They got to the restaurant in a few minutes. The sign said 'Valentino's' in fancy, swirling letters. They found a parking spot and got out. Tori let out a little giggle when she saw the name. "What's so funny?" jade asked.
"Valentines at Valentino's. You've got to admit its a little funny." Jade rolled her eyes; she thought it was cute how she laughed but Jade still had to admit that her sense of humor was a little immature sometimes. "Come on Tori, we can laugh at the sign later, let's eat." She grumbled as she pulled Tori into the restaurant and over to the reception. A stuffy looking man came over to them at the reception. "And how can I help you?" he said as he looked down on them. "Would you like me to call for your parents?" Jade stepped forward ready to chew him out for his attitude when Tori grabbed her arm. "Hold on Jade, let's deal with this in a way that won't get us kicked out and arrested like last time."
"I already apologized for that; how was I supposed to know that girl's brother was a cop?" The waiter was getting impatient. "Should I call your parents?"
"Uh, actually we came for dinner." Tori said awkwardly. The man held his nose up higher in the way snooty people do when they want to drive home that they think they're better than you. "Eh heh heh, I'm sure you did. Well I'm sorry but this is a very exclusive restaurant and it's completely full for Valentine's Day. Perhaps you and your…partner should try someplace more suited to your age? I would suggest McDonalds-they have lovely nuggets so I'm told." At that point, Tori decided that she didn't like him and let go of jades arm. "Okay Jade, he's all yours." At that point, Jade let out a long string of abuse and obscenities that I don't feel comfortable writing so I'm just going to skip to the end where she had calmed down slightly and said "so basically, we do have a reservation. Anything else you'd like to say?" with a satisfied smirk. "Um, n-no, let me get you a table." he stuttered as he started to go away. He looked back at Jade and broke out in a cold sweat. "And a new waiter."
Five minutes later they were sitting at across from each other in a corner booth with their menus. "Wow, this is a pretty cozy restaurant. Kind of, oh, I dunno... romantic?" Tori said shyly. Jade blushed bright red at the word and engrossed herself in her menu. "Yeah, well it's an Italian restaurant; Italians are all about the romantic stuff. Tori heard how awkward Jades voice sounded and took the opportunity to tease her. "Yeah, but you could have picked any other restaurant in all of L.A. So why pick the really romantic one?" Jade hid her face behind the menu to hide her ever reddening face. "You should try the-uh; spaghetti carbonera-it's really good." Tori decided to let her off the hook for the moment. "Sure, that sounds good." They called the waitress and placed their order. After that, they just talked. They talked about school, music, plays. They talked and laughed. Their desserts came and they still hadn't finished talking. "Oh hey, that looks good. What is that?" Tori asked about Jades dessert. "It's some kind of chocolate cake. I've had it before, it's really good." She said as she raised a forkful to her mouth. She glanced across the table at Tori and stopped. "Uh, do you, maybe… want some?" she offered.
"Really? Thanks!" she said excitedly before leaning forward and opening her mouth. Jade had thought she was just going to take a forkful on her own, but she wanted Jade to feed her. Awkwardly, Jade put the forkful of cake in Toris mouth. "Mm, you're right, it is good." She said around a mouthful of chocolate cake. Jade reached for the singer's mouth with her napkin, "wait, you've got a little something there, le'me just-" Jade had just started wiping a chocolate smudge from the corner of Toris mouth when they both realized that their waitress was still standing by their table. "Oh, I'm so sorry, I just came back to see if you needed anything else." Jade and Tori drew back slowly and looked at the woman next to them. "Uh, yeah, just bring the check in about ten minutes." The waitress nodded. "Of course, I'll do that just now but if I may say so, you two are a really cute couple." The girls immediately went an astonishingly bright shade of red.
"Oh we're not-"
"The two of us aren't-"
"We're just-" they carried on babbling like that for two minutes until in perfect sync they said "we're just friends." The waitresses smile broadened as she watched them tumble over their words. "Oh, okay I get it, just friends." She said with a wink as she left to get the bill. After that the meal went on in awkward silence for several minutes until Tori piped up "do we actually look like a couple or was she just messing with us?" Jade finished off the last of her cake and looked at Tori with an 'isn't it obvious' face before pointing out the evidence. "Well, we're two girls in a romantic restaurant."
"That doesn't mean anything!" Tori defended,
"You had me feed you cake,"
"Friends feed each other!"
"I wiped food from your mouth,"
"It's the friendly thing to do!"
"We're in nice dresses-"
"That just means we dressed up to go to a nice restaurant!"
"-on Valentine's Day." Jade finished. Tori didn't have anything to say to the last point so she just sat there thoughtfully. Jade frowned at the look on her crushes face and turning to look at the crowd in the restaurant. "Would being my girlfriend really be that bad?" she sighed.
