Disclaimer: I own nothing. For more information, inspect the first chapter where I pulled off an amazing disclaimer thingy.
A/N: The band is La Oreja de Van Gogh. The movies are Dracula by George Melford and The Devil's Backbone by Guillermo Del Toro.
-2-
Tori was exhilarated that their first non-date went so smoothly. And she couldn't wait to get the opportunity to take her dream girl everywhere in town with the excuse of helping her. Even the most altruistic of souls feels greedy every now and then, she figured.
This time, however, Jade had surprisingly arrived in time to her house – they had studied ever since the girl trespassed the threshold, at least, until the air turned leaden and the early excitement morphed into fatigue; since studying for hours upon hours wasn't the epitome ofdoing somethingfun in their book.
''Okay, I think that's enough studying for today…'' Tori was sitting on the red couch next to the door, cross-legged and wearing a tired expression on her face as she snapped the workbook shut and laid it on the coffee table.
Jade, on the other hand, had had her legs on said table and her head resting on the sofa arm. The notebook on her lap had some notes written on it, however, at some point, she started doodling spirals with languidness upon the empty spaces of the page. But, at the exact moment Tori muttered those magical words – time off – the Goth got up and shoved all of her things into her bag.
Although the pale girl would've called it a night, hours ago, she wanted to laze about some more in that house that, at times, was more inviting and cosier than her own. Nonetheless, before she could skedaddle back to her house, Tori stopped her.
''Eh, Jade, before you go… could you, you know, read this and give me your honest opinion about it?'' The half-Latina handed over to the Goth her literature homework, a shy expression on her face.
The pale girl skimmed through the text and when she was done, she handed it back to a confused tanned girl – the Goth had a frown of her own.
''Remove the first and last paragraph, the rest's fine.'' Said Jade to an annoyed Tori.
''But, it's a two-paragraph story!'' Whined said girl, her brown eyes gleaming dangerously as the wrinkles in her forehead deepened.
''And, what does that tell you?'' Counterattacked the Goth while rolling her eyes and tapping the floor with her right heel, annoyed.
''That you didn't read it…?'' was the witty remark of miss perfect, Vega.
''Nope… that it's terrible.'' A faux cheerful voice came rushing out of her throat, a faux-mocking voice Tori hated so much – the tanned girl had a little blush on her cheeks, a blush born out of frustration.
''I thought we were trying to be friends… you're not even being helpful.'' Her voice was drowning in disappointment, which was the last straw for Jade as the Goth felt a pang of guiltiness inside her belly. Guilt was something she seldom felt.
''You asked for my honest opinion. And now that you got it, you're all angry.'' Said Jade with feigned hurt – masking her own hurt with raw sarcasm.
''It's always the same with you. Maybe...'' Tori was doing it, she was guilt tripping the Goth which was seemed to be a would-be ultimatum.
Jade couldn't take it anymore, and slightly taken aback, she changed tactics.
''Okay, just change the storyline…'' Said the pale girl, her petite hands shot into the air as if she was surrendering herself to the enemy. ''I mean, a character lacing his shoes and philosophising about aglets is… chiz. Not something people would read out of their own volition.''
''Pfff! It has to be about shoelaces.''
''What about a pair of mischievous shoelaces that enjoy playing pranks on their owner? That sounds way better than this…'' She trailed off while she signalled at Tori's homework. ''Dull and boring story.'' Jade was being more helpful than usual, and the thought alone made Tori smile broadly. However, the pale girl caught on that and panicked. ''Oh, on second thought, don't change anything. It suits you.''
And, that hit a nerve in a very painful fashion.
''Must you always make fun of me? Laugh at me? Work me up to anger? Is it that exciting to you? I mean- What I… I mean…'' Tori stopped talking at once, she thought it'd be better 'not to spread her mistake all over her face with the imaginary butter knife of shame'; and, Gosh help her if she ever voiced that corny thought out loud because no one would ever allow her to live it down.
Accidental double-entendres and slips of the tongue sometimes reflected on what people were undoubtedly thinking at the moment; or so believed Jade, who had a big smirk playing on her lips, threatening to light up her face.
''Well, for starters, it was a joke. Secondly, I'm not nice. And, thirdly, I knew you were inexperienced and all that jazz, but this is indeed a surprise.'' Tori needed to phrase better her sentences before blurting them out. ''Inexperienced in the verbal department, that is.'' She added, making Tori all the more uncomfortable and flustered.
