The mouthwatering smell of pancakes filled the Vega household Thursday morning as Tori was standing in front of the stove and hummed any melody that would come to her mind while she flipped the now solid mixture in the air before catching it again. She was happy for many reasons. She had talked to Beck and found out what had happened to him. She spent some time with Jade and got to watch a few movies with her. Sure, a few times she almost jumped out of her skin, but Jade was always there, and instead of teasing her, she would only tighten her hug around Tori, as if to reassure her that nothing could happen to her while she was there. And that is how Jade made Tori feel when she was around. She made Tori feel as if there was nothing out there in the large, cruel world that could harm her because Jade would be there to keep it all away from her.
"I knew I smelled something good." Jade said as she walked down the stairs into the Vega living room.
And there was the final reason for Tori's large smile and good mood. Jade had stayed the night. She had spontaneously decided to spend the night at Tori's place, and of course Tori agreed. They spent a good part of the evening just watching more movies and listening to music. There weren't any more conversations. Instead, they enjoyed each others company and the comfortable silence that could always surround them.
"Well, what you smell is my special pancakes mixture. It's the best thing ever." Tori said.
"And what is that special mixture?" Jade asked as she walked into the kitchen and stopped next to Tori.
"I can't tell you." Tori said.
"Why not?" Jade asked.
"It's a secret." Tori said as she looked at the girl next to her and gave her a wink.
"Whatever. As long as I don't get food poisoning." Jade said as she walked towards the couch and sat down before she grabbed the remote and turned the TV on.
"You won't. But they might cause addiction because of how good they are." Tori said.
"If I end up forcefully vomiting, I'll make you clean it up with your own hair." Jade said as she surfed through the channels. "I know you are rolling with your eyes, Vega."
"Good, I'm not trying to hide that." Tori said. She walked to the fridge from where she took some syrup and juice before she shut the fridge again and placed both on a large plate. She carried the plate to the living room and put it down on the table in front of Jade.
"Knock yourself out." Tori said.
"Wow, this does look good." Jade admitted. "Well, for you."
"Sure. School starts in an hour, so you got time to enjoy it." Tori said.
"And you won't eat breakfast?" Jade asked.
"I… kind of ate half a dozen while I was making them." Tori said as she sat down on the couch.
"I admire your self control." Jade said as she began eating. Tori watched as Jade took the first bite, awaiting a response almost like a child.
"So?" Tori asked.
"So what?" Jade asked back, not taking her eyes off of the television while she was eating.
"Do you like it?" Tori asked, poking Jade's shoulder.
"I don't hate it." Jade said, still not looking at her. A wide smile formed on Tori's lips.
"I knew it was good." Tori said proudly as she turned her attention to what was happening on TV. But her attention immediately drifted towards the front door when she heard someone unlock it. She saw Trina walk into the house, looking like a mess and barely being able to walk in her high heels.
"Trina, where have you been?" Tori asked as she got up and walked towards her sister. As soon as she came close, she stepped back, the foul smell of alcohol repelling her. "Are you drunk?"
"No I'm not. I just ran out of clothes." Trina said as she took off her high heels and massaged her foot.
"Okay, you haven't been home since Monday and now you walk in reeking from alcohol and smoke. Where the hell are you staying?" Tori asked, crossing her arms over her chest. Luckily for her, she had managed to cover her bruises with make up, so Trina didn't see them.
"Wow, so now I have to report to you where I go and what I do? I didn't realize that." Trina said as she walked past her.
"No, you don't, but I'm worried that one day you'll walk in like this and dad will be sitting here instead of me." Tori said. Trina left out a loud laugh before she turned around to look at her baby sister.
"Dad is never home. He's too busy working during the day and drinking at the bar during the night. So I wouldn't worry about him ever saying anything." Trina said.
"Trina, you haven't been at school for weeks now. Helen has called me half a dozen times by now and I keep making up excuses for you. I don't know what else I can tell her." Tori said.
"Sis, you seem to be forgetting that I'm the older one, and not you. So please, stop belittling me. I'll go back to school when I'm ready." Trina said.
"If you're the older one, why do you keep acting like a dumb, spoiled child?" Jade asked. Both Tori and Trina looked towards the couch as Jade put the now empty plate on the table and stood up.
"What are you doing here?" Trina asked, surprised to see the Goth at her house.
"I'm keeping Tori some company and help her as she is going through some hardships. You know; something you, her older sister should be doing." Jade said as she walked around the couch and stopped next to Tori.
"Jade, don't…" Tori pleaded.
"Oh, you of all people want to help her. If I remember correctly, you gave her the most crap just a few weeks ago, and now you are acting as if you're a saint? Please, Jade, who are you trying to fool?" Trina asked.
"Why yes, your sister and I had our banters in the past. Quite a few of them, I admit. However, you could not find one moment where she wasn't there for me when I needed there, and you damn sure couldn't find a single time where I wasn't there for her when she needed me. And right now, when she needs the most support, I am here. You, however, are using your family situation as an excuse to dodge all your responsibilities and drink and, most probably, sleep around." Jade said. Tori stood there, shocked what she heard. She looked at Trina, who looked dumbfounded before her expression changed to one of pure anger.
