A flicker of a soul casting silhouettes

On the face of a town that could not get me to stay

And when the spark's gone,

Former lovers just looking for a bus to throw me under

I'll be the new kid on an old block

A chalk outline on a playground blacktop

.-.-.-.

She really hates this fucking town.

It's the first thing that crosses through her mind as the airplane she's on announces they're approximating their destination.

Temptation, Ohio: grand central of the stuck-up, morally-screwed, bigoted citizens of her lovely hometown.

Jade West had grown up here, surrounded by people who didn't understand her, didn't believe in her. Needless to say, she hated it with a passion. She'd grown up with the sole motivation of getting the hell out, and as soon as she could, she caught a bus out of town and never looked back. She left behind her drunken father, crazy mother, and everyone else who ever meant anything to her. And you know what?

She didn't regret it.

Because she made a life for herself out of sight of everyone who ever called her a failure. Jade worked her ass off and went to Los Angeles, made it in Hollywood, and she did it all by herself. She wasn't weird, little Jade anymore; with the combat boots and dark clothes adorning her persona. She didn't walk around with streaks in her long, brown hair, and a pair of scissors stuck in her pockets at all times. That girl was gone and buried for all she cared. She was Jade West now.

And Jade West was a superstar.

She was a celebrity; people knew her, people adored her. She had a record deal and a long list of movie offers lined up at her door. She transformed herself into a confident, beautiful, woman. She was twenty-two and had everything she'd ever wanted. She was a success.

But she still had to come home, because the ghosts of your past have a way of never really letting you go.

Literally.

So now here she is, wrapped up in a thick, black coat and sitting in the back of an ancient taxi as it drives into town and to her mother's house. The driver keeps staring at her through the mirror, and asking all sorts of questions about where she's been. She can barely remember him, besides a few vague memories of him yelling at her and her ex-boyfriend for speeding besides him on a motorcycle. He acts as if she's some kind of long-lost granddaughter, and his voice borders on desperation for acceptance, acknowledgement. She hates it, but she made a promise to her little brother, and it's one she fully intends to keep. She's broken enough of them, let enough people down, and David will not be one of them.

Look at her, having a conscious and a heart.

Jade West, brought down by a promise to attend a graduation.

The taxi pulls up the driveway, and the driver, Mr. Clairborne, says goodbye to her, as well as reminding her to give her mother his best regards and an invitation to dinner. Ridiculous, really, since Jade knows they're in the same Bingo club, and that this man was once one of her greatest critics.

'Emily, don't you dare let your daughter run around with that boy.'

'That girl of yours, she's nothing but trouble.'

Freaking douche.

"The prodigal sister returns!"

Jade looks up to find her brother smiling at her, his arms spread open to envelop her in a hug. She tightens her arms around his shoulders and a smile forms on her own face. This is the reason she's back here, and he's worth having to remember and endure a week back in this place.

"So, I leave for a couple of years and you grow into a monster," she teases him when he pulls away. "How in the heck did you get taller than me? And where are your braces?"

"A lot of things change in four years, you know?" He mocks her, her same sass reflected in his personality. Except, he's always been the sweeter kid, and he's never been able to use his sarcasm with the same potential she did, or without smiling and giving himself halfway through a sentence. "You're tiny now, and I'm not afraid of you anymore!"

"Calm down, boy. I can still kick your ass."

"Nah, you're probably too afraid you'll break one of your fancy nails if you hit me."

That, of course, cannot be let go without proper retaliation.

"Oww," he mock pouts when she punches him in the arm, his brown eyes shining with mischief. "You still hit like a girl."

She's about to hit him again, just to show him how much like a girl she doesn't hit, when another voice interrupts their familiar banter.

"Now, now, you don't want people to think we're violent and having problems, do you?"

Her mother.

"Hey mom," she greets her, and bites down on her tongue to stop her comment about just how much of a damn she gives regarding what the people think.

That never ending worry, that stupid desire to always keep up appearances, was her mother's greatest downfall. Ultimately, it'd been what tore them apart, and pushed Jade away. They clashed too much to ever be compatible, regardless of how much they cared for each other. Still, for all her faults and flaws, her mother was a beautiful woman. With her blonde hair and brown eyes, she was always the picture of grace and elegance.

Jade could never live up to her standard, even now.

"Are you just going to stand there, or are you going to come here and give your mother a hug?" she asks, arching an elegant eyebrow at her while placing her hands on her hips to emphasize her point.

Which is code for, 'get your ass here and hug me so we can pretend to be a happy family and not let the whole world know we've barely talked to each other over the phone in the past four years' in Mom speak.

So, she complies.

"I've missed you, too, Mom."

"I know, dear. Now, let's go inside before you both get sick."

The first thing Jade noticed is that absolutely nothing has changed inside their house since she left. Except for the odd piece of furniture that was replaced for something more luxurious (Jade has made sure to send her mother and brother monthly checks), everything is basically the same. She makes her way up to her old bedroom and finds it just as she left it, picture frames still intact and showcasing the same people she loved when she was seventeen. Polaroid memories of the redheaded girl who was once her best friend, the nerdy brunet with his puppet, whom she'd loved to torment. Two people who had been her friends and accepted her unconditionally, and two more on the long list of those she'd long ago let go of.

