Jade's POV

"What the hell are you playing at?" I shouted, entering my sons 'off limits' bedroom.

He jumped slightly as the door hit his wall hard and bounced back into my pale hands. "Don't act like you give a shit." He mumbled.

I frowned. "Stay away from her. Do you hear me?" The last thing I wanted was for my son to be associated with Tori's no doubtingly lame daughter. If she was anything like her Mom that was.

"I love her." His blue eyes stared close to my own.

I sighed loudly. "No you don't. You're only fifteen." I lied to him. At aged fifteen, I'd been in love, hell I still loved them like my life depended on it. No matter how many times they hurt me, I loved them. I guess you never really forget your first love, do you?

"Mom seriously. I love her and she loves me. Get it?" He flicked his black hair out of his eyes. He looked so much like his Dad sometimes I felt like I was talking to Beck.

A loud cry came from upstairs. "I mean it Blade. Stay away from her. I'm going to work now. See to her please."

….

Since becoming a Mom at a young age I'd struggled to achieve my dream of becoming an actress or a writer. I'd been an extra in a few Hollywood movies and I stared in local stage productions most years, but it wasn't enough to support my family. When I was twenty one I was scouted in the mall and since then, I became a burlesque dancer. I guess it was a total blessing having these huge boobs. I worked most nights from ten until the early hours of the morning. It worked well because I most certainly am not a morning person. The pay is good and the tips are even better. I can give my family what they want without a worry of money being an issue.

Like most nights I worked until it was almost light and came home to a silent house. I crawled into my large, empty double bed, filled with thick cushions and pillows. I felt so alone sometimes. Everyone had someone now. I'd had so many failed relationships since Beck, none seemed to stick around for more than a year. Not that it really mattered, considering I didn't love any of them. Just as I'd drifted off the sleep, the baby monitor crackled and a few sad cries sounded out of it. I waited to see if the cries would die down before eventually dragging myself out of bed. I padded across the carpeted floors to the last door at the end of the corridor. The yellow walls sprung into life as the bright sunlight lit up the room. Stood up and sobbing was Lilia, my ten month old daughter from one of my failed relationships. She'd placed her chubby thumb into her mouth, blinking her tired blue eyes at me as soon as she saw me.

"Come here baby." I pulled her up and onto my hip. Her blue onesie had un-popped, showing her baby fat. I smiled and kissed her curly, brown hair. "Good morning angel."

She giggled as I jiggled her on my hip while we galloped downstairs and into the kitchen. Blade was already wide awake and in his 'Northridge' shirt ready for school.

"Morning kiddo." I ruffled his jelled hair. Placing Lilia down in her high chair.

"You're happy.." His lips cracked into a smirk.

"How can you not be happy when you see this face every morning?" I pointed to his sister. She had already spilled half her breakfast down herself.

He kissed her little hands. "Morning Lily-Bug." He shoved a piece of toast into his mouth. "I've got a study date after school, is that cool Mom?"

I nodded while scanning my eyes across the calendar on our fridge, not really listening. Spring break was coming up which meant Blade was going to be spending the week in New York with his Dad. I sighed to myself as I looked at the calendar. Beck didn't deserve to see Blade. He left him and me to chase his dream. He moved to the other side of the country and I was left to raise him on my own.

"Can you give me a ride to school? I missed the bus.."

Picking Lilia up, I grabbed my car keys and my jacket. "Get in." I strapped Lilia into the baby seat quickly. "You have got to stop missing the bus. I'm not your taxi."

"I know, I know. Whatever." He sat shotgun next to me, fiddling with his hair again.

"Why couldn't you be like your Dad and I and go to Hollywood Arts? How did we create a kid who hates performing." I sighed as we drove past my old school.

He rolled his eyes at me. "Not this lecture again Mom. I want to be a doctor."

"I should be proud of that, but I wanted you to be a famous rock star or something. Come on Blade, you know you want to?" I wiggled my eyebrows at him as I pulled up outside his school.

"Sorry Ma." He slid out of the car, waving goodbye to his sister in the backseat. "I'll get the bus home."

"If you miss it, you can walk." My infamous smirk slid across my face as I waved goodbye and drove off.

…..

The day flashed by quickly. I spent the best half of it teaching Lilia how to walk and talk. She was so close to saying "Mama" and I was desperate for her to take her first steps before she turned one in a couple of months.

The front door shut loudly just after four pm. "Hey Mom. I'm home." Blade yelled from the hallway.

I picked Lilia up and swung her onto my hip as I wandered into the hallway. Beside my son was a small, brunette girl with the second prettiest brown eyes I'd ever seen in my life. "Hey." I smiled at her as she smiled back shyly. She was wearing a tight black crop top, which showed off her overly large chest, a short black shirt and kitten heels. Her bare legs were short and tanned. My eyes trailed back up to her face, she was still smiling at me. She definitely fit the 'Northridge Girls' stereotype.

"We're going to study upstairs. Is that cool?"

"Aren't you going to introduce me?" I joked. My son rolled his eyes.

"This is my Mom and my sister." He pointed to us both.

