I won't say I hate Jade Tate, because I don't hate anyone, but I do strongly dislike her. It's more than just the fact that she is dating Skylar and has her wrapped around her finger, though that does play a big part. I strongly dislike Jade because she is a user. She collects information and when it benefits her, she will use it as a weapon.

Just like how she told everyone I was gay just so Archer would date her. I swear I came this close to actually doing something to her, something I could not come back from. If Wini hadn't talked me down I am pretty sure I would have snapped. Skylar didn't even think anything of it like it was no big deal, I don't know how she can make so many excuses for Jade.

One of these days Jade will get hers, and I just want to be there to see it.

Does that make me a bad person?

I've been thinking a lot about that lately, what makes someone a bad person? Does cheating on someone make you a bad person? How does one define a bad person? How do I know if I qualify as a bad person?

It's just every time I look at Jade I have to fight the urge to glare at her. Just being near her makes me irritated. But I guess I will have to get over it. Apparently she and Skylar worked out some kind of deal where Skylar will sit with Jade and her clones in the morning, and Jade will sit with Skylar at lunch with us.

It is day three of their arrangement and two days since I tried to tell Skylar the truth. Tired and failed epically. Cassidy and her minions have been surprisingly decent people and have not told Skylar anything. Though I know they are users just like Jade, it's only a matter of time before they try and use that info against me for their own benefit. I don't think they told Jade, or if they did Jade is acting like she doesn't know and hasn't told Skylar. It's always hard to tell with Jade, is she acting clueless, or is she actually that clueless?

Why do I feel like it's the latter? No way I can give Jade that much credit. She's not that good.

"And then she cut a hole in my shirt!" Jade declared waving her hands in the air dramatically.

"It was an accident." Skylar giggles.

"My favorite shirt!"

"You two are a mess." Wini shakes her head.

"Just sew it back up," Archer suggested.

"I tried, you know what happened? It's way to short now, I don't mind but someone won't let me wear it like that." Jade crossed her arms and eyed Skylar.

"No one gets to see your midriff but me." Skylar stuck up her nose.

Jade shook her head and kissed Skylar on the cheek, causing her to go bright red. I have to look away. Aphrodite was looking at me and our eyes met. She smiled at me, I felt queasy and looked away. I heard her sigh in annoyance.

"So you trying out for the play?" Parece asked Jade.

"You know it, and I will land the roll this time." Jade gave her a smirk.

"We'll see," Parece smirked back.

Skylar giggled at their playful rivalry.

"Hey guys!" Cassidy sat at our table.

I couldn't keep the look of disgust from my face. Sam and Terry quickly sat next to her. Skylar also looked annoyed.

"Since we think it's dumb that you two have to keep switching back and forth we decided to kill two birds with one stone. I mean you guys don't mind if we sit here from now on do you? We can all be friends." Cassidy smiled sweetly.

"Actually the tables kind of full." Aphrodite glared at her.

"Sure, the more the better. We aren't picky." Demarcus said at the same time.

I sighed.

"Great! So what were you guys talking about?"

I glanced at Wini and raised an eyebrow, she shrugged and slapped Demarcus in the arm. He looked at her in confusion. Sometimes boys are clueless. Poor Demarcus, he has his hands full and he doesn't even know it.

"I believe Jade was ranting on about her shirt," Aphrodite rolled her eyes.

Jade glared at her.

I saw Skylar squeeze Jade's hand reassuringly. Though Skylar also glared at Aphrodite. I turned to look at Aphrodite, she was once again looking at me. I smiled at her, she smiled back.

"So, you two dating or what?" Terry asked us.

I turned to her.

"No," I said simply.

"Oh I just thought you two would hook up after everything," she shrugged.

The table grew silent and Cassidy smirked at me.

I took a deep breath and prepared for my comeback.

"My romantic life is hardly your business, but I guess you really don't have anything interesting in your life, so I can't blame your curiosity." I shrugged.

Aphrodite smirked.

"Ouch, shots fired." Terry mocked hurt.

"I think you two would make a cute couple, I mean we all already know you like her." Cassidy rolled her eyes.

"Do you like dairy?" Aphrodite asked her indicating to her tray which contained milk, yogurt, and a slice of cheesecake.

Cassidy looked down in confusion about her food.

"Sure I guess." She shrugged.

"I tolerate it, I try not to eat too much. You know what they say, you are what you eat. Génisse(Heifer)."

I can't help but laugh out loud at Aphrodite's words.

