Disclaimer: I do not own Victorious or Big Time Rush. They belong to Dan Schneider and Scott Fellows respectively.
Author's Note: I've been procrastinating with this chapter. I was debating whether or not to post it now or post it at the end of October since that's the year anniversary of the first chapter. I just decided to post it now and try to have two chapters ready by the end of next month, either way, you're getting something. I love the feedback that I read and as always, it's very much appreciated. This has been a long time coming, but here it is. This chapter is where change begins to happen. Whether it's good or bad, that's up for you to decide. Anyway, since I'm considering having two chapters out next month, some ideas would be great. I could always use a little bit of inspiration from you guys. For now, just enjoy this and feel free to message me or post a comment. By the way, this is one of the more shorter chapters of the story, but I felt like I owe it to you guys to get something out before next month rolls around. Enjoy!
Sunday is another relaxing day; they spend majority of it inside, each doing their own thing. Monday through Friday is the same routine as always: school, work, repeat. By the next weekend, they're both busy completing assignments that they don't even bother leaving the apartment at all.
The next week is the same, only this time, Jade takes a night off from work to take her mother out for her birthday. She invited Kendall, much to his surprise, but he politely declined and told her it should be a mother-daughter night.
When Friday rolls around, they take advantage of not having to go to work, and Kendall suggests they do something fun — go roller skating in the park. Jade, being Jade, declined at first, but as usual manages to be talked into by Kendall. They had to make a quick stop and buy Jade a pair of skates and some protective gear, but were good to go after that.
Sitting on a park bench, they put on their gear and skates.
Kendall stands up and roller-skates around in front of Jade. "Have you ever skated before?" he asks.
"When I was like six." Jade responds.
"Then you're definitely out of practice."
"Can you even forget how to skate? Isn't it something you never forget? Like riding a bike."
Kendall shrugs. "I don't know, but stand up and we'll find out."
Jade does and attempts to skate, almost falling, but Kendall catches her.
"We have our answer." Kendall says, removing his hands from her waist.
Jade manages to be able to stand on her own and sighs. "Do we have to do this?"
"Yeah, it'll be fun."
"For you."
Kendall shakes his head. "You'll have fun, too. We just have to re-teach you first."
"I'm not up for all this."
"Too bad." Kendall responds, holding out his hands, palms up. "Take my hands."
"For?"
"For something to keep you up so you won't fall."
Jade groans, but takes his hands anyway. "Fine. You let me fall in front of all these people, though, you die."
"Fair enough."
They skate a little ways before Jade tells Kendall to stop.
"What's wrong?"
"Your hands are sweaty. That's gross." she comments, wiping her hands on her jeans.
Kendall sighs and does the same before offering a hand again. "Can we just get through this?"
"Can we just go home?"
"No."
"Then no."
"Jade," he groans.
"Calm down, don't throw a fit." she tells him, grabbing his hand. "We look like a couple."
Kendall smiles a little. "You make it sound like a bad thing." he tells her. It sounds like a great thing to him.
"It is."
"That's rude."
"No offense or anything, Blondie, but you're just not my type."
Kendall tries to act like that just didn't crush his spirit. "I never said I wanted to be." he mumbles, loosening his grip on her hand a little.
"Whatever. Are we gonna do this or what?"
Kendall nods his head and they begin to glide again. It's easy-going, neither of them talking, just skating in peaceful silence. After a while, Jade lets go of Kendall's hand, tired of people looking at them like some adorable couple. She doesn't stumble; in fact, it feels like she's a little kid again. She doesn't let it show, though, that she's actually having a good time doing this.
They skate to the opposite end of the park, stopping once they reach an empty bench for them to take a break on.
"That wasn't so bad, was it?" Kendall questions, taking his helmet off.
"I guess not." Jade replies, doing the same and looking at him. "Your hair looks awful."
He runs his fingers through it. "Doesn't matter." he glances at her. "You're in the same state I am."
"Don't care." she replies. "Can we leave?"
"We've only been here for like half an hour."
"Your point?"
Kendall sighs. "Fine, but I told my mom I'd come by, so we're going there."
"Whatever. I don't care where we go as long as it's not somewhere that I hate."
