I had this idea for a long time and finally wrote it out! For those of you keeping up with my other stories, I'm trying to put out more chapters. I just don't have time for writing because I work two jobs. Hopefully I'll update something soon!
She sat in the living room, bare feet curled beneath her, on her third bowl of popcorn and fifth Saw movie. Her black hair sat atop her head in a messy bun, nearly falling over into her face. Makeup from the previous night still smudged her face, making her eyes look more hollow than usual. Smeared lipstick got onto every piece of popcorn as she lazy shoved it in her mouth, but she couldn't muster the energy to care. An old pair of Beck's sweatpants draped loosely over her legs, his favorite nightshirt hanging off her shoulders.
It was her favorite, too, and she would be damned if she gave it back.
The movie was just about to get to the part where Julie Benz stabbed Meagan Good, and a half-assed smirk threatened to tug at her mouth; it had always been one of her favorite scenes. As Benz rammed an electrical circuit into Good's neck, Cat jumped from behind the couch and slammed her hands down on Jade's shoulder with a loud roar.
Jade gasped and jumped slightly, eliciting a pout from the tiny, pink-haired girl; she'd expected a grander reaction from her glum friend.
"What the fuck?" the dark-haired girl shouted, snapping around and sending her bun flopping atop her head. Her normally fiery eyes didn't seem to burn as hot, yet still caused Cat to shrink back.
"You've been on the couch all day!" the petite redhead whined, refusing to meet her friend's eyes. "Let's go out and do something."
Jade huffed and turned back around, slouching into the cushions. "I don't want to go out," she spat, her voice lacking its usual venom. "You wanna do something? Order a fucking pizza and shut your trap."
Cat skipped forward and leaned over the back of the couch, her face inches from her best friend's. "We still have pizza from yesterday." She snatched the remote beside Jade and paused the movie.
"Hey!" Jade attempted to take it back from her, but Cat held it high over her head and stepped away.
"Hi!" she chirped with a broad grin.
"You have three seconds to give it back."
"Nuh uh," she challenged, holding the device behind her back. "You've been moping around for a week. Let's go do something fun!"
With a scowl, Jade put her bowl down on the coffee table and stood to glare at her friend. "I'm having fun watching people get tortured."
"Remember when Bristol and Davey broke up?" Cat asked, disregarding her friend's statement.
To this, Jade raised an eyebrow. "Yeah? What about it?"
"All she did was sit around and watch sad movies. She didn't talk to anyone for a whole month until her friend made her go out and have some fun!"
The dark-haired girl crossed her arms. "What's your fucking point, Cat?" she snarled. "I'm not a goddamn mute."
"Noooo," Cat allowed with a slight nod to the side, "but you're all upset because B—"
"Don't you dare say his name," her friend seethed, pointing an accusatory finger.
With another pout and a slight hpmh, Cat dropped her arms to her sides. "You need to look at something else besides our TV," she stated adamantly. "Brisket said that she got over Davey because her friend hooked her up with this other guy."
"I'm not fucking a stranger."
Groaning and stomping her foot, Cat threw her head back in annoyance. "You don't have to do… that," she assured her. "You just need to take your mind off things with real people."
Jade moved around the couch, her feet thudding against the carpet as she stormed over to her shorter friend. "I'm fine here," she rebuked, holding out her hand for the remote.
Again, Cat backed away, moving into the kitchen. "How about a bet?" she offered, her large brown eyes alight with excitement.
Jade lowered her hand to her hip and raised her brow again. "A bet?"
"It'll be like an acting exercise we did in high school!"
"I didn't ask what it would be like," Jade spat with a scowl. "What's your dumb bet?"
Cat placed the remote by the sink, hopping onto the counter and swinging her legs back and forth. "I'll bet you can't go all night acting like me," she challenged with a cheeky grin.
Rolling her eyes, Jade scoffed. "Why the hell would I wanna do that?"
