Rescued
Chapter 4
Jade flopped down on the couch next to James. "What's wrong with you?" James asked bring Jade closer so that her head rested on his lap.
"Sikowitz is making us all do secret Santa and I have Tori." She said rubbing her forehead like the mere thought of Tori caused her head to explode.
Jade must have just found out recently because she was fine when she went into the kitchen to bet them some drinks. James smirked when he realized that she came back empty handed. "I thought that you and Tori were getting along better?" They had been together for a few weeks now and to the best of his knowledge her relationship with Tori was well frenemy territory but they were civil.
"That doesn't mean that I want to get her a present. Sikowitz said that had to be creative and meaningful." She said looking up into James's hazel eyes hoping for some type of answer. "Plus Beck had been crabby all day." She realized her mistake the second she felt James tense against her body before moving to a relaxed state of disinterest. "Sorry it just came out."
"S'ok. He is your friend I can't exactly expect a 3 year relationship to just vanish." Even if that was exactly what he wanted. He didn't want to be the type of boyfriend that told Jade who she could and couldn't hang out with. He hadn't seen Beck since the fight they had at the Asphalt Café and he wanted to keep it that way. Even without asking Cat had assured him that the former couple never spent alone time together only being around each other at school or with the group. When Cat told him he acted indifferent because he really did trust Jade but on the inside he was overcome with relief because he didn't trust Beck at all.
"When do you go back to Minnesota?" Jade asked decided to change the subject.
"A few days before Christmas and then we come back after the New Year. You never told me if you wanted to exchange gifts." Not that it mattered he was going out shopping with Carlos this weekend to get presents for the girls and everyone else.
"I am horrible when it comes to stuff like that. It's another reason why this whole secret Santa thing is so hard." But Jade knew how stubborn that James could be so she was going to go out and find him a gift just in case he decided to not listen to her. There would be nothing worse than her not having a gift to give him if she was forced to receive one.
"Well it's the thought that counts." James said stretching out.
For the next few days Jade stressed what to get everyone for Christmas. Jade and Cat were going to stop by 2J to see their boys.
"So you really like your present?" Cat asked bouncing in her seat from all the cotton candy that she ate throughout the day.
"Cat I love it. I can't believe that you got those scissors for me." Jade couldn't help but laugh at Tori's reaction to them. Like she would ever kill people with scissors. She thought rolling her eyes.
Cat beamed from the passenger seat. She knew that it would be a perfect gift for Jade. "So are we going to the mall this weekend I need to get something for Carlos."
"Yeah, I have been racking my brain on what to get James."
"Well you can't go wrong with Cuda products."
Jade rolled her eyes. "That is my fall back plan if I don't find anything better."
The girls were about to make their way to the elevator before noticing the guys sitting at a table by the pool.
"Does she seem more bouncy than normal?" Logan asked as the girls made their way over.
"Too much sugar, she has been eating cotton candy for two days straight." Jade said taking a seat next to James. His hand immediately finding hers to hold.
"Why?" Kendall looked at the short red head as she skipped around the table to perch herself on Carlos's lab.
"Robbie got me my own cotton candy machine vender to follow me around all week at school. Today I stuck my arm in to get in coated in cotton candy. It was so much fun." She giggled.
This made Carlos's resolve to find Cat a perfect gift even stronger even though he knew that she wouldn't compare one gift to the other. He just didn't want to be out done when it came to giving his girlfriend a gift. "So Jade I heard that you might be receiving your secret Santa gift today." Cat told him last night that she was going to give Jade her gift.
James watched as Carlos's eyes moved from Cat and Jade. "Wait you knew that Cat had Jade. Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because it is a secret duh." Cat said as if it was the most obvious answer in the world.
James decided to ignore Cat's comment. "So what did she give you?"He knew what he wanted to get Jade and he would kill Carlos if Cat had somehow got the same thing or something close.
"She got me these really cool scissors that were in the movie the scirroring." She told him pulling the clear box out of her bag.
Kendall let out a low whistle "you are a very strange one West."
"Funny Knight I thought you liked strange girls." Jade said narrowing her eyes. She knew that Kendall wouldn't take her tone and facial expression seriously. They had been going at each other like this practically since they met. He was like an older brother even though they were the same age and she noticed similarities in the way that he treated her and Katie.
Although James enjoyed the relationship that had grown between his best friend and his girlfriend he didn't want to ignored in the conversation. When the two got like this they had a tendency to block out everyone else. "What about your secret Santa search?"
This time get let out a sign "I still haven't thought of anything. Tori, Andre and I still have to give our gifts. I just have to be better than them so that I don't have to go caroling with Sikowitz and a bunch of strangers."
