A/N: So I found this in my notes from a long time ago, and thought why not upload it. It's a Victorious one-shot, which was going to develop into a Jade/Tori fic, with possible storylines for other characters too. It's obviously different to what I usually write, but no harm in uploading I guess :)
Kiss The Girl
Jade PoV
"And that is why doughnuts are therefore round, rather than square shaped." Sikowitz claps his hands excitedly, taking a seat, cross legged on the floor of the stage. I glance, confused at his illustration on the board, before exchanging a look with Beck.
"So... What's that got to do with proxemics?" André frowns, trying to work it out himself.
"I'm sorry?" Sikowitz places his head on top of his fist, as if we were the confusing ones.
"You were talking about proxemics..." Robbie chips in. "The distance between two characters in a-"
"He knows that proxemics are you fool." Rex sounds, his body coming to life in Robbie's hand. "He's the teacher, you're the amateur."
"Oh yes, proxemics! I knew I'd forgotten something!" Sikowitz jumps up just as the bell rings out and I immediately get up, slinging my bag over my shoulder. "Until the 'morrow."
"Cat, you coming to lunch?" I ask her, noticing she was staring down at a photograph of a dog. I'd learnt not to ask...
"Ooh, yay, lunch!" Her head jolts upwards, as she leaps up, a huge smile on her face.
"You going out for lunch?" Tori asks, following suit.
"If you aren't." I put, bluntly and receive an eye roll from her. I'd known her two years now and granted, she still annoyed the hell out of me, but I'd been forced to put up with her so long the hatred wasn't so much there as it was the day she walked into the classroom and started rubbing my boyfriend.
"Well Robbie isn't allowed back to Nozu and Karaoke Dokie is closed for refurbishment for the next few days." Beck points out.
"Cool, let's go to Nozu then." I sass, causing Robbie to let out a slight squeak.
"I'm game." Rex pipes up. "I'll just have Tori as my partner instead."
"We're not going to Nozu." Tori stops us both. "We'll stick to the grub truck today."
"Don't you ever think it's weird?" Cat suddenly chimes in, twirling a piece of hair around her finger. "How worms can be cut in half but still survive? Like, why can't humans do that?"
"I could test that theory on you." I mutter, but I don't think she hears me. I listen to André informing Cat about the use of limbs as we exit the doors of Hollywood Arts, taking up my usual seat at the table, alongside Cat, whilst Beck gets my food. "Aren't you eating?"
"I'm good." She pulls out a strawberry lace from her bra and chews on it casually. "I'll just eat the rest of Robbie's."
"Won't you get an infection?" I point out, and she narrows my eyes, clearly not getting the sarcasm.
"One time my brother had an infection, and then he went to the doctor, but it wasn't because of his infection, it was because he broke his ankle." She babbles, still chewing on her candy. The silence is an urge for her to go on. "He was cured... Of the broken ankle, not the infection... I think he still has that."
"Ok stop." I finalise and she gives a slight squeak, before quietening.
"Festus is in a right mood today." Robbie greets us, throwing down his lunch onto the table, followed by André. "I asked him for a burrito and he just started yelling for no reason."
"He didn't start yelling at me." André frowns, tucking into his sandwich.
"Explains it all." I mutter, as Tori and Beck finally join us.
"Hey, did any of you notice anything odd about Festus?" Tori begins to whine, taking her seat next to André as Beck passes me my salad and a coffee. "He just started yelling at me when I asked for a-"
"Yeah, he does it to the weird ones." I cut her off and she gives me a look, opening her burrito.
"I need to talk to you all." Cat chimes in, tucking her candy back into her bra and I hear Beck let out a slight groan, this was never a good conversation starter, especially where Cat was concerned. "I'm having this birthday party at Karaoke Dokie, my Nona said I could hire it out and I need some ideas for decorations."
"Okay." Tori says, brightly.
"Cool." Robbie chips in.
"I hate birthday parties." I declare. "That's why I've never had one."
