AN: I have returned! Thanks guy for such AWESOME suggestions for this installment! I'm very happy with it. And hooray, hooray, this one's a 2-parter! So after this chapter there will be another to come.
Thanks again for your fabulous support and enjoy!
"…Tori?" An attractive brown-haired boy walked through the cluttered HA hallways towards her.
Tori glanced up from her phone in surprise. She thought she knew the voice, but he couldn't be… "Danny?" she asked, unsure if this was reality. He looked so out-of-place amid all the instruments and drama kids.
"Hey," He tried to pull off casually, but Tori could hear the slight alarm in his voice. Danny cleared his throat and tried again. "You go to school here?" he sounded disbelieving, insultingly to Tori.
This was so bizarre. Why in the world would Danny be at Hollywood Arts? Didn't he go to Sherwood, Tori's old high school? And anyway, why was he so surprised that she went here? He knew she transferred, so shouldn't she be asking the questions here? "Yeah…you know I left Sherwood."
There was a flash of…Tori had no idea what expression was just on Danny's face. Sadness? Regret? Longing? Anger? Whatever it was, he again recovered quickly. He was always too good at getting himself out of sticky situations that way. It was sort of one of the things Tori had… "Yeah, but, isn't this school for like, really talented kids?" He snapped Tori out of her flashback. Wait, what? Was Tori not talented? Not good enough for this school? Ouch.
She blew it off internally and outwardly just shot him a joke-warning look. He threw her that smirk that she knows so well. That smirk that says way too much. "I didn't mean to say…" But she knew he meant that one to hurt, at least a little. The little dimples in his chin made it way too obvious.
Tori raised an eyebrow at him. This boy hasn't changed a bit. He started stuttering a little and Tori smiled at how he struggled to fix his perfectly planned "screw-up". "No, keep going, you're doing great," Tori urged sarcastically.
Danny took this as a friendly gesture and gave up with a boyish smile. "I'm sorry," he admitted, to a degree that Tori almost took for genuinity.
"It's cool," she laughed shaking it off. She flipped a lock of shiny brown hair to give her awkward hands something to do.
"So, when did you get into performing?" he asked automatically. God, was this what these types of conversations were supposed to be like? The awkward protocol, the 'How are you doing these days?' and the 'Oh, I'm doing fine' followed by 'That's good,' exchange? It felt so official, so ingenuine.
Tori put on that showmanship smile she's been working on and began to explain how her sister's swollen tongue led her to the greatest opportunity she could have ever wanted. Just like an interview, she told herself.
She stopped herself at the familiar sound of black combat boots stomping across the linoleum. Sure enough, Jade and her boyfriend –at least, that's what Tori assumed, it wasn't exactly official—Andre strolled up to Tori, hand-in-hand. "What are you?" Jade said offensively. Tori repressed a smirk. Exactly like a show, she acted politely offended for Danny and introduced him.
"This is Danny," she explained briefly, yet peppily.
Jade looked eerily intrigued by this information. Oh no. She knew. "Why are you talking to Tori?" She asked knowingly.
Tori wasn't going to give Jade that satisfaction, though. "He…goes to my old school," she skirted around the now painfully obvious.
"Sherwood," Danny helped. Jade smirked in an evil way that Tori knew meant only one thing – she was going to embarrass Tori for all she could get out of it. Again, Tori took the high road and swallowed her pride.
"He was my boyfriend," she admitted finally.
"Girlfriend." He pointed to Tori.
Of course Jade immediately has an invasive question to follow. "So why'd you dump her?" Of course.
She looked away embarrassed, and Danny…did Danny just blush? Tori has never seem him get very bashful before. Andre began scolding Jade when she interrupted him with, guess what? More rude comments. Not to mention awkward given that…
"Can I guess? Cause I've got a lot of good guesses." She threw another evil smirk at Tori, knowing Tori was just loving this.
