Hello, fellow Jori shippers. This is part nine of the You Me At Six series.

Disclaimer: I do not own Victorious or 'Liquid Confidence' by You Me At Six


Liquid Confidence

You're pissed. Screw pissed, you're livid as you squint up at the large neon sign through the pouring rain to make sure you had the right bar. You'd gotten woken up at four o'clock in the morning on Monday by a drunken phone call from Jade trying to initiate phone sex with you. She hung up after you groggily mumbled incoherent gibberish into the reciever. The only reason you knew where to find her was because of a text you got from Josh saying that she texted him the name of a bar with instructions for him to go there so she could fight him. You grunt as you push into the bar, a cloud of cigarette smoke filling your lungs as soon as you step through the door. The bar was dimly lit and there was a random pop-punk song blaring over the radio. Your eyes search the bar for your troubled sort-of-but-not-really girlfriend, and they come to rest on a shapely figure sat at the bar. You immediately recognize this person as Jade and storm over to her. She's wearing that one black vest that looks really good on her with those jeans that hug her waist just right, but you can't think about how hot she is right now. You have to focus on yelling at her and getting her home. As you get closer, you notice that she's in the middle of telling the bartender something that makes him shake with laughter. Or maybe he's just laughing because she's drunk and not making any sense. You clear your throat loudly as you come to stand next to her with a pointed look. She swivels in your direction with an intoxicated smile, she wraps her arms around your waist and yanks you in for a kiss that tasted like beer and whiskey. You pull back quickly and shake your head to clear the haze.

"This is Vega, the girl I told you about." Jade slurred, looking at the bartender with a proud smile.

"Jade, come on. Let's get you home, okay?" You say, tugging on her arm. She rips her arm out of your grasp and frowns at you before turning back to her new friend.

"No, not yet. I was just telling Mike here that you are an example of better things to come." Jade says, her affectionate smile back in place as she absentmindedly runs one of her hands through your hair and nods at the bartender. You sigh loudly and impatiently as you take her hand in yours and try to lead her toward the door.

"Come on, Jade, it's time to go." You insist, slapping her wrist as she reaches for her glass of whatever amber liquid is in there. Again she snatched away from you then sits back down in the bar stool and quietly sips at her alcohol, ignoring you completely. You groan in frustration, you're tired and cranky and all you want to do is sleep. You should've expected this, she's been like this ever since she ended things with Beck. More hostile towards everyone, including you. At first you thought it was because she was on her period but you ruled that out when a week passed and she still had that attitude. Then you thought it was because you haven't done anything with each other in like three weeks, but whenever you tried to initiate something she'd never be in the mood. On the few times you did get intimate, she always started it and it was more pain than pleasure. Ultimately, you chopped it up to her missing Beck and you guess that's okay. They dated for like four years and there's a lot of history there, so it's okay to miss that. But what you're not okay with is her taking it out on you, as if it's your fault. She chose to cheat and yeah you knew what you were doing but it's not your fault you fell in love with her. She's Jade, you can't not love her. Half lidded blue eyes look sideways at you as you lean tiredly against the bar, she slides her almost empty glass over to you with an intoxicated smirk.

"You should drink up so you can convince yourself that I'm cute." She drawls, whilst leaning into your personal space. You roll your eyes and quickly down the drink, wincing only slightly as the wretched taste hits your tongue and the liquid burns it's way down your throat. You slam the glass back down on the bar then fish through your pockets for the five dollar bill you found in your locker when school let out for summer. You place it on the counter for the bartender before picking up Jade's hand, practically dragging her out of the bar and into the pouring rain. You usher her into the passenger seat then quickly get in on your side. She leans against the window, looking out it to avoid looking at you. You glare out the windshield, your hands tightening around the steering wheel with pent up anger.

"I'm tired of this, Jade. I get that you miss Beck, I do, but the drinking and the drugs aren't going to fix your problems. Neither is taking your anger out on me, I'm tired of being your punching bag, I'm tired of acting like your mother. I am tired, Jade." You tell her, trying your best to just stay calm. She lifts her head up and looks over at you with surprisingly somewhat sober eyes.

"Whatever." She scoffs, crossing her arms over her chest and looking back out her window.

