6:00am (3:00am SEQUEL) // Jori fan fic

Chapter 1 - Tori & Caramel

(This book has a Spotify playlist called 6:00 am Original Playlist by Joanna Tiller)
I woke up to the sun hitting half of my face through the window. Irritated, I moaned tiredly and opened up my one good eye before turning over. As I felt sleep take over me once again, it was rudely interrupted by someone barging into my room.
"Jade, honey. Wake up, I made breakfast." My Mom whispered into my ear as she stroked my hair.
"Mm.. I don't wanna." I moaned, stuffing my face into my pillow.
"You have to. It's introductions day at your school." She teased with an audible smile. I opened up my eyes and sighed before slowly sitting up. Her blonde hair was up in a nice ponytail, the way I always loved it, and a lipstick-stained smile was on her face.
"You look like a morning person." She laughed.
"Mm." I moaned and tilted my head to look at my vanity mirror behind her. My hair was a bird's nest with brown, rose gold, and blonde going all over the place. My under eye bags were more noticeable and my brows were furrowed. The sight was funny to me so I chuckled slightly before grabbing my mom lightly and pulling her in for a hug.
"Ooh, okay!" She laughed before wrapping her arms around me as well.
"I didn't sleep well." I sighed into the hug.
"Again?" She asked, pulling away with a distressed look on her face.
I nodded solemnly before tugging my duvet off me dramatically. I crossed my legs and tied my bird's nest of a hair into a literal messy bun.
"Sweetie.. This isn't good for you. I told you to go get those pills I prescribed for you." She scoffed.
"I know, but I don't wanna take any pills and act all weird." I moaned desperately.
"Then.. there's only one thing you can do; talk to Tori. I know what she did was wrong, but try to understand her situation as well. You know that I don't condone cheating, but people make mistakes. You are my daughter, and I don't easily forgive, but the day she came over to see you and Ice, she called me that afternoon. She apologized and actually called in for a session to explain everything. I can't tell you what we spoke about.." She quickly added when I gestured to ask. "But.. She did say she was going through a rough time in her life. If you wanna know the truth then you both need to talk it out. She's told me everything and I forgive her. I just wanna see you better. I believe you both made a really great couple. You both made each other happy and I've never seen you the way you were with Tori. If you ask me, she brings out the best of you." She ended, giving my thigh a pat then kissing me on the head. "Get ready. Jacob will drop you off." With that, she left my room and kindly closed the door behind her before slowly getting out of my warm bed. It was hot outside, but my floor at 8 am is not, so I quickly got up and stood on my rug for a full minute before grabbing my phone from my bedside table and scrolling through it. Going on the Slap, I noticed that I was not able to post and that basically, my account was on lockdown since I graduated. I groaned and got off the site before getting on Instagram where we've all only been going to since then. I checked my notifications before grabbing my JBL speaker and heading to my bathroom. I got in and locked the door behind me as I let the shower run to hot. I connected my phone to the speaker and tapped on shuffle before Without Me by Halsey and Juice Wrld played.
As I got under the shower head and let my body get wet with hot water, memories from graduation came flooding back since today was my first day.

