Disclaimer: Don't own the source material. Don't make money, so don't sue.
:}
Tori was watching Jade out of the corner of her eye, even as she was on stage, performing her lines. The only time Jade wasn't in her peripheral was when Tori was facing the other way. All through the play, through every scene, and every song, Tori watched her girlfriend. She had reason to watch, she was worried, cause whatever Jade saw in the audience made her more nervous then opening day of "Well Wishes."
But despite the constant sense of worry, Tori was a professional. She hit every mark, shining like the star she was while striving to make everyone else on stage shine a little brighter too. It wasn't easy, but the most important part wasn't hard either. Tori just let herself get lost in the role, the way she figured Jade did when she played a role. Memorizing the lines was hard, but being the character, that had to be natural.
During the intermission, Tori sought Jade, but the writer was busy talking to the technical team about stuff. Tori knew everyone wanted everything to be perfect, and in any great play, there was tinkering up until the curtain was raised, and often even after. Whatever Jade was doing, it gave Tori a sense of relief, cause she wasn't freaking out about what the audience was thinking.
The second act went as could be expected, with the fight scene that was added, but didn't make sense, turned into a dream sequence. It was shown under strobing colored lights and shadows, making everyone seem almost unreal as the players moved around the stage. Other then maybe causing an epileptic fit, the other effect was to make the fight scene seem like a metaphor, somehow fitting in the context of the play.
Tori was breathing hard, almost out of breath, when they were making their curtain calls. The audience seemed to love the production, giving a standing ovation. They gestured to the band, giving Andre and company their chance to take their bow. Then they called Sikowitz to the stage to take his bow with the cast. Multiple people gestured, but Jade didn't seem to notice. When Tori tore her eyes off the audience to look, the fighter wasn't there. She'd disappeared during the chaos of the curtain call and calls for an encore. So despite the desire to give her her moment in the spotlight, Tori and cast had to let that moment pass.
As soon as the curtain was down for good, Tori was off looking for Jade. For the first time in her life, she was as scary as the goth, demanding that someone tell her what had happened to the writer. Time and again, they seemed to be confused, as if everyone had been so focused on the play, and the crowd, that they'd lost track of the her. Tori's worry, and her need to find out before facing what appeared to be Jade's entire family, drove her through the various parts of back stage. Finally, one of the stage hands told her he thought he'd seen Jade go into the bathroom.
Tori entered quietly, holding her breath as her own heart beat thundered through the small room. Slowly she made her way to the stalls, not sure what she was going to find, and so very afraid of what she might learn. Dark thoughts, things Jade had said in the past, raced through her mind, and dread slowly crept into her blood. Tori had to force herself to keep looking.
She found Jade in the third stall, resting her head against the porcelain, face paler then normal. The small space smelled of vomit and Italian food. "Jade? Are you..." Tori asked as she reached for the girl.
'Tori?" Jade asked. "How? I mean, how'd they like it?" Hope and fear reflected in the blue green eyes of the goth writer.
"I'm not sure." Tori replied. "I had to go looking for my girlfriend, who for some reason missed our call for her to take a bow."
"Writers don't take a bow, they just get forgotten as people praise the play." Jade said.
"They get a curtain call when their rooting section takes up a tenth of the seating." Tori smiled.
"Tenth?" Jade asked, looking at Tori.
"Your family and mine." Tori said.
"It looked like half." Jade corrected.
"Half?" Tori asked. "How many were out there?"
"All my family." Jade told her. "Wyatt, Kevin, Stan, and the other senseis from the dojo. You saw my father, and my brother was next to him. Plus there were a dozen from the community center. You've met Andy, right?"
"Assuming significant others, that comes to...Yea, maybe half." Tori said, laughing.
"It's not funny." Jade snapped.
"Yes it is." Tori snapped back. "Jade, baby, it's okay to be nervous. Loved the whole dream sequence chiz, by the ay. Made that fight scene make sense." She smiled, then continued. "It's okay to be nervous. But you have to understand, You made yourself sic, and missed how much they loved your work." Tori had, by this point, leaned down to sit next to Jade. Suddenly standing up, Tori held out her hand for Jade. "Come, it's time to face the inevitable praise from the family."
"You really think they liked it?" Jade asked.