"Oh, I just thought I was never invited." Robbie looks quite pleased at this.
"How can you hate birthday parties?" Tori decides to dig at me, in her whiny tone. "It's a celebration of someone's birth."
"No, it's a celebration of their death." I correct her. "Birthday parties are just a reminder that everyone is one year closer to dying."
"Oh..." Tori glances down at her burrito. "I think I saw you ranting about something like that on your slap page."
"You watch my slap videos?" I raise my eyebrows at her.
"Yeah?" She frowns, as if it was obvious. "Don't you watch mine?"
"Optionally? No they'd make me want to knock myself out with one of Sikowitz's coconuts." I drone and she looks slightly hurt, which I'm not gonna lie, amuses me.
"Jade." Beck warns, nudging me in the side. What? It was true, Tori's videos were a load of crap. Apart from the very few I was involved in.
"I would really like everyone to do a performance!" Cat interrupts our feud. "Tori you can do a song, Beck you could do a monologue, Robbie ventriloquism-"
"Ventriloquism?" Rex questions, glancing at Robbie with a confused expression, which he returns.
"That's a long word for me!" She practically sings. "Yay, then André you can do that new song you wrote!"
"What about me?" I snap, feeling slightly left out.
"I want you to do a duet with me." She proposes.
"No." I tell her, sharply. "I didn't want to do anything anyway."
"But please!" Cat begs me.
"No!" I finalise and she pouts slightly.
"So who else is going to the birthday party?" Tori decides to butt in.
"I don't know... That's why I need some help." Cat sighs.
"We already know you need help." Rex drones, which makes me grin slightly.
"But I do know that EZ is gonna be there." Cat informs them all and my ears prick up. "He's the dad of my Nona's nephew's friend."
"EZ?" André exclaims, looking excitedly at Tori. "As in the music producer?"
"Ok... I suppose, I'll do a song with you." I huff, as if it had nothing to do with the recent announcement. "If you're gonna beg me, I guess it is your birthday after all... It's got nothing to do with the big music producer at all, nothing."
"Yay!" Her eyes brighten. "Can I pick the song?"
"No!" I scoff. "I'm picking it, I'm only doing it to impress EZ."
"That's my girl." Beck whispers, under his breath, giving me a look before putting his arm around my shoulders.
"Will you sing back up for me?" André asks Tori.
"Why do I have to sing with Robbie?" Rex groans.
"Do I have to do a monologue?" Beck questions, casually. "I'd rather do a song."
"You guys!" Tori shuts us all up with her grating tone. "This is Cat's birthday! That's the most important thing, not the fact that a super cool... Music producer is going to be there listening to us..."
She trails off, and we all stare at her for a few seconds before André speaks for all of us. "You wanna go rehearse your song, don't you?"
"Little bit..." Tori bites her lip and I roll my eyes, flashing her a sarcastic smile.
Tori PoV
It wasn't an abnormal occurrence to come downstairs after washing my hair, to see Trina with her palms flat down in a bowl of olive oil. Granted, it was a new formula she was clearly trying, but alike Cat, I had learnt to bypass any weird revelations she may have. Actually, scrap that.
"...Why?" I frown, observing as she reads a magazine on the table as her hands are occupied.
"Ooh, Tori." She looks up. "Could you turn the page for me?"
"No!" I begin to object, but then do as she says. "Alright... But what are you doing now?"
"Soaking your hands in olive oil and sugar softens the skin." She explains, as if it was obvious. "I gotta sit here for five hours though, I've done one of them."
"Five hours?" My eyes widen and she indicates to the sheet of paper that was next to her.
'Mix equal amounts of olive oil and fine sugar in a bowl. Place your hands in, wait 5 minutes, then rinse it off with warm water, pat dry and apply a light moisturizer. Use this remedy twice a week to soften your hands.'
"Trina!" I scoff, re-reading the article. "That's five minutes."
"What?" She whines. "Let me see that!" I hold it up in front of her face and she moans as she reads it properly. "Ohh... At least my hands will be extra soft then."
