Disclaimer: Victorious belongs to Dan Schneider and Nickelodeon, not me.

Life In Technicolour

She saw the way Tori looked at Beck. Saw the subtle look of want veiled within her eyes. Jade cringed whenever she saw that look. Afterwards she would always slide her eyes back towards Beck to see if he saw it too, but he was never looking at the exact moment it happened. Every day she saw it, every damn day since Tori kissed him, HER boyfriend. Beck had been slipping away from her a little bit more every day. She didn't see him as much because now Tori always had the gang around at her house and Jade refused to go. She liked pain, but that would be a very special kind of hell. They all thought she was a stoic pessimist, sometimes she believed them. But all she wanted to do was get away from that look. She desperately hoped Beck wouldn't fall for it, but her faith in him seemed to be waning.

When Beck came into Jade's life, it seemed to bloom into colour, many of which she didn't know existed. He opened her heart a little bit at a time, she let him in. Once again the darkness was threatening to overtake her, swallow her whole. She was almost panting with panic.

Jade clasped Beck's hand and led him out of class towards the lunch tables. She sat down, pressed to Beck's side and left no space between them for anyone to sit. Beck, noticing her silence, looped his arm around her waist and hugged her to him.

"What's up babe?"

Jade looked up, plastered on an almost flawless smile and told him everything was fine. That smile would have fooled anyone but him – he saw the cracks. It was her 'there is something wrong, but don't you dare ask any questions' look. He would have questioned her further, but Cat, Robbie, Andre and Tori had begun to take their seats. Beck tried to concentrate on their conversations...

"My brother..." Cat

"Rex, I told you..." Robbie

"You would not believe what Trina did yesterday..." Tori

"I'm working on a new song..." Andre

But no matter what the topic of conversation was, one thing captured his attention.

Jade.

He subtly held her a little tighter, needing to feel that she was okay. She looked up at him in surprise and offered a small smile in return. Then she went back to picking at her salad and playing with the rings on her fingers. Beck gently held her hands with his and announced that he and Jade were going for a walk. He caught the slight frown on Tori's face and shook his head. Jade got up without a fight, surprising everyone and followed Beck away from the table.

They sat on a deserted bench and Beck looked at Jade expectantly.

"What?"

"Jade, what's wrong?"

It was only a minute hesitation, but it was there.

"Jade, whatever it is you can tell me," Beck pleaded.

Her eyes glazed over with a determination he had never seen before.

"Do you like Tori?"

"Sure she's a nice girl..."

"No. I mean do you like like her?"

Jade asked that with such a raw vulnerability present in her voice, Beck actually had to do a double take at the amazing girl he had the pleasure of calling his girlfriend. He looked bewildered, then frustrated and finally a look of sheer anger crossed over his face. He was visibly shaking, fists in tight balls. He uncurled his arm from around her waist and moved away slightly. Jade took this as a yes and also flinched back. Beck wasn't looking at her. She felt tears in the corners of her eyes, but refused to let them fall in front of him. All she knew was that she needed to get out of there. Even though they were outside, she felt suffocated. So she ran. Ran as fast as she could, away from the boy who just shattered her black heart into a thousand tiny pieces.

She could vaguely hear the hard footfalls of someone chasing her, but would not stop. She was running past their lunch table when the footsteps became louder and someone hooked an arm around her middle, effectively halting her progress.

The familiar scent enveloped her and the struggle began. She kicked and elbowed, all in vain. Beck would not release her. Jade finally slumped in defeat, never once acknowledging the many curious eyes that were watching the pair.

"What do you want from me?" She asked so quietly, Beck wasn't sure he heard right.

"What do you mean what do I want from you? I want you."He explained with a hard edge to his voice she hadn't heard before.

"But you don't love me anymore." Complete and utter defeat.

He released her and fixed his shocked gaze on her beautiful face.

"Wh-what?" He stuttered.

"Why didn't you just break up with me instead of torturing yourself?"

"Jade, what are you talking about?"

"You said you liked Tori," she said so quietly that no one but Beck would be able to hear.

"I never said that, where did you get that from?"

"You wouldn't look at me, and then you wouldn't touch me."

Beck took her hands in his again and saw it as a good sign when she didn't immediately pull them away.

"Jade. I. Love. You."

She looked up at him through her lashes and wanted so badly to believe him, "You were so angry..."

"With myself Jade. Don't you see. I was mad that I had done something to make you believe that I loved anyone but you. Because I don't. I love you and only you." Beck's sincerity was overpowering.

Still she hesitated. Waging a silent war within her mind.

Jade swallowed and nodded imperceptibly, "Could we please go somewhere else?"

They ended up in the Janitor's closet.

"Jade, I've seen the way that Tori looks at me, trust me, but I don't care. Whatever I did to make believe that I liked her, I promise not to do it again. I never want you believing that I don't love you. I don't think I could survive another break up. Sometimes I wonder what I ever did to deserve you, because you are the best thing that has ever happened to me," Beck made sure Jade was looking in his eyes the whole time.

"Jade please say something."

"I- I love you so much," he hug her but she stepped back and put a finger on his chest to stop him, "I wasn't finished. I love you Beck Oliver and I don't want to lose you either. But just to be clear, you don't like Tori or any other girl?"

Beck grinned and looked into her crystal blue eyes.

"No."

Jade heaved a sigh, "I feel so stupid..."

"Jade shut up."

She looked stunned at his words, but before she could get out a word of protest his lips had covered hers in a sweet kiss and his hands had found their way to her sides, while she burrowed hers into his hair.

"Beck Oliver, did you just tell me to shut up?"

"I..."

"I'm so proud of you."