Tori's eyes fluttered open as the morning sunlight was filling up her room. The first thing she saw upon waking up was Jade, still fast asleep and facing her. It wasn't the first time she'd woken up seeing Jade, but this time didn't involve a loud whistle and dozens of students watching Tori tumble down the stairs; so this was easily better in comparison. She remembered how heavy a sleeper Jade could be, even in a warzone like Yerba, but unlike then, the usually grumpy Goth's expression was relaxed, even peaceful, something Tori couldn't help but smile at. As her other senses were returning, she could feel the weight of Jade's arm draped over her side. Who knew Jade liked to cuddle? Tori didn't…before last night.
She was treated to the sight of Jade's eyes slowly opening to see her, a faint smile growing between the two of them, when the moment was ruined by a rather guttural, "Oh my god!"
Immediately, Tori and Jade spun toward the bedroom door, where Trina had invited herself in and was expressing both surprise and near-disgust at the sight of her sister in bed with her most notorious heckler.
"T-Trina!" Tori stammered, trying to address her, Jade, and their "situation" all at the same time, "You're home!"
"Yeah duh!" Trina scoffed, her expression unchanged, "And I expected to see my sister getting packed for her flight, not snuggling up with Carmilla Karnstein!"
Jade's eyes immediately shot open at that—in her mind—insulting comparison and would have jumped out of bed to strangle Trina if Tori hadn't squeezed her hand to calm her.
"Jade stayed over last night! She offered to drive me home since you were too busy partying!"
"Well, if she was just staying over, there are two perfectly uncomfortable couches in the living room she could have crashed on! What is she doing in your bed?! Are you two…did you two—"
"No! We didn't!" Tori was quick to deny any shenanigans that were sure to be implied by them being in bed together.
Jade, however, couldn't resist the opportunity to wazz both Vega sisters off just a little, "Or maybe we got so into it that we didn't even bother to get nak—". The rest of that tease was cut off by Tori loudly slapping Jade's arm.
"What she means is…" Tori glared at Jade, then softened as she confessed to both of them, "We're…together now. We told each other how we felt and…"
Trina leered at both of them, as if trying to tell if they were being genuine or showing off their acting skills, then exhaled loudly, "Well, it's about time!"
Both Tori and Jade looked at her confused, "What?!"
"Oh, come on! I remember you two playing Airport Security over a pair of scissors last Christmas," Trina rolled her eyes at their dumbfounded faces, "And then you went, 'Oh! You have an idea for my gift to Andre? Tell me!' 'Maybe, I will…if you BEG ME!'"
"I don't talk like that!" both girls shouted as their faces blushed at the same time.
"And sure, you and the rest of your Breakfast Bunch hung out here every day, but then I saw just the two of you together eating pizza and watching TV while I was suffer…uh…expanding my acting horizons with Divertisimo! If that's not a big sign saying, 'TORI'S GAY FOR JADE!', then…" Trina ended with a huff as the newfound couple just stared at her and then each other, speechless. "Anyway, Tori, your flight is in 4 hours and you don't look packed, so I'm just gonna go back downstairs and make some Belgian cocoa."
As they heard Trina shut the door and trudge down the stairs, a collective sigh fell over and Tori remarked, "She's gonna be mad when she finds out we drank the rest of the cocoa last night." Expecting to hear Jade at least smirk at that, she was instead met with a questioning frown from her.
Jade was taking in every inch of Tori she could see; her face, her messy bed-hair, her purple-striped shirt that exposed one shoulder, and then back up to her big, brown eyes to ask, "So we're together now? For all of one day before you leave for who-knows-how-long?"
Tori looked away, unable to will up a proper answer, "I didn't mean…I mean, I want to…I'm sorry, Jade. I wasn't thinking last night. After that kiss, I just felt everything in the back of my mind shoot forward and all I could think about was you and…how much I lo-"
Tori was cut off by Jade putting a finger against her lips. "Don't. If you say that now…" Jade couldn't bring herself to finish her thought. Instead, she gently pushed Tori toward the edge of the bed. "Go. Get packed. I'll just go shower and…change." She quickly realized she had no other clothes since this sleepover wasn't planned. Looking down at her bag with a groan, she took the wrapped pajelehoocho quietly and subtly made for the bathroom to avoid any potential teasing from Tori.
It didn't take long for Tori to finish packing the rest of her favorite clothes, books, and Hollywood Arts mementos. As she zipped her suitcase shut, she noticed Jade hadn't come back yet. Still hearing the shower running across the hall, she sighed, pulled on a pair of pants, and headed downstairs for some breakfast. She quickly found Trina in front of the microwave, as expected since her cooking skills were nonexistent. Tori took a seat between her and the kitchen's small island, resting her head on her hands.