The redhead laughed loudly, causing her friend's eye to twitch slightly. "Because I'm gonna act all mean and scary like you!" She twirled a long lock of hair, still swinging her legs. "If you make it the whole night without breaking character—your me character!—then I'll let you sit on the couch watching scary movies until you feel better; I won't even bother you."
"And what if I lose?" Jade inquired. She quickly cleared her throat. "Which I won't, by the way."
Cat's smile fell, and she stopped swinging her legs. "I hadn't thought that far," she said simply.
With a groan and another roll of the eyes, Jade moved to lean against the back of the couch. "If I win," she began, a genuine smile creeping across her lips for the first time in a week, "or if you lose, you have to watch every movie I want to watch for the next month. No protests, no watching through your fingers, no hand holding; just sitting happily beside me on the couch."
With a loud gulp, Cat wrung the hem of her dress. "Are you gonna make me watch Willy Wonka again?"
Jade throws her hands up in disbelief. "That's not even a scary movie!"
"The tunnel scene always scares me!" Cat cries after slamming her hands down on the marble.
Groaning, Jade holds her head and clenches her eyes shut. "I can't believe I'm even entertaining this..."
Cat hops down from the counter and to her side. "It'll be fun!" she persists, clapping her hands on Jade's arms. "We'll wear each other's clothes and pretend to be each other." She drops her arms and looks away.
"I hope nobody confuses us for twins..." she mumbles absently.
"Oh, my god." Jade storms off to her room, slamming the door loudly. "Get changed before I change my mind!"
Cat claps excitedly, bouncing up and down. "Yay!"
Cat had never been heavy-handed with her makeup, and it felt almost suffocating to have it all caked on the way Jade would. She didn't even recognize herself in the mirror; never a fan of a smoky eye, she thought she looked like a raccoon with the crazy amount of black around her lids. The image quickly entertained her, so she found herself laughing with her reflection.
She looked like an obscure, porcelain doll with the pale foundation and striking black lipstick coating her lips; considering the tone of the foundation didn't match her own, she almost looked dead.
All of her friend's pants were too long for her, and Jade never rolled the cuffs of her jeans, so that meant Cat couldn't either. She didn't have much in the way of dresses other than a one-shouldered, black mini-dress glittered with sequins that she wore when they went clubbing on Cat's twenty-first birthday. And she'd had to dig around in her own closet for a pair of black pumps since Jade's shoes were too big.
When Jade looked in the mirror, she wanted to claw her eyes out.
Cat's foundation was too dark, making her look like she'd sat out in the sun for too long or used a cheap spray tan. Since Cat liked colors other than black and made full use of her palettes, she chose the gradient eyeshadow weighing down her lids; though she would never admit it aloud, she actually appreciated the purple fading into blue. Thankfully, Cat let her wear black eyeliner.
Since Cat only wore dresses when she wasn't at work, Jade had to wear one as well; at least it would be fitting attire for a night on the town. Sorting through the frilliest of clothes, she settled on a pastel pink dress with three quarter sleeves and a boat neckline; she'd deemed it the most tolerable, even though it showed more thigh than she would have liked.
"This is stupid," Jade proclaimed, hands akimbo as the girls studied themselves in Cat's floor-length mirror.
"You can't say things like that when we leave the house or you'll lose the bet."
With a sneer, Jade took the small diamond studs from her friend and fastened them into her own ears after sanitizing them; she hated wearing earrings.
"It'll be fun," Cat assured her, teasing her hair to give it a bit more volume. Her normally pin-straight strands had been gently curled to mimic her friend's wavy still, and Jade had taken a flat-iron to her own dark locks.
"We look ridiculous."
"It wouldn't be so bad if we wore the same dress size," Cat allowed, adjusting the wide strap on her shoulder. "Does this always fall off?"
"Maybe it wouldn't if you actually had some tits," Jade griped as she pulled at the tight chest area of her dress. "I can't fucking breathe in this thing."
