Hey guys! Yes, I know this isn't Dreammakers but I got invited to do Bade Prompt's Final Round. I feel so honor to do be doing this even though I don't this is my best work. I was rushed because final exams are coming up. If I had more time. It would have been better.
A special thanks to HollieKatrina for helping me this and of course be my beta. Another thanks to the Posse for continuing to be so supportive. Love you guys.
Follow me on the twitter at SouthernB3lle93.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Bade Prompts' Final Round
"(S)he didn't tell you, did (s)he?"
Prompt: a fly on the wall
A fly on the wall (The Free Dictionary): to be there secretly to see and hear what happen
Summertime was supposed to be a time of relaxation and fun with friends. And that's exactly what Jade planned to do. With her first year of college completed, she wasn't going to worry about anything except getting too much sun. That was until she received her final grades two weeks into summer.
She was in Beck's RV getting ready to head to the beach with everyone when Beck's phone went off.
"Hey, final grades have been posted," He said, looking down at the notification that appeared on his phone.
Jade stepped out of the small bathroom, pulling a black tank top over her black bikini and joined Beck on the bed, pulling her laptop towards her. She logged onto her school's website and clicked on the final grades tab.
"So, how did you do?" Beck asked, impatiently. "Perfect 4.0?"
Jade stared at her grades. "No, definitely not."
Beck looked over her shoulder and at the computer screen. "A 3.43? That's good, Jade! You got all A's except a C in Business Calculus."
"Yeah, but not for my dad it's not good," Jade replied, closing her laptop.
"Don't worry about it. Let's just go and have fun at the beach." Beck pulled her off the bed. "It's not like your dad is going to kill you for one bad grade."
"You have met my dad, right?"
Beck chuckled as he led her outside and told her not to worry again.
But Jade did worry about it. She knew she would have to tell her dad tonight at dinner and she knew she would be in trouble.
"How was your day today?" Malcolm West asked his daughter as they ate dinner.
"Fine," Jade answered, picking at her food.
"It's been two weeks since you came back and you haven't even mentioned your grades. I was talking to my colleague today and his son's grades were posted from UCLA a week ago. What about Irvine? Have your grades been posted yet?"
Jade sighed. There was no way out of it now. "Yeah, they have."
"And? How did you do? What's your GPA?" Mr. West asked.
"A 3.43."
"3.43? How did you get a 3.43?"
"I had A's in all my other classes but I made a C in Business Calculus. You know the class you made me take,"
"Jade, you do remember what I told you?" Mr. West sighed, setting his fork down and rubbing his head.
"That you would pay the rest of tuition for Irvine as long as I kept a 3.50 and over GPA."
"Exactly, I would help you with this silly little dream of yours if you kept your grades up. I'm not happy about this GPA, Jade. I'm afraid you'll have to transfer," Mr. West declared.
Jade dropped her fork, staring at her father in disbelief. "What? Dad, no! I'll take out a loan, get a job, something just don't make me leave Irvine! I didn't even want to take Business Calculus anyway! You made me take it just like you made me minor in business!"
"I just want to have a backup in case this how writing/acting thing doesn't work out," Mr. West stayed calm, pushing his food away and folding his hands.
"Writing/acting thing? You mean what I love to do!"
"I just want you to have a stable career," Mr. West stated. "I'm hoping this will just blow over and you'll realize that this writing/acting thing is insensible. I think it's time to put these dreams to rest."
"What? Dad, please don't do this! This is what I love to do and what I'm passionate about! You and Mom always told me to follow my dreams!" Jade yelled.
"Yes that was before I realized how serious you were about them especially ridiculous ones. You need a stable career."
"And forcing me transfer and go to another college will help me have a stable career?"
"Yes because Stanford will lead you on that road."
"Stanford? You want me to go to Stanford?" Jade screamed, standing up and slamming her hands on the table.
"If they will have you after that 3.43 GPA, yes I do," Mr. West nodded.
"You can't make me do this, Dad."
"Oh, I believe I can. We made a deal, Jade, and you promised to keep it," Mr. West threatened.
"I hate you!" Jade yelled, running out of the dining room and to her room; slamming the door behind her. She couldn't believe him. He was forcing her to transferring and give up her dreams. The nerve of him. God, she hated him. Why did her mother have to move to Florida? Jade yelled in frustration, throwing herself on her bed. What was she going to do?
Twenty minutes later, Jade found herself in front of Tori's house, knocking on her frenemy's door. Tori answered the door in her oversized t-shirt, shorts and glasses.
"Why are you dressed like a sorority girl?" Jade asked, pushing herself in.
