Disclaimer: See chapter one.
Chapter Three
Beck's Perspective:
The blaring of my alarm clock pulled me out of a deep sleep. My right arm felt trapped under something, preventing me from lifting it. Rolling over, I managed to turn the clock off with my left hand. I opened my eyes to Cat's sleeping face. Sighing, she rolled further into the crook of my arm, hugging me about as tightly as she'd been hugging Axle, last night.
My shock gave way to sympathy. This is the most serene I've seen her in a long time. Looking at her now, I can almost see the Cat I used to know. The one that didn't used to worry about things like abandonment, abuse and neglect. Underneath the anxiety, she's still in there. Part of her might surface in the coming months, now that she's away from her mother.
"Cat." I shook her arm. "We've got less than an hour to get to the airport."
Her eyes fluttered open. For a few seconds, she seemed blissfully unaware of where she is and who's she's with. When it hit her, her face lit up. She backed up enough to free my arm. "I'm sorry! Nightmare! Axle missing!"
She rambled on for a minute before settling down, Sitting up, I looked around the room. "Did you get up to use the restroom, by chance?"
I leaned over the foot of the bed and retrieved the bear. She blushed again. I tossed it back to her. Getting up, I turned on the lights and collected the day's clothes from the table across from the couch.
"I'm really sorry." Cat whispered.
"Don't be." I sat back down on the bed. It took every ounce of willpower not to lay down and go back to sleep. "Last night was brutal for you. I'm glad I can help out. As a place to crash or as someone to lean on."
She stared blankly down at Axle. Now that she's gotten some sleep, she seems more embarrassed about having asked for the bear. "Thank you."
"Why don't you pack him?" I suggested, trying to get another smile out of her. "It's been a long time since he's gone anywhere."
"Toys are for children." She sat the bear aside. Something about her dejected comment made me wince. It's precisely the kind of thing Cat says her mom tells her.
I watched her get up and head for her suitcase. Taking my own clothes, I shut myself in the bathroom and gave her the main room. Throwing on my clothes, I did one last sweep through the bathroom before knocking on the door. "You decent?"
"Yeah."
I found her sitting cross legged beside her open suitcase, her long hair thrown over one shoulder, a purple striped brush in her hands. The vibrant cherry red is fading out, revealing her natural mahogany colored tresses. The lack of color feels as startling as her change in behavior.
I grabbed Axle. Kneeling in front of Cat, I waited for her to notice before speaking. "We're human, Cat. Sometimes, we need something to cling to when things are rough...even adults. If your mother can't understand that, she's the one that's broken, not you."
I sat Axle in Cat's suitcase. It took her a minute, but she managed a smile. Zipping it up, she wheeled it over to the door and excused herself to the bathroom. I carried everything out to the car and started warming it up.
Cat cast a wary glance at the main house as she exited the RV. "Do you need to say goodbye?"
"No. You don't need to worry. He's never up this early." Even knowing my dad's usual sleep schedule, I still feel tense. He knows I'm leaving, today. I wouldn't put it past him to get up and try to cause a scene.
Getting in the car, we settled in for the thirty minute drive. The further we drove, the more I relaxed. Picking up on it, Cat settled down as well. Turning the radio on, we listened to an Indie station in companionable silence, both a little too tired to keep up a conversation.
Arriving at the airport, I paid my way into a long-term parking area and chose a spot near one of their shuttle depots. A nearby employee helped us load our bags and find a seat. I checked my phone as we made our way towards the airport's main doors.
"We're late." Cat frowned.
"Not by much. The plane isn't taking off until half past six."
"Why do we have to leave so early?"
"The flight is a little over ten hours. We won't get to England until four thirty this afternoon at the earliest. Counting the time it takes us to go through security and travel through London traffic at the time most people tend to get off work, I doubt we'll reach the hotel before seven."
Cat grimaced. "That sounds miserable."
"It's the best method to prevent jet lag. We'll be able to go to sleep at our normal time, instead of mixing up our sleep schedules for the first night. I see Tori and Trina."
I pointed towards the pair as they entered the main doors with their parents in tow. Tori had her purple suitcase in one hand and a large pink one in the other. Trina and both parents were carting matching pink ones. Trina doesn't exactly travel light, does she?
"Are all those bags Trina's?" Cat asked me as we unloaded our things from the undercarriage of the trolley.
"Probably. You know Trina."
Heading inside, we found them standing in front of a table manned by Sikowitz, a large sign taped to it with 'HAH' printed on it. "All Hollywood Arts High students report to me! Sign in and I'll hand you your tickets! Once you have your tickets, you can check your luggage and go through security! Afterwards, sit in the terminal and do not attempt to wander around! The plane takes off at sixty thirty sharp! We will not wait for you!"
Joining the queue, we were immediately spotted by Tori. Spinning around, she hugged us both. "You made it! I hope everyone else wakes up in time. Did you pick Robbie up, too?"
Tori had asked me that. I shook my head. "I didn't know he needed a ride."
