Disclaimer: Nope.

A/N: First off, Happy Gobbler Day to those in the States. And for those not having a huge family feast or are not celebrating period, here's a chapter for you. Things are going to seem all happy and everything, but I promise you...something's going to happen. When don't they? And I'm aware that the chapters are short, usually I try to break 2000, but this story just hasn't been allowing that. But thanks guys. Really, really thankful for you. :]

Chapter 7

"Are you serious about her?"

"It depends on what you mean by that."

Beck sighs and nods slowly, glancing around the Asphalt Café. Today it seems emptier than usual, and we're alone at our table. Vega had something she needed to talk to one of her teachers about, Andre's avoiding us at all costs, Cat didn't even come to school, and no one cares about Robbie or Trina. So as usual, I'm stuck with Beck to discuss my relationship with Vega. What is he, my therapist?

"Are you serious about dating her, Jade? I'm not talking about later on down the road, I just want to know if you're serious about right now."

I nod. "Of course I am, Beck. This isn't some game to me. I'm not just playing with her or acting or anything. I actually do want to give this a try, and if it doesn't work, then it doesn't work. Why can't anyone understand that?" He frowns. "Look, Andre's your best friend and all, and he told Vega that I hurt you, so naturally I had to explain to her what happened. If he's trying to sabotage this or something, he's dead wrong."

"Jade, I don't know what's going on with Andre. He isn't talking to me, and I have no idea what I even did."

"He's just being an ass because Vega rejected him. I don't know why he had to go and tell her now that he was going to ask her out, Beck. He never really showed that interest in her before. She even told me she didn't know he liked her that way, and I don't think he does. I think it was just something he thought he could use as a last resort and he thought she would choose him over me."

Arms slip around my neck from behind, and Vega kisses my cheek before sitting down. "Hey, sorry I'm late." She looks between us, well aware she just interrupted our conversation by the expression on Beck's face. I smile and slip my fingers between hers under the table. "You know, if you guys were talking, I can just…you know, see you later."

I squeeze her hand. "It's nothing we can't talk about later. Did everything go alright with your teacher?" She smiles and nods, eating her salad.

My eyes meet Beck's and he nods, knowing to keep our conversation between us. Vega doesn't need to know everything we talk about, especially when it comes to Andre. Things are going to become personal, and she doesn't need to worry about them. "So Beck, I heard you got the lead in the play coming up."

He grins like a little boy in a candy shop. "Yeah, I did."

I roll my eyes. "I don't think it was much of a competition for him to get the lead role as Aladdin…" He smirks and nudges me with his elbow. "Who ended up with Jasmine's part?"

Beck frowns. "I have no idea how she managed, but Trina did." I stare at him in shock. Trina Vega, owner of the worst talent at Hollywood Arts has a lead role with Beck in a play? Is the world coming to an end? He shrugs. "I honestly don't know what happened. We all know she's horrible, but it's like she just flicked a switch and became someone else. It was the weirdest thing."

Vega just shook her head. "Do you think she's just been messing with us, acting bad and everything?" Beck and I shrug. She kisses my cheek and let go of my hand. "I have to go and set up for a presentation in my next class." I cup her cheek and pull her back to me, kissing her. She smiles and pulls away. "I'll see you later."

I watch as she walks away and Beck clears his throat. "So you two have decided to be out?"

I shrug. "Let people figure it out for themselves. Vega and I aren't going to let them stop us." I take a bite out of my burrito and smirk. "Besides, if anyone messes with her, I'll do bad things to them with scissors."

"Yeah, I think it's safe to say you care about her."

BREAK

"Is this going to be a regular thing?"

Vega and I are sitting on the swings in the park at midnight, well after the park is closed, and we've been silent for the most part. She's watching me now, biting her lip in that cute…wait, cute? When is that word in my vocabulary? God, Vega, you're making me lose my mind. Although I'm sure she could try to make me lose my mind in a better way…What the fuck am I thinking? What was the question? Oh, right… "Do you want it to be?"

She shrugs, looking away across the empty playground. "It's quiet out here, for one thing. We don't have to worry about Trina, or my parents, or our friends, or anyone." She glances at me, biting her lip again. Damn it, Vega, stop it. "We could do whatever we wanted to out here and not worry about anyone." Do you have any idea what you're implying? She sighs. "We have school tomorrow. Do you want to head home?"

And so we do. I can see that she's tired; she's had a longer day than I have, project after project in class after class, and she needs to sleep. I pull into her driveway and walk her to the door, even though I'd rather just turn around and leave before I do something to her, and what do you know, Vega's bold again, pinning me against the wall before I can even respond. And I'm well aware that we are standing outside where the world can see us, or someone can open the front door, but does she care? Apparently not, by the way she's kissing me.

Eventually she finally pulls away and smiles. "G-goodnight, Vega." She nods, as though she's accomplished something, and kisses me one final time before going inside the house and closing the door behind her. I do not stutter. What the fuck was that? What feels like ten minutes pass before I return to my car, slipping into the driver seat, and stare at the front door to the Vega house. Where the hell did this Tori Vega come from?

Before soon, she'll have me whipped and I'll be doing everything she asks of me, and where will the old Jade West be? Wrapped around her little finger, that's where, because she knows exactly what the hell she's doing. And I'll be completely clueless. Oh my god, what if she starts with the names? She'll make me sound soft! I can't let that happen.

I sigh, backing out of the driveway and driving toward my house. My father's car is in the driveway, and when I go inside the house the door to his study is closed, and I know it's best if I don't disturb him. I wouldn't want to, not right now when my heart feels like it's going to explode and my head feels like it's going to pop off of my shoulders like a broken PEZ dispenser. I climb the stairs to my room and close my door behind me, remembering the last time Vega was in here, how I had ended up explaining how I had indirectly hurt Beck and that the attack on us hadn't been random, and how that had turned last night into one of the strangest nights of my life.

Okay, so Beck and I used to make out all the time, or honestly, we used to until Tori Vega showed up at Hollywood Arts. He had never said anything about her, nor had he really looked at her like I do now, but I had talked to him about her anyway. I bring it up because last night, one Tori Vega initiated a full-steam make out session that nearly got carried away, and I'm not going to let it get that close again until she knows for damn sure that she won't regret anything. I know I won't, but the way Vega's been acting, I don't think I'd have much choice in the matter. And oddly enough, I'm perfectly fine with that.