Wow me, returning to all the stories I started and never finished? Did I ever thought I'd see the day? TT^TT

I am removing the first chapter which was not mine as this concept had been adopted by cadealltheway. I will have it on file by request but at this point it would probably confuse people.

Gosh, is anyone even going to read this? It's only been like what, almost a decade? LOL!

-12/20/20

The raven haired girl sauntered into Silkowitz classroom, dropping into her usual seat in the middle row, legs and arms crossed, and a look of defiance on her face. The other teens in the room glanced at her warily, unsure how to treat the situation, even their usually flamboyant teacher was silent. A minute after Beck came in, and bravely took a seat next to her. Slowly her gaze turned to him, her piercing blue-green eyes unforgiving and cold.

"And what exactly do you think you're doing?"

"Sitting." He replied smoothly, cool and collected as always. Jade clenched her haw, it often infuriated her whenever she didn't get a rise out of Beck, it was the one thing she didn't like about him, he always seemed like he didn't care about anything.

"Then I suggest you move, you're presence isn't exactly welcome here." Jade said narrowing her eyes at him.

"And if I don't?" He challenged. She smirked at him before hooking her feet on the legs of his chair, quickly unbalancing him, but before he could fall he jumped up and away from the seat.

"Jade!" He yelled.

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, Beck." Sikowitz told the boy, the teacher seemed to find the situation amusing. Beck just sighed and ran a hand through his hair, he was about to say something only to be cut off by Cat who just walked into the room.

"Hi hi!" She greeted happily, but her smile fell when she noticed the tension in the room.

"Hey Cat." Jade called, "come sit next to me." She finished locking eyes with Beck and giving him a sly grin.

"Kay..." The redhead said and hesitantly made her way over to her friend. She felt her heart rise in happiness at having Jade invite her to sit but it was combated by the fact that it was meant to anger Beck. Still the redhead forced herself to smile and ignore the displeasure. No one wants to hear her complaints after all she reminded herself. All she had to do was go along and smile.

She put the rest from her mind as Sikowitz began class with a clap of his hands.

Lunch became an extension of the tension from the early afternoon. Tori, Robbie, and Andre looked sheepish and sat with Beck in a strange solidarity at their usual table. Still, they left two spaces open for Jade and Cat which further confused the message. Jade had full intentions of marching over there and making their lunch hour hell but Cat had successfully distracted her by requesting they take a drive out to get more coffee and a quick bite instead.

"maybe we can even stop for ice cream," Cat chatted in the passenger seat. "Oooh, I want a strawberry cone I think. What would you get Jade?"

Jade attempted to stay in a sour mood but couldn't help but give a little upturn of her lips at the girl.

"Hmm, I usually get coffee in a cup but...I want to see what seasonal flavors there are. They might even have red velvet."

"Really? That would be amazing." Cat giggled happily.

Jade was pleased with her reaction and began directing the car towards their usual ice cream place, a little shack of a thing in a large parking lot. Despite it's small size and no indoor seating the parlor was famous for it's hand made ice cream right in the back seen through the serving window. Although Jade never saw any ingredients moving in or out from the place which fuelded her more pessimistic suspicions that it wasn't in fact handmade Cat still liked it enough and Jade enjoyed watching with a critical eye. Hand made or not? Or perhaps Turkeyhill in disguise? In some strange sense she wanted to know. They arrived quickly and parked getting out to stand in line.

"Jade," Cat began hesitantly. "I know you and Beck have been...close. Like really close," understatement much Cat? She chastised herself but continued, "but don't you think this might be a good thing?" Gosh, why was she saying this all of sudden. Shut your mouth Cat! Shut up she doesn't want to hear what you think! Despite her thoughts Cat kept talking, "m-maybe you shouldn't be together after all?" She finished hoping Jade would ignore her stammer. I said it! Crap! She thought and closed her eyes waiting for the blow back of Jade's temper. To her disappointment Jade remained silent and simply ordered and paid for their ice cream. They both sat down and Cat found herself close to tears thinking she finally did it. She finally pissed her off enough to lose her only true friend.

In reality Jade had just been silent in thought. When Cat and her were alone it became easier to let herself slow down and her edge dulled. It didn't disappear completely, just...lessened. A psychologist would certainly have fun dissecting and explaining that one to her but she didn't really care. To her other people were just an inconvenience. Something Beck often forced her to deal with. He was really the only thing linking her to those other three morons in the first place (although in the tiniest corners of her heart she did kind of like the other three).

"I'm...not sure." She finally said bringing her thoughts back to the topic at hand. Cat jumped and sniffed swallowing down her tears and apologies as Jade continued. "Beck is a really good guy. He's caring and understanding. I feel a connection with him but when we are steady and find a rhythm something about it bothers me and I can't stand it." She furrowed her eyebrows. "He is one of the few people that has some kind of balls and can actually stand up to me." She smirked, "although Vega has done it a few times which has impressed me...don't ever tell her that." She added and Cat nodded quickly. Despite their fighting Cat knew Tori and Jade were actually friends even if neither of them knew it. They were just too similar not to constantly argue.

"So...I'm not sure. We keep breaking up and getting back together but...I don't actually know what I want. I just know that Beck has been the closest thing to actual love I've felt for another person." She finished stabbing her spoon into her bowl of ice cream. "I know it doesn't make any sense-"

"It does!" Cat piped up, "uh, it does. It makes sense. I know exactly what you mean." She finished feeling shy.

Jade smiled and looked down at her phone. "well...we are a bit late...again." She mentioned without any urgency.

"Too bad. At least the day is almost done." I wish we didn't have to go. I wish we could just talk. Just us. The thoughts surprised Cat and she pushed them down forcing herself to stand and with a new found boldness grabbed Jade's arm and pulled her up not letting go once the dark haired girl as up she pressed herself close as they walked.

Jade's cheeks were dusted pink and she gave a lifted eyebrow at her friend but didn't say anything and relaxed in Cat's grip. They walked back to the car in comfortable silence and Cat even began humming a little tune. Whenever her mood was especially good melodies simply began arranging themselves in her mind she could envision the notes in front of her tracing them in her head to write down later. Jade looked down at her noticing the distant expression she recognized as Cat's 'composer face'. Most people thought her humming was just non sense from a crazy girl but Jade knew what symphonies were being written in that head. It still amazed her the ease Cat had with music and composition. It was almost enough to make her jealous if she didn't feel so much pride for her friend first and foremost. It was a warm place in her chest that Cat occupied and it niggled at the back of Jade's mind like an answer to a question she didn't know she was asking. As she watched Cat detach from her side and dance to the other side of the car the redhead looked up at her with a smile and tilted her head. The feeling intensified and it was something like-

"What?" Cat asked interrupting Jade's thoughts.

"What, what?" Jade said sardonically.

Cat giggled at her phrase, "you're looking at me funny."

"maybe you're just funny looking." Jade shot back unlocking the car and getting in.

"Heyyy" Cat whined back getting in the passenger seat. Jade just laughed as she started the car the warmth she was feeling only expanding.

"By the way...are you going to tell us what even happened this time?" Cat ventured carefully as they parked at school once more.

Jade tensed and looked irritated. "Nothing! He was being a sleeze that's what happened! And those three morons don't need to know! He said some thigns that were just...out of line!" Jade snapped and Cat let it drop not wanting to upset her further. It did confuse her that Jade wouldn't tell her what Beck said since Jade normally told her everything. Cat considered what the boy could have said while Jade found herself thinking back on the argument anyway which never failed to put a scowl on her face.