The brunette's smile grew wider. "She's so cute." She reached out her hand and let Lilia grasp her baby finger. "You're gorgeous." Lilia giggled as the small girl kissed her chubby fist.

"We best start studying before it gets late." Blade grabbed the girls hand and rushed upstairs.

I smiled to Lilia. "He isn't studying, is he baby girl?" Lilia stuck her tongue out, chuckling away to herself.

My phone buzzed from inside my jean pocket. An unknown number. "Hello?"

"Hey." A familiar voice said down the phone.

"Vega? How the hell did you get my number?" I almost laughed, this girl was unbelievable.

"From Cat. Listen, is Blade home?"

I smiled. She'd remembered my son's name. I nodded, then realised she couldn't see me. "Yeah, he got back like fifteen minutes ago. Why?"

"With a brunette girl, really short, in all black, looks like she's about eighteen?"

I laughed coarsely at her poor description. "Yep."

"For God's sake." She hissed down the phone. "That's my daughter, Scarlett."

A devious smile formed across my lips. Well I would say like mother, like daughter, but Tori's daughter was nothing like her. If anything she seemed like the bad girl. They looked alike facially, but apart from that, Scarlett was totally different from Tori.

"What do you want me to do? Blade said they were studying?" I moved Lilia from one hip to the other as I made my way upstairs.

"Jade can you bring her home please. I would but my car just broke down. Please?" She was practically begging me.

"I'll be there in fifteen minutes." I hung out without saying goodbye.

"Scarlett?" I walked into my Son's bedroom without hesitating. Luckily they were both just sat on his bed, the young girls eyes were watering slightly as she looked at me.

"Yes Ms?"

I smiled, well she was as polite as Tori always was. "I need to take you home. Blade stay here."

"Did I do something wrong?" She stood up, placing her tanned arms onto her hips.

I raised an eyebrow at her with Lilia still on my hip. "Your Mom called." I placed Lilia down on Blade's bed. He immediately grasped his arms around his sister and pulled her into a soft cuddle.

Her hands slipped off her hips. "Ugh. She's ruining my life."

"She's good at that, isn't she?"

Scarlett planted a kiss on Blade's lips before following me out of his room. "I love you." She giggled, blowing him one last kiss.

"You're going to have to direct me. I have no idea where you live now."

Scarlett turned to face me. "You used to know where I live? Wow creeper.."

I laughed at her cockiness. "I knew your Mom in a past life."

"Poor you." I liked this kid. "Was she ever cool?"

A wicked smile slid across my red lips. "She had her moments."

"I find that hard to believe. She's so boring. She never lets me do anything. You seem cool. I wish my Mom was more like you."

Flattered, I flashed her a sweet smile. "Are you just sucking up to me because you have a crush on my kid?" I cocked an eyebrow at her.

"No." She laughed. "I actually think you're awesome. I'd be a total bitch otherwise. And it's not a crush. I love him." She crossed her arms around her waist.

"You don't know what love is." I chewed on my lip as I watched her brown eyes slice through me. She had a death glare like no other.

"You sound like my Mom now."

"You're so much like your Dad."

"You're creeping me out. How the hell do you know my whole family?"

I pulled up outside her house. It was a small house, nothing like what Tori used to live in. I turned the engine off. "I went to school with them both. Get out before your Mom murders me." I got out of the car the same time as Scarlett and walked her to the door.

"I am going to murder you!" Tori yelled as she opened the door. "Oh, Hi Jade. Thank you for bringing her back."

Scarlett glanced a look at her, flicking her brown curls over her shoulder, she mouthed; "I told you so." As she ran into her house beside her Mom.

"You have quite a kid there Vega. Aren't you going to invite me in?"

Tori blushed as she held the door open a bit more. "Would you like to come in?"

I smiled, walking right past her and into the small house. "Thanks babe." I joked. I looked around, it was very modern and clean. The living room was so Tori; a deep purple sofa with white cushions. The TV was a large flat screen and on the cream walls were photos, mainly of Scarlett from the years. But a few of them were from when Tori attended Hollywood Arts. Robbie, Cat, Andre and Beck stared in a few of them. My eyes landed on a familiar photo. It was of Tori and myself during one of our school plays. We'd played lovers. Sikowitz was always making us play the weirdest characters. I laughed as I moved towards it to get a closer look.

"Want a drink or something?"

"Double vodka and coke, with ice." I replied without missing a beat.

Tori looked at me slightly before rushing off into the kitchen to get the drinks. To say it was weird being in Tori's home was a total lie. Even though it had been ten years, it felt as if we were still in high school. It felt like nothing had really changed. My heart skipped a beat as I saw how young we both were in that photo. We'd been fifteen and sixteen. So young and naïve.

Tori returned promptly, holding two large glasses in her hands.

"Thanks Vega." I took a large gulp. Tori's eyes grew wider as I practically necked the drink.

"I'm not Vega anymore, Jade." She said, sitting down on her sofa with a glass of wine in her hands.

"I know. But it doesn't have the same effect if I call you 'Daniels'." I twirled the glass around in my hand, making the ice circle around the bottom of it.

