/JADE/

I knew our strange coconut drinking nut job of a teacher was going to say Vega's name. It was going to happen. For some unknown reason Sikowitz had always harbored some sort of twisted obsession with pairing me and Tori together since she joined Hollywood Arts, so really why should today be any different? Purposefully, I glare as hatefully as I can, a sneer on my lips as she almost stumbles up to the stage. I willed my glare to rip into her soul, to erase and put an end to any act of friendship she thought we had developed. I noted with slight satisfaction she already looked uncomfortable.

Good.

I shouldn't have given her those scissors. Hell, I shouldn't have done anything to encourage her because now I was sure she had taken that gesture and wormed her way underneath my skin, and no matter how hard or deep I dug, I wouldn't be able to pry her out. I couldn't get why she seemed so separate from the others. Cat, Robbie, Andre and now even Beck. I could push them away, keep them a safe distance from me. I kept everyone else as 'mutual friendships' but Tori, Tori was different. She exhausted me. She kept making me want to drop my guard again, invite her in like I had that night.

Which was stupid.

I was still expecting the barrage of questions about the scissors I'd so obviously left, but Vega seemed to be playing it safe, waiting for me to do the talking and explaining. Not that I had an explanation to give her.

Sikowitz beams at us. "Here are your provided scripts, Jade you will be Richard and Tori you will be Diane. We'll be starting from the Final Act."

I watch Tori frown as she skims through the script pages. As if on cue, she has to open up her mouth with a question.

"Uh, wait a second. I'm not sure if I'm entirely comfortable with the sla-" I make my groan purposefully loud and let my eyes roll to the ceiling. My thumb flicks through the pages to the chosen scene and I start immediately, cutting her off as I decided to throw stupid Tori Vega right into the deep end. It was payback - payback for how she's been screwing with my emotions over the past few weeks, for thinking she could get to me.

"Oh for God's sake, Diane! Will you let it go?" I watch Tori jump and fumble for her script, flipping through in a panic to find the right part.

"N-no Richard! I can't let it go. You were texting another woman!" She shoots back even more angrily, managing to compose herself after the first line. It loathed me to admit it, and I wouldn't under excruciating torture, but every time Vega got up on stage she seemed to improve ever so slightly each time. You know, slightly.

Not that I was paying attention.

"That was my sister, Diane. Jesus. You get so damn paranoid about everything!"

"I wouldn't have to get paranoid if you weren't so secretive all the time! You say one thing and you do another. It's driving me insane, Jade- Richard!" I stiffen, my blood rushing to the surface of my pale skin, watching Tori's brown eyes flicker with panic. No one else had seemed to catch it. I brush it off and cross over the stage, my stare fixed on her. I make sure to add a drop of acid with every word in my next delivery. I wanted to say that it was a warning.

"You're the one driving me insane with how pathetic you are! I swear there's nothing between us anymore!" Tori flinches back. I wasn't sure if she was acting or being genuine, but there was no mistaking the frown which briefly touched her lips. I ignore it and direct my attention back to the script, blinking in confusion. I have to re-read the stage directions twice, squinting to make sure I wasn't hallucinating.

[Diane delivers a hard slap to Richard's LEFT cheek]

Oh perfect.

I grit my teeth and brace myself for the incoming assault, getting ready to twist my body to the left.

I see Tori's hand raise, judging the reaction so I could time it right.

Now imagine my surprise when the slap came from the right.

...

/TORI/

I blink in shock. One minute I was flicking my eyes back and forth from the script and Jade, the next minute she was recoiling in pain. My palm is throbbing from the skin on skin contact but my brain still didn't comprehend the action of what I'd done. The whole class has leaned forward in their seats, staring in various states of shock and fear. I yank my hand back sharply, horrified to find a small mark now blossoming on Jade's right cheek.

