Chapter 3: Dare Hope

That night Tori had a dream that she and Jade were an actual couple. They were with their friends at lunch, announcing their relationship.

"Guys, Jade and I have something to tell you," Tori said, wanting to ease her friends into the shocking news. Jade had other plans.

"Tori's my girlfriend," Jade said. "We're hot for each other, and if any of you got a problem with it, then I got a pair of scissors with your name on it."

"Jade, we were going to be more subtle." Tori turned her head to look at Jade.

The raven-haired beauty smirked. "You know subtlety isn't my thing."

Tori rolled her eyes at her impulsive girlfriend and turned to her friends. Beck's mouth had dropped open, Robbie was smiling, one of Andre's eyebrows was lifted, Cat was smiling and clapping, Trina looked disgusted, and Felicity seemed bored, as if she couldn't care less. Tori's heart sank. Why can't they all be happy for them?

"I don't believe this," Beck said. "Jade, we dated for two years, and now you're with a girl? What does this mean? Did I turn you…gay?"

Jade sighed. "For once, Beck, this isn't about you. I liked being with you, and I like being with Tori. That's all it is. Don't put a label on it."

"How can I not think that this has something to do with me? I'm questioning our whole relationship now."

"You have to admit it's a little odd," Andre said. "Not the thing about you two being girls. I'm okay with that. It's just that you two supposedly hate each other. How do you go from hate to love?"

Before Tori or Jade could begin to explain the feelings between the two of them, Felicity spoke.

"You two are idiots," she said. "It's the easiest thing in the world to fall in love with your enemy. You already have strong feelings for each other, and you get some kind of enjoyment from being with each other, like seeing the other in pain or something. There is a thin line between love and hate, ya know. And being with someone of the same sex doesn't mean that they got 'turned gay', Beck. It just means that they won't let our cultural views of same sex relationships stand in the way of their love. Love is love."

Everyone applauded Felicity's speech and nodded in agreement, even Beck. Tori woke up with one thought in her mind: I have to talk to Felicity.

On Monday Tori bribed Trina into taking her to school early. She hoped that Felicity would be there so they could talk in private. Fortunately, she was. The new girl was in the empty hallway, leaning against her still undecorated locker right across from the doors of Hollywood Arts. It was as if she were waiting for something or someone. Me? Tori wondered and paused feeling kind of scared. Who was this girl?

The half Latina took a deep breath before walking to Felicity. "Hey, Felicity. How's it going?"

"It's good. How are you?" A slight smile appeared on Felicity's face. Did she know what Tori wanted to talk to her about?

"Um, I'm kinda confused actually. And I think that you know something about it."

"About your confusion?" Felicity raised one of her eyebrows. "I barely know you."

"But you know about love and hate relationships," Tori guessed. "And you seem to know that something's happening between me and…" She couldn't bring herself to say the other girl's name.

"Jade," Felicity filled in for her. She shrugged. "You two have a connection, a vibe. I'm surprised that no one else sees or feels it. Maybe you're right. I do know something about love-hate relationships, and I guess I'm starting to see them everywhere."

Tori nodded. "You went through the same thing as me? You found out that you had feelings for a girl who was a frenemy."

"Not exactly. I started dating the son of my family's rivals, a guy that I had always hated or at least thought I did."

"So should I go out with Jade?"

"Do you want to go out with her?"

"I…I think so."

"Then, it's simple. You should go out with her."

"But she doesn't want to go out with me. She said she doesn't have feelings for me." Tori looked down at her shoes to hide the tears that appeared in her eyes.

Felicity's eyes hardened. "She's lying. Don't fall for it. You have to keep trying. Talk to her, woo her, do whatever makes her finally admit to herself and to you that she likes you back."

"What if it doesn't work, though? I don't want to get rejected." Tori looked back up.

"You keep trying!" the new girl shouted. "Don't give up. Pester her every day if you have to. If Adam hadn't pestered me so much, I would never have gotten with him, and it would have been a huge regret." Her eyes got watery, but she quickly blinked the tears away. She was tough, but she was also also hurt and had been in love. Tori realized something.

"That's why you moved here," she said. "Your parents didn't want you with him."

"And the best solution to keep us apart was to move to the other side of the country."

