11.

I remember when I first admitted my feelings for Tori.

We were at a party, Beck's party, to be precise. Beck and I were on speaking terms, although we weren't quite past the awkward stage.

We were playing kings cup in a huge group, I was in between Cat and Vega, much to my displeasure, and I was seething as they talked over me, involving me in their stupid conversation about unicorns.

I eventually had enough and pushed them both away, scowling at them in turn. They both shrivelled up and Cat apologised.

"Sorry Jadey." She sounded so sad that I couldn't help but feel guilty.

"S'okay kitty cat, it was just getting kinda grating." Vega was about to open her mouth before Beck cut her off. Good.

"Tori, it's your turn."

Vega chose a card. "It's a seven."

Beck looked at the rules on his lap and began to laugh. "Bitch drink. Every time someone says bitch drink, you have to take a drink until someone else gets a seven."

Vega groaned and I cackled, turning towards her.

"Bitch drink." I said, laughing as she took a drink.

Everyone at the table followed my lead and we were all chuckling as good girl Vega continually got more and more drunk.

"Didn't know you had it in you, Vega." I said, raising an eyebrow as she opened another drink.

"Whatever, Jade." I laughed again as I went to grab a card.

"Oh no..." It was a seven. Vega's face immediately changed, as she began to smile wickedly.

"Hey Jade... Bitch drink." I sighed and began to drink, no point in stopping because 'Bitch drink' was flying from all parts of the table.

The game continued and I clapped in glee as Vega got the last king, grabbed the vessel and began to chug it down like there was no tomorrow. Everyone else cheered as she raised the empty cup high in the air, before stumbling while trying to sit back down.

Cat jumped up and turned on the music, turning it up loud before flicking on the strobe light and dancing around. I stumbled to the dance floor, dragging Vega behind me and we began to dance.

We danced for what felt like hours until my legs went wobbly from the drink. I needed fresh air so I slid open the sliding door out into the backyard, sitting on the grass, sipping at the bottle in my hand.

"Hey Jade!" Vega was walking over to me, before she collapsed on the ground beside me in a fit of giggles.

"We're not friends!" I snapped as she looked up at me.

She chuckled. "Yeah yeah Jade, I know. Whatever."

She rolled onto her back and began to watch the sky.

"Jade?"

"What, Vega?"

"Why do you hate me?"

I stopped for a moment, thinking about it. Sure, I first hated her. Everything about her pissed me off. But one thing about her was that she never gave up. No matter what I threw at her, she never stopped trying. When I realised that I kinda gave up on hating her, knowing that she would never stop bothering with me. Something that wasn't hate replaced that feeling for her.

"I don't hate you, Vega. You just piss me off sometimes."

"Don't worry Jade, you piss me off too." That shocked me. I wasn't prepared for that.

I was about to open my mouth to say 'Good' but she cut me off.

"Y'know, Jade, sometimes I wonder why I still bother with you. Because let's face it, ninety nine percent of the time you are a very cold, mean person. But when I get to see that other one percent of you, it makes me want to know you better. Because I like that one percent of you... a lot."

I recoiled in shock. Was Vega saying she had a crush on me? Was my drunken mind looking too hard into this? I looked at Vega and she had silent tears running down her cheeks.

"Vega, what are you trying to say? Just spit it out."

I barely heard it through her sobs. "I like you, Jade."

I was rendered speechless. She began to talk again.

"I know, it's weird because you're usually so mean to me except when you need me and I'm always there for some reason because there's something so fucking perfect about you and when you came to me after you broke up with Beck I was so happy because we could become closer and I really hope you don't hate me after this I just couldn't d-"

"Vega!" I yelled, grabbing her wrists and cutting her off.

"You're babbling, alright? Calm down."

The tears continued to run but her breathing was slowing down. I pulled her into a hug, shocking us both. But nothing could prepare me for what tumbled from my lips moments later.

"I like you too."

She pulled back, looking at me, searching for traces of a nasty smirk on my face or something to signify I wasn't being serious.

"R...really?"

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, Vega. Really."

"Well, that was unexpected." She muttered.

I laughed. "Tell me about it."

We went silent. Only for her to break the silence. "So...?"

"So what?"

"Do you want to date?"

I was about to snap no, just out of habit when I really thought about it. I thought about Tori and I, dating. Properly. There was a part of me that wasn't keen, but there was a much larger part of me telling me to get over myself and accept what was happening. That part of me won.

"Yeah, sure."

The smile on her face that appeared when I spoke would've cured disease, I swear. It was infectious. I smiled back and I allowed her to snuggle into me. I began to stroke through her hair, battling with myself internally over why I was allowing this to happen.

"Christ, we're cute." Tori muttered, tracing patterns on my leg.

I laughed and turned her face so it was facing mine. "Yeah. We are." She smiled and we began to move our faces towards each others.

"Tori, Jade, where are you guys?!" Beck was yelling out to us and I groaned, standing up.

"We're here, what's up?"

"It's getting really late, come inside and sleep; I refuse to let you freeze!"

