/JADE/
"Are...are you sure about this?" Tori doesn't even give me enough time to answer, her lips crushing mine again. My hands snag a fistful of brown hair while I shove her up against the wall of the Black Box Theater. She moans and let's her head fall back, dying to have me invade her neck with kisses, my teeth just barely scraping against her skin. I knew she was trying to distract me. I knew it the moment I had suggested we finally spill to our friends. "We...we could always wait a few more weeks? I don't think it's really that obvious." I step back, surveying her with pure skepticism.
"Babe. There are already rumors flying around school about us. Yeah, we were careful to begin with but we've been slipping." I run my hands down to her waist, pulling her right up against me. "We've almost been caught...several times. We're always together, you're always in my car, we're always talking in the hallway. I've seen people looking and I know they've been whispering about us. It's glaringly obvious what's happening, Vega and the longer we wait, the worse it'll get." I watch her shuffle awkwardly.
"I guess I've been too caught up in you to notice?" Tori murmurs against my neck, biting down gently on a sweet spot she had discovered last night.
My mouth parts in a moan. "...Quit trying to distract me."
"Why? Is it working?" She starts sliding lower, digging her nails underneath my ribs.
"No...no comment." She doesn't answer, but I could see the triumphant smirk on her lips, getting me right where she wanted me.
Fucking Vega.
She didn't just have a hold on me anymore. She had a vice like grip, so tight that it was painfully suffocating, but I didn't care. I loved it. In the small amount of time, Tori had made it clear she understood me. She got me in ways no one else ever had. She seemed to know what I needed without asking and handled my moods with kisses and reassurances instead of biting words and put downs. It wasn't like the love - or lust I had with Beck. I didn't feel the need to exhaust myself by being possessive or forced to constantly fight to keep Tori to myself. She didn't tease me with breaking up, she never mentioned other girls just to rile me.
Because she wanted me just as much.
"Okay...we can tell them." Tori draws back with a defeated sigh. She's biting her lip and I gently press my thumb down on her chin to get her to stop.
"Good. Because they should be here in about five minutes. I told them to meet us here." I peck her lips quickly to cut off the protests.
"No Rob. I don't care what Rex says. We are not taking ballet again just because you heard a rumor there might be more girls this time." Andre and Robbie walk in and I notice Tori shift a little further away from me. My arm wraps around her waist to pull her back. She was staying right there.
"But there's definitely going to be more girls in this semester. I heard it from a legitimate source!" Robbie argues back, taking a seat in the front.
"Is this the same legitimate source you used to diagnose that problem?" Cat skips in, followed closely by Beck. Now it was my turn to be tense.
"No, no that was my internet Doctor."
"I don't really think taking advice from an internet Doctor is such a good idea." Beck shrugs off his jacket and I feel Tori squeeze my side in reassurance.
"My brother was an internet Doctor once. He went under the name Doctor Do Hurt and he set up a website and everything." Cat gives us a little wink, getting comfortable in her seat. "He offered up special medical services for injured and sick people."
"Is your brother even qualified to give medical services?" Rex has to ask and Cat giggles with a shake of her head. I have to fight to keep Tori still.
"Alright you guys, settle down." Andre waves his hands for quiet. "Jade invited us all here for a reason, so let's listen." He directs everyone's attention to us, his smile warm. "Go ahead. Why'd did you call us all here?" I can suddenly feel every set of eyes boring into me. Obviously I was used to being studied, being watched during a performance. But this wasn't a play, this was real life and there was no hiding behind a character this time. I open and close my mouth to start, the words suddenly refusing to come out.
Tori takes a step forward, pulling me with her.
"Jade and I..." She swallows but keeps forcing the words out. I could tell she was having difficulty by the way her body was almost rigid against mine. As if it was already preparing a shield for the onslaught of insults and attacks. Everyone is leaning forward in attention and I thought I caught a hint of a snarl on Beck's lips. "Jade and I - well, it's been about two months and they've been a really good two months. I uh, I want you all to know something about us and..." She starts twisting her fingers together nervously.
"Tori and I are dating. We've been secretly dating for two months." I fall into step beside her, taking her hand to lock it with mine securely. "So if any of you have a problem with that, I'll be more than happy to take your complaints and concerns." Tori gives me a smile, turning so she could kiss my cheek, the silence settling around the theater. I narrow my eyes into chips of ice, daring anyone to contradict. But inside I was honestly worried.
Up until now I wasn't actually sure how our friends were going to react. I didn't think I would care, and a part of me still didn't, but I wanted acceptance. I wanted everyone to know Vega and I were officially together. We couldn't hide it any longer. I didn't want to hide it.
Cat is the first one to break the tense silence.
"Oh my God! That's amazing news! Congratulations!" She squeals and rushes up on the stage, enveloping us in a hug. I hear Tori let out a sigh of relief, laughing as she squeezes Cat back.
"Is that it? That's what you called us in here for? We already knew!" Andre shakes his head, but he's grinning.
"Man, you girls owe me a breakfast burrito for wasting my time. Like we didn't know you two were dating." Rex pipes up from the front and Robbie agrees.
"Pretty much the whole school knows it by now. They've actually been waiting for you to admit it." He shrugs and gives me a smile.
"Alright man, you win." Beck sighs and hands over a roll of dollar bills to Andre. "$50. I didn't believe you."
