A/N: Whoa, sorry for the long delay! My first semester of college went crazy with ending projects and finals, then I go on break and my managers boost my hours! So I come home exhausted and only want to sleep, ha! But, here I am now with an update just for you fine people!
"But Dad –" a teenage boy whines.
"I don't want to hear it, Andre," replies a harsh voice. "You're going."
Andre Harris runs a hand down his face in frustration. "I don't want to go!"
Mr. Harris closes his eyes in order to stop himself from shouting at his son. "I said that I didn't want to hear it. Besides, your grandmother needs help. We can't just leave her alone when we're half way across the world!"
"It's not like I even wanted to move here in the first place," Andre argues, crossing his arms tightly against his chest.
"Well, unfortunately, we had no choice. My job sent me here for two years and there isn't anything we can do about it," Mr. Harris informs sternly.
The teenager remains quiet, knowing that his father is correct. He also knows that his father is a good man and would do anything for his family, which is why he took the promotion in the first place. However, Andre can't help but be a little bitter about having to pack up his life and move to a new continent.
"Andre," his father says quietly as he places a hand on his son's shoulder. "I understand that you didn't want to come with us to London, but now you're complaining of going back to Los Angeles." He gives a slight chuckle. "You're contradicting yourself, Son. But think of it this way: you can promote your music again!"
Andre shrugs and raises his eyebrows in consideration. "I guess..."
"Mr. Harris nods in agreement." And you always said the main reason you didn't want to move to England was because it lessened your chance of being picked up by a record label. So, going home to Grandma can be that chance!"
"Fine, fine, whatever. I feel like I really don't have much choice, so there's no point in arguing anymore," Andre admits in defeat.
"Your grandma loves you, Son; I'm sure with time, and your help, she'll be back to her old self!"
Andre sighs. "Dad, you're talking about the woman you thinks her reflection is 'another me' she can talk to. There's no way she's going to get better any time soon." And as he turns to make his way towards the staircase, he adds, "Or even at all…"
Andre Harris can't help but feel helpless.
He's sitting on a rock and watching Tori Vega comfort the petite redhead as she attempts to eat bibble through her cries. She's failing terribly, though, because her tears only moisten the British snack before she can calm down to place it in her mouth.
"W-w-where are they with –" Hiccup. "R-R-Robbie? Th-they said they w-would find h-him!" Cat barely manages to exclaim.
Tori runs a soothing hand over Cat's back. "They'll be back soon. Why don't you just eat your bibble and sing a song in your head, yeah?"
The smaller girl reduces her weeping into sporadic whimpers, and shuts her eyes before swaying to an unknown tune within her mind. She's then able to consume the bibble habitually, only having to stop twice in order to hiccup.
Tori peers over her shoulder to worriedly glance at Andre, who shakes his head in response. He checks his watch – which he assumes is still working – and notes that Robbie and the strange man have been missing for approximately forty-five minutes, meaning Beck and Jade have been gone for about twenty.
Andre decides to pace once more so he, too, can calm down. When he pushes himself off the boulder, his eye catches moving figures across the beach. They're obviously humans, and one's limping, so the teenage boy jumps to his feet. "Robbie!" he calls at the top of his lungs.
His plea captures the attention of the girls sitting in the sand, causing both of their heads to turn in the direction Andre is shouting.
Cat, able to recognize her boyfriend from afar, drops her bibble and sprints past the airplane wreckage. She stops short to prevent from running into his fragile body, which is supported by the strange man he was left with nearly an hour ago. The tiny redhead's tears are back as she grabs Robbie's face between her hands. "Oh my god, are you okay?!" She plants a huge kiss on his lips before he can respond.
"I'm fine, just a little stiff," the curly-haired boy answers, gesturing to his stitched leg.
Tori and Andre are at his side seconds after Cat, both frantic in what to do. Impulsively, Andre pushes the strange man away from Robbie's grip, allowing Tori and Cat to take hold of him.
"Who are you?" Andre demands to the disheveled man. He picks up a piece of sharp, scrap metal and threatens him by pointing it at his chest. "I asked you a question!"
The stranger holds his hands up in surrender. "My name is Erwin Sikowitz, but people just call me Sikowitz," he's able to reply in a raspy voice, still recovering from his crash injury.
"Why did you run off with Robbie?" Tori queries exasperatedly, raising a hand in confusion.
