Beck's POV

"Are you okay?" I asked Jade while she was in the middle of coughing up a lung. Of course she wasn't okay. "I'm so sorry, I—I didn't I…"

"Beck," she said in between uneven breaths, her eyes were starting to tear from coughing so hard. "Shut up." Well at least she was acting like herself.

"I'm sorry," I said again, rubbing her back as we knelt on the floor. I looked back to the ajar door to see that Andre had left. This was a catastrophe.

"Go," Jade said, seeming to be stable now. "Find him."

"A-are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes, go!" She ordered and I ran out grudgingly to search for Andre.

He wasn't in any of the hallways, the café, or even in the class we were supposed to be in. I went to the blackbox theatre and found him sitting on the floor with a gallon of chocolate milk and his tiny keyboard.

"Hey, man," I said as I approached. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

"Yeah hey," he said as he played a slow, depressing melody.

"So uhh…about what you just saw…" How could I possibly explain this?

"Yeah?" he looked up at me waiting for an answer.

"Well the thing is…" I had no idea what to say.

"She's who you were talking about this morning?" He questioned as I sat down on the floor next to him.

"Kind of…" I know Jade wouldn't want me to tell Andre, but it's not like I could hide it anymore. Besides, he was my best friend; he was supposed to have my back.

"Kind of?" He started to raise his voice. "What the hell man? How long has this been going on?"

"Shh! Keep your voice down," I tried to hush him. He always got over emotional about everything.

"How long?" He repeated.

"Awhile," I divulged.

"How long is awhile?"

"We met at that party you took us all to when Allison was out of town."

"And?"

"And then again at the party a week later." I turned to see him look like he was about to burst. "Andre, relax! IT wasn't like that at first okay? We just talked and I don't know how to explain it but I just couldn't stay away from her and then she transferred here and I just I—I"

I'm not sure what else to say. He was quiet for a minute and I don't know what I expected him to say.

"Is she the reason you broke up with Ally?" Definitely didn't expect that.

"Umm yeah I guess." He made a face at my uncertainty. "I mean yes, look once I realized how I felt about Jade, I ended it with Ally. I hated lying to her."

"So you broke up with one of the nicest, prettiest girls at Hollywood Arts for a girl who gives good blowjobs." It wasn't so much a question as it was a statement.

"What?! No! No no no. It's not like that." It really isn't. Ugh, Jade was right; no one was understanding.

"Then what's it like?"

"Its its…it's like fireworks."

"What? Have you lost your mind?"
"No, no I'm trying to explain, just listen!" He relaxed a bit and sat back. "I honestly didn't expect things to be this way, and I'm truly so sorry for lying to Allison for as long as I did, but I can't stop seeing Jade. I don't know why…I just can't. But it has to stay a secret because of how much it would hurt Ally. Look, I never meant for thing to go this far, but it's too late to go back now and if this gets out, Ally and everyone else will hate us. And I really don't want that. Do you?"

He stayed silent for awhile, seeming to take everything in.

"No, of course not, but I—,"

"So you won't tell anyone?"

"Aww Beck, you know how bad I am with secrets!" I really did.

"Yeah, I know. But this is important Andre!" I gave him the most serious look I could muster.

"Alright," he sighed heavily. "Alright, I won't tell anyone."

"Thanks man."

"But you owe me! Like forever."

"Haha yeah, forever," I said, getting up to leave.

"Hey Beck?" He called to me when I had my hand on the door to exit.

"Yeah?"

"You really fell for her didn't you?"

"Yeah," I admitted. "I did."

He nodded like he'd known this all along and asked, "And her? Does she feel the same?"

"I don't know," I answered truthfully before leaving.

I really didn't know.

Jade's POV

After the horrific incident in the janitor's closet, I retreated to the restroom to wait for the lunch bell to ring. I wonder if Beck found Andre. And if he convinced him to keep his mouth shut. The bell finally rang and I went to get a burrito from Festus' truck.

"Hey," I heard a familiar voice say from behind me. I turned my head a little to see Beck standing behind me in line, looking up at the menu.

"Hey."

"It's uh been dealt with," he said mysteriously like he was in some kind of mob movie.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I whisper yelled at him, this was no time for games.

"It means I talked to him and he's gonna stay quiet."

"Good." I nodded, pleased. "What did you tell him?"

"The truth," he said as the line moved forward. What truth? I'd almost forgotten what was and wasn't a lie.

"What do you mean?" I asked after ordering my burrito.

"I mean I told him that neither of us expected this to happen, but no one can know because Ally would be really hurt and everyone would hate us."

"Oh," I said as we went to wait for our food. "That truth."

"What?" He said noticing my unhappiness. "What did you want me to do? Lie to my best friend?"

