Even after taking over a dozen pictures and looking over herself in the mirror just as many times, Tori still couldn't believe the wedding outfit she was wearing. Her brunette hair ran down to the pure, white bell-shaped blazer that bared her shoulders while keeping her arms and upper body covered, and followed by matching white slacks that stopped just above her blue heels. For so long, she imagined herself in a traditional wedding dress like the pictures of her parents' wedding, but considering her own wedding was a little less traditional, she found this pantsuit was bringing just as many smiles as a dress would. Her mind wandered to how Jade was going to look in her dress, as it plagued her for days to not even see a hint of what she and her mom picked out, but soon, her curiosity would be more than satisfied.
The sound of footsteps from behind alerted Tori to her mother and Trina joining her inside the room, both with wide smiles and phones held high. Tori looked away with embarrassment and tried in vain to cover her blushing face.
"Come on, haven't you taken enough pictures?" Tori sighed and took a seat on a chair next to her, stretching her tired legs like she was simply at home.
"Tori!" Holly fussed as she gently pushed Tori's feet down to the floor, "You're going to wrinkle your pants!"
"Maybe that's why she's wearing this instead of a dress," Trina chuckled, subtly taking a quick picture of Tori's relaxed posture, "It would be a pain just to sit down with how 'fluffy' a wedding dress is, no?"
Tori rolled her eyes and stood back up, brushing dust off of her slacks and her blazer, "If you must know, it was Piper's idea. This is what she would have worn if she and Nora had a ceremony, so I thought it would be a good idea, too! I mean, I'm sure Jade's dress will be just as nice, won't it?"
"Now you know we can't tell you that, dear…" Holly chuckled as Tori pouted at that answer. "But you'll see her very soon~"
"Hey, so…" Trina cleared her throat before chiming in, "Who have you got to sing for the wedding? I mean, I'd be happy to lend my talents for a small pr—"
"I told you already," Tori groaned, already cluing into Trina's unprompted offer, "Tara, Cat, and Robbie are singing. In fact, they're already in the church getting ready!"
"You mean your spazzy friend, the nerd who used to like her, and the chick from Miami who's dating her now? Isn't that a little…awkward?"
Tori glanced aside and took a quick gulp of water from the vanity table next to her, "They said…they have it handled. We're not all like we were in high school, Trina."
Trina simply shrugged and took her own drink of water while adjusting her dress.
"Trina," Holly sighed, "Would you mind checking on your dad outside? I want to speak to Tori…alone." Shrugging again, Trina obliged their mom's request and closed the door behind her. "So Tori…how do you feel? Ready to be Mrs. Tori Vega-West…or will she be Mrs. Jade West-Vega?"
"We, um…haven't quite decided on that, yet," Tori blushed as she heard both considerations of their names being changed. "It's a little…unusual, so maybe we'll just still be Tori Vega and Jade West for now?"
"Well, that's certainly an option," Holly smiled and brushed back Tori's hair, seeing her bright brown eyes beaming toward her as she smiled back. "Whatever you decide, I'm sure you'll both just be happy to be together."
Tori couldn't help but giggle as her mom said that and looked back at the mirror, "I guess you don't regret letting us live together all those years ago in Miami now, huh?"
"Well, that's long after the fact, dear…" Holly lightly squeezed one of Tori's shoulders, "But yes. I had my doubts at first, but you two have proven me wrong more times than I can count in the last few years. To say I'm proud of you, Tori, would be the understatement of the decade…" She planted a small kiss on her daughter's head and squeezed her hand, "I'll see you in the church, dear, unless you need anything?"
Shaking her head, Tori looked down at her phone with a smile, showing the time over the lock screen photo of her and Jade.
The smile on Jade's face could not be wider as she looked at herself in her wedding dress. Her dress started from her neck down in a clean, white bodice that left her arms bare—of which she liked to joke that her muscles were getting too toned not to show off—and trailing down to her feet, much like a traditional wedding dress. It surprised Nora and Piper that it didn't take much to convince Jade not to wear anything dark or gothic to negate the mood of a wedding, as much as a big part of her wanted to just to shock everyone. The real shock, however, would be the familiar voice calling her name and the person she thought she'd never see again.