"Excuse my French." She snickered at the confused looks on Cassidy and her posy.

"What did you call me?" Cassidy asked.

I laughed and playfully slapped Aphrodite, she giggled and playfully pushed back.

"You know we are in America; you should speak English." Cassidy snapped.

"America doesn't have an official language so she can speak whatever language she wants." I lean in a little and taunt them.

"But I guess that's above your knowledge level," Aphrodite adds.

"Vous deux n'êtes pas aussi intelligent que vous le pensez. Attends que ton secret soit dévoilé. (You two are not as smart as you think. Wait until your secret is revealed.)" Cassidy leans in as well and smirks at us.

"Je ne pense pas que vous sachiez avec qui vous jouez. Continuez à jouer avec moi et voyez ce qui se passe. (I don't think you know who you're playing with. Keep playing with me and see what happens.)" I warn in my own French.

Everyone at the table is looking back and forth between Cassidy and Aphrodite and Me. I can tell by their confused looks they have no idea what we have just said.

"Okay Darleen, okay. Have it your way. I was just teasing. No need to get all wound up." Cassidy leans back in her seat and relents.

"What just happened?" Jade asked as I relaxed in my own chair.

"Darleen here is sensitive, can't take criticism. But what else is new?" Cassidy shrugged.

"More like, someone should mind her own business and not stick her head where it doesn't belong." I snap at her.

"I was just saying you two would make a cute couple, but I guess I hit a nerve. Hmm..." she eyed me like a cat eyes its prey.

"Rawr, I like it when you get all feisty." Terry giggled.

"Can we just be nice and not fight?" Skylar asked.

"Of course Skylar baby, anything for you." Cassidy pinched her cheek.

Jade swatted her hand away.

She giggled and pinched Jade's cheek too. Jade blushed and swatted her hand away again. I raised an eyebrow. What was that? Does Jade have a crush on Cassidy? Is that why she hangs out with her? She is totally just jerking Skylar around.

Before I can dwell too long on it, the bell rings.

We all get up and start to head to class.

"Thanks for the assist," I say to Aphrodite.

"Of course, it was my pleasure." She smiles at me.

"Hey, you okay?" Wini walks up next to me.

"Yeah, why?" I ask.

"I've taken three years of French." She raises an eyebrow.

I feel my face heat up in embarrassment.

"I think we need to talk, I'll call you after school." She says before walking off.

I sigh.

"See you later maybe?" Aphrodite says.

"We'll see," I say.

She sighs and walks off to class.

During P.E. Skylar runs up next to me as we do our laps on the track.

"Hey." I smile.

"So, everything okay? That was sort of intense at lunch."

"I'm fine. Cassidy should watch herself though. You know I don't tolerate people like her."

"Emm." Skylar nodded.

"So, uh... how well does Jade know Cassidy?" I asked.

"I don't know, well I guess." Skylar shrugged.

"Emm."

"Why?" she looked at me.

"It's just, nothing, never mind. It's not my place."

"Now you really have to tell me."

"I just, I think maybe... I don't know, it looked like Cassidy was flirting with her to me." I say.

"I knew it! I thought I was just seeing things, but if you see it to Cassidy is totally flirting with Jade, right in front of my face!"

"Seems like it." I sighed.

"I really don't like those girls." Skylar sighed.

"You and me both."

Just then Coach Wickens blows her whistle and calls us all in as the final bell rings.

"So uh, does whatever Cassidy have on you have anything to do with what you were trying to tell me the other day?" Skylar asks as we walk in.

My heart speeds up and I feel sick.

I just shrug as a response.

Skylar sighs and pulls me to the side as the other girls go into the locker room.

"Just tell me, it's been bothering me ever since. I just want to know you are okay." She says.

"I'm okay, just a coward." I roll my eyes.

"Darleen Grayson is no coward." She crosses her arms.

"Your too adorable you know that?" I smile at her.

She blushes.

"It's... it's not pretty, what I have to say."

"Okay, so what?" she kicks at the ground.

I take a deep breath and run my hand through my hair.

"I can't... I can't say it here, do you think maybe you can come over to my house? My parents aren't home."

"I-I don't know. I don't think Jade will like that." She fidgets with the end of her shirt.

"Please," my voice shakes.

She looks up at me and I swear time stops and it's just me and her in the whole wide world. I know she can see straight through me. Her eyes cut into me like a knife through butter. I take a step towards her, my vulnerable and weak-willed heart wants her so bad.