"I don't care if you stretch it," Cat announced absently as she touched up her mascara. "It's my least favorite; one of my favorites, but the least of all the others."
Jade exhaled loudly from her nose, fighting off the urge to sneer. "Don't expect me to try to sound like you."
"I think it'd be cute," Cat said, practicing her scowl after capping the mascara. "Does this look okay?" She scowled again, but more along the lines of an exaggerated pout.
Crossing her arms and rolling her eyes again, Jade huffed. "It's fine; let's go."
Cat took an extensive bathroom break before the two of them left, searching through her phone for an escort service; Jade needed a guy to take her mind off Beck, someone that she wouldn't have to see ever again. Bristol had been set up with an escort by her friend, and a night with him improved her mood; now she was happily married.
Not to the escort, but married nonetheless.
Of course, she didn't expect Jade to marry the escort either—that would probably cost extra—but she expected him to make her happy for a night. That's what those kinds of people were good at, so she was hoping for the best.
The booking agent for the website texted her an address to meet up with the escorts, as well as their descriptions. She gave the agent her own details—what they'd be wearing, their preferences in men—and the agent told her that, while it would be a little difficult to schedule candidates fitting her preferred descriptions that quickly, he would do his best to accommodate her needs. After paying half upfront with her credit card, he assured her one of the escorts would take the rest of her payment after the date since she wanted to finish it off in cash.
A giddy feeling bubbled inside the tiny woman, but she held it in; she needed to get into character, and Jade didn't really show excitement.
By the time Cat left the bathroom, Jade was already heading out the door to get in an Uber. The taller girl turned back with an uncharacteristically broad grin after hearing Cat's heels thumping on the carpet.
"Come on, Kitty Cat!" she exclaimed, giving an exaggerated wave. "Our ride's here!" She jumped slightly, careful not to lose her balance in the god-awful white pumps she hadn't worn since Easter with Beck's family.
"Hold your fucking horses," Cat shot back, masking the uneasy feeling from swearing. The word sounded foreign and dirty in her mouth, but she had to remind herself that it was how Jade spoke. Not swearing would make her lose the bet.
Dramatically, Jade covered her mouth. "That was a bad word!"
Channeling her friend, Cat sneered; though it felt strange, it also felt appropriate. She liked it. Maybe that's why Jade did it so much.
After locking the door, the women climbed into the Uber. Cat literally had to bite her lip as Jade made conversation with the driver; she loved chatting with her drivers, and it was eating her away that she couldn't do it this ride.
You're doing this for Jadie, she reminded herself. Stay strong.
After ten excruciating minutes, they pulled up to a bar, one Cat vaguely remembered going to; the overwhelming smell of tequila, followed by eight shots of Patron, hung distantly in her memory, but that was it.
She was told it'd been one hell of a night…
A slight chill floated through the LA air, but both women ignored it. Jade kept her smile going, shaking her friend's arm with enthusiasm. "This is so exciting!"
"Yeah," Cat mumbled with a roll of her eyes. Though she didn't want to, she yanked free of her friend's grasp, returning her arm to its place at her side.
As they walked in, the shorter girl scanned the room for the escorts. Though the bar was full of people with their backs turned to her, two men leaned back against the bar, drinks in hand as they watched a game of pool.
She fought the urge to gasp upon seeing them. They matched her description almost to a tee! The agent did a good job on such short notice; she might have to do this again sometime.
The one farthest away was a lean-looking blond, just to Cat's taste. Though she asked for a guy without any facial hair, she could see the stubble prickling his jaw; surprisingly, she didn't mind it. He wore a dark blue T-shirt with black jeans which didn't really impress her, but she couldn't be too picky; all he was going to be was someone to talk to while Jade did whatever with her own escort.
The other man had darker skin, maybe a bit lighter than Beck's. His hair was pitch black and pulled back into a thick ponytail, his smile bright and dazzling as he pointed with his beer at the ongoing match. He wore a light brown, leather jacket over a black T-shirt and regular blue jeans, and she hoped Jade would like him.
