This is the penultimate chapter - enjoy!

Despite living together, and the additional fact that this wasn't exactly a secret, Beck and Jade had been travelling to school separately. One would drop Toby off on the way, whilst the other would drive with an empty car that they tried not to think too hard about. It wasn't exactly environmentally friendly, or the most efficient system, but they needed their distance. After all, they weren't together, and they weren't friends. They were co-parents, that's all.

Therefore, when they arrived at school, Beck waiting at his car for Jade, the passenger princess, to join him, assumptions were quickly made that they were back together. The more cynical members of the student body decided that Jade's car had simply broken down, or that she was leeching more off Beck by using his gas as well as his home. However, the addition of their close conversations, and a return of the protectiveness over Jade which had seemingly returned to Beck's demeanour, made this explanation more difficult.

Andre had expected Beck to immediately take him aside and explain that he and Jade were back together. Despite being a surprise to all, it kind of made sense, when one thought about it. Beck had just returned from Canada after two weeks away, and absence does make the heart grow fonder, after all.

However, Beck did nothing of the sort, only greeting his friends after his time away, and asking for updates on all that he'd missed.

Andre was a little confused. It was clear that something had happened. Beck's eyes were rarely far from Jade, and she appeared equally eager to remain close to him. It wasn't a dependency as such, but a seeming return to the innate love that had unconsciously flowed between them over the years. If they weren't already back together, then it had to be on the cards soon, at least.

After a day of fervent curiosity, he decided that enough was enough, pulling Beck aside and outright asking him whether he and Jade were back together.

But to his surprise, Beck shook his head.

"What? But you two have been practically joined at the hip today. And every time you look at her, it's so obvious you love her."

"I do love her." Beck replied, nonchalantly. Andre was taken aback.

"So do something about it."

"I will, when the time is right." Beck shrugged. "Look, Jade and I have talked, and right now there are things that are more important than getting back together. I love her so much, and I want the best for her, which right now is not a relationship. But we're good, better than we've been."

"Wow, man, that's really… I don't know, adult, of you."

Beck shrugged. "We grew up when we had Toby. I think it just took me a little longer to realise."

Andre mulled over this point for a moment. "So you're really not back together?"

Beck shook his head. "But I wouldn't exactly call myself single, I don't know. All I know is that I don't want anyone else. My priority is Jade and Toby. No one else comes close."

Andre gave him a small smile. "I'm glad."

Beck paused for a moment, swallowing, as if there was something dry in his throat. "Look, man, I just wanted to say thanks. Thank you. I think you realised long before I did just how important those two are. I'm ashamed of that, but it's true. I prioritised the wrong things in life, and you tried to push me towards the right path. That means a lot to me. You're a true friend."

Andre smiled, much larger this time. "I tried to push you in the right direction, but it was you who had to make that decision. I'll always be a friend of someone who makes the right choices."

Beck smiled back, and suddenly took Andre by surprise by embracing him.

"Thank you."

"Of course."

"But if you ever again let Jade get carried away by a balding man in a diaper I will kill you."

Andre gulped as he felt the hug tighten. "Message received."

At the same time, Jade was doing her own post-Prom atonements. Her biggest priority in life was Toby, and Beck also held a certain stance of importance, regardless of whether or not he was her boyfriend, but then came Cat. She was, and would always be, one of the dearest people to Jade's heart, and someone for whom she'd go to the ends of the Earth to make happy.

The look on her best friend's face had haunted her when she'd last seen her at the prom. She knew that sometimes she went too far, but seeing Cat's disapproval was the one thing that tipped over her from stubborn defensiveness to guilty repentance.

Her first point of call on Monday morning was, therefore, to find the redhead and, once again, make amends. It felt a little crushing to, yet again, be seeking out Cat for such poor reasons, but she knew the importance of such an action. For now, she would swallow her pride and say what needed to be said, and how she honestly felt. In the future, she would try to act more accordingly so that it wasn't necessary, she silently promised herself just as much as those whom she cared about.

