General A/N: I don't own Victorious, though that's probably obvious. This is just an idea that came to mind while binging the show during quarantine. Happy reading!
Chapter 9: Do you remember we were sitting there by the water?
Chapter Summary: First dates aren't always perfect, but this one is.
Chapter A/N: Chapter title is lyrics from Mine by Taylor Swift.
On the afternoon of her much-anticipated date with Jade, Tori stood pacing around her room, anxiously awaiting her arrival. She'd been at it for the last ten minutes, occasionally glancing at her phone to check the time—and to see if Jade had texted.
It'd been almost two hours since she got home from school with Trina and immediately dashed upstairs to get ready. Even though she had plenty of time—Jade had promised to pick her up at five—she was far too anxious to wait around, and needed something to distract her. After a shower, a few outfit changes, and a decent amount of time spent fixing herself up in front of the bathroom mirror, she was ready to go.
At 4:56 p.m. she checked the time again, sighing as she realized she still had four minutes left to wait. With each second that passed she felt herself grow more and more nervous.
The nerves had hit her out of nowhere. Everything she felt leading up to that point had been a mixture of excitement and anticipation, with a healthy dose of curiosity. But as she gave herself one final glance over in the mirror, it all just started to sink in. She was really about to go on a date with Jade West.
When her phone vibrated in her hand at 4:58 p.m. she almost dropped it as she fumbled to check the message.
Jade✂️: I'm here
The text wasn't quite the romantic 'bring flowers to her door' type of beginning to a date, but it was what they both wanted. They knew if Jade came and knocked on the door, that Trina would quickly put two and two together, and neither one was ready for her, or anyone, to find out about their date.
Seconds after reading Jade's text, Tori gathered her things, popped a breath mint, and took one last deep breath before exiting her room and making her way over to the living room, where she was fully expecting to be interrogated by Trina.
"Where are you going?" Trina asked with a hint of curiosity in her voice. She was sprawled out on the couch, eating a pint of ice cream, and watching a marathon of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills —evidently still trying to recover from last weekend.
"Robbie and I have to go see a play for Sikowitz' class," Tori lied. She made sure to keep her voice as even as possible, as to avoid any slips.
While getting ready, she had spent a good chunk of her time coming up with excuses to tell Trina, because knowing her sister, she was bound to inquire. Eventually she settled on this one, since she knew bringing up Robbie was a sure way to make Trina uninterested. Plus, he was on a camping trip with his cousins and there was no fear of him posting on The Slap, potentially ruining her cover.
"Dressed like that?" Trina questioned skeptically, gesturing to Tori's outfit with her spoon.
Tori was dressed in a floral off-the-shoulder top and denim shorts—the perfect combination of cute and comfortable. It had taken a lot of begging and pleading to get Jade to reveal even the slightest hint of where they were going, but it ultimately paid off when she accidentally let it slip that they would be outdoors.
"It's a high school play at Northridge, Trina," Tori lied again, "we're not going to the theatre."
"That all sounds terrible," Trina said before shoving a spoonful of ice cream into her mouth, "haf 'un."
"Okay! Bye!" Tori exclaimed rather quickly as she opened the door and made her exit, trying to curtail the conversation.
A fresh wave of nerves swept through her as she made the short—yet seemingly long—walk from the house to the driveway. Chills skittered up and down her spine the second she rounded the corner and caught sight of Jade, who stood leaning back against the passenger side of her car, twirling her phone in her hands. It was all really happening.
At first glance, Tori gave her a quick once-over, taking in her mesh long sleeve dress, black tights, and her staple Doc Martens. She made a mental note of how hot Jade looked, and hoped her face didn't outright show it.
"Took you long enough. I thought maybe you chickened out," Jade said when Tori came into view, trying to hide the nervousness in her voice.
There weren't many things that made Jade sweaty-palms and quickened-heartbeat nervous—she could count them all in one hand—but she'd quickly come to find out that Tori was absolutely one of them. And when she first laid eyes on her as she appeared from the walkway, she knew was done for. She looked good. No, she looked really good.
"No, just had to get past Trina," Tori replied, making her way over to where Jade stood.
"How'd you manage that?"
"I told her I had to go to a play with Robbie."
As Tori approached, Jade pushed off the car and opened the door for her. "And she bought that?"
Tori nodded a response then stepped around her to climb into the passenger seat.
"Why, thank you," she said, flashing her a smile.
Jade's lips curled into a half smile. "Don't mention it."
Once Tori settled in, Jade gently closed the door, walked around the back of the car, and slipped into the driver's seat. After starting the engine and lowering the volume of her music to a more acceptable level, she picked up one of the two coffee cups in the cup holders and looked at Tori.
"Is that for me?" Tori asked, excitement coating her tone.
