Violated

Chapter 1 - The Violation

"Jade?"

Jade West, irritated that she had to answer the door in first place, opened said door to find Tori Vega standing in the unusually cold December evening, her body bent over and shaking.

"Vega?" she demanded with an aggravated sigh. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I..." Tori tried to speak but her voice failed her.

"Jesus! Alright, come on in. I don't need you dying of exposure on my doorstep." Jade pulled her classmate into her house, shaking her head in exasperation. She noticed the thin windbreaker the girl was wearing – not nearly enough protection from the cold front that had moved into the LA Basin. "Come on. Why aren't you wearing a heavier coat?" She shook her head again, "I suppose we'll have to get you warmed up before you get pneumonia. That's not fun, believe me."

In her mind, Jade stopped in her tracks. She actually was going to help this irritating girl. And, on top of that, she almost volunteered information about herself. But, to be truthful, everyone had noticed that Tori Vega had not been her typical, upbeat, bubbly self. Her personal interaction with her friends, classmates and teachers was barely above what was necessary to get her schoolwork done. And no one knew why.

Once in her bathroom, Jade turned the shower on, letting the water heat up. Then she pulled a big towel out of the small linen closet. "Get undressed and take a shower. I'll get you something to put on while you do that."

Tori had been unusually silent the whole time. She lifted haunted eyes to the other girl and finally said, "Jade...uh, thanks."

Jade nodded and replied, "If you want... I suppose...we can...um...talk when you're warmed up."

Jade returned to her room and started to pull out a long-sleeved shirt, some sweat pants and socks – all black of course. All the while, she wondered at her actions. Normally she didn't care if Vega was miserable or in pain. It often amused her. But she sensed something this time that caused her to break out of her usual cold stoicism.

There was a knock on her door. "Jade?'

"What Mom?" First Vega and now her mother? Jeee-zus...

"Who was at the door?" Jade's mother entered the room, cocking her head at the sound of the shower. "Is someone here?"

Jade looked at her mother, ready to release a smart-ass reply when she really noticed the concern in the elder West's eyes. "Vega is here. I don't know why but she nearly frozen."

Her mother smile at her daughter, "This the same girl you...um, hate?"

"Yeah... Well, I couldn't very well leave her out on the stoop."

"Why is she here?"

"I don't know. She seems kind of out of it."

"Drugs?" Mrs. West asked, naturally concerned if narcotics were involved.

Jade just shrugged.

"Take care of her. If you need me, I'll be downstairs. Your father and I are going over the bills."

"Thanks Mom." Jade replied, her voice unusually soft.

"Jade, I don't know what's going on or... Just don't fight your feelings. Okay? That's the problem your father is dealing with...has been dealing with. And it just makes things so much harder." She paused then lowered her eyes, and, in a quiet voice, said, "That's a big part of the reason we're not together anymore."

She'd heard all to often about her parents' problems before but still Jade blinked rapidly, confused at what she was feeling. Being compared to her father caused both a sense of pride and a feeling of shame inside.