Title: Who Knew
Chapter Four: The Vega Home
Summary: When Tori Vega stopped talking to her long time best friend Jade West she never expected the heart break she felt, and now that she's found her again she wont let her go.
Rated: T for now, but possibly M later on. I'm not sure.
Disclaimer: I don't own Victorious, unfortunately.
A/N: Thanks for all of the positive reviews on this! I'm sorry this took so long to post my Internet crashed, and I couldn't get a hold of anybody to fix it.
I fell asleep a little after 10:30, curled up in a tight ball in the center of my bed. By then I'd totally forgotten Jade was coming over, so when my phone went off I nearly screamed. I rolled out of my bed and stumbled across the room, picking it up and pressing it to my ear.
"Hello?" I asked my voice groggy with sleep, my throat sore.
"Vega, I'm almost at your house." Jade's voice came through the other end of my phone, she sounded annoyed but otherwise awake, why was Jade coming over? Oh yeah, Sikowitz project, "Vega?" Jade snapped.
"Yeah, I'll go let you in…" I mumbled rubbing my eyes, she hung up and I shoved my feet into a pair of slipper boots and padded quickly downstairs, flopping down on my couch and turning to face the clock. It was 11:45.
Headlights lit up the multicolored glass around my door signaling Jade's arrival, I marveled at the colors bouncing around my otherwise dark living room before I pushed off of my couch and walked over to the door, unlocking it and pulling it open as Jade's car shut off. She took about five minutes to get out of her car and make it up to the door her eyes on the ground.
She glanced over my outfit and smirked, "nice PJ's Vega." She teased stepping through the door. I sighed and glanced down at the frilly black tank top I was wearing. It had color splashes on it, and the pair of neon blue lace shorts I had pulled on after my shower were very short and my neon pink underwear were rather visible through them.
"I forgot you were coming over." I replied, rubbing my eyes and quietly shutting the door, flicking the lock automatically, "everyone's asleep so keep quiet. Do you want something to drink or eat before we head upstairs?"
"No." Jade murmured her eyes scanning the living room. Probably thinking that it looked just like the living room in my old house. My mom and dad bought a house that was pretty much identical to our old one, with one key difference. My bedroom wasn't shared with Trina anymore.
I led Jade up the stairs slowly, dragging my feet as I covered my yawn with my hand. Jade followed me, her boots somehow silent on the steps, "You remember my moms rules right?"
"No smoking, no drinking, no food in your room, water only, no showering before 7 in the morning, no food after 3 am or before 7 am." Jade recited, "no TV in the living room after midnight, no boys in your room with the door closed."
"Good." I pushed the door to my room open and flicked on the light, "you can toss your bag wherever, there's a pull out under my window…I'll just pull it out for you." I muttered, walking over to it as the door shut behind me.
I unlocked the pullout drawer and yanked the bed out, fixing the sheet and tossing a pillow on top of it, "No stars on the ceiling Vega?" Jade said after a moment, I heard her bag drop.
"They're in the closet." I replied dryly, "the bathrooms across the hall."
Jade nods, pulls something out of her bag and disappears backwards out of the room without another word. I sigh and crawl back into my bed, sinking down into the mattress with a relieved sigh, curling up around my second pillow.
I hardly noticed Jade came back in until I heard the door shut with a soft click, when I glanced up she was standing at my desk, her back to me digging through her bag. She had on a pair of black shorts with what looked like cookies on them, her hair was tossed up into a haphazard ponytail and she was in a tank top.
She spun around her phone charger in her hand, I pointed to the strip plug next to my bed, and she silently walked over to it and plugged in her phone without a word. Her makeup had been all washed off and it was a wonder how innocent it made her look. The makeup was one of the things that helped her pull of her scary look.
"My phones on loud in case Sikowitz calls," She warned me, "sorry if it goes off."
"Whatever. Shut the light off." I mumbled, burying my face in the pillow my head was on. Jade obliged and flicked the light off after she closed her bag, "you can close the curtains if you want."
"Not scared of the dark anymore Vega?" Jade teased as she cross the room to my closed my curtains, cutting off the flow of the moonlight and submerging us in total darkness. I heard a thud then a slight creak and rustling blankets before everything was silent and I fell back asleep.
You've Got a Friend in Me blared through my room.The foreign voice startled me awake, my eyes snapped open and I saw the distant light of a phone glowing somewhere. I pushed myself into a sitting position.
Jade was still dead asleep, "Jade, Jade!" she didn't wake up. I swear the girl could sleep through a war. I reached over and picked up the phone, "hello?"