"No they're for the other girl I'm on a date with," Jade quipped, then offered her the drink. "Yes, idiot. It's for you."
Tori took the cup from Jade's hands, smiled, and said, "That date of yours is quite the lucky girl."
To her, that gesture was ten times more romantic than flowers.
"Okay, dork," Jade said, shaking her head as she buckled up. "This is what dating you is gonna be like, huh?"
"What do you mean?" Tori asked in feigned naivety, bringing the cup up to her lips to hide her smile. She couldn't help but get excited by Jade's word choice. Dating: that clearly implied more than one date.
Jade turned to look over her shoulder as she backed out of the driveway. "You being this cheesy."
"You knew what you were getting when you asked me out," Tori said as she lowered the cup to rest in her lap, no longer trying to mask the smile that just kept growing. "I'm like an extra cheesy pizza!"
Her nerves were finally starting to settle down. It seemed being in Jade's presence, as nerve-wracking as that usually was, was actually kind of calming now.
"What's the return policy on this extra cheesy pizza?" Jade asked, keeping her eyes on the road.
"Didn't you read the fine print?" Tori questioned, looking at her with a raised eyebrow. "No returns. You get what you get."
Jade cast her a quick glance before diverting her attention back to the road. "I guess I can live with that."
Before a silence could settle in, as Jade turned out of the neighborhood and set off for their destination, Tori eagerly announced, "I made you a playlist."
"You made me a playlist?"
"Yeah! Remember the other day when you said all I ever listen to is Katy Perry and Taylor Swift?"
"I still stand by my statement," Jade asserted, raising a finger for emphasis. "Wait, you didn't make me a playlist with their music on it, did you? Because as thoughtful as that is, I—"
"Don't worry, neither of them are on here," Tori reassuringly interjected as she pulled out her phone. "It's music I like that's not top 40."
Jade was silent for a second, then, after pulling up to a red light, turned to look at Tori, a glint of elation flickering across her blue-green eyes.
"Well, are you going to show me?" she asked.
"I'll need to connect to your Bluetooth," Tori instructed, already opening the Settings app on her phone.
Her hands trembled with excitement as she navigated to the Bluetooth section, while Jade used the last few seconds she had before the light turned green to mess with the settings on her dashboard.
"I hope you know I've never given anyone access to my system before," she said, returning her attention to the road, "you're the first one."
"I feel so honored," Tori said, placing a hand on her heart. "I promise to not ruin this great moment by playing pop music."
"I'm taking you at your word, Peaches."
It took a few minutes for Tori's phone to connect to the car's system, but as soon as it did, she pulled up the playlist on her Spotify app and hovered her finger over the play button.
"It's meant to be listened to in the exact order I made it and not on shuffle," she advised.
Jade nodded in understanding. She was secretly on pins and needles, waiting to see what kind of specially-curated playlist Tori had assembled just for her.
Seconds later, Arctic Monkeys' R U Mine? ripped through the speakers, filling the car with a mix of thumping drums and heavy guitar riffs. Jade let it play through the end of the first chorus—lip-syncing along to every word—before lowering the volume enough to speak.
"How did you know I like Arctic Monkeys?" she asked, surprise etched onto her features. She wasn't exactly an open book about many things, and her love for certain music was one of them.
"I didn't, but I do too. See, I told you we have a lot more in common than you think."
"You got one. I wouldn't get too cocky."
"Just keep listening," Tori ordered, "you'll see I'm right."
Jade didn't argue. Instead, they spent the rest of the fifteen minute drive in comfortable silence, listening to as much of the playlist as they could get through. It wasn't much—a Tame Impala song, a St. Vincent song, a Young the Giant song, and a Sleater-Kinney song—but it made Jade realize that Tori was right. They really had a lot more in common than she ever noticed.
As Jade pulled into a small, open lot and parked her car, Tori sat in the passenger seat, swaying side-to-side with her eyes shut and singing along to HAIM's You Never Knew. She didn't even notice they had arrived until Jade lowered the volume to an inaudible level and cleared her throat.
"Why did you do that?" Tori asked, a flash of concern crossing her face as she turned to look at her. "Did you not like that one?"
"We're here, dingus," Jade said then pointed past her toward their soon-to-be date spot.
Tori spun her head to follow her gaze and let out an audible gasp when her eyes settled on a small lake in the near distance, her mouth falling open in succession.
"Oh chiz!" she cried out in excitement, turning her attention back to Jade, catching only the back of her right leg as she exited the vehicle.
"Stay there," Jade instructed, popping her head back into the car.
Between the exhilaration of the moment and the nerves that slightly crept back up, Tori couldn't even move from her seat if she wanted to. She waited patiently as Jade opened the door to the back seat, pulled out a few things, and closed it back. In seconds, she was around to the other side, pulling the passenger door open for her.
