I guess I missed the memo that the following Monday at school became national 'Stare At Jade Like She's A Fucking Zombie With A Rainbow Wig' Day. They all obviously read my status, and assumed what it meant.

I mean, yeah, the whispering I could tolerate. At Hollywood Arts, the skimpiest sliver of information is passed from person to person, morphing and being twisted along the way. In simpler terms, shit spreads like wildfire, and by the time the whole thing with Beck would get back to me, I could be pregnant with my second child after surviving a heart attack and Beck has HIV and is eloping with a French model.

Typical.

But, it was the staring. It was the way they all looked at me. Just a sea of blue, green and brown mirrors reflecting my image back at me. Like, I did something wrong and the whole debacle with Beck was my fault. And it wasn't. It's not.

Everyone avoided me like I was the plague, even Sikowitz, who, after I sat down in my chair, came over and gingerly patted the top of my head in an attempt to comfort me.

But I didn't need his pity. Cat was extra cheerful and bubbly, and wore the yellowest sundress in the history of sundresses, and even though it burned my eyes, it made something inside my stomach stir, something warm and soothing.

Sadly, not everyone was so bright and cheery.

At lunch, there's no sign of Beck (and he's lucky, too, because I was in no mood to face him, not yet), so I take a seat at our usual table with Tori, Andre, and Cat. Cat sits beside me and even offers me a handful of Skittles from the secret stash in her book bag.

Aside from Cat, it was like no one wanted to approach me. They were all sported crumbling smiles and forced glances, and the heavy silence that surrounded the table was nearly deafening.

"So," Tori takes a dainty little sip of her water and begins the conversation. "I'm having a little get-together at my house this weekend. You guys are all invited, and Trina just insisted on being the musical entertainment. Beck is …" Her eyes dart to me. "He, um … you know … is bringing … the pizza."

Silence invades the air again, and underneath the table, Cat's fingers are warm as they clench almost protectively around my wrist. I want to thank her, but I don't.

When a moment passes, and there aren't any emotional outbursts on my end, Andre clears his throat. "Yeah, that's cool. So, what's everyone doing for that Improv project? Robbie wanted to do a little house scene, you know, where we all pretend we're like a family or whatever but Beck was like … I mean, B-Beck was like … yeah."

All eyes are on me again. There is pity in all their gazes, and it makes me feel even worse.

"Beck isn't Voldemort," I snap, finally, distracting myself by picking all the carrots out of my salad and pushing them aside. "You can say his name."

Tori exchanges a look with Andre before raising a brow. "Are you sure? We don't want to hurt you."

What the hell is up with people and hurting me? Cat's fingers detach from my wrist and grasp my palm.

"It's okay, I'm fine." I fib, and I must not be very good at it, because they don't bring up Beck, or anything else really for the rest of the lunch period.

That is, until the Devil himself comes waltzing through the doors of the school about five minutes before the lunch period ends, a triumphant smile spread across his lips and a short, giggly and unfamiliar brunette trailing behind him.

My first instinct is to take off, cut the rest of school, go home and lay in bed, obsessing over who the girl is and why she's with Beck, and why she was smiling, and why is she so giggly, and why doesn't he love me anymore and did he ever love me?

My second option, however, is holding my ground right there at the table and find out all the answers to those questions myself.

As I expected, Beck saunters up to the table, scanning over everyone's face briefly before his gaze burns into me. Inside, my heart is beating erratically, and my legs feel like Jell-O, but I stare just as hard back at him, and even harder at his little friend.

"Hey, guys," He addresses the whole table, but stares solely at me. "What's going on?"

"Not much," Tori's eyes shift uneasily between Beck and me, and beside me, I feel Cat tense up. "We were just discussing the plans for Saturday."

As if Tori's words had some effect on him, Beck's eyes tear away from me. "Oh, yeah. I'm really looking forward to that." And then he glances over his shoulder, and with a smile, says, "Guys, I would like you to meet Nicole. Nicole, these are my friends."

'Nicole' peeks out from behind Beck's shoulder and lifts two fingers in a wave. Everyone greets her kindly, but I arch a judgmental brow.

Her eyes are too big.

She has no fingernails.

Look at her hair. How long has it been since she washed it? Has she ever heard of shampoo?

As if she can read my thoughts, Cat lets out a small snicker.

"So, um, Nicole, do you go to Hollywood Arts?" Andre attempts at shifting the conversation, but it does nothing to ease the obvious tension.

"No," Nicole shakes her head, but there is still a stupid smile plastered onto her heavily glossed lips. "I don't. Beck was just showing me around."

As if on cue, her fingernail-less fingers latch onto Beck's upper arm, and then the two of the both of the start tittering like they know something we don't, and I feel as though I'm going to upchuck my lunch.

I've held my patience long enough; I just can't do it anymore.

"Gee, people sure do bounce back fast."

It's like I have super powers, and my words alter time, because after that, it felt like everyone looked at me in slow motion. Tori's eyes were worried, Andre's were cautious, Cat's were forever protective, Nicole had a dumbass deer-caught-in-headlights look on her face, but Beck's was my favorite.

I did it. I made him angry.

"She's my cousin," Beck's eyes are ablaze and his fingers are gripping the edge of the table and behind him, Nicole shrinks back. "She's just shadowing me today because she wants to get into Hollywood Arts next year."

I force a cough. "Bullshit." Another forced cough, and Andre has to cover his mouth with both his hands to keep from laughing.

Beck's eyebrows build a bridge over his nose. "What is your problem?"

"It's you, obviously. I thought we already established this?"

I don't know where this is coming from, to be honest. All this sarcastic, snappy confident crap. I think it's Cat's hand. Her touching me has given me a boost of courage. Or, it could be something in my salad.

"Why do you always have to act like such a bitch, Jade?" Beck's tone takes a turn. "You're not the fucking Queen of the Universe, alright?"

"Hey, guys-" Tori starts, but I cut her off immediately with my hand.

"First of all, maybe you should stop doing stupid shit just to spite me. And second of all, I am not a bitch, and don't you dare ever call me that again."

My head hurts. My stomach is cramping. Things are getting even more intense, and people from other tables are starting to stare and catch on to what's happening. I don't want to be here anymore.

"Well, kids, this has been fun, but I've got more important things to attend to." I push away my half-eaten lunch and snatch up my book bag, rising from the table.

"Yeah." Cat mimics my movements and stands too, hands on her hips. "More important things."

A smile threatens to cross my lips, and part of me just wants to thank Cat for her support right there, but I was kind of on a badass roll, so I would have to wait until later.

I sling my book bag of my shoulder, turn and give Beck and his little whore The Finger, and then march right back into the school with Cat in tow.

By the time I reach my locker, my heart feels like it's trying to crawl out of my chest.

"You okay?" Cat's eyes glitter.

"Yeah," I say, and there's a smile on my face. "He's an ass."

"Yeah," Cat furrows her brows, and crosses her arms over her chest, trying her best to look intimidating. "Beck is such an ass."

And I don't know why, but from the way she's stand and the way calling Beck an ass just came out of her mouth, I suddenly find it the funniest thing in the world and next thing I know, I'm laughing so hard I'm crying.

But the tears don't come from sadness, not at all. I'm happy.

I'm happy to call Cat Valentine my friend.

She's my hero.

Hello!

I like this chapter. I like sassy Jade. I just like Jade in general.

Review, please? They keep me writing.

More to come, stay tuned! Things only ... ehem, heat up from here!