A/N: So this has turned out longer than I intended since this was supposed to be the last part. Don't worry, it isn't. However, since I've written myself past my outline, the updates might take a bit longer. Just as a warning. Thanks for all the reviews. This part takes place 5 days later.
When Beck finds Jade, she's been avoiding him for five days. But to be fair, she's been avoiding everyonefor five days. She's been spending most of her time at a small coffee shop that just opened around the corner from her house.
"Hi," he says, plopping down in the seat across from her.
Irritated, she asks, "How'd you find me?"
Beck sighs and Jade knows she's not going to like his answer.
"I followed you," he tells her. I waited outside your house yesterday and followed you. I tried to be patient, but five days is my limit."
"Well I don't want to talk to you."
"Just tell me what I did wrong so I can apologize," Beck says.
"You didn't do anything—"
"For once," Beck mumbles.
Jade ignores him. "I just want to be by myself."
"For how long?" Beck questions. "You don't sit by anyone in class. You're nowhere to be found at lunch time. And whenever I stop by your house, it's dark and you don't answer the door."
"And you think confronting me like this is going to help?" Jade counters. "Do you even know me?"
"If I didn't confront you, I'd never get any answers," Beck retorts. "You're like a damn Fortress of Solitude sometimes."
"I like to work things out alone," Jade replies.
"Well then what do you need me for?"
Jade is surprised to find she doesn't have an answer to that question. "Maybe you're right."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Beck asks.
"I've been trying to sort things out in my head," Jade explains. "What I want, what I feel, what I want to do."
"And what? Once again I'm not part of your grand plans? Really? Didn't we just do this a month ago?"
"What's your point?"
Jade watches Beck take a moment to think; she can almost hear the gears moving as he tries to gather his thoughts together. Finally, he looks up and into Jade's eyes.
"Jade, you know I love you. And yet the past month you've been all over the place. More than usual. I don't know what to think anymore."
"Yeah?"
There's a flash of annoyance on Beck's face, but he quickly schools his features. This manages to amuse Jade because she's one of the few that can cause that in her easy going boyfriend and certainly she brings it out the most in him.
"And now you're deliberately being stubborn," Beck replies.
"What do you want from me Beck?"
"I want you to talk to me," he says. "And for you to stop avoiding me."
"Well I want some time to think," Jade retorts.
"More time? Why?"
"I kissed someone else."
"You what?"
"You heard me," Jade replies.
"To make me jealous?" Beck questions.
"No. Because I wanted to," Jade says.
"And how am I supposed to respond to this information?" Beck asks.
"However you want," Jade tells him.
"Who was it?"
"Why does it matter?" Jade questions.
"It matters."
Jade doesn't answer, just does her best to avoid Beck's angry gaze.
Finally Beck asks, "So now what?"
"We break up."
"You're sure about this?"
"Of course I am," Jade replies.
"Just because you got drunk and kissed some other guy?" Beck questions. "So what? You're going to go out with him now?"
"I wasn't drunk," Jade says. "And I don't know."
"So you don't want to go out with this guy, but still want to break up?"
"And you don't?" Jade asks. "I kissedsomeone else. You're okay with that?"
"Of course I'm not okay with it," Beck replies. "But I'm still trying to figure out this conversation."
"What does that mean?"
"I feel like I'm missing a key piece of the puzzle," Beck explains.
"What would you think that?"
"Apparently because it's true," Beck tells her.
"Excuse me?"
"If it wasn't, you'd call me stupid and move on," he says. "When you avoid the question, it usually means I'm right."
"So?"
"Damnit Jade," Beck says. "Just tell me what you want."
"I already told you," she replies. "I need more time to think."
"About what? If you want to break up, then just say so."
"Do you?" Jade questions. "You're the one who keeps bringing it up."
"You kissed someone else!" Beck exclaims. "Besides, I'm sick of my girlfriend avoiding me."
"So you want to break up because I'm inconveniencing you?"
"Now you're just twisting my words," Beck tells her.
"Maybe I'mjust trying to understand what's going on," Jade replies.
"Are you really mocking me?"
"Are you really surprised?"
"Fine," Beck says. "You want to be like that? I'm not leaving here until you give me a definite answer. Are we together or not? If you want your alone time, then you're going to have to decide."
"What? You don't have an opinion?"
Beck rolls his eyes. "Of course I do. But you're the one flip flopping."
"If it'll get you out of my face, then we should break up," Jade says.
"Real nice."
"Bye."
"If I walk away now Jade," Beck warns. "I won't be so easily won back."
"How very poetic of you."
He sighs. "I guess I'll see you around." He turns and walks away, head down.
Jade watches him go with a heavy heart. She wants to stop him. She has a feeling that if she stops him before he exits the coffee shop, she'd still have a chance. Except she's not sure she wants to. Tori has managed to worm her way in and it's messing up Jade's feelings about everything. It's probably better for Beck to not be around her for a while.
