Jade walks into her house, she can't stop thinking about what her father has just said to her. She should be used to this kind of insults but she still cares although everyone is convince she doesn't. Her brother comes running towards her. „Do you know where mom is?", Jason asks.
„No, isn't she here?", Jade wonders.
„No... I slept at Ben's house, than I went to school with him and when I returned home noone was here", her little brother explains sadly.
„Have you eaten something?", Jade tries to stay calm. She tries to be nice to her brother because she mostly isn't. But he looks so worried right now and Jade cannot handle more stress right now. If her day wasn't bad enough already.
„I was waiting for mom to come and make dinner."
„Come on, I'll make you some. What do you want?", Jade offers while thinking about where their mother might be. What if something bad has happened to her?
„Pancakes!", Jason's face lights up.
„Fine, I'll make you pancakes and you'll finish your homework."
Jason nods and runs off. Jade immediatly grabs her phone and tries to call her mother. She is trying for the 5th time and still noone is answering. „Where the hell are you? It's Jade, your daughter, we need you!", Jade tells the mailbox. Jade smashes her phone on the table, luckily it doesn't break and she continues making pancakes. Jade brings Jason his plate. He is sitting in the dinning room doing his homework. He starts eating like he hasn't seen food for a whole week.
„Slow down! Hasn't Ben's mom made you breakfast and a lunch box?"
„She did. But pancakes are way better", he says with a mouth full of pancakes. Jade on the other hand is just playing with her food, with her thoughts being busy with other stuff.
„When have you seen mom the last time? Did she send you any text messages?", Jade breaks the silence.
„I saw her the last time, yesterday when you told me to get my things so I could sleep at Ben's."
That was the last time Jade has seen her as well. She tries to contact her one more time, but still nothing.
„Aren't you eating yours?", Jason asks.
„No, you can have it if you want!", Jade hass bigger probems than food right now. She can't believe it was just yesterday when she found out she has a sister. Her life got twisted around in less than 48 hours and there is nothing she can do about it. Jade just had her life under control, she was at a good point in her life. She was back together with Beck, her mental state was good, she and Tori got along (kinda) and she was actually doing really good at school. But then suddenly everything changed. Her father has ruined it again, like he always does.
„I don't understand my math homework", Jason complains. Jade takes a look at it. She spends the rest of the evening helping him with his homework and cleaning the house that smells like Whisky. After Jason finally goes to bed Jade tries to call her mother several times but still nothing. She sees that Beck has send her several text messages as well but she doesn't feel like explaining this whole mess to him. Jade is standing in the kitchen when all the things people have said about her come to her mind. Why can't you be like a normal person? Skank! And the freak! I am not happy in our relationship! I can't believe how jelous you get? Can't you do one thing right? Of course Tori gets the lead she isn't a heartless monster! Why would you be friends with Jade?
Jade really wants it to stop, she needs her thoughts to stopp!
You will never be good enough for anyone! You're ugly on the outside and on the inside! You're friends don't like you. They only pretend like they do. They prefer Katelyn over you. I mean who wouldn't? She beautiful, kind and talented. And what are you? A useless piece of shit. Even Beck would leave you for Tori or Katelyn! He doesn't love you. Nobody does. Especially not your family.
When Jade opens her eyes, she doesnt even know how this happened again. But she sitting alone in her room and she seems the blood running over her wrist. She swore she would never do that again but it made her thoughts stopp for a second and the warm blood feels so comfortably familiar on her skin. She hasn't cut herself in a long time. She has promised Beck to never do it again. The last time she did it was when Beck broke up with her but noone has noticed or cared back then. The time before that, it was Tori coming to Hollywood Arts, which made her incredibly insecure.
Hearing her phone ringing brings Jade back into reality. It is Beck, she cannot manage to speak to him in that emotional state. She would immediatly starts having a breakdown which would make Beck come over and bother him with her problems. Jade is conviced she needs to deal with this alone, so she denies his call and walks into the bathroom. She finds a bottle of black hair dye, she has bought and then forgotten about it. It's perfect. At least noone will be able to say that Katelyn and Jade look alike when Jade has no longer the natural brown hair they both used to share. So she takes the color and dyes her hair black.
