Monsters & Demons

Rated M

Genre: Drama & Adventure

Summary:

When Tori arrived at Hollywood Arts, she knew that things wouldn't be the same. Little did she know that she and her friends would find themselves wound into more than teenage drama. Jade thought all she had to worry about was her status being threatened. Does Trina finally have a true friend? A trio of newcomers shows up, bringing along more than the gang bargained for. Homework and plays don't sound so bad anymore.

A/N:


Chapter 8: Potential


To say that Jade was miserable would be an understatement.

Her mind was consumed with the outcome of her decisions making the goth even more resentful and scornful than usual. This, of course, led to a downward spiral as she found herself even more isolated with each passing day. A few months had passed since that night and the gang was deep into the second semester by this point.

With April just beginning, that meant there were several big productions on tap for the last few months of the school year.

Jade didn't care as much as she normally would though, a clear indicator that things were more complicated than one would anticipate. To her credit, it was partially because the main theme was one she particularly despised overall: Disney. Thinking about it made her want to wretch. Still, the more productions she had on her resume, the better.

With that conflict settled, Jade's foul mood only increased as she chomped at her meal, warding off any who dared to even walk by her. She was already a fearsome person on an average day, but days like this made it a death sentence for anyone caught in her line of sight.

The reason for such a sinister aura?

Her former friend, Liam.

For the first time since arriving at the Quad, Jade noticed the boy sitting with the others with softened eyes. If only for a moment, the feral gaze was no longer prevalent as depression set it. Noticing his wide smile when Cat approached him with a big hug, the goth secretly wished to be a part of that happiness.

It seemed that they could hold a grudge even up to this point which, given Cat's personality and style, was a complete shocker. Liam ignoring her was one thing, but Cat? The few times they would interact, it was brief and to the point.

Still, Jade's resolve to dismiss this remained as she ate in silence. It wasn't ideal, but what more could she do?

The night she was rejected by the pair, something in her just... broke.

...and never speak to me again.

His cracked voice was enough to bring her to tears again, but Jade wouldn't allow that to happen, banishing any semblance of weakness from her eyes. This didn't stop the memories of that night from tormenting her.

It took nearly 10 minutes to finally move from her spot in the doorway. It took another five for her to gather the strength to close the door, the shock of everything having worn off by that point. After that, Jade felt it was best to keep her distance from them, and the others by extension. No amount of poking and prodding from Tori could shake her out of this funk. Even when Beck tried to cheer her up, it would do little to help as she'd always revert back to square one.

For the first time in her life, Jade would respect Liam's broken request; she couldn't blame him for being done with her at this point. Some small part of her wanted to as she impaled her chicken salad, viciously skewering the helpless meat.

"I'm guessing the chicken had it coming?"

She looked up to see her amused boyfriend taking a seat next to her.

"Yeah. Well, I guess it just irritated me..."

"What? Did it have an opinion?" he chuckled until she shot him a glare. "Sorry. It was just a joke."

"..."

"Jade, what's going on with you?"

"Nothing..." she resumed poking at her food.

"You're still hung up on Liam, aren't you?" She said nothing but her violent piercing did cease. Leave to cool and calm Beck to rub off on her. "Why don't you just talk to them? It's been months now and every time the gang wants to do something, you always back out. It's been months now and your friends miss you. I miss you."

"I've been busy, alright?"

"Doing what exactly?"

"Stuff."

"Babe..."

"Did you come over here just to lecture me?"

Though she was annoyed at this point, there was a certain lack of malice behind her voice. It was almost as if there was an emptiness within her that affected even her most emotional feelings. Beck wasn't sure whether to be appreciative or worried. While he pondered those options, he dug into his bag, pulling out a sheet of paper.

"I came over to have lunch with my girlfriend and to give you this."

Jade eyed her boyfriend but took the sheet anyway. She examined the contents and found her name under one of the productions.

*Role: Princess Jasmine (Jade West)

"Okay, so I got the lead role. What about it?"

"You might want to check out who's playing Aladdin."

Shrugging her shoulders, Jade looked over the list again.

Back and forth, she looked over all of the characters until she ran across the last name she'd thought to see in the role. Dread filled her heart as she found herself staring at the name that managed to drag out so many emotions from her. She looked up to see if anyone in the group knew about this only to find that a certain ex-friend was now missing from the table.