Pulling up in the driveway, Kendall sighs, wishing he didn't bring Jade along because he knows Katie's going to question him. He just hopes she doesn't mention anything to Jade about the crush he has on her; the last thing he needs is to feel awkward around her all the time.
Getting out the car, they walk up to the door, Kendall opening it in the process.
"Hey, big brother." Katie greets from the couch, she looks up and sees Jade is with him and smirks. "Hey, Jade."
Kendall makes a "don't tell her face" at Katie as he walks over to the couch.
"Hey." Jade responds, following behind Kendall.
Katie looks over at Kendall, a smirk still evident on her face. "What's up with your hair?"
"We went rollerskating." he answers.
"Aww," she coos. "That's cute."
Kendall sighs and stands back up. "I'm gonna go talk to Mom." he's almost out of the room when he stops and thinks about leaving Katie alone with Jade, and turns around to face them again. "Jade, come with me." he says, but it comes out more as a command than a question.
Jade stands and shrugs. "Whatever." she says, following him into the kitchen.
"Hey, Mom." Kendall greets with a smile, walking over to Jennifer and giving her a hug and a kiss.
"I was beginning to think you forgot to come over."
"Never." he reassures her.
"Hello, Jade." Jennifer greets.
Jade manages a polite smile. "Hi."
"I was just about to start dinner," Jennifer begins, turning back to what she was doing. "Do you two want to stay?"
Jade looks at Kendall and repeatedly shakes her head no.
"Sure, Mom." he responds, smirking at Jade. "We'd love to."
Jade mouths 'hate you' before taking a seat in one of the chairs, crossing her arms over her chest like a child.
"Do you need any help?" Kendall asks.
"No, but I do need a couple fresh tomatoes from the store..." Jennifer trails off.
"I'll do it." Jade perks up.
"Jade, you don't have to. You're a guest."
"It's no problem." she shrugs, walking over to Kendall and holding out her hand. "Keys, Knight." she says.
Kendall slips his hand into his pocket and pulls out his keys. "Don't crash my car."
"We'll see." Jade responds as she takes them from him and walks out of the kitchen.
Katie glances up at Jade for a moment. "Leaving already?"
"Nah, I told your mom I'd go get some tomatoes for her."
Katie smirks to herself. "Can I come?"
"I don't care." is Jade's response.
"Mom!" Katie yells as she gets up from the couch. "I'm going with Jade." she says quickly, hurrying out the door before Kendall can try to stop her.
Jade closes the door behind them and unlocks the door's to Kendall's car, climbing in, Katie doing the same. The ride starts off quiet, the only sound coming from the radio playing. Katie glances over at Jade, deciding it's now or never.
"My brother likes you."
Jade turns her head, looking at Katie briefly, before focusing back on the road. "What're you talking about?"
"Kendall. He likes you."
"Are you serious right now?" Jade questions, disbelief evident in her voice.
"Yep. He likes you. A lot."
"I don't believe you."
Katie shrugs. "That's fine, you don't have to."
"What makes you say that anyway?"
"That's information that I can't give out."
"I'm just supposed to believe some twelve-year-old?"
"Thirteen and I honestly think you should. It'd be in your best interest."
"Whatever." Jade responds.
"Yeah. Whatever."
Arriving at the store, they grab some tomatoes and a few other items Kendall texted Jade to pick up. They're walking to a check out station when Katie decides to get Jade's side of the story.
"Do you like Kendall?"
"In what way?"
"In the way that he likes you."
"Stop with that and no, I don't."
"Why? He's cool and nice and he really, really likes you."
Jade sighs. "He's not my type, now drop it."
"Fine, but you don't know what you're missing out on."
"I'm sure I'll live."
Getting back to the Knight's home, Kendall helps his mom prepare the dinner and they all sit down for a nice, and somewhat awkward, dinner. Afterwards, Kendall helps clean up while Jade ignores Katie talk about Kendall liking her. They say their goodbyes and drive back to their apartment in silence. Once they're through the door, though, it's a different story.
"Do you like me?" Jade bluntly asks.
"What?" Kendall questions, practically choking on his spit.
"Do. You. Like. Me."
"What gave you that idea?" He asks, thinking this may be his chance to tell her how he really feels about her.
"Your sister told me."
Kendall rolls his eyes. "Of course she did."
"Do you?"
"Does it matter?"
