"So In Love With Two"- Mikaila
Big Time Rush
Disclaimer: I do not own Victorious nor Big Time Rush, nor any songs used throughout story plot. I also do not own any actors/actresses who portray them. The only thing I own is this idea and any mentioned OCs
~Thank you to Guest, Jeremy Shane, BadeElavan, and jhenybadefan, who reviewed! I really appreciate it~
Pairing: Beck/Jade/James
Song(s) included: none
+++Previously:
Jade twitched, her hand shaking enough to show she wanted to punch that smug expression off his face. "The name's Jade West. I wouldn't forget it if I were you."
His entire face lighting up like Christmas, James smiled. Hook, line, and sinker.
"Trust me, I won't," he promised. "I also predict we'll be seeing lots of each other, too, Jade West."
+++Present Time:
With Jade and James
Jade smirked, for once amused with the guy in front of her. "Oh really?" she mocked, becoming more confident with the conversation. "You predict that, do you?"
James's expression immediately became suspicious, but he answered, "Yeah, I do." He wondered what her new game was but he was more than ready to play. After all, it wasn't like he was doing all this on his own- getting the other guys would be a piece of cake, and Gustavo would be the only real obstacle (but one they could manipulate with a little planning).
"I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you," she stated, beginning to walk passed the pretty boy. She made it to the door he'd entered through before adding over a slim shoulder, "On second thought, do it."
Then, with an evil but sexy smirk, James was left alone as Jade left to parts unknown.
He released a deep breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding since the jet haired teen had come close to coming into physical contact with him. The sheer aura wrapped around her frame was a bit overwhelming but in an oh-so-good way he couldn't get enough of.
It was that moment the door banged open again, and James half expected it to be the mysteriously talented Jade West. He was a little disappointed, however, when Carlos, Logan, and Kendall, ran in, slamming the door closed behind their backs.
"Where have you been?!" all three boys shouted at the same time upon seeing James.
"Have you been in here this whole time?" Logan demanded to know, arms crossed over his chest in outrage. "You could have totally saved us by letting us all hide in here, too, you know!"
Carlos fixed his helmet, a frown on his adorable face. "This seems suspicious," he declared, eyes scanning the entire room he could see. "Really un-James-like!"
Kendall also looked closely at their friend, who had a certain dazed look in his eyes. The blonde smirked. "Seems to me James met a girl and now has a crush," he sing-songed in a playful voice.
"What?!" Carlos and Logan exclaimed in surprise. Leaning forward slightly, both dark haired teens took careful stock of James's condition. Their eyes widened.
Although Kendall hadn't spoken Jade's name nor actually met the girl, James couldn't help the goofy smile that appeared on his face. He did have a crush on her already, didn't he? Just one amazing song and one little meeting had been all it had taken for him to develop feelings for her.
Now, all he had to do was to actually snag the girl.
James looked at his friends, all three waiting for an explanation. He smiled boyishly, innocently. "I need your guys' help with something," was all he said before they all jumped on board, his abandonment forgiven and forgotten.
+++Gustavo's Office:
One Hour Later
"So, let me get this straight," Gustavo said, giving the group of four a small glare behind his usual sunglasses. "You want me to sign this girl a record deal just so James can date her?" By his tone alone, one would have to be deaf to not hear the disbelief and incredulousness he felt.
Kelly shook her head, wondering what the boys were up to now. "You four do realize it isn't all just up to Gustavo on who gets signed or not, right? Griffin has to approve, too, and we're working on only James's recommendation."
"Trust me," James said with an imploring look on his handsome face, "Jade is seriously talented and she can dance. She goes to a Performing Arts school! That's got to be a sign."
Gustavo sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He would never admit it, but James and the rest of Big Time Rush was his favorite band he'd ever signed, but that didn't help their current situation. He could, however, give this mysterious girl, whom had James wrapped around her little finger already, a chance.
"Alright," he conceded, only to be interrupted by loud shouts of excitement from the guys. Raising his voice, he shouted, "But there are a few conditions!"
"Aww," the four whined in exasperation, rolling their eyes. They'd been so close to being in the clear but, of course, things couldn't be that easy. It never was.