"Hello, Jade…"
Jade almost jerked her head back to see Blake Callaghan, the man she once called Dad, standing at the doorway of her dressing room. Despite having not seen him in 5 years, he looked no less stoic and hard-pressed as he did since the day Jade told him she wanted to go by her mother's last name instead of his.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Jade glared at her father as the color in her face quickly drained and boiled back in anger.
"I was invited, Jade," Blake reached into his pocket and pulled out the invitation they had sent to all family and friends—or at least, most of them.
"I don't remember sending you one of those, Blake," Jade retorted, placing a stabbing emphasis on her father's name to show that he was anything but "Dad" to her, "So that means you have about five seconds to get out of my face before I—"
"I invited him, Jade."
From behind Blake in the doorway, Nora carefully stepped around him and stood between him and Jade's glares at each other. With a sigh, she dusted off her light blue dress and traded glances at Blake and Jade before continuing what she said.
"Believe me, Jade, I know how you feel about this, but this is your wedding day. As your father, he should at least be allowed to this, of all occasions, right?"
"He wasn't at either of my graduations or any of the student film festivals I was in, so why does he think he can suddenly come to my wedding and act like I don't hate his guts?!"
"I find it so hard to believe that after all these years, after the honors you've earned from graduating, just the mere sight of me makes you 16 years old again, Jade…" Blake scoffed, which almost earned him an obscene gesture from Jade if it wasn't blocked by Nora.
"Jade…" Nora passed a brief glare in her daughter's direction, "As much as I would definitely stay here to prevent any bloodshed, there are only a few minutes until the ceremony; so talk things out with your father before the music starts, okay?" Without even waiting for a reply from Jade, Nora was already circling around Blake and leaving the two of them alone in the dressing room.
Blake cleared his throat and closed the door behind his ex-wife. "Listen, Jade. Your mother reached out to me when you had gotten engaged. I'll admit I never expected you to marry..."
Jade took the opportunity to fill in his pause, "Marry…a woman? A musician? What part of Tori is so hard to believe, Blake?"
"What I meant to say is…I never even knew you and Ms. Vega were that close; considering I only met her after the play you put together in Hollywood Arts."
"Well, Tori and I have been through a lot since then; more than I can explain in a few short minutes," Jade crossed her arms and glared at her father straight on. "Long story short, I love her and I'm ready to spend the rest of my life with her. If you can't accept that, then feel free to leave! Run back to Cristal or Celia or whatever her name is…"
"It's Selena," Blake corrected her with a roll of his eyes, "And she and your brother, Steven, are still in London. I'm only back in Los Angeles for today—for…this."
With a huff, Jade uncrossed her arms and adjusted the veil over her head, "Alright. I guess you can stay for the ceremony and the reception if you want. You can tell Mom I'm ready now, and then you can meet her new wife, Piper."
"Ready for…Aren't I supposed to be the one 'giving you away'?" Blake's eyes narrowed as he looked back and opened the door.
"Oh, you already 'gave me away' when you moved away with the skank-in-law," Jade glared again, "Mom's been more of a parent to me in the last few years than you ever have, and that's why she's 'giving me away' to Tori. Still wanna stick around?"
In lieu of an actual answer, Blake instead turned to the door and made to leave, "I'll go get your mother. Congratulations, Jade."
As the door shut behind him, Jade let out a heavy sigh, leaning back against her vanity table and fighting back tears. A few minutes later, her door opened again with Nora on the other side, holding a bouquet for Jade, and the sound of Robbie's acoustic guitar tuning could be heard from downstairs.
"Are you ready, dear?" Nora held the bouquet out to Jade with a smile.
Jade sighed and nodded, taking the bouquet in her hands and looping her arm around her mother's as they left the room together.
The seats of the church were modestly filled on both sides by friends and family of Tori and Jade. To the side of the altar, Robbie was tuning his guitar in his seat while Cat took her seat next to him and warmed up her voice in preparation for their processional song. Next to Cat, Tara couldn't help but glance at both of them, then pretend to dust off her flowery sundress or brush her bangs away from her eyes; all of which made Cat giggle as she turned to face her.
"Ra-ra~" Cat subtly bumped shoulders with her girlfriend, "Are you okay? It's not like you're the one getting married…at least not today!"
"W-What?!" Tara stammered, "Oh…um…right, sure. I'm just a little surprised by how 'un-awkward' you two seem right now. Isn't this the first time you've seen each other in a hot minute?"