She nudged her friend as the door closed behind them. "See those guys over there?" she asked, nodding her head to them.
"Y-Yeah?"
"Let's get 'em to buy us drinks."
Jade's face fell with feigned nervousness as she twirled a lock of pin-straight hair. "I don't know…"
Huffing loudly, Cat snatched her friend's hand and led her over to the men. As they saw the girls approaching, both men set their drinks on the bar top and stood.
"I need a Leg Spreader," Cat announced with a devilish grin. "The drink would be great, too."
With a slight cough, Jade covered her mouth and looked away; she even giggled slightly.
"That can be arranged," the tanned man said, flashing his glinting smile. His eyes flicked to Jade with a slight nod. "And what about you?"
She dropped her hand and looked back to him with a timid smile. "I-I don't really drink," she lied, wringing her hands slightly. "Wouldn't know what to get."
"She'll take a Stella," Cat proclaimed, remembering her friend's favorite beer.
Keeping her composure, Jade said a silent thank you as her eyes drifted to the ceiling.
"Stella?" the blond repeated with a smile of disbelief; he spoke with a slight Australian accent. "That's a strong beer for a girl who never drinks."
"Hey," Cat demanded, snapping her fingers at him. She held her fingers up in a V, flipping them back and forth between their eyes. "You're with me tonight."
He gave a quick hoot before clapping his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Yes, ma'am!"
In a swift motion, the men moved out of the way, and the darker-haired one gestured to the bar stools. "Have a seat and get comfortable, ladies. Tonight, we're all yours."
Cat gave a smirk, Jade a pleasant smile, and the women hopped onto the barstools.
"You're so loud!" Jade exclaimed with a drunken grin after Cat knocked over a vase in the hall. They'd brought the escorts back to their house just like Cat had intended, even if she was a little tipsier than planned. Though she'd sipped on two drinks in two hours, the buzz made it a little difficult for her to walk in a straight line.
In that time, Jade had downed four Stellas and two shots of Jack—per Cat's request—and was positively wasted. She was thankful neither of them were fully committing to their new personas; she didn't much care for the men, and she wouldn't make it through the night without the alcohol.
Cat found it a little odd that the escorts stopped drinking after buying the women theirs, but surmised that it had something to do with company policy; if they were too drunk, she could stiff them on payment without them knowing, and they could get in serious trouble with their boss.
"Shut the hell up," Cat hissed, holding a finger to her lips. She and her boy-toy made to pick up the pieces of the vase, dropping it back on the hall table with loud clatters. "You're gonna wake the fucking neighbors."
Jade gasped and slapped herself as she covered her mouth. She quickly dropped her hands, laughing loudly. "Ow."
Rolling her eyes, Cat grabbed the front of her escort's shirt; maybe it was the alcohol or her innate naivety, but she was only partially certain his name was Cason and Jade's was Reid. Had they even said their names?
"Let's get out of here," she slurred slightly, doing her best to mimic Jade's penetrating gaze as she stared into his bright green eyes.
"Don't have to tell me twice," he breathed as she spun around and led him to her room.
As soon as the door to her bedroom closed, Cat pressed her body to Cason's and kissed him hungrily. Though she normally wouldn't sleep with a man she'd just met, Jade was a sexually free person who wouldn't even bat an eye at a one night stand—before Beck, of course.
Having chosen to remain single since she started college, kissing sent a number of welcomed shivers down Cat's spine. Her body began to tingle as it yearned for his, and she could feel the excitement wash over her as Cason's growing erection pressed against her navel.
A growl erupted in his throat, and he swept his hands beneath her ass to hoist her up. She couldn't fight the gasp at the sudden motion, nor was she sure she wanted to; Jade probably did the same every now and then when it happened, too.
She placed her hands on the sides of his face, meeting his hungry gaze. "I know said I was only paying for two hours," she started, her chest heaving with anticipation, "so we better make this quick."
