Disclaimer: The show Victorious, its characters and other associated copyrights are property of someone else and not me.

Unfairly judged.

Chapter 7 – Loose lips.

No One's POV.

It wasn't easy for Tori to apologize on that Friday. But she did. She was very afraid of making this horrible situation even worse by saying the wrong thing. But she managed to get it out and do it.

She had no idea how the Goth would react and after a moment, Jade did. While her facial expression was very guarded, she nodded ever so slightly in acknowledgement. While it wasn't quite what she hoped, the simple acknowledgment came as a relief.

The rest of the weekend, Tori kept busy doing chores and working on a very large paper for history. While she was occupied he mind kept going back to Jade. She hoped that Jade would respond in kind as Beck suggested she would.

But there was no call or any communication from Jade. Tori was sure Jade would make some effort and that rather disappointed her.

Monday as she was eating her breakfast, her thoughts again were on Jade.

"Hey sis." Said Trina from across the table, as she took a bit of toast.

Pulled from her thoughts by Trina, Tori looked up. "What?"

"That Jade thing still bugging you?"

Tori nodded. "Yes. I was hoping she'd call or reciprocate in some way."

"Tori, you're being too impatient. Things take time and rushing things doesn't help. I'd guess she has lots to sort through."

"What do I do then?"

"Well, last week at school she kept to herself, pretty much all the time, so obviously she wants some space. Some time to think things through. So my best advice is to give her the space she wants. Just stay clear of her, don't try and talk to her and let her come to you when she feels the time is right. That's assuming she does. Who can tell with her. Just be patient and realistic."

Trina was proud of her little speech and hoped it would keep Tori away Jade not just in the near future, but permanently. While she had no problems with Tori dating girls, she just didn't want her sister dating a cruel, morbid, death obsessed, freak. As far as she was concerned, all Jade did was bring misery and she wanted her sister to be no part of it.

Across the table, Tori thought about what Trina had said and found it sounding quite logical. It was nice for Trina to be helpful and supportive for once and that was something she appreciated.

Tori smiled at her sister. "Thanks Trina, I'll do that."

"Hey no problem, what are big sisters for."

So with that plan in mind Tori headed to school. It was before the first period when she first saw Jade over at her locker. But giving Jade her space, Tori quickly grabbed her books and left before the Goth could look over.

"Best to leave before she looks over, I don't want any awkward moments to mess things up. I don't want her to feel obligated either. It's for the best." Tori thought, not wanting to do anything wrong.

Jade of course, wasn't thinking that. She had spent all day Saturday and all day Sunday waiting for Tori to call. Normally her cynical nature would have quickly told her that Trina probably didn't give her the message. However, Jade in her rather vulnerable state, never even considered it and as a result felt more unwanted and alone.

She could only surmise that Tori in apologizing, only wanted to put this behind her and any thought of otherwise was not something she wanted. She actually had seen Tori out of the corner of her eye and hoped that the Latina would come over to talk.

"Maybe she was busy and didn't get the chance. Now she'll talk to me." Rationalized Jade.

But when she turned to look, she saw Tori walking away.

"I guess she doesn't want to talk to me." Said the Goth, with a sad expression.

Jade feeling rather down, went about her day and actually passed Trina in the hallway after 3rd period.

Trina seeing Jade looking at her, decided to speak before Jade could say anything. "Jade, I told her you stopped by. If she didn't call you, then she didn't' call you."

Jade just lowered her head and walked on, much to Trina's delight.

Over the next several days, a pattern emerged. Tori did her best to avoid Jade and give her space and Jade seeing Tori avoiding her, gradually felt worse. Her feelings of isolation and inadequacy only grew. Despite the way she acted, she really wanted to be liked, by Tori especially. But as the days passed, Jade concluded, that wasn't the case.

Jade while wanting Tori's attention, also continued to stay away from her other friends and had less desire to be around them as her feelings of rejection grew more profound. Attempts by Beck, Andre and Cat to talk to her, went nowhere. She had concluded that Tori didn't like her and that was that; the rest she really didn't about anymore.

By Friday, Tori wondered, why Jade hadn't made any attempt to talk to her. It was puzzling, as initially it appeared they could work things out. But the Goth had been moody sullen and seemed to avoid everyone all week. By that point, she began to wonder if Jade really liked her. So on Friday afternoon, she decided to make yet another attempt to talk to Jade.

So near the end of the day she spotted Jade at her locker, took a deep breath and approached.

Jade had spotted the approaching Latina and not being able to handle her feelings of rejection, put her hand out as if to stop Tori.

"Tori, There's no other way to say this. I made a mistake in asking you out. I never should have. It was futile and pointless to think we could be anything to each other. We're not friends, we're not anything. So let's just cut our losses and go our separate ways. I do owe you some money to cover your losses and eventually I'll get the money to you, to make us even. I don't want to owe you anything. But other than that, let's just pretend, we don't know each other."

Jade then slammed her locker shut and walked off, before the stunned Latina could say a word.

That evening at home, Trina consoled Tori, who was rather upset at the stunning rejection. But inside she was smiling as her plan had worked perfectly. Tori and Jade were no longer on speaking terms.

Trina told Tori that Jade was a fool to reject her and better things would come.

"I know you hoped things would work out, but some things don't. It's a simple fact of life. Just pick yourself up, remember you're a great person and move on." Trina said.

She would be very supportive of her sister after that. Trying her best to get Tori over jade.

Tori spoke to Beck over the weekend and told him what happened. Beck however, had no idea what had happened and for once, had no idea what to tell her.

