"Jade won't like it if you keep staring like that."

Snapped back to reality, I look over the red-haired girl addressing me.

"Yeah, give it up Tori. Jade's marked her territory: Beck's hers. You're just collateral damage."

My brow furrows at my musically-inclined friend. "What do you mean 'collateral damage'?" bringing up my fingers to punctuate.

This isn't an uncommon sight by any stretch of the imagination. The lovely twosome kissing against the lockers as I lean on mine, flanked by Cat and André explaining the ways of their world to me. And really, this would be the perfect way to spend the passing period if it didn't hurt so damn much.

"I guess after all this time, you're still the new girl." Putting up his hands, he yells for Robbie, who promptly runs over with his free hand fending off the girls he was failing to talk to. "Robbie, explain to Tori here about Jade's tendency to cause social destruction to girls who try anything with her man."

Thankful for an excuse to bail, the Jewish boy sucks in a lungful of air before stating the obvious: "Beck loves Jade-"

"Don't be trippin' fool. Beck ain't blind, he can see how smokin' hot Miss Tori Vega is." Again, it's not surprising at all that he's cut down by his more socially-acceptable half.

"What I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, Rex, is that Jade… well Jade just doesn't do very nice things to people who try to get in their way. Remember when that reality show came here?"

"What, The Wood?" My face is scrunched in confusion. What does that have to do with anything?

Cat answers my unspoken question. "Oh yeah! Hehe, didn't she get that lady fired?" Turning to me she bubbles, "She asked Beck if he had a girlfriend and Jade saw. She wasn't very happy."

"Point is, get in her way, get hurt. She got it in her head once that you're out to steal him, it's gonna be twice as hard to convince her otherwise if you want him." My best friend grimaces, "I just don't want that for you, Tori Vega."

"Okay. Why is everyone using my name like that?"

"I'm Miss Tori Vega an' I don't like it when other people say my full name, not sweet little ol' me, Tori Vega."

"I don't talk like that!" I spin on my heels toward the faux southern belle. "Huh, where's Beck?"

"What do you care?" Jade spits at me. Sighing, she calms. "His class is at the end of the hall, didn't you hear the bell ring?"

The others went off to their respective classes and the dark girl drags me by the elbow toward science.

"Seriously Vega, if I'm late because of you, someone's gonna be sorry." We practically screech to a stop in the doorway. "I'm not in a good mood. Beck and I just had a fight."

I could barely focus on lab, wondering what could've happened. Unfortunately, this lack of attention left me to spill hydrochloric acid all over the countertop and subsequently myself. My partner and I were excused to get changed.

"Huh, I didn't know we had a gym." Jade rolls her eyes at me, lets the double doors swing back at me. "Come on, I took my PE classes at Sherman."

"I don't even know what I'm supposed to say to that. Oh, that's right. I don't care." Heading into the locker room, she pushes me into the first set of showers. "Go."

"Aren't you going to shower too?"

"It's 1.5 molar. I think I'm gonna be alright. Either way, I should have enough clothes for both of us in a back locker." I start to protest. What, am I supposed to just stand here naked until she gets back? Trust Jade to get things for me - it sounded like a recipe for disaster. "You go ahead, I promise I'll bring you a towel or whatever."

Somehow, I managed to find that soothing: Jade's not one to break her promises. When reminded. I strip down, start the water, and listen for her return.

"Incoming!" I turn off the shower, alert. A fairly small cloth is thrown over the lockers and I reach to catch a corner or something. She was faster than expected, and I wonder if she ran. I'm pulled from my wonderment by a snappy, "you better not have used all the hot water!" at which I wrap the towel and get out of the shower.

"Only five minutes ago. I just thought I'd stand in the freezing cold." Her sarcastic smile is hidden by her shirt being flipped over her head. As she reaches to unhook her bra, I avert my eyes and say, "You were gone like a minute."

"I know. Are you blushing? Did you not change in front of the other girls at your old school?" She's loving my embarrassment. Taking advantage of it to mock, "Oh good golly gosh, Heavens to Betsy! I'm too prudish and ladylike to change with the heathens!" I almost glare at her, but remember our states of dress. "Don't get the underwear you're not wearing in a twist."

I choose to ignore her taunting, making a point to put the underpants on extra carefully to imaginarily spite her. Fully attired in black shorts and a tank top, I head to the bathroom for some paper towel to dry more sensitive areas. I don't know where those towels Jade found have been and I don't need an unpleasant rash.

