sixteen → jade west

terror on cupcake street

The Hollywood Arts gang was gathered in Sikowitz's classroom, lounging on the scattered chairs and bean bags, when Sikowitz made his announcement about the parade. Jade, who had been leaning against the back wall with her arms crossed, immediately bolted for the door.

"Wait, Jade! Where are you going?" Tori called out, surprised by her abrupt departure.

"I don't do parades," Jade called back without turning, her voice echoing slightly in the hallway outside.

The rest of the gang exchanged looks, none of them particularly thrilled by the idea of building a float and performing in a parade. But then Sikowitz dangled the carrot: "It will be on national TV!"

That caught their attention. Even Jade paused in the hallway, her interest piqued despite herself.

Back at Tori's house, the gang was sprawled across the living room, throwing out ideas for the float. Robbie, tapping away on his tablet, suggested they use an app to decide the theme randomly.

"Let's just get this over with," Jade muttered, still not entirely on board but curious about what the app would churn out.

Cat, with her usual bubbly enthusiasm, was chosen to pick the theme. "Cupcakes!" she exclaimed. "We should totally make a giant cupcake float!"

Jade rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a small smile. "Of course, you'd choose that."

The gang worked through the night, building the float in Tori's spacious backyard. Jade found herself getting into the spirit of things, hammering and painting alongside Beck, who kept shooting her amused glances.

"Never thought I'd see you building a cupcake," Beck teased as they attached a giant cherry to the top of the float.

"Shut up, it's for the performance," Jade shot back, but the smile on her face was undeniable.

As the night wore on, Cat handed out the Candy Jammies she had made for everyone. Jade held the pastel-colored pajamas at arm's length, her expression one of mock horror.

"You cannot be serious," she said.

"Come on, Jade, it'll be fun!" Cat insisted.

With a dramatic sigh, Jade changed into the jammies, grumbling about dignity but secretly enjoying the camaraderie. Beck just laughed, pulling her close for a quick kiss on the forehead.

"You look adorable," he whispered, and Jade couldn't help but laugh.

The float was finished just as the sun began to rise, a confectionery masterpiece that even Jade had to admit was impressive. They climbed inside, ready for the parade, only to find Trina sneaking in at the last minute.

"Trina, what are you doing here?" Tori asked, exasperated.

"I'm not missing out on national TV!" Trina declared, finding a spot on the float.

Jade just shook her head, settling in next to Beck. "This is going to be a disaster," she muttered, though there was no real heat in her words.

Beck just grinned, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Then it'll be our disaster," he said, and Jade couldn't help but agree.

*

The float, a giant cupcake masterpiece, was on its way to the parade when disaster struck—a flat tire. Stranded in a dangerous part of LA, the situation quickly escalated as a gang of crooks approached. Robbie, initially thinking of asking for help, quickly realized they were thugs.

Tori, in a panic, yelled, "Everyone, back in the float!" She frantically tried calling for help, but the tow truck company hung up upon hearing their location. Soon, all their phones lost signal, leaving them stranded and vulnerable.

Sikowitz, in an attempt to remedy the situation, ran off to find a replacement tire but ended up losing his pants to the thugs. His encounter with the police, fueled by a misunderstanding about the 'cupcake' and the students, led to his arrest, leaving the gang without any help.

Feeling desperate, the gang decided to send Beck and André out to seek help, despite their reluctance. After a tense wait, they returned, visibly shaken. "Six guys jumped us," André reported, his voice tight with stress.

Jade's fury erupted upon hearing this. She turned to Tori, her eyes blazing with rage. "This is your fault!" she accused, shoving Tori out of the float. "Go find a solution! You sent Beck and André out there; they could have died!"

Jade's outburst left the others shocked. "You're an idiot, Tori! An imbecile!" she continued, her voice filled with a mix of anger and fear.

The gang was upset with Jade's harsh reaction.

"I told her," Jade said, turning to face the rest of the gang, her voice laced with a deadly calm. "If she messes with the people I love, she will pay for it!!" Her words hung heavily in the air, a stark reminder of her fierce protectiveness over those she cared about.