Prompt: Jade has always shunned the thought of love, and refuses to surrender to it. And in her mind...It's Ok. Delusional much? Bold + Italics= Time Frame DISCLAIMER: I don't own the lovely song's 'Paint Yourself" by White Denim, nor 'I Will' by Sky Ferreira

Jade's POV

I hate today. NOT as if I don't clinch a vendetta for any other day. But today in especially! FIRST that waz (that happened to part take in my existing life) Robbie, claims that his bozo puppet kept him from collecting the proper props for the terse film for Development and Pre-Production Film class. And fifteen minutes before we're scheduled to go on, he ghastly shuffles into the room empty-handed! Of course with his futile figurehead, which was soon promptly flung by none other.

Afterwards, I quickly made my way to some place I could calm before any further core classes of mine came up. Though, I could skip each for an entire week, and still grip the reigning grade of Hollywood Arts High. Not that I haven't done it before.

When the bell sings it's usual melode signaling for third block, also known as Anatomy( Juniors) for me. I hastily grab my Tawny Walker Black bag, make my way out of the Janitors closet and up the flights of stairs to Physics hall. My toned, and robust thighs were always in condition for the Hollywood Arts steps, but didn't mean the shit didn't hurt from time to time. Turning onto the hallway, an older side of the building deranged with graffiti. The noise of slamming lockers chasing every second to my left, while the right was filled with invidious jocks posted up on the wall.

Usually, I'd have my skull candied ear-phones to contemn the blare and clamor of HollyWood Arts. But as imbecilic as I was yesterday to allow Cat to use mine..Her parents are fighting? I spin my eyes at myself, SO? Hers were broken. Anyhow, I will be sure to collect those today.

Now! I have to cope, and behave in front of Ms. Stewart without my ear phones. Blah! She shouldn't fuck with me today..

Hm, my shoulder doesn't hurt as much today from my bag, wonder why..

I begin rewinding the my recent events and I can't recall my usual 2nd and 3rd block locker visit. Shit! I cease my steps to my class, and turn quickly. I tap the edges of the stairs hastily, and make it to the bottom. Usually. I wouldn't care about being late, but Ms. Stewart's mouth is not one I'd like to hear right now, it's not even lunch yet, I'll kill her. Just the thought of her nauseating tone almost make me want to regurgitate my coffee from a breath ago.

I reach my scissor stabbed locker, and twist and turn in, 4-1-9 and pull up the latch. I hurriedly grab my Anatomy book and replace it with my Trigonometry book and slam the locker shut. Before I can even start my rushed pace back to the Physics hall, I hear a muffled, yet distinctive sound of Vega's voice.. down to my right coming from the hall adjacent to the Wahoo Punch machine, with Robbie's?

"Come on Tor.. you gotta talk to her for me. I seriously can't find Rex! You're the only one that can talk to her, please!" Robbie argues, and continues to say, "Cat's visiting her Nona, Beck went to Canada for a while, and well Andre doesn't have any influence over Jade. Pleease. At that point I begin, at heart, stomping towards the curly headed freak show. In mid stomp I hear Vega say, "Robbie, I hate to break it to you but this kind of is your-

"ROBBIE!", I shout. "You're DEAD!" I holler with as much poise venom that I can muster in the spurred moment. The shaggy haired boy squeals being caught speaking among the devil, about the devil. As he begins to trot of, I grip my bag by the strap and ready my mindset for the usual 'Cat and Mouse' chase Robbie, and I usually put on. What's this? Before I can even begin to gain a speed towards the coward I'm pulled back, Vega. I pointedly rip my elbow that she'd managed to grab, from her clench. I sharply turn my neck to face her, with the most ascetic glare I could assemble.

"Jad- ",Vega starts but before she can even continue, I say, "Who the HELL do you think you are, You can't grab onto me, and-"

"Oh off your high horse Jade! Come on is Robbie really still worth the effort?.." Vega cuts off, but pauses when I strike her with yet another famous glare of mine. She heaves heavily before finishing with, "All I'm saying is, don't you have anything better to do, than pick on Robbie?"

"HEY! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT TWIT DID!? HOW COULD YOU DEFEND HIM?" I all out holler at her. "Okay, so what he cost you 10 points from a grade that you only need half of to still have the highest GPA in the school. Which I only think is possible because I had the flu for those two weeks." Tori says trying to reason with Diabla like girl.

Peculiarly, Vega retorts my grimace with a pout of some-sort, which for some fluky reason it makes me want to not hurt Robbie, because it seems that Vega would be ..disappointed? But wouldn't I revel in that fact. Of course I do, but it's became different. Habitually, I'd gala in the points: I've managed to scare Robbie yet again pride-less, with some shit in there somewhere, and I got Vega to get a little physical ey? Grabbing elbows are we? "Oh just GREAT VEGA! NOW you've managed to scare the tweeb away!" I spit at her, and it makes her flinch.

She continues to stand there, even after the teasing chime of the late bell ringing. We stand there together, as I take on my usual standing posture with my arms crossed under my breasts. Why are you just squandering here?! Does Ms. Stewart I don't know make something hurt? I inwardly groan as my insides preach reality. "SO VEGA!" I belt out, more than earning her attention, and in my best Vega voice I sing, "Is Ms. SweetSallyPeaches, gonna go back to class in be the good girl she always is, or is Ms. Peaches gonna help lil ol' me find my props for my performance since Ms. Sweet's incompetent pal-

"I DO NOT TALK LIKE THAT!" Vega yells, in the middle of the school, and I'll make that the last time she cuts me off. I raise my pierced brow, and scrunch my eyes at her. "But ..what about- I have Script this block, Ms. Rue isn't very-

"DO you EVER STOP BEING A PRISS?" I shrill, knowing that I'd had her now, I privily grin.

