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Yes, I'm back. I know it's been FOREVER, but I promise I'm going to make up for it with multiple updates. Anyway, Jade and Trevor have obviously made progress in their relationship. This was a really fun chapter to write. Remember to favorite and review. Thanks for reading and enjoy.

Rated T to be safe.

Disclaimer: I do not own Victorious!

Chapter 15- Dinner is Served

Jade's Pov.

"Well, that was a successful painting process," Trevor thought aloud.

I glanced up at him from my spot on the floor. He was sitting across from me, covered from head to toe in paint. I probably didn't look very different. One look around his room and anyone would think he had two heads. The area was coated in reds, greens, and tons of other colors.

"I wouldn't exactly call it successful," I enlightened him. "You didn't even paint me." He shrugged, a carefree smile settling on his lips. I ran my eyes over the room once again and before I could stop myself, I broke into a fit of laughter. "This is ganna be a pain to clean. Good luck!"

How I managed to get the words out, I had no clue, but in the next second, Trevor was joining me in my breakdown. His chuckle caused a shiver to run up my spine and it stopped the giggles that were coming from my mouth almost immediately. The reaction was weird. I definitely didn't expect it.

"I guess we should make something out of this," Trevor spoke, carefully standing from his spot on the floor. He walked over to the art board that somehow managed to survive our war and took the canvas off of it. When he plopped down beside me, I stiffened, feeling concerned that he'd done it without a second thought. The oldest Vega looked around him, as if he was trying to find something. A smirk then appeared on his face and before I could figure out what he was doing, he raised his hand to my cheek and wiped away some of the paint with his fingertips.

I jumped, surprised by the sudden caress. Anger quickly flooded my system after that. How could he think that was alright? Friends didn't touch each other's cheeks like that, right? I was so wrapped up in my own mind that I didn't know he had done anything until his voice penetrated my ears again. "There."

I stared down at the canvas and raised my eyebrows. It was slightly splattered with paint from our fight, but was nothing compared to the floor, walls, or us for that matter. The words Jade and Trevor glared up at me in a greyish color and I could make out the mixture of black and blue within the jagged lines. I turned my gaze to Trevor, who was wiping the leftover paint from his fingers on a rag. Where the hell that had come from was a mystery on its own, but I ignored it, realizing that he'd used the paint on my cheek to write our names and instantly feeling ridiculous.

Of course he wasn't caressing my cheek. It was insane for me to think something like that. My stomach twisted and I bit my tongue at the sudden surge of disappointment that hit me. Did I want him to touch me like that? I snorted out loud at the idea.

Now I really was going crazy. I barely knew this boy and he was a Vega. A VEGA. It was bad enough for me to admit he was a friend. There was no way I could think of him as anything more than that. Trevor didn't understand why I'd snorted and I realized a second too late that he thought I was referring to the painting. "You don't like it?" he asked.

I stopped myself from biting my lip and tried to ignore the frown on his face.

"No. I just think it's boring." I smirked and used my pointer finger to swipe a bit of paint off of Trevor's nose. His eyebrows raised at my movement, but he didn't say anything as I turned to the canvas. Carefully, I mad three dots and then drew little horns and a tail, making a devil beside my name. "See? Less boring. I can see why you went into graphic design. You aren't very creative."

He didn't reply to my jab and instead stared down at my little smiley.

"Cute."

I huffed, hitting him hard in the shoulder. Trevor blinked up at me in shock and I crossed my arms.

"It's a devil. It isn't supposed to be cute. And it isn't."

"Whatever you say." We locked eyes and I wanted nothing more than to smack the smirk he wore right off his pretty boy face. There was a knowing spark in his eyes and it made me narrow my own. The Vega wasn't fazed by my usual icy look and I let out a sound of aggravation before flopping back on the paint-covered rug. Why couldn't he cower away like everyone else when I did that?

I bit the inside of my cheek, drawing blood. I couldn't answer my own question, but I did know that I was glad he didn't. Trevor wasn't like Cat or Andre. He didn't back down just because of a look. He didn't cower away from me, and it was refreshing. He challenged me, forced me to face my feelings even when I didn't want to. I honestly wasn't sure if it was a good thing or not.

I turned my head and looked up at the Vega, wondering what had made him so silent. Trevor was wiping down my new pair of scissors with his rag and afterwards, he held them out to me. I smirked and snatched them from his grasp, separating the blades and running my fingers down one of them. There was a knock on the door and we both turned towards it as it opened.

"Hey, Trev, mom said Dinner's-" Tori froze, her mouth hanging open.

I smirked at the idea of being able to put her in such shock.

"Hey," Trevor greeted her as if his room wasn't a complete mess. "What were you saying?"

His sister shook her head and stuttered.

"Um, dinner's ready. She told me to get you. What happened in here?"

Trevor glanced down at me, a mischievous expression covering his features.

"Jade."

"You started it," I told him flatly, turning back to my scissors.

Trevor turned back to his sister.

"She's lying."

"Well, whoever's fault it is really doesn't matter. Mom and dad are ganna be really mad. You should clean up before coming downstairs. Jade, are you um….."

A sudden look of nervousness crossed Vega's face and I rolled my eyes.

"Spit it out, Vega," I demanded.

"Are you…..staying? We set an extra plate, but we weren't sure."

I paused, my eyes flickering to Trevor. The older Vega just smiled at me and shrugged. I tried my best to ignore the tightening in my chest, but it was hard. As much as I didn't want to admit it, it was nice that he wasn't giving me a direct answer. He wasn't forcing me to stay, but he wasn't kicking me out, either. Still, I didn't want to sound eager. It WAS the Vega household.

"Fine."

Vega nodded and stood in the doorway for a second, seeming unsure of what to do.

