(The pretty girl with the high cheekbones enters the Janitor's Closet first, the laid back, brown, musician goes next. This is at 2:25. The girl with vivid, red hair comes around the corner, followed by a nerdy looking boy with a puppet. 2:25 comes and goes and it is now 2:27. Another minute passes and the girl that all perceive as mean and scary walks around the corner, looking rather lost, lonely even. She wipes her eyes quickly and turns to see if anyone saw. She then walks to the door and turns the doorknob but a hand on her shoulder quickly stops her.)
Jade: Make this quick because I have no time to spare for an arrogant jerk.
(The ruggedly handsome boy pauses, shocked by the menace in her voice. He finally replies in a quiet, ashamed tone. It is 2:29.)
Beck: I know. I'm sorry Jade, I really am. I just…..
Jade: Save your sob story for some other innocent girl Mr. Perfect.
(With her head held high, she jerks open the doorknob and goes inside. The door slams behind her. The boy is left standing there with a remorseful expression. It is 2:30 now.)
Beck's POV (2:31 P.M.):
A cry of anguish tears through my soul as I see the girl who was once my everything, walk away from me. I want to grab her, pull her in my arms, and never let her go, but that is impossible now, because of me. That venomous backbiter from class, that hadn't been me, that had just been one of the many facades I held up to mask my true emotions. I punch the wall next to the door in distress, bruising my knuckles. The amount of pain coursing through me right now couldn't compare to the pain I felt for Jade. I sigh. But will there ever be a match for that? No, probably not.
Jade's POV:
It is cramped in this tiny, little closet. I am even more pressed for space when he enters the room, or cupboard more accurately. "Oh good, you all made it!" says Sikowitz, who is currently sitting in one of the janitor's trashcans. I wonder if it's the one I am aiming to cut up tomorrow. "Sikowitz, can you hurry this up? We're all cramped." Tori's voice intrudes my thoughts once more.
"Oh yes, yes. Wait, what are we here for again? Oh right, the trip. Anyway, in the course of two weeks, we will be traveling all over the country to watch different plays, listen to concerts, and stuff."
"Stuff?" Rex asks.
"Yes stuff, meaning there will time for indulgences such as amusement parks, arcades, and other things like that."
"How much will the trip cost?" Robbie asks, crossing his arms.
"Nothing, nada. The school is funding this trip. The only money you need to bring is for any extra luxuries, food not included."
"Awesome!"
"Cool."
"When will we leave?" I ask. I've come to the conclusion that I really don't care if Beck goes or not. If he doesn't, I'll be happy. If he does, then I'll be sure to make his life miserable. Either way works for me.
"This Monday if all goes well."
Today is Thursday, so I would have exactly three days to prepare, not including the rest of today. I smile, it would be enough time for me.
"Is that it Sikowitz?" Rex asks, impatient.
"Yep. Oh wait, no. You have to let me know by tomorrow if you can come."
I nod and then exit the room, feeling his eyes upon my back the whole time.
Beck's POV (After School):
Swish. The ball enters the net without touching the backboard. Usually such an achievement would bring a smile to my face, but today and maybe forever is an exception. Ring…Ring… I pull my PearPhone from out of my pocket. André's face appears on the screen. I answer it and wipe a bead of sweat off of my forehead.
"Hey."
"Hey." I reply, dribbling the basketball with my freehand.
"Are you going on the trip?"
"Yep."
"Cool."
Conversations with André were usually always like this. That's why he made such a great friend. I didn't pester him and he didn't pester me. It was something that worked.
"So, are you excited?" I ask, shooting the ball. It missed, unsurprisingly.
"Definitely. I think I'm going to make a move on Tori this week."
I can almost feel André blushing from the other side of the phone. I smile. I'm glad for him truly.
"Good for you bro! So what do you have in mind for your move?"
"Erm, well, I wrote her a song."
My grin becomes slightly wider. André was perhaps one of the most talented kids at Hollywood Arts. People doted on his music all the time. I'm positive that his song for Tori is fantastic.
"That's cool."
"Yeah…"
A comfortable silence between the two of us fills the phone lines. I'm not bothered by it though. This is how our conversations usually end.
"Oh and Beck, what about you and Jade? I mean, will you be okay going on a trip with her?"
"Yeah, of course, why would you think that things wouldn't be okay?"
"Well, I dunno… It was just that in Sikowitz's class, things didn't look so good between the two of you."
I hang up and then text André, blaming it on a dropped call. I also tell him that I will call him later, which I probably won't… Even though I have no right to care anymore about what people think of my relationship with Jade, I do…. I do.
Jade's POV (8:30 P.M.):
My mother stares at me with blank eyes as I tell her about the trip. She doesn't reply when I'm done. I want to shake her, I want to so badly, but I resist the temptation. It wouldn't help. It wouldn't help at all. The blank, uncomprehending look will still be there and it would always be there.
"Jade, will you come tuck me to bed?" I spin around to see Alex, my only reason for staying here. He looks so much like me in a way. His hair is a dark brown, my natural hair color. His eyes are a lovely aqua, blue. My eyes are the same color, but they are filled with hardness, Alex's on the other hand, are soft and warm. I intend for them to be that way for as long as I have breath in my body. I don't want my little brother to wind up how I was at his age, eight years old.
"Yes, I will." I pick Alex up and carry him down the hallway where is room sits at the end. Once in there, I lay him down gently, pull the covers over him, and sit down on the bed. His eyes stare at me with love that I haven't seen from either my mother or father in a long time. "Will you sing me a song Jade?" I want to say no, but can't. I never have been able to say no to him. "Alright."
Go to sleep, go to sleep.
Go to sleep my little darling.
Go to sleep, go to sleep.
Go to sleep and dream sweet dreams.
The night will soon be over and day will surely come.
And when you wake up, I'll be there and we'll play under the sun.
"Night Alex." I say before kissing his forehead gently.
"Night Jade."
I turn off the lamp next to Alex's bed and exit the room. My father is sitting at the dining room table clutching a bottle. His eyes are trained on my vegetable of a mother who is still sitting in their worn-out recliner, staring at a blank spot on the wall. I sigh. I know what is going to happen next. I absolutely positively know. It happens this way each and every night.
"I'm sorry I'm late." he says, predictably.
"You're always late Father."
Anger then fills his tone like it always does. "Well, someone has to work around here."
"Yes Father." I say, not in a mood to argue.
He relaxes back into his chair and I sigh in relief. Usually he'll go on and rant half of the night.
"Father, Mr. Sikowitz, a teacher from school, has invited me to go on a road trip for two weeks."
"Do you want to go?"
"Yes."
"Okay."
"Okay."
I then walk away towards my bedroom.
A/N: Jade's song that she sings to Alex is MOSTLY to the tune of 'Brahm's Lullaby', just so you guys know. J
Oh yes, and thank-you to those who read and/or reviewed!