For the first time in a while, Jade felt a fire light up within her, a long-forgotten determination resurging as she stood to her feet. Knowing where she was aiming to go, Beck took off as well, citing something important though not without pecking her cheek. It did little to quell her irritation, in fact, it only strengthened her resolve as she stomped into the school on a war path.

"Fuck. My. Life!"


"Shit. Shit. SHIT!" Liam hissed between burning lungs and worn muscles.

He'd been at his locker when a certain goth arrived with a predatory grin; trouble incarnate. As if on auto-pilot, he instinctively dashed with the girl hot on his heels. One minute, he was going over choreography tips for the production Lion King when he was interrupted by a vengeful Jade. Imagine his shock when their first (direct) interaction in months would result in a reenactment of an Animal Planet segment.

"LIAM!" her powerful shriek made him flinch as he ignored the pain in his exhausted body. "GET BACK HERE?!"

After exploding through his means of escape, Liam's mind shifted into gear trying to figure out what he did to have to be hunted down by the scissor-wielding, coffee-loving girl. To his memory, Jade had honored his request yet this was how she chose to enact their first encounter? Turning a corner, he could hear her screeching his name, showing that she was indeed faster than he gave her credit for.

Another corner turned and Liam found himself in Sikowitz's classroom, grateful that the teacher was entering the room at the same time. Upon seeing one of his favorite students in such a winded condition, he felt driven to ask.

"Ah! Liam, what brings you to my humble class at this hour?"

"J... Ja-..." he wheezed.

"Ja? What is...?" At that exact moment, the sound of one Jade West rung in their ears. With a visible eye roll, Sikowitz immediately stood between the flustered pair. "Alright, what's going on here?"

"This!" she pulled out the piece of paper, shoving it in the older man's face.

He looked over the list with raised eyebrows. "The casting list? What about it?"

"Why would you put us in the same production?!"

"His audition was the best out of the bunch and so was yours. I'm failing to see the problem."

At this point, Jade was ready to blow a gasket. True, the man had a valid point, but that didn't change the fact that she didn't like the results.

"Change it!"

"Wait! That's what you're so pissed off about?" the two turned to face a now recuperated Liam. "That's why you were hunting me? A stupid role in a play?!"

"What of it?!"

"You're insane!"

"Screw you!"

With fists clenched, Liam felt that familiar urge to go off building up within himself.

"You insufferable gank!"

"You self-righteous dick!"

"ENOUGH!"

The powerful roar from their favorite teacher pulled the two from their personal war. By now, they finally realized how close they were, prompting them to pull back as if they'd just been burned.

"I don't know what happened between you two, but from the look of things, it's clear that you both need an outlet to expel this toxic negativity radiating from your pores. For starters, I am NOT taking either of you out of the production of Aladdin. Secondly, you two are in desperate need of some 'team-building' skills. So, with that being said, I am ordering you both to meet me at this address tonight."

"I am NOT teaming up with him for some social experiment..."

"For once, we agree."

"DON'T BE LATE..." Sikowitz declared with finality. "Now, begone with thee! I have to prepare for the big class assignment with the others."


By the end of the day, everyone had made their way into the Black Box Theatre only to find their beloved teacher nowhere to be found. It was time for their midterm and yet the man was M.I.A. again.

Frustration began to set in upon the students who began murmuring to themselves.

"Where the heck is Sikowitz?" Jade groaned while leaning in Beck's arms while he snuggled her. "I'd like to get through this before I'm old and grey."

"I saw him a few hours ago talking to Principal Helen and Lane about something." Andre chimed in.

"Well, let's just hope nothing happened to him," Tori responded, worry evident in her voice.

"I hope nothing's happened to him!" Jade swiftly mocked, drawing her rival's ire.

"For the umpteenth time, I do not sound like a character from the 1940s!" She growled.

In typical fashion, Jade wiggled her eyebrows and bit the air at Tori playfully.

Ahrya and Robbie were discussing something about something off-topic while Cat giggled at the video about bunnies popping balloons. The only two that didn't appear thrilled about being there were Liam and Travis, the latter busy on his phone while the former looked visibly uncomfortable from the other side of the room.

This didn't go unnoticed by Tori or Jade who both quietly observed those two with uncertain glances.

