A/N: Happy Easter to anyone who celebrates! I wrote this while in and out of dinner, so let's just give a huge thank you to transportable laptops. Where would we be without them? I am just in love with everyone who reviewed, you all should get gold stars! Um, and I also don't own Victorious or any of the cannon characters mentioned.
WARNING: This is a very dark story that will be filled with violence and angst.
Time had passed quickly; yesterday's events were becoming a mere memory in Jade's mind. But to everyone around her they were only being brought to the surface. It was hard to admit that she still found herself thinking about that boy and his beautiful face and body. Jade wanted nothing more than to take him right then, right there –although it was more of a subconscious fantasy that she denied whenever she thought of him. For a sinner she truly had no idea what she was doing, the dark girl had dissipated along with any once of self-assurance she once had.
Outside the sky was a murky grey color, the standstill before the pink tinted sundown. Jade sat on the concrete and held her face with her hands. The rings on her fingers scratching against her skin, but what did it matter? She wasn't strong enough to do the one task that she was given. Who could take her seriously anymore? Caring about people's feelings was not how you made it anywhere in the circle that Jade ran in.
Breathing in deeply she continued deep in thought, knowing that whatever was going on inside was ran by Cat, and she never let anyone get hurt. Her best friend was so sensitive towards other people's feelings that Jade almost thought it was a sixth sense. But she knew better, Cat just had compassion, a trait that Jade luckily had lacked for so long, until today that is.
She chuckled humorously as she considered what Vega would say. Another childhood friend, the two had been inseparable until they reached the age of thirteen. By then Jade was already maturing into a beautiful young woman, whereas Tori –Vega, same difference- continued to look like a nine year old boy. With a flat chest and a strict no dress policy she was so much less than Jade, and that just wouldn't do. In all honesty it wasn't that she actually had a problem with the unfortunate girl, it lied more with Tori's older sister, Trina. But as time went on they developed their own form of hatred, neither spoke, but they both always knew the other was watching.
Most of the time it pushed Jade to do better, but there were moments when she wished they would just drop the feud and let it go, like they should have a long time ago. But they were knee deep, far too close to sinking to do anything about it. Taking deep breaths Jade now sat with her hands on her knees, steadying herself for any blow –physical or emotional- that she would have to endure. Traumatic experiences helped shape her, no one become this damaged just by teaching. Maybe this would be the one that taught her how to not be so weak, because God knows that's something that she desperately needed to learn.
Sauntering back inside Jade prepared for the fight. Calmly she leaned towards the young man and cut the ropes with the blade on her pocket knife. As he shook her arms to wake up the no doubt tingling limbs Jade motioned towards Cat who walked over with her palm opened as Jade pulled two pills from her hand.
"Thanks, baby girl." Jade smiled towards her best friend. Cat was pleased with herself, rewarding Jade's appreciation with a hug she sat back down on her chair and began to braid her dyed red hair leaving Jade to basically do whatever she pleases, leaving at least thirty minutes before she would even possibly break out of her trance.
Beneath her Beck nodded towards the knife, which Jade folded closed as she untied the bounds on his feet and stomach that wrapped around the body of the chair. "There you go, Beck." Jade patted his knees, standing back up onto her feet. She glanced over to the opening that could be considered a door, waiting for someone to burst through and give her the punishment she obviously deserved. First, he lived; second, he left. Although he still sat in the chair unsure of what to do. Jade wondered why he hadn't fought back yet, there had been numerous opportunities for him to do such a thing.
She was standing with her feet apart and knee bent, ready to strike. In her acid wash skinny jeans, purple tank top, and studded leather jacket she had a look that could kill. The purple high lights in her hair only accented the smirk that she was carrying. 'Fake it 'till you make it' was a saying that Jade had long been known to ridicule, but for this instance it fit oddly well. Beck just sat there, had hand running through his silky hair, watching her every move. Deciding that she had been putting it off long enough the dark haired beauty finally spoke.
"Here's the deal," Beck nodded in acknowledgement, as if he had an understanding about what she was about to propose. But he had no idea what she was truly thinking. Death, commonly used a form of punishment would not do. She'd plead that he was not guilty, for all she knew he could be as innocent as a lamb. But she didn't know anything about him, which was yet another weak spot. "You leave, and I tell everyone you escaped. Don't tell them I let you go, I don't tell them that you did it" Her bluff was surfacing, although she tried her best to keep it at bay. A perfect poker face, no one else could master it. But here she was losing that art.
"That's the thing, Jade. What if I don't want to go? Maybe getting caught was my plan. Don't you think it came too easily?" He was ridiculing her, getting under her skin in the worst way. Trying to one up her plan, but Jade didn't fall for it at all. His emotions ranged from cool and collected to blank and without a care. He was awfully calm for the situation, which did raise a red flag, But then again, from everything Jade had gathered about the so-called nark she should know that he wasn't known for his vibrant personality, quite the opposite actually.
She set her hands on his thighs, close to his knees. Leaning towards him face to face her breath hitched in her throat as Jade came in contact with his scent. Cologne that she didn't recognize, but was already entranced with. "Listen to me," Jade spat, her pale nose practically touching his own. In that moment all Jade wanted to do was lean forward and set her lips on his. The temptation was stronger than she had ever felt. But Jade was stronger than her mind, and continued to play the stronger person in this situation.
