Harmony amidst Chaos | A Jori story

Early Birds

-TORI'S POV-

The early morning air is crisp, carrying the scent of damp earth and blooming flowers. The park is quiet, just the way I like it, with only the sound of birds chirping and the rhythmic thud of my feet against the pavement breaking the silence. Running has become my escape again, a way to clear my head after everything that happened with Daniel. I used to run all the time with my dad, but since he got so busy with work so we just stopped.

I take in the sights around me—the dew on the grass, the way the sun is just beginning to rise, casting a golden glow over everything. As I round a familiar bend in the park, I spot someone further down the path, which is unusual given the fact that it's 6am on a Saturday morning. They're moving slowly, aimlessly, with something dangling from their hand.

As I get closer, I realize who it is—Jade. She looks so out of place, wandering around at this hour with what looks like a kite.

I slow to a jog, unsure if I should approach her. I mean, after yesterday I'm probably the last person that she would like to see right now. But seeing her like this, so... defeated, I can't just run past her.

I come to a stop a few feet away, my breathing heavy from the run. "Jade?" I call out cautiously.

She stops in her tracks, blinking as if she's just now realizing where she is. When she looks at me, her eyes are red, puffy, like she's been crying for hours. The usual sharpness in her gaze is gone, replaced with something hollow.

For a moment, neither of us says anything, the silence stretching out between us. Then, Jade glances down at the broken kite in her hand, her expression unreadable. "This kite is broken." she mutters.

I glance at the kite. It's clearly broken, the once vibrant colors now dull and tattered, its frame bent out of shape. "Yeah I can see that." I reply softly, unsure of what else to say.

Jade stares at it for a moment longer, her fingers tracing the torn fabric. "I found it in a bush." she says, her voice flat. "It was stuck, just hanging there, like it didn't know what to do anymore. Someone needs to fix it."

"Okay uhm... maybe we can try to put some tape on it?" I say, not really knowing why we are talking about a broken kite at 6 in the morning, after everything that happened yesterday.

Jade glances at me. "Yeah, maybe." she murmurs. "But sometimes tape isn't enough. Sometimes it's too broken, and no matter what you do, it won't fly again."

I scrunch my face in confusion. The weight of her words hangs in the air between us, and I realize she's not just talking about the kite. She's talking about herself.

I take a cautious step closer, not sure what to say, but feeling like I should say something. "Have you been here all night?" I ask softly.

Jade's eyes flicker with something almost vulnerable for a split second, but just as quickly, her walls snap back into place. She shakes her head, her expression hardening as she looks away. "What the hell are you even doing here Vega? Don't you need your beauty sleep or something?" she asks, her voice flat and distant again.

The shift in her tone makes it clear she's not ready to open up about what's troubling her, and I have a pretty good guess it's got to do with Beck. Still, something about the situation makes me chuckle internally. I've seen this side of Jade before—the one that lashes out when she feels exposed. "Beauty sleep? Please. I've already perfected the art of waking up flawless. No extra hours needed. Besides, that's more Trina's thing." I joke, trying to break through her defenses a bit.

She rolls her eyes, but there's the faintest hint of a smirk on her lips. "You're such a joke."

"Hey, jokes keep me youthful. Maybe you should try it sometime." I quip, stepping closer.