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Chapter 9 – A little light

No One's POV.

It was beyond strange, what Jade had just witnessed. A simple mention of Cat caused Tori to suddenly explode in utter rage.

Then the Latina screamed that Cat was not only never to be mentioned, but not told Jade was staying her nor invited over. Once that was done, Tori stormed off to her room and slammed the door shut.

"What the fuck?" Was all the stunned Goth could say.

After a few moments, Jade collected her confused thoughts and started to clean up dinner by herself. Looking down at Tori's plate, Jade could see the Latina hadn't even gotten halfway through dinner.

As she put the dishes in the dishwasher, Jade thought back to her own relationship with Cat. Right after Hollywood Arts, Jade and Beck went to school in UCLA and Cat went to a private Arts college named 3 Oaks University, in Boston.

At first the friends kept up, using email, texts and skype. Jade also know that Robbie and Cat, who had started to date over the summer, continued with a long distance relationship. But soon enough classes, projects, auditions and her turbulent relationship with Beck, caused those contacts to start to become more infrequent. Also thinking back, Jade remembered, that Beck would frequently say they needed to just focus on them and their future.

Jade didn't mean too, but after the first year of college, contact between her and Cat had almost ground to a halt. Jade was too busy trying to keep Beck's bad side to come out.

Half way through their second year, Beck convinced Jade to move to New York because he got a small TV part and they did. Jade by then was in her own private hell and Cat never came to mind.

Sitting down on the couch, Jade realized she hadn't spoken to Cat in almost 2 years. It only made Jade realize that over the last 3 years, Beck had slowly become her whole universe, to the exclusion of pretty much everything else.

Jade shook her head and mentally cursed herself for letting this happen. As much as she wanted to knock on Tori's door, she knew the effort would be futile. Tori would either not respond at all or just blow her top again. Tori would not come out of the room for the rest of the night.

She picked up her phone to call Andre or perhaps Robbie but stopped when she heard movement from Tori's room.

"She might hear me." Noted Jade quietly.

Instead she pulled out of her bag, one of her favorite horror films, 1979's The Brood and watched it.

But she found herself unable to enjoy the classic horror film, as she kept wondering just what happened between Cat and Tori.

Looking back at the untouched keyboard, Jade wondered what, if anything did Cat had to do with Tori's abandonment of music, not to mention her whole changed attitude. It was just another piece of a puzzle that all in all, made no sense.

Laying on the couch, half asleep, Jade could only reflect on how damaged everyone, seemed to be now.

"Nothing makes any sense anymore." Jade said to herself, as sleep closer.

Just before she did fall asleep, she had one final thought, "Then again, maybe it never made any sense."

The next morning was Friday and as usual, when Jade woke up, Tori was eating breakfast . Hoping the Latina would be in a better mood, Jade stuck her head in the kitchen.

"I was going to go to the store after work, go get stuff for dinner, I was thinking of chicken with rice."

Tori looked at her coldly. "I'll decide and make dinner from now on."

Just as quickly, Tori went back to eating her cereal as if Jade wasn't even there. Knowing any further conversation would be pointless, Jade headed into the bathroom to get ready for work.

The whole thing both bewildered and depressed Jade. She had been making progress, which in turn made her feel better, but now a simple mention of Cat had reset Tori back to the way she was on the first day.

Jade found herself obsessing at work all through the day and into the evening. Fortunately, Tori was working at The Playpen so Jade had some time to herself to think.

After some thought, Jade decided to call Robbie, whom she hadn't talked with in over a year and a half.

Jade dialed and after 3 rings, a familiar voice, which sent a chill down her spine, answered.

"Jade, mi amor, I knew you couldn't stay away for ever, you need some Rex loving, I take?"

It was Rex Powers's course, the 2nd to last being on this planet she wanted to hear from. More to the point, his schmoozing instantly pissed Jade off.

"ROBBIE SILENCE REX OR I'LL GET ON THE NEXT JET TO L.A. AND BEAT YOU TO DEATH."

The next thing Jade heard, was the rather panic stricken voice of Robbie. "Ok, Ok? Sorry Jade, Rex saw it was you calling and wanted to say hi, that's all. What can I do for you?"

"I want to know about Cat?"

There was a strange silence on the other end of the line for several seconds, before Robbie answered.

"I take it you haven't spoken to her in a while."

"No, almost 2 years."

"She's changed Jade." Robbie said, with a noticeable hint of sadness in his voice.

"Changed how? Aren't you still together?"

Strangely it was Rex who responded to her query. Even more odd, his voice was rather serious. Sometimes when Robbie didn't want to talk about something, Rex would in his place.

