Robbie sighed as the phone rang; this whole day had been so odd. Trina had named him her new boy-toy, and he had agreed though for the life of him figure out why he had done so.
He wanted to ask Rex as he always did with things of this nature, but the puppet was still at Cat's; probably saying mean things to the bubbly red head. It was for the best after all today had been a tad crazy and some normalcy would be nice.
"SHAPIRO"
Robbie jumped at the shout, nearly falling out of his bed in a sleep deprived panic, he stared around his room for the source of the sound when his eyes landed on the light of his cell phone. With a sigh, he bent and picked it.
"DAMN IT SHAPIRO ANSWER ME"
Robbie flinched at the scream, the volume nearly defining him.
"I'm here I'm here, just stop screaming already" Robbie grunted
"What did you say to me puppet-boy!" Jade shouted, causing Robbie to wince again. He had forgotten that Jade was a tad... well... Jade was a total gank.
"I said I'm here, could you please stop shouting?" Robbie spoke calmly hoping to escape the wrath of Jade.
There was a pause in which Robbie wondered exactly what brutal torment Jade was dreaming up.
" Now is the time you'd decide to grow a spine" Jade huffed, but it was far from her usual ferocity. She simply sounded... off.
Robbie laughed nervously, not sure how to respond to that. Jade made no audible response and Robbie sat silently. The silence stretched on for what felt like ages. Robbie squirmed endlessly, feeling awkward at the lack of conversation, but too afraid to say anything. This was ridiculous; he and Jade were friends... sort of... she said she tolerated him, that meant something, right?
"So..." Robbie began in forced cheer, hoping his strained smile sounded more convincing than it looked.
"So?" Jade replied listlessly, Robbie's smile faltered at that, she wasn't going to make this (whatever this was) easy.
"You, you wanted me to call, what's up?" Robbie asked still trying to sound jovial. He waited for a response the forced smile heavy on his lips. All his question revived was silence with little more than Jade's shallow breathing in the background to let him know she was still there. Deciding that perhaps she hadn't heard him, he resolved to try again.
"Jade, did you hear me? You still there?" Robbie asked slowly. Still nothing but silence greeted him, and Robbie felt annoyance flare to life deep inside him, this was just another of Jade's games, and he wasn't going to play it.
"Fine" he snapped, moving to end the call.
"I JUST WANTED SOMEONE TO TALK TO OKAY!" The shout causes Robbie to fumble the phone. While Jade yelling at him wasn't new it was still unnerving, especially outside of school.
He paused for a moment letting his racing heart slow as he tried to process Jade's words. She wanted someone to talk to, and she had called him. It was odd, but he realized that it made a strange sort of sense.
She and Beck had broken up; she hates Tori and Trina, and despite Cat's dismissal of her insult he doubted being called "a pet" had went over well. Since, Andre would probably not be the most comforting person that left him. The boy she tolerated.
The thought made him want to hang up on her; instead, he sighed and shook his head as he brought the phone back against his ear.
"Okay Jade, what would you like to talk about" The false cheer had left his voice, the weariness of the day evident in his tone.
"Forget it, this was a terrible idea" Jade blew out in a rush, Robbie could hear her babbling incoherently and found the annoyance rise even higher.
"Listen Jade, I've had a really weird day, bad weird, so if you could play whatever joke or prank or whatever mean thing you planned to do, so I can hate my life and go to sleep already!" Robbie shouted frustrated at the confusing awkwardness of the entire conversation.
There was a pause and Robbie considered that perhaps maybe he had gone to far, he opened his mouth to apologize, flapping his lips uselessly as he tried to find the words.
"YOU, YOU HAD A BAD DAY! I LOST THE ONLY PERSON I EVER LOVED, SO FUCK YOUR BAD DAY". Jade screamed as Robbie found himself flinching at the anger and sadness pouring from her every word.
He had been so wrapped up in his own day he had forgotten how the whole thing had started. Guilt welled up in him at his selfishness. He wasn't the only one hurting right now.
"Jade, I'm sorry, really, that was really... I'm sorry okay? It's just been a seriously fucked up day" Robbie finished lamely.
Another pause and then Jade sighed, the fire gone from her once again.
"Tell me about it" She sighed and Robbie found himself smirking bitterly. At least someone else understood.
The thought made him chuckle.
"No" Jade interrupted him, cutting off the laugh, as confusion swirled within him.
"No what?"
"No seriously, tell me about it". Jade sniffed, and Robbie found himself scowling. Jade West wasn't exactly known for being caring, or sympathetic, or even nice. She was a school renowned gank, and the idea of sharing his burden with her was unappealing. No matter how much he wanted someone to talk to about the days insanity.
"No way" He spoke calmly though he felt like shouting the words.
"You said you were sorry!" Jade shouted back her tone suddenly accusing, the fire returning to her voice.
"What does that have to do with-"
"If you're sorry then make me feel better, nothing makes me feel better than hearing about other peoples bad days". Jade interrupted and Robbie found himself at a loss for words, but it was undeniably Jade.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you" He sighed, running his hand through his curly brown hair in frustration.
"Duh Shapiro, that's why I called you, because even if you told the whole school no one would believe you. Now spill!" Jade commanded and Robbie found himself snarling, that was what he got for trying to be sympathetic to Jade. She wanted to know, fine.