"You know, I can do a lot better than you!" You blow up suddenly, she jumps in surprise and stares at you with wide eyes. Your chest heaves with anger and there are unshed tears in your eyes as you glare at her. Her eyes search yours for a moment before they fall to look at her hands that are now in her lap. It takes a lot of deep breaths for you to calm down and get your heart rate back to normal. You wipe furiously at your eyes before starting the car and pulling away from the bar. The drive to Jade's house is silent for the most part, however as you drive down her street her hand finds its way onto your thigh. You glance over at her with furrowed brows, she's turned in her seat so that she's fully facing you and she's looking at you in that bewitching way that makes your lower regions clench. You swallow and turn your attention back the road but her hand keeps creeping up your inner thigh and why the fuck did you think it was a good idea to wear a skirt today? As soon as you pull into her driveway she leans over the console, her lips find your throat and her hand has reached its destination. You bite your lower lip as her teeth pinch the skin on your neck and her hand cups your vagina, is it bad that you're already wet?

"Jade." You whimper, it's meant to be a protest but it comes out as a plea as your head drops against the back your seat. She pulls away from you for a moment and you almost cry but then you hear the click of a seatbelt unbuckling and you know it's hers because not a second later she's straddling your waist in the driver's seat of Trina's car. She unbuckles you too and then lowers the seat until the headrest is touching the backseat. Lowering herself on top of you, she looks at you with the softest of looks and then kisses you with more passion than she's ever kissed you with before. Your hands automatically go to her waist to bring her closer, an involuntary reaction.

"I've been acting like an idiot a lot lately, let me make it up to you?" She whispers against your lips.

"Jade, we can't, you're drunk." You whine, you hate being a good person sometimes.

"Not that drunk." She mumbles, pecking your lips before moving to suck on your neck. You shake your head and take your hands off her hips so that you can cup her face and make her look at you.

"It's okay if we just kiss tonight but nothing more than that, I am a gentleman after all. Make it up to me in the morning, okay? Or if you want I can..." You trail off and lean in to whisper something in her ear that had her grinning against your neck. So, you both exit her car and head into her house. You both go down to her room where you change into pajamas, you always have an outfit at Jade's house just in case, then climb into bed. You snuggle into her side and let yourself fall blissfully back into the sleep that you were craving.

...

You wake up on Monday afternoon, thanking God that it's May and you're out of school for summer. Jade's still sleeping peacefully beside you so you make sure to be extra quiet as you slip out of bed and put on your shoes. After you ascend the stairs, you grab Trina's car keys off of the kitchen counter then go out to her car and drive down to Inside Out Burger. They don't usually sell breakfast past noon but Sinjin usually works there at this time of day has a little bit of thing for Jade so he'll sell you anything if you mention her. You don't like it but he's not Jade's "type" and also you guys get discounts on food here. You order Jade a large black coffee with two sugars and a dozen glazed donuts, you order yourself the sausage biscuit meal with a small orange juice.

"Is this for Jade?" Sinjin asks through the speaker, his voice coming out loud and staticky.

"Yes..." You answer with a huff, glaring at the little black speaker box.

"Tell her I said-"

"Just give me my total, Sinjin!" You snap. He does and you pull up to the first window to pay and get your food before leaving and going back to Jade's. She's still asleep when you enter the basement so you set her coffee and donuts down on her nightstand then draw the blinds to block out the sun. You sit on the floor to quietly eat your breakfast because Jade doesn't like crumbs in her bed, but then agains who does? Sinjin probably...weirdo. Jade grunts and mumbles a few curses before she sits up in bed, at first she gets this really pissed off expression on her face when she notices that your side of the bed is empty-and it's really funny to watch- but then her head twists to where her own breakfast is and a smile spreads across her face. It's so genuine and beautiful that you stop eating just to watch her, she grabs the coffee first and as she's taking a sip her eyes catch yours. Her pierced eyebrow raises as looks down at you quizzically.

"Why're you on the floor?" She asks in that raspy sleepy voice that you just love.

"You don't like crumbs in your bed." You answer with a hesitant small or and a shrug.