''Ugh, you're – you can be so…!'' Tori was blushing hard, completely speechless and humiliated by her own mouth. ''Insufferable! I don't even know why I want to be friends with a weird gank like you.''
That hurt like a slap right to the face.
''You didn't… First, I'm not weird, I'm just different!'' Bit back the Goth, for the first time in a very long time, the words coming from someone else's mouth hurt her. ''And, probably, you want to befriend an articulate gank since you're lacking in that department!'' Contrariwise, when Jade was furious she didn't lose her rhetorical artistry like most everyone did.
''I – I… I mean – You… it's – I didn't!'' Tori couldn't muster the right amount of words to express a whole idea because her brain was overheating and melting at the moment. And Jade was aggravating the situation by poking fun at her, mimicking every word and half-uttered syllable that came out of Tori's mouth. ''Stop it!''
The Goth sneered and made to go only to be stopped, once again, by a hand wrapping around her wrist, an almost imperceptible yank and a pair of glossy eyes looking into hers.
''I'm really sorry for saying you're weird… and a gank… just – just, calm down, will you?'' Even though you are a ganky weirdo. Thought the half-Latina, but at the moment, she'd do anything to shut the other girl up – if Jade put her heart into it, she could be really annoying.
''Oh, no. You don't get to ask me to calm down after you've insulted me!'' Jade pulled her hand away from Tori's grasp.
''You insulted me first!''
''And, does that gives you the right to insult me back?'' Jade asked with an arched eyebrow.
''I'm sorry, okay? It just slipped out!'' The half-Latina held her own hands up, giving up. She knew she wouldn't win a fight like this, ever.
A dramatic silence followed such a statement, and Tori was growing shy under the icy glare of her strange friend – not for long, though.
''I'll try not to stay mad at you.''
''Thanks!'' The half-Latina relaxed her shoulders, seeming noticeably relieved.
But, Jade West was one to stand her ground, she was the one twisting people's arms not the other way around – figuratively.
''But… you owe me one for trying.'' Once again, all the black-clad girl's attention was on her black polished nails, and Tori, once again, was wondering what was so, very interesting about them – clueless as she was.
''Darned manipulator.'' Muttered the half-Latina rolling her eyes in amusement when she figured out what the pale girl was trying to do – only to be rewarded with the very dazzling smile of a very bad girl.
Jade always had a way to make things go in her favour.
By the third day, they had developed a habit to meeting up before school so as to practice the lessons on grammar and vocabulary – it was already Friday and, even though they'd have more time to study over the weekend, they wanted to (spend every single waking moment with the other, and) make the most of their time.
''I'm bored…'' Said a very tired Jade at seven in the morning as she held a hot cup of coffee between her hands. She was actually furrowing her brows, squeezing her eyes and swallowing the yawns – some tears sprinkling in her eyes.
''You're always aburrida. And, don't forget that you need to practice and practice in order to learn-'' In the early morning, Tori's voice was tainted with a wiseacre feel to it.
''How do I say, shut up because you're giving me a headache in Spanish?'' Had it not been for that utterly sweet voice that didn't quite suit Jade, Tori would've bitten.
''Oh, you say, gracias por ayudarme,'' was her response to Jade's passive aggressive behaviour. And what she said, actually meant thank you for helping me out.
''Don't try to play me for a fool, Vega! I know that Gracias means Thanks. But, fine, don't tell me… I'll ask the ever useful Internet.'' She smirked, luscious lips curving around her perfect teeth. ''It's a better acquaintance than you, anyway.'' This time, the joke didn't go over Tori's head, who rolled her eyes playfully.
They dispersed to go to classes, and then rearranged themselves, as if they were pieces of a puzzle, at lunchtime when they decided to go eat outside – to a Spanish restaurant – because it would be both productive and entertaining – and because going to Nozu didn't sound like a good idea to Tori (honestly, she wanted to avoid running into Mrs Lee; the woman still freaked her out).
Neither of them told their friends, in the Goth's case their acquaintances, where they were going to – and, at that moment, neither girl wanted to share their happiness and friendship with anyone else.
