Watching

Summary: Beck and Jade watch each other from afar. Post-The Worst Couple.

Disclaimer: I still don't own Victorious, any of the episodes or any of the characters.

Jade POV. Beck POV.

I watch him watching through school, laughing and carefree. Girls flock to him, surround him, eyelashes fluttering as they flirt. A jealous pang flares up as I see it and I think back on that night; I walked out and he didn't follow me. I wonder why I did it, why I let everything get to that point. I got jealous, though he did nothing to help, he couldn't see when his actions were hurting me, sometimes it seemed he was trying to make things worse for me.

I look over at him again, he looks up and our eyes meet. I hope he can see the hurt in mine, I see something like sympathy in his. They soften as I continue to look, I can feel mine doing the same but I won't let him see my vulnerability. I turn and walk quickly away, not daring to look back.

I watch her from afar. It's a strange feeling – to be surrounded by people, mostly girls, yet feel completely alone. To close my eyes and only see her face. Then to see it in the flesh and know the pain she's in. I remind myself that she walked away from me that night, I told her I wasn't happy and she ended it rather than trying to talk things through. I should feel free, I could have my pick of the girls that chase me but all they do is make me realise what I want.

Seeing the look in her eyes, the pain on her face, it makes me think back to last time – to Alyssa Vaughn, to Tori, to the girls in Yerba, the ones in Karaoke Dokie, to the time I played on her insecurity when Robbie suggested we were breaking up and on her jealousy that I always belittled and I never tried to alleviate. I see her turn and walk away, my instincts are to follow her but my 'admirers' have other ideas.

I watch and I wait. One day I hope to get him alone, to have a chance to talk, to see what we can salvage. One day I hope I'll find out that he still loves me, like I still love him.

I watch her when I think she's not looking, taking in her beauty, her smile and I remember all the things I love about her. For the first time the pangs of regret begin to overwhelm me. Not for the first time I wish I had left the Vegas' while she was counting.

I watch him walking across the parking lot; finally he is alone. This is my chance.

"Hey". He turns to look at me; at last I can allow myself to be vulnerable in front of him.

I watch her walking towards me after she called out to me. I can see the pain in her eyes and it hurts my heart.

"Hey" I reply, closing the gap between us.

I watch as he approaches; the look on his face changes – form weariness at the end of the day, to compassion at the look on my face and finally to something else. Dare I hope that it's a mix of love and regret?

I watch her eyes soften as I smile. I watch her getting ever closer. I get mesmerised by her red lips, I get drawn to them.

The gap is gone; suddenly our lips meet. Softly, gently at first but this doesn't feed the hunger, it merely inflames it. I drop my bag, he drops his; we're back in each other's arms, back where we belong.

"I love you, Beck Oliver."

"I love you, Jade West."