"We've been rehearsing together online for the last couple weeks, remember?" Cat laughed and poked Tara's side.
"And incurring the wrath of Tori and Jade if we flub this performance on their special day is probably not something any of us want…" Robbie added with a nervous chuckle and a quick glance to the growing audience in front of them. "Also, as much as I want to keep talking about how 'un-awkward' this is…I think we're about to start." Together, the singing trio stood in front of their respective microphone stands and Robbie started playing a familiar, acoustic intro to the song Tori and Jade requested they play for the processional.
While initially surprised by their song choice, hearing it was part of their first date was enough for Robbie, Cat, and Tara to get right to work on a slower, acoustic arrangement. As Robbie led in with the first verse, with Cat harmonizing along with him, the audience turned to see Tori and her father walking down the aisle to the altar.
[Take on Me by a-ha]
We're talking away
I don't know what I'm to say I'll say it anyway…
Today is another day to find you
Shyin' away
I'll be comin' for your love okay
Take on me
Take me on
I'll be gone…in a day or two~
By the end of the first verse, Tori had made her way to the altar, giving a quick hug to her father before climbing the steps and taking her place at the center. The next person down the aisle was the flower girl, Rose Parker, scattering rose petals and earning smiles of affection and quick camera flashes from everyone she passed by.
So needless to say
I'm odds and ends
But I'll be stumblin' away
Slowly learnin' that life is okay
Say it after me
It's no better to be safe than sorry
Take on me (Take on me)
Take me on (Take on me)
I'll be gone…in a day or two~
When Rose reached the edge of the steps to the altar, Tori walked over to her and knelt down as a crown of roses and other flowers was adorned on her head. A few heartfelt whispers could be heard as Tori hugged her little fan before she dashed back to her mother, Emily, in the front row.
As Tori stood back up, securing the flower crown on her head, everyone else stood up to see Jade walking arm-in-arm with Nora down the aisle. Everyone's faces were aglow with joy and pride, but none as brightly as Tori, who resisted the urge to cover her blush. Even Jade found herself blushing hard and tried to avert her gaze and caught the eye of Tara off to the side. Her short friend was caught off guard just enough to almost miss her cue in the final chorus as Jade ascended the steps, leaving Nora to join her wife, Piper, on the seat next to her.
As Tara tried to collect herself, she felt Cat's hand brush against hers and hold them together. When she glanced down at them briefly and then to Cat's smile, Tara let out a quiet laugh as they finished the song together.
Take on me (Take on me)
Take me on (Take on me)
I'll be gone…in a day or two~
Take me on (Take on me)
I'll be gone…in a day~
When Robbie played the last notes of the song, a hearty applause broke for them as they took their respective places; Robbie sitting next to Andre and Beck in the audience, Cat standing next to Jade, and Tara standing next to Tori.
Standing across from each other now, Tori and Jade took every second to appreciate each other's wedding attires before whispering to each other.
"Hey, Jade…You look amazing."
"Not so bad yourself…feel like getting married today?"
"Only if you do, too~"
"So…where's the preacher guy who's supposed to…do the thing?"
Tori blinked as Jade said that, her head darting to her side and only now noticing that the officiant's spot was empty. "W-Well, maybe he's in the bathroom?"
"Right when the ceremony begins?!" Jade retorted in a sharp whisper, "Who would be stupid enough to—"
"Sorry I'm late!"
Stumbling down the aisle, and catching the attention of everyone in the church, was Sikowitz wearing his usual zany, unkempt hairdo, which contrasted greatly against his otherwise distinguished attire one would associate with a wedding officiant. As the audience muttered amongst themselves, Tori and Jade simply stared in utter disbelief.
"Is he really ordained, or is this some terrible joke?" Jade asked flatly, pressing her hand against her face.
"If I knew he was, do you really think I'd let him officiate OUR wedding?!" Tori groaned back to her.
"If he was chugging a coconut before this, I swear there'll be a reason for me to wear black today…" Jade managed to get out before their former teacher was within earshot.
"Ah! There you two are!" Sikowitz clapped his hands as he proudly marched to his place on the altar. Clearing his throat, he adopted a slightly more dignified tone as he looked at Tori and Jade's anxious faces. "Dear friends and beloved family, we are gathered here today…to witness the bond of Victoria and Jadelyn in holy matrimony!"
