TORI'S POV:
After walking away from Jade backstage, I find myself grinning ridiculously.
"Someone looks happy," Andre says.
I look at him and smile more. "I am."
I see Beck and Meredith sitting with each other, which makes me happy because I know she really likes him. It also makes me happy because he showed up at Jade's house last night, and I'd prefer it if he focus his attention on a girl that isn't mine. Regardless of that though, I am really happy to see that he's hanging out with a girl as pretty, kind, and pure as Meredith is.
Andre comes onto the stage to give introduce himself and give an announcement, and his grandmother, Mrs. Harris, starts cheering him on. She means well. Then Trina shouts at her to quit screaming and they get into a screaming match, because you know, heaven forbid my sister not be the center of attention. I hope she doesn't do anything during Jade's performance, though I doubt that she will because it's so public. Quite frankly, she doesn't have the balls.
They finally stop screaming, after causing everyone to move away from them. I roam around a bit and say hello to people before finding a spot where I'll be able to see Jade's performance perfectly. I pour myself a cup of fruit punch and stand by the concessions table. It has a clear view of the stage and it's not too crowded. I stand around awhile, zoning in and out, before I notice Beck walking over to me. Instantaneously, I smirk at him.
"Hey," he says casually.
I reply with "Heyyyyyyy, so," I pat his arm playfully, "you and Meredith, huh? You guys gonna snoodle?" I tease and smile.
To my surprise, he replies with "There will be no snoodling."
"What?!" I throw my hands in the air to express my sarcastic anger yet actual confusion. "After everything I've done?! I was almost attacked with toilet paper!" I laugh and hit his arm some more.
He proceeds to tell me that while Meredith is nice, she's too nice, and he doesn't like that. I continue to jokingly give him a hard time about the situation. Quickly I begin to realize that he really isn't into the type of girl such as Meredith, and he begins explaining how he likes a girl who's vocal and isn't afraid to show it. A girl who's not afraid to fight back. I mean, me too, but...
"Why?" I ask to keep the conversation going.
"Because it's not easy," he claims. "Easy's boring."
I nod my head understandable. I agree, easy is boring. "Okay," I say. "I get that... So, who's not boring?"
Just then Jade's music starts playing and she confidently walks onto the stage. Wow, she's beautiful. I grin and take a couple steps closer to the stage to be closer to her. She sings the first line and glances over at me seductively, and I melt inside. I'm clapping to the beat and beaming back at her. She continues performing and leans the microphone stand forward, and I'm just drooling over her. Everything we've worked so hard for has prepared her for her moment to shine, and this is it. She's killing it, might I add.
♫ You push me back, I'll push you back.
She subtly winks at me and I blush dramatically. She can push me down anytime.
♫ Harder. Harder.
♫ You scream at me, I'll scream at you!
My attention breaks from Jade, who's making eyes and pointing at me, as Beck begins to walk toward the stage admiringly. It's almost as if... oh no. I look at him and back at her, pointing at him to make her aware. It's hard to tell if she even notices this or not, but knowing her, she probably is only fixated on performing and me.
I try not to think about how he's gawking at his ex, aka my current-secret-girlfriend, and how she originally wrote this song about him. It's about me now, not him, and I know that. However, there's this part of me that fears that what if performing it now before him is flooding back all of these original feelings she had towards him?
No. I'm not doing this. I refuse. I'm going to enjoy this show and be mesmerized by my stunning, badass girlfriend, regardless of Beck.
♫ And the longer that you stay the ice is melting.
♫ And the pain feels okay, it feels okay....
♫ Hey...
"Hey," I sing along.
♫ You push me back, I'll push you back.
There's a small breather in between lines and she lowers the mic to her side. She takes this moment to look me up and down and then smile big, before getting back to it. I can't help but notice that Beck thinks she's looking at him, and he responds with applause and an admiring look towards her. No, Tori. Stop it. Focus on Jade.
She catches my attention again when she walks downstage, stage left, right in front of where I'm standing, and looks deep into my eyes for the next part.
♫ You scream at me, I'll scream at you. Louder.
Oh my, is my imagination traveling with her right now.
♫ Louder, louder, louder, louder, louder, louder, louder, louder!
She nails the high note as she leans herself backwards, raising one leg up, and pours out everything she has. I scream proudly and raise my arm in the air to hype her up. God she can sing. She makes me feels all sorts of things and boy am I flustered.
♫ I'm dangerous, I'm warning you!
The only warning I need from you is a "CAUTION: Extremely Hot" sign.
♫ But you're not afraid of me...
No, I most certainly am not afraid of you.
♫ ... I think you know me.
I think you know me too.
I scream and applaud like a crazy woman. I'm so unbelievably proud of her, and am absolutely head over heels for her. She's smiling like crazy too, and soaking in the moment. But then she turns her head and looks over, and my smile quickly fades along with hers. I blink in disbelief and slowly stop clapping at what I see.
Beck has gotten onto the stage and is slowly walking towards her.
JADE'S POV:
I turn my head from the audience to find Beck walking towards me onstage. I look down quickly and fidget uncomfortably with my skirt before looking back up at him. He's looking at me with all sorts of love in his eyes, the way he used to. I can't help but to somewhat smile, but only because he was my first love. That doesn't change. My feelings for him, however, have. I don't feel that love for him anymore.
"I've missed you," he says.
My smile fades and I find myself flustered. What am I supposed to say and do? In front of everyone? I don't want to embarrass him, but I don't want him anymore.
"Beck," I start to say.
He puts his pointer finger up against my lips to shush me, then moves his hand to cup my face. I don't want this. He leans in to kiss me and I turn my head away, while the audience audibly gasps. Beck slowly releases his grip on me and takes a few steps back. He looks hurt and confused, the same way he did moments before we broke up. He runs his hand through his shaggy, dark hair and turns away.