Ignoring their protests, Gustavo started listing his demands, knowing they would pull them off one way or another. They had a knack for that, and he couldn't wait to also see how they would screw up first. Those moments normally brightened his week.
"I need to see a live performance or audition, so you need her to either come in or set something up. Also, if I do decide to sign her, she needs to be approved of by Griffin, so I suggest her first recording be down here. For now, that's all you need to worry about."
Gustavo gave them a warning look, and they all perked up in attention. "Since this is under only James's recommendation, I'm putting him in charge of her. And, since he's in charge of her, that means you three-" he pointed at Logan, Kendall and Carlos to add emphasis, "-are also in charge of her. She screws up, you screw up. Deal?"
James smirked confidently. "Trust me, she won't screw up."
The only problem he could see now, though, was Jade not agreeing to working with him and the guys. She hadn't appeared to know (or care) who he was, so it may pose a small problem.
However, he was James Diamond. He had an amazing job and even cooler friends. If they could come up with anything, they could think up a way to get Jade at least a little interested.
But the question remained: How?
+++Palm Woods:
BTR Apartment
"So, are you going to tell us about your mystery girl yet?" Logan asked, taking a seat on the couch. He turned to watch Carlos slide down their swirly slide and figured he'd do the same a little later. The Latino had a way of making things look fun at any given time.
James and Kendall flopped down onto seats of their own. The former smiled another goofy smile that made his friends snicker at how smitten he was.
"Her name is Jade West," James informed them, his voice dazed. "She goes to that school we hid in, Hollywood Arts. She's… Different."
Logan instantly opened his laptop, fingers furiously typing the needed information to find this girl. It wasn't hard- James provided enough to do a well-enough search. Besides, there couldn't be many girls with that exact name going to that exact school, especially since HA's admittance is pretty strict.
"Got it," he chimed out, a proud grin on his face. His eyes widened when he got a better look at her. "Wow, she's not your usual type, James."
Carlos appeared, hopping over the back of the couch to land next to Logan. "I wanna see, I wanna see," he exclaimed, nearly knocking the other boy from his seat. The Latino's eyes widened, too, which prompted Kendall to also stand and take a look.
"She's so pretty!" Carlos said, grinning at James in that adorable way only Carlos has.
Not needing to say anything, Kendall glanced over his shoulder at James, who remained seated. "She's on her school's website, ," he stated, raising an eyebrow. "Interesting name, by the way."
Logan added, "The school seems to encourage their students into posting personal videos, and Jade has posted some we can look at, including ones where she was 'Slapped' in."
Carlos gasped, "They have videos of people slapping her?!"
"No," Logan instantly answered, panicked that the Latino was misunderstanding what he said. He jerked the laptop screen into Carlos's view, gesturing wildly at where he'd read the term. "See? I just meant other people posted something and she was included in some way."
While Logan calmed Carlos down, James made his way closer to see these videos she'd posted. He was interested in what she'd do; what she considered worthy of being online for everyone to see.
Looking at the titles alone was amusing, to say the least. Kendall must have thought so too, for he commented, "Jade sure hates a lot of stuff."
"But she added a couple of segments of things she loves," James defended, pointing out said videos. "The newest one happens to be one of them."
"I think we should watch all of them," Carlos suggested, grinning at his friends. "That way we can kind of get to know her, at least a little bit, before we actually meet her."
"That's not a bad idea, Carlos," Logan stated, smiling. He turned to Kendall and James, both boys beginning to grin too. "You guys in?"
"Psh, of course," they responded, and all four boys started the first video with avid interest.
+++BTR Apartment:
About An Hour Later
"Tell me something you like," Jade's voice said from the video James was watching carefully. His thumb nail was in his mouth, chewing like there was no tomorrow. He had a bad feeling about what was about to happen, especially considering the good-looking guy she was 'interviewing' was her (ex) boyfriend.
There had been nothing to suggest they were still together, and this video was dated some time ago. There was also the fact Jade hadn't posted anything to show she was in a relationship, and neither did the guy, Beck Oliver.
James also took comfort in the fact she hadn't named Beck as something she loved- though those videos were a good source of information. He could also admit the Relationship Advice segments were cute, but Jade had been a brunette, so it must have been done some time ago too.