"Yeah..." I begin to say, before there is a knock on the door.
"You'll get it." Trina tells me, rudely, removing her hands from the sticky goo. "Wait! If it's Beck, don't let him in until I have washed my hands!"
"Coming." I ignore her, opening the door to see Cat stood on my doorstep.
"Pink or purple?" She blurts out before entering my house.
"Come in?" I close the door behind her.
"Balloons." She babbles again, as if I knew what she was talking about. "Pink or purple?"
"You're gonna have to explain..." I tell her.
"For my party!" She exclaims. "Pink or purple?"
"Well... How about red?" I suggest. "To match your hair."
"Wow! That's such a good idea!" She squeals. "Thanks Tori! I have to go now."
"Oh ok." I mutter as she heads towards the door, before spinning on her heel.
"Unless you wanna hang out?" She questions me. "Sam is away in Seattle for a few nights so I have nothing to do."
"I've just washed my hair-" I begin.
"Hey!" She interrupts me. "André, Beck and Jade are at Yotally Togurt! You wanna go?"
"I really don't think Jade would-" I try again.
"Yay! Come on!" She grabs my arm and pulls me out of the house, my hair still wet and my face make-up-less.
Jade PoV
"So... So far, the girl has been asked to join the circus." Beck explains, scanning our homework assignment as I eat my frozen yogurt. "She's made a new friend called James who's a lion tamer and ultimately they're going to fall in love."
"Please can James be possessed?" I beg him and he gives me a look.
"It's supposed to be a 'romantic and uplifting short play'." Beck indicates with his fingers.
"...Can the girl be possessed?" I negotiate.
"No one is being possessed!" André tells me and I pout slightly.
"Owh..." I whine, glancing down at my frozen yogurt.
"Ah Jade, I meant to ask actually." André diverts the topic. "I need vocals for this new assignment I've gotta do for Antony, would you be up for it? It'll only take a few hours to lay down."
"How come you're not asking Tori?" I frown.
"It's a bluesy piece, your voice is more suited for the song." He explains. "Don't tell Tori I said that."
"Can I please tell Tori you said that?" I flash him an excited smile. "But yeah sure, when?"
"I was thinking Friday night, after school?" He proposes. "I've booked the music room off for a few hours."
"Sweet." I nod, glancing at Beck who was scribbling away on our assignment without our input. I am about to drop some sarcastic comment about his ignorance, before I see Cat walk in, followed by... Oh, great, Tori.
"Hiii!" She greets us, coming over to our table and Beck finally looks up.
"Hey." André smiles at them.
"What are you doing here?" I ask them, rudely, glancing at Tori. "And why do you look so gross?"
"I just got out the shower." She narrows her eyes at me.
"I heard Beck saying you guys were coming to Yotally Togurt tonight so Tori suggested we joined you!" Cat hypes.
"No I did not!" She retorts. "You practically dragged me here!"
"Yeah we're working on a project." I point out. "It's not a social gathering."
"They can join us." André chirps, tapping the seat next to him as I groan. "They might have some good input to our script."
"I've pretty much finished the script now." Beck looks up and a wave of annoyance floods through me. Of course Beck would have finished our script, so then he could claim it as his. It's like that script we based our film Dale Squires 'directed' on, apparently Beck wrote all of that himself, completely forgetting about my input. Granted, I sat there chopping up his bed sheets whilst he wrote it but I thought of the ending, and that was the best part.
"Let me guess, they live happily ever after." I roll my eyes, sucking on the remaining yogurt which had melted at the bottom of my tub.
"What's the script about?" Tori irritatingly pipes up, leaning over the table to see so I could smell her disgustingly sweet perfume.
"Basically two teenagers who meet working in a circus and fall in love." Beck explains and I groan again; the thought of me being involved in something so cliche made me sick. "We only have to do the beginning middle and end though."