When they were seated at their table, with the menus firmly held in their hands, Tori explained to Jade the names of some dishes that were written in Spanish. And surprisingly, the pale girl used all the smattering of Spanish she had in her head to speak to the waiter – whom she knew, would have nightmares after all the sneers and complaints the pale girl threw his way.
Nonetheless, the Goth enjoyed herself.
''It wasn't that terrible, I guess.'' Said the blue-eyed girl when they were leaving. Of course, Tori had paid for their lunch, since, according to Jade that'd be the only way the goody-two-shoes of Vega could ever repay her for being on her best behaviour.
Which wasn't different, at all, from her normal behaviour.
''You see? And you even ordered your food in Spanish. I'm proud of you.'' A small smile of sufficiency was plastered on her reddened face, a blush taking over, and a mischievous glint in her brown eyes.
It was only a question of time until Jade gave a very expected retort.
''Don't patronise me.''
A loud snort followed close by a laugh, reverberated in the air.
Tori loved Jade's bluntness, indeed.
The fourth day took the form of a very bright and hot Saturday – to be fair, every day was sunny in California – and the girls were not quite enjoying another day of teaching and learning, in which the mouse was educating the cat.
A sigh heaved with annoyance was followed by another – and another – and, then, by another one. Till Tori snapped her head and stared at the annoyed, and annoying, pale girl. Brown eyes filled with so many unuttered questions.
''I'm not trying to be mean or anything. But this method got so old, so fast.'' Said the Goth, stifling a yawn with her hand, almost wolfing down the urge and sound.
''For once… I agree.'' Because, Tori was bored by having to teach Jade the same things over and over again. And couldn't help but nod in agreement – with her pointed finger tapping at her own jaw, she pondered what she could do in order to improve the Goth's learning experience – when a thought popped up in her mind. ''How do you like pop music? We could-''
''Don't even think about it,'' was Jade's blatant answer.
''No, really. I read somewhere that listening to music is kind of good when learning a new language. Besides, it sounds fun.'' Tori shook her head in an adorable fashion and then ran a hair through her hair, trying to think of something useful.
''Fine, but we're not listening to any of your bubble-gum pop,'' said Jade as she crossed her arms over her chest, her chin lifted haughtily and a little frown adorning her visage.
''Okay, okay. Just have some faith in me, will you? – I- I don't know much about the rock and irony stuff you listen to, but I know this really good band… I mean, my cousin who loves punk music and rock and stuff, loves these guys.'' She fluttered her lashes and smiled, trying to convince the other girl that her idea was, in fact, good.
''Irony stuff?'' Scoffed the pale girl, her cheeks hurt from the effort she was putting into not smiling, however, the more she thought about it, the harder it was for her to conceal the itchy laugh caught in her throat.
Because Jade West was an angry girl, not a happy one – even though it was hard sometimes – she didn't want to hurt her image any fudging more than it had already been hurt in the presence of Tori. Maybe if she sent her a gaze and thought about something unamusing, the laugh would go somewhere else – and, that she did.
''I don't know, it was something that sounded, like, steel… something, er, metallic?''
''Well, maybe you're talking about Metal?'' Jade dragged the syllables of the last word as if she were asking a question - emphasising the obvious answer to Tori's query. Her sarcastic demeanour not leaving her even for a second as a pierced eyebrow arched in superiority.
Tori blushed crimson red and plugged in her PearPod in her black music player, straight away her favourite song started blasting through the speakers and flooded the room with a sharply sweet melody.
''Turn the volume up! I can still hear my own breathing over the music.'' Demanded the sour voice of a very bored black-haired girl.
''Maybe you're breathing too hard?'' Inquired the half-Latina, jokingly. Her smile, however, faded away when her eyes locked with the other girl's. Because, a glare coming from the depths of Jade's eyes was all it took for Tori to concede to Jade's whims – and, she closed her eyes and rolled them behind her eyelids, annoyed at how weak she became in the presence of the Goth.
She ended up turning the volume up, after all.
After a while, almost without realising it, both girls rose from their seats and started moving their bodies, whilst Jade moved her feet and hands, and Tori sang heartily – since the half-Latina loved and knew the lyrics by heart.
Sin tu luna. Sin tu sol. Sin tu dulce locura, me vuelvo pequeña y menuda.
La noche te sueña y se burla; te intento abrazar y te esfumas.
