Jade drove to her house, thinking it would be the best place for them to calm down from tonight's mishaps. On their drive there, Jade kept her eyes on the road and her hands on the wheel. Alan rested his arm against the door. The throbbing on that hand slowly went away but his knuckles were still covered with blood. The whole drive, he looked out the window, reflecting on what just happened. Not a word was spoken. Initially he didn't know where Jade was taking to hit, but he eventually figured it out after she took the freeway exit for her house.
She pulled up to her driveway and turned off her ignition. They both still sat there, not moving.
"How's your hand?" she started the conversation.
He released a deep breath. He observed his hand. The throbbing stopped, but the blood was still present and it looked like it was going to swell. "Should be fine," he lied. "I can drive home with it."
Jade eyed his hand. She noticed the swelling and the blood. "It's swelling. You're not gonna drive home without getting some ice on it." She reached for her bag and opened her door. "C'mon. I got some ice and bandages inside."
"Are you alright?" Haley asked Beck, as he lied on her bed.
Haley cleaned up all the blood off his face and put iced his newly formed black eye.
"Do I look alright?" he asked back, in an irritated tone.
"Sorry."
Beck sighed. He didn't mean to yell at her. It wasn't his fault. He knew he was at fault. He instigated the fight. Alan told him to walk away, but he released all the anger that flowed through his veins. Anger from what, though? Jade? The marriage? He didn't know. All he knew, was that he was mad and he needed to let it out. Alan was just a punching bag, but unfortunately, he became the punching bag.
"I'm sorry," he apologized, not wanting Haley to feel bad.
She stroked his face and brushed his hair away. "I know this isn't the time or place, but can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"What was Alan talking about? When he said Jade was helping you," she started.
Beck sighed. He dreaded when this moment would arrive. "Jade is the one helping my ballroom dance," he confessed.
She took her hand out of his hair.
"It's not like that, Haley. She just helps me. That's it," he tried to reassure her.
She bit her bottom lip, afraid to ask this question, but decided to do it. "Are you jealous of Alan, because he's with Jade now?"
"Who knew West was a nurse?" Alan said, in a playful tone. He seemed a lot more upbeat now, which was a relief for Jade.
Now that he was more relaxed, she could lash out at him, without feeling guilty. She shoved him on the shoulder. "Why'd you punch Beck?"
"I was defending myself. The guy attacked me! It was self-defense," he defended.
"You kept hitting him when he stopped!" she pointed out, increasing the volume of her tone.
"Ok. The first punch was self-defense. The rests was because I – I don't know. The guy was saying all this crap, saying I was screwing around with you."
She glared at him. "Are you?"
"You don't trust me?" he replied with an arched eyebrow.
She stood up, with her eyebrows pulled together to the middle. "I don't know anymore. You're not answering me, so it's making me think that you're doing something that I don't know about."
He stood up, facing her. "Jade, I'm not cheating on you. Never have. Never will! Don't do that, Jade!"
"Don't do what?" she questioned.
"Don't let that pathetic loser get inside your head! You're better than that!"
But Beck kept warning me about doing things, ever since Alan and I started dating. He wouldn't have said that if he didn't know something about Alan. But he did know something, then why wouldn't Beck tell me himself? Why didn't he tell me about the group of girls that Alan was with at the diner? Then again, Alan did tell me about the girls. God! They're both in my head!
"I don't know what to believe anymore!" she shouted out of frustration. She collapsed on to the couch and rubbed her temples.
Alan took a seat on the coffee table in front of her. He grabbed her hand. "Jade. I've been honest with you, since day one. Beck is just making your imagination run."
Am I jealous? Am I really jealous of that rich douche with Jade? No. I just think she deserves someone better. Someone who caters to her needs. Someone who doesn't just abandon her to hang out with other girls. Someone who loves her, inside and out. Someone who loves her flaws and thinks those are what makes her beautiful. Like the way she chooses to express her worriedness by shouting. The way she wears different colored strands in her hair that makes her look gorgeous. The way she smiles devilishly after doing something mischievous. The way she'll fight back, just for the hell of it. The way she'll do and say just about anything ridiculous before admitting why she did it in the first place. The way she got jealous. Most people didn't like the way she got jealous. And I admit, I didn't like it, at times. But I don't know. It's cute.
No. I'm not jealous. Why am I thinking of her so much?
"Beck?" Haley called out, bringing him back to the moment.
"Yeah?"
"I asked you if you're jealous of Alan because he's with Jade now? Beck, you have to tell me. I need to know. We're going to get married and I can't marry you if you still have feelings for Jade."
Beck sat up. He thought carefully about what to say and how to say it.
"Do you still have feelings for Beck?" Alan asked, not wanting to beat around the bush.
"No," she automatically answered. She didn't know why she responded so quickly, without even thinking about it first. But now that it was said, it wasn't so easy to take it back.
What did I just say? That was a mistake! No! It wasn't a mistake. Ugh! I don't like Beck!
"I'm not in love with Beck anymore," she told him, in her most confident tone. It almost sounded like she was trying to convince herself more than Alan. Maybe that was her intention.
Alan edged forward and brushed his lips against hers.