"I know I fucked up." She explained to Cat, once she'd scouted her out, and convinced her to listen.

Cat winced at the language, momentarily reminding Jade of the differences between them. Not that she'd change her friend for the world, of course.

"I went too far, with the prom and Tori." She continued. "I…" she sighed. "I don't know, to be honest. I want to come here and explain my actions, but I don't know how. To be honest, I'd usually want to come to you and explain why my actions were justified, but I know that that's not the right thing to do."

She looked at Cat then. "I know I'm not a very good person. I make no apologies for being unapologetically me, and I don't care if I ruffle a few feathers by standing up for what I believe in, or being a little different. But I know that there's a difference between that and being a… well, being an asshole." She chewed her lip.

"I don't know if baby hormones made me develop a conscience or something." She laughed half-heartedly. "But, I don't know, I find myself not wanting to be this shitty person that no one likes. I want to do the right things. I find myself wanting to do right by Toby, and wanting to make him happy and proud, and then I see myself in, like, third-person, and I think 'who the hell would be proud of that?'"

"You're wrong." Cat shook her head, taking Jade by surprise.

"I think you're a good person." She continued. Jade raised an eyebrow.

"I don't think a bad person would care so much about doing the right thing."

Jade shook her head, defiantly. "But I don't - I haven't, anyway. Not, like, historically."

Cat shrugged. "You care now. It's never too late to do the right thing."

Cat was so exuberantly positive, Jade thought. It made her feel even more guilty for constantly letting her down; letting down the person who steadfastly believed in her goodness.

"I shouldn't have tried to mess up Tori's prom." Jade admitted.

"So why did you?" Cat asked. She sounded more like a therapist than someone who was genuinely inquisitive, and Jade played along.

"I just wanted her to feel the same disappointment and hurt I did when my play was overrode. It just didn't feel fair that she'd get to frolic around all happy whilst I just had to sit there and pretend that it wasn't completely unfair that they cancelled my play for prom."

"For the record, I also think that it was unfair." Cat replied. "From the teachers mainly, but I also think Tori should've been more sympathetic. But then… what did you gain from trying to mess up her prom? What was done was done - you weren't going to get your play back."

Jade sighed. "But I might've got some of the same gratification I would've gotten if it'd gone ahead. Seeing Tori finally feel like the world doesn't just fall at her feel - I think that would've felt good."

"Really?" Cat asked, quizzically. "Do you really believe that, Jade?"

It wasn't often that people challenged Jade on those kind of things. On most topics, those around her were too scared to challenge her on anything, really. And then, on these kind of topics, she never really voiced them outside of her own head. It made sense to her that what she thought would be, essentially, what she thought. It had never occurred to her that what she thought she desired was not actually what would make her happy.

"I don't know." Jade said, genuinely, looking up at Cat.

"I don't think it would've." Cat mused. It was moments like these that Jade wished that others could see, so they knew just how much smarter Cat was than the credit they gave her for, whilst simultaneously savouring as something only she and select others were privy to.

"It might seem like everything goes right for Tori, but it doesn't. Money and family are straightforward for her, and teachers listen to her, but she doesn't have your drive, your uniqueness, or even a hint of your talent, Jade. You work so hard, and I know you think that's because you have to, and you do, but I think it's actually because that's just the kind of person you are. Regardless of your circumstances, you always would've worked your butt off to be good at everything you do. And you're so caring."

Jade scoffed.

"I mean it! You're the only person that really gets me, and that's because you try to get me. No one else bothers to look past what they see and hear, but you do. You don't know how much that means to me."

Jade caught Cat's eye and they shared a smile that felt more important than any words exchanged.

"Thank you." Jade said. "From you, especially, that means the world. I love you, honestly. I'm the worst at showing it, but I do."

"I know." Cat replied, grasping Jade's hand and giving it a squeeze. "And I love you, and Beck loves you, because of all the qualities that make you, you. Tori doesn't have any of those, and that's okay, because she's not you. She's my friend, but she isn't you. No one could ever replace you, Jade. And I would never let anyone try."