"Get up here." She grumbles tossing aside her blankets. Although you're finished eating, you get off of the floor and join her in presses a kiss to your temple before eating like four donuts and downing the rest of coffee, after she finishes her own breakfast you clean up the garbage and brush your teeth. When you return with some Advil she's laying down again, massaging her temples. You're surprised she's being so nice to you today, she's usually really rude when she has a hangover. But you suspect that her mood has something to do with the breakfast you bought her, and you supposed that it also helps that you kept your promise from last night.

Nothing helps a Jade-hangover like a greasy breakfast and sex with you on top.

...

Jade's been so good to you lately, she hasn't been taking her anger out on you at all and her partying has simmered down a bit. So needless to say you're pretty happy. But that happiness ends as you're driving to Jade's house to pick her up so you guys can go hang out with the gang, you get a call from Beck telling that you Jade is in the hospital because she overdosed on heroin. Your heart stops and clenches in your chest.

"...I just thought you should know." He says when you don't say anything for awhile.

"Which Hospital?" You ask, your voice eerily calm. He tells you the hospital and you nearly break every traffic law in the book as you speed to it. You storm into the lobby, march right up to the secretary, and demand which room Jade is in. When you reach her room the gang is gathered in the hallway with anxious looks on their faces, briefly you wander why you were the last to know about this. Andre gives you a flat look when his eyes settle on you, he's pissed because you're still with Jade and you know it's not you who he's in to. Cat and Robbie run up to give you comforting hugs, and you awkwardly pat their backs while you nod at Beck whose looking at you with sympathy and a bit of resentment. Goddamn why are so many of your friends in love with Jade?

You slip out of Cat and Robbie's arm so that you can walk to the door to the room that Jade is in.

"There's a girl in there with her." Andre mumbles grumpily. You nod, grateful for the warning before you heard into the room. Andre is kind of a jerk sometimes but he's still one of your closest friends. Jade's awake and seemingly sober because she's having a conversation with Veronica fucking Sanchez. You force yourself not to glare at them both but that becomes 100x harder when Veronica looks up at you with the most distasteful expression. She opens her mouth to say something but Jade cuts her off, blue eyes looking at you with an emotion you can't read. You thinks it's somewhere between affection and annoyance.

"Bye, Vicky." Jade says, Veronica stares at with disbelief.

"It's Veronica." She mumbles before rising from the visitor's chair, she presses a kiss to Jade's cheek which causes your sort-of-but-not-really girlfriend to blanch. Your glare is blazing as Veronica brushes passed you, only to stop with her hand on the doorknob.

"We made love, you know? She cares about me, she told me-"

"Leave!" Jade hisses vehemently at her. The girl flinches and quickly exits, then you're left alone with Jade in this hospital room that smells like hand sanitizer.

"I'm, uh, I'm sorry about that..." Jade speaks up, her voice is gentle and unsure but it does nothing to bring down the amount of anger you're feeling. It does, however, bring your attention to her. She's rubbing the back of her neck and looking incredibly awkward.

"Why? You've got nothing to loose...except for me and you." You say with a nonchalant shrug and surprisingly level tone as you walk over to the chair that Veronica was sitting in and take her place. Jade swallows and looks away from you.

"It's not like we were ever a couple, I can fuck other people if I want to..." She mumbles. You can tell she regrets it as soon as it leaves her mouth because she gets this "oh, fuck" expression on her face. Rationally, you know she's right. You guys never made it official but it sure as hell felt like you were a couple. So you scoff, and even though you can feel your heart crack in your chest, you put on an angry front.

"Then by all means, Jade, fuck whoever you want. But don't expect me to still be here waiting for you, I'm done putting up with this kind of shit from you." You get out all in one breath as you rise from the chair. Her eyes snap to you and you're slightly surprised to find that their filled with tears.

"...I'll be different I swear...just please don't give up on me." She says, choking back a sob as she looks at you with pleading eyes. You bite you lip and hold back your own set of tears.

"No, you won't." You whisper, shaking your head sadly because you know it's just an empty promise.

"Tori..." She practically whimpers as you make your way to the door.

"This isn't healthy, Jade...We're an example of why not to fall in love...I don't want to see or hear from you until you go to rehab and get your life straightened out." You tell her, pausing in the doorway to let your words sink in. Even as you leave the room you hope to God and every star above that you're strong enough to resist the temptation that is Jade West.