"Haley, I've gotten to know you, and I learned to love you. But I owe it to you to be fair to you."
Beck stopped to recollect his thoughts. He heard Haley swallow loud, with her eyes locked on his.
"But I'm not in love with you. And I think it's because I'm still in love with Jade."
Instantaneously, Haley's hand came up and smacked Beck across his face. Beck grunted as he felt the impact of her palm to his face, near his black bruised eye. He sucked it up and felt like he deserved it. He looked up at Haley, and her eyes were filled with tears and her hands covered her mouth. "I'm sorry," she apologized.
Beck shook his head. "Don't apologize. I deserved it." He reached for her hand and held it in his. "You deserve to marry someone who you loves you just as much as you love them, and you should marry when you want to marry. Don't just marry just because your family is forcing you to do it."
Haley squeezed his hand, as a thankful gesture. She needed to hear what he had to say.
I'm not in love with Beck anymore. I can't be. I'm not. How could I ever be in love with someone who would willingly ruin their life just for a guarantee? How could I love someone who would easily give up on their dreams? I don't love Beck anymore. He tried to tear apart Alan and I apart! I don't love him. How could I love someone who can't be happy for me? I'm happy with Alan… aren't I?
"Ouch, what the hell happened to you?" Tori asked Beck as he entered the classroom. He still had a black eye and some scratches, but no one bleeding.
He set his bag down. "It's nothing," he replied, not wanting to get into the details.
"That doesn't look like nothing," Andre commented.
"Yeah. What happened?" Robbie asked, joining the conversation.
Beck looked around at his peers, and realized Jade wasn't present. It was the first class of the day, and five minutes until class started. He wondered where she could be, and his mind went to Alan. He wasn't sure if he wanted to be the one to confirm that Jade's new boyfriend hit him.
"Was it Haley's dad?" Tori questioned.
"No. Of course not," Beck answered.
"Ooo! Was it a homeless guy?" Cat shrieked.
"No."
"Then who was it?" Andre asked.
Beck sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "It was-"
Just then, Jade entered the room, quietly. She made no effort to look at Beck or the rest of the gang. She took a seat on the other side of the room, which the gang noted.
"Was it Jade?" Robbie whispered, soft enough for only him, Beck, and the gang to hear.
Beck kept his eyes on Jade. He observed how indifferent she looked. He didn't expect her to nurse him to health, but he at least thought she would see or even ask if he was ok. But no. She didn't. She just sat there quietly, on her pear phone, not even making eye contact with anyone.
"Beck!" Tori yelled to get his attention. Her and that gang were eager to know who gave Beck a black eye.
"Alan. It was Alan," Beck finally said.
"Alan? Alan Michael? Jade's Alan?" Tori asked, as if she knew another Alan.
Beck nodded. The gang bombarded him with question after question. He explained everything that happen, even though Jade was just several feet away and could hear everything he said. However, Jade didn't seem like she cared. When he was done, he stood up to go over to Jade on the opposite side, but the bell rang and Sikowitz walked in.
"Sit down, Beck!" he commanded, and Beck listened.
In class, Beck thought of a way to talk to Jade. More importantly, he thought about what he wanted to say to Jade. He wanted her to be the first one to know he broke off the engagement, and why he broke it off. As the tock ticked, he couldn't bare waiting any longer. He had to speak to her, now. He pulled out his pear phone and texted her.
To: Jade
From: Beck
Message: We need to talk.
Beck looked over at Jade. He saw her pull out her phone and read the message. She didn't reply. Instead she set her phone, screen down, on her lap. Beck decided to text her again.
To: Jade
From: Beck
Message: Jade, please. We really need to talk.
Again, Jade did the same thing. She looked at the message but no reply. Beck texted her ten more times, but it all had the same result. She would read it, but not reply. She wouldn't even look at him.
To: Jade
From: Beck
Message: Jade. Please. I'm begging you. It's really important that we talk. It's about me, you, Haley, and Alan. Please.
Beck aimed to sound as desperate as he possibly could via text message. He wanted to sound desperate so she could finally text him back. With luck, he saw her texting back.
To: Beck
From: Jade
Message: What?
Beck read the one-worded message. He tried not to be upset over it, since he at least got a reply from her.
To: Jade
From: Beck
Message: Meet me in the janitor's closet in five minutes?
Beck peered up and saw Jade read the message, but didn't reply. He saw her put her phone back in her bag, rather than leaving it on her lap. Beck wanted to believe that she was going to meet him in the janitor's closet within five minutes. He rose his hand to be excused and Sikowitz permitted him. Right before exiting, Beck looked back at Jade, who didn't seem like she was going to meet him.
He walked to the janitor's closet, slowly. When he entered, he closed the door and patiently waiting for Jade to come to the closet. He stared at his phone, watching the time, and counting down.
Will Jade meet up with Beck in the closet?
How will Jade and Alan react to Beck and Haley's
cancelation for the wedding?
How will debut practices be like,
now that Beck and Haley are broken up,
and Alan fought with Beck?
Will Haley's family give her a hard
time for breaking off the engagement?
Stay tuned to find out!
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