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 10: A Glimpse...
News of Trina's disappearance spread like wildfire. The student body was abuzz for weeks about the reasons for her vanishing, many of which were not pleasant. Other comments were of a sexual nature as some of the boys lamented their missed opportunities for transactions. Either way, very few found anything positive about the upperclassman, only Tori and Travis appeared to be truly upset at her absence.
The obvious pair would grow close after the elder Vega's departure, becoming good friends in the process. They would bond and hang out from sorrow and vexation to lift the other's spirits. It was a boon to have someone who understood the clouds of hurt and betrayal that loomed over them. Thankfully, with time, the noise would eventually die down within months worth of a gap.
However, while they were willing to slow down to process the damage, that didn't mean the world would give them the same luxury.
Over time, the group would develop and mature as time went on.
The most important change would occur with the trio of Ahrya, Travis, and Liam after Trina's disappearance.
After agreeing to repair the relationship with Jade, Liam began to break out of his shell more, mainly expressing himself around the others. Such a shift would prove to rub Ahrya the wrong way, citing that the confident display was just him trying to be like her sibling. As expected, Liam didn't take kindly to such an arrogant accusation which led to the pair bickering at times.
This is where Travis would come in.
It was no secret that he was the protective type and it showed whenever things appeared to get heated. Soon, such actions would develop into a rivalry between the two, sometimes friendly and other times, borderline vicious. Usually, Jade and Tori would have to step in in hopes of keeping the piece but they both knew that this was as if they were watching a tiger challenging a lion.
It turned out that Cat was the only one who could neutrally settle things as neither wanted to scare the girl. Between the trip to Colorado and Sikowitz's challenge, she managed to grow on the boys.
This would usually lead to a temporary truce... emphasis on temporary.
Jade knew all too well what led to this turn of events:
Several months before
"What do you mean Trina just disappeared?!" Liam roared in unadulterated rage.
Andre, Robbie, Ahrya, and Cat cowered but Liam and Tori stood unfazed by his tone.
"What I mean, Travis is that according to this note she wrote, Trina said she was leaving. She never specified why or where she was going. All she said is that she needed to start over and that she loved us all."
To say that he was irate would be an understatement.
The last thing he remembered (all details aside) was falling asleep with Trina lying on his chest. When he woke up, he found no trace of her and wondered if she was in danger. He knew of her past and that was evidence enough for him to assume that she was in trouble. He found his way to the Vega residence along with the others riding along aside from Tori and Andre.
The younger Vega sister could easily see betrayal behind his eyes. While unknowing to the full extent, she did know that the two had formed a bond of friendship at least which justified his feelings. Her parents, while upset, decided against contacting the police considering she was at least 18 years old and left a note. It wasn't much and that annoyed Tori the most about all of this but she chose to direct her attention to the one person who was worried about her sister as much as she was, if not more so.
"Maybe she left some sort of clue or something?" she cautiously placed a hand on Travis's shoulder. "We can look together if you want."
He looked up at Tori Vega, unsure of what to do. Taking notice of things, she motioned for Andre and the others to give them privacy. As they left, Liam chose to stay, realizing that Tori had failed to remember one consequential element.
Jade West.
"Yo, Vega..! You're out of toilet paper...!"
The goth girl was somehow unaware of the commotion while in the bathroom, eating a burrito.
"What was with all of that yelling?"
"Jade, not now... can you please leave?" Tori grumbled. "We're kind of in the middle of something right now."
"Not until I find out what I missed out." she then noticed Travis' dejected form. "What's with the bump on a log?"
"He's just upset about Trina's disappearance, okay?" she responded, flashing a look that said to 'drop the subject'.
"Come on, Jade. We need to go if we're going to make that movie anyway."
While Liam acknowledged her plea, Jade chose to poke the bear again; both knew that it was her way. Even now, her focus was solely on devouring her double bean burrito.
"I don't know why he's so broken up over Trina?" she once more missed another 'warning', this time in the form of Liam himself slowly lifting his head towards her. "She wasn't really important. She had zero talent and nobody liked her."
Rage.
Such a sensation pulsed through Travis, fueling a hidden beast. The brooding Travis clenched his eyes as Jade continued to prattle on the negative traits of Trina Vega despite Tori's objections. The air grew thick with wrath as the boy flared his nostrils and yet Jade would not relent. Something began to shift within Travis, a sign that Tori wouldn't notice until he lashed at the goth.
