My school had just been cancelled for another week because of corona. More chapters to make!
The GIF isn't from Victorious but it reflects Tori's emotions in this chapter. I probably just partially spoiled everything but oh well...... enjoy anyways!
As the time I have editted this (3:33 PM EST), we have accomplished #2 on the jori rank! Thank you all so much for your everlasting support! This gives me a lot of motivation to continue to write for you all.
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As Jade turned into Tori's streets, feeling a bit sadder as she wasn't going to be with her girlfriend for a night, but that's okay. She had been so distant from her father that sometimes she feels like she's living in another universe but with only Tori. How she wish that could happen, but family is also important. And even though she barely has any, the most she could do was to keep her and her rocky relationship with her father together and well.
Jade turned into Tori's driveway, noticing how bright the lights inside her house was. Normally they would be out around this time at night. She thought it was unusual.
"Thank you, Jade." Tori kissed Jade's cheeks and took off her seatbelt.
Jade merely smiled, feeling anticipating goosebumps travelling up her arms.
Tori turned her head to the side as Jade continued to face forwards, gripping the steering wheel unusual tight. Her knuckles were pale. "Hey, are you okay?"
Jade nodded immediately, letting go of the steering wheel and rubbing the tops of her hands. "Yeah, Tori, I'm fine. I'm just nervous about my dad, you know?"
Tori placed a hand on Jade's shoulder and squeezed it comfortingly. "Don't be nervous, babe. Remember when he was here? And he accepted you after everything that happened? There's nothing to worry about."
"But what if he's drinking again?" Jade asked. "What if he's drinking again and I'm not there to stop and help him?" Jade only leaned into Tori's shoulders, exhaling her scent. "Tori, I'm scared. I'm not usually scared like this. It's such an overwhelming sensation."
Tori wrapped her arms around Jade's back. "You will be okay."
"Are you sure?" Jade asked, trying to consider Tori's words.
"Yes," Tori said, rubbing Jade's back to calm the raven-haired girl down. "I promise."
It was still unusual to see Jade being so scared as Tori had always been used to Jade being the dominant one. Jade's vulnerability is such a rare sight to see, even to the gang, as in the past Jade used to show up to the brunette's doorstep crying.
"Okay," Jade pulled back from Tori, with the brunette rubbing her finger below Jade's eyelids to relieve her of her transparent tears. "I love you."
Tori smiled, kissing her girlfriend on the forehead. "I love you too."
The brunette hopped out of the car, grabbing her bag from the passenger seat and waving Jade goodbye. Tori formed a heart with her hands and placed it to her chest as Jade slowly backed out of her driveway, briefly forming a heart with her hands as well before pushing back into the street and driving away, relieving the tensions surrounding her and the atmosphere as if they were enemies.
--
Tori approached the door of her house. The lights seemed to soar up into the sky and Tori found it especially strange as the lights were usually off this late at night. She already felt the goosebumps running up and down her body.
She got close to the door for a moment, swearing to herself that she heard loud muffling on the other side of the door. Reaching into her bag, she grabbed her keys and squeezed them in the keyhole, twisting her fingers on the doorknob and pulling it down. Her face was immediately met with a bright light as her eyes had gotten used to the darkness outside and the dim restaurant.
"How could you say that?! You choosing to waltz out of here like you owned the place in the first place!" A deep voice roared.
"You never treated me the same! You were never here! You were always out because of work leaving me to tend to my own business!" Another voice hollered in reply, a female voice. A voice that seemed almost recognisable to Tori.
"Mom?" Tori called out to the voice.
She finally saw them: her parents in the same room as her for once. But they weren't close as they were before, in fact, they were nearly on opposite sides of the room. Holly had tears streaming down her face while Tori's dad looked furious. Tori was in the middle in between the both of them, shouting from both sides.
The adults finally turned towards Tori in the doorway, her expression was vague; they all stared at her in shock like it was the first time seeing her in years. It felt all weird to Tori too, seeing her parents in front of her instead of just one.
"Tori," Holly gasped and ran down and captured Tori in a hug, but Tori's thoughts were swirling around her head. She didn't know whether or not to hug her mother back. "My baby, how have you been?"
After a few moments, Holly let go of Tori, realising that she wasn't hugging back. She stepped back and avoided Tori's eye contact towards her, knowing her presence in the household was fading away. She had already made a decision, and she wasn't sure how Tori would handle her being gone.
