Before I start this chapter, I do read the reviews and thank you because they're fun to read. But one thing is that I won't do Tori's perspective only because of what I planned for the end of this (it wouldn't really make sense if I did do it in her perspective). That's the only reason, but I can't tell you because it's kind of called spoiling it. Oh well, hope you enjoy this chapter. :)
Saturday rolled by slowly as I kind of limped around. Since the night before I remembered going to sleep with a heavy heart and waking up to my leg feeling better. As much as the alcohol stung, it did help enough so I could walk on my own. The thumping heart though, it didn't get any better. Once I had eaten breakfast and gathered a couple of things, a pencil and my keys, I strode quietly over to the front door.
"Jade?" a voice asked behind me, "Before you go, can I get something straight?"
"Ye-yeah," I turned around, nervous. She gazed solemnly at me before stepping forward.
"Was that Tori from last night?" My nod gave all the answers she needed, muttering sincerely before leaving, "Doesn't look like her..." I heave a sigh before turning the brass doorknob, stepping outside into the cool, brisk air. My mind seemed empty that day, or I can't remember properly right now.
Once at the school, I reluctantly put my phone in the box and sat down on a chair. For a couple of minutes I just sit there, not really doing anything before an idea popped in my head. I stood up slowly, wincing at one of my bruises on my side, and made my way to some papers. They were nice lined papers with the plastic on the sides, smooth against my wondering thumb.
I bit my lip a bit before taking a small stack, bringing them to my seat. Pulling up the chair closer to the table, pencil ready at hand I take a deep breath before writing.
Ever since I was little, I always had this way of immersing myself into activities. If I didn't seem interested, I would leave it as a possible option or dig into it a bit. If the hobby or whatever would take me away from reality, I would then completely indulge myself in it; spending all of my free time writing or acting or, anything else really.
So I did just that, knowing how to submerge my mind into it, taking a break from the sudden turn of events. Even though it happened nearly a month before that day.
Once a page was filled, I realized that I was writing a script. Funny how people sometimes do something to relieve stress and they don't actually know what they're doing. Eventually, three pages were covered. Then five, nine, eleven... until it stopped at twenty.
My pencil dropped as I looked at my hands which shook slightly. The marks on the fresher papers were almost scratches, pencil on it's last centimeter or so of lead, and my eyes glided towards the clock. Only ten minutes until I could leave. I don't remember what I exactly wrote at that moment in time. All I felt were my breathes sharpening, my knees becoming weak from my sudden weight as I stood up and a sharp pain as I hit my leg against the table. All I heard was the clock ticking slowly on the wall behind me as the other screamed inside my head. All I knew is that my heart felt empty, like a cavity even though it's beats rattled against my ribs.
I fell to my knees and whimpered, brown eyes gleaming at me, wanting me to see them truly for the first time. To see how the grey rimmed the dark hazel, how the pupils blended subtly with the shade above when they felt great emotion. Shakily, I reached for the papers and began to read, and I nearly cried out once I realized what it was; the parts of my dreams unconsciously put together.
It started with the opening scene, a stage. An oak stage with great purple curtains hanging down, scraping the floor on the bottom. It was only lit from the outside, the glow bathing only a few inches away from the curtain. IN the back, in the shadows was a cage with one person trapped in it.
There was a girl who had access to the stage, holding a card that she didn't realize was given to her until she saw the lights dim from the outside. Her ears perked as she listened to the voice in front of the curtain and peeked through the sliver of the wall and hanging purple cloth.
There stood a stunning goddess, singing loudly, angelically yet it had a slight grimness to it. None of the audience really paid much attention, only clapping and hooting. The singer went back stage and the moment she walked through the curtain, it was now white gowned beauty standing, but a huge black dragon with a forked tongue and white fangs. Fangs that she never bit with but only snarled which ended in a deep, cutting scar.
The girl gasped as she saw a gold chain hold a big silver key by the neck, wearing it like a medal. A trophy. A prize. The cage began to rattle threatening, and the girl could only stand in between the dragon and the vicious beast inside the cage. She looked at her VIP pass, which was marked with a paw print before raising her head up at the fire seething above her.
"HEY! YOU CAN LEAVE NOW!" a bellow ripped me from my thoughts. I turned my head and glared at him, stuffing the pages in my jacket that had a large pocket and left without a word. Only ten of the pages were read, and my gut told me to do something, to let it all out before you figure out this whole mess that screwed me over.
