Tori Vega had always been known as the kind-hearted, easy-going girl at Hollywood Arts High School. Her desire to please everyone often led her to become a pushover. She had always been a people-pleaser. It was one of her many endearing qualities, but it was also her Achilles' heel. She couldn't say no to anyone, and people had started taking advantage of her kindness. But there was one person who had been silently observing all of this – Jade West.
Jade had a reputation for being sharp-tongued and tough as nails, but she couldn't ignore what was happening to Tori. She watched from a distance as Tori juggled an armful of textbooks for Cat, helped Beck with his costume for an upcoming play, and agreed to help André write a song for his gig. She did it all with a smile on her face, never once complaining or asking for anything in return.
Jade couldn't stand to see Tori being taken advantage of like this any longer. She knew it was time to intervene. One afternoon, after school, as Tori was busy preparing Trina's makeup for yet another audition, Jade decided to make her move.
"Hey, Vega," Jade said, sauntering into the room with her usual air of indifference.
Tori looked up; a bit surprised to see Jade there. "Oh, hey, Jade. What's up?"
"Doing Trina's makeup again, huh?" Jade said with a smirk.
"Yeah, she begged me to help her with this audition." The Latina replied to her goth-sort-of-friend.
Jade raised an eyebrow, her sly smile never leaving her face. "Well, you know what they say about Trina's auditions. It's like throwing your talent into a black hole."
Tori stifled a laugh, appreciating Jade's blunt humor. "Yeah, something like that."
Jade took a deep breath and walked towards Tori, looking her straight in the eyes. "You need to stop letting people walk all over you."
Tori blinked, taken aback by Jade's sudden bluntness. "What do you mean?"
Jade sighed, frustrated by Tori's apparent cluelessness. "I mean, you're too nice, Vega. People are using you, and you're letting them. You need to learn how to say no."
Tori frowned, not quite understanding why Jade was so concerned. "I'm just helping out Trina and my friends. It's no big deal."
Jade rolled her eyes. "It is a big deal. You're spreading yourself too thin, and it's not fair to you. You deserve better."
Tori stared at Jade, her gaze wavering between confusion and gratitude. "Why do you care, Jade?"
Jade froze, trying to think of a way to answer that without showing that she, in fact, cared. But before she could even respond, Beck, always the picture of impeccable timing, strolled over with a hopeful expression on his face. "Hey, Tori, can I talk to you for a sec?"
Tori turned her attention to Beck, her enthusiasm momentarily interrupted. "Sure, Beck. What's up?"
Jade, who was already feeling irritated by the interruption, shot Beck a withering glare. "Seriously, can't you see we're in the middle of something? We're having a conversation here."
Beck hesitated, taken aback by Jade's snarky tone, but then continued with his request. "It's about the play this weekend. I need someone to help me run lines, and I think you're the only one available."
Tori was about to agree, but Jade, her patience finally worn thin, interrupted with a sneer. "No. Tori can't."
Beck blinked in surprise, taken aback by Jade's sharp response. "Jade, Tori's the one I'm asking. It won't take long."
Jade rolled her eyes dramatically, making her disdain clear. "Yeah, well, Tori and I have better things to do tonight than waste our time helping you with your little play."
Tori glanced at Jade, feeling a mix of surprise and discomfort at Jade's coldness. She knew she needed to go along with it. "Yeah, Jade's right. We've got plans. I'm sorry, Beck."
Beck, now visibly irritated, shot a glare in Jade's direction. "Fine, whatever. I'll find someone else."
As Beck walked away, Jade turned to Tori and raised her brows. "Look Vega, I don't care about you or what you do in your life." Jade tried to deny, "But I think it's wrong that you keep saying yes to every ridiculous request people throw at you. You're not some doormat for us to walk all over."
"You've been overextending yourself." Jade added as Tori bit her lip, struggling to hide her amusement at Jade's over-the-top act.
"But I'm not doing anything tonight." Tori sighed and packed up her things. "I don't have anything planned; I could have helped him."
"You do." Jade said as she walked away so Tori wouldn't see her smile. "You said it yourself, Tori. We've got plans, remember?"
Jade looked back at the Latina with a smirk. Tori couldn't help but smile widely.
"I'll see you later, Jade."
Later that evening, Tori found herself at Jade's place, sitting on the couch with a bowl of popcorn. Surprisingly, Jade had chosen a lighthearted comedy for their movie night, and they both laughed together as they watched it.
As the night went on, Tori began to feel the exhaustion from her busy schedule catch up to her. She stifled a yawn, trying not to appear too tired in front of Jade.
Jade, however, noticed Tori's struggle to stay awake. She paused the movie and turned to Tori with an amused smirk. "You look like you're about to pass out."
Tori blushed, feeling embarrassed. "I'm sorry, Jade. I'm just really tired from helping Trina today."
Jade surprised Tori by patting the space next to her on the couch. "Come on. You can crash here tonight. I promise I won't bite."
Tori hesitated for a moment but then gratefully accepted Jade's offer. She curled up on the couch next to Jade, feeling surprisingly comfortable despite their rocky history. As she closed her eyes, she heard Jade mutter under her breath, "You owe me one, Vega."
Just as Tori was about to drift off to sleep, she felt a gentle touch on her shoulder. She opened her eyes slightly and saw Jade draping a cozy blanket over her. It was a simple act of care, but it warmed Tori's heart.
Before Jade retreated to her side of the couch, she leaned down. Her lips hovered over Tori's forehead for a moment, and then she pressed a soft, lingering kiss. It was a gesture so gentle that it surprised even herself.
Jade then whispered, almost inaudibly, "Sleep well, Tori."
She then sat back and resumed the movie, watching over Tori. The latter couldn't help but smile as she finally drifted off to sleep.