"They should, I was brilliant." Tori said, projecting her best impersonation of Trina from just a few months ago.
"Well then, I guess they loved it." Jade said, smiling. She allowed herself to be led out of the bathroom and out to where the crowd had gathered after the play. As they approached, they heard Sikwoitz call out "Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Tori Vega, and the Writer of tonight's amusement, Jade West."
They entered to applause.
Trina was running out of excuses to give the gathering. While everyone else rushed to get their makeup off and come enjoy the adulation of the crowd, Tori and Jade were no where to be seen. Trina kept telling them that "They probably had a couple of things to go over for the next performance. You know how writers are always changing things." and "Probably some thing to do with costuming, since they're taking a bit longer then I'd have thought."
She was just about to go looking for them when Scotty found her. "I've asked around, and no one knows where Jade went. They told me that the last gestures the actors were doing was trying to get Jade to come out and take a bow with them, but by then she'd vanished. But I do know that Tori went looking for them."
"Good work. Go, find Cat, well need the manpower. Jade could be anywhere in the school, and her family isn't going to wait mush longer to see whats become of her. We'll start by searching the backstage area, and go out from there." Trina was taking charge, making sure things got done.
"I'll come up with a grid, so we can get it done quickly and efficiently." Scotty said.
"Ladies and Gentlemen," Sikowitz announced, "I give you Tori Vega, and the Writer of tonight's amusement, Jade West."
The room seemed to come alive again, with everyone applauding. Both girls deserved the adulation, but this was Jade's missed curtain call, and Trina knew the crowd wanted to let her know how much they'd appreciated her work. 'The play was awesome.' She thought to herself.
"Cancel the search, but keep Cat on standby. We may need to find their modesty when this is over." Trina joked.
"You mean they're going to take off their cloths?" Someone asked.
"No, I think she's worried that their ego's will grow." Scotty corrected. "Honestly, you'd think they'd know other uses for words."
Trina smiled at him. "So, do we warn them, or let Jade walk into this unprepared." She asked.
"Whats to prepare for. Her family loved it." He replied.
"I guess." Trina said. "But that doesn't mean she's nearly ready."
"Agreed." Scotty said, smiling. He was enjoying the drama, how this large family seemed to come together tonight. It gave him a sense of hope.
Jade was in heaven. She had someone who loved her by her side, and was walking out to face everyone she loved and respected. Her play was a triumph, to the point where she even managed to do something with that fight scene someone had inserted into her play. Her Play. Now all she had to do was make it through the rest of the night. 'God I'm glad Tori's here for me, cause I'm not sure I can stay on my feet.' Jade realized.
It was more then just the loss of her dinner. Jade wasn't ready for this. Nothing in her life had prepared her for this moment, when her entire family would come together and approve of something she did. Where anyone but Adam would approve of her work. "Jade, do I get to meet the great Adam now?" Tori asked, holding on so the black belt didn't slip to the floor.
"Yea, that's as good a place to start as any." Jade said. "That a way." She kinda pointed.
Along the way, a tall, simple looking man stepped up to greet her. "That play was real nice, but the flashy lights made my head hurt." Goomer said. Jade smiled at the simple minded MMA fighter.
"Should have warned people." She said. "Sorry. Tell Sam and Cat that you like plays. Maybe they'll take you to more of them."
"Kay kay." he said, then went looking for his friends.
"He knows Cat?" Tori asked.
"Scary when you meet someone who's really that..." Jade searched for the word. "Simple." Jade decided on.
"Well, I've learned a lot about not judging people by their appearances." Tori said.
"Yea, me too." Jade replied.
Soon they were in the midst of people Jade knew. Everyone seemed to want to congratulate her on the play. Some wanted to exchange a few words, others made a quick statement, then were out to talk to whomever they were talking too before. Soon, they found themselves in front of Jade's brother, Adam.
"Adam, this is Tori." Jade said, almost holding her breath.
"Hi, you did an outstanding job up there tonight." The Adam said.
"So you're the mysterious Adam." Tori said, chuckling. "You're taller then I'd expected."
"I get that a lot." The male West replied. "I'm really happy to meet you. I've watched Jade's progress, and I think you've had a lot to do with that."
"Yea, she's making progress." Tori replied, not even sure what she was saying at that point.