"I am NOT A PRISS!" She retorts trying to grapnel her cool, but failing.

"SO what's it gonna be Ms. Salllly?" I drag out in a vexing tone. Vega then proceeds to grab my arm, and pull me in the direction of a parking lot.

"Hey Ms. Sweet Sally Genius, that's the Senior's lot, our's is this way," I announce tilting my head to an adjacent hallway. The apical of her cheeks marooning, and at that I sneer.

Time Skip:

After we've collected all that we could without being locked out of the building I pull into the mostly depleted lot of Hollywood Arts, and come to an abrupt stop. "Didn't you need to go back to your locker?" I try to ask as genuinely as I can after the inept, and awkward interlude. "Yea." She answers, simply and opens the door rushing to the building's doors.

I undertake the struggle to wait patiently, but I just can't so after more than five minutes enact I turn my mustang off, and get out. I strut to the building still, though there's no one to see. Why give anyone any chance to see me not at best? I make to the double doors, and open both doors out. Just in-case any one else is still here.. I walk up the hallway a bit and see Vega at her locker, but her back is to me and her head is bowed. I then tune my ears in to her pauses after hushed speech, to notice she's on the phone and hasn't heard my arrival. I take the opportunity to duck off to the bordering hall of lockers, and listen.

"So when will you guys, be back?" I hear Vega ask with a melancholy tone. "A week and half?" she seems to repeat, with even more dolor. "Tell everyone hello, and have fun, love you." she then ends, and leans her head against the lockers heavily.

I pounce on my favorable circumstance, and

"BOO!" I yell, jumping from the locker closest to Vega's. "AH!" Vega then screams, clutching at her bag. As if. "Ha. What's keeping you Vega? And what would do if I were I donno a killer? What would that thing do?" I taunt.

"Can you not right now?" Vega semi pleads, turning to her locker and opening it. "Not exactly in the mood." she then murmurs shortly after, stuffing books into her bag, and when it became full she began holding a few. I grab two of the three books from her, and glare her into submitting. She shuts her locker, and leans against it, seemingly looking at anywhere but me.

I know I should ask what is downing her, but I can't find any of well, her in me to do it. And by her I mean empathy. " Bring your ass Vega, or leave it." I state, with this time much less taint that I could convoc.

I take my steps back to my car, and put her books in the back, getting in my seat.
I wait for her to drop her bag in the back in get in, before I pull out of the lot again, and watch as she folds her arm and lays on it against the window sighing. Welp.

When I reach Vega's house I don't pull into the driveway, I park in-front of her mailbox, turning my body to look at her. "You should...call me." Tori says, grabbing my pear phone, and I let her. She quickly types in the password, dialing her number into my phone. "There." She says, holding the phone out. I look at the dark device with distaste. After a few moments of awkward, unwanted silence she says, "Err..." and sets it on my lap.

I shift uncomfortably, crossing my arms and raise my pierced brow. "But yea...um. You should..er call me..sometime." Tori says. "And what makes you think I want Sweet Sally Peaches number?.." I retort watching her face droop with sadness. "Well...then don't call, and be lonely all break." She says back, turning her side and pulling the long sweaters holes over her fist, head down.

I shouldn't have felt like breaking out a smile in that moment at Vega's attempts, or at the way her head slouched between her shoulders. But I did. I can't believe Vega! I mean, did she honestly believe that even for a flash of light that I'd want to spend to sliver of time that I have away from her, with her? She's more crazier than she's pretty. ..Of course not that she's prettier than I, (Or crazier for that matter).

IT doesn't matter. A fool she is, for thinking such. Just the thought of her makes...makes my skin tingle, and..and my stomach ache. It's disgusting. It's more of a ..burning sensation, and a clenching feel right? Ya, so? Hm.

She's looking at her feet, and at my clearing throat she 'wakes up' grabbing her books from the back seat. Vega struggles to open the door of the car, but she does getting out, and trotting to her door. I watch intently as Vega struggles to balance the bag, her hand of books and tries to open the door with the key. I chuckle to myself, as I turn back around and switch gears, pulling off towards my home.

Two Nights Later

For two days I didn't see Vega, or receive a text or call from her. For the last two school days, we haven't had any interaction at all. Not in class, because we sat in separate sections, not in lunch because she didn't show up. Sikowitz hadn't tried to pair us together for any of the final projects, or assignments. Trying to teach me a lesson? I huff, sliding on my shoes leaving the comfort of my bed.

I grab my messenger bag, and dump my school items on the bed. I go through my drawers, pull out a set of cloths, and a set of night cloths. I stuff them in the bag, and head out the door, grabbing my keys.

The ride to Vega's is uneventful, the song White Denim Paint Yourself Plays in the background. One of my favorite songs, reminds me of a classic. And I begin to harmonize with the guitar strings. I hum along with the plucking and tap my fingers with the beat on my steering wheel.

I round onto her street, maneuvering over the dips of the road. I hie, and pass by the houses of Vega's neighbors moreover, down to reaching her house. I remember that Trina is staying with a friend of her's for the semester break, and her parents are visiting El Salvador, leaving her alone. I park as silently as I can, and cut the engine.

I open my door, and grab my bag, locking the doors from the inside to discard the beep of the locking doors. I secure the door, almost inaudibly, I evade to the back of the house and focus up at her window before I began to reach it. I climb up the annoyingly coincidental tree that leads to Vega's window. I scoot my way over, level my weight, and just look at Vega.

She's perched up on her bed, her phone across from her. She's staring at it. My expression switches to concern, as I lean in. I continue to look for a little while, watching her face give away the war going on between herself, and ...herself. I decide that I've stalked her enough, and I open the window climbing inside. She kept it open.

Review, please.

-Maverikc