The first thing Tori noticed as the door opened and Jade came into view, was an enclosed wicker basket hanging from her left arm and a black blanket tucked under the other one. The realization hit her like a freight train: Jade was taking her on a lakeside picnic.
"Can I help you carry anything?" she asked as she took the hand Jade offered her and stepped out of the car. She tried to downplay her reaction, to not make it obvious that she was freaking out over how wildly romantic she thought Jade was.
"No, I've got it," Jade replied, "but I will take my coffee if you don't mind grabbing it."
For Tori, it was the least she could do. She let go of Jade's hand, which she almost didn't realize she was still holding, and picked up both drinks from the cup holders.
They made their way down a beaten path, Jade leading the way, as Tori walked directly beside her, trying to contain her heart as it beat like a drum-filled rock track against her rib cage. The closer they got to the water, the louder it thumped. She had no idea how she was going to make it through their date, when she could barely handle the lead up.
As they neared the lake, Jade was a girl on a mission, searching for the perfect location to settle down on. Eventually she found a spot off to the side, as far away from a nearby hiking trail as possible.
"Is this good?" she asked Tori, pointing to the area she had picked out.
Being asked for her opinion by Jade was a rather foreign concept to Tori, but she was thrilled to chime in, saying, "Yes, it's perfect."
With Tori's backing, Jade set out to prepare their spot. She temporarily placed the basket on the grass, unfolded the large blanket that was under her arm, and laid it out for them to sit on.
"Care to join?" she asked as she knelt down on the blanket, a hand out to offer some assistance.
But Tori took the motion as a request for her drink—those damn nerves—so she handed her one of the coffee cups she was holding and went to sit down on her own. Just as she moved to sit, Jade extended her free hand.
"Thanks," Tori said bashfully, taking her hand and using it for support as she sat down cross-legged beside her.
"Relax, Vega," Jade said reassuringly, noticing her hand was a little shaky as she held it. She let go once Tori was sitting, but looked at her as she added, "I'm not going to hurt you."
"I am relaxed," Tori said through a half-nervous laugh. "All sorts of relaxed!"
Jade sat down and chuckled. "You're a terrible liar."
"Okay, maybe I'm a little nervous, like this much," Tori said then held up two fingers a few centimeters apart to demonstrate, "but I'm not nervous because I think you'll hurt me. I know you won't hurt me. You just… you make me a little nervous, but like a good nervous… it's… like it's a nice nervous… you—"
"Hey Tori," Jade interrupted, placing a hand on her knee and rubbing it soothingly with her thumb, "you're rambling."
Tori froze at the touch, her gaze drawn to the way Jade's thumb danced across her skin. It was captivating and nerve-wracking all wrapped in one, but she forced herself to look away.
"So, uh, what's in the basket?" she asked, quick to change the subject when her eyes settled on the picnic basket that was still on the grass behind Jade.
At that, Jade pulled her hand away and turned to reach for the object in question. "Food mostly. You know, the usual contents of a picnic basket."
"You don't have to be such a smartass," Tori said with an eye roll, earning a raised eyebrow from Jade. It wasn't a common occurrence to hear a real, honest-to-God curse word slip from her lips. "I meant what kind of food."
"I'm inclined not to tell you, since you called me a smartass," Jade began, setting the basket down in front of her, fingers tracing the center opening almost teasingly. "But, I did plan a pretty fucking fantastic date and this here," she added, patting the closed top, "is an essential part of it."
"I'm sorry I called you a smartass. Now, can I please know what's in there?"
"Hm," Jade mused, drumming her fingers in a rhythmic pattern against the top.
Tori leaned forward, as if looking over the enclosed basket would magically open it. "Jade, come on!"
"You're so damn impatient," Jade said, shaking her head chidingly as she opened the basket.
Despite her ever-growing anticipation, Tori sat back and waited for Jade to disclose the contents herself.
When she felt Tori was ready, Jade reached in, pulled out a small box of Raisin Bran, and handed it to her. "This is for you, Officer Pedesco."
"I can't believe you brought Raisin Bran on a date," Tori said with a joyful smile as she took the small cereal box from Jade's hands and inspected it. She already planned to save it as a reminder of their first date.
Jade shrugged. "It felt appropriate."
"And you remembered my character and her obsession with it too."
"How could I not? She was very rambunctious."
"She was not!" Tori defended as if she was speaking ill of her own person.
"You yelled the entire night. Do you know how hard it was not to stuff that cereal box in your mouth the second you started talking?"
"Betsy Goldenheart wouldn't dare!" Tori said, letting out a gasp of mock surprise. "She was just a sweet, innocent farmer from Alabama who would never get upset over anything!"
"You don't know Betsy like I do," Jade said with a wink.
