A Jori Story: We're Just Acting, Right?

Oi, Vega!

Friday rolled around quicker than expected but thankfully, Tori was feeling much better by Thursday and showed up to school her usual cheerful self by Friday. Jade smiled watching Tori walk though the door and made a beeline for her.

"Feeling better?"

"Much better. Ready for tonight?"

"Dreading it, more like. But I'll be okay if you're there."

The brunette smiled and reached for Jade's hand, expecting her to pull away as if it burned her, but she felt the goth intertwine their fingers and squeeze a little. Tori shut her locker with one hand and headed for their first class of the day with her hand still in Jade's.

They walked into Sikowitz' classroom, laughing about something or other and getting lost in conversation how they always did with each other when someone clearing their throat brought Tori out of her reverie. She looked up and away from Jade after what felt like forever but was still too short to her and saw Beck with his hair slicked and grinning.

"Hey," he whispered softly, an arm encircling her waist reflexively.

That was when Jade dropped Tori's hand and the brunette felt her heart sink. She nodded lightly at Beck but kept her eyes on Jade who drifted to the other corner of the classroom to sit broodingly with her arms crossed. She sighed to herself when she felt Beck's arm come to rest on the back of her chair.

Jade watched Tori and Beck across the room and struggled to keep a straight face. Struggled to restrain her face filling with colour which she was unsure was out of anger or something else. She had nothing against Beck. They had broken up on (somewhat) good terms and were friends. But seeing him with Tori made Jade's jaw clench.

But what could she do but stare? Her eyes drifted to the floor as she got lost in her thoughts. She remembered what she told herself that night, how as long as Tori was happy she would be glad. But seeing Beck lean closer to the brunette and rest his head on her shoulder, one hand around her waist protectively.

She realized it was torture. She wanted to be the one with an arm casually slipping around Tori's waist. She wanted to be on the receiving end of long, sparkly-eyed stares from her favourite brown-eyed girl. Jade shook herself. Her eyes had slowly been welling up as her mind raced. She blinked hard til the tears dissipated and tried to look interested in Sikowitz' class.

"Right! As it is our favourite redhead's birthday today, she will be giving us a drive by acting exercise," said Sikowitz, shaking Jade out of her stupor.

The whole class fell silent, looking around til their gazes landed on Cat. She looked at everyone and then at Sikowitz for the ten seconds that followed in silence before Sikowitz motioned to her.

"I'm talking about you, Cat."

"Oh!"

She walked up to the platform and looked around at everyone, thinking for a moment before glancing at Sikowitz. "Everyone is aggressively proclaiming their love for each other in British accents."

The class shared looks of confusion for a few seconds before shrugging and erupting in angrily loud British accents yelling I love you's across the room. Tori was grinning as she watched Andre grab the front of Beck's shirt and shake him aggressively, telling him his eyes shone like stars.

She was shaken out of her little trance, however, when she heard a voice call, "Oi, Vega!"

Tori spun around just in time for Jade to grasp her waist firmly and pull her close. Tori's breath caught in her throat when she realized who was standing before her. Jade was wearing a smirk, yelling words that were probably British proclamations of love but Tori was unable to bring herself to tune in because she was suddenly feeling Jade's hands travel lower... lower...