"Where do you take the right to judge me, West? You have no idea what I'm going trough. You don't have the slightest idea of how much pain I'm in." Trina retorted. She was angry, Tori could see that. She hoped Jade would stop, let it go. But to her shock, Jade only smirked at Trina's anger.
"I have no idea? Well, let me see. You are not going to school anymore, you are never at home, you party around and… ugh, I don't even want to think what you are doing when you are all boozed up. In comparison, your younger sister, who is going through the same things you are, is still going to school, making sure her grades don't drop, taking care of the house and still finds time to help other people when they need her. Despite everything going on in her life, she still has the time and energy to listen and help out others when they need her. Do you know that she passed out of exhaustion a few times in school? Despite this, and despite being the one who encountered that cunt when she came back, she still tries to stay strong. So don't you dare belittle her or disrespect her." Jade said as she stepped towards Trina. "While you and your father are running away she is facing life head on and is getting up every time something knocks her down. But don't worry. She is not alone. Cat, Andre, Robbie… all of us are there to help her. Now you go and ask yourself why you don't have support like that. And no, the fault is not in someone else." Jade said as she turned around and walked back to where Tori stood.
Tori looked at Jade in awe before she heard Trina run upstairs. She heard a door open before being violently slammed shut.
"Why did you do that?" Tori asked.
"Because of all the reasons I listed. After all those years, even now she tries to act as if she's the smarter one of you two." Jade said.
"But that was too much, Jade." Tori said.
"No. It wasn't too much. It was the truth, and nothing more. If she can't handle the truth; if she can't even handle reality, then what does that say about her?" Jade asked. Tori's mouth opened, but no words were coming out. She felt as if her mind had been opened to a new perspective. It was a question she had never thought about, and right now, that question left her mind in a new darkness she needed to explore.
"We should go if we don't want to be late for school." Jade said. Tori only nodded. "I'll wait for you in the car." Jade said as she walked out of the house.
A few minutes later, Tori walked out of the house and entered Jade's car. Jade started the engine and drove off towards school. Silence filled the car, but unlike last night, it wasn't comfortable. It was a heavy silence; one that was deafening. Both wanted to say something, but none wanted to say it first.
Fifteen minutes later, Jade parked her car in front of Hollywood Arts and turned the engine off. Tori heard a sigh, and when she turned her lead to look at Jade, she saw that Jade was already looking at her.
"Vega… Tori, look, I'm sorry if what I did upset you. I really am, but I'm not sorry for what I said.
"What you said was true, I know that. But I still feel sorry for Trina. She is in the same situation as me. I know how she feels." Tori said.
"And so do I. But neither you nor I used it as an excuse to ruin our lives. Imagine you let her off easily because of that. And then what? Wait until she poisons herself from too much drinking or whatever the hell she does? Would that be the better choice?" Jade asked.
"No. It wouldn't." Tori said as she shook her head.
"I'll see you at class then." Jade said. She opened her door and got out of the car. Tori did the same, and as soon as she shut the passenger door, she saw Jade lift her key and lock the car with the small remote. Tori slowly walked into the school, thinking about what Jade had told her. It was the truth, the harsh truth, but that didn't make it any easier. She loved Trina, despite everything, and even if she understood why Jade did what she did; even if she agreed, it still didn't make it any easier. She found herself at her locker, her body working on autopilot while her mind was trying to sort everything that is going on in it right now. She leaned on her locker and sighed, wondering how much more she would have to see and hear in such a short time. She then heard the bell ring. She had to go class now, although she knew that she wouldn't even be listening to the teacher anyway.
Her suspicions were proven right. The first two classes were over before Tori had even tried to pay attention to what the teacher was trying to say. She walked out of the classroom and towards her locker. She contemplated about going home early today. After all, she knew that she wouldn't pay attention anyway.
"Hey Tori." She heard the familiar voice greet her. She turned her head to see Robbie walk up to her, a small smile on the edge of his lips.
"Hey Robbie." Tori said as she stopped and waited for him. "You look happy today."
"I am. Last night, I finished the animation I've been doing. I brought it to my professor today, and he loved it. I have an A+ in the most difficult class I have and I got it six weeks before school ends." Robbie said.
"Congratulations!" Tori said, smiling up at the good news. She was happy for him, especially since she had seen how much work he put into it.
"Thank you. And since you've helped me a lot with it, I want to invite you for dinner tonight." Robbie said. "If you don't have any other plans, of course."
"I don't have any plans, and I would be happy if we hung out more." Tori said. She saw his smile grow a bit wider at her words.
"Since I don't have a car, you'll have to pick me up." Robbie said.
"I'll be at your place at 7." Tori said.
"Great. I'll see you then." Robbie said as he walked past Tori and up to his locker. Tori watched him as he placed his books in there. Curiosity took over her mind as she remembered the beginning of his memory she had seen. She wondered what had happened to him in the past that made him so shy. She wondered why it seemed as if he hated himself sometimes. She would talk to him tonight, and, at least she hoped, she would get some answers.