A/N 4 more chapters left, This movie is so cute, but put in this context it is hella weird.
Chapter 18
Beck's mouth fell open, same as Jade's, while Danielle burst into a ball of laughter.
Tori covered her mouth with her hand in shock, her eyes wide. "Andre?" She moved over to him on the floor. "Oh, my God- Andre. I'm so sorry."
"Best game ever!" Danielle laughed, holding onto her stomach.
"Beck, let's go get Andre some ice." Jade grabbed onto Beck's arm, directing him inside the house.
Andre sat up, his hand holding onto his nose, feeling a hot liquid run down his nostrils. He was bleeding, he knew it.
"Andre, I'm-"
"Get away from me!" He hissed, groaning through the pain shooting through his face as he stood to his feet. "God," he hissed.
Tori watched as Jade and Beck were away from earshot before turning back to Andre. "What the hell was that, Andre?" She shouted at him, smacking his arm.
"Me?" His eyes grew wide, "You broke my fucking nose!" He shouted, motioning to his bloody and busted nose.
"You were out of control!" She removed her sunglasses from her eyes. "Did you have any idea what you were about to do? How bad things could have gotten?"
"And that justifies this?" He motioned to his broken nose again, his eyes glaring into her soul. "And us sleeping together? What was that about?"
"I can explain that-"
"Tori, you want to continue being a spineless jellyfish along with Jade, you go ahead. Just leave me out of your goddamn soap opera." He rushed past her.
Tori scoffed, "No one asked you to get involved, Andre!"
What? He blinked, whipping around, startling the smaller brunette as he suddenly appeared taller. His body towering over her.
"Really?! So, why have I been listening to this bullshit all summer? Tori, do something! Because this is just pathetic. But, you know what- at the end of the day- you and Jade deserve each other. Because she is never going to do anything to be with you and let's face it- you're never going to ask her. And you and I both know that if you did, it wouldn't matter, because Beck would never let you have her."
Tori's mouth fell open as he walked away.
"You're an asshole!" Was all she could think to shout at him.
Andre whipped around, "Yeah! Maybe I am! But, look around you, Tori-" He motioned out toward the entire beach. "I'm the only asshole here who gives a shit about you!"
Tori stood alone on the beach, watching Andre scoop up his shirt from the sand before heading into the house.
Andre had enough of that weekend, and with him and Tori ending up on bad terms, he decided that leaving was the best thing. He would be gone back to New York on Sunday, anyway and away from Tori's drama for good.
"What was Andre talking about out there, Jade?" Beck asked the goth, as they stood off to the side within the crowded bar out on the beach that night.
Everyone had agreed to go out and have some fun, forget the tension that suddenly had built up, but Beck couldn't let what Andre said go. He had been grinding Jade for information all night.
"I don't know, Beck," Jade shrugged.
"What was going on out there with all of you?"
"Nothing was going on. Andre was just tense, maybe because he's moving and he has to leave Tori behind."
Tori shook her head after looking over her shoulder at Beck and Jade arguing. She sighed, turning her attention back to her martini and taking a much-needed drink before she spotted Trina sitting right beside her at the bar.
"He's not really gay, is he?" She asked the brunette.
"No, he isn't," she shook her head. "And I want you to know that nothing happened between Andre and me. That was all… It was made up."
Trina nodded, her eyes pooling with unshed tears. "He's never going to love me, isn't he?"
It pained Tori to see the look of disappointment in Trina's face. Was this what she looked like when she pined over Jade? Once again, Andre was right. It was pathetic. What the hell had become of her?
"No," Tori shook her head. "He's not. I'm sorry, Trina."
It was a harsh reality that stung Trina's heart. "At least I tried. Right?" She asked.
"Yeah," Tori smiled a sad smile, watching as she left before her eyes moved back to Beck and Jade, who continued to argue.
"Beck," Jade grabbed onto Herfiance's arm, "Beck!"
"Whatever," Beck yanked his arm away, going over to the dance floor and danced around Danielle. He was here to have fun. Not to fight any longer.
Jade rolled her eyes, looking over at Tori as she walked up to her.
Tori's eyes found Jade's eyes staring intensely at her.
"You told Andre about what happened between us?" She asked her.
"He guessed." Tori sighed, looking away while taking a drink of her drink.
"What am I supposed to tell Beck, Tor? He won't stop asking questions. He keeps asking me what happened on the beach earlier."
Tori glared at the goth, appalled. "You know what, Jade? Tell him the truth, or don't. But, you talk it over with him."
Jade gawked, watching as the brunette stormed out of the bar. "Tori!" She rushed after her, meeting up with her just a few feet away from the beach, feeling the rain drench both of them as they were no longer under the hooded roof.
"Tori, hang on a second!"
The brunette whipped around, releasing a heavy sigh as their eyes met.
"What am I supposed to do?" She asked.
"I don't know, Jade!" Tori scoffed, "Do what you want to do, instead of what you think you should do. It's that simple! Don't go around allowing other people tell you how to dictate your life. Just like youused to. What happened to you? live your life how you want to live it, make your own choices." She chuckled. "You want to write? Then, write! You want to live in a big mansion that you hate? Do it, or don't. But, you decide!"
Jade watched as Tori walked away in the rain, her body quickly drenched.
Six months Earlier
"Can I tell you something? Honestly?" Beck smirked.
"Sure."
"You are too good looking to be a PA," Jade laughed at the brunette's comment, her mind racing back to Tori, wondering why she was taking so long to come back from the bathroom.
