Sept. 17, 17
[Edited Cut]: June 12th, 2018

Hope you enjoy!

:)

No One's Perspective-

Few stopped to chortle at the wheelbarrow left abandoned by the front door. They grinned cheekily at the sour luck the poor souls had, their tired groans sounding for miles. Flexing her hand, she scowled lightly as her brooding stare glared towards the pale blue sky, the sun poking through the fluffed clouds. She scoffed dismally, folding her arms as steps crunched behind her. Pale eyes swept towards the street, those staring hastily setting off to their individual tasks.

"You ready?"

She turned, blinking scornfully at dark eyes, defined cheekbones settled underneath. "Yeah," the goth shrugged, her grip tightening around her bag's strap as it began to slip from her shoulder. In a brisk moment, she'd set off on lengthy strides, leaving the other to stutter, growling to herself.

"Wait, hey!" she whined. "Fine. Fine, be like that." The half-Latina threw her hands exasperatedly, her steps marching swiftly towards the pale teen who was a good few yards away. Once her strides mirrored that of the determined ones beside her, she gave a soft breath.

"What are you whining about now Vega?" the goth snapped, momentarily blinking down towards the other.

The apparent Vega scowled, rolling her doe eyes in impatience. "Would it kill you to call me 'Tori'?"

"Yes." As Tori groaned, the teen smirked, keeping her eyes towards the sidewalk. "Now what do you want? Quit following me like a lost puppy."

"Where do you live?"

"In a neighborhood that would weep if you set foot near it with that bag," came a quick-witted retort. Tori lowered her gaze towards the reliable, brown bag hanging on her shoulder, brows furrowing.

"Jade, come on, seriously... Where do you live?"

Groaning profusely, Jade growled, "Why does it matter?" She turned over her shoulder and found dark eyes still silently asking. "Whittler Oaks. There, you happy?"

Bowing her head, Tori grinned. "Yeah... Anyway," she blinked, "can you walk me home? I just don't want to...uh...go alone with the busy street." Jade merely shrugged, keeping her hands stuffed firmly in her pockets, eyes out and down the sidewalk. The half-Latina sighed, eyes narrowing to the ground; she was following her around like a lost puppy, wasn't she? Though, as Tori recalled, the neighborhoods weren't all that far from one another.

Her steps shifted as a woman strolled passed, her hand brushing against smooth, pastel skin. Pale eyes glared conspicuously, Tori giving a quaint smile, distancing herself further away than she had before. Once the hard stare left her shoulder, Tori breathed easier, frame immediately relaxed. The silence between them gnawed at her conscious, the urge to say something - whether that be the most retarded thing said or relatively wise - bubbling at the base of her throat.

"Is your house..."

Her words died off, dissipating as Jade arched her studded brow, lips curling with no amusement. Why had she spoken? The silence was good enough; it didn't cause her to shrink back towards the street. "Spit it out," Jade commanded, folding her arms with her feet planted to the ground.

"Oh, uh...right." Tori coughed. "So your house is in one of the fancy neighborhoods?"

Distaste flashed through pale eyes, her already foreboding glare narrowing. "It's one of the older ones, yes," she snapped, thusly adding, "and why do you give a shit anyway?"

"I was just wondering," Tori muttered defensively, "I just didn't know...where you -" she cleared her throat sheepishly, eyes straying to the ground "- lived." Blinking, she realized that the presence - not entirely welcoming, as it was - had already wafted away, determined to reach her final destination. The half-Latina sneered, setting off after Jade with estranged mutterings flowing between her teeth. "No, no, no...of course you can make new friends at this school! I mean, it's like you had a lot at Sherwood high, right? Oh Tori, look at all the friends who come over when you have projects... All you have to do is to talk to them... Yeah right. Like I can just talk about the weather to make up for nearly smashing her head in with a cane and having her play disfigured by some old Asian bit-"

"Whoa there Fido," came a taunting voice, abruptly halting the teen in her strides, few obscenities hanging in the air. Jade stood, leaning against a yard's fence casually, her Cheshire Cat's smile flashing in amusement. "I didn't expect you to need attention that much." She expelled a harsh laugh as the half-Latina rolled her eyes, flustered as she paced away. "Oh I see," the thespian cruelled, "don't want to talk now? You were doing a bunch of it just a second ago."

