A/N: Hold on tight! This chapter is going to be intense!
Please drop a review! Love hearing from new people discovering this story as well.
This was a long week for me so I pushed myself to put this out early because I couldn't wait to see your reactions.
Andre got the text from Jade an hour ago telling him to just let himself in.
Jade had a hard time getting to sleep last night so she was behind this morning. Unfortunately, having a broken leg cannot help you when you're trying to rush to make up for time.
"Hey!"
"Is that Jet Brew I smell?" Jade asked as she left the kitchen.
He made a devilish smile and showed off the to-go tray he was holding.
"Figured you'd want to start the morning off right," he said.
"There needs to be a door dash that only does coffee," Jade said.
The goth couldn't help but smell the aroma nearby.
"All yours if you get in the car, girlie!"
Jade made a face and grabbed her bag.
"Gimme," Andre offered.
She handed him the backpack.
"Thanks."
"No problem," he smiled. "Okay, let's go."
He had talked with the others this past week. Andre was hearing about everyone's encounter with Jade first hand and they all agreed they witnessed a great change. Even he had to admit that she wasn't her normal self. On first view, she looked like she was going through it.
But what happened still didn't sit right with him.
Andre valued Jade's friendship; they collaborated as often as he did with Tori or Cat. In fact, she had more of the inclination toward songwriting than the others did so their connection felt deeper. He didn't like not speaking to her but he also wanted to show solidarity with Cat.
One other thing that Andre and Jade shared, which was something he got from his aunt, was his frankness about things. A friend would comfort you in your hour of need. But a better friend would make you face the music because they want you to be better.
"Was it worth it?"
Jade was put off by the question.
"What?" she asked.
"You know...ALL of this...did it work out for you?"
That felt like a punch to the gut. Andre is not one to be accusatory for its own sake or to prop himself up. He genuinely wanted Jade to give him a straight answer.
"No," she softly answered. "I wish I could say I wasn't thinking then but that's not the truth."
"Guess not," he agreed.
"All I saw was red," Jade admitted. "All I could think of was myself. I only saw me winning, not my best friend getting screwed over. And you know what the worst part is?"
Andre didn't ask but his glance toward the back seat was indication enough that he had her attention and wanted to hear it.
"Worst thing is that if I only explained how much I wanted the stupid fucking part, she would have let me have it. That's the kind of person she is!"
He could hear soft sobs coming from the back. Jade crying was not something he had seen.
"I wish..." she sniffed. "I wish I could take it all back. If only I could turn back the clock but I can't!"
The slapping sound Andre heard startled him.
Being at a red light, he turned back and saw Jade, fist clenched against her temple.
(She just hit herself. Man, they weren't kidding.)
"Jade?"
She turned away to face out the back windshield.
"I didn't know what I had until I threw it away," she sighed. "And now Cat hates me and you all hate me. No wonder nobody came to visit me; its all someone like me deserves."
"Visit?" he asked. "What do you mean?"
"When I was at the hospital. I know I had issues with my phone but..."
"Hold up, hold up," Andre interrupted. "What about Tori and Cat?"
Jade wiped her eyes with her sleeve.
"What about them?" she asked.
"They went over to see you. We all heard about the accident and we didn't know how to react. But those two went off on their own to see you at the hospital. They were there when your mom sent them away."
There was a stunned silence in the car.
"What?"
"She told them that you didn't want to see them."
Jade coughed, her tears slowly drying up.
"What did she mean I didn't want to see them?"
There was a quiet anger in her tone. She lost much of her energy from crying but what energy she had left was a building rage.
"Look, I dunno," Andre shrugged. "Just that you had your phone the whole time and didn't so much as drop a line."
"My phone was dead! And I couldn't get my hands on a charger for days!"
"Why would she lie about that?"
(Of everyone, you know the least about her, Dre. This is on brand for the bitch.)
"Jade?"
