Disclaimer: The show Victorious, its characters and other associated copyrights are property of someone else and not me.
Unfairly judged.
Chapter 8 – Landshark
Tori's pov.
It's amazing I had the self-restraint not punch my sister's lights out, right then and there. But, violence has serious consequences and I'd get in about 10 times more trouble with my parents for hitting Trina than Jade. Not wanting to deal with her any more I stormed out of the party and drove off.
Things had gotten so bad and finally there had been a glimmer of hope that, we'd be able to set things right again. Trina took that hope and smashed it. I was livid.
In driving, I found myself heading towards Jade's home. It was roughly on the way to my own, but I had taken a slightly longer route that went very near it. I didn't even realize I did it at first.
Looking at the dashboard clock in my car, I could see it was about 10:45. I knew Jade would still be up, I could apologize. So I drove to Jade and parked in front of her house. I'd never been there before, but Cat had told me where it was once, so I easily found it.
The house itself was a 2 story, brown, wooden, gothic revival house that had a large porch. It looked a lot older than the houses around it and the green light from the streetlight across the street, bathed it in an eerie light. Like Jade herself, it looked quite imposing.
As I stepped out of the car, I could see one light on downstairs and just a hint of light shooting out from behind curtains on one the upper floor. I started up the walk towards the front door, but found with each step, that I was getting more and more nervous.
By the time I reached the door, my stomach felt like it was filled with butterflies. It's a bit of a cliché, but that's how I felt. My hands were shaking and I was trying to think of just the right apology.
I moved my hand to press the bell, but suddenly found myself unable. Right then and there, I felt this horrible wave of fear and pessimism wash away, what courage I had left.
The damage is done and I can't fix it. No amount of apologies will make up for this. So I quietly turned around and went home. I simply couldn't do it.
The next morning, I woke up feeling horrible. Not just for what had happened, but the fact that I walked away. I just couldn't get myself to ring that bell. I don't know if it's because I really didn't know how'd Jade react or just the feeling I got that it was pointless.
It was about 10 am, and I was still lying in bed, mulling it over when I heard a knock at my door.
"Yes?"
"Tori can I talk to you?" I heard my sister say from the other side of the door. Just the sound of her voice, brought back every ounce of betrayal I felt.
"FUCK OFF TRINA!"
She knocked again but I ignored her and she went away. I showered, dressed and still feeling horrible about it all, worked on my music; sing my new refurbished laptop.
Around 12:30 I came down and finding no one home, started to eat my lunch. Just then the doorbell rang.
Part of me hoped it would be Jade, but instead it was Beck.
"Hey."
I motioned for him to enter. "Come on in. I was just about to eat my lunch, can I get you something?"
"No, I was just stopping by. To see how you were?"
I sighed. "I feel horrible. I had a chance to fix all this and Trina sabotages me. It's too late though."
Beck tilted his head slightly. "Why do you say that?"
"I don't know. I even went by there last night, but I chickened out. I just couldn't face her. That and I just felt like it was too late."
"Tori, you have to give Jade more credit. You're making the same mistake again. Don't assume things."
"I just can't. I'm so afraid I'm going to make it worse."
Shifting his eyes for a moment, Beck smiled. "Then I'll do it for you."
"No please don't. You've done enough already." I pleaded. Now I'm a coward.
"I can talk to her. If you like."
I was torn, I both wanted him to go and not to go. He could get us talking, but could I really do what's necessary, to fix things. I was so afraid that I'd do the wrong thing.
"I…I don't know. You've done enough already."
Beck smiled reassuringly. "Tell you what. I'll just let Jade know what happened, tell her, you're sorry for it all and then I'll back off. Let the chips fall where they may."
I bit my lip. "Could you. Just tell her, I would have called and I feel terrible. Even then I'm not sure if I could face her."
"Have faith in yourself, have faith in Jade."
"Thank you."
Beck's POV
I had a feeling that Tori would not be able to face Jade. I also knew Tori deep down wanted to make this right. So I went over and sure enough, I would be able to bridge the gap. Now, I have no idea what would happen, but it was worth a try.
So I left Tori's home and drove straight to Jades. As luck would have it, Jade's mother, Marlene, answered the door. She smiled immediately upon seeing me.
"Hello Beck. It's been a while. How are you?"
Jade's mom always liked me, a bit much. Which irritated Jade to no end. Something I secretly enjoyed. I never considered doing anything, it was just a bit fun watching the sparks fly.
"I'm fine thank you. Is Jade home? I'd like the chance to speak with her."
"Oh yes, she's moping in her room. That's all she does now a days. Perhaps you can get her to unlock the door and leave it. I think it's beginning to smell in here. If she didn't come out to use the bathroom once and a while, I'd start to think she died in there. If you can get her to let you in and that's not likely."
"I'll see what I can do."
"Great. You should come over to dinner one of these days. I missed our talks."
"Maybe. I think I'll go up and see Jade."
Mrs. West motioned to the stairway. "Be my guest."
I bounded up the stairs and upon reaching Jade's door, noticed the faint smell of something nasty coming from Jade's room. Spoiled food perhaps, I speculated.
