Disclaimer: The Show Victorious, its characters and other associated copyrights are property of someone else and not me.
Reunion
Chapter 3 – Is she there?
No One's POV
Authors Note: It has been now 14 months since Jade and Tori had broken up.
No One's POV
The car was a 2014 candy apple red Porsche Carrera. Though now several years old, it had been meticulously maintained by its original owner and looked almost showroom new. At the moment it's 2nd and current owner sat in the car, which was parked in her driveway The owner, a 24-year-old pop star named Tori Vega had been sitting in the car for almost 19 minutes.
Tori glanced at the clock on the dash it was 8:03 in the evening. The 6-year class reunion of Hollywood arts class of 2013 had started just over an hour ago. Yet Tori was still sitting in her car trying to get up the courage to go.
Sitting there her phone chimed.
Tori picked up the phone and red the new text message.
From Cat: You missed dinner, please come. We all miss you.
"I'm sure there's one out there, that doesn't miss me." Tori muttered.
Tori took a deep breath and sighed. "I'll go for you Cat."
With that, Tori started her car which roared to life and started off. It was about a 20-minute drive down the coast to the sea side hotel, where the reunion was taking place. Tori rolled down the windows and the cool salty sea air flooded the interior of the car.
"Will Jade be there?" was the million-dollar question. The one that Tori had been obsessing on for the last week.
Just the word Jade, always brought back a flood of bittersweet memories for the pop star. The pale skinned goth had gone from enemy, to friend, to girlfriend, to fiancé to ex-girlfriend all in the space of 6 years.
Tori's POV
If I have one bad habit currently, it's my never-ending post mortem of our long dead relationship. I keep analyzing it, dissecting it, examining each piece carefully in hopes of determining what I could have done differently. What Jade could have done differently.
I loved her so much, but in the end our relationship smashed beyond repair. In my analysis it's about 80% her fault and 20% my fault. Thought I'm sure, Jade would reverse those numbers.
In actuality it was the booze that was at fault. Living with an alcoholic isn't easy. I constantly blame myself for giving up on Jade. I never should have.
Jade liked to drink; she always like to drink. I learned later, that both of her parents were high functioning alcoholics. We started to date in high school, halfway through our junior year. Though very different, we connected and fell in love. She didn't drink very much at first. Though as she neared the end of her junior year in college, it seemed to get much worse. I attribute it, to the death of her father in an accident and the pressure of school work.
I didn't help by ignoring the problem for a long while. It's just Jade blowing off steam or it's just Jade being Jade, would be the things I would say. I can't deny it, I served as an enabler. I also didn't help by being gone a lot. My first album was climbing the charts at the time. I should have been there for her more. Even if it meant, just taking some time listening to her talk on the phone.
I was guilty, of putting my career ahead of our relationship. Jade did a little of the same. She was starting to get small tv and movie parts. At times I felt movie parts were more important than me.
After the end of my first tour, I proposed marriage to Jade. She had just graduated and I hoped that would help us. Things had been getting gradually more strained.
I was wrong. Things only seemed to go downhill from there. We began to bicker less and fight more. Jade began to drink more and more, which only made things worse. I began to resent her. I felt like the loved the bottle more than me. I went from an enabler, to some who bitterly resented her drinking.
Another one of my crimes started at this point. Being a pop star, I got a lot of attention from both male and female admirers. I was always quick to say that I was both a lesbian and in a committed relationship. Don't get me wrong, I love all my male and female fans. Once or twice at events we were at I would flirt a bit. Sometimes when someone would flirt with me, I would not shoot them down so quickly. Just in hopes of getting a reaction from Jade. She seemed to gradually withdraw from our relationship. She grew more and angrier over time. My flirting for attention, was probably one of the worst things I could do.
Our fights got worse, our planning for the wedding seemed to stop. It was such a painful time. I felt she was slipping away. Jade was gradually becoming this drunken bitter creature that I hated. I wanted old Jade back, my Jade, not what she had become.