"Definitely not." She assured Jade, reaching from across the table to take her hand. The moment their hands touched Jade felt a pleasant warmth wash through her body and she couldn't help but smile as Tori carried on talking. "If I was going to have a girlfriend, you would be my first choice." Jade did her best to keep her smile from getting any bigger. "Really?" she asked.
"Totally. You're smart, you're talented, and you're pretty. Anyone would be lucky to go out with you-including me." Jade looked at her and was about to speak when they noticed the waitress with their check and immediately yanked their hands apart. "Sorry to interrupt your friendly chat,but I have your check." She said, putting it on the table and giving them a wink. "I'll leave you friends alone. Enjoy the rest of your date." And left them alone. The girls sat quietly for a while before Jade said, "Well. This is awkward."
"Definitely." Tori agreed
"Wanna leave?" Jade asked.
"Big time." And with that, they paid and Jade drove Tori home.
When they got to Toris house Jade walked Tori to her doorstep. "You know you really don't have to do this Jade. I can walk from the curb to my house without help." She giggled, still on a high from the euphoria of the night. "Well, what kind of date would I be if I didn't walk you to your house?" Jade replied, feeling confident about how the night went. They got to the door and stopped to look at each other. "Well, here we are." Tori said as she swayed her hips shyly. "Thanks for today. I had a lot of fun."
"It was my pleasure, really. No one likes to be alone on Valentine's Day." Tori started fumbling in her purse for her keys. Jade took a deep breath and reached into her purse. "Actually Tori, I-uh, bought you something. A Valentine's Day gift. I hope you like it." And she handed Tori the white-leather bound notebook she had taken from her desk. "Oh, wow, I…didn't think you'd get me anything. It's really pretty, thanks."
"It's a diary. I thought you'd like it. I…wrote something on the first page. I want you to read it." Jade asked shyly. Tori opened up to the first page and saw that it was almost filled.
Hey Tori. You're probably wondering why I asked you to read this now and not at some other time. Well, I needed to know what you'd say as soon as possible. I've been trying to figure out how to say this for a long time and I decided to write it in here for a bunch of reasons. Mostly so I don't chicken out or say the wrong thing but I guess I thought that maybe, you know if you felt the same way you would be able to look back and read it any time you want. I really like you Tori. I have for a really long time. Basically what I'm trying to do is ask you to be my girlfriend. Will you?
Tori looked up from the page and stared at the girl in front of her. The only word for the look on her face was pleading. For a moment Tori wasn't sure what to do. She hadn't really thought about her feelings for Jade and now she had to decide how she felt on the spot. "Jade, I…" This was it, Jade thought. She didn't feel the same way and now she would never want to be anywhere near her again. Suddenly, Tori threw her arms around Jades waist and pulled her so their bodies were against each other, and Jade found herself looking at Toris grinning face. "I can't believe it took you so long." And with that, Tori pressed her lips against Jades. The moment she felt Toris lips meet hers; she let out a deep sigh and brought her hands up to the back of Toris head to pull her deeper into the kiss. Tori had kissed a few boys in her time but none of them had prepared her for what kissing Jade would be like. Her lips were softer than any of the boys she had kissed, and her lip gloss tasted like cherry. For every ounce of pleasure Tori was enjoying from the kiss, Jade was getting ten times more. She had no idea how many times she had imagined what it would be like to kiss Tori, but the real thing was amazing she almost couldn't believe it was real. After what felt like hours, their lips finally separated. They stood, looking at each other and smiled, relishing the feeling of safety they had in each other's arms. They stood there like that for several blissful minutes before she remembered that she had parents that would worry about her if she didn't go in soon. "It's getting pretty late" she said at last, "I should probably go in." Jade let her hands slide down out of Toris hair, down her neck and shoulders and started to stroke her girlfriends' arms. "Yeah, you probably should." She agreed as Tori released her grip and let her hands rest on Jades waist. "How about we see a movie tomorrow?" Jade suggested.
"Sounds good. Which one?" Tori asked, looking for an excuse not to leave. "Somehow, I don't think it'll matter which if you catch my drift?" Toris grin widened. "Yeah, I get it." And with that, she gave Jade a little peck on the lips and stepped away. "Goodnight Jade."
"Goodnight Tori." She watched as Tori went inside and closed the door. What she didn't see, was Tori lean against the door with a dazed smile on her face, "best. Valentine's Day. Ever."
Jade got into her car and drove home. When she got home, her parents were watching TV on the couch. "Hello sweetie, how was your day. She shrugged, "it was alright." And when she got to her room, she flopped face-up onto the bed with a huge smile on her face. "Best. Valentine's Day. Ever"