could have been → beck & jade

could have been (o/s)

Alone again, you go away

Jade West was alone again, just like so many nights before. Curled up in her bed, she clutched her bunnies close, her chest heaving with silent sobs. Beck was supposed to be the one who understood her better than anyone else, her safe place, her anchor. But now, he was the source of her deepest pain-a pain that seemed to have no end.

Whiskers, her real bunny, nestled snugly in her arms, its tiny nose twitching as if sensing her sorrow. Jade's other companion-a worn, pale-cream plush bunny from her childhood-lay discarded beside her. Its button eyes, dulled by years of love, stared blankly into the room, a mute witness to her heartbreak.

The tears flowed steadily, a ceaseless stream of fear and regret. She was terrified of losing the best thing that had ever happened to her, the one person who made her feel whole. The room was filled with the haunting strains of a familiar song by Linkin Park, playing on a loop. It was one of the first songs Beck had introduced her to, back when everything was simpler, when their love felt like it could conquer anything.

What do you mean that you don't know?
It's obvious you think you do
You think it's best to choose loneliness
Afraid of what's right in front of you

Beck was supposed to love her-unconditionally, without hesitation.

So why had they started arguing to the point where even simple conversations became battles? When had the connection they once cherished turned into this exhausting cycle of misunderstandings?

It all began with the start of junior year, the time when their futures seemed to loom large, demanding decisions that neither of them felt fully prepared to make. Beck and Jade had tentatively agreed on a plan-to attend Juilliard together, or at the very least, to move to New York, the epicenter of stage acting. It was Jade's idea, her escape from a city that held too many painful memories. Los Angeles, with its false promises and ghosts of her past, was a place she couldn't bear to stay in any longer.

Beck had never seriously considered New York. When he and his parents emigrated to the States, Los Angeles had always seemed like the perfect place to chase his dreams of becoming a movie star. But over time, thanks to Sikowitz's unconventional teachings and Jade's unwavering belief in him, the allure of the theater world began to grow on him. And Jade-Jade was the love of his life. He had always imagined they would face the world together, wherever that might be. As long as they were side by side, happiness seemed inevitable.

But all of that started to unravel on that damned night in Robbie's basement-the night they tried weed for the first time. What was supposed to be a harmless experiment turned into the catalyst for a downward spiral neither of them could have predicted.

Go

What can I do when you turn away
Except close the door
And figure out how I'm gonna try again
Play it through to be with you
But alone again it's how it's gonna end

Go (you go)

Robbie's basement was buzzing with that mix of excitement and nerves you get when you're about to do something totally new. The gang had decided to try weed for the first time, and it felt like some kind of unofficial rite of passage. The room was dim, with some chill music playing-of course, Robbie had made a playlist just for this.

Jade was curled up next to Beck on the beat-up couch, his arm around her like always. They were all tangled together, totally comfortable, like they'd been doing this forever. Everything felt perfect-just them, their friends, and a night that could go anywhere.