"We're here!" Andre and Robbie both slid into line with us. Andre's shirt was mis-buttoned and Robbie's glasses were practically falling off his face. Fixing them, he pulled out his inhaler and took a puff. Andre gave him a dirty look. "We had to stop at a twenty-four hour pharmacy and pick up Robbie's inhaler refill."
"Why didn't you get it earlier?" Tori asked.
"I forgot." Robbie defended.
"You forgot to pack a toothbrush, too." Rex look up at Robbie. "I can smell your breath from here."
"I'll buy one in England." Robbie pouted. Looking at Cat, his mood immediately shifted. "Hey, Cat. Did you sleep alright?"
Glancing at me, she dropped her gaze. By some miracle, she managed not to blush. "Yeah."
"Anyone seen Jade?" Tori stood on her toes.
"Let's just sign her in." Andre suggested. Heading for the table, we collected our tickets. Sikowitz handed us a clipboard containing several sections containing ten lines each. For touring purposes, we'd all have to group up. We put ourselves into an available slot, Jade included. Luckily, Trina had signed herself into another group, saving us from dragging her around for the first few days.
"Okay, okay! I'm throwing it away!" We all heard Jade shout from somewhere behind us. Spotting her by the doors, we watched her remove a pocket knife and toss it into a nearby garbage can while an elderly security guard watched. Remembering my own, I slipped it out of my pocket and threw it away as well.
"Someone's not happy." Andre took a step back as Jade finally joined the group.
"Barely two steps into the building and I'm already being profiled." She scoffed. "There's no way he actually saw the knife. He just assumed I had one."
"You're wearing combat boots." Tori told her.
"So?" Jade shrugged.
"We'll be going through security. Didn't you tell me it takes you ten minutes just to lace them?"
"What was I supposed to wear? Uggs?" Jade shot a reproving look at Tori's boots.
"They're comfy and they don't have metal in them. I can pull them on and off in a second. You'll probably have to strip just to get through the metal detectors."
"Just sign in!" Sikowitz snapped. "It's not even sunrise and I'm already dealing with you brats."
"Wow." I nearly snorted. Sikowitz can be prickly but he isn't normally this hostile. Then again, he usually doesn't have to talk to us until after eight in the morning.
"Someone forgot their coconut juice this morning." Tori teased.
"Yes, I did." He handed Jade her ticket. "You know what everyone drinks in England? Tea. You know what kind of creamer they use? Cow milk. I'm not even sure I'll be able to find coconuts, let alone coconut milk."
"Relax. It's London, England. They're bound to have just as big a selection as Los Angeles does." Tori tried to cheer him up. "Better, even. You might get to try special fruits."
Sikowitz turned to Tori. "Like...Durian? What does the milk of a Durian taste like?"
"I'm not sure Durians have milk." Tori wrinkled her nose. "Aren't they supposed to smell awful?"
"Like a dead body." Jade smirked.
"I could juice one." Sikowitz wandered off with the sign-in sheet, his thoughts completely preoccupied. Pocketing our tickets, we made our way to the security line. By the time we made it through and reached our terminal, we had a little under half an hour before takeoff. Mr Baker was there to greet us, along with a few other chaperons.
"It appears you're all on time. Take your seats."
Jade ignored him, her eyes on the cafe inside the terminal. "Coffee. I'm getting some."
"Miss West!" Mr Baker attempted to call after her, only to be pushed back by a rush of students equally desperate to get something to snack on.
Waiting in line, I stepped up to the counter and ordered a coffee. I looked down at Cat. "Want something? My treat."
"Oh! Um...A unicorn latte."
"A what?" I followed her gaze to the menu. One of the display boards featured a picture of their newest beverage, made with white chocolate dyed a slew of vivid colors with a rainbow straw. I looked back at the cashier. "And a unicorn latte."
While I paid, Cat went to wait at the pickup station with Tori. Taking my change, I was about to join them when Jade swung around the crowd, cutting in line. She raised a brow, seemingly daring me to call her out on it. "Buy me something?"
"You already have a coffee." I pointed to the cup in her hand.
"I meant breakfast. They have sandwiches."
I hesitated. Is this some kind of test? See just how much I'm still willing to do at her demand despite no longer dating? "Didn't you used to go on about how buying someone food is only okay if you're into each other. It's a...quote...'couple thing'."
"I did." She shrugged. "And you just bought Cat something. If you don't also buy me something, won't everyone get the wrong idea?"
Sinjin leaned over Jade's shoulder. "I can buy you something."
"Down!" She barked. Sinjin hit the ground in an instant. Jade made eye contact with the terminal's security team. Taking advantage of the temporary distraction, I slipped out of line and went to stand with everyone else.
"What did she want?" Cat asked me.
"I'm really not sure." That's a lie. Jade made it clear, in no uncertain terms, that day I gave her a ride home. She's waiting just like Robbie is waiting for Cat. Waiting for a break in my defenses, in an attempt to worm her way back into my life. Put things back how they were. What neither Jade or Robbie understand is they're barking up dead trees. I don't think I could go back to being Jade's willing scapegoat if I tried and Cat's not the girl Robbie fell for. Not anymore.
