/JADE/

My eyes blink tiredly, the contents of my locker swimming with unfocused vision. We had finished up Tori's driving session last night with a few laps around my neighborhood. Nothing too challenging - except when she forgot to signal and almost sent us plowing into delivery truck. I could tell Vega was way too distracted after our heart to heart conversation to concentrate on driving and she must have seen me fidgeting, just as on edge as she was. We had said a hasty goodnight. I didn't even bother with my late night coffee, just going straight to my bed to lay in the dark. I knew as soon as I laid down I would be too wired to even close my eyes, my brain going over all the different ways I could possibly come out to my parents, the absolute nightmare responses I would get.

So no, I hadn't slept at all.

"There you are!" I close my locker to see Tori's beaming smile, a cup of coffee held out for me to take. "I was getting worried. I texted you about four times and you didn't reply." I wind my arm around her waist to pull her in for a lazy kiss.

"Yeah, I probably left my phone somewhere. I'll find it later." I stifle a yawn before taking a long gulp of coffee.

"You didn't sleep last night either?" She leans in close to whisper, idly playing with a strand of my colored hair.

"Do I look like a slept?" I wrap my fingers around the cup to warm them. "I feel like death."

"You still look beautiful."

"It's too early for your lies." I mutter but allow a smile to touch my lips.

"So...you must have been up all night worried about what you were gonna say today." I feel a hand brush over my cheek.

"If by 'worried' you mean I was pacing so much last night that I dug a trench into my bedroom floor, then yes. You could say I was somewhat concerned."

It wasn't even an exaggeration.

"Well I uh, I managed to come out to my parents first thing this morning..." Tori shuffles from foot to foot. "I wanted to get it over and done with."

I lower my coffee cup, impressed she'd laid out all the cards on the table already. "Wow. And what happened?"

"Well they already had their suspicions about me being gay - so it didn't really come as much of a shock." She chuckles softly. "Trina actually asked if the phone was ringing from upstairs and when my dad asked why would it be ringing, she said because she called it. Treen's always known...something."

My fingers grip the cup a little tighter.

"So they were okay with you being gay? It didn't bother them?"

"Not really. My parents just want me to be happy. I told them being with you made me happy."

I sigh. "That still doesn't make me feel any better about telling my parents."

"Well maybe this will." Tori sets my cup of coffee aside, wrapping both of her arms around my waist to pull me up against her. Since we had officially come out to everyone at school, it was no longer a strange sight to see us making out. Of course, some people still thought they could ogle, but I soon sent them running with one of my threatening glares. It was actually a relief not having to hide anymore, though I was fairly certain some students, and teachers included, preferred it more when we were fighting. We had been less wrapped up in each other then.

Oh well, they can't have it both ways.

"Jade West?" We pull apart at the sound of my name, facing Helen's jittery blonde assistant. "You're wanted in the Principal's Office."

Tori's eyebrow is arched but I shrug it off.

"Kay. I'll be there in a second."

"No. You need to come right away. It's urgent." I groan and lean in to peck Tori's cheek.

"This won't take long." I assure my worried looking girlfriend, before turning around to follow the blonde.

I make an effort to appear more awake than I actually am, wondering what could possibly be so urgent they'd need to see me first thing in the morning. I thought I had been flying low under the Helen radar recently. Okay, save for that one kid who I had to threaten with a rock because he wouldn't stop wolf whistling at me and Tori. But it can't be about that. Getting called to the Principals office was serious.

"Jade! Jade!" I almost collide with Cat, her eyes looking wild and terrified. "Jade! I did a really bad thing! Where's Tori? I texted her about 10 times!"

"Hey, hey slow down. Cat, what's going on?" I hold her at arms length.

"Well I sent a text message to you this morning but it wasn't you. I mean, it was for you but it wasn't you who answered and I got all freaked out because it was supposed to be you and I asked them things about you and Tori and they replied but it still wasn't you because you're here and not there!" She rushes out and I blink.

I had only paid attention to the first sentence.

"Wait. Wait. What? You sent a text message to my phone. I don't even have my phone on me!" My throat starts to close up. "Who the hell answered?"

"Your father." His familiar cold voice makes my blood ice over in my veins.

Oh fuck.

...

"You had absolutely no right to go through my personal possessions in the first place!" I yell at him from across our dining room table, my eyes blazing with fury. I can see his jaw clenched, a split second before a fist pounded on the polished wood.