Danny stuttered again. "Uh, actually…"
"You don't have to…" Tori told him, for the first time meaning every word. Despite everything, she still really did care for Danny, and she didn't want to see him get hurt, even if it meant taking some of the heat from Jade.
"Tori broke up with me," Danny said awkwardly, a hint of softness in his voice. Tori could tell the wound was still fresh. She looked, really looked, into his deep black eyes for the first time and actually saw vulnerability. Her heart whirred as she felt remorse for her relationship with this boy in the past.
There was a longer pause, this one seemed to last an eternity. What was taking that bell so long anyway?
"So, uh, what brings to Hollywood Arts, Danny?" Andre finally broke the awkwardness. Tori silently thanked Andre, grateful for his friendliness and good social skills.
"Yeah, what are you doing here?" Tori asked her ex-boyfriend for the first time since he wandered up to her.
Danny paused, looking slightly embarrassed. But no, not just embarrassed, that would be too easy… "Actually, I've been seeing this girl that, you know, goes here, and I was supposed to meet her—"
But Danny never finished, because what followed was an overjoyed scream that, again, Tori knew way too well. Tori shut her eyes for a moment and prayed that Cat had just found another pair of moon boots or had a new story about her brother – anything that wasn't…
"Daniel!" She shrieked happily. The little red-haired girl ran up to Tori's ex-boyfriend and jumped into his arms. He spun her around contently, kissing her with that mocking, boyish smile of his. He seemed all too familiar with those kisses. It made Tori wonder exactly how long this had been going on for.
"This is the guy I've been telling you about," Cat said finally after being released from "Daniel's" grip. "My boyfriend!" She giggled, poking Danny in the stomach the way Cat always does. She seemed so happy. So why did this sicken Tori so much? Was it the way that they looked as though they couldn't stop sucking face? Was it the awkwardness that Tori dumped the guy that was now Cat's boyfriend?
Was it that she still had feelings for the skater boy from Sherwood?
Or was it the way he still seemed to be staring at her…
Tori didn't have much time to think this over as a new, momentarily forgotten face swam into view.
"Hey, baby," he greeted, kissing Tori's cheek lovingly. "What'd I miss?"
Beck.
What was so great about this guy anyway? He looked so smug, like he was waving his latest catch around like a prize. What did Tori ever see in him? Beck looked in his girlfriend's direction, hoping for a similar feeling to appear in the expression on her face, but…Beck couldn't really tell what Tori was thinking. It definitely wasn't the disgust Beck felt after he was introduced to that poser skater boy.
What was Beck thinking? What, he was so insane that he wanted his girlfriend to be at the throat of any of her exes? That was ridiculous. He must just be jealous because of how much it caught him off guard. Beck's not in any danger of Danny stealing Tori away, anyway – he's dating Cat. He decided to try a different approach to Danny and replaced his contempt with friendliness…admittedly not the easiest task with that jerk's little smirk and "bad boy" earrings.
But before Beck could get to know his girlfriend's ex-boyfriend any better, the bell rang.
"Just give him a chance," Tori assured. "I know it seems a little weird, but… he makes Cat happy." Tori was amazing. Beck couldn't believe what she was sometimes willing to sacrifice for other people. It was one of the things that made her special – that made her his perfect girlfriend.
"Yeah, no, totally," Beck answered purposefully vaguely. He had never gotten this weird about jealousy before, what gives? Why now? Well, Danny or no Danny, Beck was still the cool confident chill guy, and he wasn't gonna let some guy triangle thing change that – or at least he wouldn't let Tori think that. "Danny seems cool." Beck draped an arm over his girlfriend's shoulder automatically. "Why don't we invite him to eat with us?" Good, cover up the trail.
Tori giggled a little in that adorable way that she does. "Um, I think that was sort of a given, considering he'll be sitting with Cat." Shoot. She was right.
"Well, we ate alone together a lot when we started dating," he justified, giving Tori a loving squeeze.