It all cumulated in one massive, terrible fight. We had been engaged almost 6 months and tensions were at an all-time high. Jade was more and more angry, moody and sometimes just unstable. That final night, I came home after a long recording session. It was past nine in the evening when I arrived home. I had told her in advance I would be home late. She had wanted to do something with me but I had chosen to work in the studio instead. Part of me just didn't want to deal with her, which was happening more and more. She was already very drunk when I arrived home.
She tore into me for not showing her enough attention. I came back saying that I didn't want to deal with the bitter angry alcoholic she had become. I further said, why should I pay attention to that. It quickly blew up into an all-out screaming match. Not our first, but it was certainly our last.
At the height of the argument Jade struck me, cutting open my lip. I didn't even wait to see what Jade would do next, I grabbed my keys and fled our apartment. I didn't even take my phone. Wanting to keep my friends out of it, I crashed on the couch of my regular sound engineer, Mike, who was a very good friend.
I cried most of the night. Our relationship had deteriorated, finally dying with one single blow. I just gave up. The next day I returned to our apartment. Jade wasn't home. With the help of mike and a friend, I moved out. I left Jade all the furniture, electronics and appliances, taking only what I think I needed. It was the most painful thing I ever did.
I left a note on the kitchen table saying goodbye, with my keys and most importantly my engagement ring. There needed to be no question that we were done.
I also left my life with Jade behind that day. I moved into a hastily rented house. I was heartbroken. Jade left me three voice mail messages the next evening. I had turned my phone off. The first was Jade pleading me to come back sounding sober. The second one a few hours later, was an angry and drunk Jade demanding to come back. The third one, a couple of hours after that was an extremely drunk jade telling me to fuck off and how much she hated me.
There is of course more to the story but that's the gist of it. Jade and I had officially broken up. After that Jade dropped out of sight. A month after our breakup I found out that Jade had moved out and didn't leave a forwarding address.
Cat, Beck and the rest of my friends heard nothing from her. All forms of communication went silent. From what I heard, she stopped auditioning for movie and TV parts.
That was over a year ago. Since that last angry voicemail, I hadn't heard anything from Jade at all. I was tempted to call her mother, to find out Jade's whereabouts, but she never really liked me anyway. So, I just did my best to put it behind me. Of course, I couldn't as I kept analyzing what when wrong. The destruction of our relationship has haunted me for the last year.
I spent most of the last year on tour in Europe and Asia. I just wanted to get as far away as possible. That and being on stage was the only times I felt like a real person. Coming back, I bought a nice house on the beach in Malibu and a slightly used Porsche. I'm successful, I have a nice house, a nice car, but I have no one to share it with.
Tonight, is my high school's class 6-year reunion. We were supposed to have a 5 year but it was called off due to extremely bad weather. Driving down the Pacific Coast Highway towards the hotel, I can't help but think of Jade.
I'm so nervous about having to face her again. What would I say? What would I do? I had no idea. She may not even show up at all. She may just ignore me. My stomach was in knots all day, just thinking about it.
But I had to think of my other friends. Beck was in from New York where he's been tearing up the Broadway stage. He's bringing his new girlfriend Erin. I've never met her. Andre is coming up from Miami, where he's an up and coming recording artist like myself. Cat and Robbie live in town so I see them more. They never did get together and are both dating other people, but have remained very good friends.
After a thought filled drive, I arrived at the hotel a little after 8:30. The dance portion should have just started at this point. I sat in my car for another 5 minutes, after I parked my car. I needed just a bit more time, to build up my courage.
I then got out and walked towards the hotel. As I walked, I suddenly realized something. The blue dress I picked out, was probably the one Jade liked the most. I did it unconsciously. I can't lie to myself. As terrible as it was in the end, I miss Jade every single day. I could have looked for her, but I just didn't know what would happen so I never did.
I entered the art deco lobby of the sea side hotel. I spotted one or two former classmates, milling about. Off to the right, I heard the distant din of thumping techno music.
