A/N: Yeah, things are looking grim for Jade. I know she has her faults, but this is ridiculous. Why no visitors? Let's go back a bit.
THREE MONTHS AGO...
Jade was walking through the halls of Hollywood Arts, already not in the best of moods. She had another fight with her mother earlier. Jade was supposed to start the dishwasher the night before so everything would be clean the following morning. But in her studies, the simple task of turning on the machine slipped her mind and she fell asleep.
When morning came, Jade's mother practically kicked in the door and started berating her. She wasn't even awake, and the shit had already begun. Jade apologized for forgetting but was just inundated with insult after insult about how irresponsible and selfish she was. The thing is her mother had been home all day, with the occasional zoom call for work. There was no reason she couldn't have done it herself considering her daughter had school and other commitments.
Either one of them could have done this. Had her mother forgotten something, Jade would have picked up the slack and it would have been no big deal. But when she makes a mistake, its unforgiveable.
Jade had gotten through Sikowitz's class and was ready to move onto music when a poster made her stop.
It was announcing the brand-new school play which was being made in cooperation with CalArts. In the same vein of regular high schools offering college prep courses in mathematics or English or history; Hollywood Arts does projects for the upperclassmen that work alongside college students be it a short film or a theatrical production.
This year's collab was going to be the original stage play Heaven is a Step Away. Written by drama majors Vivienne Kinney and Ryan Meade, this work was received well by the faculty but failed to be selected for their own school to put on. So, they asked their professor to make it a proposed project for the Hollywood Arts kids. They definitely had a reputation for being creative and energetic; it just seemed like a natural fit.
Jade read the synopsis and was put off by the idea that this was a "human drama" but felt little reason to complain. Parts had been scarce for her this year. She had oftentimes lost her role to the usual suspects: Tori Vega, Cat Valentine, even Trina beat her out for a play. She was focusing as much as possible on her writing but with graduation on the horizon, being a senior, she wasn't going to look good on college applications with no recent work under her belt. To her that meant everything.
She had been offered bit parts, but Jade usually refused because nobody would care if she was a two-scene character with little to no lines. And don't even approach her about being an understudy.
The months were ticking away and there would be fewer projects leading up to graduation.
Jade was desperate and was determined to land the lead this time. Whatever it takes.
The auditions were going to be held that afternoon and Jade was so there.
"Oh hey, look!"
The peppy voice startled Jade and she turned to confirm it was her feisty bestie, Cat.
"Sup, red?" she asked. "Look at what?"
Much to her terror, the petite girl pointed at the announcement of the new play.
"Cool! Are you going too, Jade?"
The goth was shaken.
(Oh, COME ON!)
Jade put on her best smug face.
"You know it. What'll they get a load of me."
And with that she marched away, swearing silently that this was happening.
(Come on, Cat! I need this one. Why can't you let me have this?)
Jade knew that while her acting was sometimes inconsistent, Cat's winning personality oftentimes won over the casting directors, and she had flawless chemistry with anyone she was put alongside.
If she auditioned alongside Cat, then Jade would absolutely be out of the running.
(No! I won't let that get to me! I'm going to that audition, and they are going to be wowed!)
She held her head up high and marched on, looking forward to this afternoon.
Jade came into the auditorium and sat in the back row with the other candidates. She tried sizing everyone up, figuring out which roles they were all going for. The role of Evelyn Lyons was hers and that was final. Jade even gave the boys the stink eye. With the non-traditional casting in the theatre the last number of years, it wasn't out of the realm of possibility.
She was fiercely protective of this part.
Her attention then went to the few script pages she was handed by a CalArts student. When asked what character she was going to read for, Jade said Evelyn and the older student flipping through their stack of papers and handed her three stapled pages and moved on.
The scene was a pivotal moment for Evelyn and nailing it would clinch the part for the lucky actress.
Jade read the three pages to herself, getting her first insight to the character. She was actually impressed by the bravado which Evelyn carried herself and didn't take shit from the headmaster of her strict academy. She was something reminiscent of a Brontë or Austen protagonist.
(Oh yeah, I'm so Evelyn, I can taste it!)
"Hey Jade!"
She looked up and saw Tori waving from the stage.
(Oh, no. Not you!)
"You're trying out, Vega?"
The Latina shook her head no.
"Nah, this time I'm helping with the casting." She then brandished the clipboard to prove it. "And my parents said no extra curriculars, including plays and other stuff, if I don't get a B on my midterm. So, I had to increase my studying."
Jade's shoulders relaxed.
"That's a relief," she said.
"What was that Jade?" Tori asked.
"I meant it's a relief that you're hitting the books. Hate for you to get left behind."
Tori giggled.
"Yeah, right. They don't leave you back a grade here." She then looked at Principal Harris, who was walking through. "Right?"
The woman shrugged her shoulders and continued sipping her coffee.
The younger Vega frowned and looked down at her clipboard.
"Well, alright then. Next up is Cat Valentine," she told the college girl sitting next to her. "CAT! YOU'RE UP!"
A squeal echoed through the room and the redhead popped up out of nowhere. Her shortness can make her relatively invisible until the time is right.
(Does this woman ever need to buy a plane ticket, or can she just fit in one of those overhead compartments?)
Cat bounded to the stage and stood at the table with her pages in hand.
"Okay, Cat" started the college student, Luna. "Which part are you reading for?"
"Evelyn Lyons!" she beamed.
Jade facepalmed.
(Oh, no!)
"I like your nose ring!" Cat mentioned.
The older girl smirked.
"Thank you. But please read your script."