She smiled under her blush and gripped the hand that was over her shoulder, spinning out from under Beck. "Well, I gotta go to class. See you at lunch?" She was still holding on to his hand as she walked away.
"Sure,"
Beck continued down the hallway, unsure of what to do with the rest of his break period. Randomly, he passed Robbie, slumped against some floor lockers, looking especially depressed. Beck squatted down to his level. "Everything okay, Rob?"
Robbie paused, looking forward, a slightly confused, lost look sweeping his face. "She…I thought…what happened, Beck?" He finally looked in Beck's direction, searching for an answer. "What happened? I thought I finally convinced her that she loved me." His eyes de-focused again and his head drifted forward again. "But then…" As if in perfect timing, Beck heard Cat's bubbily giggle as she dragged Danny around HA, giving him a very mixed-up tour.
"I know, man, I'm sorry."
Sorry. Except that doesn't even cover the level of despair Robbie was on now. Why was she so confusing? One minute she wants nothing to do with Robbie, the next she's outside his doorstep, kissing him in the rain. Sometimes she'll just cradle up next to Robbie and lay her head on his chest and make him feel like the most important guy in the world, but sometimes she just distantly pats him on the back and says he's like a brother, only less crazy. She was so impossible to figure out – and that's why she always had his attention. Why she was always on his mind. Why he fell for her the moment she introduced herself while simultaneously hopping on one foot.
Robbie heard Beck's footsteps die away. He didn't blame him. What are you supposed to say to the sad little desperate boy on the hall floor? It doesn't matter anyway. It seems like nothing has to do with anything lately. Nothing makes sense. Why? Why?! Why did this wazzbag have to come into Cat's life and sweep her off her feet? Just when she had convinced Robbie that that was his job.
His eyes came back into focus long enough for him to make out Cat, who was now standing right in front of him. What did she want? Hadn't she done enough already? Her lips were moving – she was trying to ask Robbie something.
He wanted to just get up and walk away from her, to just blow her off. But… that pleading look in her eyes…
"Are you coming to lunch, Robbie?" Cat asked again, clearly getting tired of repeating herself.
Robbie sighed. "Cat, lunch isn't for another hour." He explained with his usual patience.
"I know," She beamed, flicking Robbie's nose flirtatiously. "But are you gonna be at lunch in an hour?"
Robbie could tell what she meant by this. He could always decipher her hidden meanings. She meant that she saw Robbie looking sad and lonely and wants to make sure he'll still be there for her at lunch. If only Robbie could be one of those guys who can flip out on their girlfriends and make it look cool. But her big brown eyes…what else could he do?
Oh, he put on an awfully good show. He perked up immediately and put on his suave supportive little smile. "Well, of course I am, little lady!" He stood up brightly and tapped the tip of Cat's nose the way an older brother may to do his baby sister.
Cat gave the response Robbie was hoping for. "Yay!" she shrieked excitedly, hopping up and down enthusiastically. Robbie yay-ed with her the way he normally would, and watched as the little redhead skipped down the hallway with her new boyfriend. He sighed again. This was going to be an unbelievably long day.
Beck squeezed Tori's hand supportively. He was responding to the fact the Cat and Danny were feeding their lunches to each other. Tori guessed it was a little obvious that it made her uncomfortable the way that Beck was trying to help her through it.
Beck was so perfect. Too perfect, even. How could he be so calm and cool that he could watch his girlfriend get jealous/uncomfortable over her ex and be so okay with it? Even to the point where he is comforting her? Unbelievable.
A chill ran through Tori and she could sense that it was Jade staring at her. Uh-oh. Here it comes. More Jade-teasing. "So, Danny, are you going to the Kickback?" she asked slyly, glancing at Tori hungrily to gauge her reaction. Tori kept her poker face, but clenched Beck's hand a little tighter.