There was a dark aura that seemed to emanate from them and it only made the air tenser. The former looked at Travis with concern, her eyes casually drifting over as she made out his features. Gone were his braids at this point, replaced with a shorter spiked afro that accentuated his face. Those dark brown eyes were filled with conflict, practically forcing him to stay glued to his phone in hopes of maintaining his facade of boredom.

A few rows behind her, who was firmly wrapped in Beck's arms were doing the same and while her proverbial 'thorn in her side' was full of worry, the goth girl was filled with something else.

Fury.

In truth, she was there to support Beck on this assignment whilst dreading the impending meeting with her former companion. Once again, Jade had only herself to blame for her impetuous actions. And yet, to see him talking to her still held some relevance to her. Though she could only make out his back, Liam's slumped posture was enough to tell the girl that he too felt something as he practically had to make himself look at anything other than her.

It was amusing if not for the tribulation that brought them to this point.

It was just a stupid role...

That's what she told herself after they left the room, neither willing to speak to the other. Alas, she'd have to investigate later...

"Ah, you're all here!" he feigned shock. "Good! Now, as you all know, the semester's nearly complete and that means it's time for midterms. That being said, many of you are required to take the exam save for a few of you. So if I call your name, you're not required to take the midterm test. The rest will be issued the exam starting next Monday."

He then pulled out a small stack of papers, shifting through various pages.

"Tori. Andre. Travis. Ahrya. Robbie. Cat. Beck."

The other students wasted little time in heading to Lane's office, all except for Trina, who was more interested in the condition of her nails. Sikowitz proceeded despite that. Jade and Liam knew why their names weren't on the list as well, neither so much as bothering to move though.

"Now, with Midterms in effect, I can't leave you pups out of the fun. So, I'm issuing a challenge." This prompted everyone's attention, much to his delight. "How would you all like to attend another Sleepover at Sikowitz's?" elation practically radiated from his pores.

"Pass." not surprisingly, Jade shook her head. "The last time we were at your place, I wound up in the ER nursing a severe burn while having to play the role of an overly positive valley girl. My hand reeked of fiesta and scorched flesh for weeks after that."

"Of course!" Sikowitz droned. "I recall giving you your midterm earlier in the day, and I suggest that you prepare for that."

Jade simply huffed, earning a whisper in her ear that soothed her, if just for a moment.

"Whatever..."

The teacher ignored the snarky remark and continued to speak on the challenge. Jade chose to focus on other things while shuffling lightly in Beck's arms, her eyes drifting to the back of her brooding classmate. Her stomach churned the more she pondered the idea of spending one-on-one time with Liam. Biting her lip, the taste of copper mixed with the bitterness of ash as a small amount of crimson flowed onto her tongue.


Later that night, Travis pulled up to the modest hotel parking lot. Looking around for a moment, he decided to grab his bag and head inside. As he entered the building, he noticed that it was pretty much empty save for the clerk at the front desk. Ahrya would've joined him, but she chose to arrive with Robbie, leaving the young man to deal with his nerves alone.

"Excuse me? Is there a reservation for Sikowitz party here?"

The young woman took a moment to check on her computer. It didn't long for her lips to curl into a soft grin.

"Might I have your name, please?"

"Right! Travis Garland."

She scrolled down the list and found his name in record time. "Alright, Mr. Garland. You should head down the left hallway and keep straight until you arrive at the banquet room. Your party should be waiting for you."

After a quick thank you, Travis made his way down the hallway.

He marveled at how luxurious the place was; the perfect distraction from his inner turmoil. With the flip-flop nature of Trina plaguing him during the past few weeks, it was nice to be lulled into a tranquil state by the soft piano playing above him. But, like most teens, questions began to overtake him. Of them all, one stuck out in his mind beyond the other To his surprise, she bounced up and down like a toddler being told they'd get their favorite toy from the store.

"Yay! So I'm not alone here." she clapped her hands and soon, Liam found himself being pulled down the rather long hallway. "I was starting to get nervous when I didn't see any of my friends here. Oh! I'm Cat by the way rs.

What exactly did his seemingly unpredictable teacher have up his sleeve?

If it was anything like what he was told by Robbie, they would be given a specific character that they'd have to stay as until the very next day.