Suddenly, the memories of their sleepover at Sikowitz' house replayed in Tori's head. It'd been a long time since she thought about that weird, yet entertaining night. Through all her recollections of it, she could only see Jade, while Sikowitz and the rest of her friends were like a blur. She remembered it was the last time she saw Jade with brown hair, and how the next time she saw her after that, she had darkened it to black and added blue and green highlights. She vividly recalled how the air had rushed out of her lungs the moment she saw her new look.
As she reflected on it, she came to realize she'd been secretly crushing on Jade since as far back as a year ago. It surprised her that she paid such little attention to the signs.
"I think I've liked you since then," she unintentionally admitted, and Jade looked at her with interest.
"Since that day?"
"Around that time, yeah," Tori corrected.
"So, you've liked me for a year and you waited until I embarrassed myself with my confession to tell me how you feel?"
"To be fair, you were with Beck for most of it," Tori reminded her, "and honestly, I had no clue that I was even crushing on you."
"I guess I'm not one to talk, huh?" Jade asked rhetorically, a hint of a smirk creeping at the edge of her mouth. "We're both guilty of liking each other and not doing shit about it."
"True, but guess what? We're here now"—Tori pointed down at the ground—"on a real date!"
"You're very observant, Peaches."
Tori rolled her eyes. "Hardy har har."
"Can I interest you in the rest of what I packed or are you good with your Raisin Bran?" Jade, asked, bringing their attention back to the contents of the basket.
"Please, continue."
One by one, Jade pulled out the remaining items: an assortment of bite-sized fruit, a small veggie tray, individually packaged chips, a couple of pretzels and hummus cups, and a pair of almond croissants from their special café. After each reveal, Tori would gasp in awe, genuinely amazed by the level of detail that Jade had so clearly put into everything.
"Jade, this is amazing," Tori said with an ear-to-ear smile. "It's so thoughtful."
"There's one more thing," Jade said as she fetched a container from the bottom of the basket. She pulled it out, opened the lid, and placed it on the blanket, next to the rest of the food.
"Aw, these are so cute!" Tori exclaimed, picking up one of the mini sandwiches wrapped in plastic wrap and examining it. "Did you make them?"
Jade nodded. "Yeah, but they're just sandwiches, Vega. Don't get too excited."
"Too late! Especially knowing you made them," Tori said as she unwrapped the sandwich for a more thorough inspection.
"Before you defile my hard work, I'll just tell you that they're all turkey on wheat with lettuce, tomato, and light mayo."
"That's my favorite!" Tori declared, a twinkle of delight in her eyes.
"What? Really? I had no idea," Jade said with feigned surprise.
"How did you know?"
"I pay attention," Jade admitted with a laid-back shrug.
"Clearly! I mean, look at this," Tori said, gesturing to the spread of food between them on the blanket and then out toward the lake, "it's like you ransacked my brain and discovered my idea of a perfect date."
"Are you suggesting this is a perfect date?"
"Well, the night is young…"
Jade shot her a fake glare. "Oh."
"I'm just kidding!" Tori immediately defended, afraid she had upset her. "I thought it was perfect the moment I saw the lake."
"Not before?"
"No… Yes," Tori confessed, covering her face with her hand to hide her blush. "From the moment I walked out and saw you standing by your car, waiting for me."
"Thought so," Jade said with a self-satisfied smile as she reached over to grab a sandwich.
After a minute or so, Tori lowered her hand, revealing a barely noticeable tint on her cheeks, which Jade kind of found amusing, but she kept it to herself. There would be plenty more time to tease her.
Nearly twenty minutes passed as they ate and conversed, only ever falling into silence when they had to chew their food. It felt like time had frozen around them as they settled into this new territory, both completely intoxicated by each other's presence.
At some point in their conversation, after the remaining food had been packed and the basket set aside to be forgotten, they both readjusted themselves to be closer—though not close enough. They sat with their legs stretched out, leaning back on their hands, and looking out onto the still water.
Although their bodies were several inches apart, their hands rested only centimeters away from each other, enough to both feel the warmth of the other, but neither daring to close that gap—at least not at first.
It was Tori who suddenly mustered the strength to do it—as Jade was mid-sentence—sliding her pinkie just far enough to graze Jade's. As a reaction, Jade paused for a microsecond, the touch catching her by complete surprise, but she played it off like nothing happened, her finger grazing Tori's right back.
They stayed like that for a while, fingers playfully dancing around each other as they answered rapid-fire questions that they posed to one another.
"What's your middle name?" Tori asked. It was her turn to go.
"Uh-uh, next question."
"Come on! We agreed to answer everything," Tori said emphatically, "and honestly!"
