God forbid I ever write a story that doesn't take place during the BADE breakup (aka, a very painful period in my life). As always, please remember to leave a review, really means the world to me.
Beck Oliver, like most people, hated Mondays. Today had been particularly painful as though he longed to race home as soon as the final bell rung, he was obliged to stay back at school to pull an all-nighter with Tori and Andre as they attempted to finish their latest script.
By the time they were done, it was past 1am and Beck was ready to collapse. Unfortunately, Tori still hadn't acquired her licence, and it had been pouring with rain for the previous few hours so the air was still viciously cold. Consequently, Beck had refused to let her wait outside for her mum, and being the nice guy that he was, offered her a ride home.
Beck tries to push away his feelings of resentment as he finally stumbles into his RV close to 2am after dropping her off. Sighing, he looks around his fairly bare "home." A few months ago, he would have come home to a mess of a room, with clothes, stationery, shoes and scripts littering the ground, all of which would have belonged to his gorgeous ex-girlfriend.
If he had been really lucky, he would have even been able to look forward to hopping into his small bed where she would have already been sleeping soundly, and he could clutch her for warmth. Somehow, Jade managed to even make Monday's more enjoyable.
But this was all in the past. Reality was that Beck was now completely alone. Jade didn't even acknowledge him anymore. So mournfully, Beck struggles to throw off his clothes and slip into some sweats before tossing himself into bed, hoping to sleep off his miserable mood.
Just as he's about to close his eyes, his phone begins to buzz angrily, calling for his attention.
Groaning, he blindly reaches over and grabs it. Reluctantly opening one eye, Beck looks at the caller ID.
It's Jade.
Immediately, he sits up, instantly more alert as he looks down at his still ringing phone. Jade had not messaged him (let alone called him) in over four months since their break up. Hesitantly, he presses the 'accept call' button.
"Um… hello?"
"Beck." Jade yelps hysterically into the phone.
"Ja-Jade? What's wrong?" Beck asks, trying to conceal the nervousness in his tone. He knows promptly that something is off. The last time Jade had called out his name like that was when her brother had fallen down the stairs and dislocated his shoulder.
"I just- shit Beck, I've really screwed up. I just – I don't know what to do. I don't know who to call. I know this is so shitty and we're broken up so you don't need to deal with me and my shit anymore but I just… fuck, I need help."
Believe it or not, Jade didn't usually swear. In fact, the only time she really lost control was when she was in a panic. Evidently, something was drastically wrong.
"Baby, breathe." Beck instructs automatically. He can feel his own hysteria rising, and all thoughts of tiredness leave his mind as he listens to Jade's frantic tone. "What's happened? Where are you?"
Jade whimpers into the phone before ranting, "I had a fight with my dad and step mum again."
Beck flinches sadly but does not interrupt as she continues,
"It was so dumb, but I just had to get out of there for a while and clear my head."
"Uh-huh." Beck prompts, holding his phone with his shoulder as he hurriedly dresses himself.
"So, I just started driving. I had no idea where the hell I was going, but it's been raining so the roads were really wet, and I turned to quickly into a street and my car skidded off the road. I hit a tree. My car kind of flipped."
"WHAT!" Beck roars. "Are you okay?" He yells, now running to his own car. He realises he doesn't know where she is but he had to feel like he was moving towards her.
"I-yeah." Jade gasps in a shaky voice, Beck knows she's not really okay, but was relieved to hear her say so.
"Okay, so you don't know where you are. Are there any street signs or buildings you remember passing?"
"I-I'll go look." Jade stutters. Beck can hear her teeth chattering through the phone, and he feels an overwhelming physical ache to reach out and hold her.
"There's a sign that says Thomas St. I passed Frank's Cupcake shop not too far back."
Beck breathes a sigh of relief.
"I know where you are!" Beck assures her, switching his phone to loudspeaker as he drives off. He knows it's reckless to speed, especially considering that Jade had just had a car accident, but he can't help but push down on the pedal. "Stay on the phone with me." He instructs.
"Kay." Jade mumbles in agreement.
"I'm not far, maybe twenty-five minutes away." He continues to assure her.
Jade, for her part, tries to regain her composure. Her heart was still racing with adrenaline, but she tries to focus on Beck's deep breathing over the phone to calm her nerves.
"Thanks, Beck." She whispers. Beck makes a strange noise, almost like a mangled groan in response.
"Don't mention it, Jade. You know I'll always be here for you." He eventually murmurs.
Jade smiles half-heartedly, still too emotional to think or speak with much clarity.
It ends up taking Beck just over fifteen minutes to reach her. His truck comes to a skidding halt and immediately he throws himself out of the car and races towards Jade. Jade herself breaks out into a run. If the situation hadn't been so direly serious, she would have scoffed at how pathetically romantic this whole situation was.