Jade's vicious mind, at some point, wondered whether she should take the PearPod and throw it on the floor, then stamp on it until it shattered to smithereens. She also thought about taking out her scissors and slice the screen to bits, just because she was showing too much happiness and emotion.
But a part of her, the part that didn't want to hurt the half-Latina, made her raise an eyebrow in question, to herself.
To her credit, she never stopped her dancing.
That, most certainly, was happiness.
The fifth day was a Sunday, a bright lazy day in the Vega's residence. The two girls were staring at each other without starting any sort of conversation. They hung out with each other almost every day, but being alone together was still, somewhat, weird.
''Well… I'm here. Now, what?'' Said Jade in a bored tone, her bag was laying on the floor, the contents scattered – after she let it fall off her shoulder with a thud. And, little did she care. Tori went to the kitchen after the microwave started beeping, annoyingly.
''Now, it's show time!'' Said the half-Latina with a bowl of popcorn on her hands that she placed on the couch, and then she pushed the play button.
Jade sat on the end of said couch, even though there were two, and took a fistful from the bowl – wolfing down the snack. And when the opening credits appeared on the TV followed by the very characteristic intro and title Dracula, something weird happened when the players or the name of the actors appeared on the screen.
''Wait… this dude isn't Bela Lugosi!''
''It's the Spanish version of the same film,'' was the quick response of the half-Latina, who seemed to be melting in relaxation on her seat. ''Shhh, it's starting.'' The half-Latina said with a little shush, pressing her index finger against her lips – asking for silence –, and Jade for once allowed herself to follow someone else's orders – only because the movie was worth it, or so she told herself.
The film was a masterpiece, and the pale girl for the life of her, couldn't take her blue eyes off the screen – for it was so very different from the English version and at the same time, it had been like experiencing a vicarious déjà vu.
''There's not a chizzing moment in life that cannot be enhanced with a horror movie,'' stated the pale girl at the end of the flick.
Seeing how much Jade had enjoyed the first movie, Tori didn't waste another minute before putting on another film in Spanish – only to appease the Goth's thirst for entertainment.
During the first five minutes of the movie they screened a set of very old and rusty scissors, which were attached by threads, hanging from the ceiling. That had an unexpected reaction on a certain Goth.
''What I'd do to get my hands on those beauties!'' An excited Jade West made for the most awkward moments in, probably, everyone's lives – at least, that was what Tori thought, because, really, who would've thought a two-second scene would make Jade so happy? Certainly, not Tori.
''Well, that was creepy.'' The tanned girl deadpanned.
''That scene wasn't even scary.'' Jade tilted her head towards Tori, so the other girl would hear her words loud and clear – however, her blue eyes never left the screen, not even when she grabbed a fistful of popcorn from the bowl that was tactically placed between the girls.
''I wasn't talking about the film…'' Muttered the half-Latina, eyes on her companion whom she found way more interesting than the flick. But when the other girl's cold eyes landed on her while she slowed down her chewing for effect, Tori gulped – clearly uncomfortable by the situation. Slow chewing could only mean trouble. ''On second thought, yeah… you're not – I mean, that wasn't creepy, at all.'' Stuttered the girl growing nervous by the minute – especially because Jade's blue eyes were still on her. ''I'll shut up, now.''
Jade nodded in approval, although she loved listening to Tori's voice, she really disliked it when people called her a weirdo – even though she was, and she knew. And with a smirk sliding on her mouth, she turned her face towards the screen once again.
Through the movie, the half-Latina jumped and covered her eyes with her hands whenever she saw the face of the dead boy – even though the movie, according to Jade, wasn't scary at all. Nevertheless, every time she jumped and squealed in terror, she also intentionally scooted closer and closer to her crush.
And when she wasn't screaming, she was explaining the jargon and certain grammatical constructions to the Goth.
All her mild fun was over when, at once critical moment, she got so frightened by a scene that she unconsciously took the bowl on her lap, trying not to make a mess out of it, and pressed her right side to Jade's, who was looking at her with open eyes, pointy eyebrows and an agape mouth – probably because she didn't expect Tori to have the guts to be that physically close to her.
''What are you doing?'' Her flat voice and inquisitive eyebrow sent shivers down Tori's spine.
''Nothing! Am just watching a good movie!'' Answered a startled Latina, shaking her head frantically as if she had been drinking some sort of energy beverage.