"Need to talk about it?" Cat offered.
"No...I mean, maybe. I'd probably just end up complaining about her. That's not going to help anything."
"It might. I'm willing to listen. You helped me."
"It's nearly boarding time. They probably won't let us take our drinks on board." Tori started gunning down her frozen coffee. Gasping, she grabbed her head with her free hand. "Brain freeze!"
Cat happily accepted her colorful drink. Returning to the terminal waiting area with me, she sipped on it, seemingly blissfully unaware of Jade's hostile glares directed at the two of us. What exactly does she think is happening between me and Cat? Not too long ago, Jade preferred Cat's company over everyone else's. Cat was Jade's 'safe bet'. The one girl she could be friends with who was never in the running for my attention. That really hasn't changed. I still view Cat as a good friend and vice versa. The only one who doesn't seem to believe that is Jade.
The metal door at the edge of the seating area swung open. Positioning herself at a desk, a flight attendant spoke into the mic. "Flight from Los Angeles to London will be taking off in fifteen minutes. Now accepting priority boarding."
A group of first and business class passengers handed in their tickets. Finishing my coffee, I tossed it in a nearby trashcan and fished my ticket out of my carry-on. When the remaining economy passengers were finally admitted, we flooded the terminal. Boarding the plane, I found my seat about three spaces away from a window. As I was getting comfortable, Jade came to stand beside me. She looked down at her ticket. "I'll sit here."
"Jade, you're with me, right?" Tori popped her head over a chair a few rows in front of me.
"Here I am." Cat slid past Jade and took the seat next to mine. Scowling Jade, stormed off.
Cat's Perspective:
I felt myself shrinking down into my seat at Jade directed a harsh stare at me. Watching her walk off, I didn't relax until I could no longer see her. "Is she okay?"
"Don't worry about it." Beck sighed. "We're all tired. Things will probably even out once we get there."
"I meant what I said. I'll listen if you want to talk." I reminded him. I'm not sure if he's blissfully unaware that everyone knows how uncomfortable Jade truly makes him or if he's trying to pretend he doesn't realize we all notice.
Before Beck could respond, Robbie and Sinjin slid past us and fell into the seats beside me, Robbie closest. The security team made him put Rex in his suitcase. I tried my best to hide my shock as he turned to face me. These past few weeks, he's done a good job of avoiding me. Only speaking to me when necessary. At first, I thought it was to give me a chance to cool off after his rude confession at the park. He did apologize to me via text the day after. Now, I'm starting to wonder if he's punishing me for turning him down.
It's been so awkward. It's not the first time I've turned him down and he's never shut me out like this before. Then again, he's never screwed it up like this before. He showed up at the park all cocky, Rex missing, ready to do a proper confession, only for it to turn sour when it became clear I wasn't going to accept. Not only did he not take no for an answer, he told me I owed him a date.
It hurt to have the usually chivalrous Robbie turn into such a jerk, but I was willing to put it behind us and carry on as friends. I still am. Friendship means more to me than the awkwardness of keeping contact with someone who's clearly infatuated with me. I'm willing to politely ignore it for Robbie's sake and for my own. Maybe, that's selfish of me. To expect him to keep pretending he isn't attracted to me, just to keep the peace. Maybe, in the end, the kind thing to do will be to let him go, so he can finally move on and find someone else.
Who knows...he might meet her on this trip.
"Candy?" Robbie opened his carry-on, revealing a baggie of chocolate he must've purchased from the coffee shop in the terminal. I gladly took one, accepting it as the olive branch it was.
"Thanks."
"So...you excited about the workshop with Tim Burton?" Robbie asked me.
"Yeah." I shrugged. I guess it does sound cool to meet the director of one of my favorite genre of films. I haven't really given it a lot of thought. I've mainly been focusing on what I want to do during the tours we'll be taking.
"It's my favorite part about the trip. I've always wanted to help work on one of Tim Burton's claymation films."
"You'd be really good at it." I complimented. I've seen some of Robbie's clay sculptures. They're definitely up to Tim Burton's standards.
"What about you? What are you excited about?"
"Castles." I nibbled on the chocolate he gave me.
"You want to pretend you're a princess locked in the tower?" Robbie teased. For some reason, it rubbed me the wrong way.
"I want to explore them, yes." I snipped. "And the Tower of London."
"You want to see torture chambers?" Robbie paled. He's clearly been hearing a little too much about the tower from Jade.
"I want to see the tower's museum. The crown jewels are on display."
"Oh." His smile returned. "I'll bet they have a gift shop where you could get a replica crown."
"There's no way I could afford that." I nearly snorted. Even if they do sell crowns, they're probably well over my fifty dollar budget. I may be able to afford a replica of Anne Boleyn's pearl necklace, but that kind of defeats my plan to buy something practical, that can be worn all the time...
"I could help you buy it." Robbie immediately offered. He began to lean in as he spoke, taking up the arm rest between us.
"No, that's okay." I leaned back enough, my head bumped against Beck's shoulder.
