Beck Oliver leaned back in his chair, the heat of the studio lights pressing down on him. The set was alive with movement, cameras being adjusted and assistants darting around him. Beck watched it all with a detached calm. He'd grown used to this kind of chaos, thriving in it even. Being an actor meant you had to. But as he waited for his next scene, his phone buzzed on the table beside him, pulling his attention away.
The notification was from Tori's event page, another update about the reunion. He'd seen the invite weeks ago but hadn't decided whether he'd go. Part of him wanted to—he missed those days, those people. But another part of him wasn't sure he wanted to face what he'd left behind, or more specifically, who he'd left behind.
Jade.
It had been years, but even now, the thought of her brought a familiar ache. Their breakup had been inevitable, everyone had seen it coming, but that didn't make it any easier.
Beck had never planned on going to college. It wasn't that he wasn't smart enough; he just didn't see the point. His life revolved around acting, auditions, and the dream of making it big. He'd done commercials, guest roles, even a stint as the lead in a short film that went nowhere. It wasn't glamorous, but it was his passion.
Jade, however, had other ideas. "Ambition," she'd called it. She didn't care how talented he was; without a plan, it was all meaningless to her. "If you're going to keep auditioning for dog food commercials, you might as well get a degree while you're at it," she'd said one night, exasperated.
Beck had agreed, mostly to appease her. He'd enrolled in a local college, taking general education classes while still juggling auditions. It didn't last. By the end of the first semester, he was failing most of his classes and barely showing up. Acting was all he wanted to do, and school felt like a waste of time.
When he was finally kicked out, it was the last straw for Jade. They'd fought, the kind of fight that wasn't just about the moment but about everything that had been building up for years. She called him unmotivated. He called her controlling. The words were harsh, but the truth was even harder to face: they wanted different things.
The breakup wasn't explosive. There were no dramatic ultimatums or tears. It was quiet, almost clinical. Jade packed up her things from his RV, and walked out. He didn't try to stop her.
Jade West hadn't looked back. Well, not much. The first few weeks were hard, her phone filled with unsent texts and unanswered calls. But she threw herself into college, her classes, and her scripts. By the time she graduated, she'd already sold her first script, a dark indie drama that made waves on the festival circuit.
For Jade, college wasn't just about academics; it was her escape, her proving ground. She'd gone in determined to make something of herself, to channel her sharp wit and darker sensibilities into something tangible. And she had. She'd built a career, a name for herself, and she didn't need anyone else to do it.
Still, there were moments, late at night when she'd let herself think about Beck. It wasn't regret, exactly. She knew their breakup had been the right choice. But there was a softness to those memories, a fondness for the boy who had been her partner in crime, her confidant, her first love. She didn't want to face him again. But maybe it wouldn't be the end of the world. It would be nice to see the others.