Chapter 12
On Sunday, Tori and Andre found themselves chilling on the sandy beach. Andre was immersed in writing his music, while Tori had her eyes closed, wearing sunglasses, with a book resting against her chest.
Trina and Danielle were goofing around in the water, splashing each other and having a good laugh. Meanwhile, Jade and Beck strolled along the beach, holding hands.
Tori's eyes slowly opened from behind her sunglasses, casually observing Jade and Beck walking together, their smiles making them look like a genuinely happy couple.
Turning toward Jade, Beck nonchalantly asked, "So, I was thinking we could go with a marbled cake, you know?"
Jade's attention seemed to be elsewhere, lost in her thoughts. "Hm?" She finally responded, her gaze drifting towards Tori lounging in a beach chair.
Noticing Jade's distraction, Beck playfully waved his hand in front of her face, saying, "Jade?"
"Huh?" Jade blinked, returning her focus to Beck. "What's going on with you?" Beck asked, his brow furrowing.
Jade allowed a small smile to grace her lips as she replied, "Nothing." She shook her head. "Why?"
Beck shrugged with a playful grin. "You've seemed a bit tense lately." He pulled Jade closer by wrapping his arm around her waist. "You know, I have something that could help with that." Beck whispered flirtatiously.
Jade chuckled, raising an eyebrow. "I just bet you do."
Beck continued, "Come on, Jade. We haven't been together for weeks now. What's going on? Do you not want to?"
With sincerity, Jade assured him, "Of course, I do, Beck." She turned to face Beck directly, her eyes hidden behind her sunglasses. "I've just been under a lot of stress lately, you know - work and this wedding. My grandmother's condition is worsening."
Tori watched the interaction from a distance, observing as Beck pulled Jade into a comforting embrace, his hands gently caressing the blonde's back. Tori decided to stand up from her beach chair and retreated into the house, leaving Andre to quietly observe her departure before returning his attention to Jade and Beck.
Tori arrived at the movie studio on a casual Thursday morning. Her steps came to a halt as she spotted a dozen roses placed on her station where she typically stood during production. Glancing around and catching the knowing smirks on the crew members' faces, she walked over to the roses and plucked the card that had been placed among them.
The message read, "I'm sorry this weekend wasn't what we expected it to be. Can we try again?"
A faint smile tugged at her lips as she reached for her phone and dialed Jade's number.
Jade's own lips curled into a smile as Tori's name flashed on her screen, and she promptly set her script down to answer the call. "Now I know how many roses it takes for you to call me back."
"I'm sorry," Tori frowned. Jade had been trying to contact her all week since they returned from their trip to her beach house, but she had been actively avoiding her. Especially after their confession of love and then witnessing her with Beck, which was a painful reminder that whatever was happening between them was happening behind her best friend's back.
"No," Jade stood from her chair, looking out at the movie studio lot bustling with activity. "I'm the one who should apologize." She sighed. "Tori, I know last weekend wasn't exactly what we expected. Things were said, and..."
"It's my choice to pull away, Jade. I just think it's for the best."
"No, it's not—"
"Jade," Tori sighed, closing her eyes momentarily. When she reopened them, they fell on a poster from their recent movie in the studio. "I hate seeing you with him." She confessed, her own heartache surprising even her, eliciting a self-deprecating chuckle. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I do—I hate that I feel the way I do for you, and he's the one who gets to have you."
Jade's heart came to a sudden halt.
"God, I'm such a bad friend for saying this," Tori shook her head, pinching the bridge of her nose with her fingers.
"You aren't," Jade turned around, her eyes settling on a movie poster. "Look…" She sighed. "I think what you and I need is a chance to get away. Together. To try this again, just the two of us and figure it out." Her gaze shifted to a picture of her with her grandmother. "This weekend is July fourth; I can tell Beck I have to work, and we can have that weekend just for us."
The prospect of spending the Fourth of July weekend alone with Jade was alluring, even if it meant having to lie. This might be the chance she wouldn't get again.
"So, what do you say?" Jade waited for the brunette's response.
Tori's eyes flicked to Andre, who was approaching her on the bustling movie studio lot. "I have to go; I'll call you back." She hung up.
"Hey, sorry I'm late, I had to literally fight a guy just to get you the last turkey club—" Andre's eyes fell on the roses before him. "You got flowers?"
"It seems so," Tori reached for her lunch, placing it on a nearby equipment crate as Andre settled in next to her.
"Who are they from?" His eyes narrowed. "Is it from my cousin?"
"Danielle?" Tori hesitated.
"And yes, they are from her." Tori's eyes shifted to Andre's hand as it reached for the card.
"Oh, really?" He glanced down at the card, a smirk stretching across his lips. "Doesn't strike me as the romantic type, especially not with a bouquet this expensive. Let's see—"
Tori swiftly grabbed the card from his hand, exclaiming, "It's private, Andre. Come on." She chuckled, stashing the card inside her bag and taking a hearty bite of her sub.
"Tori..." Andre's gaze bore into her, watching as she nervously ate. "Who are the flowers from?"
"Nobody," she replied, taking a sip of her diet coke and avoiding eye contact.
"Do you want me to guess?" Andre's brow raised inquisitively.
Tori sighed, finally meeting Andre's eyes. "Alright, they're from Jade."
"And she sent you these flowers because…?" He prodded further.
With another sigh, she admitted, "Well, we kissed, and—"
"You kissed?" His eyes widened, leaning in closer to her desk.
"Yes, but—"
"Where?"
"Along the set, but—"
"Tori, do you enjoy torturing yourself? How could you let her kiss you when you don't even know if—"
"She told me she loved me, Andre," she blurted out, seeing the shock in his brown eyes.