"Like or love?" Beck replied, sitting casually on the couch, watching Jade with his chocolate eyes.
Jade shrugged. "Love," she threw out.
James disliked how charming Beck's grin was, especially when it was directed at the Goth.
"You."
Jade's, "Aw," was almost heart-stopping, and so was when she stood to sit in Beck's lap. James had to turn off the video before it could cut itself off. There was only so much he was willing to watch, after all.
"They're so adorable," Carlos cooed dreamily, palms cupping his chin in a love-struck pose. "I hope they're still together!"
Logan and Kendall gave their oblivious friend horrified expressions.
"I bet they were dating for a long time, too! I mean, did you see the way they interacted?" the Latino sighed, a grin curling his lips up. "Their kids will be so cute! I just-"
"-Carlos!" Logan and Kendall finally shouted, effectively stopping the helmet-wearing teen from speaking.
Clueless, he asked, "What?" His dark eyes widened in the next second and he glanced guiltily at James, who appeared a little disheartened. Whipping his head to face the other two again, he exclaimed, "Logan, come up with a plan!"
"Me?" the brainy boy asked, incredulous. "Why me? Kendall! You come up with a plan this time."
Kendall was already shaking his head in the negative, and Logan lowered his head to pout. "Nope, no can do, Logan. We're counting on you, buddy." He slapped Logan in the arm in a friendly-encouraging manner, but it didn't improve his friend's mood. "Come on, do it for the Bro-Code!"
Logan slowly looked up, a suspicious look on his face. "What about the Bro-Code?" he asked.
Kendall threw a mischievous grin Carlos's way, who sent the same look at James. James, getting the message, returned it with a slow smirk.
The blonde turned back to Logan, who looked about ready to bolt to avoid whatever they had planned. "Oh, you know," he began, "the code that says the smart Bro must come up with all the plans when it concerns another Bro who needs help getting the girl."
He said it so casually, only a true genius would figure out he was lying through his teeth.
Logan's suspicious expression instantly morphed into a bright grin. "Oh okay," he conceded, nodding in understanding. "I have a plan then!"
It was the other three boys' turns to look suspiciously at their dark haired friend. "Really?" Kendall asked.
"Of course not!" Logan snapped, frowning at the three. "I'm not stupid- I know what you three are trying to do! You're trying to change the Bro-code without telling me. Well, I won't be fooled." He abruptly stood from his seat, a finger pointed in the air imperiously. "I won't be fooled, I tell you!"
With that, he marched to the front door, opened it then, left with a slam.
James exchanged glances with Carlos and Kendall, all wondering what just happened.
Their attention was caught by the door opening again, and Logan appeared with that same finger raised.
"Now I have an idea!"
+++The Next Afternoon:
Helen's Office
When Big Time Rush had walked into the principal's office, they had expected squeals of excitement from the younger generation, not from Principal Helen specifically. Turns out the older woman was a huge fan and listened to their music constantly. It also didn't hurt they were all 'cute as a button', as she had put it.
Calming down, Helen retook her seat behind her desk. She gestured for the boys to get comfortable, so James took one of the seats in front of her, along with Kendall, while Logan and Carlos sat on the plush-looking couch.
"So, boys, what can I do for you?" Helen kindly asked, folding her hands in front of her. "And, can I have an autograph?"
"Of course," they instantly responded. Without batting an eyelash, they all signed a rather large poster Helen kept in her office, although they did wonder what they were getting themselves into when it came to Hollywood Arts.
James leaned forward, putting his best smile on his handsome face. "So, Helen- Can I call you Helen?" When she nodded excitedly, he continued, "So, Helen, me and the guys have a bit of a problem, you see. We were wondering if, maybe, you could help us?"
Helen waved a hand, giggling like a school girl. "Oh, of course, James. Anything for my favorite boy band!" she answered, "What kind of help do you need?"
"Well, you see," Kendall broke in, bringing her attention onto him. "James, here, has a huge crush on one of your students. Her name is Jade West and-"
The older woman held up a hand, eyes wide. "Did you say Jade West?" she asked, hoping she'd heard wrong.
James raised an eyebrow questioningly. "You know Jade?" he asked back, a little confused.