"You should make it into a full script." Tori suggests and I glare at her. How is it that she manages to turn up when she's not invited, lean all over my boyfriend, stink the table out with her fragrance and now she's going to take charge of our homework assignment. "We could stage it and present it in the Blackbox Theatre for talent celebration week."
"We?" I have to voice, I couldn't remain silent any longer. "Since when did this involve you? This is our assignment, you're not even in our director class."
"It seems Beck did most of the work." She dares to tell me.
"It seems Beck did most of the work!" I imitate her in my Tori voice. "So I'm gonna suck up to him in the hope I'll get to star in the play!"
"I don't talk like that!" She yells, folding her arms and pouting. "Besides, I wasn't 'sucking up'."
"...Suck up." I mutter and I'm fiercely elbowed in the side by Beck.
"Jade." He growls. "It's a great idea Tori."
"Ughhh..." I put my head in my hands and the room falls silent for a minute.
"...Once, my brother worked at a circus but then he got fired." Cat reconciles, twirling her hair around her finger, waiting for someone to ask her why, which they don't. "He tried to steal one of the lions... And eat the fire, for real."
"...Your brother has quite a CV." André drones and I glance at Beck, before putting my head in my hands again.
Cat PoV
"Yay! Robbie!" I jump up from the table as he walks through the door, carrying a balloon pump in one hand and Rex in the other.
"Hey Cat." He grins, placing it down.
"'Sup 'lil red?" Rex greets, as Robbie peers around the room.
"Where's the free freezy queen?" He asks and my eyes widen, as I divert the topic.
"Oh... Well come on, let's start blowing up balloons." I cheer.
"Well okay then." He smiles and I throw him a few packets of red balloons before taking my seat back at the table, beginning to curl the ends of my hair. "Aren't you helping?"
"Oh! Robbie, I would but I have loads to do!" I tell him, slyly. "You can manage on your own can't you? You're a strong boy."
"You called me a boy!" He looks elated as I twirl a piece of hair around my finger, an automatic charm which makes him do exactly as I want. "I thought Sam was gonna be here to help set up."
"She's gone to fetch Freddie from the airport." I explain and he nods. Robbie had met Freddie a few times before, once when André organised a party back in Sophomore year, and again when I called Freddie up from Seattle to make Sam jealous. I was particularly wary about this party, because I spent the past half year trying to keep Jade away from Sam, as I knew they would click straight away. My plan was foiled however when Jade turned up on my doorstep a few months ago. This was the first time since, that they would be reunited.
"Where's your Nona?" He asks again, getting sweaty from blowing up his second balloon.
"Coming later with Dice." I fill him in.
"Do I get a hug after this?" He questions.
"If you do a good job." I shrug.
"A kiss?" He negotiates.
"Robbie, you're so gross." I grin and he blushes slightly.
"I think Hayley's dad just hit on me." Jade's voice booms out as she enters, dressed in the deep purple dress she wore years back when we went out for the meal with the 'ping pong' team. "Ew, why is Robbie here?"
"I like your dress." I try to divert her attention in order to keep her here for as long as possible.
"I don't, it doesn't fit me anymore." She screws her nose up. "I've put on weight since I last wore it. I blame Festus, far too many calories in his salads nowadays."
"Why are you wearing it then?" Robbie dares to ask.
"Because I enjoy the torture." She tells him, bluntly and he squeals, going back to the task at hand as she turns back to me. "You said we were gonna practice the song."
"On it!" I beam, jumping up and grabbing two microphones.
"Is Sam coming later?" She asks me and jealousy bubbles up inside me all over again.
"Thank you for agreeing to sing with me." I ignore her question.
"I'm only doing it for EZ." She stomps onto the stage, grabbing the microphone from me and I pout slightly.
"What present have you both got me?" I clap, excitedly as I wait for the track to load.
"Well... I didn't want to tell you, but since you asked." Robbie clears his throat. "I've bought you a kitten."
"A kitten!" I squeal, happily.
