AN: This is a completely new chapter, I felt like fourteen year old me was skipping a few steps when just suddenly skipping to four months later so I'll try and fix that. A little longer too, hope you like it!

Beck's POV

To be honest, I never expected her to say yes. Seeing the way she acted around people, the way she'd turned André down made that very clear. Jade West wasn't a people person. Or maybe she just hadn't met the right people yet. I knew it was silly so get so hung up on a girl that had only ever been going to our school for the one day, I didn't even know her really for Christs sake. Still, the thought of hanging out with the group now felt slightly less appealing than before. Oh come on Beck.

Shoving my hands deep in my pockets I made my way across the parking lot towards André's car, scolding myself internally for my unnecessary interest in the new girl. I didn't need Jade's company to enjoy an afternoon with my best friends. Of course I didn't. I made sure to greet everyone with extra enthusiasm just to prove to myself that this wasn't true. Fist bumping André, high fiving both Robbie and Rex and squeezing Cat in for a quick hug. These were my friends, they were what mattered the most.

"How's my favourite cupcake today?" I asked Cat, smiling her way.

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Just, you know, because your hair is the same color as red velvet cupcakes of course". Oh Cat, always so clueless.

"That's true! My hair does look like my favourite cupcakes!" She burst out giggling, twirling a strand of hair between her fingers.

I opened the car door for her, making a little bow, signaling for her to get in before climbing after myself. Just before closing the car door I cast one look across the now almost empty parking lot. There were very few cars left but one caught my eye, a black volvo at the far end. And there she was again. Jade. Looking our way. It was too far away for me to see her face clearly but I could've sworn she looked almost wistful.

"Hey Beck, are we going or what?" André's voice brought my attention back to reality where my friends were all looking my way, concerned looks on their faces. I must have zoned out looking at Jade for a second too long because her car was no longer there and I was just sitting with the car door open looking at the empty parking lot.

"Oh sorry, yeah let's go" I quickly shut the door and tried to focus on the conversation currently going on in the car. Tori and Cat were both chattering excitedly about the upcoming play, Sikowitz had encouraged both of them to sign up for auditions next week and André wanted to get one of his new songs featured in it.

"So, does anyone else just love Jade?" Cat suddenly exclaimed from her spot on Andrés couch, bowl on ice cream on her lap. She'd been unusually quiet for a bit, not really participating in the antics of the rest of the gang. Tori, André and Robbie had been goofing around, making impressions of various people around Hollywood Arts and filming it to put on our school website, The Slap. As for me I was sitting on the couch opposite her, just scrolling through The Slap, not really paying attention either.

"Weell, she isn't the nicest person really" Tori said slowly, lookin at the rest of us with an uncertain expression. "I mean, don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't like like her, it's just that she seems kind of like a loner type of person. Not really your typical friend material". André nodded slowly, agreeing with her. He was probably still upset about the rejection, normally he was the kind of person who liked people and was open to any potential friendship. Except maybe crazy Sinjin VanCleef.

"I don't know, I think there's more to her than meets the eye" I said. And I meant it, Jade to me felt like the kind of person you would have to spend months and months with, just uncovering all those layers. I know I didn't know her, that all this was just my mind trying to make up a version of the new girl that made sense in my head, but it felt very real. I mean is anyone ever that cold and quiet for no reason? "Maybe she just needs a friend you guys" I added, shrugging.

"Jadey's got me! I'm her best friend now! And I know she seems angry but she's the bestest person ever, you just have to give her a chance!" It was interesting how quick Cat was to defend this new person, how protective she seemed over Jade. It made me wonder how they'd met each other, it must have been way earlier than just this very day, right? You don't get so close to people so fast, not even if you're Cat. I made a mental note to ask Cat about this later, when we were alone. it didn't feel like everyone shared her enthusiasm for the new girl.

"Okay, I guess. You might be right" Tori looked a bit apologetic, always wanting to play the nice-girl act. Both Robbie and André mumbled something sounding like agreement. "Do you maybe wanna call her Cat? Ask her if she wants to hang out?"

"Yay!"

Cat pulled out her phone and dialed a number before putting it to her ear.

"Jade, it's Cat! Your new best friend of course, silly! Listen, I wanted to ask if you wanted to hang out tonight, we're all at Andre's house and there's ice cream and music and impressions and slap videos and it will be super fun!"