"Well?" A female voice asked. Tori looked to see a woman of middling height and decent figure standing there. It wasn't that the girl was unattractive, but rather she wasn't the kind of beauty Tori was used to seeing around her and her friends. The woman's roundish face and svelte figure weren't what Tori was used to the boys dating.
"Ah, Jade, this is Meg. Meg, my sister Jade." Adam said.
"Nice to meet you, Meg." Jade said, looking more nervous then she'd been just a moment ago. "Oh, and this is Tori Vega, my girlfriend." Jade said the last with her eyes closely watching for any reaction.
"Oh my god, THE Tori Vega, as in Platinum Music Awards?" Meg said. "I head the conversations with Richard at dinner, but I had no idea you were, well, you." The woman gushed.
"Well, I don't like to brag..." Tori wasn't sure what to say. She didn't get this kind of reaction very often.
"So Meg, How'd you and Adam here meet?" Jade asked.
"I was working in an accounting firm near where his office is, and he asked me out one day." She said. "He was so sweet, I can't remember the last time someone was so nervous to speak to Me."
"Well, you seem to be good for him." Jade replied, smirking at her brother. "You bring out the best in him."
"That's so sweet of you to say." Meg said. "Your father was talking about having me come work for him, but I'm not sure that's a good idea."
"It's a great one." Jade shot out before meg could continue. "My dad's not the most complimentary, but if he thinks you'd fit, then you'll fit. Just expect the place to be, you know, really boring."
"Yea, I get that." Meg said.
Tori was talking to Adam as Jade was getting to know Meg. Jade also knew she'd have to explain something to Tori before things were done. Adam was attracted to some unusual qualities, and didn't tend to date what society considered beautiful. It had been one of the many areas of contention between him and their father. Of course, nothing was funnier then watching him get all nervous, working up the nerve to ask out a girl that most of his friends wouldn't think of dating, but Jade knew it was what he was into.
"I'll admit, I wasn't expecting this." Meg said, bringing Jade out of her thoughts.
"Expecting what?" Jade asked.
"How crazy talented everyone is. I mean, back in college, we had a decent theater department, and you guys put them to shame." The woman said. "And your play, it was described as a hot mess, but God, was it good. I was on the edge of my seat more then I expected to be."
"Yea, were like that." Jade dismissed the compliment. "You into martial arts?"
"A little self defense training, but that's it." Meg replied.
"If you're interested in learning, this is the family." Jade said. "Sorry, but it's time to face the beast." Jade made her excuse, then went to talk to her father.
"So what do you think of Meg?" He asked.
"She seems good for him." Jade replied. "So, you approve?"
"Yes." The West patriarch said. "Not what I'd consider perfect, but I lost that battle a long time ago."
"Who are you, and what have you done with my father?" Jade asked, kinda joking. Honestly, her father hated losing more then she did. It was the only area of his life where he showed strong emotions. Admitting he'd lost at anything was just not HIM.
"Jade, I'm here to try and bury the hatchet." Richard West said. "I had a lovely talk with that Tori girls sister, and I found her and her boy to be the kind of practical people I like to meet. Maybe she's into this theater stuff, but she got a job doing whatever she could, and is willing to accept whatever her career gives her. The boy, Scotty, he'll be there to support her if things don't happen for her."
"You like Trina?" Jade said, shocked. "Wait, that's right, you didn't deal with the same Trina I did for the first three years I was here. You got the grown up version. I like that one too."
"What I'm saying is, have a backup plan, and I'll accept that this is what your going to try and succeed at." Richard said. "You're good. I am willing to accept that. But the odds are against you. Even Tor, with her music contract almost guaranteed, she's a far distance from being a success. I think she and you should take a class in economics for musicians. Learn how the industry works. It'll help you both. And maybe, if things don't work out, it will keep you out of debt."
"I love you too." Jade said, smiling. That one moment, the world was going great for her. Jade was so sure the world would explode the very next morning.
Of course, she had to make it through the night first.
:}
Love how ominous that last line sounded. Don't worry, I'm not going to do anything drastic. What Jade needs to face is a happy thing.
More progress for Jade, right. Trina's having a strong impact on her life too.
Review. I don't know where you live, and couldn't do anything to you even if I did, so you've been warned. Review or nothing happens to you.