"Of course he's going!" Cat sang, leaning into her boyfriend dreamily. Danny smiled and rubbed her back. "Open!" she commanded, holding up a delicious-looking brownie. Danny opened obediently.
"You told me you hated brownies." Tori said, more suspiciously than jealous.
"Well, I don't know…I love Cat's brownies." He raised an eyebrow and popped another brownie into his mouth, as if he was daring her. Alright, what was his game this time?
"You never ate the ones I made for you," She mumbled, poking her salad with a fork.
"Maybe Cat's are better," Andre remarked. Tori wasn't sure if he was trying to help or make it worse, or what, but it definitely initiated a couple seconds of awkwardness.
"Mine have sprinkles…" Cat murmured, braiding a strand of red hair.
"Okay, I think we're gonna get more stuff at the Grub Truck," Beck excused himself and pulled Tori away from the table, preparing to shield her from an outburst he must have assumed she was about to start.
Geez, did she really seem that easily set off? Or worse…was she? Sometimes it was hard to tell whether or not she was fooling herself in how she felt. Like when she convinced herself that she didn't like Beck. What if she really did still have feelings for Danny?
Later in Theatre History, Beck passed Tori a note the way they always do when the teacher is giving a snore-worthy lecture. So pretty much every day.
Tori,
I think maybe we should skip the Kickback.
- Beck
Skip the Kickback? That didn't sound like Beck at all. This was Tori's first HA Kickback, but she knows Beck has never missed one.
Beck,
I know why you think so.
- Tori
Cat Valentine:
Kickback, yay! Bringing my BOYFRIEND! I wonder why they call it a Kickback, anyway? Nobody ever kicks anything…
Mood: Yaaaaaaay! 8D
Tori stared at the questionable meat on a stick that Sikowitz just handed her. She tried to convince herself that identifying the meat was more important than the scene going on two feet away from her, which including Cat and Danny dancing very…erm, close.
Why was she even here? She told Beck she was just gonna stay home. So why wasn't she at home? Because of Danny, that's why. She had to know whether or not she still had feelings for him. Maybe she answered that question already, with the way her gut reaction was to come here, despite everything pointing otherwise.
What if she really did still like Danny? Tori remembered when he first asked her out at Sherwood…
"What do you mean you can't go?! Come on, Lisa, it's not gonna be fun if I go all alone." Tori whined to her phone. Her friend Lisa bailed on her again, to go hang out with her new boyfriend, who she just couldn't bear to be without. Ugh. She always did this. "Alright, have fun with Gary. I'll just go to the party. Alone." She hung up and slumped against the gray lockers.
"Someone bail on you?" An attractive guy knelt down by Tori and looked into her eyes. He had such deep brown eyes.
"Yeah, to go hang out with her boyfriend." Tori sat up a little and looked down.
The boy rolled his eyes. "Wow. Some friend. How anyone could bail on someone like you is beyond me." He flirted.
Tori smirked and met his gaze. "Nice line, Romeo. But clearly you have no idea who you're dealing with." She teased back. She stood up, acting uninterested.
He stood up in response. "I know that if I took you to that party you'd change your mind,"
Tori raised her eyebrows. "Oh do you?"
The boy smiled and rubbed his neck. He really was cute… "Just give me one night. Pick you up at 8?"
Her eyes searched his. Alright, what was the catch? Was this some kind of prank? Guys sure looked at her in the hallway, but not many actually asked her out this often. She smiled at the boy flirtatiously. "It's a date." She giggled at the way his big brown eyes lit up. "One thing that might be useful for tonight's experiment, though," He looked at her, eyebrow raised. Tori reached out her hand in an introductory fashion. "I'm Tori." She informed.
The boy with the big brown eyes smiled and shook her hand. His hands were so strong, so stable. "Danny."
"Well, see you tonight, Danny," Tori winked and walked away as seductively as she could manage.