By now her coffee is cold, so Jade stands and orders another one before slumping back into her chair and staring out the window.
…
It's hours later when Jade finally decides to head home. Gathering her things, she slowly exits the coffee shop and down the street to her house. She's not in a hurry to get there since it'll be empty again; her father being an absentee parent at best. Still, being around all the hyper, happy people isn't helping, so going home seems to be the best choice.
Jade's surprised to find Tori sitting on her doorstep. She's on her phone, most likely updating her status page and so Jade debates escaping before she's seen. But the choice is taken away from her when Tori looks up.
"Hey."
"We need to talk," Tori says.
"Do we?"
Tori sighs. "Look, I have questions. I'm sure you do too. Could we please just talk?"
Jade considers not agreeing. She already has enough on her mind without adding Tori's confrontation to it. But at the same time, she does have questions that only Tori can answer.
"Fine." Jade walks past Tori and opens the door. She doesn't invite Tori in, just enters and assumes Tori will be right behind her.
Tori does, closing the door behind her and follow Jade into the kitchen. Jade begins making coffee and waves Tori towards the fridge. She watches as the other girl nods and pulls a bottle of water out before sitting at the table.
Once Jade has a large mug of coffee, she sits across from Tori. "So? Talk."
"You've been avoiding me."
"I've avoiding everyone," Jade corrects.
"You kissed me back."
"You kissed someone you shouldn't have," Jade counters.
Tori sighs. "Yeah. I know. I'm a horrible person."
"Jeez, don't get so dramatic, Vega."
"I just… I've liked you for a long time, Jade," Tori says. "Probably longer than is healthy. And I had a really great time Sunday night. I know it wasn't, but it really kind of felt like a date and I let my emotions get swept up in the moment. And I acted without thinking. But you kissed me back."
"Maybe I was caught up in the moment too."
Tori raises an eyebrow. "That implies a lot of things, Jade."
"Oh god, now you're going to start reading into this aren't you?"
"Why do you still insist on playing that game?" Tori asks.
"What game is that?"
"The one where you pretend you hate me," Tori replies. "You had a good time Sunday too. I know it."
"Maybe because I was at a private concert watching one of my favorite bands," Jade answers.
"I thought wehad a good time Sunday night," Tori tries.
"Maybe you're just projecting."
"Even now you're still being nicer than you usually are," Tori points out.
"You have your uses," Jade answers. "It'd be a shame to waste that resource."
"So I'm only good for when you're stranded somewhere?"
"Seems so."
"Then why have you been avoiding me? Everyone, really, this week."
"Maybe I just wanted some alone time," Jade retorts.
"Look," Tori says. "I know you're with Beck. And I respect that, despite what I did on Sunday. I don't want to get in the way of that. Really."
"Then why are you here, Vega?"
"I want to be friends," Tori replies. "I want you to stop pretending my existence ruins your day and that you actually enjoy hanging out."
"Or what? You'll tell Beck?"
"No," Tori says. "I'm not proud of what I did. Plus, it's not my place to tell him. It's yours."
"How magnanimous of you."
"So hoping you'll be nice to me is too much to ask?"
"I think so."
"My feelings aside, we could be good friends, Jade," Tori says. "You have to admit, when we do work together, amazing things happen."
"I don't have to like you to work with you," Jade points out.
"Except I know that you do," Tori replies. "Like me, I mean."
"Well good," Jade says. "Let that thought keep you warm at night, because that's all you're getting from me."
"Why?"
"You kissed me!" Jade exclaims. "I was having enough trouble dealing with the fact that you're not completely terrible to be around and then you go and do that? I don't need that. Okay? I don't want that."
"You did feel something!"
"I never said that."
"You implied it," Tori accuses.
"You're reading too much into everything."
"What choice do I have when you refuse to sayanything."
"I've said plenty," Jade says.
"No," Tori replies. "You've been trying to push me out the door the minute I sat down. The only reason you even invited me in is so we won't have this confrontation at school."
"Or I was afraid you'd spend all weekend outside my house with a boom box held above your head."
Tori just shrugs. "The thought did occur to me."
Jade shakes her head. "Whatever this thing is between us? Wouldn't work. Okay? That fact that you would actually even considerdoing that confirms it for me."
"I didn't say I'd considered it," Tori argues. "I said that I thought about it. That doesn't mean I'd do it."
"I don't believe in cliché romantic gestures."
"Of course you don't."
Jade sips her coffee, trying to ignore Tori's knowing stare.
"Is that all?" Jade asks, finally.
"For now," Tori says, standing.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I can find my way out," Tori continues. "See you Monday."
Jade watches her walk out of the kitchen, hears her footsteps in the hallway and finally flinches slightly at the slamming of the front door. She tries to feel relieved that the confrontation is over. It's been a day filled with them. Still, Tori's words leave her feeling unsettled.
Still, Jade isn't going to let Tori Vega get to her. She finishes her coffee and begins finding something to fill her Friday night.