"Were the other gifts that good? We know what you and Cat got." Logan didn't really see how their teacher could say who gave a good gift or a bad gift unless it was something inappropriate or thoughtless.
"Beck tracked down this girl that used to be mean to Robbie. Robbie always said that if he had a chance he would tell her off."
"Did he?"Logan asked.
Jade let out a short laugh. "No turns out she was hot and Robbie lost his nerve. They did however go out for coffee to talk. I'm sure that went nowhere."
"Are you the only one having trouble?" Carlos asked.
"Tori has Andre and she can't think of what to get him." Jade answered. It took her a second before an idea popped into her head. She could give a gift to Tori that would help her with Andre. Jade jumped out of her seat. "I have to go I know what to give Tori."
"What is it?" James was surprised that she just seemed to get the idea out of nowhere.
"I'll tell you later. I might need your help Cat. I'll call you when I know." Jade said kissing her boyfriend before leaving.
Jade arrived at the Vega residence a little after dark.
"Jade." Tori said confused as she opened the door.
"Correct." Jade smirked.
"What are you here for?" She asked still confused.
"You" she said walking around Tori to get inside the house and throwing her stuff on the sofa.
"Wait" Tori called closing the door. "Do you have your new scissors with you?"
"No." Jade let out a sigh when Tori gave her a disbelieving look. She held out her arm ready to be searched. "Don't be shy." She told Tori as she patted her down. It didn't take long for Tori to find a pair of scissors and wave them in Jade's face. "Those are my old scissors."
"Ok so what do you want?"
"Merry Christmas."
"You're my secret Santa."Tori didn't even try hiding her shock.
"Ho, ho."
Tori waved and nervously completed "Ho. So what is my gift?"
"An idea for a present to give to Andre."
"You have an idea."
"A perfect one." Jade said not even bothering to hide her smugness.
"Awesome. Tell me." Tori couldn't believe that Jade knew what to give Andre.
Jade smirked. "Beg me."
"Come on if you have an idea…" Tori got distracted by a motorized sound next to Trina and the tree.
"How do I make it flock?" Trina asked holding the flocking gun.
"Just press the red button right on top."Before Robbie could say anything else he was squirted in the face with white foam.
Trina turned of the machine as soon as she could. "Sorry."
"Just get me a flock rag."
Jade decided not to say anything about what happened and turned her attention back to Tori. "You know how Andre got a D in his songwriting class.
"Of course I know. But what does that have to do with anything?" Tori asked.
"And do you know what would make him happy?"
"What?"
"An A." Jade said sitting on the couch.
"And how do I get Anthony to give him an A."
"Prove that he wrote a good Christmas song. Perform it at school where you know that Anthony can see it. You and I both know how amazing Andre is at writing songs and if the school likes it there is no way that Anthony can't give him a better grade." Jade loved the look at aw on Tori's face.
"And you are willing to help? Perform I mean."
"Yeah. Andre is as much my friend as he is yours and I'm sure Cat could help and she could do costumes.
After agreeing on a plan they called Cat and asked her to come over. From there they discussed who would be singing what and what the costumes should look like. They were all going to do whatever it took to get Andre a better grade.
"Come on I don't want to be late." Carlos said dragging James with him.
"Why are we here? Don't the girls have school?" James asked as they made their way into Hollywood Arts.
Carlos whined "Yes but Cat told me to be here for a surprise. And that Jade was a part of it too."
James, Logan, Kendall and Carlos walked into the school looking around trying to figure out what this surprise is. "Is that Jade?" James squinted "Why are they in trench coats?"
"Do you think that they are going to perform something?" Carlos asked clapping his hands. "I never have seen Cat in her element. What about you?"
James was having a difficult time trying not to stare at Jade "No never I mean I read some of her stuff but that was about it."
Kendall smacked Carlos and James on the arm to get their attention to point it at the girls. It looked like they were about to start.
"Hey Anthony." Tori called out with Cat and Jade flanking her sides. "Heeey. Ok everyone you all know Anthony on of Hollywood Arts awesome music teachers.
Everyone cheered. "Here is to my right." Rex said placing an arm on the man's shoulder.
"I hope they know what they are doing because he looks pissed." Logan whispered to his friends. They all nodded in agreement.
"Well earlier this week he gave Andre Harris a D on his Christmas song."
This time everyone sounded sad. "Why on Earth would she tell everyone that?" Kendall couldn't understand what good could come from that.
"Aw man now everybody knows." Andre pouted dropping his book bag.
"So we decided that you should hear Andre's Christmas song and see what you think." Tori said placing her hands on her hips. The band behind them started to play and they dropped their trench coats.
