After watching a few episodes of Divertisimo, the somewhat hit television series that Tori's older sister was a part of, things started to creep back up again.
"Wow, Trina's costar Mandy is one hot chick," Andre commented.
"Yeah, she's really something," Robbie agreed.
"Oh so you think she's pretty?" Cat said.
"I just said that," Robbie defended.
"So what, you going to ask her out? Sleep with her and every other bimbo in the city?" the redhead started.
"How did we go from watching TV to this again, Cat?" Robbie said impatiently.
"How do you go from a perfect relationship to screwing it up?" he retorted.
"I'm not the only one to blame!" she fired back.
"Whoa, you guys, calm down," Jade tried to reason.
"I'll be right back," Beck said and got up from his seat next to Jade to go to their bedroom. Jade had a feeling Beck was tired and upset because of today, but she'd fix that later. She needed to fix this mess of her friends.
"Come on you guys. You two need to stop fighting like this. It's making the rest of us nervous and crabby," Tori said.
"Who you calling, crabby?" Andre wondered.
"You, Andre. You're always moping around," Jade answered.
"I'm not always moping! I'm struggling with my music. You wouldn't understand," he defended.
"Hey now, come on Andre," Tori tried leveling his anger.
"Boys don't understand anything. They're stupid," Cat commented.
"Says the girl who gets jealous for no reason at all," Robbie spat back.
"And you weren't jealous either when I was dancing with Juan Carlo?"
"That wasn't dancing, that was sex with your clothes on in the middle of the dance floor!" he yelled.
"Don't you dare yell at me Robbie Shapiro!"
"Guys, come on. Look, you two aren't together. So does that really mean anyone cheated last night?" Tori said.
"Yeah, you shouldn't even be jealous," Andre said.
"No one asked for your opinion, Andre. Why don't you put those words into a song so you can stop moping," Robbie coldly replied.
"You take that back, Shapiro," Andre grew serious.
"And what if I don't?" Robbie for once said courageously.
"Oh, now you decide to have a back bone and be a man. Where was that when we dated?" Cat said under her breath.
"Well the guy didn't even get a chance to be a man, what with all your prissy demands," Andre said.
"Hey now," Tori tried to calm them down.
"Why don't you stay out of our business and worry about your own love life. Oh wait you don't have one. Maybe that's why you have no inspiration to write," Cat said.
This went on for a few more minutes, Jade and Tori trying to reason with everyone as the other three kept bringing up their issues. No one even noticed when Beck had emerged from the bedroom. Except Jade.
"Hey Hun. What are you doing?" she asked him. He was dressed up, in jeans and a t-shirt.
"Out," he simply replied.
"Out where? I thought you were staying home today?"
"I thought we were going to do a lot of things today. But plans change," he said grabbing his jacket from the coat rack.
"Babe, what's wrong?" Jade grabbed his arm, hoping he'd talk to her.
"Do I really need to tell you?" he pointed at their friends.
"Come on, we're just trying to help them."
"No, you're trying to help them. But you're failing miserably at it."
"They need me, Beck."
"What about my needs, Jade? What about me? Your fiancé."
"I listen to you."
"Do you? Or are you just making small talk before resting up or going to work? When was the last time we actually talked about anything?"
"We're busy. But I'm trying. I'm not the only one to blame."
"I'm not blaming you," he said before reaching for the doorknob. "And I'm only busy because I don't want to feel lonely. Even when you're this close to me, I can still feel the distance."
He opened the door and stepped outside. Before closing it, he turned around once more to face her.
"I just wanted to have a nice morning with my girl. Breakfast in bed, a movie on the couch, I don't care. But I can't even get that much from you."
