Title: The Best Revenge
Author: khay
Category: Victorious
Word Count: 2900ish
Rating: T
Disclaimer: Victorious and all related characters do not belong to me.
Summary: "Messing up his life isn't the best revenge. It's getting on with yours and living life to the fullest that kills him." - author unknown
Continuity: Post-TWC. Will be disregarding all episodes and Slap posts that occur thereafter as I see fit. Oh, and I tried (but horribly, horribly failed) to write Rex. So in my universe, he had a falling out with Robbie and is currently not speaking to him.
Author's Notes: Thanks to those who read and reviewed and favorited and placed me on alert! I'm in Twitter and Tumblr as ilurked. I don't say anything of import there, but I may be moved to answer questions about this fic :-)
Anyway, if while reading this, you feel as if the author was high on something, I swear, all I took was a giant tumbler of coffee and a slice of chocolate cake. Sometimes, I can't even explain myself. Please send feedback if you like this chapter because I'm kinda on the fence on this one. I wanna rewrite it but I don't, and I'm all out of words. How can I make it better? Please help a friend out!
The Best Revenge
is Happiness
(Chapter 9)
Mart Walker's latest TheSlap video showed him walking over to a table occupied by Jade West. He placed a giant grocery bag on the table. One by one, Mart unloaded the bag—a giant tumbler of Skybucks, an unopened bag of imported coffee beans, a box of apple pie, paper plates, two plastic forks, two bottles of mineral water, five pairs of scissors of different sizes, a dozen doughnuts and a stack of colorful fashion magazines.
Mart opened the packet of paper plates and placed two of them on the table before returning the pack inside the grocery bag, which he folded and placed on the seat beside him. He sat down, opened the box of pie and served himself and Jade a slice, but placed the girl's plate out of her reach.
When Jade reached for a pair of scissors, her hand was slapped away.
"First of all, I'm recording this for my Slap page. I'm Mart Walker and this is an interview with Jade West, as requested by my loyal followers." Matt stated, gesturing towards the camera.
Jade frowned, but did not say anything.
"These," Mart motioned to the stuff he had unloaded. "Are bribes. I ask a question and if you answer, you get to pick a prize. So do you want to play?"
"Yes," Jade answered, then she grabbed the scissors she was eying in triumph.
"Hey!"
"You said you ask a question and if I answer I get to pick a prize. You asked a question, I answered, so I picked a prize," Jade told him.
"Fine." Mart glared at Jade. "But I find it surprising that you grabbed the scissors and not the coffee. That's not a question, by the way."
Jade smirked. "I can get coffee easy. Grady is on coffee duty for a whole month."
"He lost a bet again, huh. That boy's a lousy gambler."
"I know."
"So speaking of Grady, who are you dating now?"
"That's not a fair question. It assumes that I actually am dating." Jade protested.
"So say no one if that's the answer," Mart smirked.
"Fine. No one." Jade bit out. When Jade reached for a prize, Mart again slapped her hand away.
"No prize for lying!"
"I'm not lying!"
"You're going to the Full Moon Jam with Beck!"
"As friends." Jade told him. "He said so himself, in case your loyal followers want to know."
Mart paused. "Would you rather go to the Full Moon Jam with Beck on a date rather than friends?"
Jade's brow furrowed. "Yes and no. Yes, because, hello, Beck Oliver, hottest guy in school. No, because I'd rather not date right now. I'm realizing it's fun to be just Jade without any appendages." she grinned as she reached for a magazine. She flipped it open until she found a full page perfume ad with a size zero, scantily clad model which she proceeded to decimate gleefully with her scissors.
Mart raised his eyebrows at the particularly vicious way Jade was cutting up the model, but gamely continued, "Marry, Make-out and Murder: Ryder Daniels, Sinjin VanCleef, Robbie Shapiro."
"Murder: Sinjin VanCleef. Make-out: Ryder Daniels. Marry: Robbie Shapiro." Jade reached for the plate of pie and took a bite.
Grady's eyes widened. "Really? Marry Robbie Shapiro?"
Jade shrugged. "I used to have the hugest crush on Robbie Shapiro back in middle school."
"WHAT?"