I smirked, hauling Tori up and grabbing her arm, linking it through mine, pretending that I was helping her walk. As we walked up to Beck I thought of a plan.

"Beck, Tori is uh... well she's fucked, can we get our own room, so I can keep an eye on her and she doesn't embarrass herself in front of everyone?"

He just looked at me quizzically, wondering why I was being so nice to Tori. He eventually shrugged, guessing I was so drunk and became nice.

"Yeah sure, you know where the guest bedrooms are. Take the one next to the bathroom, just in case."

I thanked him and we walked inside, hoping not to bump into anyone on the way. We got to the bedroom unscathed and I laid Tori on the bed, who was near to passing out. I lay down next to her and her eyes fluttered open.

"Hey."

I smiled. "Hi."

She grabbed me and pulled me closer, I wrapped my arms around her and nestled into her neck.

"I really hope I don't wake up tomorrow and this was all a dream."

"Same, Vega."

"Jade, this is going to seem ridiculous but... can you please not call me Vega anymore? At first, I didn't mind, but the way you say it makes me feel like absolute shit every time, sometimes I just want to completely avoid you, just so you don't say that."

A pang of guilt hit me and I immediately felt terrible.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know it meant that much to you. I promise I won't... Tori."

I looked at her and she smiled, and before I could do anything, she moved her face towards mine and her lips pressed against mine. I melted into the softness of her lips; I couldn't believe how perfect this felt. I felt amazing. No one, not even Beck, made me feel this way when they kissed me.

But when Tori kissed me, it's as if everything else just faded away.

That was the first night in a long time that my sleep wasn't riddled with nightmares and bad memories. I was completely safe in Tori's arms, her grip releasing every inner demon.

When I woke up the next morning, Tori was already awake, staring at me.

"What?" I snapped, closing my eyes once more.

She chuckled. "Not a morning person, then?"

I shook my head and I felt her arms wrap around me.

"I meant everything I said last night."

I smiled. "So did I."

She grinned and leapt up, stretching and singing happily to herself. Usually this attitude in the morning would just irritate the fuck out of me, but for some reason I only felt happiness.

"I'm going to clean myself up and get changed; I'll be back soon, okay?"

I nodded as she walked out, grabbing her bag from the hallway and going into the bathroom next door. I sighed happily, leaning back on my hands, a small stupid smile on my face.

"Knock, knock!" I looked up and Andre was standing in the doorway. "How was Tori last night? Didn't vomit, did she?"

I sat up and shook my head. "Nah, Tori was pretty well behaved, she basically just fell asleep."

"Jade. What did you just call Tori?"

I froze and Andre began to smile wickedly. "Jade, what happened last night?"

His eagerness reminded me of an excited puppy as he sat on the end of the bed, grinning at me.

"Uh... nothing happened."

Andre wasn't fazed by my attitude, his smile only grew wider.

"Oh yeah? Because when I bumped into Tori just before she seemed incredibly happy and whispered that she needed to tell me something. I know she likes you. Do you like her?"

I slumped my shoulders, defeated. "Yeah... We're kinda sorta maybe dating."

Andre put up his hand for a high five and I high fived him, before speaking again.

"But please don't tell anyone, especially not Beck, it'd be weird, I want to tell him in my own time. Promise me, Andre."

Andre nodded and held out his pinkie. "I pinkie promise you, I won't tell a soul."

I hooked my pinkie around his and shook it, just as Tori walked in.

"Hey, what are we promising on?"

Andre looked excitedly at her and looked at me for permission. I nodded and he leapt up, enveloping Tori in a hug.

"I promised I wouldn't tell anyone about you guys, by the way, finally! This is awesome, Tor!" Tori grinned at me over his shoulder.

"Thanks Dre, I love that you're so supportive. Speaking of you being awesome... can you go ask Beck what's for breakfast, please? I'm starving."

Andre nodded and bounded out the door, but not before slyly winking at me. I couldn't help but laugh as Tori came to sat next to me.

"So, is this for real? For reals?" Tori asked, grabbing my hand.

I nodded my head at her. "Yeah, definitely."

She squealed with joy and I flinched at the noise.

"Sorry, Jade."

I flapped my hand at her. "It's okay. I'm warning you now, sometimes I am moody and bitchy and I won't want to talk to anyone. Other times I will be incredibly affectionate and clingy and jealous. I don't want to hurt you, but I need to warn you."

Tori thought for a while before slowly nodding. "When I started to like you, I knew that if this ever would happen, we'd have a lot of ups and downs and at first it would probably be awkward and weird and sometimes we'd get incredibly mad at each other and I'd want to cry."

She paused. "But it's worth it; I want all of you, the perfections and imperfections, the good and bad times that come with it. Now I have all of you. I wouldn't change you. Ever."

I felt myself going all mushy on the inside and I couldn't help but feel incredibly happy as I pulled her into my arms and placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

"This is the start of something beautiful." I muttered, quoting one of my favourite songs. I felt Tori's shoulders shake as she chuckled.

"This is the start of something new."