The Script [JADE WEST]

10

Jade was up all night contemplating everything - from the script to the conversation she had had with Trina before she had left the Vega residence. For the first time, she was able to find a common ground with Trina Vega of all people. It felt surprising for everyone involved.

Jade had been about to go home since it had gotten too late and she couldn't break her curfew when she had been stopped by Trina, who had something to tell her. The older girl had invited her back inside to talk.

"Jade," Trina began, having sat on the sofa, "My sister can't stop talking about the play you've written."

The girl with the gothic clothes' eyes widened. Too many things were making her believe she had woken up in an alternative universe. Was that true? She wasn't sure whether to hope so or not. A faint "She does?" escaped her mouth. Lately, all of her words seemed to be simply escaping her mouth without much thought and she hated that. It was like the walls she had built were beginning to crumble and fall.

"It made me read the play myself," Continued Trina, "And I couldn't help but recognize myself in it."

Jade was now sitting silent, focusing her gaze past Trina's face, unable to look her in the eyes. She had straightened her back and had put her hands on her knees, attempting to prevent herself from wiggling.

She couldn't understand how Trina had recognized herself in the play. She vividly remembered not writing anything that would remind anybody of Trina specifically.

"The part where Emerald had to take care of her brother hit me. I mean, it reminded me of my relationship with Tori," Trina spoke and turned around to make sure there was nobody else in the room who could be snooping on the girls, "Nobody knows this, but our parents haven't always been next to us. Especially next to Tori. In fact, I don't think our parents support each other anymore. I think my mom is cheating on my dad with his friend from the police station."

The last sentence made Jade gasp. So Vega wasn't as perfect as she seemed to be? For some reason, that made Jade feel somehow relieved.

"Do you see the photos over there?", Trina pointed at the photos Jade had seen every single time she had visited the residence of the Vega family, "What you see there isn't always the truth. Tori and I might be smiling, but that doesn't mean that everything is perfect. Or has been."

At that moment, Jade felt stupid. Her jealousy for the life that Tori appeared to live had blinded her to the point where it was difficult for her to believe that she would struggle with anything, especially family problems.

"Goodnight, Jade," Trina said on parting, earning a nod and a small smile from Jade, before closing the door and letting the younger girl go home to tuck in her brother for a good night.

That night, Jade, after yet another argument with her father about her going out to visit friends, went to bed with hope in her heart. Trina's experience seemed similar to hers. She couldn't help but feel terrible for the Vega sisters - they reminded her of her and Jack. Next time she saw Tori, she could give her a hug - maybe she needed one.

Before drifting off to sleep, the last thought in Jade's mind was that maybe it was time for her to grow up and to begin letting people see the person she truly was. People had more in common with her than they believed.