"I am a sorority girl!" Tori reminded Jade, closing the door behind her. Jade waved her hand as if she didn't hear her then sat down on one of Tori's couches. "What's wrong?"
"What are you talking about?" Jade asked.
"You only come here when you need something or something's wrong," Tori said, sitting down on the other couch.
"Fine," Jade sighed. "I have to tell you something but you cannot, I repeat CANNOT tell anyone, especially Beck."
"Okay, okay. What is it?" Tori promised.
Jade sighed again. "My dad is forcing me to transfer to Stanford."
"What? Why?" Tori gasped.
"My GPA was a 3.43 and I made a deal when I started Irvine that I had to keep a 3.50 GPA," Jade explained.
"So, he's forcing you to transfer?" Tori cried. "That's not fair! He can't do that!"
"He can. He's paying for my tuition."
"But you received a scholarship," Tori reminded her.
"Yeah, I know but I didn't receive a full ride and he's paying for the rest," Jade continued, standing up and starting to pace in front of Tori. "I don't know what to do. He told me to give up my dream."
"What about your mom? Can you call her?" Tori asked.
Jade shook her head. "My mom moved to Florida last year and when I asked about Irvine before I started, she told me that she paid for college by herself and so could I."
Tori groaned. "Okay, we are going to figure this out, Jade. But why don't you want to tell Beck? He's your boyfriend; he deserves to know."
"I can't tell him. I don't want him to worry and plus, I can handle my dad."
"Then why did you tell me?"
"Because you're going to help me like the perfect person you are," Jade smirked at her.
Tori's mouth opened in shock but shrugged and agreed to help her.
The next few weeks of summer, Jade with the help of Tori tried to convince her dad to let her stay at Irvine. Jade would spend nights with Tori and they would try to work out a plan. Jade was spending so much with Tori that Beck was worried. Jade never spent this much time with Tori unless something was up and the way Jade was acting, something was definitely up.
Jade was on her laptop most of the time in the RV per usual but as soon as Beck asked her what she was working on, she would close it quickly. Anytime he brought up the fall semester, she would quickly change the subject. And anytime he would ask about why she was going to Tori's, she would go off about how much she hated Tori and how she would never go to Tori's willingly. It wasn't until Jade took a phone call outside and knocked her purse over, the contents spilling out that Beck suspected anything.
The couple was lying on Beck's too small of a bed watching a movie when Jade's phone went off. She took one look at it and jumped up, knocking her purse over. Beck sighed and leaned over to put everything back in the bag for her. A pamphlet with a logo caught his eye and he picked it up to see it was about Stanford. Why would Jade have a pamphlet about Stanford when they were going to Irvine? He quickly placed the pamphlet under his pillow and continued putting everything else in the bag when Jade came back in.
"That was my dad," Jade groaned, taking her bag from Beck. "I have to go. Text me?"
"Don't I always?" Beck smiled.
Jade leaned down to kiss his cheek then left the RV. As soon as she left, Beck took the pamphlet out from behind his pillow and pulled out his phone, dialing a number.
"Andre, I need your help?"
"What do you mean you want me to spy on Jade?" Andre questioned Beck as the two best friends talked about Beck's recent discovery in Jade's purse. "Man, I know you're my best friend but Jade is also my friend and if I spy on her, I would be dead."
"Jade wouldn't kill you." Andre looked at him in disbelief. "She would seriously injure you."
"See! I don't want to be injured!"
"Come on, Andre. I have to know why she has this." Beck held the Stanford pamphlet so Andre could see it. "I found this in her purse."
"You were looking through her purse?" Andre gasped. "I was wrong; she isn't going to injure me, she's going to injure you when she finds out."
"I wasn't looking through her purse. Her purse was knocked over and this fell out but that's not the problem," Beck said. "The problem is why would she have this Stanford pamphlet? She's not telling me something and I want to find out what it is."
"So you want me to spy?"
"Well, if I spy on her and she finds out, she'll kill me."
Andre stared at Beck and shook his head. "So you thought 'Hey, let's sacrifice Andre? He isn't important!'"
"No, I just thought since you and Tori are better friends, you can easily show up at Tori's house without Jade getting suspicious," Beck explained.
"You're afraid of Jade accusing you of liking Tori if you go, aren't you?" Andre asked.
"Terrified."
"You know she's still going to kill you when she finds out what you're doing, right?" Andre reminded him.
"Yeah, probably. So will you do it?" Beck begged.
Andre sighed. "What's the plan?"
A few hours later, Andre was in front of Vega's door, waiting to be let in. Tori opened the door and smiled.
"Andre, hey," She greeted, opening the door a little wider. "What's up?"
