This one is getting a little hard to write. LOL sorry it took a whole two weeks for this short ass chapter.

Chapter 10

Tori lay quietly, her arms wrapped protectively around Jade as they snuggled in her bed. The room was dark, only the soft glow of moonlight streaming in through the window. Jade's breathing had slowed, her body relaxed against Tori's, but Tori's mind was racing.

She knew she couldn't keep the truth hidden any longer.

Jade stirred slightly in her sleep, and Tori bit her lip, gathering the courage to say what had been weighing on her for weeks. She glanced down at Jade's face, peaceful and unaware of the storm brewing in Tori's heart.

"You're probably asleep," Tori whispered, her voice barely audible, but laced with emotion. "But I need to tell you something. I don't know how else to say this, and I don't know if you'll believe me, but… I need to tell you."

She hesitated for a moment, her grip tightening slightly around Jade as if she might disappear if Tori let go. "It all started in Chinatown," she began, her voice trembling. "I found this amulet—this beautiful, old thing. The shopkeeper warned me not to touch it, but I didn't listen. I tried it on… and then, it just… it disappeared into my skin."

Tori paused, glancing at Jade's face to make sure she was still asleep before continuing. "Ever since then, every time I get doused in cold water… I turn into Vic." Her voice wavered as she said his name, the guilt of their recent encounter crashing over her like a wave. "The boy you've been seeing… the one who kissed you, who… slept with you… that was me."

She swallowed hard, tears threatening to spill as she forced herself to keep going. "I'm totally in love with you, Jade," she whispered, her heart breaking as she confessed her feelings. "Both the boy and the girl in me love you. And tomorrow, when you're awake, I'll tell you all of this again. But for now… I just needed to say it."

Jade's breathing remained steady, but behind her closed eyes, she wasn't asleep. She had heard every word, her mind reeling as she processed Tori's bizarre confession. But none of it made sense. Things like that didn't happen. Magic amulets? Transformations triggered by cold water? It had to be some kind of joke or a strange dream. There was no way any of it was real.

But the sincerity in Tori's voice had touched something deep inside her, a seed of doubt planted in the disbelief.

When Tori finally drifted off to sleep, her arms still around Jade, Jade gently slipped out of her embrace. She stood by the bedside for a moment, watching Tori sleep, her heart conflicted. Part of her wanted to believe, but the rational part of her screamed that this was impossible.

With a quiet sigh, Jade grabbed her jacket and left Tori's house, slipping out into the cool night air, her mind racing with what she had heard.

The next few days were a blur. Jade had managed to avoid Tori at school, brushing off her texts and excuses with vague responses. She wasn't ready to confront Tori—or Vic—about what she had heard. She needed to figure it out on her own terms.

But the curiosity was gnawing at her. She had to know if Tori's wild story was true, and today, she had a plan.

Jade lingered near the theater, watching from the shadows as Tori and Andre rehearsed for their "Singing in the Rain" performance. Tori looked distracted, probably still thinking about why Jade had been avoiding her. Jade smirked, her eyes flicking to the stage setup.

The rain effects were almost ready, but she knew they hadn't been fully tested yet. She had overheard Sikowitz mention they would keep the water warm for the dancers, but she had a different idea.

Slipping away unnoticed, Jade made her way to the control booth. Sinjin was messing around with the equipment, but it didn't take much for Jade to send him packing with a sharp glare. Once she was alone, she eyed the rain tank with a wicked glint in her eye.

She slipped the ice bags she had bought earlier into the tank, filling it with ice-cold water. If Tori's story was true—if the amulet was real—this would prove it. And if it wasn't… well, she'd know for sure.

Back in the theater, Tori and Andre were deep into their rehearsal, dancing beneath the lights. Jade watched from the booth, her heart pounding with anticipation. She waited for the perfect moment, her hand hovering over the controls. Then, with a flick of her wrist, she made the rain pour.

Cold, ice-cold water cascaded down onto the stage, drenching Tori and Andre mid-dance. Andre yelped in surprise, jumping out of the way, but Jade's eyes were glued to Tori.

And then, right before her very eyes, Tori's form began to shimmer. Her figure shifted, the girl she knew fading away as Vic emerged in her place.

Jade's breath caught in her throat. Her heart skipped a beat. "Holy shit."

Vic stood there, dripping wet and looking utterly mortified, his wide eyes darting around the theater. He quickly turned, bolting off stage and out of sight before anyone else could notice the transformation.

Jade didn't move, her legs rooted to the spot as the weight of what she had just witnessed sank in.

"It's real," she muttered to herself, her voice barely a whisper. "It's all real."

The disbelief that had clouded her mind for days was gone, replaced by the undeniable truth: Tori hadn't been lying. She had really transformed into Vic.

With shaky hands, Jade left the control booth, her mind spinning as she made her way down to the stage. She needed answers, and she wasn't going to let Tori—or Vic—run away this time.

Vic darted through the backstage hallways, his mind a frantic whirl of panic and dread. His soaked clothes clung to his body as he ducked into a storage room, desperately trying to calm his racing heart. He leaned against the door, pressing his forehead to the cool surface, his chest heaving with rapid breaths.

"She knows," he muttered to himself, the reality sinking in. "Jade knows."