"We'll be down in a sec," Trevor assured her. Tori nodded and gave me a glance before closing the door. Trevor sighed beside me and I cocked my head to the left to look at him. There was sadness in his eyes, and it didn't settle right with me. "Another thing for my parents to be mad about. Perfect, right?"

He laughed, but it was forced. I was one to know.

"You still haven't told them?"

He shook his head.

"Any advice?"

"Make sure there isn't anything breakable around."

He rolled his eyes, the mood suddenly changing from depressed to upbeat.

"I'll keep that in mind. Although I have a feeling you aren't telling me that because of others."

I shrugged.

"My theatre teacher cast me as your sister's understudy. He should've expected me to break SOMETHING."

"And what did you break? If you don't mind me asking."

I stood up and slipped my scissors into the waistband of my pants.

"A light, a chair, Robbie's wrist. The usual."

"Woe, wait, you broke someone's wrist?"

"It was a sprain, so I'm not sure it counts. Do you have any towels?"

Trevor shook his head as he stood and I didn't realize how tall he was until now. He toward over me by a good head.

"You are one complicated girl." I didn't respond. The way he had said it…..somehow I knew he wasn't trying to offend me. That was saying something, because for the last two months all I was doing was taking offense to what everyone said to me. It was weird, not being on the offense at all times now, ready to snap at someone.

Trevor led me out of his room and over to the bathroom, tossing a fluffy piece of material at me. I wanted to gag at the towel's softness, but instead I settled for a glare. Trevor took my silence the wrong way and I forced myself not to jump when his hand lightly brushed my elbow to get my attention. I glanced up at the serious look on his face. "That wasn't an insult. It was a compliment. Just so you know."

The intensity in the room was building. I could feel it, so I rolled my eyes to help some of it evaporate. It worked.

"And just so you know, I'm hosing off in your back yard later. I'm not driving home with paint still in my ears."

"I really don't understand you sometimes, West."

"Good."

"Come on, you can change into some of my clothes." I winced at the idea. Sure, I'd done it a few nights ago, but that was when it was only us in the house. Now, with his whole family….. I didn't want them getting the wrong idea. Trevor seemed to understand what I was saying because he spoke up again quickly. "I can ask Tori-"

"No, yours are fine," I cut him off.

There was no way in hell I was dressing in Vega's clothes again. Trevor didn't argue with ma and after I was dressed in some sweat pants and a t-shirt that were way too big for me, we headed downstairs. I ground me teeth at the sight of the Vega family sitting at their table. Why did I agree to this again? One look at Trevor and I had my answer. Stupid friends. The two if us sat down beside each other facing Tori and Trina. The other Vega sister was texting away at her phone.

"Trina," Daddy Vega addressed her. "No texting at the dinner table."

"But-" she tried to sway her father. He gave her a look and she set the device down on the table with a pout. Then, Trina spotted me and straightened. "Wait, you're actually eating with us? I thought Tori was kidding."

"Trina," Mamma Vega addressed her daughter in the same way her father had.

I narrowed my eyes at the girl and she cowered in her chair. Satisfaction flowed through me and I turned when there was a bump on my shoulder. Trevor held a bowl out to me and I glanced down to find it filled with mac and cheese. Wow, the Vega's were fancy when it came to table food. I took it from him gratefully and began filling my plate as his dad told the family about work and whatnot.

The food was good, at least, better than the frozen meals I always made myself at home. I ate silently and listened to the conversation happening around me. Trevor did the same, only answering when he had to. His silence wasn't from being uncomfortable, though. He seemed relaxed and being quiet was part of that. Trina was the first to leave the table so she could get back on the phone and Daddy Vega soon followed.

"Thanks," I managed to hiss from between my teeth at Mrs. Vega. "For the food."

She smiled happily at me, something that didn't happen very often.

"Of course, hon, although I have to ask. Is that paint in your hair?" she questioned me.

Trevor quickly stepped in.

"We're actually ganna head outside and wash the car. It's humid and the Jeep needs a cleaning anyway," he explained before nearly pulling me from my chair and back up to his room.

"Obvious much?" I told him, smirking.

He rolled his eyes at me and tossed me my paint-covered clothes.

"Put those back on so they get a good washing, too. Thankfully, the sun's still out."

I shrugged.

"It's never cold here so it really doesn't matter." We got dressed and slipped out of house without anyone seeing us, thankfully. Trevor turned on the hose and before I arched an eyebrow when he grinned. "What?" I finally asked him when he wouldn't stop looking at me. He picked up a bottle of liquid soap and before I could dodge out of the way it was dumped on my head. I closed my eyes so it wouldn't seep into them and felt cold water dose my head. "I hate you."

"For once, I actually don't believe you," he said.

When I was sure the soap wouldn't get in my eyes, I opened them to find Trevor doing the same to himself. He scrubbed at his hair and I couldn't help but roll my eyes.

"It isn't a shower, nub."

He stopped for a second and blinked, watching me.

"What did you just call me?"

"Nub. Don't pretend you didn't hear it."

Trevor aimed the running hose at my bare feet and I jumped from the sudden rush of cold water. He laughed and I bit my lip, refusing to do the same. I'd laughed more in the last few hours than I had in the past two months completely. It was a strange thought, but true. I didn't want to give him any more satisfaction. So instead I kicked him in the kneecap, causing him to drop the hose.

"Ow!" he exclaimed, shocked, but not actually hurt.

In response I splashed him in the face with water.

"Payback's a bitch."

"I guess so."

Before I could speak again, though, an overly familiar truck parked itself in the Vega's driveway and I felt my stomach drop.

There you have it! What do ya'll think? Remember to review and favorite! Until next time.