A/N: This was originally going to be a a songfic, but I had too many ideas and it was becoming too long, so I'm splitting it into a series of one-shots instead. Each chapter is going to be based on lines from Hot Air Balloon by Owl City.

Hope you enjoy!

Glass Slippers

We wrote a prelude
To ourown fairytale

She didn't wear glass slippers and he was far from a prince with his flannel tee-shirts and long dark hair. He didn't find himself madly in love the instant he heard her voice (not to say she didn't have a damn good one) and she would rather puke then refer to him as her 'prince charming'. But she liked the way he smiled at her. He liked that she always had something to say. Liked the way she would open up to him and then retreat, so he never knew what was really thinking. She was always playing games, and one day he was going to learn her rules.

It was freshman year and no one trusted Sikowitz's lesson plans. Sometime in early march, they entered his room to find all of the chairs pushed against the wall. "Uh oh," Beck murmured to her. She smirked.

It was dramatic improv day, Sikowitz informed them. They started in groups of four, improving tragedy. Murder, death disease. Then came intimacy. Rotating partners. Sikowitz kept having to remind them not to laugh. Not to break concentration. "You're in love! Don't lose eye contact! Keep it going! Keep it going! And...Rotate!"

Jade stepped away from Eric and there Beck was.

His heart sped up as he saw her coming. She gave him what could have been interpreted as a smile, or maybe it was an eye roll.

Sikowitz leaned against the wall and rubbed his chin. "Despair" He called out. "Go!"

Beck took a step toward her. "Please. Don't do this."

"I have too."

"We can try again." He grabbed her wrist. "We can make it work."

She pulled her arm away. "No. You have no idea. I loved you! I loved you and you took advantage of that. I'm just going to sit around and wait for you while you are out screwing other women! I'm clearly not enough for you, and I deserve better."

He stepped in close now. So close that she could feel his minty breath. One more inch and his chest would be up against hers. He took her hands, forced them out of fists and intertwined his fingers with his. "I'm sorry," he whispered, minty breath against her face. "It was a mistake. Forgive me."

"No." But her voice was faltering. You could see the uncertainty in her eyes, how close she was to caving. If they weren't two kids in an improv classroom, anyone would have believed this was real. Anymore in character and she would have had tears forming in her eyes.

Maybe it was crossing a line, but Beck wrapped his arms around her, forced her closer with the slightest hint of aggression. He put his lips right up against her ear. "Forgive me." Jade made a small sound. Her character had given up. Beck pulled his face back to give her a cruel smile. And then while the other students were mumbling and giggling and keeping a good foot of space between them, Beck brushed his lips against hers. Jade's character responded.

Jade responded.

"And...time!"

Everyone around them breathed a sigh of relief, but they weren't too keen on ending their seen just yet.

When they did pull away, a few seconds after the scene was officially over, she gave him a fleeting smile. Then she wiped her lips with the back of her hand and looked away.

Dammit, what game was she playing now? Why did she always do this to him?

Sikowitz was silent for a moment as he stared at the ceiling. "Beck and Jade," he began. "Did this exercise perfectly. They stayed in character and didn't hold back. You all have to learn how to be comfortable with each other. Even if I utterly detest Susan, my character is madly in love with her character, and certainly wouldn't be doing this," he imitated some of the students, giggling and fidgeting. "There was only one pair where I didn't see that even once. Jade and Beck," he gives them a small bow. "I commend you."

A couple of the students clapped. Beck dared a glance at Jade, but she was staring straight in front of her.

The bell went off and Sikowitz jumped. "Oh. Have a great day everyone!"

Jade was the first one out.

Alright, Beck admitted, maybe the kiss wasn't the best idea. Now he has no idea what's going on. Weather that kiss was real, is he's just supposed to pretend it never happened the next time they talked? He sighed as he shrugged his backpack onto his shoulder and headed out of the room.

"You have nice lips." Startled, Beck turned to find Jade leaning against a locker.

"Uh...yeah, you do too."

"Maybe you'll get to feel more of them."

He raised his eyebrows, opened his mouth to say something, and then laughed and shook his head. "I don't get you Jade."

She stepped towards him. Stood on her tiptoes so that she was speaking directly into his ear. "No one does." For an instant, her lips are on his, but she doesn't allow him much time to enjoy it. "I'll see you at lunch," she says before turning the corner and heading out of sight.

She still plays games with his heart. He can't learn her rules because she doesn't have any. She plays dirty, but it keeps things exciting. He never knows what to expect.

They're still dealing with all of the crap that comes before the fairytale ending. His inability to stay away from other girls and her unwillingness to accept that he's allowed to have friends of the opposite gender. They can't whip up some fairy mother to flick her wand and poof! Their problems disappear. They come along with the relationship. They're what make her Jade and what makes him Beck and what makes them Jade and Beck.

So maybe they'll never make it past the pre-fairytale stage. But isn't that the most exciting part? Happily Ever Afters don't last anyway.

And Jade would never try fitting her foot into a glass slipper.