"It's really early, Robbie. Lower your voice." Beck shushed him.
Pouting, Robbie returned to his seat and put on his seat belt. Up front, a couple flight attendants went over the safety procedures for us. Fastening myself in, I gave Beck a grateful look. It's moments like this that tell me things won't be so bad, despite having to leave home. It'll be fine. I'll enjoy London for a week, spend the rest of the month crashing at Beck's and head straight to the bank the day I turn eighteen. I'll find some way to pay Beck back. I have no idea what I would do if he hadn't offered.
"I want to see the Jack the Ripper Museum." Sinjin informed us all.
"Ever heard of London Tombs?" Burf popped his head over the seat in front of Robbie's, making me wonder if he was buckled in at all.
"No, what's that?"
"It's a haunted house style maze built alongside several of London's mass graves." Beck answered for Burf.
"Mass graves..?" Robbie gulped.
"From the black plague and other widespread medieval pandemics." Beck put on a pair of headphones and tuned everyone out.
"I'll check it out if you will." Burf told Sinjin.
"Sure. Sounds cool."
"I guess I will, too." Robbie looked at me. "I can lead you through the maze. I know you don't like jump scares."
"It's not like that." Burf assured me. "There's no fake monsters running around, trying to scare you. It's just haunted. There's lots of rooms set up full of creepy stuff. People like to go there and try to contact the dead."
"Sure, I guess." I shrugged. It can't be any scarier than the Tower of London will be. I can't imagine what echos must be trapped in the walls of a place where so many went to die horrible deaths. A plague pit, as awful as it sounds, will probably pale in comparison.
Beck handed me one of his ear buds. Scooting closer, I put it in and lost myself in his eclectic mix of music. Rock, pop, hip hop, electric, alternative, oldies...A little bit of everything. I watched Robbie stare at me out of the corner of my eye before turning and starting up a conversation with Sinjin. By the time the plane was in the sky and the seat belt sign was turned off, I was halfway asleep. Drifting off, I fell right back into the nightmare I had last night, that led to me crawling into Beck's bed.
I was laying in a dark room. I couldn't see anything, but I was acutely aware that others were in here with me. I tried to sit up, but my limbs were seemingly strapped down. Fighting against my restraints, I tried to calm down long enough to listen to the voices around me.
"Are you sure she should be here? She seems so lucid."
"Don't buy that act for a second. She's as crazy as her brother."
I felt something cold brush against my arm. Turning towards it, I tried calling out to the voices, begging them to turn on a light. I felt my mouth open, but no sound would come out. Shrinking away from another cold brush, I shivered as I registered what I was feeling...Metal.
Something shuffled beside me. Following the sound with my eyes, I winced as a lamp was turned on, lighting up a stark white room containing two metal framed beds. I was laying in one, my brother in another. The thing I had felt holding me down was a straight jacket, identical to the ones I've seen on my brother almost every time I've visited him. Identical to the one he was wearing now.
Sitting up, my brother started trying to force the straight jacket to pull apart. Twisting his shoulders in painful looking positions, he managed to pull one arm out and use it to release the clasps holding him in. Tossing it aside, He stepped away from the light of the lamp, concealing himself in the darkness. My heart began to pound painfully. The lamp beside me started to go out, again. "Ethan? Let me out! I want to go with you! Don't leave me in the dark!"
The light flicked back on, revealing Ethan at the foot of my bed. He came to stand beside my head, a cold distance in his normally vibrant eyes. Reaching under his shirt, he pulled a large kitchen knife out of the waistband of his pants. "They're going to send me back, Cat. We can escape to the Otherworld together. It's the only way."
Holding out his arm, he pressed the tip of the knife to his wrist and dug it in. Paralyzed in fear, I could only lay there and watch as he dragged the knife up the length of his arm, creating a long, deep cut. Stopping at the elbow, he grabbed my arm, too, the straight jacket suddenly missing. I felt the knife pierce the skin at my elbow. Before he could do any further damage, a shadow swung at him and tackled him to the ground. The knife clambered to the floor loudly, knocking me out of my shock, Sliding off the bed, I scrambled into the dark, towards where I felt the door must be.
I was about to let out a scream loud enough to wake the dead when the dream faded.
Leaning forward in my seat, I sucked in a sharp breath. The tightness I felt around my waist, forcing me to stay in place, started to trigger a panic attack. It took me several seconds to remember where I was. Opening my eyes, I stared down at the seat belt still fastened around me. Unbuckling it, I ripped the headphone out of my right ear and tried to stand, only for Beck to pull me back down in my seat. Gently grabbing my arms, he turned me to look at him. He stared down at me warily.
"You're awake." He assured me. "Look around you. We're on the plane."
Doing as he said, I made eye contact with several concerned classmates, all leaning out of their seats, wondering what was happening. When they realized who was making all the noise, they shrugged and returned to whatever they were doing before I woke up. I didn't want to think about how I must've sounded during the nightmare. Looking back at Beck, I nodded. "I'm awake."
He let go. "You okay?"
