𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 | jori ✓ {revamping}

27

The waitress smiled towards the group, but more specifically towards Andre and walked away to retrieve our orders.

"Sounded like you were trying to flirt with her, Andre," Tori lightly patted Andre on the arm. "She looked extremely tense in front of you."

"What? No, I wasn't!" Andre exclaimed defensively.

Tori rolled her eyes. "I know you trying to flirt when I see you. In fact, your tactics are not so amusing."

"Hey, I am an expert flirter!" Andre declared. "You cannot decide otherwise!"

"Whatever you say." Beck said.

"Where's Jade?" Tori suddenly asked, noticing the seat next to her was empty. She glanced towards the stage, seeing that Cat and Robbie concluded their singing session. In the corner of her eye, she noticed that Jade was speaking to man in the corner who continued nodding after Jade finished talking. The man then inputted something in the computer and the lights suddenly dimmed around them.

The sound of a microphone being switched on echoed across the entire room. Jade's figure on perched on top of the stage. Tori had never realised how beautiful Jade was within the shadows and the darkness of the restaurant. But it was as if Jade was a star in the middle of blank space. She lit up the world.

Jade had never felt this confident in her entire life. Before, she hid in the shadows and allowed her masked persona takeover her, but is that side of Jade West gone now?

A piano started to play. The song she had chosen had the most beautiful melody she had ever heard. It was in her range and she used to play this song everytime she felt sad or lost or when she wanted to express herself but didn't know how to.

This was her time to express.

So she inhaled and exhaled slowly.

"What a waste of a smoke machine
Took the taste of the dopamine
And left me high and dry..."

Tori admired Jade's strong, emotional voice as she continued to sing with all her power.

"Call the cops, call the cavalry
Spin the tops that'll dazzle me
And give me a new supply..."

Jade could feel all eyes around the restaurant stare at her. It was if everyone was frozen in time and she was performing in front of a bunch of mannequins.

"There's a layer below, underneath all the layers that I knew
So I pay when you go but it only convinces me that you are
Good for me
Good for
Just a little bit of what I need
To soothe an appetite that I can't feed
Isn't that good for me?..."

Soon, the people in the restaurant took out their phones and turned on their flashlights, waving them simultaneously and Jade felt like she was the only one in the room as the lights shielded her view from everyone that was watching her perform.

But she swore she could see Tori in the faint lights.

"Accessorizing before the fact
Alibis couldn't stay intact
As guilty as a gun
So you dig, so you move some earth
Tunnel down out of Leavenworth
Or set the fuse and run..."

She let the words fall right out of her mouth.

"You know," Andre suddenly said, tapping on Tori's shoulder and surprising her from concentrating on Jade's singing. "I think she really is the one for you."

Tori's eyes widened. "You really think so?"

"Of course," Andre smiled. "How can I lie about that? I'm your best friend, I know your taste, and I know when you are in love."