"I know all of your dirty little secrets. God forbid you spill one of mine. I can kill you with just your own stupidity. From my research it shows that that will be the easy part."
Looking him the eye Jade frowned, her brows furrowed in concentration as she considered what to do next. He was currently here without any reason, so she came to the conclusion that letting him go was the right choice. There was no mistake. If they wanted to blame her, they could. She wouldn't mind. Doing what could save her was always better than doing what could save them as a whole. After all, she's always been a selfish girl, wanting what others have for her.
"Go." And with that he jumped from his chair, a hidden smile on his face. There were no words exchanged as he stood there, unsure of what was coming next. He was just given permission to leave, but he didn't know how these people worked. Maybe it was code for 'you're dead' there was no telling. Beck stood there for a moment before getting a nod from Jade, and going off through the doors.
Jade waved, and tried her best to make good of the situation. It's all she could do to even remotely be prepared to face tomorrow. Letting her victim go would without a doubt get her a high level of punishment; Jade was a talented fighter, and she wondered if it was finally time to fight back.
Standing in front of her dad and a few of her minions Jade looked around, the rundown building in downtown L.A had been a safe meeting ground for had been a safe meeting ground for the group for years. All operations were stationed from this previously abandoned building. Although the outside was old and unloved the inside was beautiful. Plus objects at every turn, money was no object and that fact obviously tied into the decorating of the place.
Outside in the window hung a blinking open sign, another reminder of the fact that they had to cover their tracks at every single turn. The building was posed as an insurance office, it was Jade's mom's idea that started the fake business. She claimed if they had a reason for the money that there would be less questions. The more legit you could make it look the better. And there was no denying that this looked legit, a bit too fancy for this part of town, but it felt like that's what everyone was actually here to do.
The so-called insurance brokers were actually just henchmen to her father, following every order they were given. Mostly the dirty work so that Mr. West's hands would be free of any blood. He rarely did partake in the killing of any person –unless they rubbed him in the worst way possible. Behind desks the 'secretaries' helped plan every detail down to a T. Everyone else did their part, posing as workers for small, menial jobs that no one would remember the names of. They were the strong ones when it came time to bring a plan to life. No one would remember anything important about them, but they would know just enough to testify that they were there and had no part in whatever crime they were accused of.
Moving closer to her small frame a man in a black ensemble and top hat followed closely behind. The scene presented itself as a picture out of an old 1920's mafia movie, if only they knew how close to reality that would continue to be. Time changed things, but not by much. Fashion, food, and entertainment; but general things stayed the same. Jade wished things would have changed, that death wasn't something that the young girl had to witness daily, and that she had some form of a conscience. Too late now, just like always.
"You little bitch!" His loud voice boomed, his large hand making contact with Jade's face. The slapping sound echoed throughout the small room, the others just stood behind him watching. Last week she would have been the one making orders towards his abuse and pain. "Did your shit of a mother never tell you anything?" He yelled, this time kicking her in the leg with a dull cracking sound. Jade knew that most likely her leg had been broken, but that was an easy enough fix.
The other men joined in the festivities, kicking, punching, and slapping a raggedy Jade. Her body went limp thirty minutes after everyone had joined in. She fought every second, her screams never left her moth and her tears stayed in her eyes; exactly how they were supposed to. They screamed profanities at the girl, and ridiculed her as they beat her body. In those moments Jade started to wonder how her father could let them treat her in such a way. He always said that once you make a mistake it always comes back to haunt you, and this moment was complete proof of that truth.
A broken girl lied on the hard floor, bloody, broken, and bruised. But the only words she could utter were "it's my fault. All of this, it's my fault." The chant continued on, her small figure on the cold ground with no plan to stop her constant speaking. Her head was light and she felt dizzy and sick, but it was all her fault. They gave her a responsibility that she couldn't handle, punishment was well deserved. At least in her mind it was. For such a strong girl to turn into someone so weak would hurt anyone who saw, but she hid this from the people that she loves most. Because Jade sure as hell never wanted their help, why would she want their pity?
Hours went by, her lips becoming chapped and her breathing becoming a challenge, the shallow breaths were quite loud. Her struggle for air continued, there was no one in the room when she heard the knock on the door. Screeching she tried to hide in the corner, to get away from one of the horrible men that had participated in this little game. The tears had started running down her face, black mascara marks and faded lipstick were the better parts of her appearance. Sobs wracked her body as she pulled her knees to her chest and curled up in a little ball, not sure what the man planned to do to her.
She could feel him moving closer to her, the hovering sensation of impending doom seemed to be lurker, although in this state Jade couldn't help but feel melodramatic. "What do we do with her?" One voice wondered aloud, his foot lightly kicking Jade's bloody torso.
"I don't know, what were the instructions?" Another asked. She sighed internally, more idiots that she had to deal with even when she was close to death. Being that her father was the head of all operations there was no chance that he'd told them to kill her. But he wasn't much of a person, let alone a father, so something violent was always allowed.
The men stopped for a moment and looked at each other, before coming to a conclusion. "We'll dump her on the other side of town. Like, you know the fancy pants side. Good hospitals so less chance of her dying. Mr. West would be pissed if she did, you know if he didn't do it himself." They both chuckled before the more muscular one threw her damaged body over his shoulder.
A/N: Reviews and favorites are pretty damn cool, if I'm being honest.