"She—?" He waited for her nod, leaning back in his chair. "Wow. That's a... Pretty big confession." He took a moment to process this new information. "And what did you say? How do you feel?"
Tori sighed, "Well, I might've, like, told her that I, you know, love her too." She held up her hand, noticing the once again shocked look on his face. "I know," she stood up from her seat, pacing around the set. "I know, I'm like, a horrible, horrible friend. Beck doesn't deserve this." Her head shook.
"No, hey," Andre reached over to give Tori's hand a gentle squeeze. "You stepped up. Sneaking around, sure," he nodded. "But, you finally told Jade how you feel." He smiled. "And, hey, now you know that she feels the same way, too."
The corners of Tori's lips stretched into a tiny smile that soon faded into a frown.
"What? Is there something else? What is it?" Andre asked, waiting for her to continue.
Her brown eyes locked onto Andre's as she sat in the chair beside him. "She's asked me to spend an entire weekend with her—alone. She wants us to have a chance to see how this works out." She chuckled. "But, I know—I know it's crazy. I mean, we're practically having an affair here. And I know what you're thinking."
"Well, actually…" Andre's brows shot up. "Tor, I gotta say, I'm so proud of you."
"Proud of me?" Her brow furrowed in surprise.
"Yeah!" He smiled. "I mean, sure, the sneaking around is bad, but, hey, she's not married yet, and she's told you she loves you, and I know you love her, so… Maybe this weekend with her isn't such a terrible idea."
"Correct me if I'm wrong here," her brow furrowed even deeper. "But aren't you the same person who warned me not to get mixed up in this? Now, you're actually supporting me to go ahead with this weekend with her?"
"Tori," Andre shifted in his seat, holding onto her hands. "It's crazy, yes, but I never actually thought that Jade would have it in her to admit her feelings for you—nor you, for that matter. I mean, the decision of whatever you want to do is up to you. It's always up to you, but if you do this weekend thing with her, then maybe it's a good opportunity to talk things out and see if you'll get anywhere with Jade or… You put a stop to it once and for all."
Andre had a point. As wrong as sneaking around was, and how horrible it made her feel, she couldn't help but want to go on this weekend getaway with Jade.
"I mean, just stop and think for a second," Andre said. "What do you want?"
"I want…" She chuckled. "Not to want her. But, I can't help it. As wrong as this is, I want to do this with her." She sighed. "I want to be with her, Andre."
He nodded, his hand coming up near the corner of her lip to wipe off a smudge of mustard. "Then, do what you gotta do, kiddo."
"Do you really think I should?" Tori asked him.
"I think…" He exhaled, his eyes locked on her brown orbs. "That if the roles were reversed, he would not hesitate to be with Jade. It's harsh, but he will only think about what makes him happy, no matter whose feelings he'd hurt."
That cut deep inside Tori's heart. She knew somewhere deep down, Andre was right. He was her best friend, but even during this whole wedding preparation, he had only been thinking about himself. He certainly didn't hesitate to come in and take Jade from her when he saw the opportunity six months ago.
"What do you think?" Beck held out a sleek black tuxedo, a grin plastered on his face.
Tori, who had agreed to meet up with him at the mall, glanced at her phone. "I think I've got to jet back to work, Beck."
"No way!" Beck placed the tuxedo down, sliding into the seat beside her. "You've got to help me with something, dude."
"Your tuxedo is cool," Tori replied, thinking Beck had changed his mind about it.
"Nah, dude," Beck smirked, pulling out his phone. "It's my vows. Can I read 'em to you?"
Tori put on a forced smile and nodded. "Sure thing, bro."
"Jade… Our love is like, totally like the ocean, you know? Endless and deep, always flowing." His grin faded when he saw Tori's puzzled look. "What? You hate it, don't you? It's trash?"
"It's not trash," Tori shifted in her seat. "It's just…"
"Just what?" Beck asked, sounding a bit panicked.
"Oceans don't flow, man. Rivers flow. And these are your wedding vows; you gotta be more epic."
Beck sighed, slumping his shoulders. "Help me out, dude! I'm begging you. What would you say to her?"
Tori widened her eyes, "Me?"
"Yeah, if Jade was marrying you, what would you say to her?" Beck held out his phone, ready to type.
Tori squirmed in her seat, "Beck, I'm not sure I wanna—"
"No way, it's all in good fun!" Beck nudged her. "You're my go-to, man. I need your wisdom right now."
Tori massaged her temples, letting out a heavy sigh. "Alright, dude. Um… Forget the ocean."
"Forget the ocean," Beck agreed, deleting his previous attempt.
"You can tell her that when you're with her, everything clicks, you know? And she makes you feel all giggly."
Beck rolled his eyes, chuckling. "Isn't that kinda cheesy?"
"You want my help or what?" Tori shot him a playful glare.
"Alright, alright, keep going," Beck continued to type out Tori's suggestions.
"Tell her she makes you the person you want to be, instead of the person you are, and the thought of life without her? Unbearable and unimaginable."
"Oh, my God!" Beck suddenly hopped out of his seat, rushing over to a group of friends he hadn't seen in a hot minute. "You guys!"
Tori watched Beck interact with his friends, wondering if he'd even noted down all the stuff she just told him. She couldn't help but wonder if Beck genuinely loved Jade or if he was just caught up in the wedding preparations.
Tori pondered Andre's words, her mind racing like crazy. He was totally onto something, you know? If it were Beck in her shoes, she was pretty darn sure Beck wouldn't hesitate to snatch up a chance to spend the 4th of July weekend with Jade. So, why should she be holding back?
Digging through her purse, she whipped out her phone and fired off a quick text to Jade: "About the 4th of July weekend... I'd love to see you!"
Jade's grin practically lit up her phone as she replied in a flash: "Can't wait to see you!"