''You are doing something... like, violating my personal space.'' After stating the obvious, the pale girl rolled her eyes but made no further movement to get away from the other girl – because Tori felt warm and comfortable against her. But that totally wasn't her style, so she tacked on, with a groan. ''Get away from me, at once. Or else, you'll see how sharp my math skills are!''
And, a Jade West counting from five to zero, before launching at someone with her scissors to shred their skin to tiny pieces, was way creepier than any freaky dead kid in a movie – even though the pale girl was unlikely to kill someone, after all, it had only been a half-hearted threat.
And, indeed, Tori did get away from her – but not too away, only enough, because their arms were brushing slightly – itching and soaring as smallimaginary blisters appeared on their skins, however, neither of them wanted the cure for their malady.
At least, at the end of the day, Jade had picked up (thanks to the film) a new set of expletives to expand her vocabulary with.
Best Sunday, ever.
The sixth day, they were sitting on Hollywood Arts' roof – the girls were there under the pretence of having to finish their mathematics homework during the lunch break; thing which didn't seem very appealing to any of their other friends, who shrugged it off and went back to the important matter at hand – their food.
It had been easy – no one asked any question concerning their peculiar behaviour. It had been almost too easy. Because a Tori Vega and a Jade West, together, alone, equalled disaster. Two personalities that impersonated the very pulling and pushing forces of nature.
But something inside of them had changed for the better; something in their dynamics had shifted, and it seemed as if everybody knew what was happening between them all along.
''I like this place.'' Muttered Tori, squinting at the horizon, ahead of them laid a shiny city that only provided them with noise background.
''Me too,'' was the reply of the pale girl whose hand was protecting her eyes from the implacable sunlight that so adamantly was trying to peel through her barriers so to blind her.
Some quite loud honks and expletives could be heard in the distance; mornings were always the same. Loud and hot – and oh-so-tiresome.
''Me five!'' And, they had forgotten that a certain red-headed girl had invited herself over to their little get together on the roof.
Right. Because it hadn't been that easy to get away from their friends, after all.
''Tell me again why we let her hang out with us?'' Asked the Goth through gritted teeth, smiling with hypocrisy at the girl with the red-velvet hair who was none the wiser. A giggle coming from said girl corroborated the Goth's statement, seconds later.
However, the tanned girl ignored the hurtful remark and went on correcting her other friend.
''Er – Cat, you skipped over the number three and four.'' Tori's soft voice promised to be an anodyne to the Goth's headache.
But calmness always came before the storm.
''Ah… I always forget about the three. And, don't tell anybody, but my brother stole the number four from my play mat. So I'm trying to avoid the whole ordeal.'' She cupped her right hand over her mouth as if to prevent anyone else from listening. Nonetheless, her words were slurred by her sing-song voice and hyperactive personality mingling in with her speech. ''He's really weird.'' Cat confided, in a matter-of-fact tone. Her brown eyes shining in happiness but a little frown hinted at something else – like a happy yet worried expression.
A little scream filled with frustration came rushing out of Jade's throat.
''Yeah?! Maybe he inherited it from your parents. Just like y-'' Jade's little outburst had been so unexpected, Tori didn't think twice and cut her off before she realised that were it not because they had befriended already, her body parts would be crippled and scattered everywhere.
''Oh, look! I brought a chocolate bar! Any of you would like a piece? It has crushed bits of coffee beans…?'' The half-Latina gulped, hands rummaging into her bag, desperately looking for the treat.
And when she found it, she felt victorious. A big smile gracing her beautiful face.
''Sure, give me a chunk.'' Jade extended her hand towards Tori, who was gingerly unwrapping the sweet.
So proper. Though the Goth, smirking as she took the treat that Tori had so nicely handed over to her and threw it into her mouth.
''Don't you have some bibble in there?'' Asked Cat, taking in her hands Tori's monster bag and fishing out some sweets, spreading her findings on the roof floor. ''I want bibble!'' But there was none, only chocolates, and sandwiches wrapped in aluminium foil.
''No!'' Both, Jade and Tori, shouted at the same time. Tori took her monstrosity from the little girl's grip in a gentle way, and then pushed all her belongings back into her bag hastily – and what a funny sight it made. The Goth curved and eyebrow, looking amusedly at an ashamed half-Latina whose cheeks were rendered pink by the action.
Sometimes there were more alike than either of them had ever wanted to admit.
