I know I've taken way too long for these updates. I'm just clinging to this story as well as my other unfinished one because I'm not sure if I'll be writing more after these. I'm going to make this last as long as it seems fit for me. Definitely expect many chapters to come, but don't hate me when it takes ages in between! Regardless, I hope you enjoy this as much as the other ones. Reviews and criticism are always more than welcome. You guys have been helpful, and I'm actually incredibly glad that people are fans of Leila's character! Jori shippers, don't lose hope, though!
A few weeks had gone by, and Tori remained in LA. Not only that, but she also became a pretty permanent part of the group one day, about a month after she returned again, I asked the question that had been burning inside me.
"Why didn't you tell anyone you were coming home for your birthday?" I asked as we sat on my couch. Leila had been in class, and we were currently waiting for Cat to get off of work so we could grab dinner before all going out.
I heard Tori's sharp intake of breath as her body stiffened for a moment. Her shoulders sagged and she shook her head, "I don't know."
Scoffing, I looked at her in disbelief, "We were supposed to be your best friends, Tori. To find out that you were home after not seeing you for God knows how long... It hurt."
Tori's eyes snapped up to mine, "Even you?"
I was momentarily taken aback as I tried to understand what exactly she was asking of me, "What do you mean, even me?"
"Were you hurt?" She reiterated in a soft voice.
"Of fucking course I was. I hadn't heard from you since before you left for New York, and suddenly you're shit faced in my bar, acting like nothing ever changed."
"And whose fault is that?" Tori snapped back quickly.
I looked at her with wide eyes before composing myself again, "I guess I deserve that."
"You guess? Jade, the summer before I left for school, it was you and me. We spent almost every night together. Every party Trina had, you always managed to find your way into my bed. Then suddenly, I couldn't be damned to hear from you after I got my acceptance letter to NYU."
I stood from the couch, feeling increasingly uncomfortable as Tori aired out all of our dirty laundry. I walked over to the island and futzed around with the mail.
"You never bothered to see me." I said quietly, knowing it would do nothing but ignite a flame inside of Vega.
"Would you even have let me?" She asked from her seat on the couch.
I shrugged, "I might've."
Tori groaned, "This is exactly what you do, Jade. You hide behind your noncommittal statements, hoping that if things don't go your way, you'll be able to pretend that you were never invested in the first place." Tori said snidely.
"Oh fuck off, Vega. Don't try to pretend that I was the one mucking up whatever it was that we were in high school. I was sick and tired of being your dirty little secret. You never knew what you wanted, even when you had me. Then you come back from New York and you're suddenly terrified of the fact that you woke up in bed with me. Have you forgotten the summer before you left for college?" I snapped, finally looking up to meet Tori's heated glare.
Tori stood and walked slowly over to where I was standing, and I didn't like the look in her eyes.
"Did you?" She asked in a dangerously low voice.
"Did I what?" I snarled.
"Know what you wanted." She said as the distance between the two of us closed.
"You knew I did." I said as my voice threatened to break.
"And now?" She asked as she stood only inches away from me.
"I'm with Leila." I said, surprising even myself with how firm my voice came across.
Tori smirked, "Do you love her?"
"Yes."
She inched closer, "Do you love her like you love me?"
Those eight words washed over my like cold water as I abruptly took two steps back and stared at Vega incredulously, "Fuck you." I spat.
Tori looked just as surprised as I was that those words came out of her mouth. She took a step back herself and shook her head, "I'm... I'm sorry."
"Yeah. Me too." I looked at her with conflicted eyes as anger and frustration boiled inside me as my eyes never left her face, taking note of ever muscle twitching with sadness as her lips pulled down slightly.
The door opening broke us from our awkward stalemate and suddenly Cat appeared next to Tori, "Hey guys!" She greeted cheerily before taking note of our terse demeanor, "Whoa, who died?" She added at the end.
I shook my head, "No one died, Cat. How was work?" I asked, trying to seem happier than I was moments ago.
Cat shrugged, "Same old. Just glad to be done for the weekend. Where's Leila?"
I glanced at the clock on the stove, "She should be here soon, actually. Her last class ended twenty minutes ago."
Tori and Cat took seats on the couch while I made my way into my bedroom to change for our night out. I was standing in my underwear with my closet open and my back to my door as I contemplated what I wanted to wear. I yelped when I felt a pair of cold hands grasp my hips and spin me around as I was met with a pair of shining green eyes.
"Scared ya?" She asked playfully before reaching up and kissing me chastely.
"Terrified, actually." I replied as I wrapped my arms around her waist while hers slid up my arms and around my neck. We shared a handful of light kisses before my lips wandered to her neck.