She shivered, hands coming up to rub her arms. Oh yes, she remembered Jade's re-audition to stay in Hollywood Arts. Helen still had nightmares!
"You could say that," she mumbled, shaking her head to clear the images. Clearing her throat, she inquired, "And how do you know Miss West?"
James smiled dreamily. "I heard her singing in one of rooms here. She's amazing."
Helen couldn't dispute that; Jade was talented in many fields. "Well, alright," she slowly said, "I get you're trying to impress her, but how does that involve me?"
Logan piped up this time. "According to the school's website, Hollywood Arts is having an event called a Kickback. We were hoping we could perform that night?"
Sitting back in her chair, she hummed thoughtfully. "I don't really know if that's possible," she said, ignoring their crushed expressions. "The Kickback is mainly for the students, you see. I don't have much power over what they do, and I think the music is recorded, nothing live."
"Oh, well, who should we talk to, then?" Logan asked, shooting a concerned look at James.
Helen flipped through some papers on her desk. "Well, I suggest either the school's counselor, Lane or Mr. Erwin Sikowitz. He's the Improv. teacher and happens to be pretty close to Jade and her group of friends."
James and the others stood to their feet with new determination. "Thank you so much," the brunette said, flashing his infamous charming smile. "You've been a huge help!"
She watched as the group of four left, a small smile on her face. If things were going as she thought they would, Jade West would soon find a new love and new happiness.
Good for her, Helen thought, that girl needs a bit of joy in her life after the break-up.
+++Hollywood Arts High:
Sikowitz's Classroom
When the boys first met Sikowitz, they weren't sure if he was lying about being a teacher because he appeared to be a hobo, drinking coconut milk with a straw. And he was barefoot and going bald- what hair he did have was messy, too.
Not that they were judging his sense of… Style. They just didn't want to waste their time talking to a hobo when they needed to talk to the teacher. Of course. Yeah, that was their story.
Sikowitz laughed, head thrown back, after Big Time Rush explained their predicament again.
He pointed at James, who backed away from the crazy man before he spilled coconut milk on him or something equally bad. "You- You have a crush on- on Jade?!" he sputtered out, laughing some more. "Jade West? She's kind of a gank."
"Gank?" the guys asked, unfamiliar with the term.
Sikowitz waved a dismissive hand, grinning like a maniac. "Besides, she's still in love with Beck, and Beck is still in love with her. They're just being stubborn about their feelings!"
James frowned. "Yeah, but come on," he protested, "I still have a fair shot against that guy." He waved his fingers by his face in his usual display of 'hotness'. "How can a girl resist this face for long?" He even threw in a charming smile that always had girls lining up to ask him out.
The older man chuckled, finding the tallest member of BTR humorous. "If that's all you have going for you, pretty boy, Jade is gonna shoot you down. Hard. Beck is the resident 'hottie' and Jade is tougher than your average tough-cookie. You have to keep in mind that those two dated for nearly three years. All those feelings aren't just gonna go away."
James, Carlos, Logan, and Kendall collapsed into chairs that littered the classroom. Their situation was getting worse by the second.
"So, what should we do?" Kendall asked, sounding just about defeated. How could he help James, his friend, when things were falling apart before they could be put together?
Sikowitz sat on his make-shift stage, leaning back in a relaxed position. "You'll have to really impress her, for one thing," he advised, seeing an opportunity to help Jade move on. In all fairness, he knew Beck and Jade belonged together; they brought out each other's better sides but, at the same time, he wanted his students to be happy, and Jade hadn't been happy for a long time (even with Beck).
Maybe this James-character will finally change that?
"How would you go about impressing a girl like Jade?" James asked, seeking wisdom from the Improv. teacher.
He sipped his coconut before responding. "Why don't you just tell her? If anything, Jade would like that you're honest."
"He could do that at the Kickback," Logan put in, shrugging vaguely. "I mean, if we got to perform, too, that would be awesome." His hint was sent in the teacher's way, discreetly.
Sikowitz seemed to ponder the thought but soon nodded. "Sure, why not?"
"YES!" the guys cheered, high-fiving each other.
+++Kickback:
With Jade
She really was quite proud of herself. Not once did she freak out about the girls surrounding Beck nor did she feel jealous about him talking to them. Instead, she felt… Relieved? Something like that; she was just glad she didn't have that burning fury within her anymore. Really, why should she waste her life on a guy who didn't want to be with her anymore?