So he told her, every juicy detail, every moment from the time she left, to the end of the card game, Trina's seduction and her rejection.
"That's what happened." He snarled frustrated at his own helplessness.
"I don't get it, an attention starved nerd like you. You should be prancing around like a one man parade to be dating Trina." Jade wondered absently. Robbie sneered ignoring Jade's insult as only someone with years of practice could.
"That's the worst part, I'm only her "toy" until she can get Beck" Robbie regretted the words the moment they left his mouth.
"What?" Jade asked.
"Uhh, I said boy am I ready for bed, night Jade" Robbie rushed out quickly.
"SHAPIRO IF YOU HANG UP ON ME I WILL FEED YOU YOUR TESTICLES AFTER I COOK THEM OVER AN OPEN FLAME WITH REX AS FIREWOOD" Jade screamed, and Robbie found himself stunned as he processed the threat.
"Wow, that was brutal" He murmured awed at the level of violence Jade had just sunk to.
"What. Did. You. Say." Jade pronounced every word crisply and clearly the barely restrained malice in her words evident in every syllable.
Robbie sighed knowing that he'd been caught, and while he wasn't particularly worried about what Jade would do to him, even Trina and Beck didn't deserve what he was about to do.
"Trina says that she's just using me until she can get with Beck." Robbie sighed guiltily wondering what dark vengeance Jade would reap at the knowledge.
There was a long silence and Robbie squirmed uncomfortably wondering exactly what violent fantasies were playing out in Jade's head.
" You drive yourself to school right?" The question was so unexpected the Robbie found himself wondering if maybe he had been too hasty in assuming that Jade's wrath wouldn't extend to him.
"Yes... why" he asked cautiously, expecting an evil cackle in response the light laugh that answered his question was less unnerving and far more cute. The thought that Jade had a cute laugh was pushed off at his ever growing lack of sleep.
" Meet me at your locker tomorrow, early" Jade said simply.
"Uh wh-"
"Don't ask questions, just do it" Jade said, her words were far less harsh and much closer to something Robbie couldn't exactly identify, it was almost like happiness, not her usual maniacal glee, but genuine happiness.
"Anyway it's late, I need sleep, night sha... Robbie" The sound of his name on Jade's lips was foreign but not at all unpleasant.
"Jade wait!" Robbie said quickly, wondering why he had stopped her, it had been such an odd conversation, but one of the most pleasant he had ever had with Jade. If only due to the fact, that she had only threatened him once.
"What is it?" Jade asked, surprising Robbie again at the lack of aggravation in her voice. Just genuine curiosity.
"Did you really only call me because no one would believe me if I told?" He asked feeling stupid for the question. He knew that was it, yet he had asked anyway, now Jade would scoff, heave some parting insult and hang up on him.
"Well..." Jade spoke slowly, Robbie could almost imagine the wheels turning in her head as she formed her insult.
" I like you better than Vega, night Robbie". Without another word, Jade ended the call leaving a stunned Robbie on the other end.
She liked him better than Tori, sadly it was the nicest thing Jade had ever said to him. Though it was common knowledge, that Jade held a peculiar sort of tolerant hatred for Tori.
Still, Robbie Shapiro felt himself smile as he laid back in his bed and closed his eyes.
Arriving at Hollywood Arts an hour earlier than usual Robbie waited restlessly at his locker for Jade's arrival. He had text Cat to bring Rex with her to school, but, the red-head hadn't shown yet. As such, he was stuck standing alone fiddling with his pear phone as he waited for Jade. She had neglected to tell him how early he was supposed to show, and he was hesitant to upset the good graces he had just been placed in by asking.
It was 15 minutes before class started that Jade arrived her usual scowl in place as she approached Robbie. A cup of coffee in her hand.
Jade smirked when she saw him and made her way towards him slowly.
"Alright Jade I'm here, early might I add, now will you, please tell me why" Robbie sighed in exasperation.
"You sound tired Shapiro, take a sip of that, wake you up" Jade motioned towards the coffee.
"I don't want any -" Robbie's whine was cut off as Jade glared at him. He swallowed nervously as he reluctantly took a swig of the bitter liquid.
"A real drink Shapiro" Jade snapped her glare darkening as she spoke.
Robbie drank deeply feeling the warm drink flow down his throat, he made a face at the bitter taste. Though he could taste hints of sugar and cream.
"Good boy" Jade purred as she took the cup back. Robbie glared at her as Jade giggled, the same sweet sound he heard the night before rang like music in the air.
"Yeah yeah, will you explain why I had to be up early now, please?" Robbie sighed.
"Not enough time for the whole thing, let's just say that I'm going to help you get your nerdy little hands on Trina" Jade spoke quickly as she stared down the hallway expectantly.
"How?" Robbie found himself asking, even as he looked down the hallway trying to find what Jade was watching for.
"You're going to be my new boyfriend" Jade spoke distractedly.
"Wait, wha-" Before he could finish the question Jade spun and grabbed him. And then Jade's lips were on his warm and soft tasting of cream and sugar. His vision obscured by a curtain of jet black hair.
He had just enough time to hear a gasp of surprise as he managed to spot Cat through a haze of raven locks, standing dumbly watching the two of them in open shock before Jade's tongue slithered into his mouth, and his eyes closed involuntarily in pleasure as Jade's tongue curled around his.