The swing rocked back and forth in the biting wind, the methodical creaking inviting the raven haired girl over. It was way past the time when children inhabited the park - they would all be asleep, safe, dreaming. Once again, Jade was reminded of all she didn't have.
They met where it all came tumbling down in the end - in the park at the end of the street.
"I want that swing." Jade demands, kicking dirt up at him with the toe of her sparkly pink shoes. The little boy on the swing frowns for only a second before flashing her a gap-toothed smile and kicking his legs in the air, narrowly missing the girl in front of him.
"I'm Beck!" He says, ignoring the glare on her face.
It certainly wouldn't be the last time he did so.
Xoxox
She didn't like her mother and he didn't know how to follow the rules, so they spent a lot of time on those swings as kids. He always talked and talked, barely stopping to draw breath and she always listened carefully, not always taking in the information but feeling safe in the soft, continuous lull of his voice.
While they pretty much ignored each other at school, preferring to stay Jadelyn and Beckett there, they would always meet up at the swings after school, even if it wasn't planned. It went unsaid - but still, they both watched the park gate carefully until they were swinging side by side, sometimes in silence.
One day, she didn't turn up.
And even though she hadn't said she would, he knew something was wrong. He stayed until it was dark, until the park warden told him, "Hey, son, you've gotta go,", and even then he waited at the railings until his Dad picked him up because his Mom was getting worried.
The next day at school he watches her, his deep brown eyes filled with concern and question. His eyes lock onto hers as she nods at the bubbly redhead in front of her, and she looks to the floor, avoiding his worried gaze. On the outside, he brushes it off, talks to his friends as if nothing has happened and acts completely n.o.r.m.a.l.
On the inside, he wonders if her heavy make-up is covering something more sinister than a pale complexion.
Xoxox
Jade pushes the gate across to enter the park, and walks to her swing, sighing as she sits down on it. She clutches her school bag to her front, resting her chin on top of the backpack.
He sees her as soon as he turns the corner, and he wonders if she's been here all this time. His Hollywood Arts audition just ended, he'd rushed to the park as soon as it finished. As usual, he takes his place on the swing, and starts his endless stream of chatter.
Though she's barely listening, Jade does hear about his audition. A quiet but strong voice interrupts him, "You auditioned too?"
He smiles at her, nodding. He doesn't talk for a moment, wanting to let her speak again. When she doesn't, he continues, "I just got out. That Sikowitz is weird, huh?"
The tiniest hint of a smile dares to taint her features for a second, but it's gone before he gets to appreciate it. "I'd say interesting."
Nodding, he asks her, "How'd your audition go? There were a lot of people there,"
Jade shrugs her shoulders. "I could have done better."
And he doesn't know whether he prays for her to get in because he can't bear to see the disappointed look on her face once more, or because he wants to see a lot more of her, but he prays all the same.
Xoxox
They're 15 now, the little kids on the swing-set, and the weather is a lot colder. Beck sees her across the hall in school - Hollywood Arts, no less - with that same bubbly redhead that she was with before. Only Jadelyn's now Jade and Caterina's - the redhead - now Cat, and Beckett drops his full name, too.
"Hey!" He calls, and he winces as soon as the words leave his mouth. Still, he strides towards the girls, and looks at Jade with worry in his eyes. "Why don't you come to my house after-school?"
He doesn't know why he's said it - hell, he doesn't even know the girl past her name, what she looked like as a kid, and what she does in her spare time - but he crosses his fingers that she'll accept, especially when he sees the thin jacket and mini-skirt she's sporting.
Cat giggles nervously, not understanding why this random boy is asking her friend back to his place. Jade's face is showing no emotion. At least, no positive emotion. She looks confused, and slightly annoyed. She slams her locker door, and turns to face him.
"No."
He doesn't even have time to respond before she's gone in a cloud of perfume and mystery.