"Did you catch them doing anything?" Tori eyes scanned to the stairs as she took sips of her drink.

I shook my head. "Nope. They were actually studying. Crazy, I know."

"Scarlett is such a diva. Seriously, it's like.. It's like she's you." A weak smile formed on Tori's lips as she looked at me.

"I'm flattered, Vega. She sure has a lot of sass. Takes after her Dad I'm guessing? Where is old Ryder then?"

Tori blushed. "He's at work. He's a fireman in his spare time."

"Oh wow." I said sarcastically. Of course Tori married a frickin' fireman. How is it that her life had turned out so perfect even though she had been in the same situation as my own?

"Do you have a partner?" Tori refilled my glass with two more shots of vodka.

I shook my head again. "Nope. I don't go well with relationships remember?"

"You know that's not true." Her eyes fell to the floor as I flashed her a look of resent at her. She took a gulp of her white wine, pulling a face the minute she'd swallowed.

"Swallow Vega." I laughed, necking my second drink.

Her perfect cheeks turned crimson as I laughed at her. She was still the same old 'innocent' Tori.

"You haven't changed a bit."

"Neither have you."

"Why did you loose contact with all of us after graduation?" Tori questioned. She'd moved slightly closer to me now. Her legs crossed and her arms relaxed on the top of the sofa.

"I could say the same about you. You disappeared off the face of the earth the minute you turned sixteen." The words came out much harsher than I had meant to.

Tori moved back slightly as I barked at her. "I was ashamed."

I choked on my drink. "And you think I wasn't? I was terrified about it all.."

"I mean about Scarlett." She raised her eyebrow at me. "I didn't want anyone knowing I'd had a baby. I felt like a complete slut."

"You can say that again." Tori slapped my bare leg with her cold hand. "Owch." I said, rubbing my leg.

"Andre knew and Cat found out accidentally when she came round unexpected one day after I'd had her. I was so ashamed about it all. So I hid away. I told Robbie about Scarlett when he married Cat a few years ago. But apart from that, she was my secret."

"That's pathetic." I hissed.

"Oh like you can talk! I had no idea you had a kid either."

"That's because unlike you, I'm not a total baby and I'm smarter than you obviously. I came back to school wearing huge clothes, my bump was tiny and I had him at only thirty five weeks so I only had to miss six weeks of school in total. No one even noticed." I shrugged, taking the bottle of vodka into my own hands and pouring it into my empty glass.

Tori sighed. "I wish you'd told me Jade.."

"What makes you think I should have told you anything?" The alcohol had started to pulse through my body. My head was starting to feel light and my vision was blurring slightly.

"I'm sorry." The words slipped out of her mouth. Her eyes met mine. Those brown eyes were such a memory trigger. I'd looked into those eyes a thousand times. The pain still sketched into them. "I know what I did was wrong. I never meant to hurt you like I did."

My heart felt heavy. I hadn't felt this way in such a long time. The emotions and feelings I'd felt were long gone. I'd grown and got over what happened back in Hollywood Arts over ten years ago. I was an adult now, everything was different.

"Whatever." I breathed. The glass in my hand slammed down hard onto Tori's glass table. I stood up, stumbling slightly. I'd drank so much so quickly that I was already slightly drunk.

"Where are you going? You can't drive in this condition." Tori stood next to me, not daring to touch me.

"I have a ten month old at home I need to attend to. So seriously Vega, don't stop me."

Tori sat back down as I snarled at her. "Let me drive you?" She offered. "It's the least I can do."

"I don't want you doing anything for me. Do you hear me?" This is why I shouldn't drink. Old emotions come flowing through my body like a tsunami and I was drowning in my own mind.

Tori flinched but ignored my obvious anger. She moved towards me as slowly as humanly possible, not letting her eyes stray from my own. "I'm so sorry, Jade."

"Fuck off." I scoffed. How dare she apologise now. After all this time. She had well over ten years to find me and tell me she was sorry. But she didn't. What the hell did it mean now?

I picked my handbag up off the floor, stumbling slightly towards the door. My heels clicking across the dark wood.

"Please let me drive you. Jade.." Tori followed after me quickly as I got into my car.

"I'm fine. Not like you'd give a shit. Contact me in another ten years, okay? Seriously Vega. Oh and tell your whore of a kid to stay away from my son."

Tori gasped at me as I insulted Scarlett. "You have no right to say that about her!" She shouted at me.

I laughed slightly. "You have no right to even be talking to me. Now get out of my way before I run you over." I started the ignition but she didn't move.

"I'm sorry!" Tori screamed as I backed out of her drive. "Jade, I'm sorry."

I watched as a few tears slid down the grown woman's face. I drove home furiously, breaking every driving law possible. I crawled into bed the minute I got in. My face buried deep into my black pillows. I let a slight, muffled scream fall out of my mouth. I couldn't let Vega hurt me again. I couldn't let her back in my life. My heart had already broken once. I couldn't do it again.

A/N - So what do you guys think? Why do you think Tori was apologising so much? Thank you for reviewing by the way and for the alerts and favs. Keep them coming! xo