"Beck," I say again. I don't even know what to say. What is happening? What made him do this all of a sudden? I'm mindful of the audience watching us more closely now, especially Tori.
He clears his throat. "I ... you were singing to me just now... so I thought..."
I furrow my brows confusedly and he notices. "You were looking directly at me, Jade?" He says.
I shake my head.
"Yes you were," he says, hurt.
"Beck, I wasn't looking at you," I say.
He tilts his head and questions me. "Well... who were you looking at then?" He turns to the audience and looks around as if to find the person.
I freeze.
"Well?"
"I- I can't tell you," I say. I'm shaking.
He remains calm and softly spoken, despite his hurting. He shakes his head, "Why can't you?"
I look around and bite my lip nervously. I look just past his shoulder and I spot Tori, also looking hurt and confused. I wish I could talk to her and ask what to do, but I can't. I just want her now.
"Jade?" He softly says again. I look at him as he says my name, and then I look back at Tori. This time he notices the sudden eye movements and turns around, but he still doesn't understand. He faces me once again and squints his eyes in confusion. Everyone is dead silent and I can feel panic arising inside of me. I want to run off, but I can't embarrass myself. I can't break down. I can't appear "weak" to everyone. I have a certain persona to maintain, even if it isn't accurate anymore. Just then, movement from the opposite end of the stage catches my eye, and I find Sikowitz standing in the wings. He nods his head at me and gives a warm smile. I nervously give a small smile back.
I am fearless. People are fearful of me. I am in control. I am powerful. I am not afraid.
I am Jade West.
I turn and grab the microphone and stare into the crowd.
"I'm sure everyone is wondering what's happening right now... I'm wondering that myself," I swallow. I see heads nodding, yet still no one says a word. I look at Beck. "Beck, I'm sorry... but I don't feel that way about you anymore." Once again, the audience is filled with sighs of sadness. He drops his head along with his gaze. "That's not all... I think you all should know something..."
I look at Tori once more, and her eyes are opened wide. We were just talking about how she doesn't want to hide anymore and that we shouldn't have to. And I hate to say it, but I think she's right.
"You were right," I say to her. Everyone's looking in the direction I am, trying to find who I'm looking at. I ignore them and continue. "We shouldn't have to hide... and I'm tired of hiding too," I feel my eyes begin to well up. Tori walks up onto the stage and passes Beck. The crowd begins to murmur quietly. I put the microphone back on its stand.
She walks right up to me and we smile at each other with tears in our eyes. I cup her face gently and wrap my arm around her waist to pull her into me. I focus my eyes on her and grin seductively, and then I firmly press my lips against hers. The audience is roaring with cheers and applause as our lips lock in front of everyone. We kiss for a little longer before breaking it. I don't want to give a show to people.
I grab the mic again once more. "I want everyone to know that this girl right here, Tori Vega, makes me the happiest person in the world. I love her more than anything in this world, and I would do absolutely anything for her." I smile at Tori and she has tears rolling down her face.
"I love you, too" she says. We give each other another big embrace, and the audience continues to applaud and support us. As the audience roars, we all exit from the stage and Andre takes over. Tori and I are talking excitedly with other people backstage when I turn and look at Beck, sitting alone on a prop couch in the corner.
"Go talk to him. Please," Tori says, putting her hand on my shoulder assuringly.
I fold my hands awkwardly as I walk over to him. "Hey," I say gently.
He doesn't look at me, but echoes back with a "Hey."
"I'm really sorry about all of that... I didn't realize it looked like I was looking at you-"
"That's not why I'm upset." He says.
I'm confused. "But... I thought..."
He looks at me. "I'm just upset you didn't tell me about... well, you, sooner."
I look down. "I didn't want you to worry."
He shakes his head. "Worry about what?" He asks.
"I thought that if I told you you would think our love was all a lie," I say.
He throws his hands up. "What? Jade, I loved you. I still do. I just thought we told each other everything. I thought that when we were together, I knew everything there was to know about you. It hurts me that you were afraid to tell me this one minuscule aspect of your life. I don't care who you love, I thought you knew that."
"Beck, I did know that. I just didn't know who I was myself, and I didn't want you to think I loved you any less or that I wanted to be with a girl instead of you. I didn't even know if I liked girls while we were together."
There's a long pause. "How long have you guys been together?"
I wait a moment. "Since a little after we started writing the short film."
He stands up suddenly and doesn't say anything. He paces a little. "So, that one day where you guys had that scene... was everything you said real?"
I nod. He nods too.
"Jade, I support you 100%. I wish you had told me last night when I went over, or at any other point. You know you can trust me and always come to me."
"That's just it, though. I can't simply just go to you. You're my ex-boyfriend, and I would never want Tori to worry or think otherwise. I don't want to jeopardize anything."
He nods. "I guess I understand that."
We're there in silence for a while before he speaks again. "I'm really happy for you, you know."
I smile, and he smiles back at me. "Thank you, Beck." We give each other a big hug. "You're sure you're okay?"
"I'll get there, yeah," he exclaims. "Now, let's get back to the action. This is your night, after all."
He guides me back over to the group of people and standing there now is Cat, Andre, and Robbie in excitement. They all give me hugs and talk about how they somehow never saw it coming (well, except for Cat), and Tori and I are both grinning ear to ear. We've come such a long way, and I couldn't be happier in this very moment.
"Thank you guys for supporting and loving is unconditionally, it really does mean a lot," Tori says.
"Of course!" Robbie says.
"Who wouldn't be?" Andre says figuratively.
Tori, Cat, and I all share a glance. The three boys look at us confused.
"Alright," Andre says. "Who do we have to fight?"