"Oh, nothing, I was wondering if you wanted to hang out. I brought a movie," Andre said, holding up Iron Man.
Tori pulled her phone out her pocket and checked the time. "Well, Jade will be over soon so we don't really have time."
"That's okay, she can join us." Andre pushed his way past Tori and went to the kitchen, pulling bowels out of the cabinet. "I'll make popcorn, okay?"
"Um…well," Tori stuttered, trying to figure out what to say. Her eyes widen when she heard a loud knock and the door slam. She turned to see Jade entering. "H-hi, Jade!"
Jade raised her eyebrows at Tori then noticed Andre in the kitchen. "What is he doing here?" She whispered.
"I don't know! He just showed up!" Tori whispered back.
"Make him leave!"
"B-but!"
"Do it!"
Tori glared at Jade then turned to Andre. "Hey, Andre?"
"Yeah, Tor?" Andre asked, looking up.
Tori opened her mouth to say something, looked at Jade then back at Andre. "Jade's here! Let's start the movie! Come on, Jade!" Tori grabbed Jade's wrist and pulled her to sit down on the couch.
"Vega, I'm going to kill you. Tell him to leave," Jade whispered. "He can't find out or he'll tell Beck."
"I still think you should tell Beck. This would solve everything," Tori whispered back.
Jade rolled her eyes and opened her mouth to say something when Andre walked up with two bowels of popcorn. He handed one to Jade and the other to Tori then squeezed himself in between the two girls. Jade shifted uncomfortably as Andre pressed play. She pulled out her phone and furiously sent a text to Tori. Tori's phone beeped in her pocket and pulled it out, typing out a reply. They glared at each other over Andre's head.
"So, where's Beck, Jade?" Andre asked, grabbing a handful of popcorn.
"I don't know. My life doesn't revolve around him," Jade snapped. "Tori, can I see you in the kitchen?"
"The movie's about to start and it's Robert Downey Jr.," Tori whined.
Jade stood up, grabbed Tori's wrist and pulled her into the kitchen. Tori squeaked as she was pulled into the kitchen and shook out of Jade's grip.
"What?" Tori whisper-yelled.
"You have to kick him out!" Jade answered.
"I can't! I'm too nice!" Tori whined.
"You know he can't find out about you know."
"Jade, I know. You told me a million times and I've told you a million times, just tell everybody!"
Andre looked up from the movie to watch the girls whisper back and forth loudly. He listened carefully, trying to hear anything. Every so often, he would catch the words "Beck," "Tell him," and "No" until he finally heard Jade say.
"I can't tell him I'm leaving!"
"Aha!" Andre cried, jumping up and pointing at Jade. "You are hiding something from Beck. He was right! Wait, did you say you're leaving?"
"Andre, were you spying on me for Beck?" Jade demanded, advancing on him.
Andre backed up, getting back the couch. "It was his idea! Don't blame me; I'm just an innocent fly on the wall."
"A very bad one," Tori mumbled.
"And besides, you're leaving?" Andre asked. "Where to?"
"There's no backing out, just tell him, Jade," Tori put in.
Jade sighed. Tori was right; she was caught and now she had to tell Andre. "My dad is making me transfer because I made a C in Business Calculus."
"Just because you got a C? Big deal," Andre commented.
"It is with my dad. He's paying for Irvine, remember? And our deal was: keep a 3.50 or no Irvine. I didn't keep it and he wants me to give up on my dream," Jade continued.
"So, why did you tell Tori and not Beck?" Andre asked.
"Because Beck would freak out. I was hoping Tori would help me but she's doing a ganked up job so far."
"Hey!" Tori piped, insulted. "You know, I don't have to help you."
"You weren't doing much anyway," Jade snapped.
Tori glared at her, crossing her arms. "Well."
"So, what are you going to do?" Andre asked.
"I don't know. I've tried everything but my dad won't budge. He is determined I'm going to Stanford; he's already started the transfer process. He wants me to be a lawyer," Jade explained, making a face at the word lawyer.
"You know, I think Tori's right; you need to tell Beck and Cat and Robbie," Andre told her. "We can all help you."
Jade shook her head. "I'm not telling anyone else especially Cat and Robbie who will blab."
"Tell us what?"
The trio jumped at the sound of the red-head's voice and turned to see her and Robbie coming down the stairs.
"Cat, Robbie! What are you two doing here?" Tori asked, surprised.
"We were helping Trina set up her new exercise machine," Robbie explained, pointing behind him.
"Since when did-oh never mind," Tori shrugged it off.
"Tell us what, Jade?" Cat asked again.
