Jaded
A/N: They're at the end.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own X-men Evolution or any of its characters (except for the ones you don't recognize obviously!)
CHAPTER 7: The Surprise
"Come on Frost! Hustle!" Logan bellowed.
Jade groaned to herself. "Freakin A!" she said to herself as she ran the obstacle course with the senior members of the team. She was so glad when she was done.
She and Rogue walked back up to the mansion.
"Yer walkin' funny again." Rogue commented quietly once they were a good distance away from Logan. "You need to stop layin' on yer back so much." Rogue joked.
"I wasn't on my back!" Jade said defensively. "I was on top this time," she added quietly.
Rogue laughed a little.
"So you wanna go to the movies tonight?" Rogue asked Jade as they headed to the girls bathroom.
"Um actually, I'm going to Jacob's if you wanna come." Jade replied.
Rogue shook her head. "That's ok. Kitty and Jubes are going too. Just thought you might wanna come since you're not working."
"Oh, um, can we hang out later this week?" Jade asked her Goth friend.
"Sure." Rogue said before they each took a shower.
Jade walked up the stairs to the apartment and let herself in with the hidden spare key. She was surprised to see Zach there since he didn't live there.
"Hey, what's going on?" Jade asked him.
"Oh, Jacob said I could chill here until they get back from the game." Zach replied.
"Huh?"
"Oh, Amber took them to the game…as an early birthday present."
"Hmm…I see." Jade said sitting down.
Zach took notice of Jade's reaction. "So I had a talk with Jake." He began.
"What about?" Jade inquired not sure where this was going.
"I told him I noticed Amber has been hanging around them a lot since she broke up with her boyfriend. I asked him if he had feelings for her and what was going on with you two." Zach told her.
"What'd he say?" Jade asked eager to know the answer.
"Well, I never really got a straight answer from him." Zach replied.
Jade nodded taking it all in. She knew she needed to talk to him.
It was Tuesday night and Jade arrived at Jacob's apartment as usual. It had been about three weeks after her birthday night with him. She got out of her car and was surprised to see him waiting for her on the deck. He smiled at her and she smiled back. She guessed he finally learned when to expect her. After her training sessions she would eat dinner at the mansion with everyone and then she would come over at dusk. She walked up the stairs and greeted him. They kissed and went into his room. The couple started watching a movie in his room while lying on his bed. It was one of their rituals. Jacob leaned over and started kissing Jade. She reciprocated knowing where it going.
Afterwards Jade finally found the courage to ask what was needed. "Hey we need to talk," Jade began.
Jacob turned to her and stared at her for a moment before replying, "Okay."
"I've noticed how Amber has been hanging around a lot since she broke up with her jerk boyfriend. Things just seem a little different between the two of you." Jade told him.
Jacob sighed before saying, "I knew we'd have to have this conversation soon. I've gotten to know Amber better lately. I like her too." Jacob sighed again before adding, "I consider you one of my best friends. I need a few days to sort through my feelings. I don't want to jeopardize our friendship unless I know that it's worth it. We need a break. Sexually anyway. You can still come over and spend the night if you want."
Jade took it all in for a moment before rolling over to go to sleep.
Jade had been over at Jacobs hanging out with the boys a few nights after her "talk" with Jacob. She had a curfew tonight though. Most of the new recruits along with some of the senior members were going on a float trip for fun. Amber was over at the apartment too and she was getting awefully cozy at the apartment. Jade looked at her watch and decided it was time to go.
"We need to talk." Jacob said to Jade as she was on her way out to go home.
"Okay," she answered with a smile.
"Look, things with you have been great, but I have feelings for someone else. And she makes me feel a way I've never felt before. I need to explore these feelings." Jacob told her.
Jade stood there speechless for a moment. She opened her mouth a couple of times to say something but shut it just as quickly as she had opened it. Finally Jade found some words to say to her ex-lover, "You're breaking up with me?"
"Yes," was all Jacob said in response.
"When did you decide this?" Jade asked in as steady of a voice she could muster.
"Not too long after she and I were, um, together the night of Britain's wedding reception." Jacob informed her.
"Oh…I see…" Jade said before being silent for what seemed like an eternity. "I've gotta go. It's close to my curfew. I'll see you at work." And with that said Jade was down the stairs in a heartbeat before Jacob could say anything back. She quickly got into her car and left, tears streaming down her cheeks. The young mutant cried as hard as she ever had all the way back to the manor.