Cat went onto read the same scene that Jade had read silently to herself. The brunette was taken aback with Cat's interpretation of it. The small girl managed to summon this hutzpah out of thin air. All of a sudden, she appeared to stand taller than her stature and commanded the space.
When she had finished her monologue, half the students applauded her. Tori and Luna were equally impressed.
"Cat that was amazing!" Tori exclaimed, grabbing her hair.
"Same girl," Luna added. "You're definitely in the running."
She then leaned over to Tori.
"Unless somebody tops that," she whispered.
Tori nodded in agreement.
(I'm doomed.)
Toward the end of the auditions, Jade's name was finally called. Feeling cheated for being almost last, she stomped up the steps toward the casting duo.
"Hey, Jade," said Tori. "I'm sorry you had to wait so long."
"Whatever."
"And which role are you reading for?" yawned Luna.
"Ev-Evelyn," Jade replied.
Luna nodded and gestured for Jade to go right ahead.
Not wanting to repeat what others had done, Jade decided to put a different spin on it. She did the scene, but sad rather than triumphant. Other girls, like Cat used this moment to make Evelyn appear heroic and not willing to give up. Jade's take was that of a tired and defeated woman. She clung to what little dignity she had left and her words, though written to evoke strength, came off as a desperate plea for humanity.
It was a bold choice, but Jade knew she had to try something to make her audition stand out from the nearly two dozen girls who tried out for Evelyn. And she really needed to outshine Cat.
When she was finished, Tori sat there stunned while her partner seemed less than impressed.
"Okay that was definitely...a choice," said Luna.
Jade felt like she was going to collapse like a house of cards.
"Thanks for coming," Luna added.
The goth descended the stage and unbeknownst to the other girls, hid to listen to their conversation.
"What do you think?" Tori asked.
"I've got a good feeling about that Cat girl," Luna replied. "I mean she got it!"
"Jade was pretty good too," Tori weakly stated. "Though I didn't detect this vulnerability in Evelyn's character in this scene."
"Exactly! Trust me, I know one of the playwrights. Vivienne would hate this weak interpretation."
Tori sighed and put down her pen.
"I guess we have our Evelyn," she said.
Jade's eyes widened and she stayed behind the chairs until she could sneak away unseen.
"I don't believe this!"
She slammed the wheel of her car as she drove home.
"Just like I said! Here comes little Miss Cat Valentine. Oh, how everyone loves her! To hell with Jade!"
Jade screeched to a halt in her driveway and started to cry.
"It's just not fair! Every. Single. Time. I keep losing out to her or Tori or someone else. Some friends!"
She grabbed her backpack and went inside, bypassing the living room and going right for the kitchen.
There was a little yellow post-it on the fridge.
"Went for dinner with clients. Be back late, - MOM."
Jade made a guttural groan and opened the door, looking for something to eat.
(Fend for yourself night again! Why am I not surprised?)
"She could've done the decent thing and called me. Would have picked up some tacos on the way home."
The goth slammed the fridge closed.
"FUCK!"
(Well, this day just turned out to be the day from Hell.)
Checking the dishwasher and seeing it was still stacked, Jade started the cycle and opted to wait for it and empty the thing before bed. She would just watch some TV to pass the time.
Weeks later, Heaven is a Step Away was deep into production.
Cat was fitted for her costume as well as the other cast members. She even assisted the costume department when they were falling behind on their workload on days where they didn't have rehearsals.
Everybody involved in the production adored her. She was a real beacon of positive energy and even the demanding stage direction of Stan Weimer couldn't make her crack.
Jade avoided any discussion about the play with her friends, but it was actually boiling inside her constantly.
She felt this was her big shot and it was gone.
Cat was going to be great, and nothing was going to change that.
(Almost nothing.)
Seeing Weimer after the day's rehearsals one Friday, Jade met up with him.
"I'm sorry, but who are you?" he asked, annoyed.
"Name's Jade. Just wanted to tell you that I admired your direction out there. I've been in a few productions myself, but those directors had nothing on you."
(That's right, stroke the ego.)
"Really? You're an actress?"
Jade nodded.
"I've been around, and I was intrigued by this play when I heard about it. But I was wondering..." she then made a face and pivoted like she was about to walk away. "Never mind. It's too outrageous."
"Hold on," Weimer said. "Never mind what?"
"Well...I was watching your flawless direction, but I couldn't help but feel like the third act was missing something. Not your fault; it's the script."
Weimer raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? And what is missing?"
Jade shrugged.
"I haven't given it much thought but how about Evelyn flying during that dream scene? Yeah, we can do cool stuff with the lighting but imagine the audience's surprise when she takes off into the air. It's totally unexpected! I mean a drama like this; nobody would see it coming. And I know a show's a hit when you wow them at the end."
The director stroked his beard.
"I'm intrigued," he said. "Tell me more about your ideas."
Jade went to lunch and saw everyone huddled around Cat.
"What's the matter?" she asked.
Andre looked up and replied, "Cat stepped down from the play."
The goth gasped.
"What, why?"
"They added some kind of flying scene for Eveyln," Tori explained.
"But Cat's afraid of heights," Jade stated.
Cat was in tears and tugged at Beck's sleeve.
"I'm so sorry," Jade said. "Is there anything I can do?"
The redhead dropped her head and sobbed.
Jade felt a pang of guilt but figured she would get over it eventually.
Later that day, Jade waltzed into the auditorium and came across a disheveled Weimer.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, not in the mood.
"Just saving your butt," Jade smirked.
"Excuse me?"
"I heard you lost your lead."
The director rolled his eyes.
"Ugh, don't remind me. What are we gonna do on short notice?"
Jade took one of the dresses that hung on the wardrobe rack and held it in front of her.
"Meet your new Evelyn!"