This was enough to bring a tiny feeling of confusion as it was also noted that the group had given one another their characters before leaving school. This time, there was no forewarning or preparation time which only resulted in increasing levels of anxiety. His eyes darted in various directions with each passing step. His mind wandered to what could be in store for him and the others. Was his sister doing alright? How would he handle seeing Trina again? It was that thought that sent his mind into chaos.

His eyes narrowed at the idea of HER entering his thoughts.

"Travis?" The young man jerked slightly under the touch of someone's hand resting on his back. He turned around to find himself face to face with none other than Cat Valentine. "You're Travis, right? Trina's friend?"

"Oh um.. yes. I'm Travis."

To his surprise, she bounced up and down like a toddler being told they'd get their favorite toy from the store.

"Yay! So I'm not alone here." she clapped her hands and soon, Travis found himself being tugged down the rather long hallway. "I was starting to get nervous when I didn't see any of the others here. Oh! I'm Cat by the way!"

"Nice to meet you..." he smirked as a brother would their younger sibling; perplexity and patience.

Travis and Cat finally entered the banquet hall to find it empty aside from a lone table located at the far end.

The room, though designed to be radiant and elegant, now held an ominous atmosphere. Cat instantly latched onto his arm and buried her face into the sleeve of his jacket. He reached for the nearest light switch only to find it was out of order. At that moment, both realized that they were expected to push further inside. Each step was made with caution as the two looked around the uninviting setting.

The only light was from a lone lamp and a table that held various envelopes with designated names on them.

The pair took a moment to look at the other, concern meeting with fear, before they both took their respective envelopes, though the normally energetic redhead made sure to remain as close to Travis as possible. When they opened them, the duo pulled out different numbered key cards and written notes.

Welcome to your Sleepover Challenge,

Tonight, you have been chosen to participate in this contest of will and desire. You have been given a room key where you'll be paired up and given a specific mission to complete that must not be mentioned to anyone else. Should you accomplish this, you'll succeed and be able to stay in the rooms you were given. Should you fail, you will be banished from the lavish hotel and must go elsewhere for the night. Good luck!

Travis and Cat both finished reading the notes and took notice of the key card in their hand.

On the front, was a number of a specific room that they'd be spending the night in. Cat could barely swallow the lump in her throat as she noticed that on her card was the number 3 while Travis' card held the number 5 though both were on the same floor. This allows the red-haired girl to sigh in relief, if only for a moment. They both clutched the straps of their backpacks, uneasy about what potentially awaited them.

"Take a deep breath, Cat. I'm sure that Sikowitz is just trying to scare us. I doubt anything is going to happen to us, okay?" Despite his attempts, Cat continued to whimper while huddling closer to him. "I'll protect you 'til we get to our respective rooms okay?"

Instantly, Cat seemed to perk up at that idea and in turn, allowed Travis to breathe a bit easier.

She eagerly took his right hand in hers and began skipping along the hallway humming "If you're happy and you know it" to herself. Puzzlement struck the boy though he thought it best to not question her process as they approached one of the elevators that would take them to where they were supposed to be.

After a pretty interesting conversation, Travis and Cat arrived at their respective doors, the former calm at the realization that they were next door to each other. On both doors was a note that explained that they were to enter whenever they were ready but wouldn't be permitted to leave the room or risk being forced to leave.

"This doesn't seem so bad." he chortled but found that to be short-lived when Cat clutched his arm. "What's wrong?"

Cat Valentine mewled, prompting Travis to swiftly take her hand. "I don't want to go inside..."

It took everything for him to suppress the blush that crept along his cheeks.

Had the two met on the first day, Travis wouldn't have had the patience to deal with the childish antics of the redhead. It was amazing how a little bit of time around actual friends could soften up the tough guy. Hard to believe he was at risk of expulsion due to attempted murder along with Jade.

He figured that to be both a gift and a curse as his mind wandered to what awaited him behind the door to his room. What would be waiting on the other side? Did he even want to find out anymore?

"Listen, if you go into your room and you don't want to stay, knock on my door and I'll leave with you okay?"

To his delight, Cat bounced around like a child, giggling and clapping with glee much to his amusement. He meant what he said and intended to follow through should Cat dislike her experience. "KK" she replied before heading inside without hesitation.