"Must be the place" I said nervously, as I headed down the hallway, towards the music.
Turning a corner, I could see there was an open double door with both music and multi colored lights spilling out of it. Indicating the dance was in full swing. Right in front of the doors was a table with name tags. At the time I arrived, there were about 15 for people who hadn't yet arrived.
I found mine and put it on. Looking at the others I picked up another one in particular. It was Jade's name badge.
"She's not here." I said with an odd mixture of relief and disappointment. I then put the name badge down and went in. There were about 200 people in the room, many dancing on the dance floor. Some others milled at the snack table or bar. Some sat around tables and talked. Everyone looked like they were having a very good time.
I decided to get a drink to start. Considering my experience with Jade's drinking you'd think I wouldn't drink at all. The experience soured me on drinking, but once in a blue moon I have a glass of wine. I've been a nervous wreck all day, and I need a drink to calm down.
I went up to the bar and ordered a drink, saying hello to a few classmates as I walked. I was about 2 sips into my glass of wine, when I felt a hand on my shoulder. Still tense and nervous, I almost jumped out of my skin.
I made a startled Yelp, as I turned around. It was Andre who put his hand on my shoulder.
"Are you alright Tori? I didn't mean to scare you. I happened to see you there." Andre said looking embarrassed.
"I'm Ok, No worries, Andre. I just had a lot on my mind." I said.
"Jade." He said, as a sad expression grew on his face.
I nodded. "That's it. Though it looks like she's not coming."
"I'm sorry."
"Tell me Andre, I just don't know what to do. Do I try to contact her again? Do I leave it be. I'm so torn and I just can't put this behind me. It's not, all her fault. I helped wreck the relationship too." I said trying not to get emotional.
"Look Tori, I'm not sure what to tell you. I know you miss her and I'm pretty sure you still love her. But that's not always enough. You're just going to have to wing it. But in any case, we're all there for you. Come on, we all have a table and a chair set aside for you."
I smiled. "Sounds good"
Andre led me through the crowded and noisy room, to a table in the far corner. Sitting there was Beck, a young blond woman who I assumed was his girlfriend Erin, Robbie, his girlfriend Kim, Cat and her boyfriend Steve. I had previously met Kim and Steve. Both were nice people.
"Tori" Said Cat as she jumped from the table and ran to give me a hug.
"You came, you came" The red-haired girl said happily.
I sat down at the table and we began to talk. Mostly talking about old times and catching up. I did notice Andre, Cat, Robbie and Beck went out of their way, to avoid talking about Jade. After a while I was feeling much better and relaxed. I even took to the dance floor a few times with Cat and Andre. I was still very disappointed by Jade's nonappearance. Part of me wanted closure. Part of me wanted her back.
At about 9:45 I excused myself to go to the ladies room. Thinking about Jade on my way to the restroom, I was reminded of a part from an old 80's song. I began to sing.
She's a modern day Delilah
Keeps her scissors laser sharp
Once she finds your weakness
She'll cut you to the quick
Stab you in the heart
It may be a 30-year-old one hit wonder, but I can totally relate to it.
It was a song called Modern day Delilah, by Van Stephenson. Shortly after my breakup with Jade I half thought of doing a cover of it just to piss her off. I didn't however. Our relationship was already wrecked. I didn't need to shit on the wreckage too.
As I exited the bathroom, I passed the table with the name tags. Glancing at it, I suddenly noticed that Jade's name tag was now missing.
My heart suddenly started to pound, as I looked into the room towards the dance floor.
"Jade's here!" I said with a gasp.
The song "Modern Day Deliliah" by Van Stephenson is a real song. It may be a 30 year old one hit wonder, but it's about a devilish girl who uses scissors. I actually heard it on the radio and I couldn't possibly pass the chance to use it in a story. If you want to hear it, the video is on youtube.
The next chapter the girls confront each other for the first time in a year.