Growling, Tori maneuvered around the small cluster of folks, Jade slipping behind. "Look," she spun around, veering to the side as steps halted just behind her, "Why do you have to be so, so-"

"You need a dictionary?"

"That!" Tori snapped, a straw snapping. "Why do you have to be so damn persistent in skewing with everything I say or do?" When no answer came - or any verbal one as pale eyes glowered - Tori sighed weakly. "Look, I know we may not be the best of frie-"

"Not friends," Jade commented.

"Right...acquaintances..." she corrected, "but can you try, at least for the thirty minutes we'll be walking to our houses, to just not jab at every single thing I say?"

Exhaling sharply, the goth hummed before grudgingly promising, "Fine. But know this: I'm not slowing down for you." Tori nodded appreciatively, eyeing the sway of the thespian's hips as she went off, sighing at the long strides.

Nevertheless, she jogged to join, keeping her own steps with the counterpart. Her gaze trailed along the trees, leaves fluttering with the soft wind whilst birds chirped simultaneously. The clicks of combat boots brought her attention to the ground, eyes quickly whisking towards her own shoes; she frowned at the rim, the Converse telling its wear and tears. Once again the silence began to ebb at her chest, prompting her to start a new conversation. "So, uh...you know Spanish?" she asked, Jade's voice flooding her skull as they had sang - with annoyance - Forever Baby.

"It's kind of hard not to know some when you practically border Mexico," Jade muttered acidly, adding, "and yes, I know a good amount. My dad had me take lessons."

"Oh...yeah," Tori mumbled. "How long have you known it then?"

Jade paused, eyes unfocused momentarily as she decided her answer. "Six, I think... I don't honestly care though, I hated all of the stuff he put me into. Said it was all going to be good for my scholarships or whatever."

"You do other stuff?" Tori muttered, mentally slapping herself thereafter; of course she did, after all, she practically reeked with talent.

"Golf some."

"Really? Are you good then?" Tori pondered aloud, pale eyes shifting over with discontent.

"I guess."

Pursing her lips in thought, she then asked, "Is it boring?"

Jade's answer came swiftly: "If you watch it, yeah. It's not really when you play it... Now why the hell are you asking me all these questions? I said I wasn't going to 'skew' everything you say or whatever, not let Miss Chatterbox run me dry."

"I don't know," Tori shrugged meekly, "I'm just trying to talk is all...make conversations with people you don't know?"

"Damn right," she scoffed, darting towards the side of the concrete as a bicyclist streamed passed, spooking the half-Latina. Once steps met her own confident ones, pale eyes lingering towards Tori's rather nervous expression, Jade growled. "What about you and singing?"

"What?"

"You sing, don't you?"

Her mouth opened and closed, eyes flicking along the Jade's expressionless features, gaze cold and hard. "Well, yeah... I do. I, uhm, just kinda started singing in the shower when I was little and...yeah. Tape recorders and everything." The explanation was weak though Jade nodded slowly either way, Tori's brows knitted themselves together. "Don't you sing?"

"A bit- Quit asking me questions!" Jade admitted before lashing out, Tori finding herself immune to the snap.

So immune that she decided to prod the bear with her rather short stick. "Oh come on... Can't a girl ask another girl about her hobbies?" She quirked her lips, Jade staring back with her own pursed. "You just," she continued, "you just are...you and I can't really do anything else than just ask why..."

"Why what?"