A wave of nausea hit my stomach. Stumbling out of my seat, I climbed over Beck and headed straight for the restrooms. Locking myself in one, I kneeled at the toilet and emptied my stomach. Grimacing at the colorful leftovers of my morning unicorn latte, I flushed and went to rinse my mouth at the sink.
Wiping the sweat off my forehead with a wet paper towel, I slipped my jacket partway down my arms. I stared blankly at my arm in the mirror, at the small but visible scar just beneath my inner elbow. Nightmare or not, part of it actually happened. Ethan did slice his arm open and tried to do the same to me.
The night dad tackled him and sent him back to the mental health facility, he was in the middle of a particularly bad episode. He'd convinced himself that mom's decision to bring him home would be overruled by dad and that his only solution was death. He wanted me to go with him to whatever the afterlife holds. Ethan has always referred to this afterlife as the Otherworld. I remember him telling me all about the Otherworld and how you get there earlier that same day. At the time, I thought nothing of it. He's talked about weirder things. I never could have guessed what he had planned.
The doctors said the cut he put on his arm was deep enough to kill him. I remember it gushing and dripping all over the floor. Dad intervening had not only saved my brother's life, it had saved mine. The same cut on me would have killed me in a very short period of time, to to my small size. The knowledge he nearly lost both of his children must have been terrible for my dad. I get it...I understand why he left. Why he needed to run away and avoid the reality of his situation.
To avoid mom, who, despite being the one who chose to bring Ethan home, refused to take responsibility. Who blamed my father for everything. Who chased him away. Dad couldn't watch it all happen, again. My mom doesn't take the advice of others often. She would have tried to bring Ethan home again, once the doctors let her. Next time, it would be too late.
It must've broken my dad badly enough to cause him run away from it all. Even though it hurts, I can't blame him...It must be so hard to raise children with a woman who spent so long ignoring how broken her children can be. His absence, in a way, was necessary. Mom finally started paying attention. But, in the process of acknowledging that Ethan needs real professional help, she convinced herself I do, too.
Rinsing my mouth one more time, I put back on my jacket and returned to my seat. Beck immediately offered me a stick of gum, clearly still concerned. I accepted it. "I'm fine."
Bullshit. He didn't have to say it. It was written all over his face. "You were asleep for a while. We're already halfway there. They're about to serve the in-flight meal. You feeling up to food?"
"Yeah." I grimaced. "Maybe..."
"You want to talk about it?"
I glanced over my shoulder, at Robbie. He and Sinjin were fast asleep, using each other as pillows. When the flight attendants started passing out food, they both woke up. I looked back at Beck. "Maybe later."
I did tell Beck about my father leaving while telling him about the things that led to me leaving home. I never told him precisely why. Maybe, I should. It would put a lot of things into perspective. Me coming to terms with the fact my brother is no longer safe to be around is a contributing factor to me needing therapy. I used to be so close to Ethan. I still want to be. I wish I could understand what led to him feeling death was the only way out of his situation. I've seen how good he can be when on the right medication. He could lead a normal life on the outside. We could maintain contact and develop a better relationship that isn't shaped by visitation hours. Maybe someday, we finally can.
An attendant stopped by our isle with a cart. "Salad or pasta? Both come with bread and a beverage."
"Pasta. We both answered. I could smell the alfredo sauce from here. Accepting a to-go container and a can of soda, I focused on my food while most of my classmates used the meal time as an excuse to wander around the plane and talk to people.
Skirting around a crowd gathered in the isle, Tori sat on the floor in front of me with her own food. She glanced at Beck. "Jade's...not happy. She doesn't want to talk to me."
"What did you say?" Beck asked her between bites.
"I just suggested she try to...consider dating, again. I suggested Luke from Math class...She didn't take it well."
"Who's Luke?" I raised a brow. I have Math with Tori. I don't remember a Luke. Then again, I've been less than social, lately.
"He transferred into our Math class after Winter break. He's been at Hollywood Arts for three years. He plays the guitar and the drums. I thought she might be interested in meeting him. He's got that edgy look she likes."
"And she freaked out at the suggestion." Beck guessed.
"Yeah..." Glancing around, to make sure Jade wasn't in ear shot, Tori leaned in. "So...the two of you are done? Like, done done?"
"Yeah." Beck shook his head, clearly irritated. "I thought we'd established that after the October Full Moon Jam."
Sitting her food container aside, Tori got on her knees and rested her arms on Beck's knees. "People do crazy things when they like someone. And we all know Jade loves you. You two dated off and on for over five years. That's a long time to be involved with someone. Is there no hope?"
"No, none." Beck put his full focus on his food, ignoring Tori.
Tori looked at me. "Can I talk to you?"
I shared a look with Beck. Sighing, he stood up. "I'll go talk to Andre for a minute."
Tori took his seat and got Robbie's attention. "Will you go talk to Andre or something? I need to talk to Cat."
"But, Sinjin and I were gonna check out his new Pear Pod."
"Please?" Tori pushed his shoulder.