She hummed contentedly, "So what exactly are you doing in your underwear?" She asked as her fingers ghosted down my back, pausing over the clasp of my bra as her fingers slid beneath the fabric.
"Don't even think about it. We're going out, remember?" I asked as I stepped away from her hold and back to the task at hand.
"Can't find a thing to wear?" She asked playfully as I rifled through my clothes.
"No." I grumbled, only slightly serious.
"Well, I personally think you like fine just the way you are right now, but something tells me you might cause a bit of a distraction." I let out a faux laugh as I tugged a pair of skinny jeans over my legs and fastened the button. I rolled my eyes and Leila's playful pout before settling on a black v-neck. I pulled the garment over my head and fluffed my hair back up.
"Are Cat and Tori fighting?" Leila asked as she watched me apply my make up in the mirror above my dresser.
I looked at her, surprised, "I don't think so. Why do you ask?"
She shrugged, "It's just incredibly awkward out there. And Cat's making a face."
I thought about it for a moment before shaking my head and waving it off, "They'll sort it out eventually. Those two have been best friends for a long time."
I'd have to ask Cat about that as soon as I got her alone.
Once I finished getting ready, the four of us left to get dinner before meeting up with the guys. We arrived at the restaurant and Tori instantly made a beeline for the bathroom. When the server came to take our drink order, Cat began to order us a bottle of merlot.
"Tori can't drink red wine." I commented as I continued to read the menu. When Cat didn't move to say anything else, I looked up to see both Leila and Cat looking at me very confused.
"Why not?" Cat asked.
I shrugged, "Dunno. Doesn't sit well with her stomach. Get us a bottle and she'll have a glass of white Lambrusco." I said to the server. He nodded his head before walking away.
The conversation was still at a lull when Tori came back. I kept my eyes trained on the menu when the server came with our drinks. He set the glass in front of Tori and she squealed in delight after taking a sip.
"Oh my God, this is my favorite." She gushed. I could feel the blush spreading across my cheeks. I shouldn't have ordered that for her. I could feel Cat's stare from my left and Leila's confusion from my right. I reached under the table and placed my hand on Leila's knee, giving it a gentle squeeze before looking up at her and giving her a wink. I felt her body relax as her hand covered my own and squeezed back.
Aside from that little blip, dinner went smoothly and before I knew it, we were walking down the street to the club where the guys were already waiting for us. Andre's mere presence allowed us to skip the queue as we walked into the building packed with sweaty bodies and bursting with loud music.
We got a table in the back that was slightly quieter so we could actually maintain conversation. Leila was on one side, having a very animated conversation with Andre, while Cat sat on my other side making eyes at Beck. I slipped my arm around Leila's shoulders and pulled her snug against my side. Her story paused for a moment as she looked at me with bright eyes before leaning in and kissing me.
"You know, it's almost disgusting how cute you two are." Beck commented with a playful grin.
"Could say the same about you two." I shot back as I nodded towards Cat. Beck blushed and smiled.
"You guys always seem so shocked that Jade's in a relationship." Leila said as she looked at all of my friends.
Tori's eyes dropped down into her drink as she bit down on her lip. I felt my heart ache, knowing how much this had to hurt her to see. I shook the guilt away. We were friends, after all, and friends could hang out with their other friend's significant others.
Andre laughed loudly, "Because the only other person that put up with her shit was Beck."
"What?" Leila asked, completely shocked.
I shrugged awkwardly, "Beck and I dated for a while. It was ages ago."
Leila's surprise was almost comical as she stared between Beck and myself, "And you're just...okay with him dating your best friend?"
I nodded simply, "Yeah. They're good together. And obviously, I've found something way better." I said coyly as I leaned in and kissed her.
When we pulled apart, I noticed that our table was one short and watched as Tori retreated back to the bar. I bit down on my lip as I glanced at Cat. Cat shook her head tersely and continued to sip her drink.
"Well, then there was Tori." Robbie commented. He only jumped slightly when he received a sharp kick to the shin from my boot.
"The only other person to call Jade out on her shit in high school." Beck quickly added. I could tell he was trying to cover my ass. Once Tori revealed that she'd be back for an extended period of time, I told Beck and Cat about my slight omission in regards to mine and Tori's past when I told Leila who Tori was.
"I didn't realize the two of you had been so close." Leila said as she looked at me.
I shrugged, "Cat went to Florida for a few months the summer before we all started college. It was either hang out with Tori, or Robbie." I said, ignoring Robbie's gasp of insult.
Tori returned shortly after with a tray of shots as she set them on the table.