"And now.. Please welcome our Performing Arts Valedictorian for a final speech on behalf of her P.A. class, Tori Vega." Elen announced before clapping with the rest of us and walking back to her seat. Tori, in her black graduation gown and cap with a white blouse and a red handkerchief scarf around her neck, walked up to the podium, her heels the only thing audible throughout the whole theatre that the school rented for the night.
"We've made friends, and we've learned music, dance, song, and acting.. But what's better than that? Is doing all of what we've learned with the friends we've made.." She took a pause and turned back to glance at Beck, Cat, Robbie, Andre, and I. Her eyes landed on me last before her smile turned bittersweet because I caught the sadness in her eyes for a split second. She turned and took a deep breath before continuing her speech.
"The first day I transferred here, I thought I couldn't do what all these talented people did around me. There were people dancing at the stairs and playing their instruments like no one was watching. There were people who were running lines, writing scripts on the floor by their locker on their laptops and people excelling in ventriloquism.." We all looked over at Robbie who had Rex with a graduation gown and cap as well. They both looked at each other shockingly before turning back to Tori with embarrassed looks.
"I thought I couldn't do it and even walked out on the first couple of hours because.. Well, a lot happened that overwhelmed me." She chuckled. I felt my cheeks heat up as I realized what she was referring to.
"But, my friends.. They convinced me that, that I belonged there and that nothing as small as some snarky remarks and a few kicks to my hopes should make me quit on something I wanted to do. They also convinced me that normal is boring. Back at my old school, we did Maths, Chemistry, History, Economics and all that stuff and my life was normal. I had a small group of friends, but once I changed we never stayed in contact since I was a freshman and we didn't know each other that well, but here... My life changed, for the better. I wasn't normal anymore and neither were my friends. We got to star in plays our friends wrote, and sing songs we all wrote for a friend one time.. We all got to do so many projects and make so many memories here as well. My point is.. Hollywood Arts has changed my life with their weird and fierce principles.. Their zen student counselor with a weird love for lotion... And the eccentric yet caring teacher who likes to walk barefoot and drink coconuts." She chuckled. We all did and noticed Sikowitz do the same before drinking out of his coconut.
"So, thank you Hollywood Arts for teaching us how to believe in ourselves and pushing us to strive for what we believe in. With love, the graduating class of 2019. " She smiled and the band music started for us to turn the tassels that were on our caps. We all did so, and then I was called as Salutatorian so hand out the Key of Responsibility to the Valedictorian of the Sophomore class. After the cap throwing and the congratulating, 7:30 came around and we were back at Hollywood Arts for the graduating party. I watched as my friends and Tori laughed over something Andre said and that sight made me smile. I poured myself a cup of punch as I thought about this morning when I drove Babe and the rest of her friends to the airport. She was leaving back to New York to continue the making of their new game and so we said our goodbyes and agreed we'd continue wherever our weird relationship was going back in NYC. I walked back into the school from the cafeteria and made my way to Sikowitz's class. I looked around the eccentric room and felt my heart get warm as this was where we all spent our time for four years. The memory of my experience doing the Bird scene flashed through my mind, making me chuckle at the specific part where I basically threatened Sikowitz into passing because I worked my ass off into doing this 1934 dark themed scene. Leaving this room, I got to the Blackbox theatre and remembered the time Robbie and I found out about Cat living in the little storage room and acting like Tori punched me that one time.. And when I helped her clean up in detention.. Or that time we played husband and wife in Sikowitz's play after our first date.. I shook my head and walked out of there as I felt a cold shiver run down my spine. I shuddered and got to my locker. Smiling, I took off the scissors one by one and took a seat on the stairs. The punch didn't last long as I ended up finishing it just as I heard a pair of heeled footsteps walk towards me.
"Hey, why aren't you in?" I looked up at what was apparently a sight for sore eyes and smiled. It was Tori. Her hair was now longer at the end of the year and was done in more classy waves. Her face had light makeup, but still had her natural glow which I adored. She was still in her graduation gown as well, but she had it unbuttoned to reveal her red dress that reached her ankles but had a long slit on the side to reveal a little led. It was simple with a few lace hems, but it suits her well as it hugged her figure. She sat down beside me and crossed her arms on her legs, looking at me.
"What's wrong?" She asked, genuinely interested.
"Nothing, everything is fine and dandy!" I replied, mocking her voice.
"I don't sound like that!" She breathed out desperately. "But, seriously.. Why aren't you in?"
I rolled my eyes and placed my cup on the floor beside me before sighing, "A lot of my best memories were made here.. Especially with you."
"Oh.. Well, we'll make new ones at Julliard." She insisted, smiling at me with her beautiful cheekbones.
"It's not.. Ugh.. I don't know how to explain it.. It's the place, not the people."
"Jade... We'll make more memories there. Together or not, we're still .. Kinda friends." She chuckled.
"I guess so. I'm also kinda down because Babe left." I shrugged, fiddling with my thumbs.
"Ah... Babe. I see. Are you guys.. A thing?" She asked.
"No.. Yes.. No. I don't know. I just feel like I've finally been able to open up. It's not the same, but anyways.."
"I see.. Anyway, I gotta go.. Family dinner at my place to celebrate." She muttered as she got up and dusted her dress and gown off.
"Right. See you, then." I nodded and watched as she walked away. Things were never going to be the same.