James didn't know if he should admire how hot his girlfriend looked or be pissed at all the guys that got to see how hot she looked in her Santa outfit. He couldn't help by smile as she danced around but when she opened her mouth to sing his jaw dropped. "She is amazing." She whispered in aw not wanting to take anyone's attention away from the singing trio.
"They all are." Carlos agreed.
James's mouth went dry when Jade and Cat were dancing in front of them and pointed as if they were the only ones in the room. He didn't need to look at his Latino friend to know that he was doing the same thing.
"Hey look it's a Kendall but only if he was a better dancer." Logan said pointed to a kid in a flannel shirt dancing around.
"Shut up." Kendall said folding his arms over himself as he friends snickered at him. "Hell even Andre and sing," He commented once Andre took the mic.
Everyone cheered and clapped when they were all done singing . "Merry Christmas Andre from your secret Santa." Tori said hugging Andre.
The four boys made their way to a less noisy hallway. They wanted to get away before people noticed that they were Big Time Rush. "I texted Jade and told her we are out here. It might take her awhile because I don't see who she could possibly have her phone on her." James said as they sat at the asphalt café.
"You both picked some really talented girls." Kendall told his friends. Sure he and Lucy were kind of dating but he missed how simple things were with Jo.
It took the girls a half hour to get outside they were still wearing their costumes with their coats over top. "You guys were amazing." James said pulling Jade to him and kissed her check. "Can I bring your present over tonight?" He whisper asked.
Jade nodded before thanking everyone for their kind words. Soon Andre, Tori, Robbie and Beck joined the group. They spent the rest of the afternoon talking as if the Hollywood Arts crew and the BTR boys have been friends all their lives.
"So do you need to go home first?" Jade asked as they walked to the parking lot.
"Not if you don't mind giving me a ride home." James replied. "I have your present in the car."
"Really?" Jade asked she might not like the whole romantic thing but she did love presents.
James grinned. "Yes but you can't have it until you get home." He said jogging ahead to the car to not only get the gift but tell his friends he was going home with Jade.
The entire ride home Jade kept looking at the thin wrapped gift that rested in James's lap. It was driving her crazy that she didn't know what it was. Her impatient side was in full swing but the time they got home. "Look home now." Jade growled she didn't like being told to wait.
"What about my gift?" James couldn't help the laughter that laced his voice. He loved this side of Jade.
Jade quirked an eyebrow and leaned up to kiss James. "There. Present." She said holding out her hands. She rolled her eyes at James shocked expression. "Don't look at me like that your real gift is up stairs. Like I wouldn't get you something." Jade mumbled the last part as she walked up the stairs.
"You can keep the outfit you look hot." James called after her.
"Here" Jade shoved the box at James when she arrived in the living room. She would never admit but she was extremely nervous about what she picked out. "Far warning I told you I'm not good at this."
James took Jade's hand and made sure that he was looking in her eyes. "I'm sure that it is going to be great." He reassured her. The first thing that he seen in the box was a picture of the two of them when they all went to the beach. However he didn't remember taking it.
"Remember that Andre was practicing with his camera for a class. Well that was my favorite picture he took of us." It was of a laughing James dragging a laughing Jade into the water. "I can so you the others later to see if you like those better."
He only nodded in agreement because he had a feeling that this was probably going to be his favorite also. Next with was a small carnival token that was hanging from a leather strap. It was from their first real date. Finally there were tickets to James's favorite movie expect his favorite movie wasn't in theaters. "I don't understand." He said holding up the tickets. "Wait I mean that I love it all of it. The necklace the pictures it's amazing Jade. I wish my gift was more semimetal.
"A friend of my dad's owns a vintage theater and agreed to close the theater and play the movie for us so it would be like our own private theater."
James just reached over and kissed Jade. It was the only way he thought to show her how much her truly loved the gift that she had gotten him.
Jade slowly pulled away a smile on her face. "Even though I could spend the whole night kissing you I still want my present."
James blushed getting off of Jade. He hadn't realized that they had maneuvered so that he was lying on top of her. "Yeah sorry." He said giving her the present.
Jade took the gift in her hands and noticed that it wasn't hard and she could move it. This didn't help her identify it at all. Slowly Jade started to unwrap it a smile growing on her face. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you figured my favorite play is Swenney Todd." She said taking the playbill in her hands.
"Well I guess we think alike." James commented as Jade flipped through the booklet and two tickets fell out. "I knew the instant that it was playing here that this is what I wanted to give you."
"This is amazing thank you." Jade said gently running her fingers over the material.
"I think I am much better at expressing my gratitude." James smirked before pulling Jade to him to continue kissing.