As soon as she walked in, Jade dashed up to her room before anyone could see her face. She couldn't bare the thought of having to explain why her face was tear streaked and red with swollen eyes. She slammed her door and locked it before throwing herself onto her bed burying her face in her pillow. Jade cried for a couple more hours before she was too exhausted to. She couldn't fall asleep either. Jade grabbed her cell phone out of her purse.
/What r u doing this weekend?/ Jade texted Tabitha Smith.
/Nothing. Y?/ Tabitha responded.
/I need a pick me up drinking weekend./ Jade told her.
/Y? What happened? R u ok?/ Tabitha asked.
/I'll b fine. Jacob cheated on me with that skank and broke up with me! /
/O girl I'm so sorry. I'll show u a good time this weekend. Well, gtg nighty night. Ttyl./
/Night Tabby./
Jade closed her phone and looked at her clock. It was midnight. Everyone was probably in bed. She got up to go the rec room to watch some tv. Maybe watching late night tv. would make her tired so she could get some sleep for school. Jade grabbed a box of tissues and went down to the rec room. Her stomach growled as she turned on the tv. Jade realized that she hadn't eaten since lunch at noon. She didn't care though. Jade was the type of person who didn't eat when she was depressed. Jade flipped the channels until she found the movie "Mall Rats." She cried sporadically every few minutes.
Scott was feeling a little restless so he decided to raid the kitchen for a late night snack. He heard the sounds of the tv coming from the rec room. Scott opened the door and saw Jade curled in ball shaking on the couch. He quietly closed the door behind him and approached her. Scott noticed that she had a bunch of used tissues on the floor around her. He looked at her face and realized she had been crying. At first, he had thought she was sick but her cheeks were tear stained and face red with bloodshot eyes.
"Jade?" Scott said softly.
She turned her attention to him finally.
Scott could only guess that her boyfriend had broken up with her. Scott took a seat at the opposite end of the couch. If she wanted to talk about it she would. Several minutes passed before Jade finally crawled over to Scott. They laid down and Scott wrapped his arms around her to comfort her. Scott stayed with her until the movie was over. He finally left her to retire for what was left of the night. It was about four in the morning when Jade finally retired herself. She had to get up in a couple of hours for the float trip.
"Has anyone seen Jade?" Jean asked. "She's going to make it for the float trip."
"I, like, think she's still her room." Kitty said.
"I guess I'll go get her up." Jean informed everyone.
Kitty rolled her eyes, Jean was taking this 'I'm your teacher/superior thing' too seriously.
"Uh, Jean, she's sick. So she's not going today." Scott piped up finally.
Jean raised an eyebrow and nodded before ushering out the rest of the students off.
Scott waited until noon before knocking on Jade's door. He had elected to stay behind to take care of "sick" Jade.
"Jade?" Scott said.
The door opened to reveal a horrible looking Jade. She had pulled her hair back into a sloppy pony tail and her face with still puffy from crying.
"I overslept. Sorry. I'll get ready for the float trip now." Jade said starting the close the door.
Scott put his hand on the door and stopped her from closing it. "I told everyone you were sick."
Jade smiled and said, "Thanks Scott."
"I know how it feels. Why don't you get dressed and I'll take you out somewhere to eat?" Scott told her.
Jade nodded closing the door. She couldn't believe it! Scott, the fearless leader, was letting her play hookie and was showing more compassion than he usually did. She took a nice long shower and cried a few more times in the process. She finally met Scott downstairs.
"So where do you wanna go?" Scott asked.
"I don't care. Wherever you feel like going." Jade replied as they walked to his car.
"If you make up your mind I'll let you skip the Danger Room this afternoon." Scott bribed.
"Fine. Bread Co." Jade told him.
The weekend had finally arrived. Jade had gone out with Kitty and Rogue to a cheap restaurant before Jade parted ways from them. She headed over to the Brotherhood's house. She was drinking with Tabitha and the rest of the gang tonight. She needed to have a good time.
"Hey ladies!" Jade announced letting herself in.
"What's up hoochie!" Tabitha greeted.
"Where the hell is my drink?" Jade asked the fellow blonde.
