Well here we go, another chapter. This one is a bit of a jumping the shark moment imo. I'm not sure how it's going to go down in all honesty.
Fear not 506thpir, Beck's not going to turn into some axe wielding monster. I'm going to try and put some shades of grey into how he's written as the story goes on. All will be revealed with Robbie and the mall later on as well ;)
Anyway enough from me, dear readers. One last thing though, if you're only going to review one chapter of this story make it this one. I feel really unsure of it...
Robbie and I have been walking for almost fifteen minutes now. The surrounding area seems to be getting rougher and rougher. I feel like I recognize some of the shops around here though. Joe's Moving Co...
"Why are we in Oakwood Robbie?" I ask out of the blue, moving closer to Robbie. Just because I grew up here, doesn't mean that I feel safe.
"You'll see..." He replies lightly, while we keep up a brisk pace.
We've been walking for a while now, Robbie keeps dancing around my question of where we're going. I've pretty much given up on finding out our final destination from Robbie at this point. Looking to my left I see Robbie casually looking around the street to make sure we're alone. Why won't he just tell me where we're going. I assume we're going back to his parents old place, but before now I thought he had moved out of Oakwood too. He's always so early to school and this is a good 45 minute drive from Hollywood Arts.
"We're here" Robbie announces out of the blue. I look around cautiously, this doesn't look anything like his parents old home. It doesn't even look lived in. A couple of broken down houses line each side of the road and the house to the left of this one has been destroyed by a fire. I realize Robbie has moved houses...but not to any old house, this is MY old house.
"Here?" I ask with a gulp. Oh course we're going into the house we stopped in front of. Duh Jade.
"Yup. C'mon!" Robbie is heading towards the house that was once a home to me. The grass hasn't been mowed in what looks like years and there are boards covering most of the windows. The ones not covered by boards have purple shutters clinging to the windows and I'm reminded of a time when the paint on them was fresh. Now it's chipped and damaged, damaged. Just like me.
"But R-" He walks back to where I'm standing and cuts me off by placing his index finger over my lips. By the time I'm ready to protest again, he's taken my by the hand and is walking towards the front door. A few steps later and we're standing on the porch. Robbie is fumbling around for some keys. Wait, keys? I want to ask him how he has keys to this place, but I can wait until we're inside.
We enter the main living area and it's almost exactly the way I remember it. Just a little older, a little more broken and with several concert posters covering the walls. Robbie places his rucksack down on the bench of the cooking area as I stand and stare, taking in the sights of my childhood home. The ratty red couch lays in it's same place against the wall, the carpet still bears the stains of one too many dropped beers and the stairs in the corner of the room still have two broken steps.
"How?" I ask Robbie when he turns around, my voice cracking. He shifts on the spot for a second and scratches his arm nervously.
"I live here sometimes" He says simply, walking towards the fridge and taking hold of two cans of budget soda. Turning, he points one towards me and asks " Drink?"
"Yeah, sure" I answer absently, too distracted by being in my old home to be fully focused.. I'm sure it's no coincidence that Robbie is living in my old house, with most of the same furnishings as when I was last here.
"So I guess you want to know why I'm sort of living here?" Robbie asks me, by his cringe I can tell he'd rather not talk about it. I think he feels obligated or something.
I join Robbie on the couch and shuffle near him until we're almost touching. Robbie looks really tense over the whole issue and it's worrying me. I try to tell myself I shouldn't care, that I can just leave tomorrow and go back to being Hollywood Arts' Ice Queen. I know it's not going to happen though, tonight has changed things forever. I hope it's not going to ruin me.
If it involves this house, I'm assuming it's not an easy story to tell. I brace myself for what's about to come, Robbie must have noticed, he awkwardly moves his arm and wraps it around me, I feel re-assured I think. This is a mess.
"So obviously you remember the day your family left, you guys only took a couple of boxes and left most of what you see in this room right now."
I just nod, remembering that day. It was the worst day of my life to that point, It still is I think. My father even went as far as threatening to disown me if he ever caught me taking to Robbie once we arrived at the new house. Something about our family needing to associate with only the most important families in Hollywood. I guess his threats had a lot more of an effect on eight year old Jade West than they would on on me today.