"Why you're so..." Dozens of words began to wrack her brain, sending her brows to set just above her eyes, her steps pausing just as Jade's had. Beautiful, talented, stunning, goddess, snarky, witty, smart, creepy... Tori found, as she stood there dumbly, that nothing flowed passed the barrier of her teeth, words to be spoken on another day, another time and another environment; she wasn't even sure if that day would come. "Ah," she shook her head, washing the irrelevant thoughts away - as she categorized them - before muttering, "why you're just so unique, I guess. You can do everything and I'm just...me who can't even fit in."

Uh...Tori, no. Where the hell did that come from anyway? You're literally just- Wait what?

"Vega," Jade grumbled tersely, "as I said, 'don't flatter me.' I am what I am because of what I hate - that's it. Don't go about and say all the bullshit that'll just be worthless in the end." The thespian grimaced lightly as dark eyes lowered, her voice dropping, "But you're not bad yourself... You're singing's at least tolerable if it was on the radio."

The half-Latina chuckled, humming, "You think it's good enough to be on the radio?"

"I-" Pale eyes blinked, their strides unpausing. "I didn't say...er, that...but, ah, perhaps some people would listen to it...when they're bored." Even if she'd finished lamely, Tori took the compliment gracefully - even if it did backhand her just a tad bit. The sound of their shoes against the ground filled their minds; the pure unity and rhythm rang quietly, both unable to ignore or acknowledge it. They turned corners absentmindedly, each in their own illusions, fantasies. Eyes often strayed to one another, constantly darting away once their glances locked.

Jade lifted her head once a vehicle honked angrily, the teen finding herself at an intersection. She glanced towards the street signs, their neighborhoods down a crosswalk. The singer - eyes locked towards a familiar entrance - staggered with her steps. "Wait- Tori!" Jade found herself snapping, Tori hissing as her foot scuffed against the textured concrete, twisting her around. She grimaced, expecting the hard ground to smack against her back only to have arms gently hold her, nails digging into the clothing whilst a bag gently bumped her side.

"You alright?"

Doe eyes blinked open, the half-Latina nodding slowly as the lamp behind Jade blinked green, pale eyes not leaving her own. Cheeks warmed as her clutch grew tighter around Jade's flannel, Tori clearing her throat sheepishly. "Uh, y-yeah... I'm, I'm fine just, just the stupid pad here... Not blind just-"

"Blind," Jade smirked, Tori rolling her eyes as she shouldered her bag, back to her feet. She limbered over towards the light, her palm hitting the large metal button which, in turn, announced Wait. The half-Latina twisted back around, halting with wide eyes as Jade grinned mischievously, her fist full of two white sticks. "That time of the month or-"

"Give me those," she spat frantically, snatching the two from the teen's grip, shoving them in her bag which was apparently open.

"Now, now Vega, relax. We both have the same stuff, no need to get your shit jacked up," Jade chuckled wistfully. "Anyway, really? That brand? You do know there are better choice-"

"Jade!" Tori growled, "I just- They were there and I didn't... They're mine." On the opposite side, the light blinked green, permitting the pedestrians to cross with the white walking symbol hanging underneath. "Wrist?" she turned, Jade rolling her eyes. Grinning, Tori took the rather cold wrist in her hands, steps striding across the street as her gut briefly warmed, creasing her temple with perplexity. At once her foot reached the edge of the side walk, grip whisking from Jade. She thumbed over her wrist, steps following beside her casually. "Are you walking me home?"

"Did I say no?"

"You really didn't say yes either," Tori muttered pointedly.

Shrugging, Jade mumbled, "Why not? It's not like I'd have to go another way anyways."

"What do you mean?"

"I can cut across your neighborhood to go to mine." Jade gestured, her stomach dropping once she'd recognized the Vega residence up the scaling road.

Squinting, Tori nodded. "Huh, I guess I can see it now..." Inhaling softly, she played her bets, then asking, "So do you have a lot of homework due or..."

"No, I had time to get a lot of it done in detention," the thespian answered, Tori then gingerly smirking.

