Chapter 2: Getting Closer
Author's Note: I'm still fond of the first chapter more than the second, but I needed a bridge to go from Beck/Cat to Beck/Jade. Trying to keep them as in character as possible. Suggestions, reviews, and constructive criticism are all appreciated.
I was asked why I hate Bade in the reviews. I like Beck and Jade as individual characters, but think that Beck deserves someone nicer (aka, I ship Beri) because his character seems to be overshadowed by his relationship with Jade. I also think that it would be interesting to see where Jade would go if she weren't with Beck; I feel like her character would be able to grow a lot because seems to be very dependent on him.
Disclaimer: I don't own Victorious.
"No, I didn't really talk to him. He just asked me if I had seen you," Jade said.
Cat seemed skeptical as she said, "He seemed to like you a lot." Then, she joked, "I mean, he was totally staring." It was a mask, Cat's casual attitude about her boyfriend staring at her best friend.
"I will personally punch his face if he stares at me while he's dating you."
Cat shyly said, "It's okay, Jade. He-" She began giggling.
Jade stared at her expressionless. "Cat?"
"He told me that he loves me yesterday."
Jade's eyes bulged out. "AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ME UNTIL NOW? Why didn't I get a frantic text from you?" All Cat could do was laugh at Jade's reaction. She muttered while rolling her eyes, "Useless guy. It only took him a year."
Cat felt somewhat hurt, but conflicted. Yes, Beck had taken a year to tell her that he loves her, which was a long time considering that she knew she's loved him for months. However, he had to have really meant it if he refrained from doing so for so long. This relationship wasn't frivolous to him, Cat thought. If it was, he would have told her he loves her six months ago.
Cat always trusted Jade's opinion. No matter how brutally honest or even crude she could be, Jade had Cat's best interests at heart and was often right. Her lip quivered slightly as she asked, "Jade, what do you honestly think of Beck?" The innocent teenager stared at the morbid black of Jade's shirt as prepared to hear her worst fears being confirmed; she would begin crying if she let her eyes meet the icy blue of Jade's.
/
Cat lay down in bed, suddenly thinking of Beck and Jade. Strange how the two people she was closest to were so different from her. They danced around in a pessimistic (she looked that one up in the dictionary; basically, depressing) world, typically finding faults in their situations. Cat couldn't see what was so bad about Beck's arguments with his parents and Jade's discouraging father. Cat Valentine had real problems, with herself, that might never get fixed, yet she always believed that she was meant to be happy.
Jade didn't like Beck much. She said he seemed cold and selfish, but what does she know? She's seen Beck once. She doesn't know him.
/
Beck flipped through another glossy page of Cat's sophomore yearbook. Jade West, he recalled. He flipped through the A's and D's and M's and R's until he got to the W's. West, West, West, his finger traced down through the various names of students. It stopped (foundher).
Beck's eyes moved to the picture when suddenly, Cat walked in. "Beck?" she asked in a high-pitched voice. "What are you doing? I thought you were going to wait downstairs," Cat confusedly said. She observed what had caught his attention and saw his finger pointing to a picture towards the bottom of the yearbook page.
Guilt flashed in his eyes for a brief moment before he covered it with sincerity saying, "I was just looking through your yearbook and wanted to see how different you were back then. Guess what?" he grinned. "You're still just as beautiful."
He placed the yellow yearbook to the side and brought his arm around Cat's shoulder before kissing her temple. She helplessly blushed and asked him to wait for her in the car while she fixed her hair and got her purse. Beck reluctantly left, not knowing that Cat had noticed his interest on a particular image in her yearbook. She swiftly swam through the pages until she reached the page of V's and W's. Cat's cute picture was towards the top, her smile standing out amongst the rest. Beck wasn't pointing towards the top, though; he was looking at the bottom at...Jade's yearbook picture, Cat realized. What was going on?
Nothing, Cat. Nothing.
/
Cat bit her lip nervously. Doubts had been cropping up in her head for days now. "Beck, do you love me?"
He turned his attention from the movie and squeezed his arm around her tighter. "Of course I do."
She took a deep breath and came out with it finally. "Then, why were you staring at J-that girl at the fair?"
Beck looked at her strangely. "What, am I not allowed to look at other girls when I'm dating you?"
Cat childishly turned her head away. "You shouldn't have to."
Her more mature companion refrained from saying anything, even when the child (admit it, Beck, she is one) left him alone in his RV.
/
Remorse. It swam through his veins. How could he look at another girl while dating gorgeous, adorable Cat? It was all his fault.
He ran over to Border's and bought the deluxe edition of The Little Mermaid, the $40 so not worth a damn DVD. Stupid Disney. But oh well, Cat always said Eric and Ariel reminded her of them, so he figured he should watch the movie with her sometime or the other. And what better time then when he feels ohsosorry?
He drove over to Cat's house in his parents' almost dead, old car and knocked on the door. A little scuffling could be heard inside, so he knew someone was there, even if he or she was taking time to get to the door. The sun shone brightly on him, and he wished the door would just open already so he could treat himself to the cool whips of the AC air.
Finally, Beck's exuberant girlfriend opened the door. Except, her expression wasn't what he expected it to be. She...nearly looked nervous.
"Hey, babe," he said, bringing his hands onto her waist and kissing her. The DVD in his hand hit Cat's back, who still was in her odd mood.
She quirked her eyebrows. "What are you doing here, Beck? And what's that?" she pointed to the gift bag he held.
He smiled proudly. "Little pieces of our movie tradition. I brought peanut M&Ms, pretzel sticks, and a whipped cream and fruit tray since I know my girl likes to try and be healthy at all times," he said, nuzzling her nose. "Oh, and I brought The Little Mermaid."
The same old Cat returned when she suddenly perked up and squeaked. "You did?" She stuttered. "Uh, I mean, I was kind of busy."
Beck looked at her, perplexed. "It's summer. What are you up to?"
"Nothing!" she said quickly.
"O-Kay," Beck drawled. He began making his way up to her room by skipping steps two at a time. Cat squeezed her eyes shut and muttered a curse to herself. When Beck entered the blindingly pink room, he was taken aback. "Jade? Why are you here? I thought you didn't know Cat."
The exotically beautiful girl stared back like a deer caught in headlights. She turned her head when Cat entered the room. Beck waited expectantly for the two of them to begin explaining, but they remained silent.
/
Best friends, my ass. Beck now cursed himself for not having gone to Hollywood Arts, thus not having a profile on TheSlap. He'd never been on there in his life, and now he finds out Cat and Jade are best friends who lied to him saying they had no clue who the other was when the 368 pictures and 21 videos were there for all at HA to see.
(He apparently wasn't important enough to meet Cat's friends).
/
In reality, Cat was always insecure, about herself, about l.o.s.i.n.g. Beck, about her zealousness - it was abnormal, wasn't it, when the rest of the world looked at life through dark shades while her lenses were prettypretty pink? Why would someone recognize her in spite of that?
/
"I'm sorry!" she kept texting. Delete.
/
Beck finally confessed to Cat that within a week, his world was torn apart by Jade. JadeJadeJade. The only name in his mind.
Cat didn't want to let go of him. But she knew it was over. So, she put on a perky smile and bid Beck goodbye from her life. Friends? Not a chance in hell, she smiled sweetly.