He did try and call, but he found that Jade no longer answered her phone, nor did she return any voice mails or texts. Cat and the others when they tried to reach out got the same non-response.

After that Jade simply detached from the group, making no attempt to speak to them or anyone else for that matter. Jade, feeling alone, rejected, utterly inadequate, simply no longer cared. She didn't cut herself or think of doing herself in, she detached, not only from her friends but pretty much everything else. She went to school, did the bare minimum of what she needed to do and at night she confined herself to her room where she either watched horror movies, or lost herself in computer games. They were a secret love of hers, with the fallout series, Starcraft and Xcom being her favorites. As a result of her apathy, her grades started to slip, but like everything else, she didn't care.

Tori on the other hand felt stung by Jade's sudden rejection and felt quite badly about it. Over the next few weeks, she went thought all the things she could have done differently. But in time , at Trina's urging, she reluctantly began to push thoughts of Jade out of her mind.

In this time, however another change had been made. Trina, with the absence of Jade had begun to hang out with the group and they seemed to accept her. Though Tori suspected that they only did it for her sake, but they seemed to really warm to her after a while. Regardless, Tori found herself getting along a lot better with Trina. Of course, Trina liking Beck, did her best to hang out with him, as much as possible and in those few weeks they gradually became closer.

About 2 months after the day Tori got the final brush off from Jade, Andre's new girlfriend Ella, threw a birthday party for Andre at her house. It was a typical party with music, lots of people, beer and everyone was having a great time.

Tori was hanging with Cat and Robbie, out on the patio and Trina was drinking and flirting on a couch with Beck in the rec room basement. Jade of course, was not there.

"Hey Trina, slow down a little. That must be your 7th or 8th beer by now. Pace yourself." Cautioned Beck, as he took a sip of his beer.

The rather drunk Trina smiled. "Don't you me drunk. Beer googles you know, the more I drink the better I look…..oh…or is that the other way around?"

"You look fine Trina, sober or not."

"Thank you Beck. You like me don't you."

Playing coy, Beck shrugged. "I could be accused of that."

Trina poked Beck in the chest. "Well, I'm accusing you of that."

"Guilty. So what are you going to do about it."

"This." Trina said as she leaned in and kissed Beck.

After the kiss, Beck took Trina's hand. "Well, I guess, I'll have to take you out on a date now."

"Only if you ask."

Beck chuckled. "Do I have to ask?"

"Yes."

Trina grinned like the cat that ate the canary. "Ok, Trina will you go out with me?"

"Yes."

"It's nice that you started to hang with us. Your fun, that's why I like you."

Trina slammed her beer and took Beck's hand. "Just you wait, to see how fun I am. I like hanging with you guys. It was easy, once I got Jade out of the way."

Though he'd had a bit to drink, Beck quickly picked up on Trina's comment Wanting to know, more, he smiled and kissed her once again to keep her talkative.

"You did get Jade out of the way, didn't you." Beck said with his best smile.

Smiling proudly, the drunk Trina raised a fist. "Damn straight."

Beck smiled. "So babe, Jade's really tricky. How did you do it?" Me, I'm glad you did. It's always awkward having your ex around."

Trina pumped fist into the air. "All I had to do was not tell Tori that Jade stopped by the day after Tori apologized. Tori was out shopping with my mom, when Jade came by. Jade wanted Tori to call her, as she wanted to apologize. As if Jade could apologize for anything. Then the following Monday, I advised Tori, to give Jade a lot of distance. So Jade would think that Tori was no longer interested. Finally I told Jade that I did tell Tori that she stopped by. Jade concluded that Tori didn't like her and didn't want to fix things and boom, Jade is history. What a horrible bitch….I did all of you a favor."

Though proud of her achievement and new boyfriend, Trina quickly wondered why the smile on Becks' face all of sudden vanished.

"What's wrong, Beck? Need a kiss?" Trina said as she moved into kiss him, only to have him back off.

Shaking his head in disgust, Beck stood up. "They say beauty is only skin deep. It's just a saying most of the time, but in your case, all too true. You know what, I take back me wanting to take you out. I prefer to date girls with character, something you're lacking. Jade has feelings, she's a person and so does your sister."

Realizing she had blown it by blabbing while drunk, what she did, Trina pleaded. "No, please…don't tell Tori. Please. Beck I like you. I'll make it up to you."

Ignoring her plea, Beck turned and walked out of the room. Moments later he was up on the patio, by Tori, Cat, and Robbie.

"Tori." Beck said as he walked up.

Noting the urgent tone in his voice, Tori stood up. "Yeah, Beck what's up?"

"We need to talk."

"What's going on?"

"That day after you apologized to Jade. Jade stopped by your house. You were out with your mom. Jade wanted to talk to you and apologize. Trina just told me that she kept it from you. She told Jade she'd give you the message. Then she told you to give her some space, then she lied to Jade and told her you got the message. She lied to both of you to keep you apart."

Tori barely had a moment to process the information when her a now crying Trina, ran up.

"Please Tori, Don't be mad, I was doing it for your own good."

Remembering her regret from hitting Jade, Tori did her best to calm her ever increasing rage.

Instead she slapped her sister across the face.

"Trina, Sisters are supposed to watch out for each other…..you...you...you're no sister of mine. Go to hell."

Ooops….looks like Trina's little plan kind of blew up in her face. Can Tori and Jade pick up the pieces and come together or is the damage unrepairable?

The chapter title comes from the old saying, "Loose lips, sink ships." It was a phrase used by people in the 2nd world war. To remind them that taking about anything war related, such as mentioning a ship would be leaving port, could be used by the enemy, if it fell into their hands.