7:00 AM wasn't usually the time Jade got up on a Saturday morning, but today was an unusual exception. She emerged from her room, already dressed for the day, and found the car keys on the dining table. As she picked them up, they made a soft jingle that was enough to stir someone out of their sleep nearby. Jade turned to hear the tired groans of Tori, who was sprawled on the couch with her laptop and a PlayStation controller on the floor in front of her.
Jade smiled at the somewhat adorable sight in front of her and knelt down by the couch, "Hey, babe. Did you sleep well?"
Tori groaned again and slowly opened her eyes to see her girlfriend, "Oh…is it morning already? Sorry, I must've lost track of time and passed out on the couch."
"I can see that," Jade chuckled, setting the controller and laptop up on the coffee table. "Did you get tired of brainstorming and take a gaming break? I'm proud of you, Tori~"
Sitting up properly, Tori chuckled back as she rubbed her eyes, "Well, sort of. I was trying to remember this one song I heard years ago, and all I knew was that the name sounded like one of your games. I was trying to find it, but I must have been so tired, I…"
"Say no more," Jade smiled, planting a sweet kiss on Tori's forehead and ruffling her hair, "I gotta get going. Early bird gets the best coffee, right? When I get home, though, I'll be more than happy to teach you any of these games; especially the scary ones."
Tori made a pout as Jade grinned and started toward the door, "Drive safe, okay? I love you…"
Jade turned back one last time to blow a kiss and shut the door behind her, locking it promptly for Tori's sake.
Now all alone, Tori sighed as she got up to plug her laptop in to recharge and turned on the TV, which opened to the game Tori had found last night: "Uncharted".
Once she was settled in the car, Jade unlocked her phone and found the grocery list Tori had texted her the previous night. She thought to give Tara a call ahead, but remembered that she didn't ask for her number—or if she even had a phone at all—not that it would help since that neighborhood was still a cellular dead zone anyway. Silently cursing herself, she started the car and headed for the Weston Theater.
To Jade's surprise, Tara was already sitting at the theater steps, staring blankly into space until she saw the red SUV pulling in. Carrying nothing except the red flannel shirt, faded and torn jeans, and sneakers she was wearing, she filed into the front seat of the car and sat in awkward silence, wondering who would speak first—if at all.
"So…hi?" Tara said quickly and nervously.
"Mornin'," Jade replied with the same haste. "Sleep well?"
"As well as I can on an old couch in a dusty theater."
"There…isn't a bed or a mattress you can use?"
"There was…until I discovered rats in it and Sikowitz said to toss it out."
"That…sucks." the awkward silence only grew, with neither of them knowing if the other wanted to chat or just be quiet.
Jade settled for both as she put the car in gear and started to leave the block. "Okay, let's go get breakfast first. You like coffee? Juice? I was thinking we could go to the fast-food place inside the department store so we can go shopping right after."
"Fast food?" Tara scoffed, "That's a better breakfast than a donut and bottled water? I know a diner that's close to the mall area. Let's go there."
"Why? It's probably got the same food anyway."
"It's got a better atmosphere…" Tara admitted, a shy tone escaping her, "And…maybe I just want to talk to you a bit more while we eat."
Jade glanced over to her briefly before answering, "Okay. Just let me know when we're close to it." They stopped at an empty intersection's stop sign and Jade fished out a cable from the glove box. "Hey, do you have that music player?"
"Yeah…why?" Tara pulled the tiny device from her pocket.
"Plug this into it. We can listen to something you like on the way," Jade handed her the cable with two connections on each end. One end, she plugged into the car, and the other went into the device's earphone jack.
Tara looked at her with surprise and quickly found a song, one she hoped Jade wouldn't immediately hate. Crossing her fingers, she hit the Play button and watched Jade as the music started. To her surprise, a smile was subtly growing on Jade's face as the bass intro played and Tara started singing the first verse.
Hey…
Don't write yourself off yet…
It's only in your head you feel left out
Or looked down on…
Jade suddenly chimed in with the next lines, surprising Tara with her low, but almost sultry tone to the song.