"Fine, fine." Robbie sulked off. Sinjin remained behind for a second, seemingly prepared to eavesdrop on Robbie's behalf. One sharp look from Tori and he left, too.
Tori immediately locked eyes with me, wasting no time. "Jade's been talking to me about you, lately. At first, I figured it was just her looking too deep into things. But, considering how much time the two of you have been spending together, I wanted to ask you. Does Jade have anything to worry about where you and Beck are concerned?"
"No." I wanted to just leave it at that. Picking up my fork, I immediately dropped it back into the pasta. "Jade doesn't have to worry about me. But, she will eventually have to watch him date someone else. It's going to happen. Jade has to accept that."
Tori gave me a disbelieving look. "Wow...I thought you'd be on her side. She's your friend, after all."
"Jade's friends with me when it suits her." I mumbled. "The moment she started to suspect me and Beck, that went out the window."
Leaning back, Tori gawked. "You don't seem too upset about that."
Beck returned to his seat, saving me the trouble of responding to Tori's accusation. Vacating his seat, Tori returned to her own, giving me confused looks along the way.
"Do I want to know?" Beck asked me.
"Tori's excited about the fact she and Andre are getting together. I think she wants everyone else to do the same. You with Jade and me with Robbie. She wants things to be less tense." I explained. "It's upsetting her that so many of us are drifting apart. She knows Jade won't compromise, so she's attempting to get everyone else to, to keep the peace."
"What do you think?" Beck looked over the seats, in the general direction of Jade. I could see the tension building behind his eyes.
"I think...that there are other ways to keep the peace that require far less sacrifice. If you don't want to be with Jade, don't. You'll be be happier, long-term."
Like cutting a rope, the tension broke. "Same for you. Don't give in to Robbie just to make the group happy. If you turning him down means the end of your friendship, then he was never your friend. We both know Robbie's not usually like that. Things will even out. Just don't relent."
Beck and I both looked towards the row of seats in front of us. We could both see Burf's hair sticking over the seat as he tried to covertly eavesdrop. I frowned. I know Burf won't hesitate to tell Sinjin things but will he tell Robbie?
"Andre didn't want to talk to me. I don't know what Tori was talking about." Robbie muttered as he returned to his seat, Sinjin in tow. "Anyone want more chocolate? Cat?"
Politely declining, I finished my lunch and handed the trash off to an attendant. Pulling my carry-on into my lap, I fished around for something to occupy the rest of my time. I can't bring out my journal...there are things written in there to cause untold drama. I wish I had a book...I saw some on Beck's shelf by his door. I glanced at a few while he was in the bathroom. I'm sure he would have let me take one if I had asked.
"Why don't you play on your phone for the flight." Beck suggested, picking up on my boredom.
"I didn't charge it, last night. It's about to die."
Fishing his own phone out of his pocket, he handed it to me. "I've got some apps you might like."
My eyes lit up as I spotted an e-books logo. I haven't had the money, as of late, to buy any e-books for myself. What does he have?
Opening the app, I scrolled through the twenty or so titles he had downloaded. Clicking one, I spent most of the remainder of the flight reading it, only handing the phone back when I noticed the battery icon flashing.
The attendants instructed us to fasten our seat belts and the plane descended. As we passed through a cloud bank, it began to rain outside the plane. By the time we landed and were permitted to go through security, the rain had turned into a practically torrential downpour. I've been so used to the usually light rains of Los Angeles, preceded and followed by long periods of sun. The blue gray skies of England turn to a cloudy, vivid slate color during a storm, lit up with flashes of lightning that sometimes appears directly overhead. It's stunning.
I kept my eyes on the airport's large windows as we made our way through security. Collecting my suitcase, I followed everyone outside, where we boarded two double decker buses. Once attendance was taken, we made our way to our hotel. With the flight over, I could finally hear Trina's voice over the crowds, talking excitedly about all the British boys she plans on meeting. My guess is she slept through the flight, considering I'm only just hearing her, now.
On the way, Sikowitz went into more detail about tour groups he had us choose while waiting to board the plane in L.A. "There are approximately fifty students that qualified for the trip and only five chaperons. That's five tour groups of ten students. If anyone failed to choose a group, do so now. I'll pass the clipboard around. This evening, over dinner, we'll all discuss potential tours we can go on. The selections will be put in a hat and each group will draw three locations each day. By the time we finish touring and attend the workshop, everyone will have chosen nine locations. If there is any extra time, we'll talk about extra tours."
"Can we check out the Tower of London?" Someone shouted from the back.
"The London Eye!"
"Cheapside!"
Sikowitz pointed to whoever said the last one. "Cheapside is a popular shopping district. We'll be going there."
Jade sat upright in her seat. "Cheapside? That's near Whitechapel Road."
"Maybe. And?" Sikowitz shrugged.
"Whitechapel is where Jack the Ripper committed his murders. I want to go."
Sikowitz wrinkled his nose. "If only for a day, I'd like to know what dark, twisted things go on in your mind."