Tori and Andre looked at Jade who sighed and explained everything she just told Andre. When she was finished, Cat gasped.
"You can't leave Irvine and give into your dad! You need to call your mom! Do something," Cat rambled. "We can raise money but you cannot give up your dream! Get a job! Oh, you can start a babysitting service."
"Cat!" Tori yelled, getting Cat to stop talking. "Why would Jade start a babysitting service? Do you want her to kill the kids? None of us should ever watch kids."
"Tori, stop talking about kids. Look, we gotta figure out how we are going to help Jade. Maybe Cat's right about getting a job," Andre suggested.
"Yeah, my uncle owns a music shop; I'm sure he'll hire you," Robbie added.
"Don't worry, Jade, your dad is not going to make you transfer and make you give up on writing and acting," Tori promised.
The next week, the four of them worked together to help Jade while trying to keep Beck out of the loop which meant keeping Cat away from Beck. Jade got the job at Robbie's uncle's shop and started saving for Irvine while looking for up information about loans. This mean she had to sneak around even more and she knew Beck was getting even more suspicious.
Beck continued to try to find out more about the Stanford pamphlet he found. Andre told him that he couldn't find anything out and Tori changed the subject whenever he brought it up. Cat refused to talk to him and Robbie started stuttering around the subject. He was getting frustrated and wanted to know what his girlfriend was hiding from him.
One night, Jade was running late for their movie night and text Beck to pick up dinner. Beck entered Nozu to pick up their order when he spotted Tori, Andre, Cat and Robbie at a table. Beck eyed them suspiciously and made his way over.
"Hey, guys," He greeted as he walked up, sticking his hands in his pockets.
Tori's eyes widen. "B-beck? What are you doing here?"
"I'm picking up mine and Jade's dinner. What are you doing here?" Beck asked.
"Oh you know, just eating. We would have invited you and Jade but we knew it was movie night," Andre answered.
"Yeah it usually is but Jade's running late for some reason."
"Oh, she didn't tell you, did she?" Cat blurted out. "She got a job a Robbie's uncle's music shop to pay for Irvine."
Tori and Andre tried to shush Cat as Robbie poked her in the ribs. "Cat!" They yelled.
"Wait, what? What do you mean she got a job to pay for Irvine?"
"Her dad is making her transfer," Cat continued then gasped covering her mouth. "Oh my God! I wasn't supposed to say anything!"
"No, you weren't," Tori said through clenched teeth.
"I gotta go," Beck uttered, turning around and walking out the door. A few minutes later, he came back, grabbing the take out from the guy at the register then left again. At the RV, he sat on his bed waiting for Jade to arrive.
Jade came in a few minutes later, kicking off her boots and taking off her jacket then grabbed her food to join him on the bed. "I'm exhausted."
"Hmm," Beck replied. "I bet. How was work?"
Jade stopped opening her container and turned to him. "What?"
"I asked how work was."
"How did you find out?" Jade asked.
"I ran into Tori, Andre, Cat and Robbie. Cat told me. When were you going to tell me that your dad is making you transfer?" Beck asked.
Jade looked down and groaned. "I didn't want to tell you and have you worry."
"Too late. Your babbler mouth of a best friend told me. Now I need you to tell me the truth, Jade," Beck lifted her chin up and made her look him in the eyes. "I need to know."
Jade nodded and went on to explain everything that has happened since she found about her C. After she finished, she turned away from Beck.
Beck sighed. "I think you know what you need to do, Jade."
"I know what she's going to say," Jade replied, referring to her mother.
"Not until you call her." Beck picked up her phone that was beside her and handed it to her.
Jade took the phone and dialed the familiar number.
Tori waved as she entered Nozu and spotted her friends at a table. She walked over and slid in next to Cat and Robbie. "Hey, guys," She greeted. "Sorry I'm late. Trina was having a crisis over her nails and wouldn't let me leave."
"Your sister is so weird," Andre said, shaking his head with everyone nodding in agreement.
"So, what's this so called celebration?" Tori asked, putting her napkin in her lap.
"Tell 'em, babe," Beck said, rubbing Jade's arm encouraging her.
"Well, I called my mom and told her about my dad," Jade started. "And she talked to him."
"And? Are you staying at Irvine?" Robbie asked.
"I'm staying at Irvine," Jade revealed.
Beck kissed the side of her head as everyone cheered. "Told you so."
"Now you can become a famous writer and actress and you and Beck can stay together forever and get married and have lots of kids!" Cat squealed.
Beck chuckled as Jade looked completely mortified. She shook her head but then smiled, looking at Beck. "I guess you're stuck with me."
"And oddly I'm okay with that," Beck said, kissing her.