Jade stood at the door, at the same spot before he closed the door. She didn't know what happened. It was all happening too soon. Her world was spinning and her heart was racing. Her mouth became dry and she felt like her throat was constricting. This panic attack came out of nowhere and she willed herself to snap out of it. When she did, she turned to face her friends. They were still there. Still arguing. Still a mess. Robbie and Cat continued to argue, fighting about anything and everything. Andre seemingly gave up in trying to help them and sunk into a depression, cuddling a pillow on the couch. Tori, tried her best to juggle Andre, Cat and Robbie, smiling and saying everything was going to be ok. Oh Tori, nothing was ok. It was far from ok. Then Cat noticed Jade standing silently above them.
"Jadey?" the redhead innocently said. Something as simple as a naïve call stopped everyone's activity and they diverted their attention to their host.
"Jade, you ok?" Tori for the first time that day looked worried.
There was something about Tori's expression, the once optimistic Latina, showed her first sign of weakness, and Jade's walls beginning to do just that. She had grown to be fond of the younger Vega. The two had set their differences aside and became actual friends. Good friends. Best friends. And Jade tried to be as optimistic and put together as Tori did every day. But not today.
"Look, I'm sorry. I'm not the Jade you're used to seeing everyday. At least not today. I'm… I'm tired of having to put up a front; of being someone whom you all want me to be."
"What are you talking about?" Tori asked.
"Look at me. I mean, ten years ago I was never like this. I was careless, and rude. Not to mention I hated the adult life. Then all of a sudden I'm this workaholic who barely has time for anything or anyone, let alone for myself. I'm not me. And you guys see that. I've done a complete 360. I'm responsible, and I take care of each and every one of you. I'm friends with Robbie AND Tori. Who am I?"
"You're a good person, Jade," Tori said.
"A good person? Am I really a good person? I spend more time on my job than with my friends and family. I'm not even sure what I am, but I became this monster way too soon."
"What are you talking about?" Andre was confused.
"And I'm not the only one. All of us in this room are to blame for our miseries."
"What miseries?" Cat furrowed her eyebrows.
"What miseries? Are you freaking kidding me?! Cat, you and Robbie have been in this continuous 'will they, won't they' relationship for the past 10 years. And when you finally decide to be a real couple, you do one simple mishap and decide to give up when you both know you still want to try. It's both of your faults for getting into new relationships too soon. Stop thinking life is all unicorns and rainbows. It's not. Tori, I don't know how to pretend to be so optimistic. Then again, you and I are the same because we preoccupy ourselves with everything besides what's important. Steven left you. He was the love of your life and you have to live every day knowing he's loving someone else. I don't know what's optimistic about that. If I were you I'd be a hot mess. I would die. You should be more like Andre. But Andre, dude. How can you spend months and months in this depressed state? I mean it's one to acknowledge your pain, but how long are you going to keep this up? How long are you going to hide in your sorrows? I wish I can pretend some more, just like all of you, but I can't. My relationship is on the line because I don't know how to give Beck more of my attention. I wish I could be like you guys and just pretend like life is going to wait for me to be ready for it, but I can't. All we wanted was breakfast in bed. But… I got up too early. Why? To deal with everyone else's problems."
~.~.~.~
They all stood there, motionless. No one knew what to do next. Except Jade. She did the thing she should have done in the beginning. And that was to go back to bed. She left her friends still in shock in her living room and walked back to her room. After curling up in a ball under her bed, she fought every weak nerve inside of her to cry. She didn't want any of that. Jade almost second guessed her harshness towards her friends and for a second wanted to switch back to her 'grown up' self to go back and repair some possible damage. Instead, someone interrupted her at her bedroom door.
"Jade?"
She looked up and saw Tori, nervously standing at the door.
"Um… I just wanted to say that you're right. About everything. I deluded myself this whole time into thinking I was fine, but the truth is… I haven't been in a new relationship since Steven. A good one at least. I gotta stop lying to myself. I'm really lonely…"
Jade saw the fragility in Tori's eyes. She lifted her blanket to the side and offered her the spot next to her. Tori walked over and fell into Jade's arms. The two hugged and silently understood each other. Moments later, a voice broke the silence.
"Jadey?" Cat softly spoke.
Tori and Jade broke from their cuddle and looked over to the petite redhead.