That's how she and Danny first met. And how they had their first date. And there first kiss…
And oh, speaking of kissing, look who Cat was locking lips with at that very moment. For the first time Tori saw what Beck saw, what made him convince Tori to try and skip the Kickback, and realized it was genuine.
Tori looked down and found her hand on the valve of the nearby cheese fountain, and realized what she was about to subconsciously do. If she pulls this valve, cheese sprays all over the couple sucking face. She pulls this valve, she proves to herself and everyone else that she really isn't over Danny.
Jade rolled her eyes at this whole event. The Kickback. All it really was was music and dancing and Sikowitz passing out questionable meat. Oh, and cheese fountain. Yay.
Really the only reason Jade ever went this stupid thing was because Beck was so into it. And him having fun made her have fun. She remembers the first Kickback she went to with Beck. How they had just started going out, and he had somehow convinced Jade to come. She was just sulking in the background, not wanting to really participate in dancing around like an idiot. Then Beck grabbed her hand and pulled her onto the dance floor. Normally she would just roll her eyes and walk away, but something about Beck's smile made her want to try something different this time.
And when she danced with Beck – it was incredible. It was like for the first time she didn't feel like she was too cool for these people or that she wanted to be alone. She felt like she was actually a part of something. Something inside Jade changed after she started dating Beck. She wasn't that gothic loner chick. She got closer with her friends and made new ones. She participated. And it was all because of Beck. Beck, who grabbed her and led her to the dance floor. Beck, who always took her to new places. Beck, who was the first person to make her genuinely smile in months. Beck…who it seemed every girl wanted for her own…who's brightness and friendliness wasn't enough for just one person. Beck, who Jade stupidly broke up with several months ago…who was now dating Tori.
Tori! Jade saw her through her peripheral vision by the cheese fountain (again, YAY. Cheese.). What was her hand doing on the valve? And why was she seething at Cat and Danny? Ah… it was all coming together in her devious little mind. Tori really was jealous of her little ex Danny. Danny, who just happened to be swapping saliva with Tori's BFF Cat. But oh no, Tori's hand was on the cheese valve. If she pulls that, Cat and Danny's sweet little moment will be no more.
Come on, Tori, just do it! It's not that hard… Although with all that silky brown hair, there's not much room for brains, is there? Tori did look like she was contemplating something, though…
Jade watched as Tori sighed and took her hand off the cheese valve. Aw, Tori had a change of heart. How sweet. Except not at all. Gee, what would happen if Beck had seen that little display? Maybe he wouldn't think Tori was such a good girl after all.
Maybe she could help her friend Beck out, paint him a little picture of what she just saw. But of course, many details can change. After all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Speak of the devil – guess who just happens to walk into the Kickback at that very moment? Beck's deep brown eyes were furrowed as they searched the through the party – he was clearly looking for something… or someone. Well, good girl Jade can help him out a little.
"Beck what's wrong, you looking for something?" Jade in a sickeningly sweet tone that she knows will catch Beck off guard.
"Jade! Have you seen Tori, do you know if she's here?"
"I might have seen her around…" Jade hinted innocently. Then she smirked to let Beck in on her little game. A few months ago if she did that Beck would have smiled and pulled her into his arms, kissing her neck.
"Where is she, Jade?" He responded flatly. It was clear he knew she was playing games and wasn't willing to play along.
Jade raised her eyebrows knowingly. "I think I saw her with Danny…"
A strange look floated onto Beck's face. He looked so serious but so worried. "Where did they go?" He wasn't even looking at her at this point. But Jade could tell what he was picturing: Tori wrapped up in Danny's arms.
"Don't know, I saw them by the cheese fountain last. Romantic setting, right?" She laughed at her sarcasm.
Beck nodded sharply and started to leave. Jade touched his shoulder to stop him. "Why are you so worried? You trust her don't you?"
He looked at her almost offended. "Of course I do. It's him I don't trust."
"Oh, you mean like all those flirty girls I didn't trust when we were going out?"
