Chapter 9

"Tori," Beck snapped his fingers, smiling at the startled Latina as she came out from another one of her memories and thoughts about her and Jade.

"Hm?"

"What do you think?" Beck motioned toward his Tuxedo, This one White with light blue accents. He stood up atop a step.

Tori smiled, admiring how great her best friend looked. "You look very handsome, Beck. I'm sure Jade is going to love you in that."

"I know, right?" Beck looked at himself in the mirror, "this color will go great with her eyes."

"Well, Jade is very lucky to be marrying you." Trina smiled She had graciously come along with Tori so she didn't have to deal with Beck alone. Especially the way she was feeling.

"She is, isn't she?" Beck smiled over at Tori, who forced a smile of her own.

"I only hope Andre would look at me the way Jade looks at you," the other Vega sighed, frowning.

Tori turned away sporting a frown of her own. This should be her being fitted for her wedding dress to marry Jade.

"Trina, you have to be direct with him," said Beck, sitting by Trina. "Trust me, he is a dude.

"Is that true?" Trina asked Tori.

Once again, Tori forced another smile, "It's true."

After shopping for his Tux, Beck and Trina wanted to still look around the mall, while Tori had had enough. She was ready to go home and have something to eat. Even if her best friend was asking her to stay, Tori needed to go. Especially because Jade had showed up out of the blue to grab a quick bite to eat, since it was near her studio.

"Tor, please stay!" Beck whined.

"No," Tori shook her head. "I promised Andre I'd have lunch with him today. I can't. Plus I really wanna get home and change."

"I could drive you," Jade offered, her eyes finding brown ones locking into her own. "I'm on my way back to work anyway."

"Yeah!" Beck beamed. "That's a great idea. Jade, you drive her."

"No, I wouldn't want to trouble you."

"It's no trouble." She assured her, jumping to the opportunity to get Tori alone.

"Yeah, go with her, Tor," Beck nudged her. "If you promised Andre, you promised him. But call me later." She winked.

"Of course," Tori nodded, her eyes turned to Jade, who looked absolutely different but still gorgeous in a pair of light gray jeans, white button down and a black blazer unbuttoned. As was the shirt expozing flesh that Tori was hungry to see.

Jade smiled, walking alongside Tori as they went on their way. The car ride was silent, until Jade broke."Listen, Tori-"

"Beck looks so handsome in his tux," Tori interrupted before Jade could get a word in, fighting back tears. "He is so excited, Jade."

Jade's jaw clenched as she stared at the road ahead. "Tori…" She spoke, turning to look her way. "We have to talk about what happened."

"No, I don't think we do, Jade." Tori quickly replied, shaking her head in denial.

"Tori-"

"We agreed that it was a mistake. We were both drunk, and we-"

"I wasn't that drunk," Jade murmured, staring back at the road ahead.

"What?" Brown eyes grew wide.

The goth brought her car to a stop in Tori's diveway, her eyes looking into brown orbs. "I wasn't that drunk." She repeated.

Tori blinked, not really knowing what to respond to that confession.

"Tori, I have to tell you something, and it may be too late, but…" She paused, "Tori, I-"

"Jade," Tori breathed, "Stop. What happened… It won't happen again." Her eyes met with Jade's one last time before she exited the car and went into her house.

The raven haired girl sighed, watching Tori enter her parents house without so much as looking back.

"Wow," Andre sat across from a distraught brunette, holding onto his soda as they ate lunch together at their usual spot. "She's in love with you?" He asked her, his voice in shock.

"She didn't say exactly that, but with the way she worded things…" Tori sighed, hiding her face in her hands, releasing a low groan in frustration. "This is stupid! She can't possibly be interested in me, she just can't."

"On her part, maybe," Andre shrugged one shoulder. "But she wouldn't be the first person to realize her attraction for someone else weeks before her wedding. Besides, can you blame her? You're hot," he smirked, teasing her.

Tori chuckled, shaking her head. "This is no time for jokes, Andre."

"Tor, you can't keep avoiding her forever. Sooner or later, you are going to have to talk about what happened."

Her eyes shut tight as she released another groan, a little louder this time. "What happened? What happened was a stupid mistake on my part for allowing things to spiral so out of control!"

"Hey- it wasn't all you." Andre glared. "And Jade is a big girl she knows what's up. you're right. It was stupid, and I support whatever you want to do." He reached over to take her hand. "Besides, you're already putting yourself through enough by having helped Beck pick out his tux."

Tori sighed, "And to make matters worse, Beck asked me to meet him for dinner tonight at his favorite restaurant. He says he wants to talk to me about something important."

Andre's brow furrowed, "Something important? Could it be about the wedding?"

"I honestly don't know." Tori grabbed a stack of her french fries, bringing them to her mouth and chewing them like she hadn't eaten in weeks. She couldn't even taste them, her nerves were spiraling out of control.

