"I hate it when you stare."
It was gorgeous. The lines and the curves, the texture, the shading. Every aspect of it breathed life and beauty and sensuality. Jade hated it. She blankly stared at the drawing in her hands, unsure of what to say to her boyfriend who'd proudly run over to her to show her his completed work from his Life Drawing class. Beck knew that Jade hadn't been thrilled about him taking the class, especially because of the amount of naked women that he'd have to be around for the class; however, she agreed to let it go when she saw how important it was to him to get back into drawing, something that Beck had once loved almost more than performing. Now, though, staring at this beautiful woman that was so expertly reimagined in Beck's eye, Jade felt a twinge of jealousy and spite.
"I thought you were only drawing pretty people."
"Jade," Beck warned, as he removed the drawing from his girlfriend's hands.
"I'm just saying, if they wanted you to draw the uglies of the world, they could have just sent in Vega or Robbie," Jade chuckled.
"You know what Jade? I'm the only acting major in this course. That never happens when they offer college courses for non-performance here. If you don't like my drawings so much-"
"I didn't say that I didn't like it, I just said that the girl is ugly," Jade sighed, rolling her eyes at Beck.
"Well, either you're blind or I suck at drawing, because she's beautiful," Beck spat back. Jade's eyes widened at that statement and she opened her mouth to warn him to watch his next words carefully, but he stopped her. "I'm going to get lunch with Robbie and André, I'll see you later."
"Beck," Jade called after her boyfriend as he walked away from her. He hesitated for a second, but kept on moving as he flung his bag over his shoulder and turned the corner. Letting out an exasperated sigh, Jade smacked a nearby locker as stomped out of the side door and to Hollywood Arts' courtyard.
It was later in the day. The shrill but welcome bell to signify the end of classes had just wrung, and a cacophony of voices filled the hallways as students made their ways to their lockers and cars. Jade stood at her locker and absentmindedly sorted through the books that she needed to take home. She halted when her eyes came across one that did not belong to her. Running her fingers along the hard black exterior, Jade's fingers traced the scratched surface where Beck's initials were etched along the bottom right corner. Curious, Jade flipped open the cover and remembered that Beck had given the book to her a few days earlier, begging her to look at his work. She'd begrudgingly accepted it then and promised to return it "whenever." Now, her eyes couldn't help but to pour over the various drawings sketched out in front of her. Coffee mugs, cars, flowers, and various parts of town began to flood her vision as she flipped from page to page. She stopped as she came across a particularly interesting set of drawings. They were of her, presumably modeled from pictures that Beck had of her; because there was no way in hell that she would knowingly allow him to sketch her, let alone sit still along enough for it to happen. She was laughing, pouting, smiling, grimacing, staring, and sleeping. Jade was mesmerized. Never before had someone captured her so well, and they'd certainly never made her appear so beautiful and life-like.
"Shit," she whispered to herself, as a strong feeling of regret came over her.
Jade West was not one to apologize, not even when she knew that she was wrong. In her mind, if someone took offense to what she said, there was probably some truth in there anyway- but this was Beck and she'd hurt him, she should apologize. Jade grimaced at the thought as she stood in front of Beck's large silver RV, a soft glow flowing from within. Tightening the fists that her hands had balled themselves into as she neared the door, Jade took in a deep breath and knocked once.
"Beck!" she called out impatiently. She could hear some slight shuffling, but no one came to the door. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she heard the voices on the television get louder.
"Beck! Open the door!" Jade screamed, as her hand banged loudly on his RV. She really did not care that it was 9 o'clock on a Wednesday night, or that Beck's parents and neighbors could probably hear her. She refused to back down until Beck opened the door.
Finally, after letting Jade carry on for a few seconds, the RV's door swung open and flooded Beck's previously dark driveway with light, bathing Jade in its glow. Beck stared at Jade incredulously while Jade narrowed her eyes and glared right back. Jade stepped up to level with Beck and pushed past him into the RV, dropping her bag and glaring at him with crossed arms. Beck slammed the door of the RV closed and turned to her with the same cold look in his eyes.