"I would have," I crossed my arms and looked away. I really hated that someone knew our secret.

"Oh okay, yeah sure. What was I supposed to say? You tripped and landed on my—,"

"Alright!" I stopped him before he could finish. "Forget I said anything."

"Don't worry, okay?" he tried to reassure me. "He won't tell anyone."

"Okay," I sighed, letting it go. It's not like I could start a fight with him in the middle of school.

"So…" He smiled slyly from beside me. "When can I get you all to myself?"

"Umm…"

"Umm?"

"Well, I think maybe we should cool off on seeing each other…" I avoided looking him in the eye.

"What? Why? What did I do?" he asked me in a hushed frantic tone as he moved to face me.

"Nothing!" I guaranteed him. "It's just, we got careless and we got caught. If we carry on like this, people are gonna find out."

"And what would be so terrible about that?" Ugh, he just didn't understand.

"I'm not having this conversation right now." I shook my head. "Look, I'm not saying we have to stop seeing each other completely. I just think we need to be more careful."

He was quiet for awhile and I hated the thought of him being angry at me.

"Besides," I spoke after a moment. "Cat's coming over today to help me with my costume."

"Oh," He looked around shyly. "What's that costume again?" He cracked a smile that I returned, delighted he wasn't mad.

"Nice try," I said as I reached to get my food from Festus' hands.

"Can't blame me," he shrugged.

"Blame you for what?" Tori asked as she and Ally approached. This was odd; I hadn't seen her and Beck in the same place voluntarily since they broke up.

"Oh uh she can't blame me if she doesn't like Festus' burrito, I warned her." He lied quickly, he was getting better at that.

"Oh," Tori laughed. "That's true, there's no telling what's in that thing."

We all stood there awkwardly for a minute until Ally said what I think she'd been waiting to say.

"Beck, can I…talk to you?" she said nervously. "In private?"

"Uh yeah sure," He agreed and shot me a shrug before walking off with her.

Tori and I went over to the table with the rest of the gang and lunch went on as normal, aside from some weird stares from Andre. And the fact that I couldn't stop thinking about what Ally could possibly have to say to Beck.

Did she know about us? Was she trying to win him back? Was it working? Would he leave me?

The bell rang, and I was stuck with these thoughts all day long. I didn't dare text Beck to ask him what was up, I don't want him to think I'm jealous when we aren't even anything. If that makes sense. But still, it bothers me so much that he left with her.

"What's wrong JJ?" Cat asked me as we were sewing my costume on my living room floor. It had been hours since it had happened, but I guess I still looked affected.

"Nothing," I lied. "And don't call me that." She'd picked up that stupid nickname from Kris on the ride over. He'd been polite and small talked with her the whole way to my house. He didn't even stop her when she went on about how her brother got arrested at the county fair.

"Aww," she pouted. "But I like it. It's a cute name!"

"It's awful and I hate it." I said as I cut into a piece of fabric. The feel of scissors in my hand was definitely easing my stress about today.

"But you let Kristofer call you that."

"He's different."

"Why?" she said as a goofy smile spread on her face. "'Cause you loooove him?"

"No, because he won't listen to me when I tell him to stop." I shook my head just thinking about the many times I'd told Kris to quit calling me JJ.

"Aww you loooove him!" She sang in a pretty tone.

"That's enough," I said holding my scissors threateningly. She stopped, but kept up a silly smile. Before I could make her drop that too, my doorbell rang and I went to answer it.

"JJ," Kris said as he leaned in my doorway smiling. It was like they were both in on it or something.

"Hey," I said after he kissed me hello and let himself in. "What's up?"

"Nothing much," he sat down on the couch. "I just missed my girlfriend is all."

"Awww!" Cat squealed from her spot on the carpet.

"Thanks," I tried to fake a smile. "But we're not really done here."

"Actually, my mom's kinda already here to pick me up," Cat said while she stood up and got her purse.

"Oh…okay," I said as I opened the door for her. "Umm bye I guess. Thanks again."

"No problem," she flashed me her dimples. "Bye Kris! See you tomorrow JJ!"

Ugh. I'd deal with that tomorrow. I walked back to the couch and sat next to Kris feeling awkward all of a sudden. It was like we hadn't been alone in awhile, even though he'd just brought me to school this morning.

"So what's going on?" He asked me absently while turning on my TV.

"Not much," I answered as I got up to pick up the scraps of fabric lying on the floor. As I moved around Kris' legs to reach the pair of scissors Cat had used, he grabbed me by the waist and pulled me to sit across his lap. He kissed me before I had a chance to breath, and didn't let me go until I pulled back. "What was that for?"