Whatever Beck wanted to talk about, she hoped it was nothing related to Jade.

Tori decided on wearing a silk purple buttoned up shirt with black skinny jeans and brown boots to meet Beck for dinner. It was crowded, but she managed to spot Beck easily, and just as she was heading over to him, her smile vanished upon seeing him and Jade sitting across from each other, entrenched in a deep conversation.

Jade's eyes moved over to the brunette, her brow furrowed in surprise. "Tori?" She called out loud, causing Beck to look over his shoulder with a smile stretched across his lips.

"Oh, you're here! Good!" Beck beckoned her over to their table.

"Hi," Tori forced a smile just as she forced her feet to walk toward their table.

"Beck, I thought it was just you and me for dinner?" Asked Jade, her eyes moving over to a surprised Tori.

"same," Tori looked over at Beck in question.

"Well, I lied."

"Wha- what do you mean you lied?" Asked Jade.

"I actually wanted both of you here because- Tor, sit down," he motioned to her chair, taking a seat next to Jade.

Tori's heart was accelerating inside her chest as she took a seat. "Is everything alright?" She asked, praying to God it was.

"No," Beck breathed, his smile gone, eyeing both his girlfriend and best friend. "It's not."

Jade swallowed the lump that formed in her throat.

"You guys…" Beck turned to Jade, then Tori. "I know what's going on here."

Shit. Tori's lips parted, "You- you do?" She blinked.

Jade's eyes looked over to Tori, quickly returning to Beck.

"Well, it's kinda obvious," Beck rolled his eyes, eyeing them both.

"It is?" blue eyes grew wide.

"Jade, please, do you think I was born yesterday?" Beck scoffed. "You guys… It's okay. It is perfectly normal."

Both Jade and Tori exchanged puzzled looks before looking back at Beck.

"It is?" Tori asked, her brow furrowed.

"Yes. I realize that the two of you have been frienemys since you met," he rolled his eyes. "That it's perfectly normal for the two of you fall back on bad habits," he motioned to Tori and Jade, smirking. "Well, to be jealous of each other and quite competitive to gain my attention." he motioned to himself.

Both blinked once more, their hearts ready to explode upon worrying that Beck had found out about their drunken sex night.

"That's what's been going on, isn't it?" Beck smirked, eyeing them both.

Jade's eyes turned to Tori, "Actually… Beck… There's some-"

"Yes!" Tori forced a smile, eyeing Jade. "You guessed it."

"I knew it!" Beck chuckled, holding onto Jade's hand and then Tori's. "You guys… Neither of you needs to feel left out. I love you both so much, and I don't want you two to feel like you can't be around each other."

Tori smiled, dying even more inside, taking a much needed drink of a glass of water that had been placed on the table. She could swear her blood pressure had gone down from her nerves kicking in.

"So, now that that's settled," Beck smirked. "Tor, Jade the weekend approacheth and we will soon be back in Laguna Beach. Of course, you have to come since there is nothing to be jealous of. Danielle will be there… Which by the way she told me that he thinks you are really hot."

Jade shifted in her seat. "Beck," she muttered.

"What?" Beck shrugged. "she does." His eyes turned to Tori, "You can't tell me you two didn't have sex."

Tori's cheeks turned pink as she took another sip of the water she claimed.

"Beck, don't say that to her," Jade's brow furrowed.

"So, did you?" Beck smirked, not caring that Jade rolled her eyes.

"Beck!" Jade hissed.

"What?"

"Just stop. You are making her uncomfortable. She doesn't want to talk about your friend Danielle." Jade could taste bile rise to her mouth.

"Excuse me, but this is between me and my best friend." Beck admonished her way, turning his attention back to Tori.

"They are nothing alike, Beckett." Jade scoffed.

Beck rolled his eyes, "Who is? You and I aren't alike, yet here we are. Together, about to take a step down the aisle," he smiled. "Baby, please, if everyone was compatible, then we certainly wouldn't be the group of friends we are. So?" Beck waited for the brunette's answer.

Tori glanced over at Jade, seeing the jealousy in her eyes as clear as the candle lights that were around them.

"I plead the fifth," Tori took another sip of her water, seeing the disappointment in Jade's face, while Beck just laughed and cheered her on. It was wrong to make Jade think she did, but she couldn't be the only one suffering in this situation.

"I knew it!" Beck smirked.

Jade cleared her throat, standing from her seat, "You know what? I think I'm going to get us an uber. Suddenly I'm not feeling very well." And she didn't. Her stomach was a fucking turmoil right now.

"You go on, I'm going to stay with Tor." Beck smiled.

"Fine. I'll see you at home." Jade's eyes moved over to Tori before she walked out of the restaurant.