Permanently.
"Mom?" Tori called again. "Why are you here𑁋how are you𑁋what have𑁋where the hell have you been?!"
Holly's eyes widened, seeing the pain in her own daughter's eyes. "Tori, please let me𑁋"
"You have been gone from this house for weeks, not bothering to show up! Trina and I have been trying to call you but you seemed to have disappeared somewhere. Tell me, does this have something to do with𑁋"
Suddenly the door opened again, forcing Tori out of words and to step away to avoid colliding with the door. It was Trina and Tori had managed to let out a breath of relief from the sight of her older sister.
"Hey, Toray, you don't look so grand. What's the𑁋" That's when Trina finally looked around the room, her eyes juggling from the sight of her mother, to her father, and back to the younger Vega with a dazed expression. "What's going on here?"
All of us in the same room, Tori thought. This couldn't be good at all.
Sighing, David finally stepped up from behind the couches and approached Tori and Trina.
Holly seemed frozen, not knowing what to do or say, clasping her hands together nervously and interlocking her own fingers with hers.
"I'm leaving," Holly muttered out, her face forming a cringe. "I won't be living here anymore."
Tori and Trina couldn't help but stare at their mother.
"What?!" They both gasped in shock.
"You𑁋you're leaving?" Tori repeated. "To where?"
"I can't fucking believe this," David murmured under his breath, his voice deep and brooding. "I can't believe you did this to me, to our family, do you know how much this costs to all of us? For you to come back and end up leaving again?!"
Holly turned to face David. "Do you know how hard this is for me too, David?!"
"You slept with my partner! My friend!" David exclaimed loudly, sounding like a giant towering over everyone. "You slept with Gary, and now you're moving in with him! How could you do this to me?!"
Tori and Trina's face spread in shock in a matter of seconds. Tori could feel the anger coursing through her veins. So this is what had been happening for the past few weeks. Her suspicions were true; her mother was in fact cheating on their father. She felt her face shift from the amount of anger growing inside of her.
She felt a hand on her shoulder𑁋Trina's𑁋squeezing it tightly to prevent her from pouncing on their mother like a cat. Tori always had the tendency to pounce on people who always cause her anger. She wouldn't even hesitate to do it.
"Tori," Trina whispered towards the brunette. "Don't please, fight it."
Tori's hands were clenched into fists.
"How could you do this to us?!" Tori asked frantically. "How could you𑁋of all people that I know and love𑁋betray our family?"
"Tori," Holly exhaled a breath. She stepped closer towards Tori, grabbing her face and pulling her close. "You are still my daughter, and Trina too," She let go of one of Tori's cheeks to grab Trina's hands. The older Vega seemed hesitant at first but allowed Holly to hold her hand. "I still love you both, you know that right?"
Tori had tears streaming down her face. The unbearable amount of pain and anger bubbling inside of her body made her confused of her emotions, not knowing whether to feel sympathy for her mother, or hatred for her betrayal.
"I don't even know what to think of you right now." Tori admitted hoarsely.
"That's okay," Holly reassured. "That's okay, baby. It's gonna take you a while to get used to this."
Tears continued to run down the younger Vega's face. Holly wiped away the tears off her eyelids; she was crying as well.
"I can't deal with this," David's voice was muffled under his large hands. "I'm going to ask for you to leave."
Holly reacted in a way where Tori couldn't even describe. Her face changed in all kinds of forms and expressions of anger and aggression, then sadness and guilt. It was her choice if she wanted to leave or not, no one could stop her.
"Are you kidding𑁋"
"LEAVE!" David screeched out, making Holly jump.
She groaned, grabbing her purse from the couch. "Fine," she spat. "Don't expect to come back here then. You never treated me like a wife anyways!"
Then she stormed out the door, slamming it behind her and leaving the remaining Vegas in silence.
That's when Tori finally broke down, more tears streaming down her face than usual. Trina only sighed and sat next to Tori, holding her tightly to her. David sat down as well, placing his arms on his knees and burying his face in his hands.
"How can she𑁋" Tori stammered, struggling to let out her words. "How can do that? Leave us for another man?"
"I don't know, honey," Trina said, attempting to comfort Tori. "I don't know."
"Dad," Tori whimpered. "Is she really gone? Did she really do that?"