"Yeah. Ask Cat. Robbie sat beside me in math class and he always made me laugh when the teacher wasn't looking. I was going through a rough patch then, so that was a huge deal for me."
"You're crushing on Robbie over Beck Oliver?" Mart asked incredulously.
"Oh, yeah, you didn't go to HA Middle School. You wouldn't believe it, and if he denies it, I still have the yearbook to prove it, Beck was a geek in middle school. A cute geek, but still a geek. It wasn't until he began dating me that he found his cool."
Mart's eyes widened at the revelation. "Beck was a geek? Wait, don't answer that. That's not my question. My question is, why didn't you date Robbie or something?"
"Well, Rex happened." Jade said simply. "I would still probably go out on a date Robbie if he ditches the puppet. He's ridiculously funny if he finds the happy median between Robbie and Rex."
Mart was delighted at the fount of information he was getting from Jade. "Um, okay. Who was your first kiss?"
"Seriously?" Jade frowned. "Don't freak. But it's Grady."
Mart let out a squeal that sounded like a piglet rolling in the mud. "Details, please?"
"I was five or six. His mom used to clean our house during the weekends and Grady always tagged along. We got to be playmates." Jade smiled in remembrance. "He was such a cute child. Who knew he'd turn out like that? Anyway, one day, I broke my hammer—don't ask—and I cried and cried and cried. I think my crying aggravated him so much that he's willing to do anything to make me stop. So he grabbed the first things he can, which were a pair of scissors and his coloring book, handed them to me, told me to shut up and cut things up, and then he gave me a smack on the lips, because I think that's what his mom does when he's in a tantrum."
"That's so cute." Mart sighed.
"I know. And between the two of us, I think we just killed off Grady's bad ass reputation."
"Next question." Mart shrugged. "Team Grady or Team Beck?"
"You know, you should have asked that first because now, you're out of party favors," she motioned to the table where most of the things are now on Jade's side of the table.
"I still have doughnuts!"
"I don't like doughnuts that much."
Mart groaned, but gamely turned off the camcorder with his remote.
The Day of the Kickback
The day was off to a perfect start for Beck Oliver. As it should be, for he is, after all, Beck Oliver, the guy born not only with a silver spoon in his mouth, but also with outstanding set of genes and a head full of great hair.
He drove Jade West to school for the third day in a row (and this time, the gremlin otherwise known as Jeremy West was MIA, having hitched a ride to school with his best friend). Bonus, Jade was in an unusually good mood because she received a message from her doctor during the car ride that she can finally drink her favorite brew.
Upon arrival at the school, Beck shooed Jade inside before jogging to the Jet Brew to surprise her with a tall tumbler of coffee.
Armed with Jade's coffee (black, two sugars) and a smile so bright it was sure to chase away the darkest clouds, Beck Oliver pushed open the school doors.
He saw Jade peering into her locker. And when he got close enough, he announced with a flourish, "Jade, I've got you coffee!"
Hold up. Did someone just say the exact same thing at the exact same time?
Of course.
Standing at Jade's other side was Chester Grady, wearing the exact same gobsmacked expression on his face as Beck's and holding an identical tumbler of coffee.
Jade turned around and faced the two boys. "You both brought me coffee, how sweet," she then reached into her locker and brought out a third tumbler of coffee. "But Sinjin beat you to it."
"You accepted coffee from Sinjin?" Beck asked incredulously.
"I'm not saying no to a cup of coffee." Jade replied defensively.
"So take this coffee," Grady tried to hand the coffee he was holding to Jade.
"No!" Jade pushed the coffee away. "By the time I finish my coffee, that coffee would be room temperature. I hate room temperature coffee."
"What would I do with this then?" Grady persisted.
"Drink it?" Beck offered.
"I don't drink coffee," Grady said.
"Grady's body's a temple." Jade offered by way of explanation as patted Grady's abs. A beat of silence, then, "I gotta go. Later, losers."
Grady and Beck both watched as Jade walked away.
"How did you know that she's allowed coffee today?" Beck asked Grady.
"I lost a bet and now I have to buy her coffee for a month. So she texted me that it begins today." was the reply. "But I think the more important question is, how did that Sinjin dude know when to get Jade coffee?"