Just try your best
Try everything you can
Don't you worry what they tell themselves
When you're away
Tara and Jade's faces were alight with smiles and light laughter, any awkwardness quickly shedding away as the chorus came in, which they sang together perfectly.
It just takes some time
Little girl you're in the middle of the ride
Everything, everything will be just fine
Everything, everything will be alright, alright
After their round of Carpool Karaoke, Jade and Tara finally arrived at a retro-styled diner in the same plaza as the shopping mall. The last time she was there, Jade was disgusted with the constant sight of teenagers flaunting their shopping hauls, but this time, she was too occupied with her present company to even care how many rich kids were around. She and Tara took a booth for themselves and made their orders quickly.
"I'll just have a coffee with eggs, bacon, and wheat toast," Jade passed her menu to the waiter with only brief glance, ordering the same breakfast she had at home with Tori.
"I'll have the same," Tara nodded, but still held on to her menu, "But also with home fries, a blueberry muffin, and a small stack of pancakes!" Jade stifled back a laugh as Tara handed over her menu, prompting the latter to look at her with confusion. "What? You're surprised I have a big appetite for a homeless girl?"
"I mean…" Jade chuckled, leaning back in her seat, "I'm just wondering where all that food goes in such a…"
"Oh, please!" Tara scoffed, "I've heard every possible joke about my height, so spare me!"
"Well, if you want me to pay for that big breakfast of yours," Jade grinned and learned forward, "You're gonna have to let me have some fun at your expense…short stack~"
Jade teasingly booped Tara on the nose before reclining back in her seat. If she hadn't looked away to admire the diner's quiet atmosphere, she'd have noticed Tara's face turning red and looking down at her lap.
Their food arrived almost as quickly as they ordered, and Tara wasted no time digging into hers. Jade took her time eating as she watched Tara carefully in case she ate too quickly and started to choke. Taking a sip of her coffee, her eyes feel to the music player Tara had set down when the food came. She pointed to it as she asked, "Okay if I see that?"
Tara nodded, chewing her pancakes slowly, and Jade carefully scooped the device up with her hand. The device was made before password protection, the camera was broken, and there was nothing on the device besides the 200 songs and music videos of varying genres from the 70s to the 2000s. Jade recognized a few songs, like "The Middle" that they sang in the car, some Pat Benatar, Cheap Trick, Green Day, and some Disney songs here and there.
"Eclectic taste, but you did say you found it with these songs already," Jade nodded in appreciation to some of the music selection, "I'm honestly more surprised this thing still works! Didn't they stop making these, like…half a decade ago?"
Tara just shrugged as she continued eating, "They built those things tough, I guess. Unlike your phones that break as soon as you drop 'em once, right?"
Jade made a sour face at that remark, but nonetheless stowed her phone back in her pocket very carefully. "So, are you sure you just want a few new clothes? Maybe we can ask if some of the stores here are hiring, unless you've asked Sikowitz to work at the theater, too."
Tara shook her head, chewing more slowly and looking away. After gulping her food down with coffee, she said, "I don't have many needs. Sikowitz isn't charging me rent, anyway; said I can stay as long as I want until I find a place of my own."
Jade raised an eyebrow at the lack of conviction in that last sentence, "I get that your daily routine consists of acting class, eating craft services, singing alone in your room, and going to sleep to repeat the process, and that's a simple, easy life to live. But it's barely a life! A girl your age should be thinking about more than that; getting a job, going to college—you could probably apply for a scholarship or something with your skills!"
"So what's your excuse?" Tara sat up straight, crossing her arms at Jade, "Why are you in a run-down theater in Miami pushing papers for a hippie when you've graduated from a top performing arts school in Hollywood?"
Jade crossed her arms back at her and glared, "I-It's not all I'm going to do! I'm gonna be directing, writing my own stuff, just a matter of time. I've only been here a week anyway!"