In a flash, time no longer existed.
Tori would find herself shoved onto the couch as he lunged at the pale girl with a fury that few could ever hope to combat. The impact of his attack connected with another as bodies rolled on the carpet. However, instead of terrified blue, emeralds flashed back with equal force.
"Don't you dare touch her!" Liam snarled, surprising everyone in the room.
Travis said nothing as he lay on the floor in wonder before finally sparing a glance at the spot where Jade once was. The goth was picking herself up in the kitchen, her eyes wide at what'd just occurred. The swiftness of his moves was blinding and yet Liam managed to counter without issue. Seconds passed before the two untangled themselves, neither willing to speak; only a silent nod of respect, tethered by the tension, was given before they stepped away from one another.
Tori and Jade could only watch this unfold, unknowingly catching a glance of a faint glow.
What the hell..?
Back in the present, Jade did her best to focus on that moment. Unfortunately, such desires were thwarted by the footsteps behind her. She didn't have to turn around to know who was trailing behind her, she could their presence.
"What do you want?" she spat at the nuisance, never missing a beat.
"Did you really have to make the new girl cry like that?" a certain Latina stomped after her pale-skinned rival.
The goth pressed onward while taking a sip of coffee, turning a corner near the janitor's closet. Zigzagging through the sea of students, Jade had no intentions of answering for her actions.
"Go away, Vega!"
"You can't keep ignoring me, Jade!"
Soon the two were on a full-on game of cat & mouse with Tori gaining on her.
For some unknown reason, the tension between her and Jade only grew over the few hours that had passed. Jade hadn't fared any better, being more aggressive and scarier when confronted by the very person chasing her down. It was alarming how much the pair's rivalry would escalate now that the 'Other Vega' was no longer around.
They were practically like an angel and a demon personified at this point.
Jade figured it was due to their respective friendships with Liam and Travis even though they weren't at odds currently. Tori knew it was a cop-out. In her eyes, Jade West was simply deflecting her own animosity toward anyone and using Liam as a shield.
"Jade, get back here!" an angry Tori roared while maneuvering expertly around the bodies that separated her from her target, each step bringing her closer. Just when she was only an arm's length away, Jade somehow slipped just out of her grasp before cutting into the Black Box Theatre.
After pushing her way through a small group of students, Tori stuck her head inside only to find nobody inside. Feeling an ultimatum approaching, she knew that either her frenemy was hiding in this very room or was surely putting more distance between them with each passing second. Frustration started to set in Tori's mind.
"Jade! I know you're in here!"
The silence was her only response.
Tori huffed before rushing out of the theater and reigniting her hunt for the ivory-skinned girl. Just as the door shut, her target let out a sneeze, unable to suppress it any longer. She was fortunate that there was a pile of heavy-duty totes full of tech supplies that she could hide behind. Jade West finally exhaled slowly, fatigue and irritation claiming their hold on her.
"It's a bit early for you two, isn't it?"
Terror lifted Jade off of the floor. Barely containing the full-on scream that was steadily building within her vocal cords. That sense of fear soon contorted into rage towards that poor unfortunate soul idiotic enough to commit such a boneheaded act. With her fists balled so tight her knuckles took on an entirely new shade of white, Jade turned to throw a slap only to be caught at the wrist by an all too familiar face.
"Beck?" her voice was but a whisper.
"Hey, babe. You look surprised to see me.." His response was somewhat cheerful yet still mostly even.
Taking a moment to catch her breath, Jade now had to deal with her boyfriend.
"Well, you would be too if your significant other just snuck up on you," she retaliated but not without her signature smirk. "What are you doing here anyway? School's almost over..."
"I was actually just cutting through the Black Box to get to my locker faster when I ran into you. However, I think it's safe to ask what are you and Tori at odds about now? You didn't 'accidentally' spill coffee on her again, did you?" he flashed a look that, while devoid of any malice, dared his lover to lie.
"No...!" she fired back, cursing her impulsive response. "It was some random girl who wouldn't get her lines together, that's all."
Beck rubbed his forehead, grimacing at the amount of pain he just caused himself.
"I swear, Jade. Sometimes, I wonder if you have a kind bone in your body."
"It's probably buried underneath miles and miles of black tar within my heart..." she stuck her tongue out.
