A/N: This is for the last Badeprompts ):
They Wrote Letters
(She didn't tell you did She)
Jade wasn't going to college. She felt she didn't have enough time to do everything she wanted to do with her life if she subtracted those four years.
Her dad of course, was furious at her decision, shunning her.
Her mom supported her, whispering kind words of encouragement to Jade as she lay in hospital beds, cancer slowly murdering her. Jade held on to her mother for dear life while she could, fear increasing each day as her mom's cancer grew worse.
Beck was always a shoulder for Jade to cry on through this, his heart breaking whenever he saw his girlfriend in such a state of despair, and the reason behind it was too awful.
One night Jade didn't come home from the hospital, instead she called him, her weak voice cracking on the phone.
"Be here," She demanded quietly.
Her mother was dieing. The cancer was killing her, Jade could see it from her mother's pale face, her once full of life blue eyes dulled.
"You'll make it," Mrs. West had whispered to Jade, before all life vanished from her body.
Jade's mother had died.
All Jade had now was Beck.
She never took anything she did with Beck for granted anymore, knowing how fast loved ones can disappear from your life. Every kiss, every touch, she held on to, knowing their time together was limited. Graduation was creeping towards them fast and Beck would soon go off to college in New York.
Time moves fairly quickly though, and before Jade new it she was standing solemnly in the airport, watching Beck give goodbyes to his parents, willing herself not to cry.
"Mom you don't have to cry," Beck said, blushing at him mom, who's eyes were filled with tears at the fact that her once baby boy was going off to college.
Beck's mom rolled her teary eyes embracing Beck one last time, then pulling away so his dad could do the same.
Beck hugged each of them back, returning their 'I love yous" and peering around their shoulder's to where the pale girl dressed in black stood, far out to the side. She looked forlorn, and it broke Beck's heart to see her like that.
"Can you guys, um, excuse me for a second?" He requested his eyes fixated on Jade.
They both nodded, knowingly but reluctant.
Beck smiled, racing over to his girlfriend, embracing her with a deep kiss and hug.
Neither of them ever wanted to let go. They wanted it to be like that forever, just the two of them pressed up against each other, their hands tangled up in the other's hair.
Jade didn't feel the eyes of Beck's parents studying their every move, or all the random airplane goers watching them, she barely even felt the aching in the heart, she just felt Beck, taking in everything about him into her, knowing she won't see him again for so long.
Eventually they pulled back, staring into each other's eyes with the same magic they had the first time they saw eachother.
"I love you," Beck offered her, a small smile on his face. He didn't want to tell her he'll miss her. That would seem as if they're parting for good, which they weren't.
"I love you too," She told him, blushing a bit because she thought she felt an eye tearing up.
Beck leaned down to peck the girl on the lips. It was sweeter then their other kiss and had even more meaning.
It meant "I love you", it meant "I'll Miss you", and it also meant "Goodbye".
Stepping away, Beck began back to his parents before hesitating. He reached behind his back to his neck, unclasping something, he handed Jade a small circular washer necklace.
His promise necklace.
Jade was heartbroken for an instant, wondering what the gesture meant. He shook his head when he saw her terrified look.
"I don't want the metal detector to go off, so can you send that to me?"
Jade knew it was a lie, a sweet lie though, he's forcing her to write to him.
She nodded, flashing Beck a smile as he walked away, waiting until he was out of sight for a single tear to drip down her cheek.
That night she lays in the bed of her new apartment that she had gotten just a couple weeks ago, but barely used. The four walls are blank and eerie, scaring Jade a bit, and she's not easily scared.
Getting up she turned on a light, sitting down on her bed. Picking up a pen and a piece of lined paper, she scribbled down her thoughts to Beck, folding them up into an envelope.
Beck,
Do you like college? You're going to Julliard so you better like it, that's pretty friggin expensive. Are you telling all the girls there you aren't single? If I find out you're cheating on me I will hurt all of them.
Here's your necklace back to prove to them you're dating me. When I get really famous I tell everyone who I'm dating in interviews so they won't even have to ask.