"It actually kind of does." Jade responds. It really didn't, but she wasn't going to let Kendall know that.
"I don't see the point of telling you. You're gonna take it the wrong way no matter what I say."
"And by that you mean?"
"If I don't, you'll be offended. If I do, you'll find it weird. I can't win."
"Doesn't matter. Just answer the damn question."
"What do you think my answer is?"
"My answer was you didn't, but seeing how you are now, I kinda think you do."
"Poor judgment."
"Then why did you kiss me the other day? I was caught up in the moment. What was your excuse?"
"The same as yours."
"That's a lie. You acted so weird after it happened and don't think I never noticed you roll your eyes whenever I even mentioned Daniel. Face it, Knight. You like me and you know it."
"You know nothing."
Jade steps closer to him and grabs his face, forcing him into a kiss. She pulls apart after a moment and looks at him with a smirk, his eyes opening slowly.
"Now, tell me you didn't feel anything." She commands, their lips still close.
"Did you?"
"Like I told Cat, your sister, and you earlier, you're not my type." She explains. "But you didn't answer my question."
"No." Kendall forces himself to say, feeling defeated just like he did earlier, but trying not to let it show or reflect in his voice. "I didn't feel anything."
Jade shrugs and steps away from him. "If you say so." She tosses her jacket onto the couch. "I'm gonna go take a shower."
As soon as he hears the door to Jade's room close, Kendall takes his phone out of his pocket and calls Katie.
"I know you're mad." she says immediately.
"Yeah, I am. Why did you do that?"
"I was helping you out."
Kendall sighs. "Katie, I don't and I didn't need your help. I told you I would handle this."
"When? When were you going to handle it, Kendall? Ten years from now when she probably won't care at all if you're in love with her or not?"
"This isn't your problem, Katie."
"What'd she say?"
"She said that I'm not her type. I already heard that from her once today, I really didn't need to hear it again."
"I'm sorry."
"You should be. I get that you want to help and be there for me, but when it comes to this, please, Katie, just stay out of it."
"Okay." Katie says dejectedly. "I'll stay out of it."
"I'm sorry. I love you, but I gotta do this myself."
"I understand. It's no big deal. I won't say anymore about it."
"Katie, I don't mind talking to you about it, I just really rather you not talk to her about it. Okay?"
"Okay." Katie agrees. "I'm guessing you're not mad anymore?"
"A little, but you are my baby sister. I can't stay mad at you for too long."
"Kendall?" he hears Jade call from her room.
"Be right there." he yells back. "Gotta go, Katie."
"Alright. Talk to you later."
"Bye. Love you." he responds, hanging up and going down the hall. He knocks on the door to Jade's room, remembering that she's supposed to be taking a shower. "Jade?"
"It's open."
He walks in and sees her sitting on the edge of her bed. "Did you...need something?" he asks, a little confused.
"I need to talk to you."
"About?"
"Our conversation."
"Jade, we were done with this."
She looks up at him. "The walls are pretty thin, Blondie. I heard you on the phone."
Kendall swears his heart stops. "What?"
"I heard you talking to your sister. Why did you lie?"
"I...I don't know."
Jade raises an eyebrow. "You don't know?"
"I guess I didn't know exactly what would happen if I told you the truth."
"What? Do you think I'd kick you out? Come on, Knight, it's not a big deal. You like me. So what?"
"I guess you're right." he replies, hating that Jade still doesn't seem interested in him.
"It's cute, but I'm just-"
"Not into me." he finishes. "I get it. It's fine."
"You okay with this?"
Kendall nods slowly. "Yeah."
"Okay. We're done with this, then. Let's just go back to being normal or whatever it is we are."
"I agree. I'll let you take your shower now." Kendall says, quickly making his way out of her room and into his.
He wants nothing more than to scream at the top of his lungs and knock things over, but he doesn't. Part of him wants to just move out and act like none of the last few months ever happened, but he won't. For now, he walks over to his bed and sits down, looking at the floor.
Why did he have to have feelings for her? Why did he have to let other people know he had feelings for her? And most importantly, why are their walls so damn thin?
The only thing that's keeping him sane at this moment is the possibility that Jade might come around one day. If he has to wait ten years for that, he will. She's worth every little bit of time, even if he wishes she would just return the feelings.