Hold the play...
'And then what?' I muttered inside my head as I stepped into my car.
-o0o-
"Uh, Sikowitz?"
"What is it Jade?" the slightly crazed man asked, sipping a straw out of an empty coconut. I frowned slightly, pierced eyebrow raised as the obnoxious sound came from the straw. "Yes I know it's empty, just tell me why you're here after school," he bluntly stammered after throwing the brown, what ever coconuts are, away with a heavy thud'.'
"Could I host a play again?" I muttered nervously.
"Sure. I don't see why not but, ah... Why are you asking me?"
"You're the one in charge of student activities!" I snapped, "In fact, you're the only one on the board!" My hands shoot as they grasped the air.
"Really?"
"Yes!"
"Huh, Tori said the same thing a few months ago... Anyway, I'll have to see the script in order for it to continue, I don't want anything that will have people's heads crawl." I put the papers in his hands, grumbling a bit.
"What was that Jade?"
"... But it's fun to see them watching one of my horror flicks."
"But this isn't one of them?" Sikowitz muttered as he skimmed the papers.
"Well, they're of my recent dreams so... Kind of?" I rolled my eyes once I saw his fused together in confusion, "You'll see when you read it... It's not really horror but it's not for a little girl to watch anyway. Actually, no let the little girl watch, I want to see her squirm a bit," I added as a side note.
"Not sure if I should trust that smirk of yours Jade..."
"Won't you just look it over?! You said you would," I hissed anxiously.
"...Right, but you do realize that I've said that you've needed help before right?"
"Yeah... And what does that have to do with this?"
"It was because of your last play before Tori hosted-"
My body reacted in a sudden outburst that startled the both of us. "I know that just, just look them over got it?" my voice trembled coldly.
"What's her name?" he asked just above a whisper, eyes squinting slightly at me while he sipped on a coconut that I thought he threw away.
"Tori," my body rushed.
"That's what I thought," he muttered before bidding me a good afternoon.
-o0o-
The next day, a Tuesday I remember. Almost exactly a month since Vega had snapped and my body seemed to have known the timely circumstances. It shook under my weight, unlike the day before my limp had still almost gone away but was slightly more pronounced. By that time, the cut was almost healed so it had confused me until I realized that I was supposed to be eating lunch and not staring off into space.
For the past few weeks, ever since Elizabeth joined the group, I ate on the steps. Alone. Cat wasn't there because, well, she hadn't been back yet from the 'family trip'. Andre wouldn't join me though I sensed that he somewhat doubted Elizabeth's and Beck's relationship as it caught on way too quickly. And Robbie, well like Cat had said before, didn't look to happy with the change though went on to what Beck told him. Now that I thought about it, I hadn't talked much to any of them since this whole thing started.
Well, Beck more than the others but that halted right after I made him watch me kiss another girl as he made out with Elizabeth in spite of me. Don't ever mess with Jade West. It should be simple but no, apparently it isn't.
For Elizabeth anyway, she would constantly shoot so many things out of that 'clean' mouth of hers and, of course, I wouldn't hold myself back. That morning was the start of a spiraling, not staircase necessarily, but rather a slide you couldn't slow yourself down on. Elizabeth would be the one to push me down, shove me really, as if I wasn't already out of control.
But the worst started that day when Sikowitz openly presented that my play would showcase on the 20th and the 21st. "Tim Burton would be proud," he beamed at me as I received the script back. That really had given me some pleasure since I was a huge fan of his works.
"So you're doing a play?" she asked as I strode over to my locker.
"That's what he just said so fuck off," I snarled.
Elizabeth smirked cockily and tapped her foot, "Right... So when are auditions for the roles?"
"Not telling you."
"Why not?"
"I don't like you."
"Doesn't mean shit."
"Want to bet?" I lunged forward, smiling devilishly once I realized she still was intimidated by me. Elizabeth rolled her eyes and left stubbornly because Beck had walked into view. I glare at the ground as they embraced, only when Tori had walked over to her locker.
That was the start of it, and I say that now because I already thought it had started, whatever 'it' was.
I walked over to class, forgetting my little interaction with her because, frankly, it blended well with all the others. As I managed to write all the notes in the next few classes, I sighed once I heard the bell scream as per usual and rushed out with the swarms heading to their individual lockers.
My feet slowed as my locker came to view, eventually halting a few feet away as I glared at it. "Jade? Did you leave your locker open?" Robbie quietly asked as he collected his things.