I love you... Like, a lot. I have an audition tomorrow. Wish me luck.
I miss you(already).
Love, Jade
That night she slept in peace, dreaming that she was famous and Beck was done with college.
Beck grinned when he got her letter, the promise necklace attached to it. He had actually really missed the necklace, and hung it around his neck right away. It felt like it belonged around his neck, signifying the fact that his girl was only across the US, trying shine brighter than all the stars in the world.
"Who's that from?" Beck turned, to see his roommate, Will, raise a curious eyebrow.
Beck smiled. "Jade," Beck said, no further explanation needed. You'd have to be deaf to have not heard of the magnificent Jade West by now, he talked about the girl way too much.
Beck sat at the tiny desk in his room, taking out a pen and tried to keep his hand writing neat at he wrote.
Jade,
I love you too.
College is pretty sweet. Everyone here is artsy, like at Hollywood Arts.
I think everyone on campus knows about you now because of me. I talk about you 24/7 Jade, trust me.
Thank you for the necklace.. How'd your audition go?
Love, Beck.
Jade showed up at the door of the casting auditions, trying to be cool. She had just gotten off of her work as a waitress at the diner down the street from her apartment, and after fixing up she had headed towards the audition.
She eventually entered the room with the director waiting patiently at a table, waiting for her to read off the lines and sing.
She took a deep breath. She had this memorized.
"You may begin," One of the men told her. "Scene eight, the first ten lines."
She smiled and began to recite them with her passion, the other actor who was already casted following in her lead, she let herself get lost in the roll just as she had rehearsed.
Then she sang, boy did she sing. She sand beautifully, holding all the notes out perfectly.
Finished, she took a bow, smiling.
The director smiled at her, giving her words of praise and asking for more contact information before she was hustled out the door.
She got Beck's letter a few days later and beamed,sitting down at her small kitchen table to write a response.
Beck,
My audition went great! I think I blew them away with my awesome-ness!
You better keep talking about me Beckett, or bad things might happen to you.
God, how the hell has it only been a week or so since I last say you? It seems like a year ago. I don't think we've ever been apart for this long.
That's a little sad actually. I really need a life outside you.
I love you, miss you.
Love, Jade.
It was only a week later Jade got a call from the casting people. Her heart raced with excitement as she picked up the phone.
"Hello?" She answered nervously.
"Jade, we are happy to tell you-" The man on the other end began.
Jade's heart raced. Call backs. She was being invited for call backs!
Suddenly Jade heard a yell from across the room on the other end, and the sound of an argument.
"Jade?" It was a different voice this time. "Jade sorry about that. He was mistaken, you weren't chosen for a callback," The man said in annoyance. "You're performance was outstanding though, great job."
Jade felt her heart sink a bit in her chest. "Than.. Why wasn't I chosen?" She regretted it as soon as she said it.
"Well.. Erm. The character, Penelope, she's supposed to have a really light build.. We.. We thought you were a bit too heavy to play the part."
"Heavy?" Jade said blankly.
"Well.. you look about 40 pounds larger than Penelope's supposed to be.. It just wasn't a good match. Maybe if you lost a little weight you'd be more suitable for another part.."
There was a loud click as Jade hung up the phone.
Jade had never been fat in her entire life. She was always a fairly skinny girl.
Nothing had changed though. She was still high school skinny, and she was still teenage girl skinny, but she was considered fat in Hollywood, and that's all that really mattered.
That night Jade skipped dinner, and she also skipped writing to Beck. She just didn't feel like either of those.
To Jade,
Jade! What's going on! You haven't emailed, texted, called, or written to me in two weeks! Please respond!
-Beck
It was the third email of it's kind and there were already two letters that he'd sent out that were identical.
Where was his girlfriend?
Heading down to the spot on campus where his mailbox was, he noticed a tiny square envelope inside. Grinning, he nabbed the letter greedily, tearing it open.
Beck,
Sorry it's been so long. I've been busy with work and I lost my phone last week. I still haven't found it.
I didn't get the part. I guess I was too awesome for them.
Love you, miss you.
-Jade.
