"Hey there! I'm so sorry that I missed your call but I promise to get back to you as soon as I can! Make sure to leave a message with all the usual details, and I'll get back to you as soon as I can!"
Jade groaned and threw the phone onto the pillow after hearing the same prerecorded message greet her once again. She had tried several times already this morning to get in touch with Tori but had no luck and was starting to grow frustrated. Her clothes were strewn about the room, laid out in piles to be sorted through, and packed away into several large suitcases so she could have a wide selection while staying in California to focus on filming her first feature film. She paused as she folded a couple of shirts and thought to herself, "This is my first film. My first feature film. And I get to make it about a book that I wrote. Holy hell…is this it?"
She pondered and thought to herself about the journey that brought her here. This was the dream she had been chasing for so long and now…it was within reach and she got to have someone she loved to be a part of it. Two people. Both Cat and Tori had played major roles in her life and now she can bond with them and try to mend all those years of mistakes and silence by working on something she was passionate about. Jade let her emotions out, not fearing anyone would see her, and smiled as she pictured the three of them talking after a hard day of shooting and sitting in the car bickering about where to go to eat, just like back in high school. Her mind blended the memories she had of them with their current versions and tried to imagine where life would take them now that they were all together. Her daydreaming was interrupted by her phone going off so she tossed the shirt she folded into her suitcase and picked it up and was greeted by the cheerful voice of Ryan Blackhawk on the other end.
"Jade! So sorry to bother you while on your mini-vacation but I wanted to check in with you and see if you got our email about the people we selected for the musical department."
She nodded and said, "Yeah, I read through it all and gave my approval. What about the vocalist though? What happened with that?"
"Well, after your friend's audition," he said, "Jenna and I both agreed that she would be perfect for the position but wanted you to see her audition before we extended the invitation out to her. Are you free right now to take a look?"
"Send the video to my email and I'll watch it right now," Jade said as she briskly walked back to her living room where she had left her laptop out the previous night. She shoved some of the papers filled with notes off to the side and refreshed her inbox and opened the newest one from Ryan and found a video link attached to it.
She placed her phone to the side and said, "Alright, I've got it."
Her fingers glided across the mouse pad and clicked the link as Ryan said, "Perfect. Go ahead and just give me a text to let us know what you think. We'll probably be all in agreement but if not, we'll discuss it."
The call ended and Jade set her phone aside and hesitated over the play button. In the thumbnail, through the grainy and pixilated image, she could see Tori sitting in a chair, her eyes cast down at her lap while her posture was very closed off and defensive. Her shoulders were hunched and her arms were held across her stomach as she was leaning forward, letting her hair block most of her face while her legs were held closely together. Jade wrote it off as nerves and hit play and adjusted the volume as she heard Jenna instruct Tori from off-screen to start when she was ready. Tori then sat there for a solid minute before sitting up and bringing her hands to her lap and took a couple of deep breaths. She apologized several times but her voice was quiet and shaky as the producers off-screen told her it was fine and that she just needed to try. Jade watched the video and leaned in close, letting her elbows rest on her knees and held her chin atop her crossed fingers as she inspected Tori's mannerisms. She pictured herself in the room, sitting just five feet in front of the woman she loved and waited with rapt attention as Tori began to sing in a hesitant and almost ethereal tone that she had never heard before.
Her voice carried throughout the room but it was weak and hollow, yet through her years of practice and training at Hollywood Arts and college, the rust was being cleansed from the gears in such a way that it fits exactly the tone Jade wanted for the movie. In a way, it felt as if a spirit was being called forward from across the veil, and with each note, her voice swelled with power and gravitas while maintaining a disjointed and eerie tone. A rare and complicated feat to achieve, yet Tori was pulling it off masterfully. The cherry on top for Jade was that it was a song that she had sung on more than one occasion for Tori on the days that she needed a little boost to bring her out of a funk. The song was called "Okay" and both she and Tori had sung it during their times at HA with Andre's assistance and when they first got together, it was one of the first songs they danced to so it held a special place in their heart. This version was darker and more sinister, a twisted and unsettling arrangement that sent a chill down Jade's spine. She leaned back on the couch as the video ended and picked up her phone and texted Ryan and gave her approval which delighted the older man. He said he would have Jenna extend the position to Tori immediately and looked forward to seeing how production went.
The author nodded and went to tuck her phone away but stopped as it started to ring. She hoped that it was Tori and immediately checked but her heart fell when she saw Mary's name flash across the screen. With a sigh, she answered the call and grabbed a water bottle off of the counter, and said, "Hello?"
"Hey! Just wanted to check in with you and see how things were going out there?" Mary asked.
"Fine. I'm just packing up all of my shit so I can hurry and come back to start working," Jade said as she paused and eyed her liquor cabinet. She licked her lips but shook her head and brushed past it back to her bedroom to focus on the task at hand.