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry. I had no idea." Tori moved to hug the girl but stopped when Felicity scowled at her.

"Yeah, whatever. I'll get over it." And the tough Felicity was back. She reminded Tori so much of Jade, who also hid her feelings. Seeing past both of their shields was a golden opportunity and a rare one at that. Tori smiled and patted Felicity on the shoulder. That was the comfort she could offer her and the only one that she would allow. It wasn't enough for the great advice that Felicity gave her. Tori wished that she could do more.

By this time, the hall had filled up with students. Tori looked around. She spotted Andre on the stairs talking to a cute girl, probably flirting with her. He smiled, and the girl laughed. Yep, he was definitely flirting. She saw Beck and Robbie by the Wahoo Punch machine drinking their drinks and talking. Cat and Jade, however, were nowhere in sight. Tori's shoulders slumped in disappointment, but she didn't give up hope. Not just yet. Jade would show up, hopefully.

Tori hoped in vain. Jade didn't show up. Not in Sikowitz's class. Not at lunch. Not in any of her other classes. Neither she nor Cat came to school that day. What was going on? Tori wondered. How could she pester Jade when she didn't come to school? Why did she dare hope when Jade was too stubborn?

The Slap Mobile Update:

Tori Vega: Going to Jade's house to talk some sense into her.

Feeling: hopeless

Tori knocked on Jade's front door loudly and repeatedly. She wasn't going to leave without talking to Jade. Tori stopped knocking for a moment, giving the Gothic girl a chance to answer the door. When no one came in two minutes, she started knocking again and didn't stop until she heard a thump from inside the house.

"Alright, alright, I'm coming!" Jade yelled. "Keep your pants on!"

The door swung open. The dark-haired girl scowled at her visitor. Her green streak stood out more than it usually did. She was wearing a long sleeved black lacy top with a black undershirt and a turquoise leopard print skirt. Tori's heart sped up at the sight of her.

"What are you doing here, Vega?" Jade asked.

"Why weren't you at school today?"

Someone giggled, and a bright red-headed girl jumped out from behind the door. "She was with me," Cat said, still giggling.

Now, Tori's racing heart stopped completely and felt tight as if it were being squeezed. Don't be jealous, she told herself. Jade and Cat are friends, nothing more. The same could be said of the two of them being just friends and nothing more, but Tori didn't want to think that.

"Yeah, we were hanging out, taking a mental health day," Jade said.

"Okay." Tori was just going to have to believe that nothing happened between them. "Can we talk?"

"We are talking."

Tori sighed. "I mean about us and in private. No offense, Cat."

"None taken. I'll wait outside so you can talk."

Cat was being very mature which surprised Tori. She could never tell when the sensitive girl was going to flip out. Cat walked out of the house, and Tori walked into it, closing the door behind her. Jade stood with her arms folded across her chest.

"We're alone," she said. "Now talk."

"I like you, Jade. I don't know why, but I do. And I know you like me too. When we kissed, it seemed like we were the only people in the world. I had never been kissed like that before, so you can't tell me that you don't feel the same. I want to be with you. I don't care what other people will say about us; I just don't want to have any regrets. So my question is, will you go out with me?"

Jade had remained quiet throughout Tori's whole speech, and her face was emotionless. She uncrossed her arms now and moved toward Tori. Tori's body stiffened, fearing that Jade would hit her, but she didn't move back. She was going to face whatever Jade threw at her, head on.

The girls stood mere inches apart. Jade was a few inches taller than Tori, and their noses were practically touching. Jade smiled.

"You've got balls, Vega," she said.

"That's not an answer," Tori told her.

"Yeah but this one is."

Jade moved her head a little bit and gently touched her lips to Tori's. Tori kissed her back after a moment of shock. One of Jade's hands rested on Tori's hip, and her other hand moved to the back of the other girl's neck, pressing her closer and making their kiss rougher. Their kiss ended way too soon for Tori's liking when Jade backed away from her.

"That answer good enough for you?" she asked.

Tori smiled. "Yes." Her voice was raspy.

Jade smirked at her. Before she could make fun of how in love Tori was with her, the half Latina kissed her again. Jade smiled against the other girl's lips and wrapped her arms around her neck. They continued to make out in Jade's entry hall, forgetting that Cat was still waiting outside for one of them to take her home.