Hey, BlueWolf Leader here. This is my first fanfiction, so please don't hound on me too much. Haha, get it? Hound, wolf, get it? Eh, whatever. Anyways, I really do hope you like it. I have had a passion for writing for a while now, and I was hoping to get some constructive criticism from a group of fellow readers.
Disclaimer: I do not own VicTORious, or any of the characters, they belong to Dan Schneider. The idea and the college are mine. Shawn, Mikey and Mr. Craven are mine as well.
"Congratulations, Cynatoka class of 2016, you have graduated from this exceptional college. You are now ready for the world outside of this facility. Two words for you all: good luck." My school dean waved us off. Before my eager classmates tossed their black caps, I saw his expression. It no longer held a smile, but it had worry and sadness etched into his wrinkled face. He disappeared as the new graduates yelled and tossed their caps into the air. I flung mine as hard as I could; I was glad to leave this place, more so than the other ignorant fools. I had been sent here, against my will. This school was a prison to me, but it was my only option, otherwise I would be in an actual jail cell. Cynatoka is a wonderful acting/performance college, but it's not the one I wanted to go to.
"All right, we need to go." My guard grumbled in my ear. He grabbed me by the collar of my school gown and slapped cuffs on my wrists. I felt the electricity circulating throughout the cold steel, ready to shock me if I tried anything. He grabbed the links and pulled me behind him.
"Shawn, you're embarrassing me. Can't I at least walk out of here a free woman?" I asked the square jawed man. He shook his head and scratched the back of his black tattooed head. I wanted to choke that sneer off of his cubed face so much. He had tormented me for so many years, and I still could do absolutely nothing about it. The old Jade wouldn't have stood for this. Unfortunately, these years have mellowed me out. I haven't seen the person I loved in such a long time. Would I ever get to see her?
"No can do, Jade. I'm under strict orders to watch you. General still hasn't forgiven you for that snide comment." He started as he led me through the throng of giddy graduates.
"That was when I was eighteen, four years ago. It's 2016, now I'm 22. I've learned my lesson. Old man needs to get over it. Plus, I bet he still blames me for that tiny accident." I rolled my eyes. Then I ran into a wall of meat, Shawn's back. I rubbed my nose on my shoulder, trying to relieve the pinpricks of pain. "Ow, fuck. What the hell?"
"What you were charged for was not a "tiny accident". You robbed a bank, kidnapped the mayor's daughter, and then left her to be harassed by heathens! That was no accident." His voice growled as he whirled around to face me. He brought one hand up, ready to hit me across my face. I resisted the urge to flinch, before my brain remember something that my old acting teacher in high school taught me about law, or tried to teach me. He kept forgetting what he was talking about. I wonder if he's still there, drinking his favorite drink.
"Ah, ah, ah; no hitting the criminally insane, Mr. Parole Officer, sir. Wouldn't want to get charged for assault now, would we?" I tilted my head and smiled innocently. His hand lowered until it rested on my shoulder. His face twisted into an awful frown, and my mouth turned into a smirk. I had caught him in a trap. "Yeah, I sure learned a lot from these four years in this "Learning" cesspool. Let's see, what should I be when I'm finally released? A serial killer in a movie, or a rapist in a television show? Do they still have t.v. in the real world?"
"Your choice, of course, Miss West, but you can't get rid of me that easily. I'm here until he orders me away." He yanked me in front of him, making me run into the clueless young adults in front of us.
"Hey, watch it, Jade. I know I'm not allowed to hit you, but I can sure tell Dad that you were bad." My duplicate said to me. My twin brother had never liked me, now in this predicament, he hated my guts. Yeah, nobody knew about him because he didn't go to Hollywood Arts. He had absolutely zero talent, kind of like that older Vega sister, Briana or something. He went to a regular high school, even though he wants to be an actor. He tried to get in, but he may be my twin, but he is most definitely not as talented as I am. His blue eyes sparked with anger and his jaw was set. I could see his eyebrow start to twitch.
"So you're going to tell Daddy on me, Michael? I'm so scared that I'm quaking in my boots! Ha, he's already ruined my life, not much more he can do to make it worse." I shrugged. It was true. I was no longer allowed to see the only person who had believed me and still loved me, my long dead mother. I'm living in a different state, for the mayor's daughter's "protection". I raised my cuffed hands to his face and traced his high cheekbone. I felt him shiver under my fingertips and smiled inwardly. "Do tell daddy dearest that he must come and visit me. You need to see me too, Mikey."
