/JADE/

"-Of course, my brother thought because he ate this 'special sushi' that he could fly. So he ran to the top floor of our hotel building, but he tripped and ended up falling through the window and onto the top of a Japanese tour shuttle bus and I'm pretty sure one of the ambulance people-"

I skim my fingertip around the rim of one of Cat's pink glasses, staring at the painted on blue unicorn without focusing.

"-They ended up handcuffing him to the bed because he kept saying he was a superhero! Which reminds me of another time when he wore this cape on Halloween..."

Pretty much immediately after that- that stupid truth or dare game, I had all but thrown Vega out of my house and driven straight over to Cat's, bombarding her with demands to tell me any dumb stories she had about her brother before I was even through the front door.

"-And his cape got stuck in a fan, so he spent the rest of the night in this dinosaur costume, until the police came-"

You've done it now, West. You've fucking done it.

I vehemently refused to think it, let alone say it out loud but it had happened. The no man's land had been crossed and the dirt efficiently torn up underneath us. I couldn't even explain how it happened. Like many of the lingering questions between me and Tori- none of them had an answer. They just all managed to exist in a complicated web of knots and tangles that neither of us could even imagine where to start unraveling.

"So...I guess that answers my question, huh?" Tori giggles breathlessly, gently tucking a strand of hair back behind my ear. I'm frozen in place, my arms still either side of her body, our kiss still burning on my lips. I stare at her for several more seconds, before getting up quickly and brushing myself down, refusing to even make eye contact. Tori sits up and I hear the quiet sigh across the room, catching her reflection in the mirror.

She's tracing her lips with her finger.

My back is to her but I can picture everything she was doing. Her hand pushing through her hair, teeth softly embedded into her bottom lip. I let my eyes close, feeling a whole rush of emotions hit me like a truck. Nevermind about playing with fire, I had just thrown myself into the inferno and I'd taken Tori with me.

"Jade?"

"You need to go."

"But...can't we talk about this?" My fingers curl into a fist, a wave of guilt at Tori's small and confused voice. "I mean, you just-"

"Don't. Don't say it."

"But I'm tired of brushing things under the rug, Jade! We need to talk about it and even if you want to deny it, you kissed me!"

"I don't want to deny it! I can't - I know what happened, Tori! But I'm telling you to leave, now!"

I watch her flinch, debating on pushing me for more answers but I had already locked myself down tight, my stronghold like steel. Tori knew then she wasn't getting anything else from me, her body almost visibly shaking with anger. Silently, she snatches up her bag and storms out of my room, the slam of the front door echoing throughout the house.

I hadn't heard from her since.

"Jade? Jaade...did you hear me? I was wondering what color pink I should paint my room next. Frosted Tulip or Raspberry Sorbet?" Cat's looking at me curiously, clearly noting I'd checked out for awhile. Oh God, was it obvious to her who I had been thinking about? I study myself in the mirror, relieved to see no discernible differences in my appearance. Except for some smudged eyeliner and slightly tousled hair, I looked normal.

"I like the Raspberry Sorbet." I mutter, still trying desperately not to hit the replay button on tonight, but it was pointless. Tori had finally made her way underneath my skin to find my heart, making herself a nice little nest to take up residence. My lips tingled just thinking about our kiss, the way her body felt so right against mine. It was a well known fact I despised cliches, but even I couldn't deny we had melted perfectly together.

"Have you talked to Beck yet?"

"What?" The question catches me off guard.

I'd almost forgotten about him.

"Beck. I know I shouldn't really ask but I wanted to know if you guys were still friends?"

"Uh...yeah. I guess?" I try and skate around the subject. "So this Raspberry Sorbe-"

"I was only asking because I didn't want it to stop us from all hanging out." Cat's fingers twist together, balling up her pink furry blanket. "Because I know you and Tori don't like each other and-"

"We do like each other."

"What?" It was Cat's turn to be confused and I retreat, pushing my tongue up against my front teeth.

"I meant that Vega isn't on my top ten list of favorites, but I can just about tolerate her!" I snap, feeling guilty as Cat winces. Her nose is wrinkled, thinking over my answer to make sure it made sense to her. To everyone else, I was simply tolerating Tori. Nothing more. I'm relieved when she accepts my answer, nodding along.

That had been too damn close. Was I suddenly incapable of keeping my mouth shut when it came to Vega? I force myself to exhale slowly, listening to Cat launch into a detailed description of her new room layout.

Thousands of questions kept buzzing around my head, increasing in volume as they swarmed around me, all battling each other for attention; picking, prodding and poking me, each sharp sting lingering after each attack. I could vaguely hear Cat's voice babbling on in the background, but it was distant, like she was talking underwater and I hadn't surfaced.

I hadn't surfaced.

Tori had robbed me of my oxygen the instant our lips touched. She had managed to invade all of my senses, seeping into my veins like the sweetest of toxins. She had infected my blood stream and took over my thoughts, erasing everything I had ever known about her. I didn't stand a chance.

So why are you still fighting it, West?

Because I was stubborn, we were both stubborn. I still wanted to refuse or ignore anything had really happened. For some reason, I associated it as sign of weakness - which was stupid, given the fact we'd already practically surrendered to one another. I didn't like not having control. I hated that I was rendered...virtually powerless with my own emotions and with her. It scared me... but it thrilled me all at the same time and it was driving me absolutely fucking insane.

She was driving me insane.

"Oh! Actually, I've changed my mind about the room color. I think I'll go for purple instead!" Cat chirps away happily, acting completely oblivious as she held her stuffed giraffe up in the air for color comparison. "It's been pink for awhile now and I wanna change it. I mean, it's always worth trying something new and taking risks because sometimes the risks are worth the outcome, isn't that right Mr Purples?" She presses her nose to the giraffe's.

I blink a few times, my brain clicking and churning it's overused gears to slowly process Cat's words. If I had been looking, I would have seen the little red head glancing my way, her brown eyes twinkling with mischief as if she already knew. But my gaze was focused on the other side of the room. My fingers grip the edge of the bed but she continues to ramble on, each sentence repeatedly striking a nerve ending right at my core.

It was considered a rare occasion but for once, Cat Valentine might have said something that actually made sense.

A/N: Jade seems determined to distract herself from what's happened but it looks like Cat isn't going to let Tori slip through her fingers.
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