"Well, that's not a pretty face," Trina teased with a poke on Tori's bare shoulder, "Was Jade that bad a kisser last night?"
Tori couldn't even bring herself to glare, just sighing as she looked down at the table, contemplating the already sinking ship that was her and Jade'. "Trina, not now, okay?"
Trina dropped her teasing face and took a seat across from her sister. "Look, all chizz aside, I'm happy for you. I've seen you with Jade since you started going to Hollywood Arts. Sure, you had a lot of fights and quips back and forth, but you've also been happier with her than any of those loser guys you dated before. If you're really happy with her, I won't judge you, and neither will Mom and Dad. Heck, Dad'll just be happy since Jade can't get you...well..."
That was almost enough for Tori to smile, but it only made her mood worsen knowing that the one relationship that could have worked in her life was ending as quickly as it started. Expecting to hear another quip from Trina, she instead heard her rummage through her purse and sliding a small USB drive to her. "What's this? Wait…this looks like…"
"It's the same drive you gave me on my birthweek; the one with that song you and Andre made for me that I…then sold to a record company for chump change." Trina gulped, expecting Tori to either be confused or angry at that memory.
"W-Why do you have it now?" Tori's mood indicated the former rather than the latter, to Trina's relief.
"Well, I'm sure you're wondering why I was out partying last night…" Trina fiddled with the drive between her fingers. "I heard that the execs from that record company were there, hoping to network with some new talent because they've been hitting some hard times lately. Now, you'd think I'd try to muscle myself in again, but even I knew they'd see right through me again. So I put myself aside for once and asked about that song you made. They told me Beyoncé ultimately passed on the song and they hadn't found anyone else to take it, so after a bit of convincing, they let me have the rights back for the same amount they paid me before."
Tori's head rose in disbelief over something she'd never expect Trina to do in…ever. "Why would you do that? I'm less surprised about the song than the fact that you'd let go of $500 like that!"
Trina shrugged and pushed the drive to Tori again, "Whatevs. Like I said, it's chump change compared to what I know you could do with it. Consider it a graduation gift from your big sis."
"Trina, I graduated a month ago."
"What, like there's a deadline for me to give you something nice?" She scoffed and then smiled again, "Just do me a favor. If you do sing this again, do it differently. You made this flashy, poppy, Mmmbop song for me, and I took it for granted. Whatever you sing this for…whoever you sing this for next, make it special for them, okay?" With a wink, she took the drive and placed it in Tori's hand.
Speechless once again, Tori smiled and pulled her sister in for a tight hug, "Thank you, sis! I love you!"
Trina enjoyed the hug for all of a second before tapping Tori's shoulder, "Great, now could you let me go? My pizza pocket's almost done!" She let go and quickly made for the microwave for her treat.
Tori smiled, looking down at the drive and then to the piano in the center of the living room in front of the stairs. She sat down on the bench, placing her hands over the keys, and played the intro as best as she could remember Andre doing those years ago, but with a slower, more ballad-like tempo.
Jade came back to Tori's room, peeking in at first to see that she wasn't in anymore, and sat down on the bed, wearing the pajelehoocho Cat had given her. As embarrassing as it was to be wearing it, even alone, she was surprised Cat got her size right, at least. With her squirrely friend in mind, she grabbed her phone from the nightstand and sent Cat a message.
JADE: Cat, you up?
CAT: Yeah! U ok? I tried going to your place, but you weren't home.
JADE: I stayed at Tori's, but I think you knew that already.
CAT: Why, I don't know what you're talking about~
JADE: Orly? So you didn't write "all I really care is you wake up in my arms"?
CAT: …well, I didn't think you'd catch on that quickly.
JADE: Busted.
CAT: When you asked me if I'd written all of it myself, I was half-telling the truth. I knew the song you wrote for the Full Moon Jam last year was for Tori, not Beck.
JADE: I neither confirm nor deny that.
CAT: You don't have to. I already know.
JADE: (-_-) Anyway, YOUR song…
CAT: Right, so I wanted you two to hear a song that would make you think of each other and just…get rid of whatever was keeping you from saying what we already knew.
JADE: We?
CAT: Me and Andre, anyway. He really did help me fit some lyrics to the music he composed, but he was on board with the plan, too. He knew Tori felt something for you, too, but he wanted her to say it.
JADE: You little sneaks…
CAT: Are you mad?
JADE: No. I'm grateful. Your dumb plan worked…for all the good it did.
CAT: What do you mean? Tori didn't say…
JADE: She did. I did. But she's still leaving and I'm just
CAT: Just what?