"Yeah, you said you wanted one." He smiles, clearly pleased with himself. "Sam might have a different opinion however... I've also got you a pink giraffe to go with your purple one, a doughnut maker, a-"
"Beg." Jade coughs, indiscreetly.
"What about you, Jade?" I turn to her, my eyes shining.
"...We were supposed to all get you a present?" She raises an eyebrow and my heart sinks slightly.
"What song you both singing?" Robbie asks, to break the awkward silence.
"Kiss The Girl." I inform him. "The Ashley Tisdale version."
"Hey! I love that song." Robbie buzzes and Jade rolls her eyes. "I love the part where-"
"Just play it." Jade smacks the play button on the deck and the karaoke track begins to boom out.
Jade PoV
"This party is amazing." Beck exclaims, his arms wrapped around my waist. "I hope Cat has a great birthday."
"Yeah..." I drone. "When do you reckon EZ will get here?" Beck gives me a disapproving look, but his face soon breaks into a smile and he shakes his head, chuckling slightly.
"Hey!" Tori greets us and I groan slightly. "Sorry I'm late."
"You should be sorry." I sigh, sipping my punch. "I was hoping you weren't coming."
"Oh, I had a wardrobe malfunction." She explains, as if I was actually interested. She did look good, to be fair. She was dressed in a tight black mini skirt and red crop top, which annoyingly showed a lot of cleavage. Damn, why didn't I think of that approach? "Couldn't decide what to wear and then had to lock Trina in the basement to prevent her from coming."
"No one cares." I shut her up, irritated she actually might look better than me, not that I would ever admit that.
"Wasn't Trina invited?" Beck frowns.
"Yes she was." Tori nods. "But did anyone want her here, really? She would only be here for EZ anyway."
"Isn't everyone only here for EZ?" I remind her.
"I'm here for Cat." She tells me, blatantly lying.
"Yeah." I scoff. "And I'm here for the sparkles and birthday cheer..."
"Hold on... You locked Trina in the basement?" Beck clarifies.
"You did good for once, Vega." I tap her on the shoulder, harder than she anticipated. That was as much contact as she was ever getting from me.
"What you guys singing?" She continues to make conversation, just as I was hoping she would walk away.
"I'll just strum something out on my guitar." Beck shrugs. "Whatever comes to mind."
"Wow, really?" Her eyes widen. "That's awesome that you can just leave it to last minute-"
"Yeah, and what are you singing?" I cut her off, preventing her from flirting any further with my boyfriend.
"Make It Shine." She says proudly and I groan loudly.
Make It Shine? Really? I was going to be forced to listen to that one more time? I swear to God, Tori wanted to be a 'really successful singer', but right now her album consisted of; Make It Shine, Make It Shine the remix, Make It Shine the slowed down version, Make It Shine acoustic. She would probably have a screamo version out soon, or sell her version of it when she was locked in the RV, which was torture enough before she started singing... What annoyed me most was that the song was apparently hers, because it was her 'starring moment' in the big showcase, when she wasn't even a pupil at this school. But actually André had written it, and for some reason didn't mind her claiming all rights to it and therefore plastering it over her locker and school backpack.
"Jade?" Beck nudges me, snapping me from my thoughts.
"Come on Beck, lets get some buffalo nuggets." I pull him away from Tori and leave her standing awkwardly in the centre of the room. "Where even is EZ? He had better be coming, that's the only reason I agreed to this cringe-fest."
"Two sodas please." The little kid with the afro grabs his drinks and turns suddenly, colliding with me and spilling a drop of drink on my dress.
"HEY!" I scream at him.
"Oh, sorry! I didn't mean to, Jade." He apologises, placing his sodas down and beginning to rub the spillage off my dress.
"Don't touch me!" I push him off, shivering and trying to forget the fact he had just inflicted physical contact upon me. It made me feel queasy, there were only a selected few people who could touch me, meaning Beck and occasionally Cat, André if I gave him permission. "How do you know my name?"
"It's Dice, we've met before." He holds out his hand to shake and I give him a death stare.