A brief show of relief flashed over the room, especially Tori and Jade, upon seeing Sikowitz's change in tone…for all of a few seconds before his tone changed right back.
"You know," Sikowitz guffawed, "Thinking back, there wasn't a single soul who thought these two would be anything more than enemies! I mean, who could forget since the day they met, all they exchanged were nasty quips, stale coffee, and muffins?!"
The audience laughed along with him while Tori tried her best to maintain the smile on her face. Jade, however, looked ready swing her fists at a moment's notice until Sikowitz's manner of tone changed once again.
"But despite all the craziness that was their high school lives, looking now at how much they've accomplished together, as an independent musician and an aspiring actress and filmmaker, these two are nothing less than an inspiration to their peers." Sikowitz's smile beamed on Tori and Jade, whose expressions relaxed back in relief. "Now, enough of my little stand-up. I believe the brides have their own words prepared for each other. Tori?"
Tori took a deep breath and started to speak, her eyes focused on Jade's. "Jade…what can I say that I haven't already, especially around you? When we graduated high school, I could never see past my ambition, my supposed future as a pop music icon, and I'd almost given up on finding someone to share that future with…and then you…we happened. Even to this day, I can't believe how much we've been through; living on our own, finishing school, and now becoming the professionals we dreamed of being…but what I still can't wrap my head around sometimes, believe it or not, is how you've never stopped being there for me, even when times were toughest.
Her eyes fell to the inside of Jade's right arm, where her nautical star tattoo was since their high school days. "Like that tattoo on your arm, Jade, you're my guiding star. You're a light that can shine all on your own, but you've helped guide me and supported me through what have probably been my biggest hardships. You taught me to treat myself better, to not get all up in my head, and I only hope a…sleepy loser like me can continue to be just as bright a star in your life, too."
Jade made an unintentional chuckle in an attempt to hide how close she was to tears, but she cleared her throat as Sikowitz motioned to her to say her vows. "Tori…I've made it no secret how…'brazen' I can be; around you or anyone. If anyone can't believe we've gotten through these years together, it's me. I'm a better person than I ever was before, and that's thanks to you, Tori—and you are no sleepy loser. If I'm your guiding star, then you're the astronaut brave enough to be close to me, and there's no one in the world I'd be happier to shine for than you."
"I love you," Tori blurted out, her mind flashing back to a similar, but scripted situation she and Jade shared, but this time she meant it sincerely.
Luckily for her, Jade caught on to that memory and smiled in reply, "I love you."
"Yeah, you do~" Sikowitz chuckled, making the two of them laugh in response at the shared nostalgia. "Now then, who's got the rings?"
From either side of the altar, Cat and Tara walked over and handed Jade and Tori's rings to Sikowitz, who then handed them to the two brides. "Excellent! Now then, Victoria, do you take Jadelyn's hand in marriage…and all of its associated benefits—?"
Tori's brow quirked up and a side-eyed glance over to Sikowitz revealed to her that he was reading from a small slip of paper that must have come with the rings. Looking back at Jade, who flashed her trademark wicked smile and a teasing wink, Tori simply blushed and let Sikowitz continue.
"…to have and to hold, to cherish and support until the end of your days?"
"I do." Tori declared happily, sighing away her earlier nerves.
"Do you, Jadelyn, take Victoria to be your lawfully wedded wife, to cherish and support until the end of your days?"
"You bet your as—I do." Jade grinned to mask her more "brazen" reply, but Tori caught enough of it to simply stifle back a laugh with her. The two of them settled, they each slid their respective rings onto their fingers and held their hands tightly together.
"Then by the powers vested in me, I now pronounce you two…wife and wife! You may now…do the thing." Sikowitz stepped back with a smile as Tori and Jade immediately stepped forward and kissed.
Applause broke from all sides of the church, from Cat and Tara's shared giggles next to them to their friends and family from LA and Miami, but the newlywed couple paid no mind to any of the claps, cheers, and whistles. Like their first kiss in front of Tori's house, their first intimate time after the debut showcase, and many other significant times up to this very moment, everything fell away from Tori and Jade's senses, and all that mattered to them was each other.
Once rivals, now friends, lovers, wives, partners.