Tara studied Jade's face quietly, almost looking at a paler, taller version of herself, with the same vulnerability and anger at being confronted. She sighed and backed down, taking another bite of her muffin. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry that hard…"
Jade settled down as well, taking a quick drink before nodding, "Yeah, me too. Let's just box the rest of this and get going to the stores. I need to get groceries anyway."
Tara nodded and started stacking her food together to place in a single to-go box while Jade finished her coffee and flagged the waiter to ask for the bill.
In the department store, Jade had given Tara free rein over whatever clothes she needed, but she was surprised to see their cart filled with a bare minimum of clothes for a week; very plain flannel shirts, graphic tees, jeans, loungewear, and underwear. Jade was about to ask something to Tara, but the latter just shrugged as she tossed in another shirt with a superhero logo on it.
"I'm a simple girl," Tara grinned, "Function over fashion, you know? As long as I'm comfortable, I could care less about what anyone thinks about my clothes. You seem to know that feeling too, don't you, Miss Carnstein~?" She teasingly passed a glance over Jade's all-dark outfit, making her blush and look away.
"Just remember who's generously paying for all this, Short Stack!" Jade almost growled as she organized everything in the cart.
"Hm…you know what I'd really want to see?" Tara tapped her chin as she scanned the racks around her, "A pajelehoocho! Those look so comfy and practical, but I think they only sell them online…Ah, well!"
Jade's eyes narrowed at the thought of someone actually wanting one of those ridiculous, all-in-one outfits, though she regretted that she couldn't pass Tara's wish onto Cat in LA, who probably still had over a hundred of them laying around her house.
Once Tara got the last of her clothing needs and other essentials, she followed Jade around to get her groceries. To make the shopping a little more entertaining, Tara put on her earphones and played a few songs to herself as she stuck close behind Jade. She wouldn't let her know what she was listening to, as a few songs made her blush a bit from how appropriate they were for the moment; making her glad she was out of Jade's view.
Soon enough, they had everything they needed and proceeded to the checkout counter. Even with Tara's necessities, the total wasn't very expensive compared to the furniture shopping Tori and Jade had done before. After paying, they took their bags from the cart and filed into the car, ready to head back home.
Jade settled into the driver's seat and turned to Tara, who was stowing her music player in her pocket. "Hey, the day's still pretty young. How about you stay over at my place for a while? I've got video games, a clean bathroom, and you can finish your leftovers from the diner!"
Tara turned to Jade with surprise in her eyes as she wrapped up her earphones, "Are you sure that wouldn't be imposing? I mean, do you have a roommate or something?"
"Yeah, but it'll be fine! She won't mind at all! She's a singer, too, actually!" Jade smiled, waving away the issue, "Besides, what else were you gonna do for the rest of the day in that empty theater?"
"Well, if you say it's alright," Tara nodded and settled into her seat as Jade put the car in gear, heading back to the apartment.
Tara followed behind Jade as she unlocked the apartment door, announcing herself as they stepped inside, "Tori! I'm home, and I brought…company."
Jade's eyes darted around the living room, not seeing her girlfriend or the light on under her bedroom door. She felt a vibration in her pocket and she fished her phone out to see a text notification from Tori.
TORI: Your mom came by and invited us on a tour of the coast with her and Piper. I said you were busy, so we went on ahead! Sorry, but I'll see you tonight! Thanks for getting groceries btw! Luv U!
Jade scowled at her phone more than the message, "Geez! Why did this take so long to get to me? Freaking dead zones…"
"Is something wrong?" Tara poked her head from behind Jade.
"Yeah, yeah, it's fine," Jade took Tara by the wrist and pulled her into the living room, "Just that my roommate's out without me knowing, so I guess it's just the two of us until she comes back. That okay?"
"Um…yeah! Totally!" Tara nodded, taking her box of diner leftovers to the dining room table. "Hey, would it be alright if I took a shower real quick? I mean, since this is an actual apartment, it might be the first decent shower since my foster home. I promise I won't make a mess!"