"When it comes to Jade, Sinjin's stalking skills know no bounds. " Beck shrugged. "He's harmless." he reassured quickly when he saw the look on Grady's face.
Beck was about to walk away when Grady called out, "Wait!"
"In the interest of full disclosure, I want you to know that I told Jade not to go to the Full Moon Jam with you," Grady admitted.
"I'd be surprised if you didn't." Beck told him. "The two of us being in the same position and all."
"Same position?"
"Yeah. You know. In love with Jade West."
The calculating look was back in Grady's eyes. "One big difference: she's still so in love with you, it's fracking ridiculous."
"Really?"
"Yeah. But I wouldn't celebrate just yet. Her being desperately in love with you is eclipsed only by her desperation to get over you."
"Why would she do that? I told her I love her."
Grady was silent for a moment. "When you broke up with her, you didn't just break her heart, you broke her. She didn't like that very much."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because, like you said, I love her." Grady told him simply, candidly. "I love her enough to let her go and enough to make sure that she gets what she wants and what she deserves. And also, to make you feel bad. So you can feel the throbbing ache of what you gave up."
"Thanks," Beck told him dryly.
"Anytime," was the reply.
Beck was about to walk away, but he couldn't resist adding, "But unlike you, I love her enough to tell her that I love her. I love her enough to fight for my love, even if it means that it's her I'll be fighting with. Clearly, I love her more than you and I will love her more than you."
"I just want the best for her," Grady told him.
"And you don't think I want that?" Beck asked. "I'm going after Jade. I don't care if you stand in my way because I'll go through you if necessary." with that, Beck stalked away.
"Finally," Grady sighed in relief. "About time that boy get a clue." he grinned to himself, shoved his hands in his pockets, and whistled his way to his first class.
"Hey, Beck. Whatcha doing way over here when our table's way over there?"
If the question came from anyone else, Beck would have taken it as a taunt. Since it came from Cat Valentine, however, he knew there was no malice in the question and the girl was genuinely wondering.
Instead of answering, Beck looked pointedly at their usual lunch table, which was made unusual by the presence of a senior. Grady was sitting with his friends and giving Jade a henna tattoo on her shoulder for the Full Moon Jam.
Cat looked over at what Beck was looking at and started bouncing. "Oh, yey! It's Grady! He's joining us for lunch!"
Since Cat was holding her food tray while jumping in joy, Beck snatched the contents before they fell over.
Then Cat looked at Beck's strained face. "You don't like Grady?" she said. Then she gasped. "Oh, you're jealous of Grady because him and Jade are close."
Beck didn't deny the statement, but appreciated it when Cat started patting his back.
"Don't worry, Beck." Cat told him seriously. "Grady to Jade is like Tori to you."
Beck frowned at Cat. "What?"
"You know, two people with similar personalities and there's a bit of an attraction going on, but they're only great as friends." Cat shrugged. "Just don't do what Jade did—she started believing the things that people tell her." she poked Beck on the ribs, to make her point across.
"What things?"
"That, you know, you and Tori were meant to be together because you're perfect for each other. Like prince charming and his princess."
"People tell Jade that Tori and I belong together?" Beck asked incredulously.
"Well not to Jade's face," Cat told him. "But people talk and that eventually trickle down to Jade. Because of that kiss that happened between you and Tori. And of course, you started inviting her to hang out with us. Then there's the fact that you always side with Tori when she and Jade get into a fight. And then—"
"Thanks, Cat, I get it now."
"Yey. So let's do lunch!" with that pronouncement, Cat hooked her hand around Beck's arm and started dragging him to the lunch table.
The Full Moon Jam's in a couple of hours and the gang, save for Andre Harris who was performing that night, were hanging out in the rec room.
Cat was able to entice Tori (the world must be ending because she's not performing) and Robbie to a rousing game of Twister. Beck and Jade were on the couch, browsing through TheSlap together.
It would have been just like old times, except for the fact that there was a factitious space between Beck and Jade on the couch, when in the past, there would have been none.