"I-I..." I stutter weakly, the words dying into nothing on my lips. I swear my heart was trying to escape my ribcage and judging by Jade's murderous glare, it wasn't going to be in my body for very long anyway. The script book still hanging loosely at my side. Time seems to come to a complete standstill, my feet stuck solid in a block of cement as I witness Jade's blue eyes slowly darken into shards of ice. "Jade-"

"You absolute idiot, Vega!" I hear the enraged snarl, a flash of her green streak of hair and then Jade launches herself at me. We go over hard, my back hitting the floor with a thud. I can feel her body pressed flush against mine, the air getting knocked out of my lungs. She growls. I can see her teeth bared, similar to an animal that was about to devour it's prey. She was going to tear me to shreds and enjoy every minute of it.

"I didn't - I'm sorry!-" I try and yelp, suddenly acutely aware of the electricity pulsing between our bodies. My apologies fall on deaf ears. Jade raises her hand in retaliation and I shrink back automatically, squeezing my eyes shut. I can hear Cat yelling something behind me and that's when the world seems to speed up into real time. Beck and Andre both rush forwards to pry Jade up and Sikowitz helps me back to my feet. My limbs are still quaking. I watch Jade hiss and shove the restraining arms away, her eyes throwing daggers right through me.

"God, Tori. Can't you read!? The stage directions said Diane slaps Richard on his left cheek. His left. It was written in capitals!"

"I- I did slap you on the left!" I try and protest weakly, but the faint outline of my hand print had already branded me as guilty.

"Tori..." Sikowitz's starts interrupting, but Jade passes right over him.

"Oh? Oh really? Well then explain why I have a bruise on my right cheek!"

"I- I don't know!"

"Jade-" He tries again.

"Left or right, Vega. It's kindergarten logic. It's two fucking directions that I thought even you could understand!"

"Good Gandhi, that's it. That is it!" Sikowitz yells, placing himself between us. "I have just about had it with you two! You've been fighting like two alpha males over the last week! The constant bickering and arguing and insults! Now I'm dismissing the class but you two are staying behind." I keep my eyes trained on Jade, ready to run if she tried to lunge at me again. Beck and Andre exchange brief concerned glances but then file out with everyone else, leaving the three of us behind.

"Girls... please take a seat." Sikowitz points to the front row of hard plastic chairs with a heavy sigh. I cautiously take the one furthest away from Jade but she remains standing in defiance. Her arms are crossed over her chest, seething away silently like she was already planning her murderous revenge against me.

Like I would expect anything else.

"You should both know that it's been noted by the entire school about how much you two argue like rabid cats and dogs. So, instead of enforcing a pointless punishment for your little spectacle today, you two are going to learn to get along together." Sikowitz looks between me and then Jade, his gaze lingering on her for a second longer. "I'm not shutting down the class every time one of you decides to throw a hissy fit."

I'm about to open my mouth to protest. I had to argue it was always Jade who started our fights. I was just always dragged into them, but a serious look from our acting teacher makes me think twice about resisting. He perches on the edge of the stage, resting his chin on his knuckles in thought. "Therefore, I believe it's best to get you two to work on a project together."

"We could both arrange Tori's funeral?" Jade offers from the side. Even though I couldn't see it, I knew she was smirking.

"Thank you so much for the suggestion, Jade. But I've already decided on two options for you to choose from." Sikowitz bypasses her comment and picks up a coconut, taking a thoughtful sip. "You two can either settle your differences by scraping the chewed up gum from underneath the desks for a month or..." He pauses for dramatic effect. I could swear I saw a sparkle in his eyes. "Create a blog together."

I chew over his words slowly, an uneasy silence settling around the room. There was really only one option here, right? Since I already knew Jade wouldn't allow her credibility or ego to take such a damaging hit by scraping at other people's discarded gum. I wait for her to talk, focusing all of my attention on a loose thread on my shirt, picking at it for something to do. I definitely wasn't going to choose the obvious option because I'd be forever associated with the blame - yet another thing Jade would hold over me. Whichever one I chose would be the wrong one for her anyway because it's how she operated. But it seemed Jade had a third option to add.

"Why don't I just drink liquid nitrogen?"

A/N: Ah yes, the infamous slap that started the blog...along with the treat of actual roleplay dialogue.
Thank you for all of your wonderful reviews so far, please keep em' coming!