Sooooo sorry I've taken so long. I'm sorry if the chapters are too short and if I take awhile to update :p I write the story as it appears in my mind, therefore it takes some time. R&R (:

The silence during that tense car ride to school was punctuated by the loud pop music flowing from the radio; no one had the nerve to turn down the volume, so my mom and I suffered, wanting nothing more than to be somewhere else. The lack of sounds in that car was intense, and was almost too loud for me. It's funny how silence can be deafening, isn't it? My car chose the absolute perfect day to not start. Damn that piece of garbage. My mother didn't even want to take me to Hollywood Arts when she found out, stating that "she needed to work so that I continue having a place to live", which is total bullshit because we've been damn rich since the day I was born. We both know she just can't stand the sight of me. Ever since dad left her for that slut of an assistant... I'm so deep in thought by the time my mom pulls up to the school that I don't even notice we've arrived at first, but the snap of her thin fingers in my face brings me back from the past.

"Well, are you gonna get out? Traffic doesn't wait you know," she says sarcastically. I guess THAT'S where I get it from.

I plaster on the prettiest smile I can manage and shine my teeth her way. "Why yes, mother, I WILL have a good day! And yes, I love you, too." I hop across the seat and kiss her on the cheek, causing her to roll her eyes.

"So dramatic.. You'll have to find a ride home, by the way. I'm leaving for a week on a business trip." She adjusts her bangs matter-of-factly. Well gee, thanks for finally telling me.

"Fine," I say between clenched teeth. She gets me so mad sometimes...

I exit the red BMW and turn to face her before closing the door. She's all she is, but still my mother.

"I love you, mom. Be safe on your trip." The door slams before she has a chance to reply, but I see a little glint in her eyes as she pulls away from the curb. That can't be a tear; stone sculptures can't cry.

I try to make my way to the lockers, but the path is blocked by a huge crowd of students (and even a few staff members, unsurprisingly). I faintly hear "fight, fight, fight!" in the back round, but my ears are concentrated on the screams of the people fighting; it's two girls, but my hearing HAS to be going, because the shrieks I hear can't be coming from the mouths I think they are.

I pull Sinjin away from the crowd and, after wiping my hand on the bottom of my shirt, ask the question I hope I don't know the answer to. "Who's fighting?" I have to yell above the noise.

"Cat and Tori!" he replies, just as loud and a little too close for comfort. "It's AWESOME!" he goes and rejoins the band of instigators. HELL no. I know that bitch isn't hurting my kitty.

I maneuver my way through the crowd, being stepped on multiple times and being called vulgar words the whole way. It's a fight, money isn't being poured from the sky, for fuck's sake. When I finally reach the front, I see for myself that Sinjin was right; Cat, my gentle Cat, was clawing at Tori like she really was the animal she was named for, and Tori was slapping like there was no tomorrow. I clear my throat and boom at my loudest, "Stop this GODDAMN fighting NOW!"

Immediately the redhead and brunette pull apart, cowering at the sight of me. "Now get out of here before a RESPONSIBLE teacher sees you." I shoot a ball-shriveling look at the male AV Teacher. They both get up to leave, but I grab Cat by the arm. "Not you." Tori throws her a dirty look and walks past us, through the people and to the bathroom. "What are YOU fuck-ups looking at, huh? Get the FUCK away from us." They retreat, much in the same fashion as Tori had, and scatter to update their Slap pages on what had just transpired.

I pull my petite love into the janitor's closet and take a moment before turning to face her; a mountain of questions is building in my mind and I can't decide on which to ask. I was angry, confused, surprised, and I admit, slightly amused. I do a 180 and face Cat, whose face is now wet with salty tears. Her lip is also beginning to swell, and she has four identical scratches on her left cheek. Want me to kiss it and make it better, sweetheart? I attempt, without success, to shake all the romantic thoughts I'm having for my best friend as I envelope her in a strong embrace. She has her arms wrapped around my waist and I feel them tighten around me when the sobbing starts. I stroke her hair in a feeble attempt to comfort her. It breaks my heart to hear her cry.

"Shhhh, Cat. It's okay. There, there. I'm here for you." I continue to coo into her ear and rub her back for several minutes before I finally notice the sobs fading into the air of the small, humid room. I pull away from her, (as much as I hate to) and look in here eyes, smirking a bit. "Tell me, Ms. Valentine, when did you become a bad ass?" She laughs, wiping away her tears and smudging her makeup.

"Well, Ms. West, I do have YOU as a best friend." Her laughing stops ans she looks down. "I didn't mean to hurt Tori..."

"Then why did you?"

"I don't know... It just happened..."

I don't buy that for one second. "Cat, you're the sweetest girl in California and you wouldn't hurt a fly, much less a person... What REALLY happened?"

She begins to tear up again and I regret the stern tone I had just taken.

"It just happened, Jade." She walks out of the closet and I don't see her anywhere for the rest of the day.