JADE'S POV - LIGHTING THE FUSE

I jumped when she touched me.

Just like the first time.

Couldn't be helped; her embrace was the most disarming thing on earth.

I really hoped she didn't see the tears that squeezed from my eyes.

When Tori Vega holds you, it's the greatest feeling. And when she stops...

...you just want to die...

But despite my outward appearance, depression isn't my style. So, what to do?

Simple. I get mean. I get even.

Tori's date didn't get the ending she wanted and that little bitch probably will never show her face here again.

I won, right?

(Interesting...you've said that to yourself before.)

Oh, yeah...

When we broke up, as far as our friends knew, it was mutual. I held my tongue and Vega hers as I moved my shit (or, most of my shit) out of the apartment. But it wasn't amicable. It was a disaster. Like the Titanic.

Don't buy into the hype of certain blockbuster movies!

Survivors who were finally believed about the sinking ship breaking apart gave a different account to what happened. We were led to believe by Hollywood that the great ocean liner cracked in the middle like an egg and that was that.

People who saw it would describe a more violent breakup, with pressure bursting and sparks flying. And examinations of the wreckage on the sea floor prove this.

Our breakup was pretty messy.

Vega started it but...to be fair...I made it so much worse.

There was an indie film crew wanting to make a short and post it on YouTube. But being a "no-budget" production, they had to film on location. And they needed an apartment to film in. The writer/director offered a part for Tori if they allowed to film the movie there.

There was just one little problem: she didn't tell me!

She was told that they were only going to need the space for a day, and I was working then. So, imagine my shock when I came home and saw a dozen film students milling about.

"Tori, THE FUCK?"

"JADE!" she jumped. "You're home early!"

"Who are all these fucking people?!"

Her face was so tight I thought her head was going to roll off her shoulders.

"Babe, there was this production...a short film...and they needed an apartment and since you were working...it would be empty, and I said they could use it and..."

I massaged the bridge of my nose.

"Tori...uh...did you forget that TWO PEOPLE live here? Didn't think to let me know?"

"I figured you wouldn't like it and since you weren't going to be here..."

"I AM NOT A CHILD, VEGA! You don't have to shelter me from reality! What, I'm supposed to be handled like an animal?" I paced around for a minute, ignoring the frightened faces around me. I pulled her aside, so we were close. "You should've told me!"

"I'm sorry, babe. Really."

That wounded face like a golden retriever who knows they messed up just cut through me.

"Okay, FINE!" I grumbled. "So... what are they paying you?"

"Well..." Tori was rubbing her hands together. "Like I said...it was an indie film crew so not much money."

I shrugged, arms folded.

"So, what? Barter then? What for?"

She pressed her lips together and hesitated before spilling the beans.

"They offered me a part."

I felt my eye twitch.

"A part?"

"Speaking but very, very small!" she pointed.

I weird sensation overtook me, and I found myself cackling like a maniac. That didn't settle the nerves of the film students, I'm sure.

Now, it all made sense! I figured they didn't just push this on Tori this morning. She must have known for who knows how many days? And she just kept that to herself, and for what? A stupid little part in a movie that nobody is ever going to see!

My girlfriend offered our apartment, lied to me and knowingly tried to keep me away because she wanted to be in this thing? Like she didn't upstage me enough back in school, now that we're an item, she's going to do something this underhanded? Was she afraid I'd get picked over her? Was that it?

I had one of those out-of-body experiences all of the sudden.

I just watched myself wander toward the camera, the operator fleeing naturally. Next thing I knew, I picked up the camera (tripod and all) and tossed it out the window.

In hindsight, I may have overreacted.