"I do not claim you as my sister, Jade, and I never will. You may share my good looks, but you are nothing like me. You are evil, conniving, and a whore. Dad's disowned you as his daughter as well. He's too disgraced to be the General and only known as "The one whose daughter's in jail." Your mom's dead, so she doesn't care." He sneered when he saw my eye twitch. He knew that I had a soft spot for mom. "Aw, did I hit a nerve there? Do you miss your mommy? You poor-oof!"
I had heard enough, so I jammed the heel of my palm up his nose and kneed his jewels. He collapsed, cursing while holding his nose and groin. Shawn sighed behind me, and I heard a soft click. Agonizing pain shot through me; I crumpled to the floor, trying not to scream. Nobody could hear me anyways, there was too much celebration going on. Bastards wouldn't even notice if I had a ticking bomb strapped to my chest.
"Behave yourself, Jade; we don't want to cause a ruckus. Not when this day has been going so well. Once you cooperate, I'll stop." Shawn's voice said above me. I could tell he was stifling a laugh.
"Nng, q-q-uit i-it, S-shawn-n." I stuttered because of the massive volts of energy that coursed through my quivering skin. I hated looking weak, and the electrocution was forcing me to stay on the ground. My teeth were clacking together, and I tried to keep from biting my tongue. "I-I g-get-t th-the id-idea. Y-yo-you c-can s-st-stop n-now."
"Are you sure? I don't think Mr. West is pleased yet." Shawn said as Michael stood up unsteadily, his face showing a grimace.
"You'll pay for that you little bitch," he kicked me in the ribcage, making much needed air leave. I clutched my sides and gasped, hearing one creak. One more kick and something would break. "You ruined my relationship with the best girlfriend I had had in a long time."
"Sh-she w-was m-m-my b-b-best f-friend l-l-long b-before sh-she m-met you. Y-you w-were t-tearing her ap-p-part, p-pie-piece b-by p-piece." I wheezed between paralyzing zaps of electricity and gasps for air. That earned a swift kick to the gut. I could feel something rise to my throat. I really hope it isn't bile, I don't want that taste in my mouth. "Y-you c-can't k-k-keep d-doing t-that. S-shawn, y-you're v-vio-lating y-your c-con-t-tract."
"I know, but you truly deserve this. You kidnapped my niece. I was so happy to hear that a position to guard you was open. This is for what you did to her." I could feel his obsidian eyes burning holes in my back. He kicked my convulsing back, right where my kidneys were screaming in pain. If I survived this, I would castrate both of them with a rusty spoon. Then I would feed them their own parts.
"Excuse me, gentlemen, may I cut in?" a steely voice asked above me. My seizing body kept me from seeing who my savior was.
"Nothing to see here, run along-" Shawn's voiced stopped. Mikey grabbed my forearm and roughly pulled me up off the floor. I winced in anticipation of the bruises. He pulled his arm back, hand balled in a fist.
"I would advise you to let go of my client, Mr. West, unless you wish to have a big lawsuit in your father's lap again." Another hand had stopped his fist from connecting with my cheek. The skin was pale and the hand was bony, the skin taut across the bones. The man's voice hissed at my brother, who peeled his long fingers away from my twitching flesh. "Thank you; now Mr. Shawn, is it? Miss West is no longer under your "protection". Remove those shock cuffs, if you wouldn't mind." I looked at the man, seeing a skeleton covered with white flesh, in a crisp black suit with a metal rose attached to the lapel. It signified a respected attorney used for the best lawyers. He had sunglasses covering his eyes, but I could feel his piercing gaze crawling along my skin. "You must be wondering who I am. Well, you could call me your fairy godfather, if you wish. But I am their worst nightmare. My name is Craven Lurence, and I am here to take you home, wherever that may be. Certainly not with your family. Maybe a place of your own?"
"W-what?" Shawn and Mikey shouted at the tall man in front of me. My mouth hung open, until Mr. Lurence closed it for me.
"Now, if you won't take these cuffs off, I will." He said, twisting a key into the locking mechanism. Instantly, the volts stopped and my shackles crashed to the floor. I rubbed my raw wrists, relieved to be free from the torture devices. "That must feel so much better; come along Jade. I have someone who wishes to see you."
"Who?" I staggered, Craven catching me before I fell. He took me away from the surprised Shawn and Mikey, and out of the auditorium.