Jade rolled her eyes. She knew from the moment she agreed to answer all of Tori's burning questions—personal and random, though mostly personal—that she was taking a big risk. When it came to opening up, she had always kept her cards close to her chest, revealing only as much as she wanted everyone to know. But with Tori it was different, at least it was starting to be. She had found herself willing to let her in, bit by bit, and trust her, which to Jade, was always the hardest part.
"Autumn," she eventually revealed after a few seconds of pensive silence.
"Jade Autumn West," Tori said, the words rolling off her lips as if she'd uttered them a million times. "I think it's beautiful."
"Don't tell—"
"Anyone," Tori interjected, finishing her sentence. At this point, she knew the song and dance by heart.
Ever since they started spending more time together, it was always the same routine. Jade would reveal something about herself, willingly or by accident, and immediately go on the defense, which usually meant a Jade-like version of a threat.
"You know, sooner or later, you're gonna have to trust me," Tori added, a hint of desperation tingeing her voice.
"I know," Jade responded and it caught Tori—whose mouth was open in preparation to defend herself—entirely off guard.
"Oh." Tori let out a relieved sigh.
"Just don't take it personal if I don't immediately open up. It's not that I don't want to… well, actually, I don't. I'm just not wired the same way. I can't just voice my innermost thoughts because you like to ask questions," Jade confessed, looking over at her so she knew she was being honest, "but I'll try."
Tori returned the look, a smile pulling at her lips as Jade spoke. "Whatever you say to me now, or ever, it's between you and me. I'm not going to break that trust."
"I believe you," Jade said, nodding her head. She didn't want to dwell on the matter any further, so she changed the subject. "So, what's yours?"
"What's my what?"
"Your middle name. Prudence?" Jade asked, smirking. She was strangely stuck on that nickname, though she had no idea why.
"That joke burnt out ages ago, Jade Autumn," Tori teased, a mimicking smile on her lips, "but no, it's Elena."
"Hm, like Elena Gilbert," Jade murmured.
Tori quirked a brow in confusion. "Who?"
Jade hadn't realized she said that out loud until Tori questioned her, and her cheeks flushed a rare pink in response.
"It's a character from"—she paused for a second, contemplating whether or not to continue, then muttered—"Vampire Diaries."
"Judging by that reaction, I'm guessing Nina's?" Tori asked unabashed.
"One of two she portrays, yeah."
Tori suddenly felt confident. "You still think I don't look like her?"
For a moment, Jade scanned her face. She didn't need to see her to know there were similarities, she had noticed them countless times before. But she'd take any opportunity to look at her, to appreciate the way the warm light of the sunset bounced off her tanned skin, highlighting just how beautiful she was.
Seconds passed and Jade was still silent, gazing at Tori, who patiently awaited her response—and an opportunity to tease her for staring.
"Hello, Earth to Jade!" she called out, waving a hand—the one that wasn't still playing with Jade's—in front of her face.
Jade shook the thoughts from her head. "What?"
"You were staring."
"I was assessing," Jade corrected, holding a finger up. "I still don't see it."
"Who's the terrible liar now?"
"Still you, Tori Elena."
"Victoria," Tori corrected.
"Huh, Victoria Elena Vega," Jade said, letting the name echo in her head. "It's… nice."
"I give you beautiful and you give me ...nice?"
"What? It's a nice name."
"Nice is what you say about a decent cup of coffee, Jade, not your date!"
"I said your name is nice," Jade said with a low chuckle, "not once did I use that to describe you."
"Oh? How would you describe me then?" Tori asked curiously. Her confidence was surging, and she found herself inching her hand closer to Jade's, taking her pinky in hers.
This time, Jade looked down at the touch, eyes settling on their intertwined fingers. "A nuisance."
"Am I at least a cute nuisance?"
Jade looked up at her again like she was considering the question. She gave Tori's pinky a soft squeeze and replied, in the most casual way possible, "Yes, a cute nuisance."
A satisfied smile snuck across Tori's face and she wiggled her eyebrows in a playful manner. "Jade Autumn West thinks I'm cute."
"Don't make me regret telling you that."
"What? That I'm... cute?" Tori asked, teasingly elongating the word "cute" until she was met with a trademark blue-green-eyed glare.
"You're lucky I left my scissors in the car," Jade said in jest.
"You wouldn't…"
"Oh, I would."
Tori gasped, placing her free hand on her chest, pretending to be scandalized. "Even on a date?"
"Is it really that surprising?"
"No, actually, it definitely lines up," Tori said nodding her head. Suddenly something dawned on her, and she looked at Jade with a devilish grin. "So, if you're not above pulling out your scissors on me, on our first date might I add, why aren't they on you?"
"I forgot them," Jade lied, though she wasn't exactly trying to hide the fact that she did so.
"Forgot, huh? This coming from the girl who keeps them on her body at all times and sleeps with them under her pillow."
