Jade's POV:
I sat on the edge of the stage as Cat's word played over and over in my mind. What would make her think of that? Why would she think about me liking her over Tori, or vice versa? I ran my hand through my hair as a soft sigh escaped my lips. I saw Andre walking up out of the corner of my eye, one of the few in our little group I can tolerate.
"Hey Jade." He said in his normal laid back cool voice. I looked at him and gave him a weak smile.
"Hey Andre." It didn't come out quiet as strong as I would have liked it to and that kind of sucks because now Andre is looking at me funny.
"What's wrong?" He asked sitting next to me on the stage. I sighed, I really need someone to talk to and Andre is as good as any.
"Well Cat asked me something and it's kind of bugging me." I said looking sideways at him. He nodded and cocked an eyebrow at me.
"What'd she say?" He asked leaned forward slightly and resting his elbow on his knee to support his head as he looked at me.
"She asked me if I had to choose between her and Tori who I would choose." I said looking back at the ground, just saying it made me bummed again.
"Oh man, sounds like she only wants one of you now." He said sitting up straight and looking at me sadly.
"What do you mean?" I asked quickly.
He looked at me with wide eyes for a moment before shaking his head and waving his hand to dismiss it. "It's nothing."
"Andre? What were you going to tell me?" I asked in a firm tone. He sighed and shook his head.
"It's nothing, Jade. Promise. Let's just, get back to doing props, okay?" He said getting up, put his hand out for me to take it. I took it and he helped me up. I sighed and nodded. I'll ask him about it later. We walked back to the small group that was picked for doing stage props. I tried to focus on what I was doing but what Cat and Andre said was really bugging me. Cat's question, it's just… how could I choose? Between Vega and Cat? They both mean so much to me. I just couldn't choose. Not after what happened.
I frowned. After what happened? If Cat had never done what she had done, then who would she have chosen? Is that what brought up that question?
"Jade? You're putting that barrel in the wrong place." I snapped out of my thoughts to see Andre staring at me. I gave him a confused look. He pointed to the barrel in my hands.
"It's supposed to go over there by the hay." He said pointing at the hay stack near the back of the stage. I looked at the spot and sighed.
"Sorry." I quickly put the barrel where it was supposed to be and went back to putting more props up. The lights went really dull and we all looked up at Sinjin, who was working the lights. I frowned at him.
"Turn the lights back on!" I yelled at him. The lights flicked back on.
"Sorry!" He shouted down as he continued to work. I rolled my eyes at him as I grabbed wheel barrel for the western play that was to go on that afternoon.
I drifted off again, into my thoughts. Cat wouldn't have had to choose if I hadn't played her. I frowned for the third time in about five minutes. Cat could still be with Tori only, if I hadn't kissed her in the first place. And if she were still with Tori, she would have never tried to kill herself. This is all my fault! If I hadn't gone to Cat in the first place…
"Jade! Watch out!" I snapped out of my thoughts right when foot stepped off the stage and I crashed down onto the floor, the wheel barrel toppling over me. I felt a sharp pain in my ankle and tried to push the wheel barrel off. I couldn't get a hold of it and it was crushing my ribs. Suddenly the weight lifted and I instinctively reached for my ankle, which was burning and hurting immensely. I clenched my teeth at the pain, forcing myself not to cry out.
"Jade! Jade are you alright?" I heard Andre's voice in my ear and felt his hand on my back. I just shook my head as tears threatened to spill down my cheeks.
"Jade. What's wrong? What hurts?" I heard our props teacher, Mr. Chandler's voice next to me. I tried to say my ankle but the pain was overwhelming me. Andre noticed me holding my ankle. I just put my forehead on my knee as Andre told the teacher. I heard shouting and murmuring all around, but all I focused on was the pain. The searing pain of my ankle. I knew it was broken. Or severely sprained. Why did I have to be so stupid? Couldn't I have at least watched where I was walking? I felt hands on my shoulders.
"You need to stand up, Jade. We need to get you out of here." I heard Andre say. I unclenched my teeth and nodded. I gripped his shoulder as he helped me up. I kept my injured ankle in the air as I wrapped one arm around Andre. He gripped my side close to him and we limped away into the hall. During the way, Mr. Chandler helped Andre support me and we walked out of the school. There was an ambulance waiting. I frowned against the pain. That's a little over dramatic isn't it? It's just my ankle. Why would I need an ambulance? But I didn't protest as I was put on a gurney and we sped away from school. The entire ride to the hospital, the paramedic checked my fluid levels all the while talking to me about nothing. I didn't answer often because of my ankle but I did when I could. He was friendly.
"Well, Jadelyn—" I cut the doctor off. "It's Jade." He glanced at me irritably.
"Jade. It looks like you fractured your ankle. And your ribs are bruised. What happened again?" He put his clipboard down and looked at me seriously. I groaned and pinched the bridge of my nose. How many times do I have to explain this to this idiot? I fixed a cold glare on him before answering.
"I wasn't watching where I was going when we were setting props for a play and I fell off the stage and the wheel barrel I was moving landed on me, which caused my ribs to bruise. Is that so hard to understand? Or do I need to put it simpler for you?" I added with a sarcastic tone. The doctor frowned at me before writing something down.
"Well, I'll go call your father and is it…?" He looked at the piece of paper I had given him with my contacts. "Tori and Cat?" He looked at me skeptically. I nodded before looking down at my wrapped ankle. It was swollen and there was a dull pain but I hardly felt it. I just wanted Cat and Tori. I closed my eyes and leaned back on the bed thing I was on. I wasn't sure what to call it. I sighed and I slowly drifted off to sleep.
I was kissing Cat passionately. She kissed me with such force, I was surprised that it was Cat. Cat had her hands on my hips and was sliding them up my shirt. I moaned at the sensation and pulled her closer to me. My shirt came off and Cat attacked me with her lips, gliding them down my neck, nibbling at me pulse point. I moaned softly and leaned my forehead against her shoulder. Cat kissed my neck up to my ear where she licked and sucked on my ear lobe. Her breath was hot in my ear and it tickled.
"It's all your fault." She whispered. I opened my eyes and backed away from her. Her eyes were blazing with hatred and anger. I turned to run, only to find Tori at the door. Her eyes were the same. Burning with Hatred and Regret. Anger and Loss.
"It's all your fault, Jade." She said with a fierce tone. I backed up against my wall, the cold searing my bare skin.
"It's all your fault." They kept repeating it, in unison. I started to cry. They were walking towards me, their eyes burning into me, their voices echoing the room.
"It's all your fault." I slid down the wall and covered my ears, shaking my head. No! It can't be my fault! I thought. I closed my eyes and the tears slid down my cheeks. They burned my skin, but I couldn't stop crying. Tori and Cat chanted, their voices matching. I cowered in a corner and kept my ears covered, but it just grew louder.
"It's all your fault! It's all your fault!" I shook my head and started saying no, over and over again. My voice got steadily louder.
"No. No. No, no, no, no, no, no, No, No, NO, NO, NO!" I screamed no at them. I kept screaming but they just kept chanting.
"No…"
I sat up in my bed, breathing labored, clothes sticking to me oddly because I was sweating.
"It really was my fault..." I murmured softly to the empty air around me before breaking down in tears, matching the ones from my dream. Damn it Cat, why'd you have to ask your stupid question?