Jade stood silently, surprised at how considerate Tara was being, and nodded with a wave of her head, "Go ahead! It's the door in the middle. Just use the black towel there, that's mine. I'll just put up my groceries in the meantime."
Tara smiled as she scurried to the bathroom with a few of her new clothes. Jade took a quick glance at her, chuckling to herself as she picked up the grocery bags from the floor.
Almost as soon as Jade had finished storing all the groceries in the pantry and fridge, Tara came out of the bathroom wearing a grey, oversized t-shirt like a dress over her shorts while drying her hair with Jade's towel. She sighed happily as she folded the towel up, "I don't think even my foster home's shower felt as good as yours~"
Jade turned to see Tara post-shower and smiled at the cute, tiny sight before her, "Wow, and I thought you were a pretty face before cleaning up~"
Tara's face lit up in surprise, making her press the towel against her to hide the blush, "Oh, stop! Are you like this to your roommate, too?!"
"Yeah, but she's special," Jade laughs, taking the towel and stowing it in the laundry basket, "Now come on, do you wanna eat, watch a movie, or play something?"
Tara's eyes wandered until she saw a stray laptop open on the dining room table. She walked over to see the screen still open to a list of dozens of song titles. "Oh, what's this? A karaoke setlist?"
"Huh? No, that's my roommate's! She's making a cover album and is brainstorming what she wants to sing." Jade joined her at the table, examining the list for any changes.
"Wow, she's got a wide selection," Tara skimmed every title for ones she recognized, "Ooh! I love this one!" She copied the title and pasted it into a YouTube search, playing the first video that came up.
A jazz orchestra of strings and trumpets filled the living room from the laptop's speakers, surprising Jade as Tara put on her performing façade, striding gracefully in beat to the music. Jade watched her as she took a seat on the couch. Tara grinned and hopped onto the table, sitting in an adorable, yet charming pose of a jazz singer as the vocals began:
[Song: It's Been a Long Long Time by Kitty Kallen]
Never thought that you would be
Standing here to close to me
There's so much I feel that I should say
But words can wait until some other day…
Jade was staring in awe at how the awkward short stack could speak like a little girl one moment, then pull off an almost seductive register with her voice the next moment. She clapped as Tara's sole audience as the short singer held a hairbrush like a microphone and hopped off the table.
Tara spun gracefully to each side to the rhythm, her oversized shirt-dress flowing almost like a dancer's skirt. Whether she looked ridiculous or not, she didn't care as she simply absorbed the music like every time she turned on her player. Her eyes fixed on the ceiling as she spun, she didn't notice Jade covering her own face as it turned slightly red.
You'll never know how many dreams I dream about you
Or just how empty they all seemed without you
So kiss me once, then kiss me twice
Then kiss me once again
It's been a long, long time~
The vocals gave way to the instrumentals all the way to the song's end as Tara took a seat in front of Jade on the couch, catching her breath as she rested her head on her arm propped against the back cushion.
Jade's jaw was practically on the couch as she kept staring at Tara. Once she collected herself, her face was all smiles at both the song and Tara. "Holy chiz, I can't believe what I saw! How do you even know that song?!"
"I think I heard it in a movie somewhere," Tara scratched her head, trying to remember, "My junior year English teacher had basically given up on actually teaching and just played random movies instead. Somehow, that was more educational than the textbooks!" The two laughed together at the irony until Tara settled first and looked at Jade with a somewhat longing expression. "Hey, I just wanted to say…thanks, Jade. I was a jerk to you—even messed with you when we met—but you still wanted to do all this for me. Why?"
Jade swallowed a bundle of nerves before answering, "Well…it's partly because I see a bit of myself in you; just a little different in some places, obviously. We're both great performers, but you've been dealt a worse hand than I have, so maybe I'm just a little guilty about that…"
Tara stared in silence for a moment until she sat up straight and nodded, "I get that. I'd probably be mad, thinking you did this all to kill your guilt, but…since I've gotten to know you, I don't feel that way. I mean, I'm grateful, really!" She wanted to say more, slowly inching her hand toward Jade's, when a loud knock on the front door snapped her out of it.