Cat pouted. But forgot almost immediately about her craving forbibble (and the harsh response of her friends concerning her less than acceptable behaviour).
''Okay! Let's practice some Spanish, shall we?'' Tori said in a mocking cowboy voice.
Eventually, long after Jade had started speaking in short mechanical sentences and Tori had helped her shape her thoughts into words, Cat chose to partake in their unprepared lesson. Showing off her terrible Spanish pronunciation and lack of actual vocabulary.
''Her pronunciation is-'' Said Jade, a derisive smirk on her face and a tone that could be interpreted as sheer mockery. She had to release all of that pent-up frustration, somehow.
''Be nice!'' Chastised the Spanish speaker, shooting a glance to the sardonic girl to her right.
The Goth shot Tori a glare that could curdle milk back, in this case, it only sent shivers up and down Tori's spine. Terrifying.
''Perfect.'' Tacked on the pale girl. ''She even sounds like a native… from Russia speaking Portuguese.'' Jade had muttered the last part, and a part of her was glad that Cat didn't quite hear her. The only exception was Tori, who threw a pointy look in her direction – she only shrugged off the guilt.
''Thanks, Jadey.''
Tori snickered and Jade groaned. Cat was helpless and so, so sweet it was almost painful to be sarcastic around her – or how Jade would put it, an utter waste of quip and saliva.
The seventh day, before going to Hollywood Arts, Tori convinced Jade that using a bus to learn Spanish wasn't that bad of an idea, of course, it wasn't easy to coerce the girl into entering the funky vehicle in the first place.
The half-Latina had even used the excuse that, that way Jade would learn important stuff like el paso peatonal (or zebra crossing in English) amongst other street-ly important concepts – Jade wasn't remotely amused by the pun, less when Tori's perky self, tried to entertain the Goth by using a series of overused, lame and witless jokes – and then tried to explain them.
At least the bus is empty. Though the pale girl as she tried to ignore her crush who was sitting right next to her, a bright smile adorning a tanned face – lightening her expression.
''Get it? Because it is street. Lee. Necessary.'' The half-Latina was slapping her legs as if they were on fire, while she laughed herself silly – and what was just a live representation of a terrible sense of humour, was in reality only an acute fit of nervous laughter.
Jade drew her brows together, closed her eyes and sighed, for extra effect. And when she reopened her eyes, she fixated her gaze so intently on the other girl she even saw her shiver.
''Congrats. You just made Robbie seem like the most normal and hilarious human thing ever.'' The Goth said, flatly; while she slightly raised her right fist in a swift motion, mockingly.
Sarcasm. Check.
That only fuelled Tori's giggling fit further, because to the Latina, Jade looked ridiculously cute doing stuff like that. Not that she'd tell her so.
And, after a while, when Tori had calmed herself down and was getting comfortable again, the bus stopped at a station and picked up an enormous amount of people – too many for such a small and enclosed space.
Suddenly, both girls were pressed against one another as they fought to survive the oven-like temperatures inside the vehicle.
According to Jade's loud-voiced complaints, it had been in Tori's plans to get a group of yahoos to pack the bus and annoy her with their incessant chattering – well, humans always are downright obnoxious.
Nevertheless, the only good thing she got out of this experience was that Tori's breath was peppering her pale neck with soft caresses; she didn't mind that.
Heck, she didn't even threaten the girl with sewing her lips together so she would keep her breathing to herself. Actually, Jade pretended not to notice anything, altogether. However, that didn't prevent Tori from seeing Jade's red tinted cheeks from the corner of her eyes – a sight that made her heart run faster in her chest, too fast it was bumping against her chest as if her beatings were waves crashing against a shore.
The half-Latina smiled to herself. And whether Jade was blushing because of the high temperatures or their bodies pressed together, didn't matter. The pale girl was hot in every sense of the word – indeed, Tori snickered at that thought, because, her puns weren't that bad, right?
The night before Jade's nightmarish big day, both girls were studying (or more to the point, reviewing every single topic they hadn't covered, yet, for the exam) in Tori's room. It wasn't even late, however, the girls were already dead tired, almost dozing off every now and then onto the books, which now were wet with saliva.
Jade's eyes stung and Tori's drool had dried and stuck to her face in the form of one white line of slobber; despite their tiredness, both girls eventually came back to the world of the living sleepy, if only with dehydrated mouths.