The next morning her mother hasn't shown up yet. Jade is just preparing a lunch box for her brother as a call comes in. The number says unknown. Jade picks up the phone but let's the other person talk first.
„Hello, this is the principal of Hollywood Arts. Am I talking to Mrs. West?"
„Yes, you are", Jade is impersonation her mothers voice because she doesn't want her to get in trouble for leaving her children alone at home.
„Fantastic. Sadly we weren't able to reach you yesterday about the incident that happened between Katelyn and Jade."
„I am aware of that. I was busy working but I have it handled."
„That's great to hear but we wanted to inform you that if your daughter gets into any kind of trouble again she will be suspended."
Suddenly it's hard to breathe again for Jade. She can't leave Hollywood Arts, it's her last save place. She would have nothing left without it and her friends.
„Understood", Jade says under pressure and hangs up. She takes a deep breath trying to hold herself together.
After Jade has dropped her brother of at his school, she finally arrives at Hollywood Arts.
„Hey", Jade heads over to Beck and pecks his lips.
„New hair color?", Beck recognizes. Jade has almost forgot about it, but she still doesn't regret it.
„You look very beautiful", Beck says which lets an adorable smile appear on Jade sad face.
„But I still have to ask you where you have been yesterday? You and Katelyn disappeared from the rehearsal after your fight. I tried to to reach out to you but you ignored me."
„We got send home and about the rest I really rather not talk about", Jade explains tired of it all.
Beck lays his arm around her shoulder and they slowly walk to class. Jade feels save in Beck's arms until a sudden thought interrupts her peace.
„Was is fun to gossip about me with Katelyn yesterday?", Jade asks.
„Jade, what?", Beck asks confused.
„I saw you too, laughting. FLIRTING!"
„I was not-"
Jade is about to walk away. But Beck grabs her wrist gently to explain it to her. Jade still shrugs and Beck immediatly knows what's wrong. He pulls back her sleeve carefully and his concerned eyes meet Jade's.
„You promised to never do that again", he whispers so noone around them will hear it.
Jade takes his hand and leads them to the janitor's closet as she feels the tears in her eyes burning.
„Uhm... I was trying to... but...", Jade doesn't even know where to start, „My life was finally in a good place until Katelyn appeared and my dad moved in the house on the other street. She's miss perfect and everyone loves her, while they all hate me." Jade has just started crying, although she has tried so hard not to. „Yesterday it was all a bit too much for me... I will maybe loose the first lead role I got in years.... my mother is nowhere to be found and-"
Beck cuts her off: „Wait, where is your mother?"
„I don't know! I haven't seen her before I was driving to you. She was drunk on that day and I don't even blame her for that."
„Shhh", Beck rubs her back while letting her cry into his shoulder. He almost never sees Jade cry but when she does, he's glad she trust him enough to show her feelings.
Jade fixes her makeup and they both go to class. The day goes on like any other normal day at Hollywood Arts and Jade is secretly happy about it. She needs a break from all this drama, a few hours to rest and get a clear mind. It's lunch break and Jade is sitting in the band room, playing the piano, it always calms her down.
„There you are! I was looking for you", Beck enters the room, „Why aren't you sitting with the others outside?"
„I can't deal with Vega today", Jade explains continuing her piece.
„You cannot hide here forever", Beck says, sitting down next to her.
„Watch me!"
Jade gets a text, it's from her mother:
„Hi, honey.
Thank you for taking care of your brother and sorry I wasn't there. I want to apologize by making a family dinner today. I also invited your father, Katelyn and Karen so we can all get to know each other. See you later, darling. Have a nice day at school."
She can't be serious? This isn't an apology that's the living hell. Jade won't be able to survive this alone, so she asks Beck to join her.
„I don't know, it's a family dinner."
„You are family, kinda", Jade argues, „please!"
„Okay, fine."
„Yay."
Jade arrives home later than usual. She tried her best to avoid going home but now Beck and Jade walk through the front door.
„Where have you been? You're almost too late for dinner", Jade's mom asks.
„I could ask you the same", Jade says.
„Oh Beck, I haven't expected you to come. But sure, join us", Mrs. West ignores Jade's statement, „you two can go join the other in the dinning room. I will be there in a second."