Taking a sip of her punch, she felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around. She rose a brow when she saw it was that pretty boy from a few days ago- James.
"Well, well," she mumbled, smirking. "What are you doing here? Last I checked, you didn't go to this school." Not that it mattered; anyone could come if they were invited, like Cat's ex, Daniel had been. "Jamie, right?" Yeah, she got his name wrong on purpose, so what?
"James, actually," he answered, smirking right back at the pretty Goth. "And, I don't go to HA but I am performing tonight with my friends. We're pretty well-known, if I do say so myself." His hands came up to smooth his hair back to add emphasis.
Jade rolled her ice-blue eyes. "Yeah, whatever you say." However, her gaze landed on his attire and she couldn't help but appreciate all the black he wore; a black short-sleeved dress shirt over a plain maroon wife-beater, with black jeans and black sneakers. A shiny chain was hanging from a belt loop, and she liked the spiked leather bracelet around the opposite wrist.
James beamed proudly when he noticed she was checking him out. "Like what you see?" he teased, which snapped her eyes back onto his face. "I can do a little spin for you, too, if you want?"
She couldn't stop the small chuckle that escaped her throat, which made his grin widen if possible. "Fine," she conceded, twirling her finger around. "Show me what you got."
James slowly turned around, wanting Jade to see how attractive he was, especially considering their first meeting hadn't gone completely the way he'd planned. He had to score some brownie points.
+++Meanwhile:
With Beck
Okay, there was only so much a guy could take before he almost blows his top and snaps at the next person who talks to him. Seriously, how did all these girls from Northridge get into HA's Kickback? Beck was about ready to yell at them to leave him alone.
Sure, he was a nice and calm guy who took things in stride, but this was getting ridiculous. He wanted a conversation with an intelligent life-form, not with some airhead that cared more about her looks rather than brain-cell count.
This was one of those times he wished he were dating Jade again. She would've gotten them to leave him alone for the whole night and he could have a conversation that was more than half-way decent. Although Jade hated to show it, she was one of the smartest people in their grade and Beck missed their talks about anything and everything.
Now, his ears had to suffer the injustice of having to deal with bimbos who giggled too loudly and talked about nothing important or worth listening to. Seriously, was this what Jade had to live with while they'd been dating? No wonder she snapped so often and had little to no patience for them; Beck was coming close to snarling at them too.
I seriously owe Jade for saving me back then, he thought. She'd known what she was doing. I shouldn't have reprimanded her so often.
Discreetly, he looked in the direction he'd last seen his ex in, hoping he could telepathically signal her into assisting him away from these other girls. Maybe with her jealousy all built up, she'd scare these chicks away from him for good!
What Beck found, instead, was Jade talking and laughing with some guy Beck didn't recognize right off the bat. He was a brunette with clothes that would compliment Jade's sense of style, and he was tall; possibly taller than Beck, with slightly wider shoulders and buffer-looking arms.
Oh, this was not good. Not good at all.
Breathe, Oliver, breathe! He had to remind himself, calmly taking deep, discreet breaths to lower his sense of panic. Jade isn't your girlfriend anymore- it stood to reason she would move on eventually. It wasn't like you were trying to get back together either!
The sobering thought jolted Beck back into his usual cool. No, he hadn't seemed like he'd wanted to win Jade back; on the contrary, he'd been waiting for her to make the first move. Why? Because he had needed some sign that his ex still loved him, in some way.
Well, now it was pretty clear she'd decided to move on. He should be happy for her, but he couldn't help how it left a bitter taste on his tongue.
This is Jade we're talking about, his mind reasoned, Even if she started dating again, it doesn't mean she'll go exclusive so fast! If she's nothing else, she's careful about the people she associates herself with.
Even with that thought, it didn't stop Beck from breaking away from his fan-girls in order to casually saunter up to Jade and her new friend. He was even kind enough to grab Andre on the way just in case the guy was bothering her (though the laughing proved otherwise).
"Hey Jade," Beck greeted, smiling at the Goth.