It took them some minutes for their brains to wake up from their sopor. But when their neurons snapped back to life, a full awake half-Latina rose from her bed and after hastily (and shyly due to her bad breath) asking Jade whether the Goth wanted something to drink, she headed towards the kitchen. Leaving a curious and semi-sleepy Goth turning, languidly, the pages of the drooled-over book.
Nevertheless, the pale girl was never one to sit still and wait for things to happen – so she lit from the bed and walked through the purple room as she cast some yawns into the open palm that was covering her mouth.
She squinted her clear eyes, barely taking in the objects a Tori Vega could have in her room. However, she took a particular interest in some photos, old circus tickets and all sort of souvenirs that were thumbtacked to a big corkboard in the middle of a wall, right above a dark wooden desk that contained several scattered sheets, a stapler, and a curious-looking notebook.
The Goth stifled yet another yawn and took the notebook in her hands, the cover was some sort of Pop Art collage of magazine clippings. And wasting no more time, she opened it right in the first page, only to grow more interested in what Tori had to say – in only seconds, she was flicking through the journal – only to find some quite interesting passages. Especially, when she found one that made her the happiest, miserable girl in the world – if only for a second.
Dear Diary... No. You know, what? Whenever I write dear diary I feel like I'm writing a letter to someone, like, you're never one to reply back, are you now, Mr. Diary? Jokes aside… I would like nothing more than to hug her, gosh, she's so strikingly beautiful. That's normal behaviour, according to the internet, towards one's friends. But what's not normal at all is that I've always wanted to have a part of Jade with me. I'm in an utterly non-creepy way, of course.
Right after she read it, Jade's brows knitted together in confusion, but she eventually let out a squeal of excitement she quickly covered up with a fake cough. Tori was a cute weirdo.
Just because you say so it doesn't magically make it any less weird in, say, Sinjin's levels of creepiness, Vega. But, I'm touched. Thought Jade, snapping the diary shut and positioning it back to its original place right on Tori's desk. The smile never leaving her face.
However, things had definitely started to tip the scales in Jade's favour.
When Tori returned with the cold beverages in her hands and a frown on her face, Jade was distracted cutting the borders of Tori's pillows with her scissors.
''Really, Jade? My pillows?'' Asked the girl with a scowl on her face which quickly turned to a surprised expression and then into a delighted expression – a small smile graced her lips – when she saw a jump and a scared yelp coming from Jade.
At least these weren't my clothes. Thought a mildly relieved half-Latina. Wouldn't bother me if she cut Trina's clothes, though. Oh, Tori, that was just plan mean.
''Took you long enough.'' The pale girl just shrugged nonchalantly as she set her scissors onto the bed, as to turn her undivided attention towards Tori who was standing there awkwardly, like a flamingo out of the water.
''Este es para ti.'' Said a tumbling Tori as she clumsily extended her hand to Jade, who took the bottle of Dr. Fizz forcefully from the tanned hand's grasp. ''You look flustered, everything alright?'' Tori resumed her talking and only stopped whenever she was going to take a sip of her own drink, till realisation fell onto her like cold water and she opened her eyes so widely her eyeballs almost fell off her eye sockets. ''You weren't snooping around in my room again without my consent, were you?'' The half-Latina squinted.
Jade put on an innocent expression and took a quick sip from the bottle – trying not to pay much attention to the accusing look on Tori's face.
''Oh, no, not really. I was just chopping up your pillows and reading…'' Jade said honestly but trailed off almost as if she was teasing the other girl. And Tori's eyes widened and they darted to her desk, fixating her gaze upon her very secret diary, if only for a second she was very scared, ''the Spanish workbook. That's all I did.'' Finished the pale girl as she pointed at the wide-open book that was in front of her – she could almost swear Tori's throat bobbed and then she heaved a sigh of relief at her answer.
Of course, that didn't deter Jade from guzzling down her fizzy drink, in order to avoid another awkward interaction for the night, the pale girl thought that, maybe, Tori would stop being suspicious of her if she started acting more like herself.
''I want another drink, now.'' She demanded while she shook the empty bottle in her hands, in front of the half-Latina's face – Tori groaned, shoulders deflating because she had just taken a seat on the edge of her purple bed and didn't plan on getting up anytime soon.