"Jade?" I glanced at the screen; it was a call from her house, "Jade?" a male voice called through, slowly my brain clicked, her little brother, Tyler. I pushed myself up into a sitting position, yawning.
"Tyler?" I mumbled, rubbing my eyes, "what time is it?" I glanced around, looking for my alarm clock. I'd thrown it somewhere the morning before; it was probably under my bed or something since I hadn't seen it when I cleaned.
"It's just after 7, where's Jade?" he informed me before returning his original question, "I talk to her every morning."
"She is dead asleep. Are you alright?" I asked, swinging my legs out of the bed.
"I'm fine Tori." My eyebrows shot up slowly on my face, he remembered me?, "can you just wake her up?"
"If I die I'm holding you responsible." I told him spinning until my feet landed on the floor, I heard him chuckle before I shuffled toward the bed. I tripped on the edge of the pullout and tumbled down on top of the bed, landing on Jade's pointy elbow. The air rushed out of my lungs, as Jade instantly awoke and sprung to action, rolling over and slamming me down on the bed by my throat.
She was really paranoid, if you touched her while she slept she'd attack you but it was basically the only way to wake her up unless she woke on her own. "Jade, it's just me. Tyler called." I managed to tell her, holding up the phone. She snatched it away from me, pressing it to her ear, the glow from it lighting up her face as she hovered above me, she was still holding my throat.
"You okay Tyler?" she asked, her voice was soft and the glare I knew was in her eyes when I scared her awake dissipated as she spoke with her brother, finally rolling over and letting me get out of the bed and out of the hold.
"I'm going to shower…" I told her, I doubted she was listening but I didn't care. I padded silently out of the room, across the hall and into the bathroom, closing the door behind me with a silent click.
Nobody else seemed to be up, thankfully. It was Saturday so Trina wouldn't wake up until the crack of noon; dad was working until 10 at the Station and mom would still be asleep until 8 or 9.
I flipped the lock on the door and pulled a towel out of the cupboard. Thankfully mom had done laundry yesterday, leaving me with a fresh towel for this morning. I set the towel on the small rack beside the shower, turned on the water to warm up and peeled off my clothes, tossing them into the hamper.
I pulled the little thing to start the showerhead and stepped willingly under the warm spray. I took extra time to massage the vanilla shampoo into my hair, slowly rinsing it out and repeating the process with the conditioner. The scent of cocoanut filled the bathroom when I put the body wash on my washcloth and slowly scrubbed my body clean, slowly rinsing off.
I stayed in the stream for a bit longer then needed and then shut off the water, twisted the water from my hair and pushed the curtain open, grabbing the towel and wrapping it around my body as I stepped out and over to the sink where my face wash was. I quickly took care of that, toweled my face dry and put on some lotion, turning to leave the bathroom and dress in my room.
Then my brain slowly started working, my clothes were in my bedroom. So was Jade. Crap. Well, my robe was hanging on the bathroom door, and it was a lot longer then the short white towel I was currently using.
I slipped the robe off of the door, dropped my towel and pulled the robe on, using the towel to dry my hair as I walked across the hall pushing my door open. Jade had her eye closed, and if I hadn't known any better I'd swear she was sleeping, but her face was too tense.
"The showers available if you want." I offered, slowly making my way to the large walk in closet next to my door, Jade cracked an eye open, the burnt green seemed to be black now and those eyes traveled from my legs and up to my knees where the robe started, traveling up until they met my own eyes.
"I showered before I came over." She supplied, I nodded and pulled open the closet door, flicking the light on, stopping only to grab and a pair of underwear and my new bra from my dresser before closing myself in the closet.
I hung the robe up on the door and put on my bra and underwear while I looked around at my clothes. It was supposed to be hot today, so I grabbed a pair of jean shorts that were folded up on the shelf in my closet and pulled them on, followed by a purple tanktop.
Once I was dressed I started to push the door open, but faltered, "Jade? You're not getting dressed are you?" no answer, "Jade?" I called again. Once more I was met with silence. I pushed the door open a crack and peeked out.
Jade was lying on the bed again, this time asleep.
With a slight frown I pushed the door fully open and stepped into my room, scooping up my own phone to check my messages. I had three messages, one from Andre wishing me luck with my weekend, and two from my dad. One saying goodnight and that he loved me, and the other saying good morning and wishing me a good day.