Not wanting to start a lecture, Beck simply pulled his girlfriend into a quick kiss to which she reciprocated without hesitation. Soon, their lips were in a heated battle with neither side willing to concede dominance to the other. Tongues then waged war as it was Jade herself who'd deepen the kiss while enjoying the feeling of being in her lover's arms. She moaned softly into his mouth as he soon turned his attention to her neck; his lips stimulating her creamy skin.
Thoughts of where this could lead mixed with the potential of getting caught, further exciting Jade who found herself imagining just how far this moment could go. Her mind took her to a special room, reserved for them as Beck would slowly peel off her clothes before devouring her. She felt the urge to grab his hair; holding a fistful of those thick locs while gazing into those pools of green... wait... Green?
Jade pulled away from her boyfriend breathing heavily as he tried to process her sudden actions.
"Everything okay?" he breathed, steadily becoming thankful for the influx of air that he took in.
"Yeah... Yeah. I just needed to breathe is all. Passion and all that, you know?"
Beck nodded in agreement, chuckling softly. "I guess we did get a little carried away."
"But, we can pick this up later though. Say, your place?"
"Not tonight. I have to study for Radcliff's midterms and I've been struggling in his class lately. But, I promise that I'll make it up this weekend if you're available then."
Despite wanting to argue and put on a mini-tantrum, Jade opted for the mature route and settled for Beck's offer. She placed a quick kiss on his cheek before the two made their way to their lockers. However, Jade wasn't too keen on the mental blunder and decided that something had to be done about it and soon. How could she mistake her boyfriend's eye color?
He doesn't have green eyes... Liam has coal-black eyes... Wait!
She clutched her freshly pink-dyed strands before storming out of the auditorium. A silent battle resounded between her conflicting brain and soul. Mental barbs waged war as she crossed through the various corridors, hoping to hold back the headache that stalked around her skull. The solace granted to her came when she made it to the bathroom stalls.
Why did she make such a blunder, not once, but twice?
On top of that, there was a more important question that claimed her thoughts.
Can this week get any worse?
Jade would come to regret such a thought sooner than she expected.
Not even a day passed before she received news that her one-woman show was canceled. For what, you may ask?
It turned out that Tori wanted to host a special dance that she labeled a Prome. To Jade, losing out on her special moment to Tori Vega was injury enough, but having to cancel her performance in favor of something so childish was the straw that broke the camel's back. As expected, an altercation resulted in enraging the goth but Tori would stand her ground with the threat of vengeance lingering.
Surprisingly, the remainder of the week held no issue as Jade hadn't been seen much since the incident and when she was noticed, there was nothing out of the ordinary. Everyone began to calm down as the countdown to Prome concluded with a rather extravagant set-up given how little time the crews had to put everything together.
There were good food and refreshments that awaited the partygoers as they filed in. Live music and good times were what awaited the students as Tori watched with increasing satisfaction. With only a few minor hiccups, including Andre who was constantly sucking face with some girl named Sherry and her sister, things were shaping up quite nicely for the first-ever Hollywood Arts Prome.
Then it happened...
A grotesque shriek blasted from the speakers, startling everyone. What was supposed to be a visual of the possible candidates in the running for the awards had been replaced by an explicitly graphic horror film that either traumatized or grossed out all in attendance. It didn't take long for Tori to deduce the culprit.
In minutes, Jade emerged from the crowd wearing a very graceful teal dress, sporting a smug smirk. Such a gesture only grew when Tori narrowed her own eyes, the urge to strangle the goth growing by the millisecond.
"Uh-oh! Looks like Tori Vega's prom has turned into one big boobity-boo!" she cried out in an obnoxious southern accent.
"Prome!"
"Whatever. It seems that your little hoo-haw isn't turning out the way you'd hoped. Just look at all those people leaving."
Seeing the truth behind the goth's words, Tori grabbed the lower section of her dress and rushed to keep her peers from leaving.
The amusement on Jade's face was obviously out of spite, yet, there was something else that she'd noticed. While those like Cat, Robbie, and Andre were there at the prom (she refused to call it such a dumb name), there was a certain dark-skinned, green-eyed boy who was not in attendance. To be honest, with Beck in Canada, having her best friend there would've made her time a bit more pleasant; the only upside being that he wasn't here to stop her.
Sighing to herself, she settled for the minor pleasure of her retribution.