"Have we?" I raise an eyebrow. "I think I'd remember someone with such a weird name, is your brother called Cluedo?"
"Hey! It's EZ!" I hear someone exclaim and I immediately push Dice out of the way, so he collided with a table, which I would find funny if I wasn't distracted. A guy with slicked back hair and sunglasses enters, taking a seat in one of the booths. I shove my way through the crowd and find Cat, dancing with a kitten in her arms... I'd have asked, if I cared.
"Hey, when we doing our song?" I grab her attention.
"Oh, hey Jade!" Cat smiles up at me, dressed in a hot pink cocktail dress with jewels on the bodice. "Are you enjoying the party?"
"No, when are we singing?" I persist.
"Nine forty seven." She informs me, precisely.
"Nine forty..." I trail off. "But it's only eight thirty!"
"Time flies when you're having fun!" She squeals before whispering in my ear. "I think we're going to sing happy birthday soon!"
"Oh yay..." I say, sarcastically. "My favourite..."
"Same!" She high fives me and I glare at her. I am debating whether to argue further before I hear an awful screeching sound from the corner of the room.
"You might be crazy, but have I told you lately, that I love you?" I turn to see Trina doing something that hardly passes as singing in front of EZ's booth.
"I thought Tori..." I trail off, realising Cat has walked away and I cough slightly, trying to conceal the fact I seemingly just spoke to myself. Instead, I head straight for Tori, who was dancing with André on the steps of the stage. "OI! Vega! I thought you locked that untalented witch in the basement?"
"I did." Tori yells over the noise. "She must have got out, she's good at that."
Forget this, I was getting up there now.
"Five minutes until we hear a song from... Robbie Shapiro and Rex Powers." The DJ announces, wow, this gets even better.
"Hey, you, yeah you." I click my fingers at the DJ, leaping up onto the stage. "Scrap that, Jade West is first."
"I've been told by the host that Robbie Shapiro-" He begins.
"Listen cupcake, who would you rather see up there, hey?" I snap at him. "Me, or a nerdy kid with an afro and his puppet?"
"Well, you, but..." He checks me out, grinning slightly.
"Exactly, so announce my name if you wanna keep all your fingers." I tell him, before storming back over to Tori and André.
"André." I call him. "Get your guitar out now, You Don't Know Me in G."
"I don't know the chords..." He stammers as I hear the DJ announce my name.
"You'll pick it up." I snap and he grabs his guitar.
"Hey, I thought I was first?" Robbie frowns as I stand centre stage, pulling the microphone out of its holder.
"Shut it." I tell him, as André plugs his guitar into the amp and starts strumming the correct chords in the sequence. I've got to give him credit, he's talented. "You think you know me but you don't, know me." I begin to sing, glancing at Cat who seems oblivious to the fact I had messed up her performance order. "You push me back, I'll push you back, harder, harder. You scream at me, I'll scream at you, louder, l-l-l-l-louder." Trina had somehow been removed from the venue and EZ was watching me with great interest, which urges me to sing with more power. "I'm dangerous, I'm warning you, but you're not afraid of me and I can't convince you." If this song can make Beck fall back in love with me, I'm pretty sure it can win a music producer's heart. "You think you know me."
I finish the song and there is an eruption of applause. I notice Beck at the back of the room, grinning at me, probably thinking I sang that for him, which granted, I did last time. I exit the stage and see EZ rise from his seat, coming over and clapping me on the shoulder, which makes me shiver but unsurprisingly, I don't have a go at him.
"Excellent song, Jade, was it?" EZ tells me and I smile at him appreciatively.
"Yes, thank you very much." I nod.
"Fresh talent like you is exactly what the music industry is looking for nowadays." He informs me and I can't help the butterflies that bubble up inside of me. "Well done."
He smiles at me one more time before walking away and I turn, casually walking over to Beck but feeling on top of the world.
"Did EZ just talk to you?" Beck's eyes widen.