And of course, the boy she could have sworn was the love of her life.

All simple memories; captured in old, worn, pictures now.

She had new friends, and a new life. Maybe she'd visit sweet, lovable, Cat, who would call her and leave her voicemails asking her to come back, tearful and pleading, before she went back home. Oher than that, she was more than fine with steering clear of the rest of them.

Specially a certain someone.

Seriously, what was she supposed to tell her ex? 'Hey babe, sorry I left without saying goodbye. No hard feelings, right?'

Yeah, that probably wasn't going to work.

A few hours pass by when the doorbell rings. Jade looks up at the clock on her nightstand that flashes ten-thirty at night and groans because she knows she's going to have to answer the door. Her mother's already asleep (beauty sleepy is of the essence), and she can hear the shower running, which means David won't be able to hear the door. She walks down the stairs, running her fingers to pat down the mess that is her hair and grumbling about the possible idiot knocking at her door at this hour.

"You do realize it's rude to visit unannounced after seven o'clock, right?" she questions, pulling the door open without bothering to check who's on the other side of it. One of the few benefits of Temptation was its basically non-existent criminal activity. Seriously, nothing ever happened here.

"If memory serves me right, there was a time when you'd tell me to never knock on the door, and to come by after ten."

Her eyes snap up to face one of the only people she honestly hadn't wanted to see on this trip. Her gaze traces over him, noticing all the little ways in which he's changed, grown. He's taller, his shoulders are broader and his muscles are more prominent. His hair is longer now, the tips grazing his shoulders, and there's light stubble on his jaw.

His whole look should not work, but because he's him, it does. And yes, she's mature enough to admit that he looks fucking gorgeous.

He looks like a movie star, but he's still a small-town boy deep down in his heart.

Which is exactly why she had to leave him behind.

"Yeah, well, I wouldn't really have to sneak you in now, would I?"

Her tone is light, carefree, and exactly the opposite of how she feels. She wants to slam the door in his face and tell him to go away, but he doesn't deserve that, so she swallows down her pride and gives him the same flirtatious smile she's practiced for all her photo shoots.

"No worries, as long as that tree's still back there, I shouldn't have a problem crawling in your window," he teases her, and a blush rises up to her cheeks as she remembers all the times he sneaked in, or she sneaked out, and exactly what would happen after. "It's good to see you, Jade."

"You too, Beck," she answers him, and he's giving her this look, like if he's daring her to try and treat him like a stranger. She knows he won't mention anything else though, and half of her wishes he would just so she'd have an excuse to leave again. "So, what brings you around at this hour?"

God, could she be any more fucking awkward?

"I was supposed to bring by a part for your brother's car earlier, but I got caught up," he signals to the box in his hand, as if to prove his honesty. "I didn't know you were coming back home."

"Yeah, promised David I'd come to his graduation. I'll be around here for a week before I head back home."

He flinches when she says 'home', and she knows he wants to tell her that she is home. She's here, where she belongs. Except, they both know that's not true.

"That's great, and, by the way, you look great too. I always knew you'd only get more gorgeous with time," he confesses, a grin on his face. "You should hear the talk about you that goes around town. They all swear they knew you were a good girl"

"I bet. And, you don't look too bad either, you'd probably look better if you shaved all that stuff off your face, though."

"Wow, complimenting and insulting me in the same sentence. It's nice to know you haven't lost your touch," he jokes, leaning against the doorframe and turning his head sideways, away from her.

"Is it just me, or do you hate how fucking awkward this feels, too?"

Look at that, he can still read her mind.

"God, yes," she groans, letting out a sigh. "I'm… not sure what to say to you," she admits.

"How about I take you out for coffee tomorrow morning, as friends, of course," he adds when he sees her mouth open to protest. "I'll even shave," he bargains, winking at her.

"Coffee… sounds nice."

Hey, don't blame her. You do not say no to a hot guy and coffee. Like, it goes against the laws of nature.

Even if it is her ex. But she broke up with him, so it's all good.

Sensible.

"Well, it's obvious this conversation has run its course," he begins, before handing her the box in his hands and raising his hand to move away a stray lock of hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear. "Goodnight, Jade, I'll see you in the morning."

He presses a kiss against her cheek, and Jade just stands there as he turns around and walks away. She closes the door behind her, fighting the tingles that burn on the skin his lips touch and lays down in her bed, wondering what the hell she's doing

Seriously.

-.-.-

Hope you guys like this so far! It's a mix between my last two fics, and yes, it's going to get 'M' rated soon, because I know that's what you guys like lol

This one's dedicated to Khay, Brittany, and Bria, who have accepted me into their group of awesome twitter peeps. Don't worry, dears, what you asked me for is on its way! ;)

Thanks to everyone who reviewed my last fic, Ships in The Night! You guys are awesome!

Let me know if you guys like it so far in your reviews, and then I'll decide if I'll follow through this plotline.

Lori.