"Honey, I don't even know who to believe or what to believe at this point," David muttered lowly. "You and Trina should probably go get ready for bed. I need to handle the rest of this myself, resolve everything myself."
Tori only nodded, getting up with Trina following her behind. The two sisters made their way upstairs as Tori continued to attempt her trail of emotions to leave her. She needed to talk to Jade, her only home and comfort.
"Tori," Trina grabbed the brunette's shoulders and turned her around. "It'll be okay."
"That's what everyone says," Tori said defensively. "How is going to be okay? Knowing that your mother is a cheater and left our family for another man."
"At least many other people have experienced the same thing𑁋their parents leaving them for another person," Trina said calmly. "You will be okay. I promise. One day this will just be a painful memory and you will allow it to be at the back of your mind. You are strong, I know you are, and I'm here for you, and Jade, and everyone else! Even if they dislike me but I really don't care."
Tori chuckled slightly to that last sentence. She loved her sister a lot, even if she can be an annoying ass sometimes. She gives one of the best advice ever and Tori greatly admired her for that.
"Thank you, Trina." Tori smiled, opening her arms and wrapping her sister in a brief hug.
"Anytime, lil sis. I got your back. By the way, I might have a date tomorrow. Who knew Karaoke Dokie had such good looking people in there?" Trina said, trying to cheer up the mood.
Tori only sniffled. "Right, good luck with that."
Trina winked and dashed away from her, leaving her alone standing in the middle of the hallway.
Though some of the lingering thoughts went away, Tori knew that a scar formed in her heart from that moment.
She took out her phone, landing straight in her contacts to look for Jade's name.
Tori: I have so much to tell you. I don't know what to feel right now. Please text me back when you can. I love you.
--
Jade finally arrived at her home. She could already feel the sweat boiling on her forehead as she took the key out of the car and placed it inside of her black bag. She got up from the seat and locked the car, hearing the footsteps of her boots as she continued to get closer towards the house. She felt like a total stranger for some reason. But she shouldn't, because this was her home.
When she made her way towards the doorstep, she lifted her hand and lightly knocked on the door, jumping up and down slightly from the pressure being exerted on her.
After a few moments, the door finally opened and the other side of the door was her father.
"Dad." Jade said firmly, tightly gripping her bag on her shoulder.
"Jade?" He seemed surprised to see her. He motioned for her to come in. "I thought you wouldn't ever stop by."
Jade walked in, stopping a few tracks ahead of her dad to notice how different the house looked from before. Before, there were drinks spilled everywhere, empty bottles on the table and on the couch, leftover rubbish on the floor. But this time, the place seemed to have cleaned up tremendously. The difference felt uncanny to Jade, as for years of her life she was surrounded by the total dark atmosphere surrounding her father.
"Wow," Jade said in awe, walking towards the living room and sitting down on one of the couches. "you really cleaned the place, did you?"
Her father nodded, placing himself on the couch next to her but keeping a bit of a distance. He frowned slightly from the thought but regained the confidence quickly. "I did," He managed to look straight towards Jade who was looking at him back with a seemingly bright face. "Everything feels different without you here."
"Mhm." Jade murmured, not knowing what to say to that.
"I've been getting help recently."
"Really?" Jade asked. "Since when?"
Her father shrugged. "About a week ago I started seeking some treatment for my addiction. They told me I should change my routine, clean after myself and that's what I have been doing. It's been really helping me a lot."
"Dad, that's great to hear," Jade smiled slightly. "I'm really glad you've been getting help."
Her father nodded, observing his only daughter. His only remaining family left. He promised to himself to not to allow himself to let her go.
"So," her father started. "How have you been doing?"
"Pretty good, actually," Jade answered. "I'm really grateful for what's in my life right now."
A muscle in her father's jaw tensed. He clenched his hands together, closing his eyes briefly to stop himself from overwhelming thoughts to spread.
"Are you sure it's not a phase? I mean like𑁋"
"Dad!" Jade snapped angrily. "I thought we talked about this. Do you not understand?"
Her father shook her head. "I'm just still shocked about everything. I'm still processing it. How have you not questioned yourself to be like this?"
Jade closed her eyes and opened them up. "Dad, I questioned myself too many times to count with your own fingers and toes, and this is what happened. I am proud for who I am and for the person I love. Don't you realise that I love her? I love her so much in terms that are beyond what humanity has right now. And if I lose her, I don't know even know where I would go, because she is the only person that I could express myself to."