Right after Robbie fell down on Cat and Tori, effectively ending their game, Grady ran into the room, leaving the door open. He zoomed in on Jade then he screeched loudly in an unnatural-sounding falsetto, "Chester Grady! What are you doing here, inside the rec room? With Jade West?"
The gang looked at Grady as if he had sprouted a second head.
"Just play along," he told them in a whisper before he knelt on the floor in front of Jade.
"Grady, you're starting to scare me," Jade told him.
Grady continued her and continued in his normal, but much louder voice, "I'm sorry, Jade. I tried so hard to stop it, to keep it inside, but I can't any longer. Jade West, I'm so in love with you that I don't know what to do!" despite the gravity and the romance behind his words, Grady's delivery was oddly mechanical.
"Why are you speaking robot?" Jade asked, then squeaked in surprise when Grady suddenly lunged and kissed her passionately.
"Hey!" Beck tried to separate the two but Grady had a death grip on the girl. However, with Jade pushing and Beck pulling, they were able to get Grady off the couch, causing him to tumble on the floor.
"Grady!" Jade glared as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.
Grady's eyes begged Jade to shut up.
To everyone's surprise, a willowy brunette stomped into the room screeching, "How dare you, Chester Grady!"
"Milly!" Grady stood up and faced the girl.
Milly strode towards Chester Grady and slapped his face with a resounding crack, before walking back out.
An awkward silence followed.
"I can explain," Grady told them.
"I don't think there's any explanation for what had happened that won't make you sound like a jerk." Tori told him.
"I went out on a date with that girl exactly twice," Grady started. "And now she's planning our wedding and naming our babies! And the dates weren't even that great."
"I was right," Tori rolled her eyes.
"You're so mean to girls, Grady." Cat said sadly, shaking her head.
"And you wonder why you you're not in a stable relationship." Jade muttered.
"It's not because I'm a jerk." Grady said. "It's because no one can compare to the beauty that is Jade West."
Jade snorted. "If you think that flattery could make up for the way you attacked me, you are sadly mistaken, my friend."
Grady shrugged, unconcerned. He then wiggled himself between Jade and Beck on the couch, placing his arms around the two's shoulders. "Enough about me. What's up, kids?"
"Your acting could use a little work." Beck told him.
"Dude," Grady frowned at Beck. "I just kissed your girl in front of your face and all you can tell me is, your acting could use a little work?"
Jade couldn't help but snicker at Grady's attempt to imitate Beck's manner of speaking. But she gave Grady a sneaky elbow to the ribs for the your girl comment. "Not anybody's girl." she pointed out.
"The girl in question," Beck retorted. "Can not only take care of herself, she was also horribly disgusted by that sloppy kiss."
Grady opened his mouth to speck, but Beck plowed on. "But if she wants me to defend her honor, she only has to say the word."
Jade was about to protest that the boys shouldn't talk about her like she wasn't there, but then, she realized something. "Wait, wait, wait," Jade frowned. "You guys are bantering. You like each other now? You guys pounded each other on the face and now, all of a sudden you like each other?"
"I did say boys are weird," Tori chimed in.
"First, we did not pound each other on the face," Beck denied.
"It's more of, he punched my jaw and I chose the high road and did not retaliate." Grady added.
"Second of all, we don't like each other—" Beck continued.
"It's more of, we came to an understanding." Grady finished.
"And you're finishing each other's sentences." Cat added. "That's so cute!"
"Jade, you may have serious competition for these two's affections," Robbie joked.
"Ha ha." Grady mocked. "So, are we ready for the Full Moon Jam?"
"Wait," Beck suddenly had an evil foreboding. "What do you mean we?"
"You don't do Full Moon Jams, remember?" Jade asked Grady.
"Well, I do now." Grady laughed. "Since you two kids are only going there as friends, I'm sure you won't mind me tagging along, right?"
"There's a word for people like you," Beck muttered.
"A coc—" Jade's answer was interrupted by Cat's shrill scream.
"I don't wanna hear a bad word!" Cat cried out, covering her ears.
Grady grinned. "Later, losers!" he told the room in general. He gave Jade a kiss on the temple then immediately dodged the elbow jab that was sure to follow. Laughing, Grady left the room, certain sure that his work there was done.
TBC
