Green Eyes

Earthquake!

Here we go again ...
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Jade spent an uneasy night. The dreams, so lately banished by her proximity to Tori, had returned with a vengeance, but a new and disturbing twist. She found herself floating as always above the writhing figures on the bed, watching Tori's face contort in ecstasy, her hands gripping the sheets, her legs hooked around the body on top of her, but now something was different. The body on top was no longer Ted, the back was less muscular, the waist narrower, the hair long and dark, flecks of green intertwined.

And there on the arm was a five-pointed star...

She woke up in a cold sweat. Beside her, Tori stirred but didn't wake. Jade looked down at her, hair strewn across her face and neck. Soft. Unthreatening. Vulnerable.

She slunk down to the kitchen to get a glass of water. She should just go. Last night had been the end, there'd be nothing now she could do, Tori would be on her guard for any more tricks, and she could hardly come over every weekend and plead with her not to go. Maybe she should have just stayed home and let it happen, stuck her head under the pillow, or raided her dad's liquor cabinet, turned her music up full and lost herself in oblivion. At least then it would be over, like ripping off a Band-Aid. As it was she'd made a total fool of herself, and she still had the nightmare to come, only this time Tori was probably going to make it a million times worse by announcing it ahead of time, for Christ's sake, and she'd just have to sit there like a cuckold, taking it, whispering reassurance, picturing it in her head.

She brought the glass to her lips and turned to see something laying on the kitchen table.

Tori's phone.

She knew how to unlock it, in the same way she knew how to get into Tori's locker, or how to get her medical records - she did her research. It sat there invitingly, almost glowing with temptation, pulsating with opportunity, drawing her towards it with its promise of illicit meddling. She might not be able to put a stop to Tori and Ted's relationship, but Tori certainly could. One text, one message, one hint, and Ted would be dust.

But that would be wrong. That would be so wrong. That would a betrayal of trust so epic, so fundamental, that Tori would never forgive her.

If Tori ever found out, that was. If, for instance, Jade didn't delete both the outgoing message and Ted's reply, and then maybe drop the phone in the waste disposal. In those circumstances, everything would be absolutely fine. But that was a purely academic consideration, because of course Jade wasn't going to do anything like that.

And even if she was to do something so underhand, so deceitful, what would she write, anyway? What kind of message would be guaranteed to put Ted off completely? She didn't want to start a conversation or get into a discussion, she didn't want a response, she just wanted to give him a nudge in the right direction. He'd already be feeling pretty pissed about his date. So how about, sorry I couldn't make it last night, I just remembered...

What? I had an emergency appointment at the STD clinic? I was playing strip poker with the guys from the football team? I think you're a total prick? I'm gay?

I was looking out wedding dresses with my mom.

Boom, yeah, that was the one. Slam dunk. Nothing would terrify a teenage guy more than that.

But naturally Jade wasn't going to do that, because Tori was her friend, and, as she'd already concluded, it would be very, very wrong. So best just to leave the phone alone, and...