Beck meets her half way and envelops her in a tight hug. She doesn't realise she's shaking till Beck pulls off his jacket and places it around her, pulling her closer towards him in the process.
"Hey, you're okay." Beck breathes wearily. He sounds like his assuring himself rather than her, but Jade's too shaken to care.
Beck's gaze finally meets the car wreckage, and he lets out an audible gasp.
"My GOD, Jade. How did you survive that?" Beck yells, his eyes widening in fright as he looks down at the goth in his arms. She seems smaller than usual. Beck's heart tightens.
"Dunno." She murmurs, flinching as Beck traces a thin scratch on her left cheek.
They don't say anything for a while. Beck continues to stroke Jade's hair till he feels the trembles that shook her body dissolve. The silence is calming, and the early twilight breeze soothes both of their racing hearts.
"Thanks for coming." Jade finally manages to mutter. To Beck's relief, she's significantly calmer now. In fact, as she pulls away from Beck to inspect the damage for herself, she cringes in such a familiar fashion that Beck can't help but chortle.
"You really did a number on it." Beck sighs, pulling out his phone.
"Yeah. Shit. I'm so dead when Dad finds out." Jade pouts miserably, her dismay only growing when she cries, "Oh man, how the hell am I going to drive to school?"
"Don't be stupid. I'll pick you up." Beck shushes her, dialling up Jade's insurance. Jade twists her fingers together nervously but bites her lip to remain quiet. After Beck's hung up, he takes one of her hands and tenderly kisses her knuckle.
"You nearly gave me a heart attack." He explains. The situation is still not amusing, but Beck can't help but grin a little as Jade frowns.
"Sorry about that." She mutters. Then as an afterthought, she pleads, "Could you not be an ass and tell everyone about this? I don't want people knowing that I freaked out over a stupid car accident."
"Definitely not stupid," Beck assures her, cringing again as he glances over at the totaled car, "but of course I won't tell anyone. Why don't we go wait in my car till the tow truck arrives?"
Though they sat in silence, Beck was pleased by the lack of awkwardness. Jade looked reasonably relaxed now and was inspecting her arms which had unfortunately also got a few scratches on them, thankfully nothing serious though.
"Cool." Jade mumbles happily, looking at one thin trail of blood trickle down to her wrist."
"No. Bad." Beck corrects her, pulling out a tissue to wipe it off. "I feel like I should take you to a hospital or something for a check-up."
"Over my dead body, you hypochondriac." Jade snarls, and for good measure, she punches him in the shoulder. "I'm fine. Seriously." She promises, looking at Beck's sceptical face. "Honestly, I just really want a coffee."
Beck chuckles warmly, a gush of familiarity sweeping over them both at her words.
"Okay." He simply replies.
So after they've filled out a report and they're given the all clear to leave, instead of driving them home to get ready for school, Beck ends up taking Jade to their usual jet brew. They don't say anything as they slide into a booth at the back of the shop. Jade's busy biting her lip again and looking intently at the table.
Beck just smiles happily, feeling oddly content for the first time in a long while. He ends up ordering coffee and a muffin for them both, and the pair continues to sit in silence till their order arrives.
"Is this really weird?" Jade finally bites out.
"Is what weird?" Beck shrugs, taking a bite out of his chocolate chip muffin.
Jade rolls her eyes as she leans over to brush some crumbs from his face.
"This." Jade mutters, gesturing around wildly. "Us. Me calling you at 2am. You taking me out for breakfast. You're bunking off school to hang out with you Ex-girlfriend. This isn't normal?"
"So? We're not normal. Normal's boring." Beck shrugs, grinning wildly when Jade huffs in an exaggerated manner and throws herself back in her seat. "I've missed you, Jade." He says honestly, and feeling brave he leans over to hold her hands. He loves her fingers, they're so smooth and delicate. "I'm glad you called me, even if it was only because you're a reckless driver and hit a tree."
"Wasn't my fault." Jade snips, but she half smiles back at him.
"Yeah, well, I guess I've missed this too." She finally admits.
"So… what do we do about this?" Beck asks, straightening up.
"I think…. I think we need to try being friends." Jade suggests.
Beck's eyes flicker in disappointment, but then he smiles sincerely up at Jade.
"That sounds good to me."
Jade shoots him a weak smile in response.
"So, wanna come over Friday night and watch some movies with me?" Beck eagerly suggests, grinning as Jade raises an eyebrow skeptically.
"Just as friends of course." he assures her, battering his eyelashes playfully.
Jade snorts in laughter but finally nods her head.
"Yeah, I'd like that."
And as Jade sits back with a small smile, sipping her remaining coffee contently, Beck can't help but think that perhaps Monday's aren't all that bad. Not really.
I don't know how to end stories. Sorry. Anyhoo, leave a review for a virtual cookie. :)