Jade could hear the piano downstairs and Tori's voice singing some song she hadn't heard in a while, at least not the way she was singing it. Forgetting the embarrassment of what she was wearing, she put her phone down and slowly headed downstairs.
[Music in scene: You're the Reason (Acoustic) performed by Victoria Justice]
You might be crazy
Have I told you lately that I love you
You're the only reason that I'm not afraid to fly
And it's crazy that someone could change me
Now no matter what it is I have to do I'm not afraid to try
And you need to know that you're the reason…why
Tori played the last few notes of the chorus, letting the last word ring acapella as she set her hands back down to her lap. Sighing, she knew exactly what…who this new arrangement of the song was for. What she didn't know was that that very person was standing behind her until she heard, "So you're saying I'm crazy?"
Tori spun around, eyes wide and then glaring at Jade, whose eyebrow crooked up teasingly. "Oh, come on! That can't be your only takeaway from the song!"
"Well, you already think I'm pretty and demented~" Jade continued her musing, walking to the piano bench and sitting next to Tori, "So 'crazy' probably fits somewhere in between the two."
Tori lightly punched her in the arm, but still leaning close to Jade, "Geez, Jade…but there's more to it than just that."
Jade picked up Tori's face by her chin and looked at her with her eyebrows raised, "Well?"
"I don't want this to end…" Tori brings Jade's hand up to her cheek to cup gently, "Last night was so sudden, but it cleared up a lot of things for me. I wish this could have been last month, or even last year, because one night isn't enough for us, for…this. I want to take you out on a real date, make music with you, help you make your plays and short films, make up for the time we could have had together…"
Jade frowned as she felt Tori's cheek rest against her palm, silently agreeing with everything she said, but instead opted for a quip, "So would you be taking me out on this hypothetical date, because I don't think you got your driver's license yet…" This was met with yet another arm slap…worth it.
"Damn it, Jade! I'm trying to say something!" Tori pouted, to which Jade only nodded and let her continue, "You were right last night. We don't know where everyone will be come next year. Maybe Beck will still be doing movies everywhere, Cat and Andre making music together, Robbie doing his own thing without Rex, but I do know that I don't want my next year—my next day—to still be wondering if this could have been something special after all. I want to be with you, Jade."
Tori leaned against Jade's forehead and closed her eyes. Perhaps she'd just pull away, say the goodbyes she meant to say last night, and that would be it.
The kiss Jade gave her instead indicated otherwise.
Much like their first kiss, Jade was holding Tori tight with her arms around her neck, letting her know that she wouldn't leave without reciprocating those feelings Tori just poured out to her. Releasing the kiss, Jade kept her eyes closed and leaned against Tori, wishing she didn't have to ruin the moment.
"But…you're still going," Nonetheless she had to address the elephant in the room, "You want to just 'video chat date' until you come back? I don't know how well that'll…" As Jade's words trailed off, Tori thought hard, knowing that starting a relationship with long-distance just wouldn't work for them. She tried to think of some kind of solution when her eyes suddenly noticed something different about Jade.
"…are you wearing the pajelehoocho Cat gave you?"
"It's all I had and it's surprisingly soft!"
It took much longer than Tori expected to get her laptop connected to the airport's WiFi, but once she saw the full bars on screen, she opened up a group video chat program, auto-inviting everyone, who quickly accepted. She quickly fixed her hair as four windows popped up with Andre, Cat, Robbie, and Beck's faces filling them. Everyone's voices started filling Tori's earbuds.
"Hey, chica!" Andre smiled, flashing a peace sign.
"How goes?" Beck grinned, tying back his hair in a ponytail.
"Sup, Toro~" Robbie greeted, straightening his glasses.
"Hiiii!" Cat waved hello with both hands energetically.
"Hey, everyone!" Tori waved, "Glad this airport WiFi's stable enough for all of us."
"Not…all of us," Robbie noticed the lack of one more window, "Where's Jade?"
"She's…not gonna be joining us here," Tori looked away from the webcam with a frown, "Anyway, my flight's in an hour, so I just wanted to say hey and, uh…sorry about last night."
"What happened last night?" Beck raised an eyebrow curiously.
"You mean when Jade dragged you out of Karaoke Dokie without saying goodbye?" Andre chuckled along with Cat, who was playing with her hair innocently.
"Yeahhhh," Tori rubbed her arm nervously, "It was…kind of a thing, but it's okay now; that's why I wanted to see you guys one more time before I go! Sorry!"
"It's all good, girl!" Andre waved the tension off like the wind, "At least this way Officer Beck can join in too, right?"
Beck chuckled at the reference, "Funny you should say that. I just wrapped, so I'll be back in LA by tomorrow!" Everyone mimed applause, careful to avoid loud noises toward their microphones, to which Beck mimed a bow.
