Chapter 7: Between Scylla and Charybdis
Beck brushed past her full of false bravado. If Jade was any indication of how the kids were in Hollywood he already regretted coming. Stepping into the house he glanced around taking in the grand staircase, dark wood, cream furniture, and maroon accents, in one fell swoop. It looks nice he guesses but kind of like no one lives there. No photos, everything really clean, even his house looks more lived in and they're still unpacking. He puts his present on a table covered in gifts. Who knows what 8-year-old girls like? Good thing his mom bought it.
He follows the shrieks of kids through the house and out the back door. A huge black tent dominates the yard. A man is standing beside it handing out black capes and vampire fangs, looking morose. Beck takes the cape and puts it on stepping into the tent.
As he adjusts the fangs in his mouth he looks around in awe. The tent is huge inside, like a circus tent. The only light comes from lanterns hung from the top of the tent and candelabra's on the tables. There must be seating for 50 and a buffet, which only takes up half the tent. Cobwebs are spread liberally and the chairs have high backs fashioned to look like coffins.
In one corner there is an actual zoo like exhibit with live bats. In the other there is face painting with fake blood stuff. In between the two is a DJ, dance floor, and karaoke machine. He's never seen such an expansive birthday party.
A waiter comes up and offers him steak on a toothpick calling it "Steak Through the Heart" and buffalo wings, "Bat Wings". Beck shakes his head and looks around. A table has drinks in glass containers with taps. Place cards in front of the containers label them Type A+, A-, B+, B-, AB+, AB-, O+ or O- blood.
Beck freezes until a blond comes up and whispers, "The real names are on the place cards".
He begins lifting them up to read them, strawberry juice, strawberry kiwi pop, Shirley Temple, cranberry juice, fruit punch, water with food coloring, red Gatorade, and watermelon smoothie.
"My name's Meredith," she says leaning in towards him.
Beck reaches around her and grabs a cup. "Beck," he answers filling the cup with Type O+ blood.
"Are you new? I haven't seen you before," she asks sipping a Shirley Temple.
"Just moved here," he nods.
"My dad owns a cupcake bakery. You should come over sometime," she says with a smile.
Beck agrees to be polite and starts looking for a way out.
"Hey man, I've been looking for you all over," some guy says clapping his hand on Beck's back. "Sorry, Meredith," he says pulling Beck away from the table.
Once they are a suitable distance away, he offers his hand "Andre. You looked like you needed a way out".
"Beck. Nice to meet you," he answers pushing his hair back.
They move from talk about movies to cars and cars to school. Beck finds out he's attending the same middle school as Andre. He seems friendly, chill, like his 1st possible LA friend. They've wandered over to the bat exhibit while talking and are checking it out when a bell dings.
"Please take your seats, dinner will be served shortly," the loud speakers announce.
"Come sit with us," Andre offers pointing towards the end of the long table.
Beck nods and when Andre sits next to the head of the table, Beck sits beside him.
"This is Robbie," Andre gestures pointing to a boy with fake blood dripping down his chin. Robbie waves at him awkwardly from across the table.
"Hi," Beck answers.
"And Cat," he points.
Cat giggles and waves. She's wearing a bright pink tank top, dark jeans and a sparkly silver cape, her curly brown hair spilling across her shoulders.
"Hi, hi," she bubbles at him.
"Hey," he responds, "Did you bring your own cape?"
"Yep, Jadey told me she was only ordering black ones," she pouts looking sad. Robbie tugs on her cape.
Cat looks down, "But I decided I wanted a happy one and eventually she said okay," she says, her face brightening.
"Whose Jadey? I don't think I've met her yet?" Beck asks.
"I'm pretty sure you have," Cat answers with a grin. Andre is stifling a laugh and Robbie's paling.
"What are you guys babbling about?" Jade asks dropping into her seat at the head of the table. Cat pats her arm and gives her a big smile showing off the fangs. Jade rolls her eyes and gives her a smirking smile. Then she turns her attention to Robbie staring him down.
"You!" he yelps cracking under her gaze.
Her eyes shift to Andre who nods in confirmation saying, "The new kid was asking questions".
Jade follows his gaze, "You! Who said you could sit here?" she glowers.
Andre sheepishly raises his hand, "he had nowhere else to sit J".
"Yeah J," Beck mocks before he can stop himself.
"Don't call me that," she demands throwing in a scowl.
"Jadey?" he tests her.
"NEVER call me that," she hisses.
He tows the line, "alright," and pauses, "West".
The servers start to bring out the main course "Corpse Ribs" and salads.
"Hey, that's not fair I don't know your last name," Jade says careful to keep her voice neutral.
"Oliver," he offers up biting into a barbeque rib.
"Oliver," she draws out before proceeding to ignore him the rest of the night.
It was slightly awkward considering they were sitting together but Cat was chattering happily to Jade the whole time. Andre would talk to him and Robbie would occasionally, always looking like he was digging up courage to defy Jade before blurting something out.
Jade's mom, Shannon, announces that presents will be opened after everyone's gone home. Jade knows its so people don't feel bad comparing their present to someone else's. Not many manage to get her things she'd like anyway. Shannon then announces that Jade will be opening one present this year and calls her forward.
"Bring Cat, Andre, and Robbie, as well Jade," she requests.