"You do! You are so hot, I mean what made you decide you wanted to become a PA?" Asked Beck. "What made you wake up one morning and say, 'today, I want to fetch things for production crews.'"
Tori caught a glimpse of Jade's smile from across the room as she came out of the bathroom. Her heart was dying inside little by little. Who wouldn't love being around Beck? Even Jade was succumbing to him again.
"I'm sorry I took so long," Tori breathed, her eyes falling on Jade, who's own eyes sparkled as soon as she saw her. "I actually have to go. I have to wake up early tomorrow."
"Oh, come on, Tor!" Beck whined. "You don't really have to go, do you?"
"No, I do." Tori nodded.
Jade frowned, wishing the brunette would stay. As much as she was enjoying Beck's company, who she really wanted was Tori.
"But, you two have fun." Tori forced out a smile, her eyes on Jade. "Jade, you have been really wonderful this week. Thank you for everything."
Jade stood from her seat, watching as the brunette walked out of the teen club.
"So, Jade-"
"Can you wait one second?" Said Jade, rushing out of the club.
Tori's eyes stung with fallen tears, her hand quickly wiping at her cheek.
"Tori!" Jade called out, rushing over to the brunette. "Tori!"
"Jade, what's going on?" The brunette turned to face Jade, putting on her best smile.
"I... I just wanted to know to make sure that you were okay." Jade's voice was soft, her eyes sparkling as she looked into chocolate ones before her.
"Okay with what?" Asked Tori.
"With…" Jade motioned toward the table with her thumb, "This."
"You and Beck? Oh! Sure!" She forced another smile. "That's nothing New."
"Really?" A frown formed on the goth's brow, disappointed that maybe Tori didn't feel as strongly for her as she felt.
"Yeah," Tori nodded, hating herself so much right now. "Of course, I mean… Beck's really great. And he really likes you. I can tell."
Jade frowned.
"I'll see you around, Jade." With another forced smile, Tori turned on her heels and walked away with tears streaming down her cheeks.
Tori breathed out a shuttering breath, her clothes sucked up against her drenched skin due to the rain. So much she brands Jade a coward, when six months ago, she was equally one. She should have just told Jade then and there how she felt. If she had, none of this would be happening right now.
Turning back on her heels, she ran right back through the pouring rain, her eyes on Jade as she began to walk back toward the bar.
"Jade!" She called out, seeing the raven-haired girl whip around to face her. "It wasn't okay!" She panted.
"What?" Her brow furrowed.
"Beck, six months ago… It wasn't okay. I wasn't okay with you two getting back together. I never was."
"Tori-"
"No! Let me finish…" Tori sighed. "I love you, Jade. I've always loved you, and I should have told you how I felt six moths ago. But this is me telling you now before it's too late. Before it's really too late."
A tiny smile formed on Jade's lips.
"Don't marry him!" Tori pleaded. "Don't go through with this wedding. You aren't the only one who hasn't been living their life the way they've wanted to- I haven't exactly been living mine either. But I want to live it now. And I want to live it with you." Her eyes watered.
Jade's tiny smile turned into a frown, her eyes watering with tears that soon escaped her eyes.
"There's nothing more I would love than to live my life with you. Forever."
"But you can't…" Tori frowned, reality sinking in. "Can you?"
"Tor-"
"Andre was right. I may have been a coward for most of my life, especially around Beck, but I'm done pretending. I'm done being the coward that you turned out to be." Her lip trembled as she turned and walked away.
Jade's jaw clenched, her body turned to face a trash can that soon fell victim to her foot as an angry kick was delivered right to it, knocking it over on the sand. She was a coward. Tori was right. And she hated herself for it, for not going for what made her happy.
Days turned into weeks, and Tori remained steadfast in her resolve not to speak with Jade until she saw her friend take the leap to pursue her own happiness. The turmoil in her heart weighed heavily on her, but she couldn't continue to be a bystander in her own life.
In the midst of her self-imposed exile from Jade, Tori sought refuge in her work or what was left of the project and rediscovered the therapeutic solace of baking. The comforting aroma of freshly baked cookies filled her home and provided a small respite from the emotional chaos in her heart.
One day, while sorting through her mail, she stumbled upon an elegant wedding invitation, bearing the names of Jade and Beck. Her eyes fixated on the intricate cursive writing, a surge of anger and resentment coursing through her. She couldn't bring herself to attend the wedding of the woman she loved marrying someone else.
Her phone became her lifeline, and in a moment of vulnerability, she dialed the number she knew by heart—the one person who had always been there for her, her confidant and friend.
The voicemail greeted her with Andre's familiar voice. "Hi, you've reached Andre. Leave a message, and I'll get back to you. Thanks."
Tori sighed deeply, her voice tinged with regret. "Andre," she began, the weight of her actions hanging heavily in her words. "I know I'm probably the last person you want to speak to right now, and you have every right to ignore my calls. I was horrible to you." She paused, her gaze drifting back to the wedding invitation. "I just... I wanted to say that I really miss you, and it would be great to see you."
Just as she was leaving the heartfelt message, another call came in. The caller ID displayed "Andre," and her heart leaped in her chest as she answered quickly.
"I miss you, too, kiddo," Andre's voice filled her ear, laced with affection and understanding. "Now, stop being all sappy on me, and why don't you get your ass on a plane and come out to see me?"
Tori's lips curved into a genuine smile, her heart warmed by his invitation. The idea of going to New York felt like a lifeline, a chance to escape the tumultuous emotions that had taken over her life. It was an opportunity to find clarity and heal, and she was ready to take it.