Of Scissors And Scooby Doo

Chapter 31

The atmosphere in the car was tense, our quiet breathing filling the silence that had been going on ever since Jade stopped the car two houses before her own. Our gazes were locked on the sleek car standing in front of Jade's house, unmoving and quietly. When we left my house to escape Trina's incessant babbling about how "it's so unfair that Tori's allowed to stay over at goth lady's place", we actually thought that Jade's home would give us the tranquility we craved. But I guess with a probably very upset ex-boyfriend sitting and waiting in his car for Jade to come home canceled out any peace and quiet. Yeah. Knowing Jade's temper it was probably going to get loud.

"Should we... turn back?"

I managed to rip my eyes away from Beck's car long enough to briefly glance at Jade sitting in the driver's seat. A muscle in her cheek flickered as she stared straight ahead and one part of me wished she would just say yes and we'd drive back to my house, no matter how annoying Trina was being at the moment. Yes, I knew... I knew we had to face our friends eventually and I knew we especially had to deal with Beck in a different way. But now, I just... I wasn't ready for it. What if Jade would realize – once again – that she still loved him? That... that maybe, in her eyes, he was the better choice. I couldn't go through this again. It hurt too much the last time and should history repeat itself... I wouldn't be able to handle it.

A loud breath pulled me out of my thoughts and I watched Jade's hand relax its hold on the steering wheel. She turned to look at me with troubled eyes and pursed lips, then shook her head at me. "We should just get it over with, right? At least then... the hardest part is over. Right?"

I bit my lip. Right. She was right. Come on, Tori. There was nothing to fear. Even if Beck would fall to his knees and beg for Jade to take him back, Jade wouldn't leave me. I just had to believe in that. Believe in her. So with a still slightly hesitant nod I answered her question and took in a deep breath when Jade started the car back up. Slowly, with a Ke$ha song playing on the radio, she drove the remaining distance to her house. As we passed Beck's car I risked a look inside and felt my heart almost stop when he looked up from his lap and his eyes met mine through the glass of both of the cars' windows. I breathed out a sigh, shaky and nervous, when Jade parked the car in her driveway and shut the engine off. I could hear a car door opening, then slamming shut outside.

Beck.

"Ready?"

Okay, maybe we should have driven back to my house after all. My heart was pounding way to strongly, there's no way I could-

"Tori!"

"What?" I snapped my wide eyes over to Jade, annoyance shaping her face.

"I asked if you were ready."

The words spewed out of my mouth before I could even think about what I was saying. "No, I think I'm close to a very severe heart attack."

All Jade did was roll her eyes. "Jesus, Tori. He won't kill you."

I wasn't so sure about that. In a matter of seconds Jade had unbuckled her seatbelt and was out of the car, waiting for me to get out too. Why was I so freaking nervous? I did nothing wrong. Neither did Jade. There was nothing Beck could accuse us of. I got out of the car and gently closed the door. My eyes immediately moved to Beck, who was leaning against the side of his car with his arms crossed and eyes fixed upon... Jade. His lips, usually pulled into a smile, were drawn downwards today. For just a moment his gaze traveled over to me, before he glanced at the floor and pushed himself off the car to make his way to his ex-girlfriend. I stayed where I was, glued to the passenger's side of Jade's car, while I watched Beck stroll across the green lawn. Beck's eyes dropped to Jade's hand as he came to a stop directly in front of her. I swallowed. "Does it still hurt?"