Getting back, I hear the water running again so I sit on the bench and wait.

Until I get bored of waiting and ask, "So what were you and Beck fighting about, weren't you just making out?"

At first I think I'm being ignored, or she maybe didn't hear me. A slow exhale signals the beginnings of her response, "Yes and no. We were just trying to find the spark again. Y'know? That kind of rush of excitement that gets the adrenaline pumping through your veins. That, that feeling."

The darker girl stops the flow and dries herself while still in the shower 'stall' before folding it over herself. "We fell out of love. They call it 'limerence' and we really thought we beat it. Three years. Forty-two months. People come to us for relationship advice. Did you know there are stories about us? By people we've never met - nay, don't know exist? It's kind of weird.

"We broke up." She take my crumpled towel and lays it across the bench to sit on, hiking one leg up to cross them. "For good this time. And look at me, I don't even have tears to cry for it. Seems wrong, y'know?"

I stay silent, not knowing what to say since "Do I have a chance in hell?" seems like a terribly untactful way to start. Jade stands and starts to put real clothes on. I give her the privacy.

"Eh, what am I asking you for? What was the longest relationship you've ever had?" I knew better than to answer that. "Anyway. I guess I'm telling you because as much as it pains me to say this - and not the good kind of pain - but it'd be okay with me for you to have him. I mean you and me? We're a cut above and pretty much no one else could possibly come close to deserving him. Me because I'm amazing, you by association."

Did the Jade West just compliment me? Dear Lord, the world is ending. "I'm glad you think so highly of me."

"Yeah don't get used to it." Cosmetically-darkened eyes catch mine and I can't decide if they're blue or green. "Sometimes we're friends and there are times I think maybe having you as a real friend wouldn't be too bad. Besides, I've seen you watching us - looking jealous. It's fun to push your buttons, Vega. It's so easy. I've seen worse actresses, but you're an awful liar.

"Besides, it's kind of fun to be watched. It's hot knowing I get to you."

Maybe I do have a snowball's chance. I wet my lips nervously at her feral grin. "I wasn't looking at him."

"Hey, do that again." I tilt my head in question, do what? My frenemy leans in closer to examine me, eyes squinting in concentration. "Maybe I was wrong. You're not so bad after all. Lie to me."

I lose control of myself. I grab the short hairs behind her neck and pull her into a kiss.

She doesn't move. Crap, I just ruined my life. Then her lips smooth over mine and the unprecedented risk was worth it.

The rush. The adrenaline. The shooting fire in my veins.

She deepened the kiss like she was telling a story. Told me about peace, conflict, then heartbreak, and finally acceptance.

Then I understood.

All of it.

I pull back, resting our foreheads together. I tentatively open my eyes to watch hers spring open. The kiss only lasted a few moments, but I saw my life and my death in those pools of jade. I close them again, putting what she taught me test and waited to take on fate.

"Tori?" She sounded farther away; she must've straightened up.

"No, I wasn't looking at him."

She laughs and I have to look, bewildered.

"That's what I thought." A genuine smile takes the rest of my breath away. "I knew you couldn't lie."

Taking my hand, I'm pulled into a vertical position. We meander back to chemistry to gather our stuff as the bell rang for lunch.

In the hall, she grabs my hand again, this time to lead me to the janitor's closet. As the door closed behind us, she pins me against it and whispers teasingly into my ear.

"I'm not that easy, you know. Kissing usually comes before getting into my pants."

I gape and want to ask more personal questions before I realize what she meant. She smirks that adorably evil smirk she does. Do Cat or André know how forward she is? "Think about that while you're waiting for me to take you home after school today."

I shake my head, stupefied. "Tease." Jade, briefly feigning innocent incredulity, pulls back from me with a sparkle dancing in her eyes.

"You like it." I smile at the playfulness of her rebuttal, and it's charming to see something other than vicious or upset directed at me.

I close the new distance between us, I press my lips to her cheek and wink. "You like it too."

Jerking down the door handle, Jade kisses me on her own for the first time before yanking the door open and strutting into the hallway.

Though she didn't look back, I hear the amusement in her voice. "Yeah, I really do."

...

AN: This was just a random idea from how jealous Jade always gets with Tori + Beck. And I have much love for Jori.

Please review, it helps me become (and makes me want to be) a better writer. Maybe more to come if I get ideas for it, but this'll probably stay a oneshot