A/N: SURPRISE UPDATE EVERYONE!
I just want to say…you guys really make me smile with the reviews that I get! Not gonna lie, I act like a school girl (complete with pigtails) with a huge crush on the boy next door lol. Haha, now that's silly.
Hey, I made a reference to another show in the very first paragraph. It's a show from the 90's, but I want to know if anyone will catch it lol. It's one of my favorites.
Anywho, things are about to get serious. As serious as I can get with a fic like this one. I can't say anything more than that. You'll just have to read to find out ;P
The weekend had come and gone, and so that dreadful Monday had arrived. Students started piling in the halls and the usual gossip began flooding from everyone's mouths. Rumor has it that Heather the Cheerleader was on a talk show - she's a man, baby! Or so that's what they say.
Focusing on the more popular students - like Jade West - the girl had just walked into the building about fifteen minutes before the bell rang. She had fresh, hot, black coffee in her hand. She put in the combination to her locker, exchanged some books, and slammed it shut. She scanned the halls for her group of friends, only finding Beck so far. He caught her gaze and waved hello, but she didn't greet him in a friendly manner in return.
The goth approached very angrily, jaws clenched and fingers tightly gripping the paper cup in hand.
"Hey, Jade. Lovely morning, isn't it?"
"If I didn't really need my morning coffee fix, I'd throw it in your face."
He stepped back from her but still kept a smile on his face. "Ouch. Is burning me alive really going to make you happy?" She wasn't finding him very amusing right now.
"Don't mess with me, Oliver."
"Ah, so we're back to last names. Why am I being downgraded?" he joked.
"What were you doing back at Cat's house Saturday?" she said hotly.
"Elaborate, please."
Now Jade was beginning to form incoherent things in her mind. While she was trying to figure something out, Beck leaned back into his locker, hands in his pockets, smirk still in place.
"Jade, it hurts me that you think I'm so stupid," he said, now slightly serious.
"What?"
"You've got a thing for Tori." Her mouth opened, and it stayed like that.
"Weren't you always the first to say 'you'll catch flies in your mouth if you keep that up?'" Then she clamped her pie hole shut. "Anyway, I also know that you've had a thing for girls since we were together, that's why we didn't work out." She tried to say something about that, but he held a hand up, letting her know it's in the past and she didn't need to explain. She was grateful for that at least.
"Man," she sighed in despair, "Cat was right, I do make it so obvious."
"Cat has talked with you about this?"
She combed her fingers back through her hair and nodded. "Yeah, Friday night. She caught me…snuggling closer to Tori while she was asleep."
Beck snorted at that. "I am shocked. 'Snuggled?' Huh, Tori really has changed you. You never used to want to snuggle with me…should I be offended by that?"
Jade punched him in the arm and shouted, "This isn't the time for jokes, Beckett!"
He put his hands up in surrender, "Okay! Sorry."
"…Well now you know Cat knows, is there anybody else I can add to the list?"
"André knows, and Robbie and Rex are suspicious. Of course Tori's still oblivious to it all."
"Perfect," she groaned.
"Listen, about Saturday night…I wasn't trying to actually hit on Tori. I was flirting with her in hopes you'd do something about it. Anyone can see how much you care for her. Don't just sit back and wait for things to happen. Someone will snatch her up and you'll be left wondering 'what if.' You gotta go get her. And Jade West always gets what she wants, right?"
Jade nodded furiously, almost as if to pump herself up. "You and Cat are absolutely correct. Tori is mine." Not that she needed it, but Beck said words of encouragement afterwards.
"Whose woman is Tori Vega?!"
"Mine!"
"Say it again!"
"MINE!" she said, hitting her chest.
"That's right!" he said, pointing a finger at her. "And what are you gonna do as soon as you see her?"
"Ask her out!"
"OH YEAH!"
All rage Jade had towards him had completely dissipated. In fact, the way they were acting in this moment was like a couple of jocks just before a big game. Crazies.
Beck looked up and saw Tori making her way into the school. "Here's your chance. She's coming in."
Jade turned around with a big smile on her face - something no one EVER sees - eyes shimmering with hope, excitement, and everything in between. As she was opening her mouth to speak, she caught sight of Cat being dragged by Tori in a hurry.
"Come on, Cat! This way, we're going straight to Mrs. Cunningham."
"It's really icky, Tori!"
"I know, I know. We're getting there," she responded worriedly.
Wondering what that's about? Dear Cat has gotten bubblegum in her hair. Tori is now taking her to a teacher, Mrs. Cunningham, to get some olive oil to remove the sticky, pink substance embedded in Cat's hair. They rushed past everyone, muttering hellos as they went, making this a rather inopportune time for Jade to ask Tori out.
The goth sighed, looking defeated. At seeing this, Beck placed a firm hand on her shoulder.
"Uh, don't worry. You'll have the opportunity to ask her later." She smiled weakly, but agreed with him.