As the door shut behind her, Travis could only blink a few times at everything that transpired in the last fifteen minutes or so. It was a roller coaster of the emotional spectrum to say the very least but he could inquire further about that some other time. Seconds felt like hours while he simply stared at the room number.

"Great." he huffed. "I think Cat's grown on me already." he quietly admitted to himself. "Here goes nothing."

Travis inserted his key card in the slot, watching the light flash red several times before turning green. Turning the handle, he grabbed his bag and headed inside. The room seemed to be simple enough, with one queen-sized bed, a flat-screen tv, etc.

He wondered what would have been so threatening that it would cause him to want to leave and abandon the challenge. He began unpacking when a click caught his ear. Turning around, he saw the door open slowly, anxious to know who his apparent roommate was. The scent of rather expensive perfume was what greeted his senses first before he could even tell the figure entering.

"Knock knock!" a voice that he'd grown to dread echoed in the room. "Congratulations on being paired with the best!"

'Oh fanfuckintastic...' he mentally groaned. 'Her'

True to his prediction, Trina finally revealed herself and her luggage.

Upon noticing him, her arrogant smile immediately dropped. Her gaudy sunglasses fell slightly, revealing a fearful gaze that betrayed her disdain. She had done pretty well thus far at avoiding Travis during and after school while continuing her prior... agendas. To her surprise, he didn't seem to mind or care for that matter. He didn't bother to yell or try to figure out what was going on with her instead, opting to focus more on his own life and goals.

"Oh great... You're my partner?"

"Trust me, I'm not happy about this one bit." unlike her, he succeeded in giving off an aloof demeanor as he made his way to the bathroom. "I'm only staying if Cat doesn't knock on my door to leave. I promised her I'd take her home if she didn't feel comfortable..."

"That's fine by me. I wouldn't mind having the bed all to myself anyway." she snapped back much to his annoyance. "I don't want you interrupting my beauty sleep anyways."

Eyes rolling, he opted to just let Trina win this absurd argument before it escalated further. He wasn't in the mood for dealing with her after a long week of midterms and stressful projects. As he shut the door, various sounds began to play only to be cut off seconds later signaling to him that Trina was flipping through several channels.

The tense atmosphere would give way to the faint sniffling sound that drew the boy's attention.

"Trina?" Immediately, she finched, even from the softness. "Are... Are you okay?"

Trails of mascara stained her cheeks and her bottom lip trembled and her breath was uneven just like that day. Obligatory emotions began to surface, pressing Travis to sit down next to the distraught girl. He didn't face her directly choosing to stare outside through the sliding doors that led to the patio. He wasn't expecting much, given what he had to work with before, but he still felt like he should try to at least help if he could.

"Trina...?"

She hated hearing him call her name. Even the mere whisper from Travis sent chills down her spine, making her battle the fluttering in her stomach. The pure desire in her heart was triggered once he spoke; the little girl in her could squeal from the way she adored his concern. Unfortunately, the current her couldn't shake the conflict brewing through her.

"What happened?" she nearly let out a moan, her mind returning to the day they met.

Life was simple before you showed.

"Trina..."

"I didn't ask you to save me!" she erupted, forcing Travis to withdraw.

She immediately regretted her cruel cry, seeing the wounded boy stand to his feet. With eyes flashing, one would be forgiven for thinking it was rage that fueled his glower, but Trina knew better. It was frustration that peered down at her.

That didn't mean that the hornet couldn't sting back.

"My God! When they were passing out stubbornness, I swear you cut in line for a double portion. You're so bullheaded and so stuck up that you can't even tell when your head is firmly up your ass! I thought we were friends, Trina!"

Hearing this, Trina followed his move, pressing her chest onto his own.

"Oh, please! We both know you just see me as a charity case!" she countered, eyes flaring. "I didn't ask you to save me from those boys! I didn't ask you to befriend me! Hell, I didn't ask you to... to protect me."

Travis dared not say a word as Trina attempted to rip him apart. Despite the timidity of her last few words, the flame still burned bright.

"I may be stuck up, but at least I don't pretend to be so righteous just to impress everyone!" she sounded off. "Look at me. I'm such a badass just because I'm handsome and quiet, and I think that makes me cool when in reality I'm just afraid of my own emotions! At least I've accepted that people don't like me; I don't have to fight for other's approval"

Travis crossed his arms tightly before raising an eyebrow as the tide of loathing finally began to subside.