The door flew open to reveal Tori announcing herself and Nora, souvenir bags in hand. "Hey, Jade~ Your loving girlfriend has returned bearing gi—"
Tori stopped in her tracks, removing her sunglasses to see Jade sitting a foot away from a total stranger wearing only an oversized shirt while the jazz song gradually ended around them. Nora stared at them as well, almost dropping her bags straight to the floor.
Jade and Tara turned to them with the color drained from their faces as they both spoke their thoughts at the same time.
"Oh, chiz."
"Jade…who's this?" Tori's initial enthusiasm died out as soon as she saw the Tara for the first time, sitting a foot away from Jade, "And why is she wearing nothing but a t-shirt?"
Tara scrambled to grab one of the throw pillows, holding it over where her shirt wasn't covering and pulled the neck over her bare shoulder. She was too flustered to say anything, so she looked to Jade for some kind of assistance.
Jade, however, was just as stunned and stammered before being able to say actual words, "Tori…this is not what you think. She's a friend from the theater. I invited her here after we went out—shopping! I mean, it wasn't a..." her voice trailed off when she realized the explanation was only making the situation worse.
"A-And I'm wearing this because I just showered!" Tara chimed in, trying to help, "My clothes are being washed because…because I'm homeless, and…and this isn't helping, either." They both tried to look away from Tori, but then averted their eyes straight down when their gazes turned to each other.
Tori was at a loss for words, about to drop her bags of souvenirs, when Nora stepped in between and took the bags before they fell. "Okay, okay! I think…we should all take a moment here to breathe before anyone says or does something they'll regret!" Being the only adult, Nora directed Tori to the dining table, placing all their bags gently on the floor next to it, then they both sat in the lounge chairs across from the couch. "Now, then…why don't you two start from the beginning?"
"So...Tara, right?" Tori's eyes narrowed at the short stack, who nodded promptly, "You're one of Sikowitz's students at the theater…but you live there, too, because you're homeless?"
Tara nodded to everything, looking much less annoyed than the time Jade confronted her about it.
"And Jade," Nora turned to her daughter, "You bought her breakfast, new clothes, and you invited her here simply because…you felt sorry for her?"
Jade would have argued that it wasn't as simple as what Nora said, but she resigned to a nod instead.
"And the two of you weren't having an intimate hanky-panky moment just as we were coming in?" Tori's eyes almost seemed to glare at the two of them.
"Okay, who says 'hanky-panky' anymore?!" Jade snapped automatically and sat up straight, "I made a friend and I invited her over, simple as that! Right, Tara?"
Contrary to the agreeing nod Jade thought she would receive, Tara instead stared wordlessly at Jade with the same longing gaze she had before.
Nora caught Tara's gaze and turned to Tori, "Look, I'm pretty sure they're telling the truth, Tori. So why don't we give them the benefit of the doubt for now? After what you've been through in the past week alone, do you really thing Jade would…?"
Tori groaned in frustration, "I know! I know she wouldn't! It was just…just not what I expected to see coming home!"
Jade sighed and nodded along with Tori, "I…probably would have reacted the same way; maybe even worse!" She and Tori shared a laugh together, but Tara just rubbed her neck and looked away from everyone.
"Tara…if I may," Nora called softly to her, turning her attention back to everyone, "Did you not know Jade and Tori are together? As in, girlfriends; not just roommates?"
Jade bit her lip, realizing she never actually said the word "girlfriend" when referring to Tori, as Tara nodded silently; her face flushing as she braced for the inevitable follow-up question.
"Do you…" Nora was about to ask the question when Jade suddenly got up and took Tara by the wrist and almost dragged her to her bedroom.
"Give us a minute!" Jade shouted behind her; as a demand, not a request. She practically tossed Tara onto her bed and shut the door behind her.
"Alright…I guess I don't know my own strength when it comes to my…charms. I didn't mean to lead you on or anything, if you really do…I mean…"
Tara scoffed as she held her hair back from her face, "It's…my fault, too. I got so carried away with that song and how I felt, I may as well have been wearing a sign."