Wow, where did that girl who was going to throw hot coffee in his face go? It was odd seeing her so…dejected.
Unfortunately, Tori and Jade didn't have any classes together that morning. They did, however, have lunch and then Sikowitz's class and physics together later.
She couldn't wait any longer to do it. That girl desperately wanted to pull Tori out of her class just to talk to her. The clock ticked agonizingly slow in her first two classes.
'This is torture! And FAR from the good kind!' Her mind was racing with possible ways of getting out of her French class, but she had always successfully tried ways of dismissing herself from this class before; there was no way Ms. Battle was letting her out again.
"Jaaade?" Ms. Battle drawled.
The goth snapped out of her thoughts once her teacher spoke. "Huh?"
"Écoutez-vous?"
"Ummm…"
"Ça ne fait rien," Ms. Battle said while reaching for her grade book, then returning to the lesson. Uh oh.
Jade slumped down and crossed her arms. 'Stupid Ms. Battle…I hate that bitch.'
Meanwhile in André's keyboarding class, said boy was writing down music notes on the sheet set in front of him. His phone vibrated in his pocket, signaling that he got a text. He discreetly checked the screen and realized it was from Beck.
Beck: Hey, guess what man?
André: What's up?
Beck: Jade's going to ask Tori out today :D Whatcha think?
André: FINALLY! But how do you know that?
Beck: I know you wanted us both to stay out of it, but I talked over with Jade anyway.
André: Well I can't be mad about that. I'm happy she's finally taking action.
Before Beck could say anything else, the bell rang, signaling lunch. Students packed up eagerly and everyone began filing out of rooms. André met up with Beck in the hallway, and after greeting each other they went in the direction of the Asphalt Café. They grabbed their lunches from the Grub Truck, headed towards the usual table and found Jade already sitting there; leg rapping impatiently against the table.
"How's it going, Jade?" André asked.
"Just dandy."
"Waiting on someone?" he said rather amused. Then she looked over at Beck like "really"?
"What? I told you he already knew," Beck defended.
"Whatever. Have either of you seen Tori in the hallway? I haven't seen her since that whole stupid incident with Cat this morning…I'm gonna kill Cat..."
"Nope," they simply answered.
"Hey guys!" came Cat's voice behind them. She was walking up with Robbie and Rex in tow. Her hair was still damp after having to rinse it out after the olive oil. She styled it in the perfect "wet, messy, yet sexy" kind of way if you will.
Jade growled once Cat sat down in front of her.
"Whatty?"
"Oh nothing, you just have really shitty timing, that's all."
*Gasp!* "Language, Jade," the redhead said.
"Where's that hot ass Tori at?" Rex said, looking about the café. Robbie barely had time to blink as Rex was now being thrown across the lot.
"Oh no! Jade!" Robbie shouted as he took off.
Just then, Trina came sauntering near their table, "singing" like she always did.
"Yo! Annoying Vega!" Jade yelled.
She stopped dead in her tracks and faced the person who called out to her. "Um, I'm not Tori," she pointed at herself.
"Oh I know you're not Tori. Now have you seen your sister?!"
Trina rolled her eyes but answered anyway. "Not since we rode to school together this morning. Why?"
"None of your business."
"Hmph, so much for not being a gank," she muttered under her breath.
"What's that?"
"Nothing," Trina said quickly as she sped up.
"Calm down, will you?" Beck said. "She'll be here when she-" but he's cut off as a flash of brown goes by.
"Whoo! Sorry I'm late, I got a little side-tracked," Tori breathed deeply.
Jade instantaneously went from sour to sweet in a matter of seconds once she saw Tori had arrived.
"What were you doing?" Cat asked her.
"Well on my way here, this guy from my Theater Tech class approached me. He asked if I'd go out with him this Friday and I said yes."
Then Jade's face hit the floor. Followed by everyone else at the table.
Robbie made it back and took his seat. "Did I hear you have a date this Friday?"
"You sure did."
"Can I watch?"
"…Wha-? No!"
"Why don't you go out with me instead," Rex tried to flirt.
Tori simply ignored the puppet and actually took notice to everyone's expressions around her.
"What's wrong guys?"
Nobody could say anything. André, Beck, and Cat looked over at Jade sadly. But she didn't appear to look as sad or even angry like they thought she would.
"…Oh…you're really going on a date? With who?" Jade asked carefully.
"His name's Braden. Not at all nerdy like you'd think though. See, that's him over there now," she singled him out two tables to the left of them.
Jade glanced long and hard at Braden as he waved at Tori. He was very handsome, tall, beautiful smile, dimples, dark brown hair, and gray eyes. No wonder Tori agreed to go out with him. The guy looked like he was straight from a sexy magazine Hennessy ad!
"…I uh…I'm going to…" Jade said, just above a whisper.