"What the hell is this?" Jade asked, leaning down and removing Beck's sketchbook from her bag. She flipped to a page that held one of the drawings of her and held it up for Beck to see. He simply shook his head at her.
"Oh, you didn't have enough fun making fun of my work earlier? Now you need to mock these, too? Alright, what's wrong with them?"
"Why didn't you tell me you were sketching me?" Jade asked, her voice strained but a bit softer now. Beck did not lower his voice to match her tone.
"Because I wanted to surprise you, Jade. Sorry for once again trying to do something nice for you and just pissing you off."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Jade asked, her voice rising again.
"We're not having this conversation right now. You came to yell at me, you yelled. I'm going to bed," Beck said as he roughly pushed past her and walked into his bathroom, not entirely sure if he cared if Jade actually left or not. Jade stood there, mouth agape, not sure what to say next. Beck never got this angry with her, not over her stupid, little comments.
"Babe," Jade started, her voice soft. She stared after him as he closed the door to the bathroom, shutting her out. "Babe," she said again, her voice almost a whisper. Despite her anger and the adrenaline pumping through her veins that told her to pick up her stuff and leave Beck to act like a baby, a stronger feeling came over Jade and she made her way to Beck's bathroom door.
"I'm sorry," she choked out. "Your drawings were beautiful. I just, I'm sorry." She stared at the door, waiting for it to open, for a sign that Beck was going to forgive her, but it stayed shut. Her hand reached out to the door as a lump formed in the back of her throat and Jade turned to grab her things and go.
"I can't do this whole jealously thing with you, not like this," she heard Beck's voice as the bathroom door opened. He was quiet and looked at her with a wounded expression.
"I know. I know. I didn't mean what I said. Seriously, Beck, I just…" Jade trailed off, unsure of how to continue. A countless number of thoughts flooded her mind. She knew what she wanted to say, she just had no idea how to say it. Finally, she did the one thing that made sense to her. In one swift movement, Jade pulled off her dark blue dress and kicked off her boots, all the while never taking her eyes off of Beck. He stared back at her in confusion as his girlfriend stripped in front of him. Jade picked up Beck's sketchbook once again and opened to another page that contained a drawing of her.
"Babe, what are you doing?" Beck asked, even more confused as Jade held the drawing in front of her.
"I don't see it. I don't see what you see. I want to. I want to see it." Beck stared at his girlfriend. There Jade stood in front of him, clad in navy blue lace underwear and a striped white and grey bra, her hair framing her face as she stared down at the drawing and then back at him.
"Babe, what-"
"I wasn't upset that you drew that girl, I mean, I wasn't happy about it. I just don't get what you see in these sketches. I'm not like this."
"Jade, that's how you always are. You're gorgeous. And scary. And angry and funny and kind of insane. And I love you," Beck sighed as he walked over to her and moved the sketchbook away, tossing it on the couch behind him.
"I know that I'm hot," Jade chastised, a teasing smile playing at her lips. "I just don't see the girl that's in that book. I want to see her."
"You want me to sketch you?"
"This isn't Titanic, Beck."
"Do you?" Jade hesitated at Beck's question, staring at him with the most timid look he'd seen on her since their first time together.
"I don't know. I hate it when you stare."
"It's up to you," Beck lifted his hands in surrender, and glanced at Jade, giving her the slightest supportive smile.
"Fine, but you better not make my boobs look lopsided or something," Jade sighed as she reached back and unhooked her bra, allowing her breasts to find freedom. Beck simply smiled at his girlfriend as she removed her underwear, the lace falling to the floor. He watched as she plopped down on his couch and looked back at him expectantly.
"Well, tell me where you want me, DiCaprio," Jade teased as Beck picked up his sketchbook and beamed at her. This would be his finest composition yet.