"So you think I'm handsome, huh?" a cocky smirk steadily growing along his lips.

Trina didn't realize her slip of the tongue as she covered her mouth. "No... no, I meant quiet and mysterious... er- I mean...!" her face constantly turning more and more like a tomato. "J-just forget it..."

"You're right. You DIDN'T ask and you didn't HAVE to either," he chocked warmly while confusing the elder Vega. "I did all of that because I cared about you; I CARE about you. I meant it when I called you my friend and even though you've been avoiding me, I still think of you like that. The only way I would stop is..."

"...Is what?"

"If you told me to stop, Trina. Do you want me to stop being your friend?"

Trina couldn't believe her ears. Even after her tantrum, and harsh words, Travis was still offering her kindness. Despite his dismay at her attitude, he was being the mature one, shattering her allegations.

A sob choked deep in her throat. She slowly approached him and for the first time in a long time, gazed into his eyes. Her breath was haggard. Her heartbeat skipped. Her body shivered under his worried yet powerful eyes. She couldn't resist. This was the real reason she'd avoided him. His smile. His laugh. The way he looked at her. His way with words was more than enough to captivate her.

Enthralled.

Trina felt like she was captured in a lullaby that carried her to a world where all of her problems didn't exist.

She longed to return to that place.

She could return to that place right now.

Trina placed a hand on his chest as she was mere inches from him. To her liking, Travis wrapped his arms around her and gracefully pulled her closer. She inhaled his scent, a modest amount of cologne invaded her senses dragging her deeper into the depths of her emotions. There was no reality anymore. Her mind was entering a new heightened state of consciousness as she felt his soft full lips press against her forehead.

Travis Garland valued her, no doubt about that.

"I care about you." his breath tickled her ears. "I do..."

Her eyes widened as she felt something wet on her face. Without hesitation, she pulled away just enough to look up. She gasped softly at the sight of tears flowing freely down the boy's face. Guilt and shame clothed her like a smothering blanket at the idea that so much pain could be bottled up inside of one person. She felt even worse at the thought that she had contributed to a large portion of said pain.

"Travis?"

"I'm sorry I can't stop your suffering, Trina."

That was it!

All of the feigning.

All of the posturing.

It was all for nothing as she broke her toxic resolve. She placed a hand on his cheek, and her well-manicured fingers caressed his jawline, tracing the outline. The smoothness of his mahogany skin captivated her.

Staring deeper, she saw that there was a hint of brown that mixed evenly with the dominant emerald tint. She took in the scent of his cologne once more but noticed that in fact, it was none other than his natural body scent. It was intoxicating and she loved every second of it as she slowly leaned in.

She had to make a choice.

If this was a dream, Trina never wanted to wake up as they inched closer.

"Trina..." his low tone sent shivered through her entire form.

"Travis!"

The pair ceased their advance as the loud banging ripped them from their enchanting trance.

While only a few seconds passed, it felt like an eternity.

Neither wanted to let this moment slip but once again, the rapid banging was heard again. From the sounds of things, she was not happy. Begrudgingly, they broke apart allowing him to open the door. At the door was indeed a distraught Cat who was clutching her bag.

"Cat? What's wrong?"

"I want to go home..." she rocked on her feet with a whimper.

Travis looked back at Trina who saw it all in his eyes.

I'm sorry...

I understand. You did promise...

Travis forced a grin on his face, but Trina could see the remorse in his gaze. The tormenting atmosphere didn't help as he slowly grabbed his bags and headed for the door, though not without a quick embrace.

"Call when you're ready, alright?"

She nodded slowly while reciprocating the gesture. Despite them both being clothed, she could still feel his warmth only to have it taken from her as they separated. She could only watch as he fulfilled his promise to the redhead girl who giggled playfully now that she was going home. The duo knew that if it weren't for the forfeit rule of leaving the rooms before the challenge was completed.

Soon they were gone leaving Trina alone in the room, allowing her to mull over what had nearly happened. With a light brush of her lips; electric tingles surged through her body, much to her delight. We almost kissed! she giggled to herself, letting out a light snort in the comfort of her privacy. In her heart, at least she was alone to savor that moment.

For the time being, she felt genuine joy.