Beck's eyes searched Jade's, darting between them. "That's…that's completely different."
Jade popped her hip suspiciously. "Oh is it? Let me guess." At this point Jade was ready to drop the tricks. This wasn't about Tori and Danny anymore, this was about them. Jade searched in her heart and pulled out all those memories she hid away since the breakup. "When you see them together, it's like a needle in your heart. And you know it's awful to think, and you know nothing would ever happen between them, but… you can't help but notice how they smile at each other, how close they are. And then she comes back over to you and acts so oblivious to the affect he—she has on people. And it's all you can do to just cross your heart and hope he'll always be yours. Because, losing him…"
"Jade, I—"
"Beck…" There were those big brown eyes again. The same eyes that pleaded her to the dance floor a few years ago. She missed him so terribly. She wanted him back. She had to have him back. "…just, just go find Tori. You'll find what you're looking for." Jade had no idea what she just did – was she helping the little witch who stole her boyfriend? Or was she really still convincing Beck Tori was cheating? Jade knows Tori would never cheat on him. But Beck doesn't know that. It's possible that Beck would find them doing something…but then he may not. Jade didn't know what to think anymore. And it didn't really matter anymore, did it? He had a girlfriend.
Beck paused and just gazed at his ex-girlfriend. He looked as though for the first time, he actually understood her. Jade fought back tears as all the memories from their relationship came flooding back. "Thank you." He said it as though he was saying a million other things behind that one statement.
Then, Beck looked into the distance for his girlfriend, and Jade watched as he disappeared between the crowds of people.
Tori munched on the sausage that Sikowitz handed her. True, it was disgusting, but she would accept anything to distract her from the jealousy bubbling up whenever she saw Cat and Danny together. It was insane. She loved Beck, she knew she loved Beck, but she just couldn't shake this old familiar feeling. Knowing all too well how Cat must be feeling right now, embraced in Danny's arms. It was just so different from what she felt when she was with Beck. Not that there was any point in comparing the two. She was with Beck, not Danny. And she loved Beck. And she broke up with Danny for a reason.
Come to think of it, what exactly did she miss about Danny so much? The closeness? How he made her laugh? To be honest, her judgment regarding Danny was all very vague and cloudy. Maybe she was just caught off guard by how weird it was seeing Cat with her ex. Maybe she didn't really miss Danny, but her old self, she was so different when she was with Danny. Maybe…
"Tori?" Danny. Of course.
"Danny." The brown-eyed boy with the strong hands walked closer to her. "What are you doing he—where's Cat?"
Danny nodded off to the large crowd. "Dancing. I'm…getting her punch." Except the punch was on the opposite side of the dance floor. There was an awkward pause as their eyes met. It all seemed too familiar. "Um…can we talk?"
Uh-oh. That was the one thing she hoped he wouldn't say. But how was she supposed to reply? 'No Danny, I don't think we should, because I'm worried I might still be in love with you'? "…sure,"
Danny sat on a nearby step and Tori followed him, sitting maybe a little closer to Danny than she should be.
"Tori…do you know why I came to Hollywood Arts?"
"To see Cat," Why was he asking her such an obvious question?
Danny looked away, trying to hide the look on his face. "At first, maybe, but…" Danny sighed, looking exasperated. He paused for a moment. Finally, he looked Tori dead in the eyes. Tori couldn't help noticing that their faces were only a few inches away. "Look, Tori. When I first met Cat, yeah, I thought she was cool. And yeah, I did ask her out and stuff, but…when she mentioned the friends she went to school with, she said your name." What? Tori had a sinking feeling of what he was going to say next. "And well…I realized how much I missed you."
"Me?" Tori asked obliviously. No… no, Danny, don't make this even more complicated.
"You," he whispered, tucking a stray hair behind Tori's ear. "So, when I went to visit Cat at your school…and I saw you again…it hit me that I was still in love with you."