"What's up, Snow White?" Andre also greeted, mentally rolling his eyes at his best friend. Really, only a blind person wouldn't see that Beck was radiating jealousy. And none of the four that made up their little group were blind.
Jade gave her ex a confused look, taking another sip of her punch. "Beck, Andre," she greeted back, sounding unsure about what was going on. "Not that I care, but what are you guys doing here?"
For his part, James narrowed his hazel eyes the slightest bit at Beck's arrival. Well, the almost-actor was better looking than James thought but he wasn't discouraged about getting Jade on his side. No, if anything, he was even more determined.
"Just hanging out," Beck answered, "Who's your friend?" Vaguely, he gestured in James's direction and, while the guy looked familiar, Beck couldn't place where he may have seen him.
Before she could answer, James stepped forward and held his hand out. "James," he introduced, grinning. "James Diamond. Nice to meet you two."
After exchanging handshakes only guys could pull off without it being awkward, Andre was the one who made the connection.
"Oh, wow, you're from Big Time Rush," he stated, smiling widely. "Your guys' music is pretty off the chain." And he could only hope to one day sign with such a huge record company. Did Jade realize who exactly she was associating with? If so, the girl had serious connections.
James chuckled. "Thanks. My friends and I-"
"-James, did you find her?" said friends interrupted, stopping suddenly when they noticed who James was talking to.
"Oh wow," Carlos said while staring dreamily at Jade. "You're way prettier in person."
Jade backed up a step, but that only encouraged the Latino in taking a step closer to her. "Thanks, I guess?" she replied, unsure. She turned to glance at James, who grinned sheepishly. "Friends of yours, I'm guessing?"
"Yeah," he answered. Sending his friends a warning look, he introduced everyone. "The guy in the helmet is Carlos Garcia then, you have Kendall Knight and Logan Mitchell." After pointing to each boy to show who was who, James made it a point to gesture at the only girl. "Guys, this is Jade West obviously. Be cool." The last was a whispered order that only the four involved heard.
Kendall was kind enough to point out the other two boys with them. "And, these must be a couple of Jade's friends?" He smiled, instantly recognizing Jade's ex but choosing not to say anything.
Jade rolled her eyes but vaguely gestured to each. "Beck Oliver and Andre Harris," she introduced. Seeing her job was done, she went back to sipping her punch.
"Nice to meet you!" Carlos exclaimed, eagerly shaking the boys' hands. He went to hug them, but Logan held him back with a hand on his shoulder. As he pouted, the others shook and gave various forms of small talk and greetings.
While all this happened, James kept a steady stream of chatter with Jade, while Beck watched with cautious eyes. The latter wasn't sure what the brunette was up to but he knew he didn't like it, at all, for some reason he didn't want to explain.
Beck was snapped from his suspicious thoughts when Andre curiously asked, "So, what's a group like Big Time Rush doing here?"
"And how do your friends seem to know who I am?" Jade's voice chimed in, sending a suspicious glare James's way.
Logan rubbed the back of his neck in a sheepish gesture that didn't go unnoticed by the HA students. "Well," he awkwardly said, "We came up with- rather, James did- but we wanted to help and- I guess you could say-"
"- James wanted to perform for Jade tonight," Carlos helpfully stated, grinning adorably.
"CARLOS!" Logan, Kendall, and James (who flushed in embarrassment) all reprimanded with exasperated expressions.
Andre looked at his feet as he practically felt Beck tense at the news. Well, this just went from a little awkward and tense to extremely awkward and tense.
Jade raised an eyebrow, keeping her intense ice-blue eyes pinned on James. "Oh, really?" she softly asked.
James ran his hands down his face, wishing he could rewind the last few seconds to keep him from feeling this level of embarrassment. "Well, yeah," he settled for saying, knowing there was no going back now. "The guys and I are performing so that I could impress you. At least a little," he quickly tacked on, waving his hands wildly.
"Well then, get on the stage and show me what you got," she easily replied, shrugging like this was no big deal.
Of course, this was Big Time Rush she was talking to, so her words were taken as a challenge.
A blazing fire of determination shining in their eyes, the four best friends declared, "We will!"
+++The End+++
Until next time!
Thank you for reading this chapter- please leave a review to let me know what you thought! It would be much appreciated :3
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