/JADE/
There have only been a few times, which I could count, where my heart had been broken. Each time you're put through the suffering; the agony, the numb aches and the anger. It's pure torture each and every time, those scars and cracks lasting throughout your life, becoming a permanent part of you that you try in vain to patch up, only for someone to come along to tear your hard work to shreds, yet you keep building yourself back up. Hoping, praying that you've finally found the right person, someone who won't take pleasure in destroying a piece of you.
Lying to Tori felt like the equivalent of about 10 of those heartbreaks.
I could feel the lump growing in my throat as I untangled our arms and legs, the awful sick feeling in my stomach while I packed up the last of my things into a cardboard box. My eyes are watering but I force myself backwards, watching her sleep peacefully. I'd remember this moment, her body tucked up underneath the blanket, unaware that I was leaving. I wouldn't think of a few hours time, when she'd wake up and hate me forever. I couldn't even bring myself to say goodbye, the last remaining fragments of my heart finally breaking off to get choked halfway down my throat.
Tori. I love you. I'm sorry.
I wanted to leave a note, a small scribble to tell her how much she meant to me but I knew I wouldn't be able to find the right words. How could I even begin to express these last few incredible months on paper? Writing that my heart felt stronger, that my promise would always be with her made me feel weak. It was already taking all of my self restraint to not shake her awake, demand she kiss me one last time so I could have that imprint tattooed on my lips.
"Jade? Dad told me to come get you. It's time to go." I straighten up and turn to face my younger brother, his face etched with concern. "You okay?"
"No."
"You're not going to say goodbye?"
I almost choke again. "No."
"You forgot to pack something." He nods towards the last item remaining in my room and I walk over to pick up the little ceramic pot. It was a tiny rainbow box that Tori had painted in various shades of grays, blacks and dark blues, especially for me. She'd told me while painting it that some rainbows weren't always colorful but that didn't mean they still couldn't be beautiful. I crush the box to my chest and mentally place my heart inside of it.
"Tell him I'll be downstairs in a minute." I press a kiss to the smooth painted pot, setting it on my pillow for Tori to find when she woke up. If she knew how goddamn cheesy I was being right now, she'd be smiling so hard. I curl my fists at the bitter irony, turning my back to close the door.
"You'll really like it in Chicago, Jade. There's lots of theater programs for you to get involved with." I don't say anything in response to my step mother, climbing into the backseat of the car. I grab my seat belt and clip it in, turning to glare out of the window.
Like I was going to be making fucking small talk.
"I've had a chat with your father, he said he'd consider supervised visits with your Hollywood friends."
I laugh without humor. "Supervised visits? So I really am moving into a prison."
I watch her flinch in the rear view mirror but I don't drop my scowl.
"That's not what I meant, Jade."
"No. I knew exactly what you meant."
She sighs and gives up, waiting until my father started the car engine. I stay facing the window, pressing my forehead against the cold glass. My eyes stay firmly closed, unable to face all of the buildings and landmarks we'd pass by on our way out of town; Madison's cupcake cafe, Nozu, Hollywood Arts and finally, our look out point. I tried to block out the route, digging my nails into the upper part of my thigh. I'd driven up and down this road so many times for school that it felt weird to be leaving it all behind. In just a few hours time I'd be in Chicago starting a new life, and no one would even know... except Tori.
/TORI/
My hand reaches out blindly, desperate to grab hold of Jade, to cling to her and keep her with me. We would manage, I'd already decided we could. I'd concocted the perfect plan while we'd slept. She would go on to be a world famous horror movie director and I would get a cute little job as a waitress in a cafe. Everything would work out, we'd have enough money and that meant Jade wouldn't have to leave and we could get rid of this nightmare forever.
"Jade?" I keep fumbling around the sheets, frowning when my fingers touched smooth porcelain instead. "Jade!"
No... she hasn't. She wouldn't.
My fingers keep grasping the open air as if Jade would magically appear in the covers, sitting bolt upright in the bed. Her room had been thoroughly cleaned out, nothing left to remind me of who used to live here. Nothing except this ceramic rainbow box, the one I'd painted her that rainy day in Color Me Pot. She'd left it as a keepsake, a remember me by. But I hadn't even gotten a chance to say my goodbye!
"Fuck!" I cuss loudly, listening to it echo through the empty house; a shell of it's former West grandeur. "Fuck! Damn it, Jadelyn West!" I snatch up my phone, calling Andre while pacing up and down. "I can't believe you'd do this to me agai - Andre? Andre! I need you to drive to Jade's house now!"
"Why what's happened? What's goin' on Chica?"