Beck shook his head staring at the letter. It was hastily written and didn't make much sense. Jade was so organized, she never lost things, especially things like a cell phone!
Something was wrong with his girlfriend, and he wanted to find out.
It had been three months since Jade had sent that letter. Abruptly, she cut off ties with Beck. Not really on purpose, she just had barely enough energy left to do anything.
She had to be thin, she had to be thin for Hollywood.
Jade had gone to more auditions since that first one, and she felt their eyes scanning her midsection, staring at the belly fat hanging from her. She felt her own eyes staring at it when she looked into the mirror.
She was in a routine now. Wake up, exercise, go to work, get home, sleep. That didn't leave time for eating, that didn't leave time for getting fat.
Jade felt the power of he voice weakening as she grew more and more tired from lack of food. That's why she wouldn't go on the phone with Beck anymore. She couldn't let him hear her broken down weak voice.
It had been another long day of doing nothing but working out, another judged audition the previous day. Jade shed her clothes walking into her apartment's small bathroom.
She stared at her sides in the mirror helplessly, willing them to shrink, to go away, to do something.
Eventually she got in the shower and the water is actually hot this time, surrounding her entire body.
Encased in the hot water, Jade felt her weak trembling body and mind grow hazy, life draining life the water in the shower as she collapsed on to the bathroom floor.
Minutes later Jade felt light coming back to her slowly. She felt the hot water still running over her but she forced herself to move over a bit so the water only reached the edge of her knee.
Her stomach ached with pain from lack of food, and Jade tried to remember the last time she had eaten.
She couldn't remember.
Jade's brain and vision were blurred and her thoughts were interrupted from the noise of the shower stream. Only one word managed to rise to the top of her head.
Help. She needed help.
Jade tried to focus, trying to use common sense. What day was it? She asked herself.
Thanksgiving, she remembered. Thanksgiving.
Beck would be home in California with his parents. Maybe he could help her..
Would he want to? They hadn't talked in three months.
Frantically, Jade reached out of the bathroom floor to her Pearphone, dialing Beck's speed dial number, trying to stay alert. She felt drowsy and didn't know how long she could stay conscious.
"Jade!" Beck voice on the other end yelled, all too grateful and happy. "Jade you haven't called or written me in so lo-"
"Beck.. I need help," Jade pleaded, her voice weak.
"Jade?" Beck yelled almost frantic. "Jade what's wrong!?"
"Please come to my apartment," Jade begged, and let herself slip away, because she was 99% sure she gave him a key.
Beck raced frantically to Jade's apartment, giving minimal explanation to his family.
Something was wrong with his girl. She needed his help.
He found the old key she gave him in his luggage and found her room, unlocking the door with ease.
Racing inside, he came across a stack of unfinished letters on the kitchen table. Curiously, he looked down at them, feeling slightly guilty.
Beck, I think I might have anorexia.
Beck I'm starving please help me.
Beck why would you date me, I'm so fat.
Each sentence begins a new letter, crossed out and erased and they all cause Beck's heart to race harder, sinking deeper into his chest.
He heard the shower running and sprinted the bathroom, horrified at the scene in front of him.
Slowly, she began to feel aware again, light seeping through her closed eyelids.
Jade opened her eyes carefully to find Beck staring back at her, smiling in relief.
"Jade," He breathed, relief coating his tone. "You're okay," His voice breaking.. "I found you drowning in a bathtub, but you're okay," His voice said it like he can't believe it, and he leaned down to kiss the girls face.
She returned his kiss, a bit weakly.
"I'm okay," She smiled as they pull back. "I love you," She whispered.
"I love you too, and since it's Thanksgiving I made you all the food I could find in your house. I want you to eat it. Now," Beck said it gently, but it's an order and it's a damn good order too.
As he handed Jade some of the chicken and vegetables he made her, he stared at her face, the thought of losing it terrifying him. He'd never let it get this close again.
"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked gently, cupping the girl's face in his hands.
Jade looked into his eyes, sighing a bit.
"I don't know," She replied, enjoying the feeling in his tough, hoping it would never go away ever again.
