To Have And To Hold

Chapter 1

Tori

"...You helped me become a stronger, more compassionate, and more confident version of myself, and I'm forever grateful for that. And to show you how grateful I am, I want to return the favour and stay by your side forever...

...Tori Vega, will you marry me?"

I sit up in bed with a sleepy Jade in my arms, a content grin on my face as I replay her little speech from the day she proposed to me. 6 months ago, the girl who once did everything in her power to crush my dreams got down on one knee and asked me to marry her, and I feel nothing but proud at how far she and I have come. I glance over at her as she yawns, resting her head on my shoulder with heavy eyelids.

"How's my snugglebug doing?" I ask, gently kissing the top of her head. Jade simply grunts in reply and closes her eyes. I chuckle to myself and help her lie down, turning off the lamp on my bedside table before pulling the blankets over us and wrapping my arms around her once more.

"Goodnight, Jade," I whisper, holding her close. I pause for a moment to give her a chance to respond, only to hear her already beginning to snore. I smile weakly and close my own eyes, happy to fall asleep next to the love of my life. I haven't seen her much throughout the day today since she's been at work for most of it, but I don't mind. She seems to enjoy what she's doing, plus, we gotta pay the bills somehow. Sure, I bring in a good amount of money each time I release new music, but the pay is terribly inconsistent, so Jade's acting jobs are a good way to supplement that and keep us afloat.

Speaking of which, she and I have been super busy lately, but Jade especially. In addition to her work on various tv shows, she just got a grant to help fund the new short film she's directing, so she's usually away from dawn 'til dusk, working on her numerous projects. Sometimes she doesn't even come home until I'm in bed, fast asleep. No wonder she's so exhausted!

The warm sun pours in through our bedroom window, its bright light discouraging me from opening my eyes as I wake up the next morning.

"Jade, baby, c'mere..." I mutter, reaching over to the other side of the bed to hug my lover. With my eyes still closed, I frown a little as I feel nothing but cold bed sheets underneath my fingertips. After a few moments of feeling my way around the bed, I open my eyes to see that I'm all alone. I yawn, stretch, and pick up my phone from my bedside table to see a text from Jade.

Jade: Good morning, love! I had to go into work a little earlier than usual today. There are some fresh pancakes on the counter for you when you wake up.

Jade: See you when I get home. Love you <3

A wide grin slowly forms on my lips as I read her cute message, quickly texting her back with my own loving words. I put my phone down and slowly get out of bed, grabbing my robe before heading out into the kitchen. Just as Jade said, there's a plate of pancakes waiting for me on the counter, sitting next to a small bowl of assorted fruits and berries. I grab a glass from the cupboards above the sink and go to the fridge to retrieve both the orange juice and maple syrup. After pouring myself a glass of juice and dousing my pancakes in syrup, I take my breakfast to the table on the other side of the kitchen and dig in.

Despite what she says about herself, she's an amazing cook, and I always enjoy whatever she makes. Of course, because she's been so busy, I've been doing most of the cooking as of late, but I don't mind. If it means she has one less thing to stress over, then I'm all for doing what I can to help her! I bring my empty plate to the sink and wash the dishes before going to take a shower, getting dressed, and going to my makeshift home studio. Jade and I had a guest room in our apartment when we first moved in, but because she and I sleep in the same bed, we decided to turn it into a little music room for me so I can write and record my songs.