"Yay! Then you can see me perform again this weekend and I can give you your pajelehoocho!" Cat cheered, "Did you like the videos Tori put in the group chat?"
"Of course I did!" Beck nodded, "We'll make it a big hangout day like always—well, almost like always. Sorry, Tori."
Shaking her head, Tori smiled, "Don't worry about it. Just make sure to take lots of pictures!"
"Well, hey, I can go to Karaoke Dokie's website and make the reservation again for the five of us!" Robbie started to go to the website when Andre raised an objection.
"Hold up," he counted on his fingers, "Me, Robbie, Beck, Cat, Jade…No Rex this time, or is he still partying on?"
Robbie nervously reached to his side and held up a wooden torso with half its limbs barely attached, which would be considered morbid if it wasn't Rex. "Rex…is permanently retired from partying." Thankfully, he didn't look as upset as he did the last time Rex was like that, to which the rest of the group was relieved.
"Oh, well in that case…" Tori added, "You may just want to reserve for four after all."
Robbie raised an eyebrow, counting on his fingers this time. "Why? There's still me, Andre, Cat, Beck, and Ja-"
Tori didn't hear the last part of Robbie's objection over the gate's PA announcing, "Flight 57 from Los Angeles to Miami will be departing shortly. Please prepare for boarding."
"Oh man, already?!" Tori frowned to everyone, "Don't worry! We'll call you guys as soon as we're settled!"
"'We?'" Everyone echoed with confusion until they saw a familiar, raven-haired face in a pajelehoocho tugging Tori's shoulder from behind.
"C'mon, Tori. Time to go!" Jade gave a brief, nonchalant wave to the webcam before going off to the gate herself.
"Bye, guys!" Tori moved to shut her laptop, hearing everyone's last remarks before being disconnected.
"Whoa, wait—"
"Was that—"
"Ohhh snap!"
"She's wearing the—"
Jade and Tori quickly boarded the plane together, walking to a two-seat row in the back. Jade settled into the window seat and turned to her partner in flight, "I'm surprised Thornesmith didn't get you first-class, considering how much attention your performance gave his company."
"He did!" Tori grunted as she stowed her bag under the seat in front of her, "Except I traded that first-class ticket for two coach tickets, remember?" She looked over at Jade, smiling.
"Oh," Jade blinked, then shrugged, "Well, sorry not sorry."
"I'm just glad it worked out, okay?" Tori settled into her seat and buckled up. "Did you get the snacks while I was talking with everyone?"
Without a word, Jade reached into her bag and dropped a pack of licorice onto Tori's lap.
Humming happily, Tori took the candy, gave Jade a quick peck on the cheek, and held her hand, "You sure you're okay putting your theater work on hold while you're in Miami with me?"
"Who said I am?" Jade raised an eyebrow as she looked down at their hands and then up to Tori, "Sikowitz told me he had friends in Miami that own some of the local theaters. My plans haven't derailed in the slightest."
"Wow, Sikowitz can remember enough of Miami to get you a job, but he couldn't remember the disaster area that was Yerba before we went there?"
"I guess his time in Miami was just more memorable. Said he might have seen the guy from Evil Dead there or something…" Jade furrowed her brows before shrugging again.
"Well, I for one am grateful that we both got what we wanted from this…and more," Tori wove her fingers with Jade's and squeezed gently, "Now I'm not afraid to fly…and you're the reason why."
Groaning, Jade rolled her eyes and bumped Tori with her shoulder, "You quote your song like that again and I'm jumping out of this plane, even if we're already up." Tori just laughed and rested her head on Jade's shoulder. Jade adjusted the shutter on her window, looking out at the tarmac. "So is this flight straight to Miami, or are there any layovers along the way?"
"Um…I think just one in Atlanta, but it'll be fine! I heard there's a CW drama being filmed there that could be right up your alley. Maybe you can mingle a bit between flights?"
"You mean that soap opera reboot? Ugh, I'd rather voice one of those brightly-colored fairies in that show Cat likes! Besides, since when has a reboot ever been good?"
Tori sighed, "Well, this is what I get for trying to be a caring girlfriend." With a yawn, she began to close her eyes, "Just wake me up when we're about to ascend…preferably not with a loud whistle this time?"
Jade just rolled her eyes and let her doze off. When she was sure Tori was asleep, she kissed her caring girlfriend on the top of her head and whispered over her, "I love you…you dork."
Still feigning sleep, Tori couldn't help but smile a little as she felt more at ease with her…with their future.
One Last Time - END
A/N: Thank you for reading; whether for the first time or again! If the latter, let me know if I should upload the follow-up for this story again, because I'm still very unsure about the previously mentioned guidelines!
Thank you again!