Conflicting Love (Jori)

Chapter Six

Tori Vega's POV

The next day I wake up exhausted, accidentally knocking off my alarm clock on my bedside trying to press snooze. I sit up in my bed sighing wanting to go back to sleep. Last night I had been reading through the script for my first play. I read through my lines a few times just trying to get a feel for the character that i'm playing.

Sikowitz says he wants us to know most of the lines in two weeks, then we will have our first rehearsal. I've never memorized something so big, i'm nervous and am unsure how I will do. Hopefully Andre, Beck, Cat, and Jade will rehearse and help me out a bit. I want to talk to Jade to see if we could run over some lines before we have to show up for the first rehersal. 

I just hope Jade will ease up around me, I'm not sure why she's mean to me. I've never done anything to her. I like to think that maybe she's just sad or mad about something that's happened recently, maybe she's angry all the time because of her fights with her boyfriend Beck. 

I like Beck, he's a very nice guy. It's just that, from what i've observed the past week is that he doesn't treat Jade like a girlfriend. He doesn't look like a good boyfriend in my opinion, I could be totally wrong though considering I know little about the two. I just met them. 

I leave for school with my sister Trina after i've gotten ready, Trina turns up the music in the car preventing any conversation between us. We stop and get some coffee to wake us up before going to school, it helps a bit. My eyes don't seem so tired as I walk through the doors. 

I check my watch on my wrist and see that there is five minutes until class, I walk to my locker frowning at how boring it looks compared to the other's around it. I need to do something with it so I won't be that person with the lame locker. I did put up some pictures of some of my favorite music artists inside, so I guess it isn't too bad.

My body jerks forward making me hit some of the lockers beside mine, I look behind me to see Jade with a glare walking away. I sigh wondering why she felt she had to push me, I just want to be friends. I close my locker and walk to Sikowitz'es classroom, when I arrive, I see Jade sitting by the window looking at the dead flowers on the windowsill. She's the only one in the classroom. 

I sigh and walk over to her, I sit in the chair beside her. She doesn't move, not her eyes or body. I open my mouth to say something, but then close my mouth not wanting to interrupt her thoughts. I sit in silence looking over at her unable to keep my eyes off of her. Her usual aggressive look is gone, she looks a little sad. I've never seen any other emotion from her, she's always so mean looking. 

Even in her upset state though, she's still gorgeous. 

The bell rings making me look away from my gaze. People start to file in the classroom picking their seats, Sikowtiz comes in as well holding a coconut with a straw in it looking happier than ever. He takes a sip making me raise my eyebrows, a coconut? Beck walks in right before the bell rings, he sits across the room, in the seat that's probably furthest from Jade. He looks angry. 

Sikowitz starts talking but I don't pay any attention, I look at her again unable to stop myself. She's still just gazing at the dead flowers, I don't like to see her hurt even though she probably could care less about me. It's just that, it doesn't feel right. She shouldn't look so heartbroken. 

The class goes by quickly. Maybe because I am so entertained watching her, just waiting for her to move. The small movements she does have every now and then are beautiful. The twirl of her fingers around her strands of hair, the soft breaths that make her chest rise and fall gently, her long eyelashes fluttering, and just every little thing. 

When the class ends and the bell rings overhead, everyone rushes to leave the classroom. Except for Jade and I, Jade gets up slowly turning into me accidentally bumping me. 

" Sorry. " I muttered softly, she just nods her head in response which surprises me. Why isn't she being mean to me like she usually is? When she just stands there looking at me, I feel that this might be a great time to ask her to rehearse together. Who knows when i'll get to talk one on one to her again?

" Um Jade...since both of our parts in the play are in almost every scene together...do you think you might want to rehearse together sometime soon? " I offer feeling nervous as I do so, she just nods her head yes surprising me once again.

" Yeah whatever. " She says with a sigh grabbing her bag on the floor, she throws the strap over her shoulder pushing past me. I try to catch up to her wanting to get more out of her. 

" Awesome...what time is best for you? " I wondered trying to keep up with her quick pace as we leave the classroom. I can hear the click of her boots as we amble in the hallway blocked by students. 

" I don't care. " She says bluntly walking quicker pushing against people to get through, becoming angrier and more like her usual self by the second. 

" Are...are you okay? " I ask which makes her stop, I stop too wondering why we are stopping. She glares at me reminding me of the Jade that scares me. The Jade I've known since I met her in the beginning of the week. She just glares me down for a few seconds before turning and trudging again, she's walking towards her locker. 

" Jade? " I ask following her, something is wrong. The glares are not new, but she's acting weird. Well, weird for her anyways. She opens her scissored covered locker switching books from the locker to her bag staying silent. 

" You like scissors I see. " I notice just trying to make some conversation to shave the cold ice between us. She slams her locker making me slightly jump, she just stands there glaring at me once again. 

" Yes, I love scissors. " She spoke very bluntly, she doesn't move but just stand there. She looks annoyed, angry, and yet still a little sad. 

" That's cool...I guess. " I state thinking that its a little weird, but it does fit her personality well. She sighs tapping her foot waiting for the odd conversation to end. Waiting for me to leave her life. 

" Um...do you want to maybe rehearse today after school? " I ask wondering if it would be better to get it over with. Even though I shouldn't like Jade because she's mean to me, I can't help but want to make her like me. I just want her approval. 

" Whatever, I'll meet you at your house. " She shares surprising, my house? She then starts to walk away making me even more confused. 

" Wait Jade! " I lightly yell trying to catch up with her once again. 

" What? " She says spinning around looking angry, I sigh when I reach her. She sure is a fast walker. 

" Don't you need my address? " I question wondering if she was just going to blow me off anyways after school and that's why she didn't ask for an address. 

" I've been to your house before Vega, your sister threw a lame party at your house last summer. " she says before walking off again leaving me behind, this time I don't follow. I just watch as she walks away, her black hair with the new green strands lay perfectly against her back bouncing lightly with each step. The thought that she's been in my house before makes me feel weird, yet excites me at the same time. 

I'm still anxious to know why she seemed so sad before, maybe I can get her to share why after school when we rehearse together.