Tori did manage to convince everyone to stay, but, that didn't stop Jade who had another trick up her sleeve. Once the horrific image was pulled from the screen, another incident occurred later into the night when some random followed by a little person carrying a stereo showed up screaming at anyone within arm's length. Once again Tori had to play crowd control after learning that Doug the Diaper Guy (his 'professional' name) was hired for the Prome by an anonymous caller.
Of course, the students were ready to leave, each disgruntled with how the evening had gone up to this point.
With no other option, Tori Vega settled on at least revealing the results of the polls.
"Everyone? I know this year's Prome hasn't been what you all expected..."
"Yeah! It was terrible!" Jade proclaimed, earning a well-deserved glare for her trouble.
"But, I'd like for you all to stay as it's time that we announce our first ever Prome king and queen!"
Ahrya glanced over at Robbie.
"Are you sure that I'm guaranteed to win?"
"You're that we're a lock to win?" she asked with a deep sense of worry.
"I don't see why not."
The Asphalt Cafe erupted with a round of applause as Tori grabbed her pear pad. Tapping a few times on the screen, she scanned through the names of those who were entered. The crowd watched in anticipation as she seized the mic to announce the first winner.
Looking over the results, she noticed two things. The first was the obviously inflated amount of votes that her sister had been 'awarded' and the second was the perfect chance at getting revenge for Jade's sabotage attempts.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to announce that our first-ever Prome Queen is..." She signaled for Andre to play a drum roll. "...Jade West!"
Amidst the applause, both Jade and Ahrya respectively cried out in bafflement with the latter turning her wrath toward her boyfriend who just stood there with a slack jaw.
Meanwhile, Jade was mortified to find herself the recipient of such an award despite not being nominated for it in the first place. She grew even more irritated as she was outfitted with the sash and crown. If that wasn't enough, she would end up being whisked away by Doug the Diaper Guy after he was named the Prome King.
As he ran off with her in his drunken frat boy daze, Jade did manage to get out of his grip but only after agreeing to pay him to cut the act early and go home to which he obliged. Meanwhile, the sounds of Tori singing along with the band could be heard and that meant only one thing.
Jade lost... again.
Despite everything, Tori Vega still got her way in the end.
Now, she was busy performing for that stupid Prome and Jade was left to sulk all alone. In her feelings, she decided to go over to the one place she felt comfortable, the Black Box. Each step not only brought her closer to her destination but on the verge of tears as the first black drop slid down her cheek pursued by a few more slipping past her defense.
It's not fair!
Vega always gets her way...
Tori always wins in the end.
Those and many other thoughts plagued her very soul as she forced the door open. It didn't matter anyway as there shouldn't be anyone inside. Everyone was either at the stupid dance or at home. Imagine Jade's surprise when she looked up to find that not only was somebody inside but, it was the last person she'd expected to be there.
"Liam?" her eyes widened at the sight of the startled boy sitting on the stage. Confusingly, he wasn't dressed in a tux like the other boys that were there.
Instead, he wore a black Jack Skellington t-shirt and some grey sweatpants that left little to her imagination. Ripping her gaze from the obvious, Jade noticed his hair was pulled into a messy bun which gave Jade a precise view of his emerald pools that made him look like a deer in headlights.
Once they shook off the wonder of seeing one another, he'd give her a clumsy wave.
"I'm... I'm not late am I?"
Jade just stood there and gaped at her friend and closest ally with a stunned and equally befuddled look, unsure of what he was referring to.
"Late for what?" she crossed her arms, noticing his appearance.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm here for your show..." he answered innocently as if it were the most obvious thing in the universe. "I didn't want to miss it so I rushed through my homework to make sure that I wouldn't miss it. It's not even 8:30 yet..."
"Right... I'm surprised that you're not here to dance with Vega or whatever."
Jade winced at how much venom laced her rebuttal. To her surprise, Liam didn't even flinch at her harsh tone.
"Eh, she's alright! That Travis guy is the one she's really into," he yawned. "Definitely not my type though..."
He then reached into his pant pocket to show off what looked like a ticket; specifically, a ticket to 'Clowns Don't Bounce'.
He actually bought a ticket?
Jade stepped further inside, staring at him as if he was the biggest idiot in the universe while her heart continued to beat faster. Liam literally skipped the Prome just to come to see her perform and still showed up. Either he truly cared or he was just a dummy; she entertained mixing both options as a small smirk tugged at her lips.
