Disclaimer: Don't own.
Warning: disturbing imagery later in the story.
:}
Taking a moment to focus, Jade glanced back at the clock, checking the time. She'd only have access to the art room for a little whole longer, and she was running out of strength far faster than she'd have liked. Still, it was almost done. The original draft, in it's simple pencil form, stood before her, as she put the finishing touches on the painting.
She'd felt it was important that she paint this picture, making up for a moment of rage that had caused her to hurt someone. Of course, there weren't many people that had ever seen her skills with the paintbrush, but today she had to show off her artistic skills, to make up for that moment. It was good, anyone who might see it would agree, monochromatic, with careful shading. Jade wanted to be sure the picture would be good enough, even when the color faded, as this sort of thing tends to do.
Yesterday, in a moment where her rage overwrote her desires, Jade had ruined Tori's self prorate. The same self portrait one the singer had worked on all semester. Tori wasn't the best artiest, but that work was surprisingly good, showing the dedication she'd poured into the weeks of work she'd put in. Jade had admired her skill, but in the end had lashed out at who knows what and the picture was destroyed.
Tori wouldn't forgive her, none of them would, and Jade wasn't sure she deserved to be forgiven. But this picture, it was necessary. Jade had to replace Tori's work so Tori could give something to her family, show them the depth of her work, as well as how beautiful the Latina was. Mostly, Jade wanted her to know she was sorry. She wanted them all to know, but only Tori needed to see it, to understand, Jade did have a conscience. Something in the work made her drop the pretenses. No more excuses, today Tori would know she was sorry, and then Jade wouldn't have to worry about if Tori forgave her or not.
When you're beyond forgiveness, even the most heartfelt of gestures fails to make up for the sins you've done.
Jade stepped back as her vision blurred. It was getting hard to see, but she was fairly certain she'd gotten everything she'd hoped out of the picture. Her work showed off the skills she'd usually reserved for her own entertainment, or to help her get out a feeling that words had failed to express. Now all that was left was to have it delivered.
Jade never intended to deliver the picture herself. Jade knew Tori would destroy it, just like she'd destroyed Tori's work. No, Jade needed it delivered, have the couriers take it to the singer, and maybe Tori would see that the gift was heart felt. If Jade was lucky, the singer would see the symbolism in the painting, and understand, it was her penance. 'All she needs to do is see it, and then, we're done. I don't… Focus, need to send that message, that text, and then I can rest...'.
Jade knew this was a possibility, that this project, painting this work, would take this much out of her, so she'd pre-written the text she'd send. Yes, Andre was angry at her, they all were, but he'd be willing to deliver the painting. Maybe, just maybe, Tori would listen to him long enough to hear that Jade was sorry, see her work. Or maybe he'd ignore her request, and Tori wouldn't see her work. Jade was fading, and couldn't care any more. She managed to press the send button on her computer, using the pearbooks, email to text option, sending the message to the musician. Then she stumbled out towards her car, as the room slowly faded from her vision.
Later that day, after the sun had risen and the others had their Saturday to do things, Tori opened her door to see Andre. "Come in, we're playing poker." She said, trying not to sound too upset. Today was supposed to be the day she revealed her art project, the one she'd worked on for the entire semester, to her family. She'd planned on a presentation, before her mother and father, that would only take a few minutes, but they'd be there, to witness her work, her passion, and appreciate her all over again. Now, thanks to Jade and her shenanigans, she only had the sketches she'd done in preparation. It just wasn't the same.
"How'd you're family take it?" Andre asked.
"They were fine, really. I mean, no one is blaming me, and I was already graded, so the only thing I lost was the work." Tori said, but she did look a touch down. She'd put a lot of work in that painting, and losing it was hard on her.
"Well, I got something for you, something that maybe they'd like… See, someone did a painting of you, and wanted you to have it." Andre said, trying to sound as casual as possible.
"Who'd..." Tori asked. "How?"
"Jade felt really bad, so she stayed after school last night and painted it for you. Worked all night." Andre explained. "She's sure you don't want to see her, so she asked me to deliver it to you." He had more to say, but chose to stop, because sometimes it's way to easy to say too much.
"What, so she can make me feel even worse?" Tori asked.
"I wouldn't be delivering it if that was the case." Andre said. "It's beautiful, in a creepy kind of way."
"Then you keep it." Tori replied.
"Probably the best idea, but a small part of me thinks you should see it, alone." He said.
The others had gathered to watch this drama unfold, drawn by the public conversation. "Why?" Trina asked.
"I want to see it." Cat said. "Jadey never paints any more."
"I don't think that's..." Andre started.
"Okay, show me." Tori cut him off. "If you have it, show me."
"I'll need some help. It's almost life sized." The musician said. Beck walked out with him, and helped carry the large canvas in.
Tori impatiently taped her foot, not in the least happy about this, but wanting to see what Jade though would make her forgive the goth. Once the picture was in the house, and a place was found to show it, they pulled the cloth off of it to reveal the work in all it's glory.