"When you said life was unicorns and rainbows, it made me realize you forgot to say cupcakes," Cat said all too seriously. "And I always said that cupcakes make everyone happy."
Tori and Jade sadly chuckled, amazed that their friend was so naïve.
"Sorry Cat," Jade said.
"No, I'm sorry," Cat replied. "I-I only wanted to move on because I didn't want to mope. I don't want to feel sad. Like that time I thought Mona Patterson died."
"But she didn't die, remember?" Jade said.
"I know. That's why I've been hoping this whole time that maybe Robbie and I aren't dead either. Truth is I miss him. Maybe you're right to stay in bed to deal with it. I think I got out too early."
Cat scurried over to the other side of Jade and tucked herself under the covers, hugging Jade's back with a death grip. The three girls held their embrace and lay for a while together.
"Hey ladies. Got any more room?" Andre said at the door. He and Robbie stood awkwardly as the girls directed their attention to them.
"Um, since we're all in the confession mode… Well, I uh… I just wanted to say sorry for giving everyone such a hard time," Andre admitted. "I mean at first I was really depressed, but now I'm just scared. I don't know if I can handle facing the fact that I might never write a hit song again. I think I've been moping for too long. I need my swag back."
"Swag?" Cat asked. "What's swag?"
"It means cool. Andre wants to find his coolness again," Tori explained.
"Coolness? Is he warm? Maybe he shouldn't wear a sweater. It IS summer weather you know," the redhead naively replied.
"No, Cat. Cool as in hip. Trendy. Cooool," Jade attempted to explain again.
"Ohhh," Cat understood this time. "Andre, you are cool."
"Thanks, Lil' Red," Andre chuckled.
"You're cool too, Cat," Robbie softly spoke. Everyone turned their attention to the on-again, off-again couple.
"I am?" she asked him.
"Of course you are. The coolest," he half smiled. He decided to walk over to Cat on the other side of the bed and sat beside her legs. She sat up so she could face him.
"Jade was right. I only moved on because you did. But I don't want to be with anyone else, Kitty Cat. You're the nugget in my chicken."
"I am," her eyes grew in excitement.
"Yupperdoo! And you know I'll make you some spaghetti."
"Will there be meatballs?"
"There would," he smiled. The two shared a moment of googly eyes and ridiculous grins until Jade decided it needed to stop.
"Okay love birds, enough."
Cat ignored her best friend's words and stood up with Robbie so she could kiss and hug her boyfriend. Andre took this opportunity to saunter over to Jade's other side so the three friends could actually comfort each other, as opposed to the reunited lovebirds.
"Seriously, you two better not hook up while we're all in the same room," Jade warned them. Now stop with the kissing or get out!"
"Okay," Robbie said as he was tugging on Cat's arm to leave.
"No, Robbie. We need to stay with Jade."
"Alright," he sighed. But cheered back up so Jade wouldn't get mad. The two decided to slip back in bed with their friends, Cat next to Andre and Robbie behind her at the edge of the bed.
"Don't even think about doing anything kinky," Jade warned the two.
"We're not," Robbie smiled while playing with Cat's ear to make her giggle.
"Then stop with the touching," Andre said through gritted teeth.
"Huh?" Robbie said.
"Wrong thigh, dude!" Andre grunted.
After a while, everyone managed to fall asleep from comfortable silence. Jade, however, was woken up by a knock at the door. For a minute she hoped it was Beck, since he hadn't gone home yet, though he wouldn't have knocked since he had keys. She answered after the second time and was surprised to see Trina, Tori's sister, at the door.
"Trina? Hey."
"Hey Jade, is Tori here?"
"Yeah she is actually, they're all here."
"Where?" Trina looked around the empty living room.
Jade led the older Vega to her bedroom. Once they got there Trina witnessed the four other friends sprawled on the bed like ten-year-old kids sleeping like starfish.
"Wow, this is a lovely site," Trina laughed.
"They were tired. We had an eventful day," Jade reasoned.