A sole tear slipped down Jade's cheek, which Cat pretended not to notice. Instead, she focused her attention on the way that Jade squeezed her hand in return, moulding them together.

"Hey, sorry to interrupt."

Jade whipped her head around, the movement wiping away the tear for her. She almost cursed herself for her vulnerability as she saw Andre and Robbie awkwardly lurking, before reminding herself that she shouldn't regret such a meaningful exchange with her best friend. The emotions she had shared with Cat were authentic and important. Cat would always rank over her pride.

"Jade, I… we-" Andre continued, gesturing to Robbie. "-We wanted to apologise for Prom night."

Jade raised an eyebrow. It wasn't often that these roles were reversed, and she was particularly surprised that, after her display on Saturday, anyone would be particularly keen to show her any compassion.

"We were mad about what you did, with Tori-" Robbie explained.

Now that - that was much more expected.

"-but it's inexcusable that we let that creepy guy carry you off."

Jade was genuinely surprised. It had been terrifying, sure, and she had embarrassingly cried a little into Beck's soothing arms the previous night when she had explained to him the series of events. Nothing had happened of course, she was fine, and she would feel herself turning pink at the idea of making a fuss over it. Beck had been outraged, once he had made sure his hair strokes and gentle shoulder kisses had calmed her down. He had encouraged her to make a police report, or at the very least complain to Doug's employer, but Jade had hastily rejected every idea. She just wanted to forget the whole escapade, she'd explained; everyone else had, anyway.

Cat ran a thumb over the back of Jade's hand, as if to join in with the sympathy. She'd been performing at the time, and had likely not even seen Doug carry Jade off, but she was too empathetic not to join in with the guilt.

Jade shrugged. "It's whatever."

Robbie, mild-mannered, scrawny and nervous Robbie, then took her by surprise.

"No it's not." He affirmed, in a voice so firm that it almost seemed to knock him back.

Jade looked up, mildly startled.

"It wasn't right. You could've been in real danger, Jade. We aren't good friends if we let that kind of thing happen."

"We aren't good men." Andre added.

"It's not like I was a particularly good friend that night, either." Jade shrugged.

"That doesn't matter." Andre replied. "We care about you, Jade. We want you to be safe, even if you mess up. We promise to do better in the future. I hope you don't do something awful, but I want to be the kind of guy that makes sure girls are always safe, both when they act like an angel, and when they act like a devil."

Robbie nodded his head, emphatically.

Jade smiled, amused. "Apology accepted." She then looked over, almost wistfully, into the crowd of students. "Now, I think it's time for my own."

She then, with an air of returned assurance, rose from her seat and left the trio of people she could confidently call her friends… and towards someone to whom she had never considered giving that title.

Tori had, quite surprisingly, been sat alone in the Asphalt Café, poring over one of her exercise books. It was rare to see her in the solitude that was far more characteristic of Jade, but Jade guessed that she had only recently been left by Robbie and Andre when they had sought her out to apologise.

"Hey Tori." She said nonchalantly, sitting down across from Tori. Tori looked up in surprise, which only grew when she realised who it was that had joined her.

"Jade?"

"Correct."

"What… what are you doing?"

Jade shrugged. "Sitting."

"I mean what are you doing here? With me?"

Jade sighed. "Look, I think we need to have a conversation."

Tori's eyes widened like a deer in headlights.

"Don't look so scared." Jade shook her head. "Look, I think we both have a few things to say, and it's not doing either of us any good keeping our feelings in all the time."

Tori still looked sceptical.

"Alright, I'll go first." Jade relented. "I'm sorry I tried to mess up your prom. That wasn't cool. I'll admit that you worked hard on it, and it wasn't right for me to try and make that all for nothing."

After a pause, Tori nodded slowly, finally realising that Jade was being genuine.

"Thank you. That- I've got to be honest, that surprises me, Jade. I hadn't expected you to feel bad about it."

Jade shrugged. "Maybe you don't know me that well."