It wasn't like the picture Tori had done of herself. Jade understood art enough to know you don't replace a painting. It was, instead, a stunningly beautiful rendition of Tori, almost full body, nude but discreet, done in just the white of the canvas and a dark reddish brown. The gang was struck by the subtle use of the paint, in various amounts of coverage, to represent shading and form. Even Tori had to admit the picture showed a lot of appreciation for her face, details carefully highlighted in the momocrome.
"Where's Jade?" Becks question almost sounded like a demand.
"Who cares." Trina said.
"Is that...?" Cat asked, looking at Andre, her face shifting to a look of horror.
"Yes." The musician agreed, even as he held himself together to finish this request.
"Where is she?" Beck asked a second time.
"I though you were mad at her?" Trina asked, not looking away from the stunning painting to try and understand the boys reaction.
"Cat, whats wrong?" Robbie asked. He could tell, something was off, but hadn't put the pieces together yet.
"Is it hers?" Cat asked Andre, not bothering to answer her crush.
"Whats everyone bugging out about?" Tori asked.
"Maybe I should tell you outside." Andre said to Beck, hoping to avoid disturbing the Latina any more then she already was.
"It is, isn't it?" Cat said more then asked.
"Anyone like to explain?" Tori asked, glancing around at her friends. Those who were freaking seemed focused on the painting, while the others were just as confused as she was.
"Cat, relax. Tell me whats wrong." Robbie tried again.
David Vega walked into the room, looking to see what the commotion was. "You know, that paint looks a lot like dried blood." His observation seemed harmless enough, for a second or two.
In that moment, they all understood. This wasn't just a painting, but Jade's penance. She wanted Tori to know how sorry she was, so she'd painted the portrait, the whole picture, in her own blood. This wasn't an attempt to replace the picture, as much as showing she'd bleed for her sins.
"Where is she?" Tori asked. Her horror at this gesture, the raw symbolism of how damaged the goth really was, had sunk in, and she felt she needed to know, what had happened in the act of painting this mixture of beauty and pain.
"Hollywood Community Hospital's ICU." The musician replied. "She was nearly dead this morning when Sinjin and I showed up to get the painting. We found her lying on the floor, her arm sliced open so she could bleed her paint."
"Is she..." Cat didn't have the will to ask the whole question.
"She'll be fine." Beck said, relaxing.
"How can you be so calm?" Trina, of all people, asked.
"Jade's strong. If she was alive this morning, she'll recover." He said. "Andre, is she stable?"
"Coma from the loss of blood. They gave her a transfusion, so she should be fine, but..." The musician's voice faded.
"Can we see her?" Cat asked.
"Only family for now, but with any luck, she'll be allowed more visitors tomorrow." Andre informed them.
"Then lets play some cards." Beck said, sounding to blasé for just about anyone's taste.
"You know, it's kinda creepy how calm you are." Trina said. "Especially considering how freaked out you were just a minute ago."
"It's like I said, Jade's strong." Beck said. "Now that I know she's okay, I can relax. I'll see her tomorrow."
The gang didn't know what to do, so they returned to the card game, but no one was concentrating on it. Instead, they watched the painting as David did the only thing he could think of, and moved it out of the room. They'd decide what to do with Tori's gift later, after they'd had a chance to get over the news of the pale girls action. 'And maybe, make sure she'll be around to see it.' He'd decided.
Later that night, after everyone had gone home, Tori snuck into the ICU of the Hollywood Community Hospital. It turned out to be a lot easier than she's though it would be. She put on a white lab coat with a name tag, and Trina distracted the on duty nurse. Somehow the poor disguise worked, and she was soon inside, looking for Jade.
It didn't take too long to find the pale girls room. They'd been there before, and Tori knew the approximate layout of the hospital. Once they knew what ward, it was easy enough finding her. It helped that they wrote the name of the patient on a whiteboard just outside the room. Tori was able to get a look at the room assignment sheet, and found the goth.
Tori waked in, taking in just how helpless Jade looked. Machines monitored her vitals, as the pale beauty slept. Looking around to make sure no one was listening in, Tori addressed the pale girl. "I'm not going to forgive you." She started. "Not yet, not like this. No, if you want me to forgive you, then you have to apologize to my face. I know, you don't think I'll forgive you. But honestly, you know I would, eventually. I just needed you to show me that you understood, that you were willing to work on being lass of a gank."
Tori shifted to take Jade's hand. "Thing is, I don't want you to die. Not for me, not for anyone. I want you to live, to be the shining success we all know you're going to be. It's no fun if your rival dies. Far better for her to make it, so when I do better it feels like I've accomplished something."
Tori leaned over the body, placing a kiss on her forehead. "Who knows, maybe we could have been friends, and maybe Trina's right and the best we could have hoped for was a long, happy life together." Tori then placed a kiss on Jade's lips. "Wake up, I need to know." For the short term, she'd have to wait, and see if and when the pale beauty woke up.
:}
I've noticed how dark and disturbing some of the stuff I write is. I'm the guy who loves a happy ending, and yet, I wrote this, a while ago, and now I'm sharing it with the world. So, review.