"Well, that's good. Look, I was mainly calling to check in and see how you would feel about doing an interview later today?" Mary asked as she read through the email she received once again.
"I'd rather not. I just want to get this stuff done, get the meeting with the publishing company done, and be left alone."
"Are you sure? Because this would be a great way to get a jumpstart on announcing the movie," Mary said. "Think about it. You go on and carry through with a normal, boring interview like they always are, but then towards the end, you drop the bomb about the casting and confirm that your film is being made!"
"Mary, I don't want to do any stupid interview," Jade grumbled as she put the phone on speaker and set it aside as she folded more clothes, "just tell whatever radio station that called that I'm too busy and can't fit it into my schedule."
"Oh…well okay then," Mary said as she drew out the words, "guess I'll call the people in charge and tell them you can't make it."
Jade glared at the phone as she paused halfway through folding a jacket and said, "What aren't you telling me?"
"Me? Oh nothing, I'm just following my boss' orders and canceling an interview with Jimmy Fallon so that she can stay in and—"
"Why wouldn't you lead with that?!" Jade screamed as she picked up the phone and paced around her room towards the balcony of her apartment.
"Because I wanted to have some fun," Mary said with a smirk as she hit send on her response email, confirming that Jade would be willing to go.
"You're a bitch sometimes, you know that?" Jade grumbled.
"I learned from the best," Mary said with a laugh. "Alright, I've already got it set up and there will be a car sent for you later this afternoon so you can be brought to the studio for hair and makeup. Wear whatever you want, I know you'll do so anyway, but please try and at least go with something professional-looking."
"I will," Jade said as she sipped her water and looked out over the city. "How did you even manage to pull this one?"
"I didn't," Mary said plainly. "I just checked my emails and there was a new one from one of the producers on the show and they asked if you were in town and would be willing to come on. I guess they had a cancellation or something."
"Lucky me," Jade said.
"Yes! Very lucky for you Jade! This could be huge for you!" Mary said excitedly. "Just think about it, this could be your chance to try and reinvent your public image. This could make things so much easier if you play your cards right."
"I was thinking the same thing…it'll cause a stir for a bit, but hopefully things will calm down and I can actually go out without having to worry about those bastard photographers stalking me," Jade groaned. "I'll send you some outfits I'm looking at wearing and check in with you later, okay?"
"Sounds good, just be you—well, not exactly you. Just don't make any threats or hurt anyone and we'll be fine. I know you can handle hard questions but just remember that you have a trump card by announcing some of the casting live," Mary said.
"Right. Thank you, Mary, this is a huge help," Jade said.
"Anytime, I'll text you later when the car is on its way," Mary said, "I'm so excited for you!"
"Hey there! I'm so sorry that I missed your call but I promise to get back to you as soon as I can! Make sure to leave—"
Jade hung up and sighed as she held the phone in her lap as the city zipped past the car windows on the way to the studio. She should have felt excited or apprehensive about this interview, but instead, she was filled with disappointment and longing to have someone to share it with. Back when they had first started dating, she and Tori always dreamt about the day when Tori would make it big and get her first live television interview and how they would stroll in together looking beautiful and fierce as the new rising power couple in Hollywood. Jade had always expected Tori to make it big before her and she would resign herself to being the loving spouse in the audience until she had her big break, but now as she entered the famous studio all alone, it felt hollow. As if it were a victory earned through an opponent's forfeit. Though the win would still count, it did not feel as satisfying.
Once she had been checked in and given a small tour of the backstage and main stage of the studio, Jade was then brought to her green room where she could hang out until the show. The assistant informed her that Jimmy Fallon would come by soon to greet her and chat while her stylists for her hair and makeup would arrive an hour before the interview, giving her plenty of time to do whatever she pleased. Jade gave them a nod and thanked them before sitting on the couch in the lavish green room and scooped up one of the programs listing all the attendants for tonight's show. She would be going second, which surprised her since she expected to be the first one and then quickly brushed past to make room for the next guests. Tonight, the other guests were Bryan Cranston who was promoting some film he appeared in that had just been released and Anna Kendrick who was doing the same but also had a new television show to promote as well. Jade rolled her eyes and tossed the program back onto the table and went to the makeup counter and examined herself in the mirror.
Following Mary's advice and taking some pointers from her, she went with a fairly nice business casual outfit and simple makeup. She wore an all-black outfit made up of short black heels, a pair of trousers that had tassels that dangled around her ankles, and a black blazer, all paired with a white top underneath. Her brown hair was combed straight and tied back in a rather plain fashion. She examined her reflection in the mirror and fixed a stray hair before sighing and pulling her phone out once again. According to the clock, back in California, it would be just around nine in the evening so Jade decided to try one last time before giving up for the day. She hit the call button one last time and waited for the video call to be declined once again.