He had never felt more exposed. The cold rain had stripped him of his secret, his dual life revealed in the most humiliating way possible. All this time, he had tried to balance both identities, tried to keep Jade close without ever risking the truth. But now… now she had seen it with her own eyes.

And he had no idea what she was going to do.

Footsteps echoed down the hall, heavy and deliberate, and Vic tensed. He knew who it was before he even heard her voice.

"Vic," Jade called out, her tone sharp, cutting through the tense silence. "I know you're in here. You can't hide from me."

Vic swallowed hard, his back still pressed to the door. He could hear her getting closer, her footsteps slowing as she approached. He had nowhere to run.

The door creaked open, and there she was—Jade, her eyes blazing with a mix of anger, confusion, and something else Vic couldn't quite read. She stepped inside, shutting the door behind her with a soft click.

For a moment, they just stared at each other, the weight of unspoken words thick in the air.

"It's true," Jade finally said, her voice low, almost as if she was still processing it herself. "Everything you told me that night… it's all true."

Vic nodded, unable to speak. He could see the storm of emotions in her eyes, the disbelief warring with the hurt.

"You didn't trust me," Jade continued, her voice gaining strength, laced with accusation. "All this time, you let me believe you were two different people. Vic and Tori. And I…" She trailed off, shaking her head, her lips trembling as she tried to keep control. "I thought you were being honest with me. But now I don't even know if any of it was real. Were my feelings just some kind of sick game to you?"

The question hit Vic like a punch to the gut. He opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out. He saw the pain in her eyes—the betrayal—and it twisted inside him like a knife.

"It wasn't a game," Vic finally said, his voice hoarse. "Jade, I swear to you, it was never a game."

Jade's jaw clenched, her fists balling at her sides. "Then why?" she demanded, her voice breaking. "Why didn't you just tell me? I thought you trusted me. I thought…" She bit her lip, blinking back the tears that threatened to spill. "I thought you loved me."

Vic felt his heart stop. Loved her? She had no idea.

He pushed himself away from the door, stepping closer to her, his hands trembling at his sides. "Jade, I—" He hesitated, searching for the right words, knowing that nothing he could say would truly fix what had just happened. "I didn't know how to tell you. I wanted to… I wanted to so many times. But I was scared. Scared of how you'd react. Scared that you'd… you'd walk away."

Jade crossed her arms, her voice hardening. "Well, congratulations, Tori. Or Vic. Or whoever you are. Now I know everything, and I still might walk away."

Vic's chest tightened, the fear of losing her overwhelming. "Don't," he pleaded, his voice barely above a whisper. "Please, don't walk away. I didn't mean to lie to you, Jade. I swear. I just—"

He took a deep breath, looking into her eyes, his own heart pounding in his chest. "I love you."

Jade froze, the words hanging in the air between them like an electric charge.

"What?" she whispered, her anger faltering.

"I love you, Jade," Vic repeated, the words tumbling out of him, raw and unfiltered. "Tori loves you. Vic loves you. I didn't know how to tell you because I was terrified. But I love you."

Jade's face softened for the briefest moment, her eyes searching his for any sign of a lie.

"I wanted to tell you so many times," Vic continued, his voice thick with emotion. "But you were avoiding me. I was going to explain everything. I didn't mean for it to get this far, but… but you were with Vic, and with me, and I didn't know how to stop without losing you."

Tears welled in Jade's eyes as she stood there, torn between her anger and the vulnerability in Vic's voice. "You… love me?" she asked, as if she didn't quite believe it.

Vic nodded, his heart pounding in his chest. "I do. I love you, Jade. Both of me. I wanted to tell you everything. I just didn't know how."

Jade stood there, her emotions warring inside her. She had come here to confront him, to get answers, but this… this confession… it wasn't what she had expected.

For a long moment, she was silent, her breath shaky as she processed everything. The anger still simmered, but beneath it, there was something else—something softer, more fragile.

Finally, she let out a shaky breath, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "You idiot," she muttered, her voice catching. "You could've just told me."

Vic exhaled, relief flooding through him as he took a step closer. "I know. I'm sorry."

Jade stared at him for a long moment, her gaze lingering on his face—the face she had kissed, the boy she had slept with, the person she had fallen for, in all his confusing, contradictory parts.

Then, without warning, she closed the distance between them, grabbing him by the shirt and pulling him into a kiss.

It was rough, urgent, a collision of emotions that had been building for weeks—anger, confusion, hurt, and something more. Vic's hands hesitated at first, but then they found their way to her waist, pulling her closer as the kiss deepened.

When they finally broke apart, both of them were breathless, their foreheads resting together.

"I hate that you didn't tell me," Jade murmured, her voice still laced with frustration.

Vic nodded, his hands still on her waist. "I hate that I didn't too."

Jade closed her eyes for a moment, then sighed. "But I'm still here, aren't I?"

Vic smiled, relief and hope flooding his chest. "Yeah. You are."

Jade pulled back slightly, looking him in the eyes. "Next time, just tell me the truth. No more secrets."

Vic nodded, his heart swelling with gratitude. "I promise. No more secrets."

And for the first time in weeks, Vic felt like everything was finally going to be okay.