"Well I'm glad I did. What the hell have you and this - this female been up to?"

"That female is Tori Vega and she's my girlfriend. Alright!?" I watch him flinch as if I'd burned him.

We'd been forced to take our argument out of the school, once his voice started raising mine soon followed and pretty soon it was a screaming match between the both of us in the cramped Principals Office. I was sure the entire school could hear everything that was being said. I didn't give a shit. Let them hear it.

"Please Mr West. I love Jade and you have to no idea how happy she makes me." Tori had burst in at the commotion and rushed to my side, completely ignoring Helen's orders to leave.

My dad had cocked his eyebrow, a familiar look of disdain curling his lip as he looked her over.

"Oh, I am already well aware of how happy my daughter makes you."

"Then you know that we can't be split up." Tori had clung to my side but my dad had clapped a hand on my shoulder, a vice like possessive grip to steer me out of the Office. I had barely enough time to turn around, mouthing to her that everything will be okay.

Now I wasn't so sure.

"I knew it was a mistake to let you go to that school." He paces up and down, as if deciding what had to be done about my shocking behavior. I glance over to my step mother for assistance, but she sits impassively in the chair, her lips pursed together and as per usual, offering no support whatsoever.

"That's it. I don't want you seeing her anymore." He levels his glare at me and I return it with interest.

"You can't stop me."

"For God's sake!" He bursts. "What the hell happened with you? A few months ago you were with Beck and now you're -" He makes a face of disgust unable to finish the sentence. I just stare back at him coldly. I wasn't a stranger to these "family meetings" The high backed, dining room chair was an object of interrogation and me and Cody both knew it. But this time, I wasn't letting them get to me. I wouldn't be controlled.

I decide to finish for him.

"Now I'm with someone who actually makes me happy. Why the fuck does it matter if it's a girl!?"

"Watch your language, Jadelyn!"

"Whatever! The point is, you can't stop me from seeing Tori!" I curl my fists. "I love her and I want to be with her. Why can't you just support me for once. Just once! Would it be so hard for you to accept me for who I am?"

"Oh don't use those wasted acting talents on me." He grits his teeth. "This isn't some scene from a goddamn movie. It's real life and I'm not standing for it."

"Fuck this." I add the cuss purposefully, watching my dad's vein throb on his forehead. "I'm not wasting anymore time arguing with you!"

I get up out of the chair and stride to the door, my pride and resilience crumbling with his next words.

"If you leave this room, I will ruin her life."

My hand freezes on the doorknob and I could see him smirking in triumph without even turning around.

"You wouldn't dare..." I hiss.

"Tell me, Jade. What does Tori want to do once she's graduated Hollywood Arts? She wants to be a successful singer, doesn't she? She wants to be famous."

I can feel the crushing sensation as his words squeeze me like a snake.

"You seem to keep forgetting how much influence your step mother and I have in Los Angeles. We could easily destroy Tori's dreams overnight. All it takes is a few visits, a few phone calls and her name will be blackballed so far across the state that she'd be lucky to get a gig in a rundown motel. No one would even bother to look at her resume."

My hand pulls away from the door and I hunch over, balling my fists to hold back the frustrated tears. My father, my father the fucking manipulative asshole who always had an ace up his sleeve. But then I guess he wouldn't be where he is now, without stomping on anyone or anything that got in his way.

"So if you want to leave and run back to her, by all means. Love can be replaced, but dignity? Reputation? That can be ruined for a lifetime." He spreads his hands out, as if offering me a choice. "But go ahead and take the selfish route, it's what you always do."

I could picture it and I didn't want to. The heartbroken and confused Tori, getting rejected and turned away from every movie, every TV show and every opportunity. It wouldn't just crush her, it would break her and I couldn't do that. No matter how much I loved her and needed her in my life.

I wouldn't ruin her chances of living her dream just so I could have mine.

"I'm only doing what's best for you, Jade." His voice has softened now but I'm no longer listening. "Don't destroy Tori's chance."

I can feel the invisible strings tighten painfully around my limbs. My father held the cross bar and had me walking back to the chair, dancing like a puppet.

My back sinks into the leather upholstery and I fix him with a cold, hard stare. There might as well have been chains attached to the arm rests.

"That's what I thought. Now go upstairs and pack. We're leaving."

A/N: West's have always been well known for their cunning, especially Jade's father. Jade's hands are tied (and not in the good way) She can't ruin Tori's chances of success but we know Tori won't let Jade walk away again. Read & Review!