"What's that?" I asked as I eyed the small glasses.
Tori shrugged, "One of everything, I suppose." She said as she placed a glass in front of each of us. Mine held a slightly darker liquid, though I could easily tell that what Leila had in front of her was tequila. Tori took her seat and counted to three and we all shot our glasses back.
Cat coughed and swore, "I fucking hate gin."
I grimaced as I contemplated the taste in my mouth, "Was that bourbon?"
Leila shimmied in her seat with a smile, "I love tequila!"
Beck laughed at Leila's proclamation, "Yeah. I heard about how you get when you drink tequila."
Leila blushed and I reached over and smacked Beck on the back of the head, "No perving on my girlfriend!"
"Shit, Jade! I was kidding." He said as he raised his hands up defensively.
Leila laughed now as she shimmied stood from her chair, "My turn!" She said cheerily before disappearing into the crowd in the direction of the bar.
I took the opportunity to turn my attention to Cat, "What's your deal?"
She looked at me with those big brown eyes, "What do you mean?"
"Don't bull shit me." I said, giving her a pointed look.
Cat sighed as she looked around the table to see no one paying extra attention to us, "I'll tell you tomorrow, okay?"
Reluctantly, I nodded my agreement. After all, a crowded club was probably the last place we should be having any kind of conversation, especially if Leila had been right about her assumption that something had happened between Cat and Tori.
Leila returned with another tray, this one lined up with all tequila shots. I groaned as she set it down and gave each of us one.
"You're going to get yourself into trouble here, Fitz." I said as I accepted the one she gave me.
"Counting on it." She said with a flirty wink before beginning the countdown.
Once the glasses were emptied and slammed back down onto the table, Leila reached out for my hand and tugged, "Dance with me." She said. I rolled my eyes, but allowed myself to be dragged onto the dance floor, deep into the throngs of dancing bodies.
Leila wasted no time in pressing her backside against me and moving with the beat. My hands gripped her hips as I did my best to keep my cool and ignore the burning feeling growing in the pit of my stomach. Three songs and nine minutes of agonizing torture courtesy of Leila Fitzpatrick later, we returned to the table sweaty and thirsty. Beck offered to get the next round and he rallied Andre to help him.
They returned with another round of tequila shots and each of our own drinks of preference.
I eyed Beck, "Are you trying to pull something here?" I asked with narrowed eyes.
Beck looked at me, feigning innocence, "I have no idea what you could possibly mean."
Leila downed her shot and snatched mine before I had a chance and gave me a devious smirk once both glasses were emptied. She then took a drink from her beer before shimmying closer to me and placing her lips just beneath my ear.
My body shivered involuntarily as I looked back at Beck, "Pervert."
Beck laughed raucously as he lifted his beer, "Cheers, Jade."
I rolled my eyes, though clinked the necks of our bottles together before taking a deep drink.
A few conversations later, I was excusing myself to the restroom, threading through the crowds until I made it to the back hall. I had been washing my hands when Leila came bustling through the door. She gave me a drunken grin.
"Hey." She said as she took a step closer to me, her hands splayed on my stomach as she pushed me backwards against the sink.
"Hey yourself." I managed to say before she claimed my lips in a rough kiss as her hands trapped me on either side. My fingers threaded through her hair as I allowed this rather inappropriate public display of affection go on. I felt her hands slide from their position on the sink to my sides, slipping underneath the fabric of my shirt. It wasn't until her fingers dipped beneath the waist of my jeans when I pushed her away slightly.
"I'm not fucking you in a public bathroom." I whispered as I kept our lips close.
She smiled before kissing me and I suddenly felt the button on my jeans release as the door opened behind her.
"Shit! Sorry." A familiar voice said before all three of us froze.
"Fuck." I said as I pushed Leila away as she tried to fix her obviously messed up hair and swiping away at the excess lipstick that had been transferred between the two of us. I quickly buttoned my jeans and pulled down my shirt from where it had ridden up my stomach.
We stood in an uncomfortable silence before I cleared my throat, "Well, this is pleasantly uncomfortable." I said. It broke the tension as the three of us burst out laughing. Well, Leila burst out laughing. Tori and I did our best to seem convincing. Though I could see the pain in her eyes, and I'm sure she could see the guilt in mine. I put my hand on Leila's lower back and led her out of the bathroom.
"Sorry bout that." I said as I walked by.
We made it back to the table, visibly flustered, and before Leila even sat down, I grabbed her bag and handed it to her, "We're going to head out." I said hurriedly, ignoring the obvious looks I was getting from my friends.
