Y is for You Again

•Takes place three years after graduation•

"Lemme get a grand vanilla mocha cappuccino extra cream, no sugar…And a couple lemon scones…and that's to go, okay?"

Jade sighed, knowing she was too good to be taking orders in a coffee shop. But, she scribbled the order onto a paper and handed it off to the person who'd fill it.

"Move," she said bluntly to the skinny blonde who'd ordered. She looked affronted as she stepped aside so the next person could order.

Two more months, Jade thought. Two more months of this and then she'd be done working forever. In two months, she'd be living in Paris and the play she wrote would be famous…The owner of an opera house there would put it on, and then she knew she'd get attention. Not many people wanted to house a play written by a woman three years out of high school, with no college experience.

"Let's go," she called to the leggy brunette, arm in arm with a dark haired man who was in line. The girl turned around, and Jade gasped.

It was her.

"Jade!" Tori shouted. Several people looked around as she ran towards Jade, who was gripping her apron as if it was an escape rope. She embraced Jade over the counter, and squeezed her for a moment.

"Hi! How are you? I haven't seen you in three years…"

"I'm fine," Jade spoke cautiously. "How are you?"

"Great!" Tori said. "Did you hear? I'm a pop star! World famous!"

Jade had heard all right. She could no longer even go to the grocery store without running into a shelf of tabloids with Tori's face plastered all over the covers. She and Andre had teamed up as a duo, and gotten pretty popular. Then, they'd gone their separate ways, earning them even more fame from different fan bases.

"So do you work here?" Tori asked, a hint of snobbish distaste in her voice.

Jade stared at the floor, not bothering to answer as Tori looked over the rim of her designer sunglasses at the coffee stained countertops, Jade's ill-fitting apron, and the greasy floor.

Tori changed her tone back to excited happiness, and gripped the man's who she'd come in with arm.

"I was just saying to Beck, literally thirty seconds ago that I wondered what had happened to you…Wasn't I Beck?"

The dark haired man took of his sunglasses and smiled, and Jade's heart plummeted. It was him, it was Beck. He had a suit on and a different haircut, and attractive stubble lining his jaw line, but it was certainly him.

"You were," Beck said. "Hi Jade, how are you?"

Jade tried to speak, but the lump in her throat prevented it. The only thing that came out was a strangled "yargh" sound. Beck looked astonished, and Jade cleared her throat.

"I mean, good. Really good…Um, I'm saving money," she said flatly, trying to explain why she was in a coffee shop. "What have you been doing with all your time?"

"I'm an actor," Beck said seriously. "I've done three movies, and now I'm working on a TV show. It's a drama, on Fox…"

"Oh," Jade said faintly.

"So," Tori spoke again. "I ran into Robbie the other day…Did you know he and that puppet scored a role on a kid's show?" Tori paused to snicker. "Imagine, that's his life now, talking to seven year olds through a puppet."

Jade's heart sank further. If Tori thought Robbie performing on a kid's show was bad, what did she think of a coffee girl?

But even more pondering, what did it matter? Who cared what Tori thought? Beck did, obviously, since his arm was around her shoulders as if he was protecting the most valuable thing in the world.

Since when did Jade care about Tori's opinion?

Since Tori had become famous in over thirty countries…Since there were Tori Vega Barbie dolls in every store…Since Tori had gotten the guy that Jade had never gotten over.

Who had really won out here?

"Do you know how Cat's doing?" Jade asked, almost afraid. Cat wouldn't amount to anything, so it was a safe question. Her voice wasn't bad, but she was too immature to handle a job.

"Oh, Cat's a model," Jade said. "Well, a model and a singer. She models on weekdays, and performs on the weekends at a bar in San Diego. She's in school too."

With each story of her friends' successfulness Jade felt closer and closer to tears. Here she was, working the day shift in a coffee shop.

She felt terrible.

Worse than she'd ever felt in her life.

Less than zero.

Random Quote Of The Day: Cat: Robbie, come help me pass out these batteries

Robbie: Will I get a hug?

Cat: …Maybe…

Robbie: I'll take that chance!

Note: Okay, this one was depressing, but don't worry! The next chapter wraps things up, and let's just say I'm not one for sad endings. Just stick with me one more day, guys, and then we'll be finished! Haha, thanks for everything, 143!

Anonymous: Haha, I like to make the last lines wrap up the chapter/ story. I think it's really cool when people do that, so I try…Usually it's an epic failure, but whatever!

Sshaw101: lol! She spent 120 dollars on music? Hope she got some good stuff!

Maple Pup: Aww, no way! Seriously, this is the best fic you ever read? That just made my day, thanks so much!

Iamsofreakinbored: Haha, I don't mind Jandre. I'm not crazy over it, but it's not bad! I think it's very plausible also, because there was a part where Jade said "No one likes Trina, Tori's not my friend, I only tolerate Robbie, and Cat's basically a pet". I'm like "hmm. She didn't say anything about Andre…"