He peeked with the mirror to see her. Andre got chills when he saw the girl's face twist into a scowl. Her face turned beet red. His butt clenched. This was the old Jade coming back and she was going to blow her top. Maybe today, maybe tomorrow. But Jade West will soon become Krakatoa.
6 P.M.
Right on cue, Pamela waltzes into the house. Her smirk and swagger immediately melts away at the sight of Jade, standing on one crutch, at attention.
"Jade, what are you doing?" she asked in a huff.
She looked around the living room.
"Not straightening up by the look of things," Pam commented.
Jade thumped her crutch aggressively toward her and advanced a step.
"I have a question for you, mother..."
"Jadelyn, don't grit your teeth," she said, rolling her eyes. "How many times..."
"SHUT THE FUCK UP!"
The older woman looked like she had seen a ghost. Pam was so stunned that she was locked up for a second before pulling out her default defense mode.
"What did you say to ME?"
She stared into the abyss and the abyss just stared right back.
"I have a better question," Jade growled. "WHAT DID YOU SAY TO MY FRIENDS?"
"Friends?" she parroted. "You mean those freaks at that school?"
"Cat and Tori!" she spat.
"So what?" asked Pam, arms folded.
"I know they came to see me and you sent them away! WHY?"
She shook her head and walked around her daughter, taking good advantage of her limited movement.
"Jade, you are being demented. Didn't that damn hospital run a CAT scan or something?"
"HEY!" Jade protested as she shifted to face her again. "I was talking to you!"
Pamela just glowered at her daughter before putting down her purse on the chair.
"Okay, Jade. You want to talk? Let's talk."
She got right into Jade's face.
"Let's talk about how you're an ungrateful, useless brat who keeps getting herself into trouble and expects me to pick up the pieces!"
"EXCUSE ME?!" the Goth's eyes widened. "You haven't done jack-fucking-shit for me since dad died! All you care about is making partner."
Jade didn't see Pam raise her hand but felt the burning of her cheek. She tried to maintain her ground despite how much it hurt.
"HOW. DARE. YOU?"
"How dare I?" gritted Jade. "First you were a piece of shit to me when I needed you the most. I was in the hospital, worst I've ever felt, and you managed to make me feel worse. And then my friends turn up and you send them packing? THE FUCK?! Then I come home and you don't do shit to help me or even bother to ask how I'm doing!"
"Ja-"
"I'm not done!" she said, leaning forward. "You didn't even TRY to take care of my rabbit! Oh nice he had food but he's out there in his own filth and you did FUCK ALL to help him! And just when you couldn't sink any lower, you struck me. I can barely stand on my own and you put your fucking hands on ME?"
"ENOUGH!" Pam shouted.
"No, you're finally going to hear me out this time!"
"I SAID ENOUGH!"
"I'm not the daughter you wanted," Jade started. "But I tried. With my grades and everything I could think of but it was never enough for you! I always fell short somehow. No matter how much you made me feel bad, I held my tongue. I suppressed it all because I thought you were all I had, which no offense mother, is a depressing thought."
Jade motioned toward the front door.
"Where are you going, young lady?" she demanded.
"Away from you!" Jade replied. "You and me we're done!"
"What's THAT supposed to mean?"
The pale girl was at her wit's end.
"I'm tired of the gaslighting! I'm tired of the insults! I'm tired of feeling like shit all the time! And I am tired of how you treat my friends!"
Jade grabbed the door knob and flung the door open.
She was going to say one more thing but the door slammed behind her.
(That's that.)
The goth took out her phone and dialed for Lori.
"Hello? Jade?"
"Hey," she replied.
"Are you okay?"
Lori could very well make out the shakiness in Jade's voice.
"No," she said. "Can you come get me?"
There was a pause which worried Jade but then she could hear the ruffling of paper.
"Give me the address."
A half hour later, Lori pulled up in her Honda at the corner ending Jade's street.
She preferred to hobble over to here rather than having her come up to the house.
