One new message.
Jade catches her breath, then silently tells herself to cool down. It could be anything.
She can't help it. This means a lot to her. Jade clicks it and skims over the e-mail. She turns to her boyfriend, Beck, laying on the couch and idly flipping through TV channels.
"Beck, I got the job." Her lips curl into a smile. His face bursts out in one too. She gets up from the computer chair to join him on the couch. His fingers run through her hair as she curls up closer to him.
"I knew you would." Beck whispers.
"Now we can keep the apartment."
…
Jade walks into the restaurant. She looks around, savoring the place.
This is where I work now.
There's a stage, right in the middle, and she can already see herself singing there. She's already daydreaming about someone noticing her, giving her record deal, and getting out of this shitty town. She shakes hands with the owner.
This is who I work for now.
She's biting her tongue, because she can already feel the insults brimming up inside her. He must be in his mid-thirties and he's desperately clinging to his youth. And he's wearing a fedora, for god's sake. He's probably balding.
"Jade West? Congratulations on the job, you were phenomenal. I'm your boss, you can call me Johnny. We'll get started once your partner gets here."
"Partner?" She says through her teeth, tries to keep her cool, knowing how much she needs this job. "I thought this was a solo gig." She emphasizes each word.
"Am I late?" A girl with bright red hair bursts in, and Jade recognizes her. She sang a duet with her during auditions. She's adorable, and for a second, Jade thinks she wouldn't mind working with her. But she pushes the thought to the back her head. Jade's been pushed to the back all of her life. And she deserves center stage.
"Jade West, meet Cat Valentine. Cat Valen-"
"Cat Valentine?" Jade sneers. "What are you, a stripper?"
Cat's eyes widen.
"N-no, my full name's Caterina, but nobody calls me that." She stutters.
Johnny rolls his eyes.
"Anyways, Cat, Jade, meet your new girlfriend."
Cat cocks her head. "Wait, what?"
"You two, you're going to be stage lesbians. Like t.A.T.u."
"What?" Jade snarls. She whips out her phone to send a text to Beck.
I can't do this.
"Look, we're need something or we're going to be shut down. You two are talented. You two are hot. You're what we need. All I'm asking if for you to sing flirty duets, come here on dates on some of the nights you're not singing, flirt, kiss. That's all."
"Okay!" Cat pipes out, and Jade's blood is boiling. She'll probably enjoy it.
"I. Have. A. Boyfriend." Jade growls. She feels her phone vibrate.
We need this.
"Let me talk to Cat." Jade says. "Alone." Johnny leaves, and Cat just stares blankly at Jade.
"Look, I need to know, you're not a lesbian, right?"
"Nope!" She chirps. Jade lets out a breath, relived. But Cat's not finished. "I like everyone! I like boys, and girls, and I like kittens, and butterflies, and bouncy houses." She pauses, and lowers her voice. "But not in that way. I only like boys and girls in that way."
"Look." Jade snarls. "I need this. Me and my boyfriend need the money from this so we don't lose our apartment. But I don't need you coming on to me. All of this. Just an act. Agreed?"
Cat looks back at Jade with her big, almost sad eyes. "Okay."
a/n - If you liked it, take the few seconds to review, please? I love you for reading this!
And, since I forgot to add it at the beginning, Victorious and it's characters do not belong to me, guys, you know this.