Jade West looked happy. Four years of experience told Beck Oliver that this was not a good sign. Not when she was heading straight for him. The look in her eye was the I'm-glad-you're-here-because-now-I- can- be-snide sort of look that she generally reserved for Robbie, Sinjun, and Tori.

"Here." She handed him an invitation to her birthday party. "Couples only."

Ahh. There it was. She wanted to see him squirm.

His first inclination was to hand the invitation back and walk away. Better yet, lie and turn the tables on her.

"Great. We'll see you there."

"I did say it was couples only, right?" Her smile was slipping in a very satisfying way.

"Yep. No problem."

The rest of their usual crew came up in time to hear Jade ask in disgust, "So, wait, you have another girlfriend already? Just like that?"

He nodded like it was no big deal, lying the whole time.

"Who?" Jade questioned devilishly.

Beck opened his mouth to say "a Northridge girl". Instead he heard Cat pipe up, saying, "Me."

The whole group went absolutely stone-still, except for Cat, who elbowed her way past Robbie and Andre. She came over and stood at Beck's side.

"No way." Jade laughed before sneering, "You?" She turned to Beck. "Cat?"

Beck nodded, still a little dazed, and put his arm around Cat's shoulders.

"I'm Beck's new girlfriend." Cat said cheerfully.

Sweet, childlike Cat had just kicked a huge hornet's nest.

Jade chose that instant to lunge for Cat. Cat screamed and dove behind Beck, making herself as small as possible. It took Beck pushing Jade away and Andre pulling her away to make her quit trying to claw her way to Cat.

Jade finally stepped back. She shoved Andre away and flipped a lock of hair out of her face. Her expression morphed into one of steely calm.

She said, "Fine. I'll see you both on Friday night. 7 o'clock sharp. Don't be late."

She turned and stalked away.

Beck turned around. Cat was shaking behind where he had stood.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Is she gone?" Cat squeaked. Her hands covered her eyes.

"Yeah."

Cat uncovered her eyes. "You saved me again."

He shrugged. "She's not actually capable of murder. At least I don't think she is."

"So…" Tori sidled up to him, grinning goofily. "You and Cat, huh?" Her eyes were bright with nosiness.

"It's news to me, too." Beck promised.

"But Cat said-"

"I lied. I'm not Beck's girlfriend." Cat broke in. "He doesn't have one."

"Jade expects you two to be together at her party, though." Andre pointed out.

Beck looked at Cat. She was looking back up at him. Waiting for him to make a decision?

"So, Cat," He swallowed.

Why was he so nervous?" He didn't do nervous. Did this even qualify as actually asking her out?

"Do you want to be a couple for a night?"

"Sure." Cat squeaked.

The bell rang and the kids all scattered, but Beck grabbed Cat's arm and asked, "How did you know I was lying?"

"You wouldn't have kissed me yesterday if you already had a girlfriend. You're not like that."

Beck let her go and watched her disappear around the corner. She seemed so simple, but every once in a while she would throw a wrench into her little-girl persona.

He liked that serious, even smart, side of Cat. If he was honest, he just liked Cat Valentine.

Besides, it was just one party. Why not?

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