Cason pulled his face from her hands and stared at her with a raised brow. "Paying?" he asked as he all but dropped her. She stumbled a bit before regaining her composure. "Shit, if I would have known that, I would have let you buy me the drinks."
Cat opened her mouth to say something when her phone dinged in the black clutch she'd borrowed. She held a finger up to him and moved for her purse. She unlocked her phone to a message from the booking agent she'd contacted earlier.
My guys waited for an hour for you.
You put pressure on me to get them.
You'll still be charged for the time.
Confused, she looked from her phone to the man in front of her. "You're not with Dark Horse?" Her voice threatened to break, but she quickly swallowed her apprehension.
He gave a short, mocking laugh. "The fuck I look like, being an escort?" he spat. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a switchblade, popping out the knife. "I'll still take your money, though, seeing as how you got enough to spend."
Cat's face paled as she stared in horror at the glistening blade. "I-I'm c-c-calling the police," she informed him, doing her best to sound intimidating; the dirty grin he gave told her she did a piss poor job.
"And tell 'em what?" he spat, stepping forward. She quickly stepped back. "You tried to sleep with me, thinking I was a fuckin' hooker. Think that'll go over well?"
"M-Maybe n-not," she allowed, holding her phone close to her chest as she tried to keep her shaking hands steady. "But you holding a knife to me won't either."
Again, he laughed, sending goosebumps racing up her arms.
"Then I guess I'll have to make sure you can't call them."
"I need to sit down," Jade said as she stumbled to the couch. Reid's hand shot out to catch her as she bumped against the coffee table and nearly fell. She bit her lip, trying not to swear at the pain. She was surprised that she was able to stay in character even while shitfaced; it was then that she realized she was doing that thing where she attempted to force herself to believe she wasn't wasted.
"You okay?" he asked, his voice deep and husky. The sound threatened to melt her, and she realized she wouldn't mind him talking during sex, even if it was about goddamn algebra.
Oh fuck, she thought, holding her head. Keep it to-fucking-gether, Jade.
"Yeah," she breathed, plopping down onto the couch. "I drank way too much."
"Didn't think you'd be able to put 'em back like that," he said as he sat beside her.
She snorted slightly, her head lulling back and resting against one of the cushions. "Cat's such a bad influence." Even while drunk, she managed to force a moronic giggle.
Reid scooted a little closer, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "I'm having a good time so far."
Jade looked up at him through her lashes with a genuine smile. "Me too."
Before she knew what was happening, Jade found her lips caressing Reid's, and didn't feel the need to protest. They were smooth, yet firm, and a small display of dominance transferred into his kiss that definitely got her hot.
Maybe it was because he was new, but he was a far better kisser than—
Nope, she chastised herself. You went this long without thinking about him. Don't fuck it up now.
As Reid's hands trailed down her hips to the hem of her dress, Jade placed her hands on top of his. Gently, she pushed them away after breaking the kiss.
"I can't," she slurred in her smallest voice, still attempting to keep up her charade. It was a wonder she was still managing. "I'm too drunk."
He smirked, placing his hand on her outer thigh. "Drunk sex is the best," he assured her, slipping his hand beneath the fabric of her dress.
She quickly slapped his hand away. "I don't want to," she stated adamantly, doing her best to speak clearly. "I think you should leave."
She started to rise from the couch when his hand shot to her wrist. "It's rude to invite a man over," he started in a dark, low voice, "get him hard, then refuse to fuck him; at least give me a hummer."
Sneering, Jade snatched her hand from him. The action threw her off balance, sending her falling back onto the couch.
Seizing the opportunity, Reid climbed on top of her, sloppily kissing at her neck as he forced her knees apart. His hand clamped around her throat as he positioned himself between her legs, preparing to undo his belt.