Across the country, Tori had just gotten out of the bathtub, her skin was wrinkled and damp from being in there for so long and her eyes were bloodshot red from the tears she had cried. She had received the notification from Blackhawk Studios and was "encouraged" to accept the job from her former producer and spent the rest of the evening wallowing in the scolding hot water, praying it would cleanse her of this sickly feeling that lingered in her soul. The joint in her lips was almost out so she put it out on the ashtray she carried and looked at her phone and shook her head as she set it on the nightstand against some books. She curled up under the covers with the lamp behind her casting a shadow over her form, but as she laid there, Axel came over and sniffed around on the nightstand and accidentally bumped the phone with his nose, accepting the call. While Jade's heart soared, Tori's heart fell as she tried to cancel it but was too late.
The two looked at one another and were silent for a moment as they examined each other. Although Jade could not see much from her end due to the low light in Tori's room, the glow of the phone gave her all the information she needed and she asked, "What's wrong?"
"I-It's nothing Jade," Tori lied as she laid down on her side, setting the phone on the nightstand so she could face it. "There's just a lot going on."
"Tori, please, what's wrong?" Jade asked again.
There was another long pause as Tori pulled the covers close to her chest and tried to think of something to say. Sensing her discomfort, Jade then said, "I saw your audition. You were amazing, I didn't know you could sing like that. I guess you're full of surprises."
Tori nodded and said, "Thank you. I…I tried to make you proud."
"The fact that you went was more than enough," Jade said softly, "Do you think you'll take the job? I could use your help. You…you help keep me in check when I need it, you know?"
Tori's throat became tighter as she tried to choke back more tears and said, "I told them I'd do it. I did it for you…but Jade, I-I'm so scared—"
"Tori you are going to do amazing! I will do everything I can to make it easy for you. There is nothing to be afraid of."
It took every fiber of Tori's being to not scoff at that statement but Jade spoke again, "I loved your song choice. It reminded me of all the songs we used to sing together. In fact…I was hoping you'd pick up so I could make good on a promise we made."
Tori looked at her curiously as she laid there in bed, as Jade leaned back and took a breath, and mumbled, "I can't believe I'm doing this but here we go."
"Wait a minute, before you tell me anything,
How was your day?
Cause I've been missing,
Having you by my side."
Jade sang in a soft tone, almost like a lullaby but refrained from looking at Tori directly, her porcelain skin changed to a slide pinkish shade as she continued the song. Part of her always hated this song. To her, it was just another sappy, contemporary love song, but after hearing Tori sing it to her over the phone while she was away on a weekend trip for her classes, it became an unspoken tradition between the two of them.
"I'm never as far away as it may seem,
Soon we'll be together!
We'll pick up right where we left off!
Paris, London, Tokyo!
There's just one thing that I gotta do.
Tuck you in every night on the phone,
Hello, tuck you in every night."
Tears welled up in Tori's eyes as she recalled the first time, she sang this for Jade and how she rolled her eyes at her but told her to keep going. Every time afterward, whenever they were apart, they would sing it to one another before going to bed as a promise that they were never far from each other's minds. In the background of the video, the door to Jade's green room opened slightly as the host and his assistant watched and listened, not daring to interrupt. Jimmy Fallon leaned over and whispered something to them and they nodded and walked away in a hurry to carry out their new task.
"Yes, I may meet a million pretty girls who know my name
But don't worry
Cause you have my heart!"
The last note drifted past Jade's lips as she looked back at the camera and gave Tori a soft smile and blew her a kiss and said, "Get some sleep. I'll call you tomorrow."
Her pale finger reached for the button but Tori stopped her as she said, "Jade wait!"
She stopped and looked at Tori curiously and said, "Yeah?"
"I-I…" she wiped the tears from her eyes and gave a sincere smile and said, "Thank you."
Jade's heartfelt ready to burst forth from her chest as Tori smiled as she said back, "I love you."
Author's Notes:
Hello everyone once again! Thank you all for reading the newest chapter and please leave a review or let me know what you thought! I had fun writing this one and wanted to give them a little bit more of a wholesome moment before their first official date. If you were curious about the songs, the first one called "Okay" is by Michael Corcoran and is featured on Victorious several times throughout the series. If you look online, you can find him singing it with Liz and some edits of them performing a duet as well, although the audio quality can be spotty at times. The other one is from Big Time Rush and is called "Worldwide"
Originally, I thought that the song was decent but a little bland but if you look online, there is a newer version they posted last year that only has the guitar and their voices and I thought it sounded ten times better! If you give them a listen, or any of the songs I list, feel free to let me know in a review or a PM what you thought of them!
Have a good day!
Songs Used for Inspiration:
1. ?
2. "She Got the Best of Me" by Luke Combs
3. "Miss Missing You" by Fall Out Boy
4. "Glimmer" by Marianas Trench