Jaded Eyes (Jori)

33: And Maybe A Dog

Tori, of course, awoke first. The sun peaked behind the blinds on her room, creating thin, bright pink stripes on the wall opposite the window. The light was just enough to illuminate the scattered clothing, half of which was torn at the seams, about the floor. Tori, reminiscing on the night prior, found herself cuddled up against her love who had one hand behind her head and the other slung around Tori.

Jade twitched slightly at the movement of Tori's head, and pulled the smaller girl closer. Jade couldn't believe that just a few days ago, this girl wasn't even a part of her life. But now, she couldn't imagine a timeline without her. Jade had filled this past week with so many small memories, trying as hard as she might to never allow her older self to ever forget each detail of this girl. So much was jam packed into only a week, that it was hard to remember anything Before Tori. Only After Tori was important now. Jade felt safe, and hoped she could make Tori feel safe as well.

Tori closed her eyes, the memories of the night before came flooding back. The locker room, the jealously, the passion. She took a deep inhale. The scent of Jade filled her nose. Vanilla. Like a cupcake. Sweet, delicious, so easy to crave and hard to resist. She could never get enough of this girl. Ever.

Jade was the first to speak.

"We met at the bar last night. I'm Jade, by the way." She said with a stone face, locking eyes with the one cuddled into her side.

"Shut up, loser," was all Tori could manage before leaning up to kiss her. "You're so weird."

"There are worse things to be," Jade snickered. "But seriously, last night was..."

"Yeah," Tori said with a satisfied smile. "It definitely was."

The two stayed interlocked until the Sun ticked a few more degrees in the sky before they finally decided to get up. Tori followed Jade into the bathroom, clinging onto her pinky as she trailed behind. Tori handed Jade an extra toothbrush that was already in the holder. Like she's expected Jade to stay some nights. Like she wanted Jade to be with her. Jade smiled shyly, taking note of the small detail. The two brushed their teeth in silence, smiling at each other in the mirror whenever they made eye contact. Tori, seeming to have rushed the process of which Jade tended to be meticulous about, threw her brush back into the holder and started to pick out some clothes from the closet. Not only for herself, but also for Jade. Tori even made sure to pick out some darker clothes for her. When she came back into the bathroom, Jade was just finishing up.

"I figured each of us should probably shower. You can go first. You need it more than I do." Tori smiled handing off the clothes she picked out.

"Tori, seems like a waste of water to me. You do know we are in California, right?"

"Excuse me?"

"How about we cut the time in half?" Jade said, pushing Tori's hair that hung over her shoulder back behind her neck. She let her hand linger, running her thumb along her jawline, and slowly pulling her closer. She kissed from her cheek, down her neck until she heard Tori groan.

"You know, to save water?" Jade added.

Jade, already naked, stepped into the shower, holding her hand out to Tori.

"Join me?"

"How can I say no?"

——

After the shower, Tori decided she wanted her hair to be curly so she asked Jade to braid it while it was wet.

"Of course, darling."

Tori said between Jade's legs, and Jade began, pulling Tori's hair into three, relatively equal parts. Tori sat, with her eyes closed, just feeling Jade's hands against her scalp. Jade's nails weren't long enough to hurt anyone or anything, but they had enough length to them that when she pulled the strands away from each other, it just barely scratched Tori; immediately sending goosebumps down her spine. Jade saw her shiver and ran her hand along her back soothing her. She then continued to braid.

By the time she was done, Tori grew very hungry. Jade had already accounted for this and suggested they go out to McDonalds for some breakfast sandwiches when she heard Tori's stomach growl for the fifteenth time.

"Let me grab my keys," Tori said. Both girls headed down stairs, grabbed the keys off the counter, and left out the front door. Jade, all gentleman-like, opened the driver's side door for Tori before getting stalled in her own seat. The McDonalds wasn't too far away. Just a couple miles down the road. And within a few minutes, they were already ordering. Tori ordered four bacon, egg, and cheese's and two hashbrowns. They even got some orange juice as well. Tori was about to drive back home, but Jade thought of a better idea.

"Can we go eat at the park instead? Today is too beautiful to spend it inside eating junk food."

"So you'd rather eat the same junk food outside?" Tori questioned.

"Naturally."

And instead of right, they turned left, heading toward the park and away from town. After arriving to see that no one was here, probably because it was 8am on a Saturday, they easily found themselves a nice picnic table, with access to the warm Sun. They opened up their sandwiches and began to chow down. Getting four instead of one for each of them was a  good idea. Tori even almost stole Jade's second one, but Jade said she could have her hashbrown instead. After finishing up their food and throwing away their trash, they decided to hang around the park for a while. They climbed on the playset, chasing after each other like kids. They even played tag once or twice before they grew tired and settled down on the swings.

"Can I tell you something?" Jade spoke, swinging her legs softly, barely moving the swing.

"Of course, anything."

"Promise not to be mad at me though, alright?" Jade nearly whispered.

"You're scaring me, what's going on?"

"It's just that- fuck. Okay, no, whatever, so I like you. Like, I really like you. And I can't see myself without you. And when I picture my life, it's just you and me and maybe a dog..."

Tori snickered.

"... So what I'm trying to say is, goddamnit. This isn't coming out right."

"Can I try to finish your thought?" Tori suggested.

"Please."

"Will you take me as your girlfriend?"