"Aw I knew I was forgetting something! I didn't get my lunch. I'm just sitting here starving. Duh, Tori," Tori said to no one in particular. She then proceeded to the Grub Truck. As soon as she was out of earshot, Beck broke the painful silence.
"Alright, here's the plan - André and I will find a way to get this Braden guy-"
"No," Jade interrupted. They all looked at her like she was crazy.
"No?" André repeated.
"No…" The goth sat there, eyes looking so distant. "If she wants to go out with this Braden kid, then who am I to stop her?" she said, sadly.
"Jade…" Beck said, trying to get through to her, "It doesn't have to be like this. We'll take care of it."
"Didn't you hear what I said?! Don't bother!" Then she grabbed her bag and stormed out of the café.
"…Did we miss something?" asked a confused Robbie. No one replied.
It took a few minutes until Tori returned to her spot. "Where'd Jade go?"
"Uh, she witnessed another one of Sinjin's sock puppet sketches of the two of them," Cat lied. "She said it made her want to puke."
Tori's face read "how weird", and she went back to her food, unaware of the heartache she just caused the raven-haired girl.
Sikowitz's class and Physics was painful for Jade to sit through. Here she sat in her last lesson for the day - not listening to a word Mr. Broderick was saying - watchingTori with eyes filled with hurt and sadness. Cat saw the whole thing and felt so bad for her friend. She nervously chewed on her pencil as she continued to watch.
Tori felt some eyes on her, and as she pivoted her head towards her left (to whom she thought was staring at her), blue eyes strayed away from brown. The tan girl's eyes were then settled on Cat, who stared at her like a child staring at its mother when they know they've done something bad. Tori looked confused, and then moved her attention back to Jade. She still sat there, trying to avoid Tori's gaze.
The tan girl decided to text her goth friend to see what was up.
Tori: What's wrong?
Jade sat up and finally made eye contact, but was not making any move to respond to the text. Tori motioned her head for Jade to reply, and she reluctantly did.
Jade: Nothing. What makes you think something's wrong?
Tori: Really?! You look upset. I know you are. I know you, remember?
The familiar words she once said to the brunette normally would've made her chuckle; she'd comment on how little things like that is a sure sign that they're meant to be together, but now was hardly the time.
Jade: Tori, you don't know me.
Tori looked really hurt by that message. And Jade once again refused to make eye contact with her.
Tori: What is going on with you? Was it something I did? Jade please tell me.
Jade: It's nothing, Tori. Don't worry about it, okay? Can you forget about it, for me?
Tori: How can you ask that of me? I'm your friend. How do you expect me to act like nothing is wrong with you?
Jade: Please? I am really PLEADING with you. Please just forget it.
Tori said nothing more after that last text. Tears were threatening to escape her eyes at this point. Her instinct to nurture those in need, especially her friends, kicked in. Whatever it was hurting Jade obviously was too unbearable, and the goth wasn't letting her in.
'Since when does Jade ever shut me out?' she pondered. 'Maybe I should talk to Cat or Beck…'
The dismissal bell sounded off, and Jade left no time for Tori to try to catch up to her. Cat wasn't too far behind Jade, but she got held up by Tori anyway.
"Cat, wait!" Tori seized the redhead by her purse and slowly turned her around. "Do you know what's wrong with Jade?" Chocolate eyes were boring into chocolate eyes, hoping for an answer.
"I'm sorry, Tori. I don't," she said in a very un-Cat like fashion. Tori clutched the strap of her purse and chewed her bottom lip, glancing up at the door then back down at Cat. She can't say that she knew her friends well enough to know if they were lying to her, but something told her right now wasn't the time to force it.
"Alright…but, will you let me know if she decides to talk to you regarding whatever this is?"
"…Sure, Tori," she said lowly but sweetly. "See ya later," Cat waved goodbye, to which Tori waved back.
'This is going to be very stressful. I've never seen Jade like this, but it breaks my heart. Please be okay, Jade…'
A/N: Sorry for the angst guys. But it had to be done. Had to put some angst in the midst of the funny and the romance. Don't hate meh!
Btw, that reference was directly from The Steve Harvey Show. Lol had to put that in there. If you're a fan of the show then you know Lydia's nemesis - Heather the Cheerleader lol. If not…then oh well.
Also, I don't know French. So like everybody else, I Googled it. I apologize if it's incorrect, but I was trying to have Jade's teacher say "Are you listening?" and "Never mind".
How 'bout that? Jade was super pumped to ask Tori out, only to have her heart ripped out of her chest. I know the actual Jade would do anything to get what she wants, but I'm doing it a bit differently in this. Under all that armor to me is a side of Jade that's long-suffering; like a part of her feels like she's not up to the fight because she can't win, she's not worth it. So why bother? There are people out there like that, but they need to realize they are indeed worth every bit of something to somebody. You have to take a chance remember?
Look, now I'm just getting completely off topic.
Review or you gets no love. I mean it (she says, pointing a finger!).