Tori shook her head. "I don't. I guess… I guess I have an image of you in my head. I mean, you haven't exactly been nice to me-"

Jade raised an eyebrow.

"-but I know that I don't really, fully know you. Especially from the way that Cat and Beck talk about you. I definitely don't know that Jade."

"I take a while to warm up to people." Jade admitted. "I don't want everybody thinking they know me. And you didn't exactly arrive here at an ideal time."

"No, I guess not." Tori sighed. "I'm sorry that we got off on the wrong foot. I think… I think I just had a lot of ideas about what my time would be like here, and then when you came, it kind of threw a spanner in those works."

"You mean about Beck?" Jade asked, with a half-smirk.

Tori's stomach dropped, and she mumbled out some unconvincing denials.

"Relax." Jade groaned. "I know you've had a crush on him."

Tori flushed pink.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but you're allowed to have a crush, Tori. He's hot, I know. And he's pretty cool."

Tori remained uncomfortable. She wasn't even sure what the situation was between Beck and Jade; they'd certainly seemed pretty close all day. It felt as though she was being put through a nail-biting test with very severe potential consequences.

"You shouldn't have tried to get in there." Jade continued. "But, as much as it was hard for me at the time, and honestly, still now, I can't really get mad at you for having feelings for him. You're human. He's… him."

Tori looked up, catching Jade's gaze once the latter girl had broken out of her wistful reverie.

"I'm sorry." She said, softly. "I shouldn't have encroached on your relationship that much, baby or no baby. I'm not- I don't want to be that girl."

Jade nodded. "You don't have to be. You're only seventeen, there's no rush."

Tori sighed. "I just got a little caught up in it all. This school… this life, it's so… unreal. I just thought that maybe I could be in love with it all, and a person at the same time."

"And you will. But you don't need to. Relax a little - enjoy the life."

Tori nodded. Jade was right, she guessed. Why get so caught up in being in love with someone when there was so much before her that she just… loved. Being romantically loved would have been great, sure, but she was platonically loved by Andre and Cat and Robbie and Beck and maybe one day Jade, too?

"Beck was a lost cause from the beginning, anyway." Tori chuckled. "No matter how much I tried to convince myself that you weren't right for each other, the plain truth is that he's so irrevocably in love with you. You're the only one for him, Jade; I'm not sure he could ever fall out of love."

Jade smiled, softly. It wasn't a wide, gleeful grin, as though she'd been told some excellent news that she wouldn't otherwise have known, but it wasn't a sad smile either. Tori found it exceptionally hard to read.

"Beck and I have a lot to work out." Jade said, quietly. "But we'll always be in each other's lives. Toby deserves his happiness, and we'll both go to the ends of the Earth to ensure that he gets it."

Tori smiled, and found that this wasn't just a knee-jerk polite reaction. Since learning of his existence, she'd always found it rather awkward whenever Toby was brought up, as though he was a physical reminder that Jade and Beck were inseparably linked. However, now, she felt genuinely happy at the idea that that innocent child had two people on his side who were doing the utmost to prioritise him. She wasn't sure whether that referred to Beck and Jade being back together, but there was a profoundly gratifying feeling in the realisation that she was okay with the answer, whatever that might be. She still had feelings for Beck, life wasn't that easy, but she knew that her life wasn't over just because they were never going to be together. And the idea of him and Jade getting back together didn't feel world-shattering. Ultimately, the idea didn't need to be easy to digest, it just needed to be possible, and it was.

"I'm sorry about your performance." Tori added, sensing that it was probably the right time to extend her amend-making.

Jade smiled. "It's alright. I'm getting it put on next weekend, so Beck will be able to see it too. And I think the student body probably preferred the chocolate fountain to the blood fountain anyway."

Tori caught her eye once again and they shared another smile.

They weren't exactly friends, sure, but that didn't mean they had to be enemies. Onlookers found it hard to believe that the pair were even talking, let alone somewhat amiable.

But if Jade had learned one thing in her life, it was that she didn't need others to believe in anything. Because she did, and that was what mattered most.