''But I just sat…'' Whined the tanned girl and bent her upper body forwards, her elbows on her knees as she placed her head between her hands – as if she was serving it on a plate. ''And I brought you one no less than a minute ago. No one can drink that fast!''
''Don't care. You're the host here, so be your Sally-Sweet-Peaches-self and indulge your invitee with soda.'' Argued bad the Goth as she fixed her dishevelled hair. ''Chop chop, Vega.'' Clapped her hands, twice – hurrying Tori to get out of her own room.
And Tori, being the good girl she was, got up and walked out of the room, through the doorway and down the stairs, looking for the darned Dr. Fizz Jade so desired.
However, when Tori returned to her room with the drinks, she found herself alone. Quite alone. Because not even Jade's messenger bag was on her bed, not even the girl's books – nothing – nada.
She was alone.
I swear if I didn't like her that much I'd murder her, bring her back to life and then murder her again, thought a very wazzed off Tori when she realised that Jade was nowhere in her house, after she went out of her way looking for her – indeed, the girl had sneaked out and left without even saying a goodbye.
What a way to repay me. Tori placed the drinks on her desk. A little crease of stress forming on her forehead, because, it just wasn't fair that after all the time they've spent together as friends, Jade would still ditch her as if they were arch-foes. In Tori's mind, the girl could at least have said a proper goodbye instead of disappearing.
But that was Jade West.
Nevertheless, when she turned around, her eyes opened immensely, because she found a little piece of paper laying on her bed – which had three little words written on it in an impeccable handwriting decorating the phrase. A thank you and a surname, to be more specific, were enough to make Tori's heart bounce with happiness.
Muchas gracias, Vega.
Such a great manipulator… A little smile crept on her face. It was so nice to find something like that coming from the most unlikely of sources. She even forgot she was angry.
The morning before the exam, Jade was a bundle of sensitive knotted nerves. Like every day, they had met up before the sun spilled its light onto the western hemisphere. However, certain pale skinned girl had been resilient to practicing before the test, because a part of her was so afraid thatif she saturated her brain with information, she'd forget everything
Thus the girls spent the hours that preceded the exam, sitting side to side on a bench with coffee in their hands, scalding hot for Jade and iceberg cold for Tori – although, no words were exchanged, whatsoever; however, a heavy mist of meaning surrounded their silence. They needn't words to express how close, how comfortable and how meaningful it was to be with each other.
Not that they would plead guilty ofthat, out loud.
And when the first bell rang, Jade's body tensed and her viscera contorted painfully and she was sure the coffee she just drank would come back with a revenge, through her throat to the ground.
''You ready?'' Asked Tori.
No! Said Jade's brain, opposing itself to be subdued to any kind of modern torture device that went by the name of Spanish test.
''I'm always ready, duh.'' Answered the pale girl's mouth, instead, as she rolled her eyes, instinctually.
They walked in silence to the classroom, the both of them were vying different battles on their own – and Tori wanted to say something, and she couldn't find the words – Jade since she was about to enter the slaughterhouse.
''Don't forget to conjugate the verbs! And remember that Ser is used when-'' The Latina found her voice, only to be cut off by her not-quite-friend.
''Who do you think I am, Cat or something? I already know all that chiz.''
''Okay… Good luck, then! You'll do fantastically, anyway!'' The girl almost choked on her words, because she really meant it. Then gave the pale girl her thumbs up and gave her black-clad shoulder a squeeze, trying to be supportive of the other girl – she was sure Jade could do it.
''Thanks.'' Said the Goth in an uncharacteristically low voice as she entered the classroom and took a seat in the far corner of the room, right beside the window. Her pencil was already in her hand, the eraser in the other and her right foot was tapping the floor, nervously.
She waited for the teacher to submit the exam and when the woman did, her brain spun all over the place, shredding all the information and mixing the concepts up – because that's what an anxious mind does.
And when she read the first question... For the Scissoring's sake! What was the difference between Ser and Estar? She thought.
She only had to calm herself down, relax her brain in order to recall everything she'd learnt. In the meantime, she wrote so furiously on the paper she almost burnt it down in flames. Surprisingly, Jade West was writing down everything she could remember, at the moment.
Eventually, something in her brain clicked as if she had relocated a dislocated memory. And she smiled a big smile – maybe things would go her way now.
Maybe. But, really, what was the difference between these verbs?