"Yeah, so?" I play it cool. I wasn't like Tori or Cat, I wouldn't jump up and down and show off about something like this, as much as I wanted to. Beck wraps his arms around me and kisses me on the temple, telling me he is proud of me whilst we endure Robbie's song, which makes me feel sick, but sort of the good kind.
I notice Robbie looking eagerly at EZ as he gets off the stage, but gets no feedback. Probably because his song was about broken glass, but still, it makes me feel even better.
Then came the torture of listening to Make It Shine for the billionth time. Not being funny, but I could do this so much better than Tori and at least I wrote my own song, I didn't just steal someone else's. I spend the majority of time debating whether to edge my way in again and sing Okay, which André knew the chords to as he wrote the music and I wrote the lyrics. Or maybe the song we recorded last night, André had written that one but it was such a smooth and beautiful song, which he was right, it really suited my voice.
"When I make it shine!" Tori finishes and there's another round of applause, which I'm pretty sure isn't as good as mine was. I collide my palms a few times, purely because I was glad the song was over. But that's when I see EZ stand up and I begin worrying about something which hadn't even crossed my mind before.
They were talking for ages. Beck tries to make conversation with me, as do André and Robbie but I just tell them all to shut up and eventually they do, realising why I was staring so intently at Tori. Finally, she shakes his hand and makes her way over to us, the smile on her face makes me sick.
"Oh my God!" She exclaims, high-fiving André.
"Good feedback?" He assumes.
"He wants to sign me!" She announces and I literally feel my heart hit the floor. What? "He said he loves the song and wants to record it with his label and potentially sell it!"
"Oh my gosh!" André yells. "Well done Tori! I knew you would smash it!"
"It's not even your song!" I suddenly scream at her and Tori stares at me, shocked. "André wrote that, not you!"
"I know, I told him that." She explains. "He said that he wants André to come down to the studio as well and see what else he's got."
"No way!" André gasps. "Get out of here, you're kidding right?"
"Nope!" Tori shakes her head excitedly and I feel Beck wrap his arm around my waist comfortingly. Only he knew how much I wanted this, Tori had no clue. She just bragged about everything. She got every single opportunity and I had no idea why. She always got the lead in the plays I went for, she always got the solos I wanted, she even got to sing at the Platinum Music Awards, which I was second best to, yet again. I was sick of being second best to Tori Vega, if she had never joined the school, I would be getting these opportunities. But she stole every one of them, she didn't give anyone else a chance, she only ever thought about herself and her dreams. She was a selfish cow and I hated her.
I suddenly feel the urge to cry, which I fight. I didn't cry, I hardly ever cried and I definitely was not going to show any signs of weakness of defeat here.
So instead, I storm out of the party, out of the building and I run down the road in the pouring rain, hearing the sound of Beck's pounding footsteps behind me.
"Jade?" I hear him yell, he was faster than me, he was probably the only person in the school who was. "Jade, wait." He knows not to touch me, even though he was the only person with full access, he is wary of doing so when I'm in a mood.
"Leave me alone." I snap at him, storming down the street, knowing there's no point in running.
"Where are you going? You can't go home." Beck reminds me. My dad had kicked me out a few weeks ago so I was currently living with Beck in his RV, five star treatment and all that...
"...Yours." I say, angrily and I hate him for giving a slight laugh. I walk for a few more seconds before stopping reluctantly and turning to look at him. His big brown eyes stare down at me, not sympathetic but understanding, which is what I liked about him; he didn't patronise me. "I hate Tori."
"I know you do." He laughs again. "But you don't hate her as a person, you hate her because she's talented."
"No, I hate her as a person as well." I tell him. "And she's pretty, not as pretty as me, obviously, but she's not bad to look at... She can sing, I suppose, but she didn't write that song! EZ said he was looking for 'fresh new talent', all Tori does is sing a song, who can't do that?"
"Well... A lot of people." Beck points out. "Trina, for starters... Jade, you're talented, you're beyond talented. You just have to wait for your moment, don't try and steal it from someone else, because when it's your chance, you'll know about it."
