Hi everyone! I know that it has been a long time since I updated this one, but I wanted to give at least one update for the New Year. So happy 2017! I probably won't update this one much (since I don't even have much time to update Screwed) but I might give an update every few months or something And I know that I said there were only three chapters left, but I'm probably gonna be doing shorter chapter so I can update more often. Idk though. I'll work something out lol. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy!

(8)

"Beck is a good actor."

Beck doesn't know why Jade's words make him feel so...odd. He knows that he's a good actor, but he can't say that he was just acting.

But he smiles at the words anyway before he goes and takes his seat across the room from her. He watches his classmates get up and perform, smiling and clapping politely every time they're done, before the bell rings, signalling the end of class.

He grabs his bag, slings it over his shoulder, and for some reason his eyes just can't help but find Jade, who's doing the same thing, chatting with Cat as she does.

"Hey Beck," he hears Tori call, and he turns toward the Latina, "Do you wanna come to Karaoke-Dokie with me and Andre?"

Beck starts to decline, but he knows if he does that means that he'll be eating lunch with just Cat, Robbie, and Jade. Cat and Robbie will occupy themselves, which means that he'll be stuck to make conversation with Jade.

Conversation that she won't want to have.

"Sure," he tells Tori with a smile.

Tori nods and say, "Cool," before turning telling Andre that he's said yes.

"Cool," Andre says before turning toward Robbie, who's approaching them. "Hey man, you wanna come?"

Beck kicks himself then. He should have asked Tori who was going before simply assuming that they had already asked everyone else.

Robbie looks at Cat, who's talking to Jade, before he turns back toward Andre. "Is Cat going?"

"I don't know, I haven't asked her yet," Andre says before he shouts for the redhead in question, "You wanna go to Karaoke-Dokie?"

"Oohhh I love Karaoke-Dokie!"

"Then yes I will go," Robbie says.

Jade shifts on her feet as she glares at Andre. "Sure, don't ask me."

"I was about to," he defends, raising his hands. "Jade, do you wanna go to Karaoke-Dokie?"

She looks at Andre before her eyes connect with Beck's. He doesn't know why, but the action makes him want to shiver.

She turns her head back towards Andre before she shakes her head. "No, I have, uh, stuff to do."

Car furrows her brow as she says, "You just said-"

Jade covers Cat's mouth with her hand before she whispers something into the shorter girl's ear that makes her squeal and her eyes go wide. Then she lets her go.

"Like I said, I have stuff to do."

She walks out of the classroom before another word can be uttered.

Beck sighs and rubs the back of his neck, before he inhales sharply tightens his grip on the strap of his backpack before he turns toward his friends. "I'll see you guys at Karaoke-Dokie."

He jogs out to the hallway, then to the common area, where he sees Jade heading toward her locker. "Jade," he calls out, and the raven haired stops, turns on her heel and arches a perfectly curved eyebrow.

He's surprised, but he's grateful.

He catches up to her running a hand through her hair. "Hey."

"What do you want Oliver?" she asks.

"What do you want Oliver?" Jade asked as he plopped down beside her at the lunch table.

"Can't a guy just sit?" Beck asks as he placed his tray down.

Jade glared at him. "There's a whole cafeteria of seats. Go sit in one of them."

"I want to sit at this one," Beck said with a shrug, picking up the apple and biting into it before he says, "With you."

Jade was silent for a moment before she said, "If you're going to sit here, don't talk with your mouth full. It's seriously gross."

Beck smiled.

"On second thought, just don't talk to me period."

Beck smiled even wider.

"You haven't called me Oliver since we were in the eighth grade," Beck remembers.

"You came after me so we could travel down memory lane?" Jade asks, unimpressed.

Beck shakes his head before he says, "If you wanted to come to Karaoke-Dokie, you should. Don't not come because of me."

"That's a double negative," Jade quips.

Beck rolls his eyes. "Jade."

Jade sighs before she shrugs her shoulders. "Don't worry Beckett, I'm not...not going out to Karaoke-Dokie because of you. I just don't want to go."

"Are you sure? Because-"

"Beck, stop being annoying okay? I'm not avoiding you, I told you we were going to work on this friendship thing, and I meant it."

Beck smiles softly before he nods. "Yeah. I just...thought something might have been different because of the kiss-"

"The stage kiss?" Jade asks, pointedly emphasizing the word 'stage'. "No nothing changed. We did what we had to do to get a good grade. Which I think we will, and if we don't, I'll shove a coconut up Sikowitz's ass."

Beck chuckles and shakes his head. "I don't think that will be necessary," he tells her.

"Well, you know, just a back up plan."

Beck chuckles again, before he shoves his hands into his pockets. "I think we did pretty good today," he pauses, rubbing the back of his neck before he says, "We're a pretty good team."

Jade rolls her eyes. "Don't get all mushy on me," she says, but Beck catches the small smile that painted her lips.

"I should get going."

Jade nods once. "You should."

Beck hesitates for a second, not wanting to leave just yet.

He doesn't think Jade wants to leave just yet either, because she just stands there, staring at him.

"I should get going before Feotus run out of all the burritos," Jade says, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Right," Beck says with a nod. "And this time I should actually get going," he says with a small smile.

Jade smirks. "See you later Beck."

"See you later Jade."