The young couple enters the dinning room and everyone is staring at them.
„Hello, everyone. It's nice to meet you", Beck is polite as always. He has never met Jade's father before. But Jade just sits down and says with desinterest: „Yeah, hey. That's Beck."
Katelyn sits next to Jason, Jade's little brother and they seem to talk about something but Jade doesn' care. She wants to eat her food in silence and disappear in her room as soon as she can. Karen, Katelyn's mother keeps looking at Jade in a judgemental way. Jade hates it when someone stars at her, especially when it's someone she hates.
„Jadelyn, why have you decided to ruin your face with this metalic things? Is it because of your mother?", Karen wispers the last part.
Jade is about the flip the table but when she feels Beck's hand on her thigh as a sign to calm down, she manages to breath.
„My mother has nothing to do with it", Jade tries her best to stay polite.
„I like it", Katelyn says, getting immediatly a warning from her father. Melissa, Jade's mom, enters the room carrying plates of food.
„It smells fantastic", Katelyn says.
„Thank you, Katelyn, darling", Melissa says sitting down as well. Jade rolls her eyes. She looks around and realizes that the room is all clean, actually the whole house is super clean, flawless. Not that it is usually dirty but Jade's mother works a lot to have a enough money for the education of her children, so most of the time there is either laundy laying around or dishes to be done or just Jason's homework or toys lying around. But the house right now looks perfect, like she wants to cover up that she disappeared for no reason for two days! So we are just gonna act like everything is just fine? A perfect family?
„So how come you decided to move to here?", Beck asks which gets Jade back to reality.
„It is no secret that we didn't want Katelyn to get confused by this whole situation, so we decided to-", Katelyn's father gets interrupted.
„To not tell her that we exist?", Jade laughts ironically.
„Jadelyn, how many times do I have to tell you to not interrupt me!", her father tries his best to stay calm as well but everyone feels that there is tension in the air.
„I overheard a phonecall from dad and I wanted to know more about you guys. Especially since I am an only child and I always wanted sibling", Katelyn explains calmly.
„We saw that house and decided that this is the perfect opportunity for you guys to meet. Katelyn was begging about it like constantly", Karen continues. Jade has to laugh.
„How is it at your new school?", Jade's mom is trying to cover up Jade's laughter.
„It's okay I guess. I got the lead role for the play a friend from my class is doing. It is a very small play and we will only perfrom ones but I am still pretty happy about it."
„I would prefer sending you to law school", her dad comments.
„That sound amazing", Beck says, earning a mad look from Jade.
„I still think this drama school is the biggest joke about this", Katelyn's dad complains, „it's stupid. You shouldn't have let Jadelyn go there in the first place, Melissa! Jade would have prober education and a chance to get a job and Katelyn wouldn't try copy her stupidity!"
„That's enough! I am not gonna let you talk like that to my daughter!", Melissa shouts back.
„It was longer peaceful than expected", Jade whispers so only Beck can hear her.
„Beck, darling would you be so kind and get Jason ready for bed", Jade's mothers offers so he won't get involved in this mess.
„Come on, buddy! You've heard your mom. Let's go", Beck says leaving Jade alone. Jade's mom and dad start screaming at each other while Karen just plays with her fake blond hair.
Katelyn looks worried and dissapointed. „Welcome to this family", Jade whispers to Katelyn when their eyes meet. Katelyn stands up and leaves home with her mother following her.
„Look what you've done!"
„Oh! What I have done? Go run after them like you did before! You know where the door is! I never want to see you in my house again!", Melissa screams while heading upstairs.
„I will guide you outside", Jade says ironically politely.
As he is about to walk out he takes a look at Jade.
„What?"
„Don't look so happy. By the way, about your little boyfriend. He doesn't love you, why would he? He just uses you like a toy and if you weren't such a hoe you would see it! You're just like your mother", he leaves. Jade smashes the door shut, she feels the need to hit something or rather someone but she cannot hit her father. He's stronger than her. So she punches the wall and immediatly regrets it as the pain floats though her hand.
Jade walks to her room and finds Beck sitting on her bed.
„What happened?", he asks concerned while taking care of ther bleeding hand.
Jade refuses to believe what her father has just said about Beck. But words can hurt more than people think.