"Whitechapel is near Church street, I think." I turned to Beck. "The book I was reading on your phone. Tales from Church Street. The main characters live there. Could we see it?"
He shrugged. "I guess so. Why do you want to see Church street? It's probably no different than Cheapside.
"It has cobblestone streets. It'll feel like going back in time." Grabbing his phone from his hand, I opened the browser and looked up some scenery pictures of Church street. "See? It's beautiful."
"I don't mind going. You'll have to run it by Sikowitz."
I tried to do just that, only for Sikowitz to return to the front of the bus. Leaning back in my seat, I made brief eye contact with Jade. What's her problem, now? Following her gaze, I stared down at Beck's phone, still in my hands. I gave it back to him.
I tried my best to ignore Jade for the rest of the drive. At the hotel, I made sure I was one of the first off the bus. When we all were seated in the hotel's lobby, Sikowitz started working with the desk clerk to hand out room keys. "I don't care who you room with, so long as it doesn't violate school rules and so long as there's no more than four to a room. There are fifteen rooms. Chaperons sleep one or two to a room, leaving twelve rooms for students, each with two beds big enough to fit two people. If anyone would prefer their own bed, we can try to accommodate that. Okay, pick your roommates."
"Us." Tori gestured to Jade, me and herself.
"Pick one more."
"I'll room with them!" Meredith raised her hand. Jade shot her an icy glare. Even I couldn't believe Meredith would offer, considering what Jade did to her. The malice behind Jade's attack on her would be enough to keep me away.
"No!" Jade yelled.
"Oh, come on." Tori nudged Jade. "It'll be fun. I'll share a bed with Meredith and you can share one with Cat."
"Are you trying to ruin the trip for me?" Jade turned on Tori. "I want to enjoy myself."
"Alright, enough." Sikowitz finally intervened. "Jade, Tori and Cat can room with Trina."
Jade's red face paled several shades. "Nevermind. We'll take Meredith."
"My decision is final. Got a problem with it, take it up with Mr Baker." Sikowitz pointed over his shoulder. Mr Baker gave us a stern look.
"Great." Tori rounded on Jade and threw her hands up. "We could've dealt with awkward silence every night, but now we've got Trina."
"What did I do?" Trina whined. "I'll be a great roommate. Just give me a bed by the window. Oh, and don't forget to clear the bathroom for me every night, from nine until eleven. I can't sleep a wink without doing my beauty regimen."
"You can't hog the bathroom for two hours!" Jade stepped towards Trina. Tori squeezed herself between them, desperately trying to prevent a fight.
Leaving them to argue it out, I accepted my copy of the room key and went to stand with Beck. "Can I room with you?"
"It'll be fine. At least you don't have my roommates." Beck gestured to Robbie, Burf and Sinjin. Andre had managed to sneak away and room up with a few other guys from his music composition class.
"Cat, we're going upstairs." Tori called.
Grabbing my things, I followed them into the elevator and up to the third floor. Opening our room, I held back while Trina tried to fight Jade for the bed by the window. A particularly loud burst of lightening lit up the room, causing Trina to yelp and slip off the bed. Jade made herself comfortable. "Tori can share with me. Cat can babysit Trina."
"I don't need a babysitter." Trina kicked the bed.
"Complain later." Tori put her suitcase on the bed next to Jade. "We have to be downstairs in twenty minutes for dinner."
I backed up as Jade started heading towards the bathroom. Pausing on her way in, she looked me up and down. "You're not gonna change?"
I shrugged. "Why bother? We'll be going to bed in a couple hours."
"Fine. Look like shit." She slammed the door shut.
Blissfully unaware of what just happened, Tori went to check her makeup in the mirror near the door. Doing the same, I ran my fingers through my hair. Tori nudged me with her shoulder. "Don't look so down."
"Sorry...Just tired."
"This trip is going to be fun, I promise." Tori grabbed her sister by the collar of her jacket. "Dinner time."
"But, I'm not ready! I need to change!"
"No, you don't."
After another several minutes of arguing, we managed to drag Trina to the elevator and return to the lobby. Wandering around for a minute, we were shown to the hotel's restaurant by a helpful staff member. Our group easily took up half the restaurant. Falling into a seat between Tori and Sinjin, I accepted a menu. It took quite a while for the wait staff to take our order. Once everyone had their drinks, Sikowitz reopened the tour group discussion.
"Alright, quiet down! I have exactly twelve slips of paper. Give me something to write down."
Everyone threw in their suggestions for the tours. Scribbling them down, Sikowitz folded the papers and placed them in a hat he ripped off a student's head. Shaking it up, he went to stand at the head of the table. Jade got up for our group and drew from the hat.
"Tower of London, Cheapside and London Tombs." Jade smirked, pleased with the selection. That makes two of us. While our group discussed which order would be best, the next group drew their tours.
The conversation remained light for the rest of dinner. Not even Jade could keep up her usual prickly front. After Sikowitz paid the check with the school issued credit card, we were allowed to return to our rooms. On the way, Tori pulled me aside, allowing Jade and Trina to make the rest of the walk on their own. She waited until they were shut in our room before turning me around to face her.