"Forget about it. I mean, it's not like I'm the first girl you've tried to musically flirt with, right?" Jade laughed as she sat next to Tara on the bed. When she noticed her not smiling back, she repeated, "Right?"
Tara's face was totally red, and there was no towel or pillow nearby for her to cover it in time.
Jade sighed again, "I'm so sorry. I really had no idea with all that teasing back then. I'm flattered, really! But I can't feel the same way about you."
Tara stared back down and shut her eyes, as if trying to disappear, when she heard Jade sigh and place her hand gently over her cheek. She felt her face being lifted up by her chin, opening her eyes to Jade flashing a sincere smile.
"You know what I can be, though? I can be your best friend, your springboard for learning new acting tips, your biggest fan when you dazzle an audience with your killer vocals and smooth moves, and your wing…gal for when you find someone that you want to ask out. That's what I can be for you, Short Stack. You were the kick in the ass I needed to start figuring myself out, so helping you do the same is the least I can do in return."
Tara put her hand over Jade's and moved it back up to her cheek, taking in its warmth as a smile broke over her face. Even if they couldn't be together, hearing Jade call her by that nickname made her heart feel light. She looked back at her and nodded, "Thanks, Jade. You can actually be pretty sweet when you wanna be."
"Don't get used to it," Jade scowled, "Between you and Tori, I'm gonna start losing my old street cred…"
Tara just laughed as she threw her arms around Jade's shoulders in a friendly hug, which Jade kindly returned. The shared warmth between them made them both blush, but their mutual acceptance of friendship tempered any other feelings as they looked at each other with a laugh.
Jade and Tara returned to see Nora and Tori conversing quietly to each other on the lounge chairs. Once the two noticed them back, they straightened up and smiled to them.
"So, is everything alright between you two?" Tori asked somewhat hesitantly.
"Yeah, everything's…awesome," Jade shrugged, turning to Tori, "Is everything alright between us, though?"
Tori nodded back, "Yeah. Your mom and I called Sikowitz while you were in there, and he explained everything about taking in Tara and your…encounters during his class." When she saw them both blush at the mention of that. "Hey, don't worry! Honestly, I'm more surprised you chose to help her out after learning all that yourself. Guess you've got a heart, after all~"
Jade's blush turned into an irritated scowl again, to which Tori just winked and blew a kiss in response.
Nora cleared her throat and stood up, "Tara, since you don't have anywhere decent to stay tonight, why not come with me back to my hotel? There's an extra queen-size bed, anyway; loads more comfortable than a green room couch."
With a gasp, Tara nodded excitedly. She had some attachment to her week-long stay at the Weston Theater, but with all the generosity she felt she didn't deserve, it would be foolish of her to turn it down.
"Great!" Nora smiled, turning to the dining table to find Tara's diner leftovers, "We can even take your…breakfast with us. That's really all just your food?" Tara nodded again with a blush as she followed Nora to gather her things.
Tori slowly walked over to Jade, giving her an awkward bump on the shoulder as she bit her lip nervously, "So…that could have gone really badly, but I'm glad it didn't."
Jade shrugged as she watched Tara conversing naturally and amicably with her mother, "I'm really sorry, Tori. I should have told you when I took the car this morning, but there was just something about her…"
"Something…that reminded you of yourself?" Tori finished the thought, "I get it. We were bound to start finding and doing some things on our own here, after all. But you know I would have helped, too if you'd just asked, right?"
"I know that now," Jade sighed, "Can I stop apologizing now?"
Tori giggled to that remark as she leaned up and gave Jade a sweet kiss on the cheek, "We'll see, after you help me with some more covers?"
Jade rolled her eyes and nodded while her eyes caught Tara headed for the front door, bags in hand. Smiling, she passed her a knowing wink and mouthed, "See you, Short Stack."
Tara returned the wink with a nod, mouthing back, "See you, Jade..." before she left for a better night's sleep than she could remember.