Lori came out and ran over to Jade.
"You alright?" she asked, putting her hands on Jade's arms.
She didn't answer verbally, just nodded.
The woman made a face and gently tilted Jade's head toward the street light so she could see her face better.
Lori saw the red mark from the slap.
"Jade, who did that to you?"
(I have a strong feeling who but I need to hear it from you!)
"JADELYN WEST!"
The stern voice echoed from down the street as Pamela marched toward them.
The teenager's body tensed up at the sound of her voice. That gave Lori a cue who was to blame here.
"Not another step!" Lori pointed.
"YOU," she snarled. "Get the HELL away from my daughter!"
Now the mother was standing between Jade and Pamela.
"Jade," she said softly to the girl. "Its okay. Just get in the car."
"What kind of sick people are you, kidnapping someone else's daughter?"
Lori stepped forward to show she wasn't backing down but maintained her distance from Pam's personal space. The last thing she wants to do is have this get physical but she is ready if that were to happen.
"Where do YOU get off hitting your own child!"
"That's none of your goddamn business!" shot Pam.
"Well guess what," Lori said fire in her eyes. "It IS my business because I told Jade to call me if she needed help. And from the state of her, I don't feel safe about leaving her with you!"
Pamela looked over to the Honda and Jade sat in the back, not fully inside the vehicle. She mostly needed to sit because she was on her feet for a while from pure nerve. There was nothing in her daughter's face that she wanted to return home.
"So that's it?" she said to Lori. "You're going to accept responsibility for her? Like you were responsible for your son?"
Lori wanted to strangle Pam but restrained herself. At least someone was going to be the adult. But she wasn't going to put away mamma bear just yet.
"Don't you EVER throw my son in my face, you bitch! He's a good kid and if you weren't so blind, you'd see Jade is too."
Pam was going to say another thing but Lori held her finger up like you would when commanding a dog.
"Like I said, stand down" she warned. "I can't speak for Jade but if you approach me or contact my family, I'll have you arrested."
Pam folded her arms.
"And I will take you to court for kidnapping," she smugly stated.
"Hate to break this to you but this young lady is seventeen and can decide where she feels safe. But you have a point, maybe we should make a stop at the police station to document this abuse."
That shut her up.
Lori went over to the other side and assisted Jade in getting into the car. Pam just silently walked away.
"I'm sorry you had to see that," Lori said. "Are you okay? Did you eat?"
Jade just shook her head.
"Look, how about we grab something on the way to the station."
"Okay," Jade replied. "Can we even report..."
"Jade, listen to me" Lori told her sternly. "I know how scary this can be. Standing up for yourself is no easy task. But I'm telling you what nobody told me. It doesn't matter if you're living under her roof, assault is assault. Okay?"
The goth started tearing up.
"If you don't feel up to it now," she suggested. "We can wait until tomorrow."
Jade looked up at her.
"I'm just exhausted," she whispered. "I just need to sleep."
Lori nodded.
"Okay, let's go."
After a silent drive to Lori's house, she assisted Jade in getting up. Not that she wasn't capable but Lori felt the teen could use the help. She looked tired.
Lori unlocked the door and they entered.
"Ted's at the hospital with Jamie," she explained. "I already filled him in. You can use the guest room. It's used to be a failed workout room anyway."
"I don't want to put you out," Jade started to say but Lori cut her off.
"Don't you dare," she told her. "It's my pleasure."
Jade sat on the couch, still holding onto her crutch.
"Why are being so nice to me?" asked Jade. "I mean I get it, you're a nice person but why me?"
Lori breathed deeply and sat beside Jade.
"Not to get too deep into it but let's just say I know what is feels like. To feel like you're drowning no matter what you do and if only somebody saw that I needed help."
She didn't say anything to Lori. She only hugged her tightly.
Lori was surprised but quickly understood and returned the hug.
"It's okay, Jade. You're safe here."