come out and go to our usual table, people having piled around us so they couldn't see us properly.
I looked back at Andre and he lifted his brows, asking if it was time to start. I shook my head and looked towards the café entrance, widening my eyes when Vega and Cat walked in. Cat's eyes lit up when she saw the group but reluctantly followed a still depressed Vega to the table. I nodded to Andre and he grinned, counting to the keyboard player and the drummer.
Both began playing and I shooed everyone from my view of our friends; Beck, Robbie, and Cat looking towards us in surprise.
I rolled my eyes when Cat squealed and shoved a guy out of my way when he got too close. The trumpet players and Andre joined in with their instruments and I stepped to the microphone stand, setting the microphone in the clamps before opening my mouth to sing.
Baby, everything is alright
Uptight, out of sight
Baby, everything is alright
Uptight, out of sight
I'm a poor man's son, from across the railroad tracks
Only shirt I own, hanging on my back
But I'm the envy of every single guy, cause I'm the apple of my girls eye
I tapped my heel against the ground as I sang and ran a hand through my hair as Vega's head snapped up and her eyes landed on me. I smirked and pulled the mic from the stand, tilting the stand to the side before letting it fall to the ground as I marched towards our table.
When we go out stepping on the town for a while
My money's low and my suits out of style
But it's alright, if my clothes aren't new
Out of sight, because my heart is true
I put my hand on Robbie's head as she beamed and danced in his spot, and pushed down as I stepped onto the table, spinning and holding my free hand up. Cat threw her hands up and squealed happily, shimmying and Beck bounced his knee, drumming his hands on the table.
She says, baby, everything is alright
Uptight, out of sight
Baby, everything is alright
Uptight, clean out of sight
I jumped twice before pointing at Andre jamming out on the bass, him smiling back at me.
I turned and looked at Vega watching me with a faint smile and grinned as I sang, holding my hand out to her. Her eyes widened in shock and I snapped, urging her to take it before yanking her up onto the table with as I sang the intro to the second verse.
She's a pearl of a girl, I guess that's what you might say
I guess her folks brought her up that way
Right side of the tracks, she was born and raised
In a great big ol' house full of butlers and maids
I held Vega's hand above our heads while making her dance with me before stepping down to the bench and then to the ground, keeping my hold on her hand so she'd come down with me.
She say's, no one, is better than I
I know, I'm just an average guy
No football hero, or smooth Don Juan
Got empty pockets
See I'm a poor man's son
I put my hand on my hip and tilted my head at her, throwing my arm over her shoulder, making her chuckle before leading her through the tables in the café, dancing playfully with her.
Can't give her things that money can buy
But I'll never, never, never make my baby cry
And it's, alright, what I can do
Out of sight, because my heart is true
She says, baby, everything is alright
Uptight, out of sight
Baby, everything is alright
Uptight, clean out of sight
I led her back towards our table and sat her down facing away from the table, sitting down beside her as I finished singing.
Baby, everything is alright
Uptight, out of sight
Baby, everything is alright
Uptight, way out of sight!
Baby!
I shimmied with her and Cat and bumped Vega's shoulder with mine as the song came to a close. The band played the last note as I held mine and I did a little head bang to finish, running my hand through my hair when I finished before Vega threw her arms around me.
The café erupted in applause and I put the mic down, halfheartedly returning Vega's hug before Andre came over and Vega jumped up, hugging him in thanks as well.
"You like?" he asked and Vega ran both hands through her hair, beaming.
"I like? I loved it, guys!" she exclaimed as I got to my feet again. Beck followed and squeezed my hand with his, smiling proudly at me. I turned my attention from him back to Vega when she hugged me again, and let my arms wrap around her waist as she nuzzled into the crook of my neck.
I pulled my head back with an amused smile and chuckled when she blushed and pulled back.
"Sorry."
"So…" I drew out, "Are you happy Tori again?" I asked and she tilted her head in confusion. "Oh don't even. You'd been all sad and depressed for the past few weeks." I told her and she bowed her head, glancing back up at me as she tucked her hair behind her ear. "I think it's only fair you tell me why, after I made that grand gesture to cheer you up." I challenged lightly, crossing my arms.
"Jade…" Beck began and I held up a hand, silencing him. He sighed heavily and Cat bounced in her spot beside me and Vega. I arched a brow at her and she huffed, nodding hesitantly. I smirked victoriously and held my hand out, wrapping my fingers around her wrist when she held her arm out for me.
I led her into the school and stopped at her locker seeing as no one else was around, and that creepy janitor usually sleeps in the closet on Tuesdays at lunch.
"Speak." I said and Vega rubbed her wrist as she walked around me, leaning against her locker. "What's going on?"
"It's nothing huge. Like…not scandalous or anything." She said, glancing at me. I rolled my eyes and lifted both my brows, waiting impatiently.
"Seriously, Vega? Just spit it out? And actually, why did you run out of Sikowitz's yesterday too?"
"The scene was finished." She shrugged and I snorted.
"Uh no. You rushed it to be over. It was the lamest excuse for a scene I've ever seen."
"Hey, that rhymes…"
"No." I stated with a pointed look. Vega huffed and crossed her arms. "Look if you don't say anything I'm going to assume it's because the scene was hitting close to home." My jaw dropped when she didn't answer, instead taking to looking away from me, and a slow sly grin curled at my lips, "Who's the unlucky dude?"
"Beck." She stated in annoyance and I blinked.
"Seriously?"
She did a double take and furrowed her brows, frowning, "That's it? No, threatening, chasing me with scissors?"
"Things with Beck are…not worth getting upset over." I admitted before narrowing my eyes at her. "Repeat that and I'll hurt you. Now tell me so I can finally grab something to eat, I'm…"
My eyes widened when Vega stepped forwards and planted one on me, holding the nape of my neck and resting her other hand on my collar.
She dropped back to her heels and stepped back, holding one hand in a fist to her chest, and the other to her lips, looking between my eyes nervously.
I took a large breath and wet my lips, tilting my head, "Well, that's... new." I said and Vega shifted.
"Like…bad new? Or good new?" she asked quietly, lowering her hand from her mouth. I bit my lip as I nodded to myself before shrugging.
"Decent new." I said while I stepped forwards and cupped her cheeks, bringing her in for another kiss. Vega's arms slowly wrapped around my neck as I tilted my head, deepening the kiss, and she smiled against my lips, pulling me closer to her.
A dramatic gasp broke us apart and we stared at Sikowitz in shock.
A sly grin formed across his face as he sipped from a coconut before he pointed at me, "Just call me Mr. Matchmaker." He grinned before turning and walking out of the hall.
A/N: Oh Sikowitz. Hope you guys liked it! Let me know with a review!
-B