"Yeah, that was the beginning of a downward spiral for my father. He just began to drink himself into a stupor every night. I think he was really bitter that your dad got some sort of "Get Out Of Jail Free" card when we didn't" Robbie pauses again after this, deep in thought. So I grab him by the hand, it's rough and tactless. I think he appreciates the thought though.
"He never told me what he meant by that though..." He adds after looking at my hand for a moment. I know that now is the right time to tell him why we left.
"It was an inheritance" I blurt out. I wish I was better at this sort of thing, but I'm not. I guess hiding from you your emotions for most of your life will do that to you though.
A dawn of understanding comes over Robbie's eyes. He nods and continues with his story.
"One night..." He begins before trailing off. Not wanting to press him too far, I keep the impatience from my expression. He smiles gratefully, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes. Sighing loudly, roughly, as if he wants this to be over with as quickly as possible, Robbie presses on.
"One night my day got really drunk and started trying to cook something. We were all asleep, so when he fell asleep there was nobody to stop the fire from gutting our house." Seeing the tears brimming in his eyes, I stroke his hand lightly with my thumb. I don't think I've ever done this. Not even for Beck. Then again Beck's biggest problems usually revolved around running out of shampoo or conditioner.
"I'm so sorry Robbie" I tell him sincerely, looking into his red rimmed eyes. He smiles weakly and for a second I see the brightness return to his eyes. After so many years of hostility I guess he really appreciates that I can show him that I care.
"It's ok Jade, I know you didn't know." He wipes the tears from his eyes and huffs again, seemingly psyching himself up for another round. I almost want to stop him, I know he needs to let this out though. It's about time he does. Besides, he listened to me earlier. I owe him this much.
"So after Mom left, I got placed with a foster family. That was the worst. All they saw me as was another pay cheque from the government. When I was nine I ran away for the first time. Nobody found out I was living alone for two months." He sounds almost proud of that. I wonder just how a child survived that long alone.
"Where did you go? How did you survive that long without anyone?" I ask him, it's only because Robbie is the one telling the story that I haven't called him a liar. A nine year old child going missing for two months and coming out of it fine is pretty unbelievable after all.
"Here. I came here because I knew it would be empty since your father never sold this place. I guess...I thought I'd be close to home too." Robbie replies, looking out of the window and towards what remains of his own childhood home.
"Why didn't anyone find you? How did you eat?" I feel his grip tighten slightly on my hand.
"My foster family never said a word to anyone about me disappearing. I guess it was the government cheque for adopting me coming in that kept their lips sealed." Robbie says this so coldly, so hatefully, that I almost feel the temperature in the room drop.
"I got my food by stealing from the Market down the Road. That's how I got caught and re-homed. One day a cop saw me taking some milk and took me into the station. After that I bounced around group homes for a few years between running back to this house."
I wonder how on earth Robbie lived like that, I wouldn't wish that on anybody. Not even Vega or her stupid sister. I wonder how he made his way to Hollywood Arts eventually.
"How did you end up at Hollywood Arts?" I don't know any way to be other than direct, so I cut right to the point. Surprisingly, Robbie actually smiles at the mention of Hollywood Arts.
"It was my Mamaw, unknown to my parents, she'd been saving money steadily over her life. After I ran away for the last time, she came looking for me here and found me talking to Rex. I think she was impressed since she got me an audition to Hollywood Arts."
"Where did you live though? I doubt she just let you stay here, cosy as it may be." I interject, it earns a small chuckle from Robbie. His mood seems to have improved since we left the subject of his family. Who'd have thought an abandoned house in the worst part of town would do that?
"The exchange student dorms." He answers smiling lightly, which I take as a good sign. "I met my first friend since you left in those dorms. His parents had gone on a Christian mission to Africa"
"What was his name?" I ask, wondering how it is that we could converse so easily about a subject that should be so awkward. Must be heat exhaustion or something I decide.
"Andre" Robbie answers simply. I can only think that this explains why he's always staying with his Grandmother. He never really mentions his parents either, it kind of makes me wish I hadn't tried shutting out everyone for so long. Everyone in our group has a story to tell.
