Jade didn't know if it was by choice or by force what happened the summer after their senior year. Perhaps by choice, because nobody made her do things she didn't want to do, but the circumstances of the summer certainly helped it along.
Graduation came and went, and in the two weeks after, everyone shipped off one-by-one. Beck to Madrid on an extended modeling contract. Andre to an Atlanta-based internship. Cat and Sam to Seattle, at least for the summer. Robbie to somewhere (Jade hadn't been listening because who the fuck cared) for comedy camp. The only one from their friend group staying in LA was Tori, who'd deferred her college acceptance when she signed with RPX Records.
The prospect of enduring the summer without most of her friend group hit Jade unexpectedly. Despite the annoying bickering, creative tensions, and the constant disagreements, Jade had grown used to having these people in her life, to seeing them every day, to -- ugh -- caring about what's happening with them.
(Except maybe Robbie. Robbie was always the exception.)
They were her friends and now they were gone and suddenly Jade had to grapple with the prospect of an entire summer in the sole company of Tori Fucking Vega.
Tori, of course, was the first one to reach out, asking Jade to go to Nozu one night a few days after all of their friends had left. And, whatever, Jade wasn't one to deny herself some sushi, and fine, maybe Tori wasn't that bad anymore. Maybe they even kind of got along, finding a mild tolerance of each other somewhere between all their senior projects and showcases and stupid shenanigans.
So, like, whatever. She went for the fucking California Rolls and the dreadful karaoke, and if she stayed because Tori wasn't, like, absolutely horrid to be around for once in her life, then so be it.
//
Jade planned to use the summer to finalize some of her ongoing projects and find funding for her newer ideas, but these things took time. Between all that, she was in desperate need of some cash and that was, of course, the only reason she could be found sulking in the Regal Cinemas at the mall. If anyone asked, she didn't work there. Her attire consisting of a black Regal Cinemas shirt and a nametag with her name and favorite movie ( The Scissoring, obviously ) was just a personal wardrobe choice.
Because nobody made her do things she didn't want to do.
"I know you work there," Tori was saying to her one night when they were in Tori's living room, scavenging the last scraps of a pizza that Trina (back from college for the summer) had abandoned.
"No," Jade denied, despite having been caught in the act by Tori herself the previous day.
(Really, who goes to matinees by themselves on a Tuesday? Lame ass grandmas and Tori Fucking Vega, apparently).
"Jade."
"Tori."
Tori narrowed her eyes at her, but like Jade was gonna break at one weak ass eye-narrowing from Tori Vega. Seriously?
"Ugh, fine!" Tori huffed, throwing her pizza crust on Jade's plate out of frustration. The audacity of the bitch. "I just don't get why you work there when we literally live in a city that supports independent cinemas more than any other city in the country. And yet Jade West, self-proclaimed indie film lover, chooses a Regal in the mall? No way."
Jade picked at the crust, shrugging nonchalantly. "It's the anonymity. Hollywood Arts students wouldn't be caught dead at a Regal." She snorted. "Except you, apparently."
"Five dollar Tuesday is a great deal, okay?" When Jade said nothing else, Tori, ever-persistent, kept going. "So why ?"
"Well, it was between that and the yogurt place and unlike some people in this room, I'm not an idiot."
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I'm Yours to Keep, I'm Yours to Lose (Long Story Short, I'm All About You)
Fanfiction"The prospect of enduring the summer without most of her friend group hit Jade unexpectedly. Despite the annoying bickering, creative tensions, and constant disagreements, Jade had grown used to having these people in her life, to seeing them every...
