Tori's POV

Cat knew ..

I couldn't imagine what Jade must have been feeling. I tried to glance at her to gauge her reaction. If she was mad, I was prepared to stop her from killing poor Cat. But she didn't look mad. She looked scared. Without thinking I reached out to touch her arm. I meant for it to be comforting but she moved away from me and got out of bed muttering something about her bladder. When Jade left, I grabbed Cat by the shoulders.

"You cannot tell anyone Catherina," I said making sure I sounded as serious as I could be but she just laughed at me. I'm sure I looked stupid when I gawked at her reaction.

"Of course not, I'm not stupid," another laugh.

I sighed. "er.. Cat I'm serious!" Maybe I was being selfish I didn't know, but I didn't want anything to come in the way of Jade's life. "I don't want her to leave me," I blurt without thinking. I meant Mason. I cared for Mason.

Cat looked unfazed, only smiling like she only did when she knew things others didn't. Or at least thought she knew things that no one else did.

"I know you love Jadey. I don't want her to runaway with Mason either. He's too cute!" he exclaimed pinching his cheeks.

I'm sure I looked like a vegetable, my mouth probably open. "H-how..I- Who said I loved..Jade?" I asked making a face. That girl hated my guts. And she let me know every day.

"Oh. I did, just now."

I sighed annoyed, "No Cat, I mean why would you think that?"

"You always give her your lunch money and carry her stuff around. And when she doesn't want her drinks, she gives them to you."

I ran a hand through my hair in frustration. I was always afraid she would kill me if I rejected her when she demanded my money for lunch. I only carry around her shit because again, she'd kill me if I didn't. And I don't drink anything after her. I've seen her purposely back wash into a drink and hand it to me after I say that I'm thirsty. "Sure Cat"

Jade's POV

"So damn nosy," I mutter under my breath wiping my ass. I stood up and stared at myself in the mirror. What was my next move. Tori knew and Cat. What if the number only got higher. I then considered why it would even be so bad if people knew, before my mom's words echoed into my head. I can't trust anyone. Eventually everyone leaves or stabs you in the back, so what's the point right?

I took a deep breath and pushed all thoughts aside. If I run away, they would know they've gotten to me. My face hardened, then suddenly I felt this pain in my stupid chest. I was thinking of Tori. Why was I here thinking about disappearing when she always tried to be there for me. Or more specifically up my ass every damn second. Ugh I hated emotions. I scoffed at myself and rinsed ice cold water onto my face. "Snap out of it," I said to myself and quickly headed out to make sure Cat didn't do stupid shit to my kid while I was gone.

I walked back into my bedroom expecting her to be giving Mason a haircut or using his face as makeup practice.

I panicked automatically. I'm a damn mom who didn't see her kid where she'd left him. Was I not supposed to flip my shit?!

"Tori!" I yelled not really knowing why it was her name that I called. I heard her small yet loud thumps running up the staircase. Within seconds her stupid face appeared but I couldn't think of anything else more important than my kid. "W-where's M-"

Arms suddenly wrapped around my neck and I found myself breathing in the stupid scent that was Tori. I have no idea why I didn't shove her away and stab her with my scissors just for touching me.

"He's watching cartoon's with Cat. He's okay I promise."

Something about her soft and sincere voice calmed me down. Her grip on me was still tight. Did I look that panicked? How fucking embarrassing. It's not like I thought he'd been kidnapped and on his way to Canada. I knew he was in the house it's just.. Ugh.

"Okay get off me."

I felt Tori hesitate against me for a second but I guess she remembered who I was and quickly let go of me as if I shocked her with bolts. She was about to apologize but I cut her off with my hand and left the room. I needed air. It was too much for me. Passing by the cartoon watching duo on my way out, my embarrassing panic lessened. I grabbed a cigarette from the counter and slipped out back.

Tori's POV

Jade Elizabeth West why do you have to be so stubborn. What pride do you even have left?

I sighed deciding it was best to leave her alone. I gave it almost ten minutes, I really did try, but I couldn't stop overthinking. Who was that guy? Was Cat going to tell anyone? Was Jade planning on running away?

Mason must've noticed me constantly in my head because he tapped me with one of his lego blocks. I knew he wanted me to play with him, he didn't have to talk for me to know as I grew up with quiet kids. I quickly pushed the agitating thoughts aside and crawled over to where the little boy had his pile of only blue colored blocks. Cat was nearby with the rest of the colors.

"He doesn't like the other colors," Cat said sadly.

I really don't know what I was expecting, but when I picked up a red block to add it to his blue castle, he took it and tossed it away.

"..It's okay, We only need blue castles anyway," I said quietly to him while playing with his hair a bit. But my thoughts couldn't help returning to someone else. After making sure Cat would keep a close eye on Mason, I slipped out the back, chewing on my bottom lip when the silhouette of Jade became visible. She was sat on the steps to the pool that was covered up for some reason. Maybe a safety precaution.

I started taking steps towards her. I didn't care if she told me to scram. I found myself sitting beside her before I could change my mind and run away. We sat in silence, me holding my breath not wanting her to sniff out my fear and kill me or something. I think I actually died when her face turned to look at me. I didn't know what to say, her arching her eyebrow in irritation.

"I-I um. I just I-" I closed my mouth in an attempt to get my crap together. The air around me seemed to be making it hard for me to breathe, her stare suffocating. Is this the part where I just roll over play dead and hope she takes mercy on me?

"Spit it out Tori."

I quickly looked down to avoid looking at her but I could still feel her eyes on me. "He's the father isn't he." I chanced a quick glance up in time to see Jade scowl and move to stand up but I grabbed her wrist causing her to settle her glare back onto me. I almost crapped myself. "We have to talk about this."

"There's nothing to talk about!" she suddenly yelled. We both fell silent, looking at eachother. I didn't know if I was only making it worse. If I was only making her want to run away more.

I sighed. How was I still alive.. My hand was still on her wrist. "I just want to help you," I said standing up to be more at eye level with the goth.

"We are not friends Victoria." She pulled her wrist from my hold and brushed past me back into the house.


A/N - I promise future chapters will be much longer! Just didn't want to leave you guys hanging for too long xoxo