"You DO know that it was canceled due to the dance, right?" she raised an eyebrow as she now stood only a few feet apart from him.
"I wasn't sure. After you left, I got swamped with homework and papers so I never found out what happened with that. Either way, I wanted to support you and your hard work. Is that so bad?" he chuckled softly.
Jade was still feeling the shock of his actions, although she did giggle at his last question, prompting him to look a bit flustered. This time, her eyes flooded with tears, leaving faint black streaks down her cheeks. Of course, Liam began to panic, thinking the worse.
"W-what?"
It was cute to hear him get all worked up and it gave her time to recover from her mini-emotional crisis. It was clear that she wasn't expecting any of this but, irritation started to set in when the cold reality hit her.
"While I'm grateful, there is no play... Sikowitz had conveniently forgotten about it when he agreed to Vega's idea."
Liam watched as a cloud of disappointment hung over her head. Here he was ready to see a play about clowns (which he actually despised), but all he managed to find was a beautiful girl crushed after losing her chance to act. He concentrated on the moment when an idea crossed his mind.
"Why don't you perform a part of it? Like a scene or two?
"I'm not even in costume, or did you lose most of your vision?"
Liam huffed at her snarky tone but still smiled as he took in her appearance. She did look rather stunning in her teal dress, noticing how it matched her eyes perfectly. He then studied how beautiful she looked overall as this was the first time he'd seen her in such a formal outfit. It was both weird and amazing at the same time. He could look at her for any length of time if one were to request him to.
"Ahem...! Earth to Liam?"
"H-huh?" Liam's eyes widened before blinking several times in an attempt to regain his focus. Thankfully, his dark skin hid the blush that crept its way to his face. Still, Jade noticed his error and wasn't about to let up if she could help it. "Sorry, I got a little distracted..."
"Distracted?" she mused. "By what, pray-tell?"
You're playing a dangerous game... a warning buzzed from the back of her mind, one she'd ignore.
"Nothing. Just how nice... yeah... how nice you look in that dress!"
Sure, it wasn't the greatest of comebacks but, it was all he could get out as his mind rebooted.
In response, Jade did a little twirl and stopped with her back to him. She gracefully turned her head and glanced over her shoulder, giving him a look that spelled trouble if he wasn't careful. The burning on his face intensified as she averted his gaze in hopes of calming not only his nerves but a certain part of his anatomy that made him regret his choice in clothing.
Jade finally dropped the act, letting out an uncharacteristic laugh as her friend glared out of pure embarrassment.
"Not funny, Jade..."
"It so is! You should see your face!" she grinned smugly. "It's honestly the first time I've seen you blush. I have to say, it's kind of cute."
"Yeah, well... Don't make a habit of that alright?"
The two just stood there in silence for a few minutes, allowing them both to hear the faint sounds of a concert that was going on outside. They could also make out Tori singing something about her best friend's brother which amused him. Sadly, this only had a negative effect on Jade who was reminded of her failed plot and inability to perform.
That feeling of disappointment reared its ugly head once more, causing her to sink back into that depressive state.
This time though, Jade would find herself being offered a hand just as the music began to slow down.
"Would you like to dance?"
Jade looked at him and took it only to find his hands firmly placed on the small of her back. Naturally, she placed her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat as she swayed side to side in sync with his motions. Though the circumstances weren't ideal, Jade wouldn't complain.
Sure, Beck wasn't there and she didn't get to perform 'Clowns Don't Bounce', but she did get a couple of good laughs, was named Prome queen, and now, here she was dancing with one of the closest people in her life. A secret crush whom she had hurt many times before would show why he was so valuable.
Unseen by Liam, she smiled softly and enjoyed the moment. When they finished, Jade just looked at him, taking in his features before parting her lips.
"Thank you, Liam..." she whispered.
"For what?" he questioned. "That dance?"
She giggled at his naivety.
"No, idiot. For making my night."
"Well, you're welcome, Jade. I really didn't do much, did I?"
Jade didn't say anything else, taking his hand into her own with a bright smile. Leading him out of the theater while he continued to inquire further, it seemed that things would work out on this night. They left opposite the dance, choosing to bask in the light rain that coated them with its chilly kiss.
Little did they know that someone had been in there, honey brown eyes locked on the duos' every move until they left the room. Olive skin burned with rage toward the pale girl long after they departed.
"You crossed me for the last time, bitch..." the young woman seethed.