"Have fun." Beck called out after us in a singsong voice. I flipped him off over my shoulder and continued to lead Leila out of the club.
The next day, Leila returned to her apartment to spend some time with Emma while I showered and met Cat at our usual diner.
"So, you wanna tell me why you were all pissy yesterday?" I asked as I took a large bite out of my sandwich.
Cat shook her head "Tori really fucking pisses me off sometimes." She said.
My eyes grew wide. Cat rarely swore when she was dead sober. Drunk Cat and Hungover Cat cursed like a sailor, but I could easily see that Cat was neither of those things. So this must've been serious.
"Care to elaborate?"
"She told me what happened between the two of you yesterday." Cat said, her eyes meeting mine.
I felt myself blush, "Oh."
"You need to tell Leila what happened between you and Tori in high school. This is fucked up, her not knowing, and all of us playing this game like you and Tori were just the best of friends. It's bull shit, Jade."
I hung my head, "I know, and I will. After last night, I realized that there isn't a good enough reason for her not to know anymore. I mean, she knows about Beck now. I just didn't want to have that whole ex-relationship conversation."
"You and Tori didn't actually date." Cat commented.
"How else would you explain it, Cat?"
Cat looked at me for a moment before nodding her head, "I guess you're right."
"I will tell her, I promise. But that doesn't exactly explain why you're mad at Tori." I said, redirecting our conversation back to its original point.
Cat sighed, "Don't be mad, okay?"
I felt my blood run cold. I fucking hated when people started conversations like that, "I make no promises."
Cat looked at me as if she had been anticipating that kind of response, "Tori told me she was coming back to tell you how she felt about you."
My eyes narrowed, "When was this?"
Cat looked down guiltily, "The day you took Leila on your first date."
"What?" I asked in disbelief.
"She texted me saying she was coming home to tell you, and I told her not to. I told her that you were finally letting yourself be happy again and that she had fucked it up too much to fix it. I don't think she realized how serious you were about Leila, so when she came back again, she thought that you seeing her again would fix all of that. That's why she left for New York after that night at Roscoe's. She said the way your eyes lit up when Leila was brought up in conversation was the way she imagined her eyes lit up when she talked about you in New York."
My blood was almost boiling at this point. I was hardly upset that Cat kept this bit of information from me. If anything, I should be thankful. I was pissed that Tori thought she could just come around and change everything. Like I just spent years waiting for her to come back to me. Well, I suppose I had, but that was before I met Leila.
"I told her to cut it out and just let you be happy, like you let her when she went to New York. At first she said she'd leave it, but when I came by yesterday I knew she hadn't. I knew she had said something."
I shook my head, "I gotta go." I said as I stood, tossing twenty dollars on the table, more than enough to cover both of us.
"Where are you going?" Cat asked frantically.
"I gotta see Leila." I said quickly before snatching my bag and making my way out of the diner.
I hailed a taxi and gave him Leila's address. In minutes I was pulling up to her building, debating whether or not I'd go through with this. The truth changes things, and right now things were perfect. Could things get better? Or would this just destroy us?
Luckily, a man had been walking up and unlocked the door as I got out of the taxi. I called out for him to hold the door, which he politely did. I bounded up the four flights of stairs and stood outside her door breathless for a moment before knocking.
She opened the door and I had to stare in awe for a moment. She had been wearing a simple white tee and a pair of red boxers. Her hair was piled in a knot on top of her head and a pair of thin-rimmed black glasses were perched on her nose. Her face was free of any makeup and her eyes shined when she realized it was me.
"I didn't know you wore glasses." I said stupidly as I caught my breath.
"Jade, what are you doing here?" She asked with a smile.
I shook my head, unable to form words, and instead relied on something else to convey what I wanted to say. I leaned in and kissed her gently. I nipped her lower lip as I caressed it between my own as my hands cupped her cheeks gently as her hands tentatively rested on my hips. I put as much emotion in that kiss as I could muster, praying that she would understand everything I had been trying to say.
"What was that for?" She asked, confused.
I smiled broadly, "I love you." I said simply, knowing that those three words were not enough for how I felt about her at that point.
Leila's eyes darkened to almost an army green as her grip on me tightened, "Emma." She called out behind her, though her eyes never left mine.
"Already on my way out." Emma said in a bored voice as she walked by us. She gave me a pointed look before shaking her head and laughing, "You two are ridiculous. Shouldn't the honeymoon phase be over already?" She called out over her shoulder as she made her way to the elevator.
"Not yet." I said as I pushed Leila into her apartment and kicked the door shut behind me.
I'd tell her the truth. But right now, I needed her to know where my heart really was.
With her.