"How'd you get that detention anyway?"

"Dunno, beats me," Jade smirked. "Some kid ended up with milkshake in his hair...and on his pants."

"How come?"

Shaking her head, she growled, "Getting all up in Beck's business asking him what he was doing later when I wasn't around... And kept touching his bicep and lavishing over his hair. Beck's not even fucking gay!"

"Oh," Tori furrowed her brows, eyes down. Shaking her head, she continued, with a false smile, "So do you make it a habit? To dump cold drinks on someone's head if they get to close to Beck?"

Her skin prickled against the hem of her shirt as a gentle breath sounded, turning her attention behind her. Jade was laughing, actually laughing with her - or rather her prod - instead of at her. Tori gave an uncertain smile as white teeth flashed, Jade shaking her head. "Maybe, I guess... But don't get any ideas." The snap came abruptly, pale eyes flicking towards the half-Latina. "You're still not in the clear if you do."

"I don't think I was with either one." Tori weakly smiled, Jade bobbing her head slowly. The singer blinked in the dimming atmosphere, the sun reaching the horizon of the jutting mountains; their steps hadn't moved once Jade halted, lost in apparent thought. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah...just -" pale eyes flickered, narrowing as if they were properly observing the half-Latina for the first time "- just thinking is all."

"About Beck?" When no answer came, the singer tried her luck, lowering her voice. "Are you two okay?"

"Yeah, yeah we're good actually. He's just...just going back to Canada next week." Tori cringed at the bitter edge lacing the words, her hand finding the goth's shoulder.

"You'll be fine. You are together for a reason, right?" Jade nodded slowly, her internal battle still not ceasing from her stare.

Her steps continued just alike her thoughts, Tori stepping smoothly with her strides. "But about the homework," the thespian mumbled, "what were you saying - about it?"

"Oh." She blinked. "Oh, I was just... I was just going to ask if you wanted to study some but since you already did it there's no point."

"You didn't do it?"

"Well I did except for geometry. My school was a bit behind so...yeah." Her gaze glared down as her steps glided against her freshly cut grass, Jade pursing her lips. "Well...to the door then?"

"I suppose."

The two, side by side, strolled across the lawn, reaching the front door which sat along the side of the house, opposite of the garage. Thumbing along her strap, Jade gestured towards the door. "Walked you home."

"Yep."

"So, erm... Tomorrow's school."

"Uh huh... We don't have detention, right?"

"I don't think so," Jade shrugged. Pale eyes followed the singer's grasp as it reached the door, clutching it firmly. Doe eyes rested on the lone stripe along the wood, her feet planted to the ground. "And," a voice spoke from behind, turning her attention. Jade kept her gaze towards the cracks of the wall, teeth gnawing at the inside of her cheek. "As for the habit...I might break that." Puzzled, Tori only stared at her in wonder as eyes veered towards her, jaw tensing.

"Wh-" She stopped herself, taking a second to adjust. "That's good. It's always nice to clear some of the...the habits." Another silence dipped between them, resting unsubtly, a wall built to encase and separate the two until it broke down. "So, I guess this is good night then?"

"Yeah," Jade snapped from her thoughts, "night, Vega."

"G'night," the half-Latina murmured, the front door swinging open to an empty house - with Trina somewhere, Jade assumed, as the door was unlocked - before closing all too soon for her liking. It took a moment for her to calculate the nerves in her feet, to bring them away from the door. She shook her head, hissing crossly.

"No. Don't try it... You're fine where you are." Though, as she blinked towards the stars poking through the early night's sky, the shimmer in her eyes said otherwise.

[2018 A/N]: Relax, this isn't anything new. I literally went in and fixed grammar mistakes, and also matched the writing to how I do things currently. You may not even know the difference. The reason is simple: This won't be a one-shot. And once two other stories are done, I will get cracking on this. I'm guessing this is going to be about...say...seven chapters. Ten at most.

Hope you enjoyed!

:)