"No," I hissed, not necessarily at Robbie's expense which he seemed to understand. Kind of. I ripped the slightly ajar door and froze for a split second before my hands frantically rummaged through all of the contents.
All the notebooks that were used for notes were in my grasp already since I just took the classes, and a binder with my backpack was left but... all the stray papers were gone and my sketchbook and-
"Shit... No, no, no, no!" I streamed with broken whimper, the 'journal-thing' was gone. The script, luckily, was still with me but probably my most important set of papers were gone. My gaze slowly shifted to the side of the main hallway to a certain couple chatty like how Beck and I used to. For a brief moment, Elizabeth's eyes switched to mine, matching a victorious, cocky smirk.
Then mine traveled over to Tori who was shoving something in her bag before going straight out of the parking lot. I stared at her locker which wasn't lit up. It was never lit up for those few weeks and I couldn't help but feel a pang once I remembered I mocked her for the sentimental value of the door.
Once I had reached home, I bounded straight for my room and slammed the door, seething. I whipped out my lighter and snatched the box before stepping through the window and lit the white stick. After a few breathes, I closed my eyes and ran my hands through my hair. I didn't cry, though I wanted to, but I've learned that crying while smoking kind of hurts.
"Jade... Hand me the box, and that cigarette," a stern, wise voice muttered behind me. I obey it, handing Peggy everything she wanted, except the lighter. She knew sometimes I liked to burn things. "I don't want you smoking again, alright?"
"Right," I mumbled weakly. At that moment, I didn't realize it, but at that moment those words would be followed full heartedly; that was my last one. Though the advising command would be put on my back a million times heavier by the next Wednesday, exactly three weeks from then.
"Now tell me what has you all upset."
"Everything going on in my life right now," I snapped sourly. Peggy only stood there, letting me continue, "I go to my locker at the end of the day and everything important to me in my locker is gone. Just-just gone... And I know fucking Elizabeth did it."
Her eyes closed as she nodded before her voice rang, "I see. And what are you going to do about it?"
"Murder her."
"Jade... That's kind of frowned upon in all fifty states."
"I know. But- no one would notice," I stammered while I looked in her eyes. After a few competing glances, I mumbled, "You know I wouldn't do it."
"I know... but you have said the same thing before during one of your little fits."
"Like when?"
"You've explained to me how you wanted Tori to die on several occasions after some instance of another."
"I don't really want her to," I tear up. God, by that time my emotions were so raw one little brush against them would flood Fort Knox.
"Oh sweetie, then why did you say it before?" the maid asked gingerly as she wrapped her arms around me.
"Because I didn't-"
"You didn't what?"
"I didn't know then." My whisper seemed to carry throughout the room, marking my final say in the conversation. Peggy stood back and looked at me, giving a pitied look as she came to the conclusion that my walls came up and there was no use.
"Tell me when your ready," was all she said before she went off to make dinner.
-o0o-
The next day I was running late because of a freak traffic accident right by my house. It was a intersection with a shallow ditch next to railings. It wasn't too deep, but enough to be a worrying obstacle in any accident. Today, no one did actually go over though I saw the rail loosen a bit. Though because it wasn't that huge of a difference, it was announced that they would fix it the next Saturday. So more than a week away.
Because of the twenty minute set back, the main hall was crowded. I made my way gradually through it, not wanting to fight it. My seeming luck was by my side as the bell hollered and the crowd soon vanished except for the few strays lettering across the place.
I opened my locker before catching a falling box from it. I set my bag down and opened it, letting out a small cry. Inside were ashes and a slip of paper. The box dropped as I tore the paper from inside it, knowing that the few wires in it meant that my stuff was returned.
There I stood, my feet planted firmly to the ground as I read the note carefully.
I would watch your back and your play's.I'm done playing around Jade West,Now all of my attention is on you.
This is a warning... Remember that.
My eyes began to water as I glared, blood boiling as I stared down at it. Deciding that I didn't want to be there, at school, I threw away the box and slip of paper in the trash with a heavy heart, almost trying to reach out to it before slamming my locker closed.
A small noise catches my attention as my gaze slid over. Tori stood, halted in her steps a few feet from her locker, staring at me. Our eyes locked and I analyzed her. She still had no emotion in her eyes, but the soften expression of her face formed one of pity and understanding.
She watched as I left the school in a flash, a gentle stare prickling the back of my neck.