Still in love with you. If there was a way to make Tori's mind any more clouded than it already was, Danny just did it.
"Danny, I…" Danny inclined his face toward Tori's. At that moment, it seemed almost every image flashed through Tori's head. Going out with Danny, breaking up with Danny, going to HA, meeting Beck, Jade's face, Beck's smile, going out with Beck, seeing Danny and Cat together, the cheese valve, Danny's soft lips getting closer and closer to hers…
But…Cat. Oh god, CAT! What was she doing? Cat thought she was dating the most amazing guy ever! And here he was trying to get his mack on with his ex-girlfriend! Who, by the way, was already taken. Oh god…Beck. Just what the heck was Tori doing?! It was so obvious now, she loved Beck. She had always loved Beck. It has always been Beck.
Tori jerked her face away from Danny's. "Danny, what are we doing? We're both seeing people, remember?"
Danny laughed just lightly enough to let out a small splash of breath across her face. "C'mon, Tori, you can't tell me you don't feel what's going on between us?" His eyes darted between both of hers, looking for an answer. "Don't you feel something?"
Tori sighed. She finally had it all figured out. She knew how she really felt now. "Danny…do you really feel something for me?"
"Of course I do, Tori," Danny scooted closer to her, but Tori put her hand on his chest to keep him back.
"Danny. I want you to really think. Were we really all that happy?" Danny looked contemplative, so Tori went on. "I mean, sure, there were lots of really great times, but…we both know there's a reason we're not together anymore."
Danny sat back. He laughed to himself a little. "But you know, Tori, lately I can't even remember what that reason is."
Tori sat up a little. "Well, we were both unhappy. Maybe it didn't always seem that way, but…we've both become different people, and you know it. We would have never been happy if we'd stayed together. You know how those long-distance relationships work. Think about it: is this really what you want?"
"I…I think you're a lot smarter than I ever gave you credit for. Cat's real cool, I'll give her another try." Danny stood up. "Thanks Tori. This may have actually been the best sort-of-second breakup I've been through."
Tori also stood up, but more defensively. "Just wait a sec, Danny." Danny stopped. "You're not going back to Cat and acting like nothing happened. You tried to kiss me. Yeah, you're great, but Cat deserves better than that."
Danny smirked. "C'mon, Tori…"
Tori folded her arms determinedly. "Either tell her the truth about coming to Hollywood Arts, or end it. You're not keeping those kinds of secrets from her."
"Because… losing him…" What was Jade saying? Oh who was Beck kidding – he knew exactly what she meant when she said that. Beck wondered if Jade would ever get over him. But…he was over her, right? Of course, he was.
But things seemed so different after his exchange with Jade. When he broke up with her, all he saw was a clingy girl who was constantly jealous of any conversation Beck had with anyone. But now, he really knows what it's like, what it must have been like for her. Knowing it was ridiculous to be this jealous, but being unable to help feeling so nervous. Knowing how much she really treasured him…
This was crazy. He loved Tori. It's always been Tori. He just hoped she felt the same way. Of course she did, didn't she? It was Tori, she had to feel the same way.
Beck walked past the cheese fountain with no sign of Danny or Tori. But just as he turned the corner, he heard Danny's voice.
"And well…I realized how much I missed you."
"Me?"
"You," Oh god. No. No, this wasn't happening. "So, when I went to visit Cat at your school…and I saw you again…it hit me that I was still in love with you."
"Danny, I…" He saw them move towards each other. Suddenly everything Jade said came flashing through Beck's mind, every single remark a tiny spear. When you see them together, it's like a needle in your heart.
And that was all he could take. Beck rushed back around the corner and leaned up against the table. His breathing became short and urgent. His brain wouldn't let him think. Everything was cloudy.
Then, amidst all the clouds, Beck could only see one thing: Jade. Coming closer and closer towards him.
AN: I know, not fair to leave you guys on a cliffhanger, but don't worry, more will come soon!