"No time to explain. Just hurry!" I punch end call before he could reply, dragging my fingers through my hair in frustration. I couldn't be angry with Jade, I knew why she'd left without saying anything but it was still agony to be left alone, to wake up in an empty bed without her. I knew I had to see her one last time. I had to tell her I loved her because she disappeared. I throw on some clothes, not even caring that my shirt was inside out and stand outside to wait impatiently, practically jumping inside the car before Andre had even stopped.
"Hey now, easy. What's got you all twitchy? You're acting like my grandma." Andre looks me up and down. "And your shirt's inside out."
"None of that matters right now! Drive to the Los Angeles airport, step on it! Go!" I hit his steering wheel and he jumps, pressing his foot on the gas.
"Jade's leaving Los Angeles, isn't she?" Andre pushes the pedal a little harder. "That's why you're going to the airport."
"I can't let her go without saying a goodbye. She left without even waking me up!" I hunt around for my phone, jabbing the call button.
"Uh...hello? Tori?"
"Sinjin." I press the receiver tighter to my ear. "Sinjin. I need you to track Jade's phone location. She's on the way to LAX."
"Ohhh. Here comes that sweet feeling..."
I almost gag. "I don't have time for you to be creepy right now! You can track Jade's phone, right? Her password is..." I swallow a lump in my throat. "T305."
"Got it. Give me a minute to hack the phone and I'll pull up her location." I end the call, willing for the traffic lights to change faster at each intersection.
Each second that passed. I was losing her.
"How far are we from the airport?"
"About 5 minutes. Just gotta get through this traffic-" I didn't need to hear anymore, throwing open the door to drop into the middle of the gridlocked rush hour. I ignore the horns and angry shouts from the drivers, running as fast as I could through lanes and lanes of cars, with only one sole thought on my mind: Jade.
If she left for Chicago, I knew I'd never see her again.
Don't leave. Please don't leave yet. I'm coming!
I crash my way through the entrance doors of the airport, startling the security guards. My feet skid on the polished floor as I race over to the terminal boards, scanning each flight frantically for the word Chicago.
My phone vibrates in my pocket. I yank it out.
"She's at Terminal 8, just about to go through security."
I turn back to see two security guards heading my way, obviously wanting to question me about my erratic behavior. But I had no time. I spy an airport shuttle cart and make for the vehicle, jumping in the drivers seat to kick the engine into life. I can hear them shouting at me to stop but I don't, speeding past the terminals and counting them along the way until I reached 8.
"Jade! Jade West!" I screech the cart to a stop and tumble out of the seat, pushing my way through the crowd of people waiting to get through the metal detectors. "Jade! Stop!"
"Tori? Tori, what the fuck?"I watch her turn around, her airline ticket still held in one hand and the relief floods through me.
"Code 23, I repeat we have a Code 23. Hostile and potentially dangerous passenger in Security Sector." I reach out to grab Jade's hand, just as she does the same.
Our fingertips barely brush before a large shadow looms over me, blocking my view and heavy arms start to drag me backwards.
"No!"
I couldn't tell if that was Jade's cry or mine.
I could practically see the triumphant smirk curl on Mr West's face, firmly steering his daughter past the security borders and not even giving her a chance to turn back.
"Jade... Jade! I love you!" I shout out desperately over the barriers, my heart breaking as soon as she disappears from view. It didn't matter what happened, I would always imagine that she'd shouted it back but her voice had been lost in the crowd.
My Jade, my personal darkness had gone and left me with such a glaringly bright light that it hurt my eyes.
Some people would argue you don't need that darkness... but I would disagree.
You need a balance, to stop the dark from overpowering you, or the light to blind you completely.
"What in the name of sweet chiz did you think you were doing!?" Andre rushes over to me, giving a look at the burly security guards. "I promise she's not dangerous Officers. She just really had to say goodbye to her girlfriend..." I don't listen anymore, crumpling in on myself with a pained cry.
I knew I was making a scene but I didn't care. They didn't understand. No would understand. I'd found my happiness, my future and it had been taken from me too soon. They always say that time heals all wounds, but what happens if you keep tearing the wound open every time it tries to heal? Because that's what I was going to do. I would refuse to forget about Jade, ignore how much time tried to erase our memories together.
Time wouldn't heal this wound because I wouldn't let it.
It's all I had right now.
A/N: This chapter was absolute chaos but we all know it wouldn't be Jori without it. Tori's hellbent on reaching Jade, only to be yanked away at the very last second! From hating each other in the beginning to never wanting to let go - what happens now? R&R!