I texted him back and asked when he'd be home. It was a Saturday tradition that I made him breakfast when he got back from work. He said he'd be home in twenty minutes. With one last glance at Jade I texted her a message to come downstairs when she was ready, pulled on some socks, and padded silently down the stairs to figure out what was for breakfast.
Mom was surprisingly sitting in the living room watching something on the TV when I finally reached the bottom steps, stumbling and nearly kicking the piano bench in front of me, "morning." I called, she turned her head to look at me, sleep still etched in her features, "coffee?" she nods.
I pick my iPod up off of the counter and place the buds in my ears, going about my normal routine of making coffee for my mom, me and dad, and after a thought, Jade. While the coffee brewed and pulled out a breakfast cook book and flipped through meal ideas, settling on pancakes, bacon, eggs and sausage.
I relayed the idea to my mom when I handed her, her coffee. She nodded and then greedily drank down her coffee. As I walked back to the kitchen my phone buzzed in my pocket, I'll be down in 5 minutes. I had no clue why Jade texted me to tell me, and I certainly was thankful, that way I'd know to listen for her.
The girl was like a cat, silent as she moved. She needed a bell.
I set my phone down, turned up the volume on my iPod and pulled out my flavored creamer from the fridge, French Vanilla and Carmel. I made my cup first and then made Jade's pouring about two teaspoons of the French Vanilla and one of the Carmel in with three spoonfuls of sugar.
When I turned to look at the stairs Jade was standing there, looking uncertainly between where I was and my mom, "made you coffee." I told her, her eyes flicked to me and then with her shoulders slumped she walked across the living room and into the kitchen, "It's still hot." I told her, plunking an ice cube in my cup.
She nodded raising the cup to her mouth, and as if it was a third or forth thought, she paused, "thanks." She mumbled. I nodded slowly, raising my own cup to my mouth, I glanced at my mom as she made her way toward her bedroom, glancing at Jade for a moment and giving a little wave before she continued into her bedroom.
"I'm making my dad some breakfast, if you'd like to help. If not I'm sure you can blankly stare at the TV with my mom." I told her, my eyes staring into the milk chocolate colored coffee in my cup.
"Depends what your making. I'm great at cooking bacon, other then that I'm helpless." Jade chuckled, it was shocking to hear and the look on her face told me she was mentally slapping herself.
"I remember vividly, those burnt pancakes that almost burnt the house down?" I teased lightly, a small ball of fear tangled in my stomach. Jade's eyes flicked up to my face, the corners of her mouth twisting into a smile.
"I was trying to make you breakfast for your birthday, you dad is a hopeless cook." Jade laughed taking a gulp of her coffee.
"I find that extremely offensive." Jade visibly jumped when my dad's voice broke the silence in the house, my eyes flicked up to him, I set my cup down and I dashed over to him, tossing m arms around his shoulders in a hug, "Hey sweetheart." He kissed the top of my head.
When I looked back at Jade I saw a twinge of pain flitter across her face. One I used to see just after her parents divorce whenever my parents seemed to do something family happy. I felt a little guilty, like I always had, that I could do nothing to make her feel better.
"You did almost burn the house down with her though." I pointed out as we moved closer to the kitchen, "dad, you remember Jade West, right?"
His eyebrows shot up and he looked down at Jade for a moment before giving her a small hug. She looked freaked out, it was all over her face, but a bit of something seemed to flicker in her eyes, "It's nice to see you again Jade, when did you move out of Florida?"
"Not long after you guys actually." She replied, "I had no clue we'd moved so close to you guys though. Not until I saw Trina at school when I started there." I passed my dad his cup of coffee just as I finished mine.
"I'll start cooking now, so get out. Jade, did you wanna help?" I asked, shooing my dad away. He rolled his eyes at me but left the kitchen. Jade finished her coffee, setting the cup in the sink, rinsing it out and then setting it in the dishwasher automatically, followed by mine.
"I'll help." She confirmed, I pushed her strange behavior out of my mind and pulled my hair up into a ponytail, Jade mimicked me and I pulled out all of the ingredients. We washed up and then together mixed up the pancake batter, managing to make a minimal mess, except for the bit of flour I accidentally got on Jade, leading to her taking some in her hand and blowing it on me, followed by me returning the gesture, until my mom came in to stop the soon to be messy fight.
"Do you mind setting the table, Jade?" my mom asked before disappearing again, Jade nodded and silently moved to get out plates, cups, silver and napkins. She still remembered exactly where everything was. It was shocking.