She was quiet for a bit, looking down at her finger nails, face falling.

"Aha. Mhm. Okay, I get it. Wait, Beck already asked you? Okay, I'll see you tomorrow. Byyyeee" She put the phone down and pouted slightly. "She can't come. And Beck already knew!" She pointed at me accusatively.

"Oh erm yeah, I did mention it before when I saw her in the halls" I scratched the back of my neck awkwardly. Way to get my hopes up again, what was up with me being so obsessed with this girl? It was probably just because she was new and interesting, after a few weeks it would be old news and my mind would function normally again. Hopefully. And then maybe she could be my friend.

"Oh okay then. Do you guys wanna her about what my brother did last weekend at the zoo?" And just like that, the evening continued like normal. Cat telling stories about her brother, Rex making inappropriate comments, all of us just chatting and having a good time. I loved my friends, I really did. And I only thought about Jade a couple of more times.

The rest of the week went by like a whirwind and I barely ever saw Jade. I would catch a glimpse of her in the halls at times, steal a look over the lunch table when she wasn't looking but she didn't say a single word to me. Or to any of us I guess. She would sit with us at lunch only because of Cat's insisting and begging and she wouldn't say a single word, only stabbing at her salad like it was trying to eat her and not the opposite.

I could not get her out of my mind.

At Sikowitz class, our only shared one, she sat next to one of those guys that never said anything in the far back, mostly just looking at her finger nails, seeming like she would rather be anywhere but there. The only times she would speak up was when Sikowitz made her participate in a scene, most of them from the upcoming school play, and then she was dazzling. I couldn't take my eyes off her, it was like magic the way she acted out her role. She just became her character, demanding the attention of everyone in the room and putting the person playing opposite her in a tough spot trying to keep up.

I wanted nothing more than to talk to her.

But everytime I tried approaching her she disappeared out of nowhere, seemingly like the steely-eyed girl with the dark boots had the ability to go invisible. Leaving me desperately trying to catch sight of her whirlwind of colorfully streaked hair but with no luck. I didn't get it. I would consider myself a nice guy, someone capable of both making and keeping friends and someone you could trust with your problems and secrets. Still she wanted nothing to do with me. Not that she was ever seen socializing with anyone else either, but it still bothered me. Made me want nothing else than befriending the beautiful girl with the amazing acting talents, to be the person she would dare tell her secrets to, her hopes and dreams, a person she could trust.

Cat tried multiple times to get Jade to come join us in various activities. Bowling, dinner at Tori's, roller blading in the park. No luck. Jade seemed like she'd picked Cat to be her only friend, refusing to add the rest of us to her friend list. I tried asking Cat about it multiple times but the red velvet-haired girl just shook her head sadly in a way that was very far off from her usual ditzy happy self and told me that Jade needed time, space. Cat was a good friend I guess, I was happy that Jade at least had her.

The rest of the group was not that interested in the quiet, dark-haired girl anymore, barely raising an eyebrow whenever Cat would sadly announce that Jade wouldn't join us yet again. Tori did seem a little bit annoyed with how quickly Cat and Jade had gotten close, way closer than Cat had ever been with Tori herself but she tried to hide it the best she could, instead playing indifferent. I wasn't indifferent, couldn't be. Everytime Cat would say that Jade wouldn't come my previous cheerful mood would sink.

And as I was getting used to never getting closer to Jade than occasionally passing her in the hallway or admiring her in Sikowitz class, all of a sudden she did show up. Cat, André and I were all sitting at a table at Karaoke Dokie, this karaoke place mostly for high school students we like to hang out at. Cat had yet again texted Jade half an hour ago to "PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE come sing karaoke with me, it will be really fun, just come for me Jadey" but with no reply and was sulking a little bit about that, not really knowing what to sing now that wasn't a duet.

"Is this seat taken?"

I looked up startled, seeing the last person I'd ever expected to see in this tiny karaoke place. Jade. Blue eyes glimmering at me, pierced eyebrow slightly raised. Her face holding an expression that said she didn't really care for the answer but her eyes betraying her insecurity, making me believe that she did in fact care, more than she let on.

"It's all yours" I beamed at her, pulling the chair out for her to sit down.

Finally.