"What can I say? I'm human," Jade said with a shrug, "we make mistakes, we forget a thing or two."
Tori waved her off. "No, you left them in the car on purpose."
"And why would I do that?"
"Because this is a date and you're being respectful."
"That doesn't sound like me at all," Jade objected.
Tori didn't budge, just looked at her with a you-can't-convince-me-otherwise expression on her face until Jade sighed and rolled her eyes.
"Fine, whatever, it was on purpose," she revealed.
Instead of gloating, as Jade expected her to do, Tori leaned across the blanket and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek.
"Thank you," she said softly as she pulled back enough to look at her.
To say Jade was caught off guard by the gesture was a vast understatement. Even after Tori's lips had departed from her pale skin, her cheek was still ablaze with the warmth that they left behind. She had to take a few seconds to gather herself, to process the moment. It wasn't like her to have such a strong reaction to something as simple as a kiss on the cheek, but Tori seemed to elicit feelings and emotions from her that she didn't even know she had.
As soon as she regained her composure, she pushed off the blanket and leaned forward. Her hand reached up to delicately cup Tori's face as she gazed into brown eyes, silently seeking permission.
Tori's response was to reach up and wrap her fingers around Jade's wrist, keeping her exactly where she was. It was an unspoken go-ahead, and Jade obliged rather quickly, pressing her lips onto Tori's and pulling her into a slow, soft embrace.
"You're welcome," she mumbled into the kiss before pulling away and returning to the same position she had been in no more than a minute before.
It wasn't that she wanted to end it so fast, hell, if she could she'd kiss her until dawn, but everything was so new, so out of their normal, that she didn't want to mess it up. It felt so unlike her to care so much, but Tori had a way of doing that to her lately.
A brief, comfortable silence settled between them following their embrace, and Tori used it as an opportunity to lay down on her back next to Jade—a little closer than she had been before. The kiss had left her in somewhat of a daze, almost like she was floating from sheer happiness. She could hear her heart pounding in an all-too familiar rhythm, the one she recently discovered only Jade could cause.
"This ground is not very comfortable," she revealed after laying for a few minutes. She'd been a little too preoccupied to notice at first, but now she was trying each and every angle to get better situated, and nothing was working.
Jade watched her through it all, an amused smile tugging at her lips as she observed her.
"You can lay on my lap," she nonchalantly suggested, "if you want."
Without even letting Jade finish her sentence, Tori practically scrambled up into a sitting position and shifted her body so that she could lay perpendicular to Jade, resting the back of her head on her thighs, near her knees. It was surprisingly comfortable.
"Oh, this is so much better," Tori stated, stretching her legs out along the width of the blanket.
"Enjoy the free trial," Jade said, looking down at her, lips still pulled into an amused grin, "the next time you rent the space it'll come with a fee."
Tori raised a brow, curious to know what that fee could be—and why Jade was suggesting there would be a next time—but she decided against asking. She wasn't sure her already fast-beating heart could take it.
For a prolonged moment, they reveled in the peace and quiet of their surroundings, just silently enjoying each other's company. They remained like that for a while: Tori's head resting in Jade's lap, facing away from her, and gazing out on the sunset as it reflected off the lake, while Jade sat leaning back like before, hands planted on the blanket behind her, and looking down at Tori, eyes settled on the brown hair that cascaded over her lap.
As she took it all in, Jade absentmindedly reached out and fiddled with a loose lock of Tori's hair that laid against her thigh. She still hadn't fully wrapped her head around the idea that she was on a date with her. Sure, she was the one who planned everything—down to the last detail—but she was so consumed with making it perfect, that nothing really set in until after their kiss, as they sat there, comfortably in their new arrangement.
After everything, it was nice not to have to pretend anymore, or push away feelings that were so desperately trying to come out. And even though the thought of dating Tori made her kind of nervous—she was human after all—she was still eager to see where things could go.
Like Jade, Tori was quietly soaking it all in. Of all the scenarios that had played out in her head in anticipation for their date, none of them had included a picnic with such a beautiful view. Though as gorgeous as the view was, it held no candle to the raven-haired, blue-green eyed girl she was currently resting her head on.
Everything felt almost dream-like and unreal: she was on a date with Jade, laying out by a lake, bonding and getting to know her better than she ever thought she could. She didn't want their evening to end. Not yet.
"I'm having fun with you," she randomly admitted, rousing Jade out of her thoughts. She turned her head to look at her, a soft smile gracing her lips when she noticed she was playing with her hair.
Despite the fact that Tori had caught her, Jade continued. "Are you?"
"Yes, I'm having a lot of fun with you." Tori emphatically amended herself.
Jade shrugged. "I'm having an okay time, I guess."
"Liar."
"Your company is just so-so."
"Should I leave then?" Tori asked, slowly lifting up from where she laid.