Tabitha led her into the kitchen and handed her a frozen margarita. Tabitha was always good about making frozen drinks. The two girls went downstairs where Wanda was setting up a game of pool. The main floor may be trashed from boys, but Tabitha had found the basement untouched. Her and Wanda guessed the boys didn't know about it, and they were right. Wanda had forbade the boys from coming downstairs so they didn't trash it. Well, mostly just Blob and Toad since they were the messiest. It came complete with a big screen tv, pool table, couch, recliner, spare fridge, bathroom and two spare bedrooms.
"You guys know I suck at pool." Jade half whinned.
"So, it's not like we care." Wanda told her shrugging. "Besides Neena wants to play."
"So she did decide to join the Brotherhood." Jade asked taking a drink.
"Yes, I did." Neena answered standing on the stairs. Neena was a slender but well toned young woman. She was about five foot, eight inches. She had very pale white skin with blue eyes and shoulder length black hair. Neena usually went by her codename: Domino.
"I guess I'll play even though you two cheat." Jade finally said.
"What! We don't cheat." Neena snapped.
"Whatever. Wanda with her hexes and you with your probability. I know I would if I had those powers." Jade told her with a smile. She was definitely going to enjoy herself tonight.
Scott was sitting in the rec room watching a movie when his phone went off.
"Hello," said Scott answering his phone. He didn't really check the caller id before answering either.
"Scott, it's Tabby." The voice on the other end said.
"Uh, hey, what's up?" Scott replied unsure why she would be calling this late.
"Well, I think you should come and get Jade. She's, uh, pretty bad…" Tabitha said trailing off waiting for Scott to say something.
"I'll be right there." He told the former X-men before hanging up.
Scott began to ponder why they had called him and not Rogue. He turned off the tv and went to his room to grab his car keys. It didn't take long before he was at the Brotherhood House. He hoped to avoid any confrontation with Alvers. Scott walked up to the door and was about to knock when Tabitha opened the door.
"Where is she?" Scott asked with a sigh.
"She's in here on the couch and don't worry the boys are actually sleeping." Tabitha told him leading him into the living room.
Scott scooped up the young blonde. She moaned as he did so.
"Why is her hair wet?" Scott inquired as they walked back to his car.
"Oh, we had to wash it. She kind of threw up in it." Tabitha answered. "You want a trashcan or something to take with you? She's pretty sick."
"No. I think we'll make it." Scott replied placing Jade in the front passenger seat. "So, why did you guys call me and not Rogue or somebody?"
Tabitha shrugged before saying, "She asked us to."
Scott nodded and said goodbye to Tabitha before getting in his car and returning to the mansion. Scott carried Jade up to his room since it had a bathroom attached to it. Plus his room had a couch so he wouldn't have to sleep on the floor. He was grateful Tabitha and Wanda had washed her hair since she had drank so much she puked in it. He placed her in his bed under the cool covers. Scott grabbed his trashcan and placed it next to the bed in the hopes that if Jade had to vomit again she would do so in the trashcan and not his bed. He grabbed a cool cloth and wiped her forehead. Jade moaned in pain. Scott grabbed an extra pillow and spare blankets from his closet. He settled down on his couch before drifting off.
Jade awoke with a headache and feeling nauseous and weak. She expected as much for a hangover. She let her eyes focus and realized that this wasn't the Brotherhood's house. It was the manor, but it wasn't her room. She sat up to see a couch opposite of the bed. There was a pillow and a blanket on it but no one there. Suddenly the bathroom door opened and Scott walked out.
"What the hell happened?" Jade asked.
"Tabitha called and said how bad you were, so I came and got you." Scott said sitting down on the bed next to her. He neglected to mention that Jade had requested it.
Jade sat up and put her head in her hands.
"Look, Jade, I know it hurts but this is not the way to deal with it." Scott said in a gentle voice.
Jade looked at him with a glare. "I really don't need a lecture right now Scott." She snapped.
"I'm not trying to lecture you. I'm just offering some advice." He sighed before adding, "What Jean did to me is still a fresh open wound."
Jade softened her look. She had almost forgotten about that. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so harsh. And I wasn't trying to drink himaway. I just got carried away that's all."
Scott nodded. "Well, as long as that's all that was. On another note, I won't be able to get you out of Logan's training session today."
Jade groaned. "Dammit."
Scott handed her two pills and grabbed the glass of water sitting on the night stand next to the bed. "Here. Take these and go eat something."
Jade smiled and did as she was told.
A/N: So I know I added Domino in, but I just needed an extra girl at the time. I might use her later I don't know yet. Next chapter will have REMY!! I've got the chapter planned out but I still have to write it.
