Tiny Dancer

1.12 Cat's New Boyfriend

Jesse, Beck, and Jade are standing in the hallway talking between classes when she suddenly cuts off in the middle of a sentence.

"Jade?" Jesse prompts. He shares a confused look with Beck when she doesn't answer, too busy staring at something behind them.

"What's wrong?" Beck asks.

When she still doesn't answer, they turn to see what she's looking at. Jesse smiles to himself in realization when he sees Tori talking to a guy none of them know.

"Uh-oh," Beck says quietly.

Neither of them is surprised when Jade starts in the pair's direction with a mischievous smirk but hard eyes.

Jesse sighs and grabs Beck hand, tugging lightly so they can follow her. "Come on. We better make sure she doesn't cause too much damage."

"A jealous Jade is a dangerous one," he says agreeably.

They reach them in time to hear Tori finishing an explanation of her impromptu audition for Hollywood Arts.

"-tongue got all big and swollen and... here I am."

"So, who's that?" Jade interrupts, pointing at Tori's friend.

"Uh, this is Danny," Tori introduces.

He waves. "Hey."

Beck lifts their linked hands. "S'up?"

"Why are you talking to Tori?" Jade asks with a sharp smile.

Jesse frowns at her. "Be nice."

"It was a simple question," she says defensively.

Danny looks at Tori like he's waiting for her cue.

"He goes to my old school," she explains.

"Sherwood," he tacks on.

"He... was my boyfriend," she goes on.

"Girlfriend," Danny adds awkwardly.

Jesse immediately looks at Jade. "Don't do it," he says quietly.

Jade completely ignores him. "So, why'd you dump her?"

Jesse groans in defeat and hides his face in Beck's shoulder while Beck just closes his eyes for a second with a sigh. "Jade..."

"Can I guess?" she asks as she makes her way to Tori's side. "'Cause I got a lot of guesses."

"Um, actually," Danny says over Tori's quiet protests, "Tori broke up with me."

"Oh," Jade says simply. She smiles. "And how did you celebrate?"

Jesse sighs to himself as he pulls away from Beck's arm but has to bite back a laugh when he sees how much more genuine Jade's smile has become. A glance at Beck shows him in a similar situation.

Jade's a good actress but she can't fool them. They know her too well for that.

Tori looks at her in frustration. "Do you ever take a day off?"

"So," Beck says before they can start arguing, "what'cha doing here?"

"Yeah. What are you doing here?" Tori asks with a confused frown.

"Well, I've kinda been dating this girl that, you know, goes here." Danny starts to look around. "I was supposed to meet her-"

He's cut off by a familiar squeal from an equally familiar redhead.

"Daniel!"

Cat hurries down the stairs and throws herself at Danny who easily catches her in his arms. Tori's mouth drops open in shock when the two of them kiss.