"You'll see soon enough." His long strides made me have to run to catch up. He led me through groups of happy graduates, past my old classes and down a long corridor. I didn't remember seeing this in the school's schematics, and it made me worried about who wanted to see me. Craven stopped in front of a door at the end of the hall and waited for me to catch up again. I was still panting from the abuse I had gotten just a few minutes ago. He really couldn't expect me to keep up with him with a bruised ribcage could he? "Here we are. Go inside, I'll be right here." He held out a key card.
I took it from his hand and held it up to the scanner. The steel door slid open without a sound, revealing a dark room. A single light shined down on a seat. I looked back at Craven, who nodded toward the seat.
"Guess I have nothing to lose." I carefully stepped into the room. Once I passed the threshold, the door slid shut behind me. I turned, seeing the grey metal glaring back at me. "Great, no way out. It's probably sound proof too."
"Come in, take a seat, Jadelyn." An automated voice buzzed through the room. "Don't be shy now, Jadey. You never were before. College and imprisonment have changed you greatly." My mind was reeling. Only one person ever called me by that nickname.
"Okay, creepy voice, I'm assuming that you belong to the person who wished to see me. Who are you, and what do you want with me?" I asked spinning in a circle, looking for the source of the sound. The voice was masked by a computer, so I couldn't tell if it was a male or a female. Although, I was starting to get this prickling feeling on the back of my neck. Anticipation and nervousness was making my heart swell.
"Well, you might want to take a seat before I show myself, Jade." I detected something that sounded like concern. I sighed and walked over to the comfortable-looking leather seat. I paused before sitting down. Unwillingly, my body relaxed in the smooth fabric. My fingers traced the stitched seams, relishing the feel of the historical chair. It reminded me of the chair in my old room back in California. That black leather chair had held me for so many times when dad refused to. It also was my stage for my short clips "Things that I hate" on .
"Okay, now tell me who you are, and what is your purpose for seeing me." I ordered, interest renewed in who would want to see a world-known criminal. I heard a door slide open behind me. I drummed my fingers on the chair as I heard footsteps come closer. The steps were like a staccato beat, sharp and quick, like the person was wearing heels. The person, who I had figured as a female, came closer with each tapping step, making the room echo with the hollow sound.
"Close your eyes, Jadey." A feminine voice purred behind the chair. My heartbeat was racing wildly. I recognized the voice, but it had been so long. I complied, my mind being completely at ease. The person moved to stand in front of me. "Now, don't react too harshly, once you see who I am. You can open your eyes now, Jade."
I opened one eye, seeing red high heels. Then I opened the other, showing two normal-looking feet. I moved my eyes a little upward, seeing a crimson satin dress on tan legs. The red hurt my eyes, shining brightly in the fluorescent lighting. My eyes trailed upward again, seeing more of the mysterious woman before me. My mouth opened when my eyes rested on her face. I couldn't believe it. After all these years, she had come to see me. My heart skipped a beat then went full throttle and tried to leap out of my chest.
"Cat, is it really you?" I asked her. The woman smiled, showing perfect white teeth. "B-but why are you here? After what happened I thought you would never-"
"Want to see my best friend again? Oh, you're horribly mistaken, Jade. What happened wasn't your fault. My dad jumped to conclusions. I'm so sorry I couldn't save you before all of this happened." She brushed a strand of straight red velvet cupcake hair away from her brown eyes. She still dyed it the same color. I couldn't believe it. That color that had haunted me for the past four years. I had longed to touch it, to feel it slip through my fingers. The smell wafted to my nose, she still smelled like strawberries. My fingers gripped the chair refusing to let go. I wanted to hug her so badly, tell her I was sorry for running away, but my body would not obey my mind's orders. It was almost like it had died from the surprise.
"Cat, I'm so sorry. I tried to stay-" she placed her index finger on my lips, stopping my apologies. I resisted the urge to bite it, control was an issue my body was having so far.
"These past four years have given me a lot of time to think about what exactly happened. None of it was your fault. Your fight or flight instincts kicked in; no one can blame you for that. Whatever happened to me, I forgive you." Cat's words soothed my aching heart, knowing that she didn't hate me after all these years. Her finger traced the contours of my lips, making my body shiver in anticipation. "Now that we're together again, where did we leave off?"
I really hope you liked it. If I get any reviews, I'll continue the story, if not, well, I don't know. I'll probably crawl in a whole that has wireless internet. Thank you so much! BlueWolf Leader out.