I gaze up at him, my heart repaired ever so slightly by his words.
"I don't want to go back there." I mutter and he nods. "I don't want to have to see Tori gloating and bragging again."
"Are you sure? Aren't you supposed to do that song with Cat?" He asks.
"Suppose I should go back, just to sing with Cat. It's her birthday after all, I can't let her down." I shrug, enjoying watching a bug get drenched in water from the rain, until he lifts my head.
"I think you were the best tonight." He whispers in my ear and I smile at him, linking my hand with his as we begin to walk down the street. You see, this was why I was in love with Beck Oliver.
Tori PoV
"Where did Jade go?" I ask Robbie, André had pulled some girl and had gone off to get some punch with her.
"To drown some puppies?" He guesses and I nod. "Congrats on the stuff about EZ, you really deserve it."
"Thanks Robbie." I say sweetly, as Cat runs up to us.
"Where's Jade, where's Jade, where's Jade?" She repeats over and over, clearly panicked. "I'm supposed to be singing with her in five minutes."
"She ran off in a strop." I tell her.
"But I need her to sing the song with me!" She exclaims.
"Well... Would you like me to sing Jade's part?" I offer. "I mean, I might not do it as well as Jade but I've heard you rehearsing it a few times."
"Would you actually?" She tugs on my top, excitedly.
"Of course!" I smile and she practically drags me towards the stage, offering me a microphone. "You still want to do the second verse?"
"Well I only know that one." Cat shrugs. "Jade wanted to do the first verse, I don't know why, but she said it was not because EZ would see her sing first, so maybe she just prefers the lyrics in that part."
"Really..." I mutter, annoyed at Jade and her obsession with fame over her friends. The track starts to boom out.
"A round of applause for Cat Valentine and Jade West!" The DJ yells and Cat snaps something at him. "Cat Valentine and Tori Vega!"
"There you see her, sitting there across the way." I begin to sing and literally just as I get the first line out, the door opens to the venue, and in comes Jade.
Oops.
"You don't know why but you're dying to try, go on and kiss the girl." I continue to sing, I couldn't stop now, it was too late. Cat hadn't noticed her entrance, but I certainly had and my attempt at helping my friend out had clearly just had the opposite effect. Cat belts out the harmonies in the chorus and I sing the tune, Beck having his hands out ready to restrain Jade at the end of the song. She doesn't kick off at all during it, maybe she does have a grain of decency and knows not to spoil Cat's chance to sing at her own party. "Sha-la-la-la my oh my, looks like the boy's too shy, go on and kiss the girl. Sha-la-la-la ain't that said, it's such a shame, too bad, you're gonna miss the girl."
My palms were sweating, why was I so scared of Jade West. She was just another student at the school, a student who a lot of people didn't like. My best friends girlfriend, he wouldn't let her do anything to me. I had done a good thing tonight, I didn't deserve to be punished for it.
"You're gonna miss the girl. Go on and kiss the girl." I finish and there's an eruption of applause. I take as long as possible putting my microphone down on the deck and thanking the DJ. I make my way off the stage, hesitantly, watching Jade's focus on me. Beck looks just as wary as me, ready to pounce on her.
"Jade..." I begin. "I didn't mean to, I mean, I thought you had left and Cat asked if I would fill your spot and I didn't want to ruin her night, I-"
"It's fine, you were really good, you both were." She admits, her lips pursed and Beck doesn't move his hands. I glance at him, then back at Jade, trying to absorb her words. "...So I'm gonna go and get a soda..."
"Ok..." I nod as she walks off, giving me a weird look and as soon as she's out of earshot I stare at Beck and Cat. "Was... What? Was she just nice to me?"
"What did you say to her?" Cat frowns at Beck, still looking wary as if there was just an earthquake and it could strike again any second.
"Absolutely nothing... Weird." He shakes his head but he can see the relief in my face and laughs slightly before walking off to find her.
Jade West had just been nice to me. Things were getting weirder by the day.