Pushing as hard as she could against his face with one hand to keep his slimy lips off her, she fumbled about for something close with the other. Eventually, she landed on her popcorn bowl from earlier and quickly smashed the ceramic across his head. It shattered, sharp pieces of it falling onto her chest in the process.
"Fuck!" he screamed. He tumbled off the couch, holding his wound and spewing a string of profanities.
Jade scrambled to her feet as a loud scream ripped through the air.
"Cat!" she exclaimed, tripping over her feet as she ran as fast as she could to her friend's room. She fell into the door upon throwing it open, skidding her knees on the carpet. The balls of her feet came out of her shoes, the heels still firmly planted on the ground.
Her eyes bulged from her head as she looked at Cason standing over her best friend, a switchblade dug deep into her shoulder. Cat whimpered on the bed, her other hand uselessly cradling the knife. He turned his torso to investigate the commotion, scowling her way.
"Almost forgot about you," he spat before turning back to Cat. He ripped the blade from her skin, eliciting another loud shriek from the tiny woman. She kicked her leg out to hit him in the back of the knee, causing him to fall forward.
Jade hurried to her feet, using the door for support. She tumbled as she came out of her shoes completely, using the frame to keep herself from falling again. Sloppily, Cason rose to tower over her, holding the switchblade at his side. "Both of you bitches are gonna get it," he growled.
He darted toward her, the blade aimed at her chest.
Thinking quickly, she ducked out of the way and fell into the hall. She just barely witnessed him falling into Reid and stabbing him in the stomach.
The darker man let out a quick scream laced with pain and confusion, and Cason stumbled to the ground. Jade watched as Reid stared down at the knife in his gut. Eyes locked on the hilt, he coughed up blood and fell to his knees, sending spatters all over the carpet. She expected him to fall forward and onto the blade, but his body collapsed to the side, draping over Cason.
With a loud grunt, the blond shoved the corpse off him. "Fuck off me, bastard," he snarled. He reached out for the switchblade and quickly yanked it from Reid's stomach with a loud slick. "And gimme back my fuckin' knife."
Holding onto the wall as he got to his feet once more, Cason looked down at Jade. Splotches of Reid's blood littered his face like freckles as he glared down at her with cold, menacing eyes and a deep-rooted scowl. "Now look what you made me do," he accused, waving the bloody knife at her. "He was actually a good friend, you know."
"Hey!"
Cat's scream startled both of them, and they turned to see her pointing a pistol at him. Blood trailed down her other arm as it hung limp at her side, her red locks disheveled and frizzy, mascara running, and lipstick smudged off. She narrowed her eyes at him, aiming the gun for his face.
"Fuck you."
The gun went off.
Jade screamed.
Cat's head rested against Jade's shoulder as they sat on the curb in front of their house. Shock blankets were draped over both of them, red and blue lights dancing across their forms. Cat had cried until the police got there, collapsed against the open dresser drawer she'd retrieved the gun from, while Jade had curled into a ball and stared at the corpses.
Cat's arm was quickly bandaged, and luckily, Cason had avoided any major veins. She cradled her injury as she shuddered against her friend.
"I'm… so, so… sorry," she sobbed out for the tenth time.
"You didn't know," Jade mumbled, watching as the paramedics loaded the bodies into the ambulances. "Next time, don't hire prostitutes."
Cat sniffed loudly, wiping at her eyes. By now, her mascara had left trails down her face, streaking whatever pale foundation was left. "They weren't supposed to be prostitutes," she admitted. "They were just supposed to be escorts. I shouldn't have invited them back; I just… got a little carried away."
Jade allowed herself to sigh deeply, leaning her head atop her friend's. "Doesn't matter now," she breathed, grabbing Cat's hand. "It's over."
For a moment, the girls sat in silence, listening to the police chatter as the cruiser lights continued to flash.
"Are you still upset about Beck?" Cat whispered.
Jade sniffed as she thought over the answer. After a long silence, she said, "No."
Another silence. "Wanna go watch Willy Wonka?"
"Sure."