"So…" Beck spoke, gathering the brunette's attention again. "I need a favor."

"Another one?" Tori's brow raised.

"I need you to come to this club with me."

"Beck, I can't," Tori shook her head. "I have to work tomorrow call time is early."

"It's just to look at this guy that will be singing there, I was told he sings at weddings and I want you to help me decide."

"Well, get Jade to do it. She is going to be part of your wedding."

"Jade has to work late," Beck rolled his eyes. "Pleeeease, this will be the last thing I ask you to do for me until after my wedding."

The brunette groaned, releasing a chuckle and shaking her head. "When have I ever said no to you?"

"When I tried to kiss you that one time…" Beck grinned, pulling His best friend into a tight hug.

"Because I'm gay Beck" Tori said receiving and not returning the hug.

Her friend laughed. "And that's why I love you. Thank you."

The next night, even if Tori had to practically drag herself into that club, she went. She had been there for an hour already listening to this singer up on stage, playing his guitar and filling the room with his cover of his next song, Collide by Howie Day. Tori's eyes couldn't help to glance over at a happy couple that were standing right in front of her, holding hands and sharing a kiss that spoke volumes of their love for one another.

She reached over for her phone, fishing it out of her purse, holding it up to her ear while covering her other ear with her index finger. "Beck, where are you? I've been waiting here for almost an hour."

"I'm sorry, Tor, I completely lost track of the time," he honked his horn, seeing the traffic not move an inch. "I was with Trina and completely forgot. I don't even think I'm going to make it out of this traffic just yet. This is a nightmare."

"Beck," Tori sighed. "You said you'd be here."

"I'm sorry, look, just listen to a couple of songs and you can leave, okay? You can decide for me. I trust you. I gotta go, my battery is about to die."

Tori hung up the call, rubbing away at her temple. Her eyes opened momentarily, glancing over at the door and at her two favorite pair of blue eyes staring right back at her from a few feet away.

Jade was surprised to see Tori there, but she smiled and waved, walking her way up to her.

"Hi-"

"Hi-"

Both chuckled as they spoke in unison.

"What are you doing here?" Asked Jade.

"Beck asked me to come along. I was told you wouldn't be able to make it."

Jade rolled her eyes, "Beck," she muttered, shaking her head. "I got held up at work, but I managed to get out a little earlier and rushed over here. I was going to surprise him."

"Instead you surprised me." Tori's voice was soft.

"And you surprised me." Replied Jade, her eyes locking into brown ones. She waited for her heart to calm down before daring to speak again. "Tori, why didn't you ever tell me how you felt about me?"

Her lips parted. This was the moment where they needed to talk about the elephant in the room.

"It wouldn't have changed anything-"

"Yes, it would have!"

"Beck had already gotten under your skin, and it wouldn't have mattered how I felt."

"Tori…" Jade's voice was low, her hand came up to wipe away a single tear that rolled down the brunette's cheek. "You are all I ever thought about since the day our Pre-Opening night break. Before that, really."

Her bottom lip trembled just like her voice, and as much as she leaned into the goth's touch, she removed her hand from her cheek. "Jade, please don't do it," she whispered, shaking her head.

"Then, tell me that you don't feel the same way I do." Her eyes remained locked on Tori's. "Tell me that and I will leave you alone."

She couldn't. It was hard. Very hard to look away from Jade's eyes, because the way they were looking at her right now, the way they had been looking at her since that one night, always made it impossible to deny anything. But she couldn't do this again. She fought her tears and turned away, walking out of the door and through a crowd of people.

Tori rushed over to a cab that was just dropping someone off, and came to an abrupt halt. Her heart ached, but because Jade was right. She had never stopped loving her, ever, it was impossible. Just like it was impossible to walk away from her again. It was wrong and she would probably go to hell for it, but damn it- given that it was out in the open, she needed to tell her.

Jade stood right behind her as she turned on her heels to head back inside. She had chased after her. That was one mistake Jade had made six years ago when Beck had put them both on the spot, embarrassed Tori and practically got Jade to take him back. She should have rushed out of that bar and told her how she felt. She hated herself for this, but she would hate herself even more if she didn't put her feelings out in the open.

Tori walked a few paces closer to Jade, their eyes locking with one another. "I do," she whispered. "I shouldn't, but I can't help to feel something that is much stronger than anything I have ever felt, for you."

The corners of Jade's lips stretched into a smile, "same."

Tori's cheeks hurt from smiling so much, her head leaned in, meeting Jade's halfway, their lips melting into one another in a kiss so passionate and filled with a feeling stronger than both. Their bodies tangled up, pressing against each other, while their arms pulled each other so close.

What would happen after this sudden confession from both of them? Neither of them knew. All they could both agree on was that they didn't want this moment to end.