Just a Pet?

A/N: Okay, this is a one-shot that I kind of just thought of. I didn't see any other stories like this one, but if there are, I did not read them and I didn't mean to copy!

This is Cade FRIENDSHIP! Strictly friendship. So, enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Victorious in any way, shape, or form. Thank you.

Ever since Cat had been called 'a pet' by her best friend Jade, she's been… thinking. There she was, watching two of her closest friends fight, and randomly Jade points out that Cat is basically a pet.

Cat, who was quite oblivious to the situation at that given time, gave a playful dog bark. She thought it was funny and that the words Jade spoke were very amusing. A pet, how cute! Pets were loyal, playful, and fun to be with. Not to mention caring and being cared for. To Cat, being called a pet was a compliment.

Now, here's where the thinking comes in. She was sitting in her bedroom later that evening, pondering the events of that night. Beck and Jade broke up. Jade was not in a good mood and anything she said was not cheerful in the slightest. So, when Jade called Cat a pet, it was a… insult? Was Jade making fun of her?

Pets were lazy and boring. They were needy and stupid. They would always mess things up and do everything wrong. Was Jade referring to her in that way? Was she really just a 'pet'?

Immediately, Cat put that thought aside. Jade wouldn't think of her like that, right? Her best friend in the entire world, practically her sister, didn't mean it like that, right?

The next couple of days were very interesting. And different. Seeing Beck and Jade separated from each other was like watching someone put peanut butter and jelly on two completely different slices of bread! Plus, they both acted differently. Beck reacted to events with such little emotion and Jade screamed even more than before. Cat hated being on the receiving end of Jade's rage. She would feel like she did something wrong. She would feel like a 'pet'. Cat became more and more convinced that being called a pet was not a good thing. It wasn't a compliment at all!

Just to be sure, Cat decided to call Jade and talk about it. She didn't know that Jade was so depressed about the break up and that she really didn't want to talk to anybody. But after five rings, Jade picked up.

"What?" she asked impatiently.

"Um, Jadey," Cat started, catching Jade's tone of voice. "Are you okay?"

Another thing Cat wasn't informed of was that Jade was sick of people asking her that. Sick and tired. All around, people were asking her how she was doing, how she was holding up. Sinjin asked her out and she was happy to threaten him with her scissors. But really, she couldn't take it anymore.

"No Cat, I'm not okay. I'm really not okay! I don't want to deal with whatever problem you might have and I don't want to hear some stupid story about your brother! I'd much rather lay in my bed alone all day than listen to your high-pitched, peppy voice! I have my own problems to handle! And I don't care if you want to comfort me or tell me it's going to be okay or any of that garbage! It's not going to be okay, GOT IT? GOOD! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!" and with that, she hung up.

Cat was completely shocked. She had never heard Jade snap like that before. Not at her anyway. Her face went pale from the tone of her voice and her bones chilled from Jade's screeching. Cat dropped the phone and stood still.

Pets were annoying and were always screamed at. Pets always expected others to fix their problems. Maybe Jade meant to say 'pest.'

Cat ran up to her bedroom, locked the door, and curled up on her bed. She sat upright, brought her knees up to her chin, and wrapped her arms around her legs. She rested the side of her head on her knees and sniffled. Was she really this annoying? Did everyone think of her this way? Was she really a 'pet'?

"Then, she made me feed her a pickle while she took an hour long bubble bath!" Tori had concluded to her list of many annoying things she did for her sister. The final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. Instantly, the halls filled up with students. They all took their time to get to their lockers, stopping to chat with friends. Cat was not one of them. She pushed her way through the crowd and grabbed everything she needed out of her locker. She wanted to leave soon so that she wasn't at risk of acting like a 'pet' to anyone. She had kept her mouth shut all day, only speaking to greet someone- not in her normal, sweet voice- and to answer questions in class.

When she was finished, she spun on her heel to face the doors and walked. However, she didn't get far, for someone had called out to her.

"Cat," Jade's voice rang. "Hey Cat."

She stopped and turned around slowly, her head hanging down. She recognized Jade's combat boots and the ruffles of her long green and black skirt.

"You doing anything this Saturday?" she asked casually.

"N-no." Cat replied with a shaky voice. She was still scared that Jade may unleash her wrath out on her again.

"Good. Come with me to the movies. We're gonna watch The Scissoring 2: Kasey's Revenge."

Cat gulped. "Um, no thank you." She heard Jade chuckle.

"Come on, if you can watch The Scissoring, you can handle this!"

This time, Cat allowed herself to look at Jade's face. She had an eyebrow raised. "You okay?" Jade asked. That made Cat want to curl up in the fetal position. She could feel tears pricking at her eyelids as she sniffled, quickly putting her head back down.

Jade was startled by her friend's actions. Cat never acted like this before. Thinking fast, she grabbed Cat's wrist and dragged her outside to the deserted Asphalt Café.

"Cat," she asked sternly. "What's wrong?" Cat sniffled some more before answering.

"I'm sorry." She said softly. Jade tilted her head in confusion.

"For what?" she asked. When Cat didn't answer, she asked again. There was a long pause before Cat looked up again. Her makeup was smeared and her eyes were red.

"For being a pet." It took a second, but realization dawned on Jade.

She mentally kicked herself. Why did she have to say that? She knew Cat was sensitive and took everything literally. She blamed it on her anger, clearly remembering the day she said that. Then, she remembered what she said last night on the phone to Cat. Jade could not have felt more terrible than she did.

"Cat, you're not a-"but surprisingly enough, she was cut off.

"Yes I am! You said it yourself! And I know it too! Pets are annoying and needy and have to have everything done for them and… stupid and…" as she struggled to find another meaning, Jade stopped her.

"I didn't mean it like that! There's a good side to pets too you know. They're, um, fun. Yeah, and they make people laugh and smile. And, uh, they're always there for the people they care about."

Cat's eyes were burning a brighter red than before, but she stopped crying. "Really?" she asked innocently. A pang of guilt hit Jade right in her heart. She didn't like to show it, but she had feelings too! She wasn't just a scary Goth with a dark soul like most people thought. The only people who saw Jade differently were Beck and Cat. And with the knowledge that she had caused her best friend to think of herself as some pathetic pet killed her inside.

"Yes, really."

"So, being called a pet is a compliment?" Cat asked. Jade cracked a smile and nodded.

"The way I meant it, yes. It is a compliment."

Cat smiled and bounced up and down. "Kay kay! What time does the movie start?"

A/N: And there you have it! Love it? Hate it? So-so? Please review and tell me!