"Like I said, I miss my girlfriend," he said smiling at me. I don't know how he always managed to make me believe the words he said, but he did it every time. We stayed on the couch for awhile after that till he had to leave at around nine.

I went upstairs to my room and started to work on my homework. After about an hour of memorizing my lyrics from the song Beck and I were supposed to act out, I heard my doorbell again.

I jogged downstairs, not sure who to expect. It was always Kris when I least wanted to see him, but this time it was Beck leaning in my doorway. He was wearing dark gray sweat pants and a black t shirt.

"Hi," he said, smiling down at me. "Can I come in?"

"This is what you do when I say we need space?" I stepped aside to let him inside. "I'd hate to see what you'd do if I ever broke up with you."

"Yeah, me too," he looked around my house instead of at me.

"Nobody's here," I answered the question he was about to ask.

"Good," he smiled and walked towards me. He put his arms around me and pulled me in for a hug. I couldn't help but breathe in the scent of him, and relax at his embrace. We stayed like this for a few minutes, neither of us speaking.

"Have you eaten?" he broke the silence as he pulled away from me.

"Yeah."

"Is that a real yeah or a stop babying me yeah?" I hate how he can see right through me.

"Both. I had cereal earlier."

"That's not really dinner," I rolled my eyes, and he let it go. "But if you're full…"

"What's in the backpack?" I asked, noticing it.

"My clothes for school tomorrow," he said as he walked ahead of me up my staircase. "And a toothbrush, stuff like that."

"Uh huh," I nodded and stopped walking before we entered my bedroom. "So you just assumed you could come here and I'd let you sleep with me?"

He looked thoughtful for a moment, and opened my door with a smirk. "Yeah."

I rolled my eyes again and walked in front of him into my room. He put his stuff on my floor and took off his shoes. I sat on my desk and watched him until he noticed me staring. He gestured for me to sit with him and we sat cross legged facing each other on my bed.

"What did you do today?" he asked, looking at me with warm eyes.

"Mmm I woke up next to this really hot guy…" I teased. "Then went to school and got caught doing something really dirty with the same hot guy…oh but the highlight of my day had to be the burrito I had for lunch."

He gave me his version of a serious look, and I laughed out loud.

"I'm just kidding," I smiled at the sight of him on my bed. "After school Kris dropped me and Cat here, we worked on my costume, she left, Kris came back, he left, I did some homework, my doorbell rang, and here you are."

"Mmmhmm," he took in what I said while playing with my hands in his. I was really dying to ask him what Ally had wanted to talk about, but decided to wait until it seemed more casual. "How's the costume going?

"Great," I tried to ignore the tingly feeling in my hands as he touched them. "Its almost done."

"Cool," he looked up at me, stopping my breath. "I can't wait to see it." He paused before speaking. "What did you and Kris do when Cat left?"

"Just hung out," I said normally, but breaking our eye contact. I don't know why he'd want to know that, it made things so awkward.

"Anything specific?" he pushed for more information. Ugh, why did he want to talk about this? I never asked what he did with Ally in their spare time.

"Nnnnope. Watched TV, talked, you know." Just drop this already.

"No, I don't." he shrugged his shoulders at me. "That's why I'm asking."

"Oh. Well let's not talk about him okay? It's too weird."

"Did you have sex with him?" He asked bluntly with a somber expression.

"Beck." I removed my hands from his. "Come on, don't go there."

"Where?" he said as if he was just being curious, but I could hear an edge to his voice. "It's a simple question, Jade."

"Yeah, I know. I just don't want to talk about that with you, okay? And I don't know why you'd want to either." My head was hurting at the thought of where he was going with this.

"I'm just taking an interest in your life, is all." He said, while I stood up to go to my dresser. I don't like where this conversation is going. "I mean he's your boyfriend so it's not like you'd be doing anything wrong by sleeping with him."

"Beck." My chest started to feel tight, and he wasn't helping.

"Not that you need my permission or anything. God knows you do what you want anyways. And it's not like my opinion would matter."

"Beck." I could feel my heart beating erratically, but couldn't stop it.

"It was a simple question, really."

"Alright!" I yelled, tired of his one-sided conversation. "Yes! Yes, I had sex with Kris. Is that what you want to hear? That I fucked my boyfriend? Does that make you happy or something? Getting me to admit that I'm a slut? I don't—,"

"Whoa, Jade," he stood up and put his hands up. "That's not what I meant at all. I was just…"

"You were just what?!" I shouted at him, but he stood in front of me speechless. "Look, Beck, if I want to feel like shit about my decisions, I don't really need you here for that. So I'm gonna take a shower, and when I come out, you better not be here."

I slammed my bathroom door in his face before he could say anything, and tried to calm myself down with the hot water of the shower.

The end!