Sikowitz stuffs his hands in his baggy pants and innocently answers, "You people left me with him, and Toro mentioned something about having him walk in twenty minutes…so I took him for a walk."
Tori furrows her eyebrows. "Did he just call me Toro?" she asks to no one in particular.
"You should've told us you were taking him…" Cat wails, wrapping both her arms around Robbie's middle.
"Well," Sikowitz rocks back and forth on his heels, hands still in his pockets. "I couldn't talk!"
Robbie resolves the argument by changing the subject. "Weren't there other people here with you guys?"
"Beck and Jade?" Tori cranes her neck toward the jungle behind them. "They're in there, looking for you."
"This is getting ridiculous," Jade snaps.
"And hot," Becks complements, wiping a fresh sheet of perspiration from his forehead.
Jade rolls her eyes. "It's not that bad."
"How are you not sweating?" Beck ponders, taking off his plaid shirt and securing it around his waist.
Jade stops in her tracks, causing Beck to run into her back. She growls at the fact that he was following too close. "I don't sweat."
Beck raises his eyebrows. "Everyone sweats!"
She licks her lips slowly, and Beck feels a strange chill run down his spine. "Not me; I never sweat."
He can't seem to get the idea through his mind, Jade concludes, because he inquires, "What do you mean you never sweat?"
Her patience is being tested, but she is able to respond calmly. "Sweating is gross, so I don't do it."
Beck contorts his face, but accepts her answer for what it is. She turns around and ignores him once again, then continues to move deeper into the jungle. He follows suit without question, and inwardly scolds himself for watching her hips sway to and fro as she walks.
Jade suddenly comes to a halt, again triggering a collision with her back and Beck's front. "Did you hear that?" she examines in a rushed whisper. Beck lifts his head to listen for the noise, and is surprised to make out a rustling from an unidentified direction.
The couple jumps when the shrubs ahead of them shake jaggedly, and Beck instinctively grabs Jade's bicep and waist to pull her back slowly. She doesn't refuse to comply, knowing that she and the young man behind her could be in a sticky situation.
More movement from the bushes occurs before a huge animal erupts from its hiding spot, charging toward the teenagers at full speed. Beck and Jade both scream in fright before turning on their heels and running in the route of the beach. The mystery animal creates a noise that neither Jade nor Beck have ever heard in their lives. They lengthen the stride in their running, hoping to reach the others shortly and safely.
However, Beck's foot gets caught in a small dip in the earth, forcing him to the ground with a loud thud. "Jade!" he shouts to get her attention when she keeps dashing ahead of him.
She whips back around to see Beck scrambling to free his foot from a tangle of vines. The animal gallops toward a cowering Beck, causing Jade to reach into her boot to secure her scissors.
Jade knows she's not supposed to run with scissors, but she's never been one to follow the rules.
Beck looks up to see Jade lunging at him with sharp scissors in her hand, so he cringes into the fetal position. However, instead of being pierced by the teenage girl, he hears a high pitched squeal of pain come from the animal.
He rotates his head to the side to find Jade drawing the scissors from the creature's neck, then stabbing them back in. She places a laced, combat boot onto the animal's snout and pulls the sharp utensil out for a final time. "A boar," Beck hears her mutter as she wipes her cheek with the back of her hand. "A very large boar."
Jade turns to stare at Beck, revealing her face and neck smeared with blood. She saunters over to Beck, who's still trapped in the greenery, and bends down to be eye level with him.
Beck flinches when she raises her scissors, but is relieved when she cuts the vines to release his foot. He still doesn't move. "What just happened?"
Jade smiles as she fiddles with her bloody scissors in her bloody hands. "Oh, Beck, if you claim to know my secret…then you know exactly what just happened."
She stands and walks away without another word.
Beck Oliver claims to not be afraid of anything, but now he's sure the two things he fears is this island…
And Jade West.
A/N: Yeah, buddy! So, there's sort of a hint for Jade's secret, but not quite the full answer. I don't know when that will pop up just yet, so you'll have to keep reading to find out! More group activity will be featured next chapter!
I'm so excited to hear the readers' reaction for this chapter! I got 13 on the last chapter, and would love for at least that many for this one, including more if y'all would be so kind!
So, please review!
Thanks so much!
XxLadyStrengthxX