Jade was annoyed as she called Stan. Trina was right, Jade didn't understand the students at the community center. Adam had always known her limits, he always knew just how much to push her. She'd never understood that about him. She hated only one thing about her brother, how good a trainer he was. Everyone talked about him as if he was the best to ever set foot into the dojo. As much as she wanted anything, she wanted to be appreciated for her abilities the way he was. It was one of the reasons she hated Tori so much. While Trina had minimal talent. (Jade often said the had none, but that was in comparison to the highly talented kids at Hollywood Arts. Sikowitz had cast her in at least one play, so she had to have some talent. Besides, she could cry on command, a useful skill.) Tori had way too much.
The Latina was winning lead roles and solo's in her first year, before she received significant training. Tori was so naturally gifted a performer, it was only recently, where through hard work and determination, Jade started getting lead's competing against her. Tori worked hard at school, but wasn't used to having to work hard for what she got. It was why the gorilla club was such a good idea. Tori had finally reached a point where her natural gifts could not compensate, and she had to experience some risks to continue to advance as a performer. Jade took some small pride in any areas where she was better than Tori, because there weren't many. Jade had a better eye for directing, was a better writer, and a better fighter. Tori was a better singer, actor, and played piano as well as Jade did with years less training. And the Latina was naturally lucky. She got into Hollywood Arts without trying, was a friend of Mason Thornsmith, a man who had no real friends, and everyone loved her. Jade had to hate her on principle alone.
Trina was a different problem. Her minimal talent was one reason to dislike her, but her ego made it hard to see past the lack of talent. Jade did admire her determination, as well as how well the often clueless girl seemed to get along at the community center. The more she looked, the more it felt like there were two Trina Vega's. Jade wanted to get to know the second one. The one who was willing to work to succeed. The one that Stan seemed to like.
Stan finally answered his phone. Jade suspected he was training, but didn't ask. "Hi Stan. Mike has me taking over the classes at the community center. I'm going over the list of students, as well as your notes. Anything I should know?" Jade tried to sound sweet. It was hard, but she was a good actor.
"Your taking over?" Stan said. "Okay, I'm going to email you a list of students with attitudes." Then he spoke slowly, emphasizing the last three words. "It's important that you avoid maiming them." Jade didn't like the sarcasm.
"I get it. Trina said I needed to take it easy with the lower belts. Oh yea, She's going to help me teach the classes." Jade said. Stan could almost hear her rolling her eyes.
"Good, Trina's a good teacher. Jade, it's important you avoid maiming her as well." Stan said. Jade realized he might not be joking.
"I'm not going to hurt anyone. Well, anyone who doesn't deserve it. Why does everyone assume I'm going to hurt people?" Jade said, feeling frustrated by the conversation.
"Your Adam's sister. We know you. He has a gift for figuring out just how hard he can push his students. You don't. It's nothing against you. I don't have it either. I just know he does, and that I'll survive the training." Stan said.
"Survive? What? Adam's training you? And he didn't tell me why?" Jade was wazzed, and was starting to lose her desire to help the dojo.
"He's one of the best in the business, so I asked him. He didn't tell you because he's still wazzed you didn't ask his help when you went against Shelby Marx. Then he could have thrown in the towel and made sure you didn't pass out." Stan said. Jade was over that conversation quickly.
"Send me the fudging list. I'll make sure I don't hurt them too much. You just tell my brother that I'm not doing this for him. I'm doing this for Wyatt." Jade then disconnected the call. She felt empty. Adam was training again. It bothered her. Still, she knew he'd never just disappear. He was part of the family, and the dojo was a family business.
Now thoroughly wazzed off, Jade was finishing up on an assignment before heading over to the Vega household. She knew she had to talk to Trina about how the whole training thing was to go down, the only benefit being they'd be soaking in the hot tub, and she didn't want what was left of her homework getting in the way. That was when she got a call from Cat. The synthetic redhead had been slowly distancing herself from the group since moving to Venice Beach. Jade still talked to her, but her new roommate and new business was taking up a lot of her time, and new friends in the area took up the rest. Jade missed hanging with her friend.
"This had better be important." Jade answered her phone. She was in a bad mood, and it was best to establish that at the beginning. It saved frustration later on.
"Sorry to bug you, but my roommate needs to know, do you know some ma girl named Mandy? Likes to walk?" Cat asked.
"Ma?" Jade asked. This was odd.
"M.M.A." she heard in the background. Then there was someone else on the phone. "Do you know Mandy Walker?" an excited voice said. It was familiar, but Jade wasn't sure where she'd heard it before.
"No." Jade said. She was in no mood to deal with this.
"Listen. I'm Sam from ICarly. If you know where to reach her, I'd love to meet her. She's just so cool, even if Shelby did beat her." Sam said. Jade was slightly flattered, while convinced she was going to have to kill people to stop this rumor.
"Okay, I'll do that." Jade said. As she was getting ready to hang up, Cat again grabbed the phone.
"Our friend Goomer said he's met your brother. Could you ask Adam to come back and train him? Our friend Dice is managing him, but he needs a good trainer and for some reason your brother's name keeps coming up." Cat said. This started a conversation in the background, Sam and Cat talking quickly to each other. Jade saw where this was going, so hung up. She ignored the inevitable follow up calls and texts from Cats phone. She didn't need this now.
She needed to talk to Trina, and someone was going to die a slow death if they told about her fighting. Jade didn't need any of them knowing. She grabbed her swimsuit, a towel, her purse, a hair tie and her car keys and headed out the door. She closed it hard, and the house reverberated for seconds after she left.