"I told you dude. I said they were secretly hooking up." Andre stands up, pulling his backpack over one shoulder. "I'm just glad they told us so now we can all stop pretending like we don't notice."
"Yeah, that was hard! Tori kept telling me she was staying after school for 'extra credit'." Cat air quotes. I roll my eyes at Tori, pulling her close to me. She was smiling so hard I thought a vein would burst. All of our built up anxiety and worry had vanished in a matter of seconds.
"Do you guys remember last week? I said I caught Tori coming out of the janitors closet. What was your excuse again?" Andre teases. "Oh yeah, she said she liked the smell of the cleaning products." I snicker and earn a small scratch on my side.
"Or when I bought in those oatmeal cookies to share at lunch! Tori said Jade didn't like oatmeal cookies! She would only know that kind of stuff if she was dating her!" Cat giggles and Tori starts to blush.
I was enjoying these.
"When Tori opened her locker to get her books for class, I noticed she had Jade's leather jacket." Robbie adds to the conversation and I throw Vega a look.
"So that's where it went."
"I was gonna give it back!"
"Chicas, the point is. Well, we don't care that you two are dating." Andre gives a shrug. "It's not like we didn't know and you know we'd still accept you. Though I guess I'd better watch my hugs around Tori then, huh? Can't wazz off the new girlfriend." He chuckles, giving me a wink before walking out of the theater.
Cat gives us one last hug. "I think it's so cute!" She catches my glare. "I think it's really cool that you two are together officially. I have to get to class but I'll make us all red velvet cupcakes to celebrate!"
"Hey Cat! Will you make me some?" Robbie rushes after the red head and I hear Rex from the hallway.
"Dude! I was just about to ask if I could watch them going at it!"
Beck is the last to leave, his tight smile directed at me.
"Yeah, congratulations." His hands are stuffed in his pockets and I give him a nod. I might have imagined it, but Tori tightens her grip on me.
"Thanks." It's all I could say to him, unspoken words hanging in the air between us.
"I'm going to say sorry now, for when she eventually ends up hurting you." Beck turns his attention to Tori. I'm surprised his voice isn't filled with malice or jealousy, but resignation. I only stop my retort because Tori squeezes my hand.
"I don't need your apology, Beck. But I am sorry that you couldn't see what an incredible woman Jade is." She holds her ground with determination. I subconsciously take a step in front of Tori, but Beck doesn't say anything else. I keep my head held high, regaining back my dignity from the night he had decided to give up.
I wasn't running back to him now.
Tori takes my hand firmly and Beck looks between us, pushing a hand through his hair. I knew by the way his jaw was set that he wanted to say something else, but he lets it drop, slamming the door behind him when he exits.
Tori's shoulders instantly relax and she pulls me in for a kiss.
"Don't listen to him. I mean it, Jade. Don't pull back on me. Don't shut me out." She could sense I was starting to ice over, my walls slowly rising up but her kisses acted like a battering ram, knocking them down again. She takes my wrists and pulls me flush against her body, rubbing soothing circles on my palms. "Stay with me. We did it."
"I'm not backing out and I'm not listening to him." I wind my arms around her neck, surprised to find I was being honest with myself. I wasn't going to listen to him. I was done with Beck, just as he had been done with me. Tori gave me happiness, she gave me security and there was no way in Hell I was giving her up. He no longer had any influence over what I did. "We did it...we fucking did it." She mirrors my grin, our foreheads touching together, her heated breath on my cheek. Tori laughs and leans in to kiss me again, her happiness evident with her eagerness. This kiss felt...lighter, unrestrained because we didn't have to conceal it anymore. Everyone knew, so there was no tense edge or fear that someone would walk in at any given moment...
"Oh hello girls! I didn't expect to find you in here." Tori quickly jumps away from me and tries to act normal, smoothing down her shirt. Sikowitz is giving us a stupid grin, switching his smile from me and then Tori. He casually swirls a coconut around in his palm, taking a sip from the straw. "How is the blog work going?"
"Oh the blog? It's...it's great! Yeah, we have a ton of followers and we get questions all the time. It's really fun." I have to fight not to groan out loud at Tori's forced enthusiasm.
"Excellent! I'm glad to hear it. You two certainly seem to be getting along better." He keeps slurping at his straw.
"Yeah we are. Well...uh, I better get to class. Thanks for showing me the stage directions Jade, later!" Tori hops down from the stage to make her quick escape, leaving me alone with our barefooted teacher.
Gee, thanks babe.
I retrieve my Gears bag from the floor, pulling the strap over my shoulder.
"Haven't you had that bag since Freshman year?" Sikowitz questions as I stomp down the steps.
"I don't know. Haven't you had those pants since 1988?" He gives me an amused smile, swirling his coconut again. "Oh before you leave, Jade. I have a question to ask you. I was hoping you'd be able to help with my... dilemma."
My eyebrow arches suspiciously. "Details...?"
"Well you see. I made a bet with Lane about whether you two were officially a couple. He just lost the bet, so now I'm wondering. Do I want a gift card to BF Wang's or Olive Bargain?"
A/N: a tense yet light chapter all rolled together. It's a relief that their friends now know about their relationship - not that they didn't suspect anything already. One hurdle down just the next one to go...telling the parents. In case anyone is interested, I got my official kickboxing gear today!
#shelbymarx #whoamikidding. Read and Review?