She silently set the table, also putting out butter, syrup, sorghum, and honey. After that she went back to make the bacon, standing beside me while I cooked the eggs and sausage.
We didn't talk and Jade stood like a cement pole, her shoulders squared and hardly moving unless she was turning the bacon. She tried desperately not to let her shoulders brush mine, and if it happened she jumped.
"I'm sorry about your wakeup call this morning." I muttered after a long silence. My mom and dad had both retreated to the patio to talk, leaving Jade and I alone in the kitchen.
"It's fine Vega, you only scared the living crap out of me." She replied, "did I hurt you?"
"A little bit, but it's fine. I honestly was going to walk over and shake your arm and jump away. But I tripped." I informed her, she glanced over at me and then shook her head, a small smirk on her face as she silently flipped the bacon.
"So, what other goody-good things are you having us do today, Vega?" Jade asked. Currently she was stretched out on the pullout bed, typing away on her phone. She glanced up briefly, her eyes scanning across my face before she started typing again.
"Nothing really." I replied, "I've got no plans today actually. Hey, you didn't suddenly start going to church on Sunday's did you?" I inquired.
"No, Vega, I didn't." she replied, her voice having an angry tone, "why?"
"Because I need to know what to pack." I replied carelessly, rolling over so I was staring up at the ceiling. After a few minutes I rolled out of my bed and stretched, "I usually go on a walk after breakfast, do you mind?"
"Nope." She replied, rolling out of the pullout, shoving her feet into her boots, and standing up, pocketing her phone, "after all that food this morning I was wondering how you managed to stay so skinny."
I rolled my eyes, pocketing my phone as we walk downstairs, "mom! Going for a walk!" I yelled, pulling open the front door, slipping my keys into my pocket before I stepped out.
Jade followed me silently, still typing away on her phone. We walked in silence for about twenty minutes when my phone started ringing loudly, an obnoxious sound reserved for one person, "what do you want Trina?" I snapped.
"Mom said you were out, get me some ice cream." She replied.
"Kiss my ass." I retorted, Jade snorted.
I clicked end on my phone, shoving it back in my pocket as we continued down the sidewalk toward the park. It was too early for people to actually be at the park, so we wandered through the paths in silence.
About an hour into the walk Jade's phone rang, "Great, its Sikowitz." She muttered, hitting accept and pressing the speaker phone button, "Please tell me you're calling to tell us we don't have to do this."
"No. is Tori with you?"
"Yep." I answered, burying my hands in my pockets.
"Alright." The line went dead and Jade went back to texting whoever it was she was texting. My guess would be Beck.
Around 11 we were lounging around at m house, we really had nothing better to do. I was texting Andre, who was stuck at Robbie's house. Apparently Robbie's parents were freaks, and earlier he had to go to Robbie's grandmothers house. Andre said that he thought his grandmother was a nut, but Robbie's grandmother took the cake.
"Hey Vega." Jade suddenly said, dropping down onto my bed beside me, "you serious about those stars in your closet?"
"I was." I answered, hitting send on my latest text, "why?"
"Get em out. I think you should put them up on your ceiling, really make it shine." She teased, "maybe put up some lights or something. This place is so boring. The only thing you really have going on in here is your cork board."
"Well I have the stars, but I haven't got any lights." I told her as I rolled off of my bed, heading to the closet, I rummaged around until I found the bag of stars, walked back out and tossed them at Jade.
"Then we're going to the store, come on." She tossed the bag away and swung her boot-clad feet off of my bed, pushing herself to her feet. We walked down to her car and drove all around trying to find lights. We ended up getting purple, blue, orange and white drip lights as well as some rope lights, then drove back to my house, turned on some music and decorated my room.
I actually had fun, and for the most part, Jade was acting normal. Or normal for how Jade used to act. We danced around, joked, and had an overall good time. The sun was down by the time we were done, and the pair of us lay back on my bed with my main lights off and the string lights on.
The purple, blue and white illuminated the room and flicked off the shiny gold stars hanging from the ceiling, "you should think about getting those quotes on your wall. The press on ones." Jade said randomly, "or see if your mom will let you paint it, or just put up some pictures. It doesn't look lived in."
"Which is odd since I'm pretty much always in here when I'm home." I responded, "what time do we need to go to your place?"
"Well, I told Tyler I'd bring home some dinner, so we should go now. I'll give him a call while you pack up." She told me, "I'll be down at my car." She jumped up in a flash and was out of my room in a flash.
"Strange behavior." I muttered to myself, picking up my duffle bag and jamming clothes into it in a rush.