I'm The Boyfriend

What's Wrong With You?!

Tori and Cat were walking from the food truck to the tables with their lunches.

"And then my brother said-"

"Look, there's Jade." Tori pointed out to get Cat to stop talking about her weird older brother and his bacon phone.

Cat immediately frowned when she saw Jade sitting alone at a table. It wasn't uncommon for Jade to sit off by herself, but it was strange to her looking so despondent. "She's not smiling."

Tori frowned too. "Or glaring. She's just staring at the table. Come on, let's go sit with her." She smiled and nodded for Cat to follow her. She walked over to the table and sat down across from Jade.

"Hi." Cat said quietly as she sat down next to Tori. "Can we join you?"

Jade shook her head.

"Are you gonna yell at us to leave?" Cat asked with a pout on her face.

Jade shook her head.

"Or snap at us because you don't want us to sit with you?" Tori asked.

Jade shook her head.

"O-kay." Tori made a face as she opened the black container with her chicken Caesar salad in it. "Good lunch." She commented awkwardly. "Yum, chicken." She stabbed a piece of chicken and put it in her mouth. "Could you please say something?!" She blurted out.

Cat gasped at Tori's outburst.

Jade didn't look up from the spot she was staring at before they sat down. She didn't eat her lunch or even look at it since they decided to join her. She just kept staring at the spot beside her.

Cat looked at where Jade was staring and saw a little box. She reached for it and Jade finally snapped out of her stupor. She grabbed Cat's hand making the redhead gasp. "What's in the box?"

"That's none of your business." Jade snapped at Cat. It almost sounded like she was back to normal, but there was less bite in her tone. Instead she sounded like a little kid that was about to get caught with something they shouldn't have. She sounded scared.

Tori slowly chewed her lettuce as she watched things play out between Cat and Jade, surprised when Cat glared at Jade and took on a tone very unlike her.

"Show me." Cat demanded. "Now."

Jade went pale and her hand shook as she pulled it back from Cat's. "It's nothing. Ethan got me a ring."

"A ring?!" Tori nearly spit out her water.

"Not that kind of ring." Jade rolled her eyes. "It's just a promise ring or whatever." She said pulling the box closer to her and out of Cat's reach.

"Aw that's sweet." Tori smiled.

"No, it's a lie." Cat stated. "You lied."

"No, I didn't." Jade said, but she was looking at Tori instead of Cat.

"Yes, you did. You're looking away!"

"I'm looking at Vega."

Tori felt a tension forming at the table and suddenly wished she sat elsewhere.

"But you were lying." Cat frowned. "What's in the box Jadey?"

Jade turned her head to look Cat in the eyes. "It's a present from Ethan."

Cat could tell Jade wasn't lying, but she also knew it wasn't something good so she stood her ground. "What is it?"

"A gift. Stop being so nosy."

"Show me what it is."

"Cat, if Jade doesn't want to show you, you can't make her." Tori chimed in.

"Thank you, Tori." Jade gave Tori one of her signature smiles that looked more like a smirk. "I'm done eating so leaving." Jade grabbed her black container that still had a full hoagie in it and the small box to her left, but this time Cat was the one who grabbed Jade.

Tori gasped. Her eyes widened as she waited for Jade to retaliate. "Umm."

"Show me or I won't let you leave."

"We have Sikowitz soon."

"Sikowitz can wait. Show me."

"Don't push me, Cat." Jade glared at her.

"Cat started to feel scared, but she refused to back down. "I will if I have to, now show me what's in that box."

"Cat, maybe you should let Jade go." Tori gulped. She really didn't want to get in the middle, but she also didn't want Cat to feel the wrath of Jade West.

"Why do you care?" Jade asked. She didn't snap and there was no anger in her tone, in fact her voice cracked a little.. like it did the first time she broke up with Beck and begged Tori to help her. "You said you'd be happier if we weren't friends." Her voice cracked again and her eyes were getting misty.

"What?" Cat gasped. "I never said that."

"Yeah right. Ethan told me what you said." Jade snapped at her best friend.

Tori stood up and in a moment of bravery and concern she reached across the table for the box Jade got from her boyfriend. Since Cat was still holding Jade the scary girl couldn't stop her.

Tori opened the box and confused she turned to Cat. "Is this a pocket knife?"

Cat gasped loudly.

"I guess that's a cute gift." Tori shrugged. "But why did you say it was a ring?"

Cat stared at Jade until the taller girl who was far more intimidating gulped and faltered under the redhead's gaze.

"Why would Ethan give that to you?" Cat asked clutching onto Jade's hand so she couldn't run away. "Does he know?"

Jade couldn't respond. She froze.

"If he did he shouldn't have given you that." Cat squeezed her hand. "Tell me."

Jade looked down at their hands. She stared at Cat's hand linked with hers.

"Jade." Cat whispered sadly. "Why?"

Tori was confused, but something told her she shouldn't give the pocket knife back so she slipped it in her pocket.

"Why won't you answer me?" Cat was near tears, but Jade just kept staring at their hands. "What's wrong with you?!" Cat walked around the table without letting go of Jade's hand, she just pulled it with her, until she was beside Jade.

Jade kept staring at the spot on the table where their hands were.

"Answer me! Please!" Cat shook Jade with one hand. "Why won't you respond?! What's wrong with you?! Tell me!" She screamed and she shook the girl dressed in all black. "Jadey!"

Tori noticed people were starting to stare and she knew Jade wouldn't want an audience. "Cat, we should all get to Sikowitz. The bell is gonna ring soon."

Cat frowned. "What did he do to you?"

Jade kept staring at the table not saying a word while Tori pulled Cat away. She walked Cat away from the table.

"Tori, what's going on?"

"I can't talk right now Beck."

"Is Cat crying? Is Jade okay?"

"Sorry Beck, but I should help Cat wash up before class." Tori said pulling Cat to walk with her as she passed Beck. "Oh, but um I don't know why but I feel like I shouldn't give this back to Jade so can you take care of it for me? Ethan gave it to her." Tori pulled the knife out of her pocket and handed it to Beck. "Gotta go. I'll see you in class. Kay, Come on, Cat."

Beck's hand clenched into a fist around the knife. "Ethan." He said with disdain.