"You know I can't Darleen, not yet. Maybe I'm still healing a little bit too." She says softly.

She avoids my gaze and subconsciously pushes her hair behind her ear. So cute.

I don't think I ever want to tell her, just so she can look at me with as much kindness and concern as she is looking at me with right me now. I know its selfish but maybe I don't care.

I take another step and we are so close I can feel her warmth on me. Feel her breath against my lips, feel her chest pressed softly against mine. She is breathing heavy and her eyes stare up at me in confusion so many emotions cross her face. Pain, confusion, determination, annoyance, before finally settling on conflicted. She wants to back away, but I can also tell she doesn't.

Maybe that makes me happier than it should.

"I still love you," I whisper against her lips.

"Is that what you want to tell me?" she asks.

I stare into her eyes, those amazing sky-blue eyes. The eyes that make me feel like I am flying high above the clouds into a whole new realm. Before I can stop myself I lean in and kiss her.

Her initial reaction is to tense up.

I grab her by her hips and hold her in place so she can't get away.

I deepen the kiss forcefully and only then does she start to kiss back. It is a hesitant kiss, filled with uncertainty, but there is also something else there. Something that lingered. She wants this. She still likes me, I can feel it. Some part of her is loving this right now and that's all I need to keep going.

I break away for a second before going in for another kiss. She tries to push me off and lets out a sound of protest in my mouth. I grab her hands and push her against the wall.

I needed this. I desperately needed this.

I break the kiss and kiss my way down her neck.

"S-stop it." she stammers.

I pull back to look into her eyes.

"Is that what you really want?" I ask.

She looks so conflicted and it hurts me to see her face like that. Her eyes water over and her lip quivers.

"Don't cry," I whisper against her lips.

"Why are you doing this to me again?" she asks.

"Because I love you."

She is hesitant at first but slowly she leans in and pushes her lips against my own. I quickly kiss her back. I hear her sigh into my mouth, not a sigh of pleasure or relief, more like a sigh of defeat.

"Skylar!" Jade's voice breaks the illusion once more.

Shattering the picture that was almost restored. Skylar flinches and jerks back, hitting her head on the wall. I sigh in annoyance before letting Skylar go.

"What the hell!?" Jade stomps over to us.

"Jade! I uh and she, it wasn't, I didn't—"

"I kissed her." I crossed my arms and got in front of Skylar, cutting off her stammering.

"What the hell is wrong with you!?" Jade pushes me.

"If I do recall you kissed Skylar when we were dating." I push her back.

"So what? You are getting even now? You can't just force yourself onto her!" she shouts.

"She wanted it!"

"Said every rapist ever!"

"Don't call me that!" I push her again.

"Well you are!" she shoves harder.

"No I'm not!"

"Skylar, did you tell her to stop?" Jade whirls around to face Skylar.

Skylar nods.

Jade turns back to me with her arms crossed and a superior look that I just want to slap off her stupid face.

"Sounds like rape to me." she narrows her eyes.

"She kissed me back, and I know you want to believe what you believe but Skylar still loves me." I got in her face.

Jade looked hurt, pain flashed across her face and I could tell she could start crying at any second. I felt a slight satisfaction in that.

"No I don't! I don't love you anymore. We are over Darleen." Skylar butts in and pulls Jade away getting in front of her as if she was protecting her.

I hate it when she does that.

As if someone as awful as Jade needs protecting.

"You kissed me back." I pointed out.

"What choice did you give me!?" she shouts.

"You are really trying to turn this around on me? Skylar I didn't force you to kiss me back. You did that on your own."

"I told you to stop! Why do you always do this to me?" She wraps her arms around herself.

"Skylar," I take a step towards her.

"Just leave me alone!" she cried out before running off.

"Skylar!" Jade called after her.

I sigh and lean against the wall.

"You always have to ruin things don't you." Jade spat at me.

"Pot calls kettle black." I throw her own words at her.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I love her..." I slide down the wall.

"Well I loved her first!" she spat at me.

"No you didn't, you were a coward,"

"And you are a predator."

"Takes one to know one."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Just leave me alone Jade." I bring my knees to my chest and rest my head on them.

She sighs before running off after Skylar.

What I should have done.

Way to go Darleen, you just made everything worse. Now Skylar will hate me and she'll make up with Jade. They will be closer than ever. Jade will never let her be around me again. Skylar will stop talking to me for good.

Way to go.