Undeterred, I knocked.
"Go away Mom!" Came an annoyed sounding shout, that could only belong to Jade.
"Mrs. Arlsburgerhhh" I mumbled, starting the beginning of one of my old favorite Saturday night live skits, the landshark. One I knew Jade loved as well. We used to love watching the old SNL, when everyone was on drugs and it was actually funny. It was likely my only way to get her open the door. She almost always keeps it locked.
No response, so I continued.
Again I mumbled."Mrs. Johannesburrrr?
Again nothing.
So I continued. "Flowers."
Suddenly I heard her give the next line. She sounded horribly annoyed, but she gave it. "Flowers for who?"
"Plumber, Ma'am"
"I don't need a plumber. You're that clever shark, aren't you?"
"Candygram!"
Jade was playing along, which meant she might actually answer the door. Then again she may simply go quiet after this."
"Candygram, my foot! Get out of here before I call the proper authorities. You're the shark, and you know it."
"I'm only a dolphin ma'am"
"A dolphin? Well.. okay.." and then the door swung upon to reveal a somewhat disheveled looking Jade, wearing shorts, a slayer t-shirt and a black bathrobe. She smelled like she hadn't bathed since Friday.
"You're not the fucking land shark." She said with a scowl.
Before she could slam the door in my face, I pushed past her into her room, which was looking rather messy with clothes, candy wrappers and half eaten bags of potato chips on the floor. Jade's normally rather neat with her room, but obviously things have changed.
"Love what you've done with the place."
Ignoring my comment, Jade closed the door and went back to her computer which looked like it was in the middle of a game. Jade then went back to the game and seemed to ignore me.
Walking over I could see she was playing 1st person shooter, Fallout: New Vegas and appeared to be in one of the casinos that are present in the game..
I watched, as she walked up to one of the blackjack dealers and paused.
"That one looks like Tori." I remarked.
"I know she does!" Jade responded, offhandedly.
Then without further ado, Jade had her character pull out an assault carbine and then promptly gunned her down. Of course chaos broke out as all the other gamblers started to run and the security all started shooting. Jade calmly shot everyone dead, even the gamblers trying to flee. Then she had her character go out on the street and murder more people.
"I've killed that dealer a bunch of times. Shot her, used a flamethrower, a fatman mini nuke, grenades, landmines, but the assault carbine is my favorite mode of death. Then I just kill everyone else in the city. I love it when the heads blow off."
"Do you do that all the time?" I asked cautiously.
"No, most of the time I play straight, but occasionally I just gun her down and go on a mass murder spree; at least until the securitrons kill me." Jade said, without taking her eyes off the screen.
I pull up a chair and sat down. "Speaking of the recently departed, I have some news."
"Don't want to hear it. Now go away!"
"Well you were dumb enough to let me in, so you'll hear it. Then I'll leave you to your mass murder spree."
"Out with it." Jade grumbled, sounding like she was losing patience.
"Trina lied to you."
For a moment Jade stopped her murder spree, but then resumed, but didn't respond.
"Jade, she never told Tori you came by. She got drunk last night and blabbed it to me. I told Tori right away. She also advised Tori to give you a lot of space the following week. So you would get the impression she was no longer interested. So Trina lied to you. Tori for the record, feels horrible about it, is furious with Trina and says she would have called you had she known."
Jade stopped her game, ran her hands through her messy hair then lowered her head. "What do you expect me to do about it?"
"Whatever you choose. A lot of feelings have been hurt, both you have regrets. Tori wanted to apologize in person, but she's scared and I think, really embarrassed. She also doesn't want to make things any worse. So I told her, I'd set the record straight and leave you two to whatever you choose to do. Maybe you talk and attempt to work things out, maybe you don't. But that said, my work is done and I'll leave you."
Jade, her head still lowered, didn't move or speak. So I got up and as I got to the door said.
"We miss you. All of us. You're talented, funny, dark, strange, clever, impulsive, sometimes repulsive, but we do miss you. See you later Jade."
Then I left, closing the door behind me.
No one's POV
The following day, Tori walked into school not knowing what would happen next. Not sure if she could get up the courage to speak to Jade. Would Jade talk to her, Tori simply didn't know.
She wanted to fix it, badly, but just wasn't sure if it was possible.
She was so much in thought she didn't look where she was going and bumped into someone as she entered.
As she turned to apologize, the words never came out of her parted lips. She had bumped into Jade of all people and just that knowledge, caused her nearly to panic.
For a moment Tori studied her face which other than mild surprise, showed little else.
In that moment, the girls stood eye to eye, neither one saying a word. Both contemplating what to do next, contemplating their fears, hopes, anxieties, anger, regret. Was it too late?
It was Jade who broke the silence, in a soft voice, barely above a whisper.
"Hi"
The landshark skit, which is italics is from an old episode of Saturday Night Live. I didn't writ that and used it without permission.
Fallout: New Vegas is a post apocalyptic first person shooter.
So Jade said hi, what will Tori say back?