Why do I do this... I get an idea for yet another story, so I just start it even though I have THREE ongoing fanfictions at the moment. Screw it, I'm starting this one too. I don't own Victorious or it's characters, credit to Dan Schneider.
I remember the days when everyone hated me.
Truth be told, maybe they still did. Maybe I was still laughed at back home in LA, a bitter memory still fresh in my mind. I heard their words more often than they thought. I wasn't deaf, or blind. I held my head high and walked through the halls liked I owned the school while they whispered. Oh there's Trina, Tori's older sister. How did she even get into this place? I saw her show last week, she doesn't have any talent.
Things were supposed to be different in New York. This was supposed to be my chance at a new life, a chance in a new city where nobody knew me or could judge me by rumors I was moving across the country to make a new name for myself, one that people would admire instead of scoff at. I would be Trina Vega, and I would be a star.
Weeks earlier...
"This is crazy Trina," I heard my little sister exclaim as I continued to pack my suitcase, flat out ignoring her. "You can't just move across the country without some sort of plan! It doesn't work like that!"
"Don't worry Tori, I've got it all covered," I said absently, rolling my eyes and walking to my closet to look for my purple blouse. I wasn't lying to her when I said that. I did have half of a plan for when I arrived, one that still made zero sense to me.
"Come on, you think someone is just going to walk up to you and offer you the lead in a Broadway production?" she persisted relentlessly. I couldn't tell if she was worried for me or just like everybody else, silently mocking me for thinking I had a shot. I scowled as I turned around with the shirt clenched in my fist.
"Why wouldn't that happen?" I teased her, putting on my "I'm all that" charade and shrugging nonchalantly. "I mean look at me! Who wouldn't want someone as gorgeous as me to star in their show?"
I heard Tori sigh and I smirked, shoving the shirt in my dark red suitcase and glancing around my room. My flight left at eight o' clock that night. It was my last day with my family in LA. I had spent the last week packing everything into three large suitcases and deciding what I could bare to leave behind. As much as it pained me, I knew I couldn't bring my fabulous canopy bed that I had received for my fourteenth birthday, or every single article of clothing I owned. No, I was going to be practical for once and limit my baggage. I could buy new clothes in New York anyway.
I had never really explained to anyone why I was leaving home, although there were a lot of rumors floating around. I had graduated the previous year, having already decided to take a full year off from any schooling to make room for auditions. I hadn't landed one, not one itty-bitty role in that entire twelve months. It wasn't until Tori graduated with three minor movie roles under her belt that I realized there was nothing left in LA for me. So I did the first thing that came to my mind: pooled together every bit of my savings to go to the Big Apple.
"Trina, maybe you should consider what you're doing," I heard her say for the fifteenth time. "You're going to need a job once you get there, or you won't even be able to get an apartment! Where do you even plan on living until that happens? And who is going to help you if you run into trouble?"
The question answered itself when I heard the distinctive ring of the doorbell. A smile spread over my lips and I danced out of my room, leaving my suitcase lying open and hearing my sister following after me. When I reached the bottom of the stairs, I was the one to answer the door, a definite change for me when Tori was around. I flipped the lock and swung it open to reveal who I expected was the last person Tori would have thought to see.
"Robbie?" she questioned, stopping beside me and crossing her arms. "What are you doing here?"
Robbie smiled wide and waved to the both of us before settling his eyes on me. I nodded and he made his way inside, towing two large suitcases of his own behind him. I held in a laugh at my sister's expression.
"Oh I forgot to tell you, Robbie's coming with me," I finally explained as he struggled inside, resting his bags against the couch and collapsing on it.
"WHAT?!" Tori screamed in absolute shock. "Robbie is coming with you to New York?"
"Calm down sis," I rolled my eyes, pulling her aside to elaborate further. "You don't expect me to go without someone to carry my bags, do you?"
"I can't believe you Trina!" she whispered in disgust. "Using Robbie like this when you know he'll do anything for a girl."
"He was the one who offered to come," I told her as I shook my head. Everyone really did think that lowly of me. "Besides, his uncle has an apartment in New York and he said we can use it for as long as we want. Saves me a lot of trouble."
"This just isn't right," Tori whined, glancing to her friend who had turned on the TV and was flicking through channels. "It's too much to ask anyone to drop their entire life and move across the country to be your... your little busboy!"
I frowned and looked away from my sister, my eyes glued on the wall behind her.
"If Robbie didn't want to come then he shouldn't have suggested it," I growled. "He wants a new life as much as I do."
"But I-" Tori tried to cut in, but I continued talking as if she hadn't spoken.
"Don't you get it Tori? There's nothing for me in LA, not since I left Hollywood Arts. Just because you're going to be some big movie star someday doesn't mean I can't try to make a life for myself. That life is just going to be somewhere else. And Robbie? He may not be my favorite person in the world but he wants the same as I do. He told me himself that he's sick and tired of people saying no, something you obviously can't understand."
Now that made my sister shut her mouth. I could tell that what I said had affected her and before she could think of a response I sighed and went to sit down next to Robbie. I could tell that he had been listening to our conversation but he wisely stayed silent about the topic.
"You got your ticket here?" I asked as he set down the remote. I saw him nod in excitement and tap his jean pocket.
"Got it right here in my pocket!" he exclaimed happily. I shook my head and smiled slightly. This was the boy I was going to be sharing an apartment with for who knows how long. At least until I landed some kind of role and got some money.
"So what are you two planning on doing when you get there?" Tori questioned, walking to sit on the far chair. I shrugged as if it were no big deal, when in reality I was freaking out in excitement.
"Well the plane ride is almost six hours long," Robbie began, "and the time difference means it will be three hours ahead than it is here. It'll be five in the morning when we arrive, plus about an hour to get to the apartment. I guess we'll just get settled and walk around the city for the day."
"Robbie promised we could go shopping on the first day, didn't you?" I asked, addressing the boy next to me in the last part. "I need to get in to the fashion scene in New York as soon as I can!"
"Oh, for sure Trina!" he replied quickly. I chuckled quietly and turned my head to the TV again. I wasn't trying to take advantage of him or anything, he was just so darn obedient that all I had to go was ask and he'd be willing to do anything for me. That was precisely why I was agreeing on living with him.
"You guys will be careful, won't you?" Tori chimed in, and when I faced her I could see her face was full of genuine worry. I couldn't help but smile at her. She may be a pain but she was my sister and I would miss her.
"Don't worry, your big sis can take care of herself," I assured her in my usual boasting facade. "And I'll make sure Robbie doesn't get into any trouble."
Tori laughed and tilted her head to look around me at her friend.
"Robbie, promise to watch out for her," she said. I rolled my eyes and laughed along with the two of them with a tinge of nostalgia. If things worked out, this would be the last time I got to be with my sister in that way. The last time we could sit on the couch and make fun of dumb TV shows, the last time I could insult her fashion choices, and the last time being together as sisters' always should be. We did have cell phones and video chat obviously, but it would never really be the same after I moved.
I was truly going to miss her.