Harmony amidst Chaos | A Jori story

The shift in the scene

 -JADE'S POV-

Asking her for help is one thing, but giving her my jacket because she was cold... really, Jade? What the hell is wrong with me?!

I was barely out of the restaurant before I felt Beck's glare boring into me. He didn't even bother waiting until we were out of earshot before laying into me in the parking lot.

He's got this whole idea now, thinking I'm showing others a side I don't show him, just because I'm 'nice' to them. It's something he's been asking me to do for years, and now... now it's a problem? He especially named Tori, like me not biting her head off tonight is some kind of betrayal. Sorry I'm not giving her the same hell I give him lately.

But seriously, what does he expect? Ever since Elena—the ridiculously hot, up-and-coming actress with a rich daddy—came into the picture, Beck's been acting like he's Hollywood royalty. They're working on some indie movie together, and now all he does is laugh at her jokes and text her back like she's the best thing since sliced bread. Let her hang off his arm like a trophy. And then I'm the one who's changed? Pathetic.

I lean back against the wall of my room, hands threading through my hair in frustration. I'm mad at him, sure, but I'm even more pissed at myself for letting any of this get to me. What's Tori even got to do with it?

I scowl, replaying his words in my head. "You're different with her." Like I'm supposed to treat everyone the way I treat him. Yeah, maybe I didn't snap at Tori tonight, maybe I let her borrow my jacket. Big deal. It's not like we're suddenly best friends.

But still... why her? Why now? I can't even explain it to myself, let alone Beck. And honestly, why should I? It's none of his business who I'm nice to or why. Not everything is about him and his fragile ego.

I shake my head, pushing off the wall and pacing again. Beck's always been the guy everyone gravitates toward. He doesn't chase the spotlight, but it finds him anyway, and he's never exactly complained. I did, though—told him how it made me feel. Uncomfortable. Insecure. Two things I absolutely hate feeling. But, of course, it never mattered enough to him to change anything. He'd just laugh it off, saying I was overthinking, as if that made it go away.

And Tori? She's just... Tori. Bubbly, clumsy, kind, stubborn—sometimes annoyingly persistent. But she doesn't try to grab attention or wear some fake mask around me. She's real. She doesn't expect anything from me, and for some reason, that makes it easier to just... exist around her. No pressure, no games.

I stop pacing, my gaze drifting to the window. Maybe that's why I didn't think twice about handing her my jacket or why I didn't snap at her tonight. She doesn't make me feel like I have to be 'on' all the time. And Beck? He can't stand that I'm showing someone else a side of me he thinks he owns or something.

I fold my arms, leaning against the window frame. Beck thinks he knows me, knows every part of who I am. But the truth is, he only knows the version of me I've let him see—the version that bites back when pushed, that keeps things light and never too deep. And maybe that's all he wants. Maybe that's all he's ever really cared about.

But with Tori... it's different. I don't feel the need to put up the same walls. I don't feel like I'm constantly fighting to keep myself in check. She doesn't press or pry. She just lets me be, and somehow that makes it harder to keep the edges sharp around her. It's not like I'm going soft or anything, but maybe for once, I'm not trying so damn hard to keep everyone at arm's length.

I can almost hear Beck's voice in my head, accusing me again. "You're different with her."

Different how? What does that even mean? It's not like I've suddenly changed. I'm still me. This is not about me being different. It's about trust—or maybe the lack of pressure. With Beck, there's always this unspoken competition, this expectation that I'll rise to whatever challenge he throws my way. With Tori, it's just... quiet.