At that, Jade stopped twirling the hair on her finger and moved her hand to rest on Tori's shoulder.
"I was kidding," she said, gently pushing her back down, "lay back."
"Good, because I don't have another ride, or any idea of where we are," Tori said with a laugh as she returned her head to Jade's lap.
"We're near my old neighborhood," Jade informed her, like that would be much help.
"Hm, I guess that would explain it."
"Explain what?"
"You don't just stumble onto a random lake by chance. I figured you'd been here before," Tori said.
"My parents and I used to come here a lot when I was younger," Jade confessed. Then, in a more candid tone, she added, "Back when we had a semblance of a relationship."
"Thank you for sharing it with me," Tori said sincerely, taking the hand on her shoulder that Jade never moved and clutching it in hers. She tilted her head up to gaze at her, a soft smile curling her lips. "It's beautiful."
It didn't go unnoticed by her that Jade had trusted her enough to disclose that. It was no secret that in the long list of things she never liked to discuss, her relationship with her parents was at the top of it, and Tori couldn't help but feel a little honored that she was comfortable enough to even mention them.
"I had a feeling you'd like it, Peaches," Jade said, looking down and meeting earnest brown eyes. She smiled back at her, unable to resist her infectious charm.
Before the sun could fully dip below the horizon—their only source of light soon vanishing with it—they cleaned up, gathered their things, and set out on their short journey back to the car.
They hadn't even taken three steps before Tori's hand not-so-accidentally grazed Jade's, earning a soft chuckle from her in return.
"If you want to hold my hand, Vega, just ask," Jade teased, "I won't bite."
"Can I hold your hand?"
"You didn't actually have to ask, dork," Jade said in response, taking Tori's hand as it swung loosely between them and interlacing their fingers. She noted the way they fit perfectly into each other, like puzzle pieces.
And Tori noticed it too. She relished in the newness of their contact, appreciating the way they molded together. She couldn't quite contain the joy that holding her hand seemed to spark.
"Your hands are soft," she said, running her finger over the back of Jade's hand as she held it.
Though it wasn't the first time she'd held her hand—cue the flashbacks to their first rehearsal—it was the first time she felt comfortable enough to voice such a thought.
"Why are you so weird?" Jade asked.
"Isn't that like the pot calling the kettle black?"
"I'm not weird, I'm different, but you're…" Jade began, purposely trailing off while she pretended to think of a word, "a weirdo."
"And yet, you like me, what does that say about you?"
"That I should seek help."
"Hey! That's rude!" Tori exclaimed, lightly bumping Jade's shoulder with her own as they neared the car.
"You like me too, what does that say about you then?"
"That I have a soft spot for mean girls."
Jade shot her a curious glare. "Girls?"
"Only one mean girl in particular," Tori said squeezing her hand.
They reached the car and stopped in front of the passenger side rear door. When Jade opened it, Tori handed her the blanket she had so adamantly offered to take and Jade placed it on the seat along with the basket.
"Mean girls are preppy, annoying, and catty," Jade said as she closed the passenger door. "I'm none of those things. Frankly, I'm a little offended that you'd even put me in the same category."
"You don't get offended, Jade," Tori said matter-of-factly.
Jade lightly tugged at their clasped hands, pulling her toward her as she took a couple of steps back, her free hand reaching for the passenger door.
"One date and suddenly you think you know me?" she asked, a smirk on her lips.
Tori's breath got caught at the back of her throat as she stepped into Jade's space, staring into darkened blue-green eyes.
"It doesn't take a date to know you're not easily offended," she said, gulping as she watched Jade's gaze flicker from her eyes to her parted lips. "That's just common knowledge."
"It's also common knowledge that you talk way too much," Jade said before licking her lips. She tightened her grip around the door handle, leaving it there for a moment to help keep herself together.
"I don't talk too much! If anyone it's Ca—"
Jade leaned forward and pressed her lips against Tori's, silencing her mid-speech. As hard as she tried to hold back, she just couldn't take another second without kissing her again, their last had left her wanting more—and more, and more.
This kiss was new, far more fervent than the ones before. Their lips moved in perfect tandem, a rhythm that seemed familiar to both, but neither had yet explored. When they pulled apart—a simultaneous need for air—their lips still ghosted over each other, both not ready to part entirely.
"I think I could get used to that," Tori whispered, her breath tickling Jade's lips.
Jade raised a studded brow. "You think?"
"I could definitely get used to that."
"That's what I thought."
"For the record, I don't talk too much," Tori repeated her previous statement, softer this time as she continued to catch her breath.
Jade pulled away, opened the passenger door, and waved her inside. "Sure thing, bud. Whatever you say."
"Look at you, so chivalrous."
"Shut up and get in," Jade said teasingly.