"Yeah well, day's over. I gotta get Tori home. Our parents want us to have dinner with them," Trina said.
"Yeah, I kind of want to rest after a long day with them," Jade admitted.
"On it," Trina said. The older Vega made a ring between her middle finger and thumb, placed them in her mouth and let out a huge whistle to wake up the sleeping bunch.
"Ahh"
"Whistle!"
"I hear noises!"
"Trina!" Tori grunted after realizing it was her sister making the noise. "What was that for?!"
"Mom and dad want us to have dinner with them at their house."
"Oooh I wanna come over. She's got that Belgium cocoa. And you know I get my best ideas when I drink hot cocoa!" Andre reasoned.
"It's true, remember Song 2 You?" Robbie pointed out.
"And 365 Days," Cat added.
"Alright, sure come over," Tori said.
"What are we having for dinner?"
"I think spaghetti," Trina said.
"AND MEATBALLS?!" Robbie and Cat exclaimed.
"I don't know, maybe?" Trina was confused by their excitement.
"Tori, can we come over, please?!" the couple begged.
"Please take them," Jade asked.
"Sure, why not," Tori said.
The four friends gathered their things and said thanks to the host one last time before leaving. Trina was last to leave, Jade walking her to the door.
"Thanks, Trina. I needed that. You know, some alone time."
"No problem. They're a handful," Trina said. "Oh and I found something for you." That said, someone appeared at the doorway once Trina stepped aside.
"Beck!" Jade was surprised.
"I thought you two could use some alone time," she winked and walked out.
"How did she-?" Jade wondered.
"She's not as bad as we thought," Beck said.
"She has her moments," Jade agreed.
"You too," Beck pointed out.
"Listen, Beck. I'm sorry for neglecting you. I just, I don't know who I am anymore. I lost who I was. You know, the girl you fell for. And I-"
Jade would normally hate when someone would interrupt her, but since it's Beck, she didn't mind. Of course, he interrupted her with a kiss, so there wasn't much to complain.
"Jade, you still ARE the girl I fell for."
"No I'm not. I'm the complete opposite. I pay more attention to everything else than us. And I don't mean to do it. It's just, I know you and I are good, so I try to fix everything else. I didn't realize I've been giving my attention to everyone. I didn't see the interruptions to our relationship."
"Babe, it was never about the interruptions. I know you're a busy person and everyone wants you because who wouldn't want you? You're amazing."
"Aw, Beck," Jade rarely gushed, but with Beck it was hard not to be a softie. "How about we agree to set aside more time for each other? You know, like date nights, and trips or simple things," she suggested.
"Yeah definitely. So long as I get to spend as much time with you," he kissed his fiancée. "And it doesn't matter how much time we 'stay in bed' before we gotta get up. So long as you'll be there at the end of the day every day."
That sealed any of Jade's doubts away for good, knowing Beck won't ever leave, and that their spark will never fade.
"So," he said after placing a soft kiss on his fiancée's lips, "what do you want to do now?"
"Something crazy," she smiled cheekily.
"Ok," he smiled. "We can do anything you want. You want to fly to LA for the night? Moonlight picnic at central park?" he suggested.
"No, something crazier…"
New York is the city that never sleeps. There is always something going on, always something to do. No matter what time of day something is always happening. And people forget to sleep. Late night bars are open for nightcaps, moonlit carriage rides are offered at the park. Businesspeople are working tirelessly to reach deadlines, and actors are staying up late to memorize lines. There is always something to do in New York.
For Beck and Jade, the craziest thing they did that night was sip some hot chocolate, watch a movie, and went to bed.
Sometimes we get out of bed too early, we think we're ready to move on, keep going. Sometimes we never get out of bed, we're too comfortable, or too scared we'll never be happy again. But we all have to get out of bed eventually. We just have to know when the right time is. We can't dwell on the past, but we also can't pretend it was never there. All we can do is take life one day at a time. And that starts with waking up.
The End.