"No Jade, they broke up over a year and half ago."

"What happened?"

"Cat and Robbie were having a nice long distance relationship until about 2 years ago. Cat had made some new friends on campus near the end of freshman year. They belonged to some kind of church group. Robbie had a full time job and didn't get a chance to talk with Cat much that summer, but by the end, Cat had found Jesus. She kept talking about how wonderful her new church was and how Reverend Mike spoke the true word of god. At the same time, she kept going on how evil and sinful everyone was."

Jade was dumfounded. "What?"

"Robbie tried to keep things, going but Cat would criticize him about anything that even resembled sin, Reverend Mike says this, Reverend Mike says that. Eventually Cat told him that he needed to join her church and follow the teachings of Reverend Mike in order for them to continue on."

"Wait a second, Robbie's Jewish."

"Cat told him he belonged to false religion and was damned to hell unless he followed Christ and father Mike. What she said was so hurtful, so mean and insensitive, it broke Robbie's heart. He said he never wanted to talk to her again, hung up and they haven't spoken since. He's since recovered and moved on to someone else."

Jade didn't know what to say or think. It pained to her know that her friend had turned so cruel.

"I'm sorry Robbie. I've had my own problems and didn't know."

"It's not your fault." Responded Robbie, sadly.

"Tell me, is that the reason Tori hates Cat? What Cat did to you?"

"No, it's something else that happened a couple of months after her and I broke up."

"What was it?"

"Why do you want to know? I thought you and Tori weren't talking either. Is there some problem with you and Beck."

The mere mention of that name made Jade shudder. "Never mind that. Just let me know what you know."

"Andre told me, but he's rather protective of Tori, so it wasn't much I'm afraid."

Jade gritted her teeth in frustration. "What then?"

"About 20 months ago, Tori was having some kind of crisis, issue I don't know what. All I know is that she leaned on Cat for support and….."

"And what?"

"I don't know. At that point in the story, he called her an heartless bitch and refused to speak of it any further. The only thing else I know is that last I heard, he said he want's nothing to do with her, I don't want to either. I've tried calling Tori once or twice, but she was a bit distant and said she was busy. She wasn't really all that rude it's that she…."

Jade finished his sentence. "Just wasn't Tori?"

"Yeah, Pretty much. So how are you?"

Jade sighed. "Like Tori and Cat, I don't think I'm really been myself much lately ether."

"I'm sorry."

"So am I. Look Robbie, thanks for the info. I have to go."

Once off the phone, Jade put a frozen pizza in the oven and sat back on the couch which had been her home for the last several weeks and lamented the apparent change in Cat.

Jade knew her as a slightly dimwitted, but very loving and caring person. To say something so heartless and cruel to Robbie, seemed totally alien.

But now Jade had at least another part of the puzzle but at the same time a totally new puzzle. What happened to Cat?

But the question of the hour was what was Tori's crisis and what did cat do when Tori leaned on her for support. All Jade knew is that it was something so horrible that Andre referred to her as a heartless bitch.

Walking to the bathroom, Jade looked at herself in the mirror.

"Is this me?" She said aloud.

Jade didn't have an answer. While away from Beck she still on one level wanted to go back to him. Back to the good times they had, back to when Beck was sober and caring.

Exiting the bathroom, Jade walked to the window. It was now March 1st and the though the snow was still on the ground the cold snap was officially over. The temperature today was a balmy 40 degrees and soon would be getting warmer.

Soon enough there may be even be an opening at one of the woman's shelters, Jade thought. But somehow she began to feel that Tori needed help as much as she did.

Perhaps we can help each other, mused Jade. She would think about that, for a long while.

Some hours later, Jade awoke to the sound of Tori coming home from her 2nd job at The Playpen. It was just past 2 in the morning. Normally Jade would just go back to sleep but instead she sat up.

"Tori."

In the dark she could see the figure of Tori freeze. "Yes." Answered Tori in a weary voice.

"Look, I'm sorry I upset you last night. I had no idea you and…she had problems. If I had any inkling, I never would have mentioned it. I'm just trying to find my way. Again I thank you for letting me stay."

In the very dim light, Jade could see Tori lower her head. "Apology accepted."

Tori took a step and paused. "Chicken with rice would be fine. If you could please pick it up from the store."

"I will."

Jade wanted to say more, and as Tori reached her bedroom door she said. "If you ever want to talk about it. You can."

Half expecting Tori to once again blow up, she braced herself for it.

"I'll keep that in mind, thank you. Goodnight Jade." Was all Tori said before entering her bedroom and quietly closing the door.