"I need your help."
"With what?"
"Andre wants to take me somewhere."
"Somewhere?" I raised a brow. "It's past curfew."
"Exactly..." Tori whisper screamed. "Andre and I are going to sneak out and you're the only one I can trust to cover for me. Just tell Jade and Trina I went down to swim in the pool."
"What if they want to swim, too?" I don't want to poke holes in her plan. I know this has been a long time coming and Andre probably wants to make his asking Tori out romantic. But, if she's caught, she and Andre will probably both be sent home.
"Convince them not to." Tori shrugged, as if it should be obvious.
"Since when can any of us convince Jade not to do something once she sets her mind on it?"
One of the doors near us opened. Andre slipped out, jacket in hand. Tori gave me one last desperate look. "Please, Cat?"
I sighed. "Fine, okay. Have fun. Try to get back by midnight."
"Thanks. I owe you one." Hugging me, Tori ran off with Andre. I waited until both were in the elevator before returning to my room.
Jade looked up from the magazine in her hands. "Where's Tori?"
"Checking out the pool." There. That sounded believable. It's hard to believe I used to be a terrible liar. Dealing with a psychotic parent tends to fix that.
"Pool?" Trina perked up. "I want to go to the pool."
"Count me out." Jade tossed the magazine aside and turned on the tv. "Some kid's probably peed in it."
"Eww, really?" Trina grimaced.
"Probably." I shrugged. "Failing that, Tori might check out the gift shop I saw near the restaurant."
"I'll pass on that." Trina snorted. "Everyone knows the best souvenirs when traveling abroad is designer clothes."
"I want a bone." Jade said seriously. "I mean it...If I happen to find a bone while at the Tower of London, I'm taking it."
"They're probably inside glass cases. You'll get arrested." I warned her. "It's not like the Catacombs of Paris."
"The security is too good at the Catacombs of Paris." Jade sighed, as if she's already tried to steal bones from it. "You take a step away from the tour guides or put your hands on the bone walls and they flip out."
"When did you go to Paris?" Trina asked her. "Was the shopping as good as they say?"
"I went with my parents when I was ten. I don't know how the shopping was. I had more important things on my mind."
"Like death?" Trina grimaced.
"Exactly."
Leaving them to talk, I slipped into the bathroom with my pajamas and toiletry bag. Freshening up, I spent a while watching whatever Jade was watching on the tv while waiting for my phone to charge. I wonder where Andre's taking her? London is one of the most amazing cities in the world. There's probably lots of romantic places to go.
Around eleven, just as Trina was wrapping up her nightly routine in the bathroom, Jade turned off the tv and checked her phone. "Okay, it's already eleven. Where's Tori?"
"How should I know?" Trina yelled from the bathroom. "I'm not my sister's keeper!"
"I was talking to Cat!"
I let out a silent breath, grateful the room's light had been turned off. If Jade could see my face, she'd probably be able to tell I'm struggling to come up with a lie. It's exhausting. I get why Jade might rat me out to ruin my vacation, but why would she rat out Tori? They've been getting along really well. And the odds of Trina doing something risky during this trip are fairly high. She knows better than to get her potential alibi put on a plane back to L.A.
"She could've run into Andre in the lobby." I suggested. "There's probably lots of places to hide around here."
Jade leaned over, so her face was illuminated by the lamp between us. She raised a brow. "Places to hide, huh? What do you know about that?"
"What? They can't be alone without doing something inappropriate?" I defended, not liking her suggestion.
"Oh, grow up." Jade fell back onto her bed. "We're all already eighteen or near it. We'll be graduating in a few months. Eventually, even prissy little Tori will want to start having sex."
"They're not even official, yet." I gaped. "Tori's not that kind of girl."
"How do you know what kind of girl Tori is? She spent all four years at Hollywood Arts avoiding serious relationships. Now, she's finally considering someone for more than just a one-time date. That means, at some point, they're probably going to have—."
Jade's comment was cut off my Tori entering the room. Throwing her purse on the floor by the tv, she started rooting around in her suitcase. Even from here, I could see her irritated expression. "What happened?"
"I don't want to talk about it." Grabbing something to wear and her toothbrush, Tori practically dragged Trina out of the bathroom.
"Okay, okay! I'm out!" Trina stuck her tongue out. Smoothing out her cucumber green face mask, she slipped under the covers next to me. Putting on her headphones, she plugged them into her phone. "Nobody disturb my beauty sleep. My group's checking out some place called Hamtown Court first thing in the morning."
"Hampton Court." I corrected. "It's a castle. I suggested it."
"Oh. That makes more sense." Trina seemingly went right to sleep.
Sitting up, I watched Tori sulk off to bed. She turned her back to me, only to remember she's sleeping next to Jade. Flipping back around, she gave me a sullen look. "Don't ask, okay?"
I nodded. Whatever happened, she may want to wait to say something until Jade and Trina are absent. Settling down, I tried to get to sleep as well. After what felt like hours of tossing and turning, I finally succeeded.