Xoxox
Jade and Beck sit in his RV one night. He called it cosy, she called it small. He called it charming, she called it cheap. He called it home, and soon enough, so did she.
"Do you remember when you refused to come here?" He laughs softly, tracing patterns in the palm of her hand. They'd been going out for just under four months, though neither of them had called the coffee runs and dinners they'd shared "dates".
"Yeah," she says. "I never knew what you wanted from me, you know. You always talked to me. Always treated me like a person." She shakes her head, and says softly, sadly, "I never really had that before."
For once, it's him listening and her talking and talking until she felt as if she couldn't breathe because her sobs were so heavy. He simply held her, gently planting kisses on the top of her hair, until the sky tinged pink and the morning settled down to start the day.
She said she was going home.
He had a pretty good idea of where she'd be if he had to find her.
Xoxox
They were 17 and he knew he'd messed up.
Big. Time.
"Babe, listen, it was only one kiss and-"
"And I don't wanna hear it!" Jade yells, flipping her newly dyed black hair. "If you want her, then have her. But don't sneak kisses-"
"It was a stage kiss," he pleads.
"There must have been a very small audience in the janitor's closet," she says sarcastically, and he wonders how on earth she knows about that. "Listen," she says, shrugging her shoulders as if she doesn't care, "You know where to find me, if you decide that the Latina Barbie in there isn't for you."
"Tori's just a friend,"
"Friends don't kiss your boyfriend!"
With that, Jade storms out. She goes to the only safe place she knows, and swings mindlessly for hours.
When it starts to get dark, and that park warden wonders why so many kids spend their time in a run down park on the bad side of town, Jade realizes that for once, he's not going to be next to her. She wonders where he is; she knows that he'll know e.x.a.c.t.l.y where she is.
It's the first time in years that the swings don't feel like her safe place to land.
Xoxox
Two months pass. Cat watches as Beck grasps at the back of Jade's head, deep in a kiss. She also watches how Jade looks to the ground afterwards.
Beck may have no secrets (oh but she knows, she knows how that 'perspex' personality is just another character for him to play), and Jade may act as if she absolutely l-o-v-e-s being the power couple, but that facade is carefully built.
The innocence in their relationship that Jade once adored was gone.
It was replaced with heavy handed teenager who had all but forgotten about gentle forehead kisses and hand holding.
Jade only had the swings that he never visited anymore to remind her of what used to be.
Xoxox
A colossal argument ended it all. They'd screamed at each other until their voices were hoarse, Jade ignoring the tears and Beck ignoring that feeling dread that was beginning to settle in his stomach, the feeling that told him this might be it, it might finally be the end.
She'd grown tired of the way he always tried to make her jealous, always knew just how to press her buttons.
He'd grown weary of her jealousy, not wanting to live with these constraints any longer.
And so she slammed the door, crashing out into the street and running as far away as she could.
He sighed and sat down, with his head in his hands. Two hours later, when he'd cooled down enough to realize he'd miss her more than life itsoelf, he had a pretty good idea of where to find her.
Xoxox
Beck ignored the cold and the wind, thinking only of how cold Jade would be and cursing himself for being so stupid and letting her leave the way she did. He sees her, just staring at the swing set as if it was just too much to sit down.
He touched her shoulders gently, draping a jacket over them and rubbing her back. She shrugs him off, shaking her head.
"It's too late for that." She whispers, barely looking at him. "I just need...a fresh start."
Beck doesn't respond for a moment, instead remembering all of those times they'd spent on those swings.
"Fine," Beck says, and he just beats her in sitting down on the left side of the swing.
"Hey," Jade says, frowning. "I want that swing." He narrowly missed hitting her, and she kicks dirt at him. Only this time, her feet are wearing black combat boots instead of sparkly pink pumps.
Beck smiles.
"I'm Beck."
Jade frowns for a moment, considering the options that Beck had gone insane or just was being awkward.
He igornes the frown.
He certainly hopes it won't be the last time he does so.