"What's the deal with you still coming to this place?" I ask Robbie quietly after a long pause. I wonder why he'd keep coming back here and more importantly how he's managed to furnish it with a better fridge then the one we used to have among other things.
"Mamaw said that since she knew I could look after myself, that once I turned 16 she would pay for me to have place to come back to. You know, away from Hollywood Arts." He replies, gently taking his arm from my grasp and scratching his neck with it. Once he's done scratching, I take it back forcefully, smirk on my face.
"So what, you're renting this place?" I ask him, wondering how he managed to negotiate that sort of deal with my father.
"Not exactly...I'm just hoping your father has forgotten about this place. The power and other utilities are under Sikowitz's name." I look at Robbie. Wonder written in my eyes.
"You sly dog..." I grin, feeling the tension in the room lift. No wonder Robbie always has such nice things for somebody with no family. Technically he's not paying rent here, since my family still own it. Just utilities.
"I have around $200 left after food and other bills" He smirks, looking more like the Robbie I've been hanging out with today and less like the broken child of that I've been having this conversation wiht. Even his posture seems to exude more confidence than before.
"This explains so much" I murmur in wonder. Robbie constantly being early to school, Rex's comment from earlier today, everything. Remembering Rex only reminds me of how awful I've been to him over the years and I fling myself against Robbie recklessly. He seems taken aback for a moment, but quickly relaxes into my embrace.
"I'm sorry" I mutter into his shoulder, not expecting a response.
"I know. Lets just forget about it. The past is done, we can't change it. Just promise me one thing?" Robbie takes my chin gently and makes me look into his eyes.
"What?" I mumble softly. Anything more than a mutter and I'll probably start bawling my eyes out. Again.
"Don't forget about tonight."
Goddamn it Robbie. I wish he'd stop saying things like that. He better not say anything like that when we're in school or my reputation will be ruined. Baby steps. Just because I'm talking to Robbie and showing my emotions doesn't mean I'm willing to share them with anyone else yet.
"What are we going to do now Casanova?" I ask Robbie, trying to appear nonchalant. After a long period of us sitting on the couch, wrapped in each others embrace. Looking up at him, I see the gears turning in his head. Like he's wondering how to approach the subject.
"I don't know my rose" He replies sarcastically, looking at me with a grin that sends a tingle up my spine.
"So you just thought you'd lure me to an empty house and we'd go from there?" I shoot back, arching my eyebrow and shifting so that I am sitting on the couch and am only inches from his face. The look on his face after he realizes the implications of my statement is hilarious.
"J-Jade! No!" He stammers, eyes going wide as his posture stiffens. The look on his face would be enough to make me laugh, the frantic movements of his arms and him spluttering out apologies is what sends me into a full on laughing fit.
"Relax" I grin, slapping him on the chest lightly. This seems to placate him as he slumps back into a more comfortable looking position. I don't know what to do. I wonder if we're at a point where we can touch each other without being involved in some kind of dramatic moment. Pressing my luck I close the space between us and press up against him. I notice the look on his face shift again. It reminds me of the time I ripped Rex's arm off. He's...outraged?
"What?" I ask, slightly offended and confused that he wouldn't enjoy that.
"You have a boyfriend Jade." In this moment I hate Beck more then I did when I found out I was just a part of some bet. Trust Robbie to be Mr. Morals in this situation. I'm sick of it though, today has been a very trying day and I just want some kind of release. Anyone that knows me should know that what I want, eventually I get.
"No Robbie, I was part of a bet. You didn't seem to-" He turns away, so I grab him by the collar and straddle his lap forcing him to look at me while I talk to him.
"You didn't seem to care before now, what changed?" I repeat, looking deeply into his eyes.
"I-I know know Beck has trashed your feelings Jade, but he's always been such a good friend to me. I don't know if I can do this to him..."
I have to admit, seeing things from Robbie's point of view, I almost regret what I'm about to do. But then I remember that Jade wants, Jade gets. Why should that change now?
Robbie doesn't get a chance to move or say anything else before I crush my lips against his. I slowly feel him relax into my embrace. It's then that I know he's mine to play with for as long as I want.