Jade's evening had been going pretty well. She had received plenty of presents, Cat had actually showed up in costume, sparkly silver but better than nothing, and then Jade had scared her bringing her close to the bat area. Cat had screamed which had been hilarious, but after a few minutes she'd been cooing over how cute they were. She'd responded, "Gag me!" and dragged Cat away.
They'd hidden off to the side of the tent together and poured over the karaoke books. Cat's babbling had been kept to a minimum, thankfully. Instead they had sung the tunes to themselves until they chose one. She had then shooed Cat off when she started to talk too much.
Jade asked her mom for dinner to be served and that's when the day started to go bad. For some reason that idiot Beck had chosen to sit at her table. After some minor bickering, Jade had simply ignored him.
Now she was being dragged out in front of everyone.
"It's a gift from her father and I," her mom cooed smoothing out Jade's cape. Shannon reached out to tuck back a piece of stray hair and Jade smacked her hand away. This was ridiculous.
"Her father unfortunately couldn't make it today but he sends his love".
She was being paraded around in front of everyone to promote the lie that they were still one big happy family. She was gritting her teeth as she stood there and a giant package was brought out. Cat's wiggling beside her in excitement, Andre's eyes are flickering between Jade, her mom, and the present, and even Robbie looks eager.
Jade rips the lid off to reveal a squirming yapping puppy. She reluctantly lifts it up and the chocolate lab licks her face. Jade lets out the tiniest smile before remembering that A. she isn't supposed to like things like puppies and B. She hates dog slobber and dogs in general. She quickly passes her off to Cat who grins and sits down letting the puppy climb all over her and give her kisses. Andre joins her on the floor and starts talking to the thing like it understands him. Jade gestures for the microphone. Shannon hands it off beaming like an idiot.
"Thanks mom," she says in a gee-shucks voice only heard on the Brady Bunch.
She's offended that her dad didn't make it a priority to show up to her birthday party. Mad that maybe her mom had banned him from coming. Upset that neither one seemed to know her or care what she wanted. She blinks away the tears that come with that thought, focusing on her anger.
"Thanks so much for the flea infested, slobbering mutt. Even though I've never liked dogs or hinted that I wanted one" she snipes.
God, she's a stuck up kid. Jade has this awesome party, piles of presents, a huge house, and she's whining about how she got a puppy instead of whatever animal she really wanted. Probably an alligator or something to match her personality. Beck isn't sure why he though she could be a decent person.
Shannon grabs the mike back, "Well, your father thought you might be more of a cat person," she answers laughing nervously and gesturing to the men.
"I'm a Cat and a person," Cat giggles up at her.
Jade's grateful she said it softly and no one else heard her idiotic remark.
Another box comes out and a brown striped kitten is produced. As much as Jade wants to rail to explain that the only pet she's ever wanted is a bunny, she doesn't, because her mom is looking at her with sad doe eyes. So instead she picks up the kitten and cradles it against her.
"Hi Scylla," she says softly before shooting the tables a glare and traipsing back to her seat. Cat scrambles to her feet and follows her. Andre scoops up the puppy and retreats to their table as well. Robbie trailing behind them.
"Charybdis," Jade declares pointing to the puppy.
"Kah-rib-dis," Cat sounds out slowly "What's the kitten's name again?"
"Scylla," Jade replies sharply.
"Skee-lah," Cat mimics, "Jade those are weird names," she says pressing her lips together and looking confused.
Beck considers this a final test. If Jade's nice, he'll give her another chance. If not he'll find some other, less odd, group to befriend.
"They are from a Greek story. One's a whirl-pool monster, Charybdis and one's a sea monster with 6 heads and 3 rows of sharp teeth, Scylla," Jade simplifies, "It's a long complicated story and you can read it when you're older".
Beck finds her answer both informative and condescending. Cat has already turned back to the puppy and is making barking noises at it. Maybe Cat deserves the patronizing, but someone needs to prove to Jade she isn't the only smart one.
"It's from The Odyssey," Beck says, finding the courage to talk to her.
Jade looks at him funny, as if she's confused as to why he's talking to her.
"It's from Greek mythology. Homer's work is one place you can find it," she answers slowly, "I liked that they were both monsters. Now it basically means between a rock and a hard place. That's the decision I was given, I don't like dogs or cats but I had to chose one," she answers wryly.
Jade gently strokes the kitten, surprised she's said so much to him. Her solution is to go back to ignoring him.
Later that night kids starting doing karaoke, Andre egged him on to sing but Beck refused. The closing act was Jade, Cat, and Andre. Andre sang back up to Cat and Jade's harmonies. Though he really doesn't like Jade, can't understand why some one as chill as Andre would befriend her, the girl can sing.
The audience erupts in applause to their rendition of "Living on a Prayer". Cat jumps on Jade for a piggyback ride. Beck's stunned when Jade just gently swings her down instead of dropping her off the edge of the stage. From what he's learned about Cat this evening their friendship is even odder. Jade's toleration means maybe, Jade isn't quite as bad as he thought, maybe.
When the guests leave the tent Jade and Cat are handing out cupcakes together.
"Red velvet, I made them," Cat coos proudly. The top is covered in white icing and red gel blood drops.
Jade hands one over and leans in, "might have spit on that one" she says baring her fake fangs.
Beck just smiles back "Happy birthday Jade," and walks out of the tent.
"Between Scylla and Charybdis, love awaits that's unfathomable" Jason T. Blair
A/N: Sorry it's been so long. On break now so the chapters will hopefully be up sooner. Thanks for reading. Thoughts?