"Then how about Beck? Did you not feel the same for him too?" her father asked.
Jade sighed. "Believe me when I say that I did. But as time progressed, the feelings just all... faded away. I did love him, Dad, but not all relationships last forever."
"How about this relationship? With her? Don't you think that someday it will end?" he continued to ask questions that Jade felt uncomfortable with. But it's been weeks since she has spoken to her father, and she needed to tell him everything so that he could settle with it.
"I don't want it to end," Jade explained. "I love her too much to let her go, and I really hope she feels the same way. It would be just another story to tell and that life will continue after that even if it really does end. But right now, it's me and her, and I want it to stay like that."
Her father reached over and grabbed one of her hands.
Jade could feel the tears sprouting in her eyes as she wiped them off with her other hand.
"I'm really proud of you," he assured her. "for getting this far by yourself. I'm so proud of you, Jade, I really am. And if this makes you happy, then I'm fine with it."
Jade smiled brightly, leaning in towards her father to wrap him in a hug. "Thank you, Dad."
He hugged her back, finally feeling like himself again. He desired to become a new person and to throw away his past. He wanted to forget those old feelings.
"Of course, Jade."
When they let go, Jade felt her phone vibrate inside of her purse. Taking it out, she noticed it was a notification from Tori. She was quick to get up, texting her girlfriend back.
Tori: I have so much to tell you. I don't know what to feel right now. Please text me back when you can. I love you.
Jade: Of course, call me in a few minutes.
But not even a few minutes later, her phone started to ring. It was a call from Tori.
"Sorry, Dad, I gotta take this," Jade said, quickly walking towards the stairs before stopping for a moment. "And Dad?"
"Yes?" He turned to look at her.
"Is it okay if I stay here for the night?"
Her father smiled. "Of course. This is your home anyway."
Jade just rolled her eyes, smiling to herself, and ran up the stairs to call Tori.
--
While running up the stairs, Jade accepted Tori's call on her phone. She put the phone to her ear, walking into her bedroom, stopping for a moment to notice that her bedroom was also clean. Everything was organised, not a single pair of clothes on the floor. The room looked like it was never touched.
"Jade...?" Tori's low voice intimidated Jade for a moment.
"Baby?" Jade asked, her tone was worrisome. Tori sounded as if she was in the midst of a mental breakdown. "What's wrong?"
"I𑁋" Tori's voice was cracking. "I don't know what to feel right now."
"You can tell me anything," Jade assured her. The poor girl sounded like she was about to let out a storm. "Let it out and I will be right here be your side."
"Okay..." Tori whispered on the other line. "You were right... about my mother. She𑁋she cheated on my dad; she's gone. She betrayed my family."
Jade felt the anger and pain bubbling up inside of her, the words thoroughly reminding of her own mother who left her when she was younger. Tori was hurting and she won't let that happen again.
"Oh, Tori..." Jade said, her voice was soothing to Tori. If she was there on the same bed as Tori, she would do nothing but allow her to vent. She would hold on to her girlfriend until the end of time, knowing that the pain would consume the both of them. She wanted to protect her. "I'm so sorry, Tori. I'm so sorry. You must be dealing with a lot of pain right now, how did everyone else take it?"
She could hear some muffled noises on the other side, as if Tori was shifting her position on the bed. "Trina told me that everything was... going to be okay. Is it really?"
Jade sighed. "It really depends on how much this moment will affect you. And from what I am hearing from you, it seems that it will take a while for it to be okay."
"I love you," Tori muttered. "I love you so much."
"I know," Jade said. "I love you too."
"Can you stay on the phone with me until morning?" Tori asked, sniffling.
"Of course."
The two of them continued to chatter until Tori fell asleep on the other side. Jade smiled to herself, hearing the soft breathing of Tori on the other line. She didn't hang up, only letting her phone sit on her charger. She placed her phone on the bedside table, still hearing the muffled breathing of Tori. She allowed herself to fall asleep next to Tori. Maybe not physically, but she could feel Tori's warmth on her.
Hope you enjoyed! The story is almost over guys, I would say at least 3 more chapters. I know it may seem unecessarily long but I let my mind do all the typing. Anyways, hope you enjoyed! See you at the next chapter.