As Jade pulled into the Vega driveway, Tori suddenly realized that her dream-like night was coming to an end. When the car came to a complete stop, she made a half-hearted attempt to reach for the door handle, but halted when Jade turned off the engine and said, "I can walk you to the door, if you want."
A bolt of excitement shot through her at the offer, which she was more than happy to accept, until she remembered her sister existed.
"Trina's home. Are you sure you want to do that?" Tori asked, though she hoped Jade wouldn't say no, she wanted nothing more than a few more minutes with her.
"As nosy as your sister is, I don't think she's waiting up for you to get home from your play with Robbie."
Tori looked at her in surprise. "Oh! I forgot that's what I told her."
"Wow, what would you do without me?"
"Not go on the best date ever, for one thing."
"Geez, you're such a sap," Jade said, shaking her head as she exited the car.
There was always something so awkward and anxiety-ridden about sitting in the passenger seat, waiting for a date to come around and open the door, but with Jade, Tori's anxieties dissipated, replaced by an enthusiastic impatience instead.
Once Tori got out, with Jade's hand to help, they made their way, hand-in-hand, toward the front door. Although it was a relatively short distance, they walked slowly, extending the time as much as possible before they had to part.
"I'm going to be completely honest with you," Tori said as they trudged up the driveway, "I had a really good time today."
"You might've mentioned it once or twice."
Tori flashed her a beaming smile. "Seriously, this was the best date I've ever been on."
"Tell me something I don't know."
"I know what you're doing, Jade."
"Please, enlighten me," Jade said dryly.
"You're deflecting because you don't want to admit you had a good time too."
"What if I just didn't have a good time?"
"You would've dropped me off back there"—Tori pointed out toward the street—"then sped away as soon as I got out."
"Yeah… that checks out."
They reached the front door and stopped, keeping their hands intertwined as they stood across from each other.
"So, you had a good time," Tori stated like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"I did," Jade confessed. She wasn't going to rent out a skywriter to broadcast it, but she didn't just have a good time with Tori, she had a great time. "What are you doing tomorrow?"
"Hm, I'll have to check my calendar," Tori said, pulling out her phone from her back pocket and pretending to look. "Looks like I'm all open."
Jade smirked, a studded eyebrow raised in response. She resisted the urge to say something witty, and instead asked, "Can I see you?"
"I don't know, West, can you?" Tori retorted, trying her hand at a too-cool-for-you attitude, but it only made Jade laugh.
"Please, never do that again," she pleaded.
Warmth rushed to Tori's cheeks and she buried her face in her free hand to hide it.
"I'm so embarrassing," she muttered, her voice partially muffled by her hand.
"Yes, you are, but it's okay," Jade said, grabbing onto her wrist and gently pulling it toward her to reveal her face, "most people find that charming about you."
Tori looked at her. "Do you?"
"Mm, can I plead the fifth?"
"Only guilty people plead the fifth."
"What are you? My lawyer?"
"No, but now that you mention it, based on the amount of breaking and entering you do, you should consider getting one."
"Okay, I'll mull that over the next time I break into your house."
"So... about tomorrow..." Tori said, bringing their conversation back to where it had been before they went on a tangent. She was eager to see where Jade was going with that.
"Since you're free, maybe we could see each other."
"We never finished Titanic."
"Oh! You know what?" Jade began, snapping her fingers like she had a realization, "I just remembered that I have to take my brother to school tomorrow, sorry."
"Jade, tomorrow is Saturday."
"So? Kids go to school on Saturdays."
"You're just trying to get out of watching the movie with me, you liar."
"Fine, we can finish that stupid movie," Jade said. She gave in, but only because she knew it was a fight she couldn't win. "But I'm only doing it because I want to see the ship sink."
"Sure thing, bud. Whatever you say," Tori mimicked her earlier response with a smug smirk lining her lips.
Jade let go of Tori's hand and slowly backed away, glaring at her with an unreadable expression. "Goodnight, Vega."
"No, come back. I was kidding!" Tori said a little louder than she wanted. Then, in a lower register, she added, "Please, I didn't even get a kiss goodbye."
"Should've thought about that before you mocked me," Jade said, still backing away, but slower now.
"You're really just gonna leave?"
Jade paused. "What? You gonna miss me?"
"No! I— Just…"
In a matter of a few seconds, Jade walked back to her, took her face in her hands, and planted a soft, departing kiss. "Goodnight."
When Tori opened her eyes after the embrace, Jade was already walking away.
"Goodnight, Jade," she returned.
End of Chapter A/N: Thanks for reading! I may or may not be on Tumblr… You may or may not be able to find me at GrounderRecords. Come say hi hi!
General A/N: I hope you enjoyed. Drop your thoughts in the comments, if you'd like. I welcome all feedback! 🙂