Bori Fanfic
Beck felt a moment of relaxation as he sat down, expecting to watch a spectacular performance. He did not know why he wanted to watch Jade perform in the spotlight so much, but he couldn't imagine wanting to do anything else. He stared at the back of the occupied chair in front of him and thought back to only one scene that kept replaying in his head over and over again; his visit to Tori's house only twenty minutes ago. Thinking over everything that happened, or what almost happened, was slightly overwhelming. The way she turned him down was so…sweet. Ironically enough, her refusal is what made him want to pull her close and kiss her more…
I want to watch Jade to find closure in this relationship, he realized. Seeing her on that stage, I want to know if I have really moved on.
That was when he saw a female figure walk down the aisle to his right out of the corner of his eye. He was too busy imagining Tori's flowing curly brown hair and bright, shining eyes and contrasting her features to his ex-girlfiend, Jade's. She was different in nearly every way, but in a positive way.
He did not notice Jade move over and sit right next to him until her familiar, indescribable scent wafted over his way. He tensed up, relaxation being forgotten, and he halfway glanced her way. She settled down. She nonchalantly fingered through the things in her purse as if that was the only thing on her mind. Beck knew she was trying to relieve the tension sitting there had caused. She was the last person he expected to see. He thought she would be the one glowering in the fame on the stage, but he knew his reason for coming would be tested when it would be Tori up there looking and singing at her best.
"Hey," he said after a few moments. After all, it seemed like the right thing to do.
"Hey," she returned bluntly. She continued rummaging through her things.
Beck took a deep breath out of hesitation, then touched Jade's arm. He could tell his touch caught her completely off guard.
"You are doing a really nice thing for Tori." He smiled a little. "I'm proud of you."
"It's no big deal," she replied. Her response was quip to terminate the conversation. "I couldn't do that to a friend."
Beck took his hand off her shoulder. He could not believe he got to touch it like that again. However, it did not provide him the same warmth it once did. He was used to feeling like she belonged to him, but not she was just Jade. Was their relationship really gone? Were all of those years of commitment nothing but bitter memories that triggered his emotions?
Before he could think through it further, the curtains opened and the crowd cheered. Andre, Cat, Oliver (her "bibble-guard"), and Robbie all joined in the merriment of introducing Tori into the Platinum Music Awards. She was standing center stage with her band in the background. Her eyes flickered around all the faces of the crowd and there was a smile on her face. Beck thought he saw her glance at him for a sheer moment, but there were so many people in the auditorium he dismissed the thought.
The music started to play. Tori strode up front and she started to sing. Her voice was vibrant, happy, not to mention perfectly on key.
"Got a one way ticket down a 2 way street
Got the wind in my hair and there's dust on my feet
I'm just trying to make it in America."
The performance was going better than Beck could have even imagined. Since when did Tori become such a confident singer? She was barely the same girl that he collided into in Sikowitz's class that one day. She knew who she was now, and not even her narrow-minded producer could make her hide that now. The light reflected off her shiny red top. Thousands of glitters. Beck became absorbed in Tori throughout the whole song. He halfway focused on the cheering of the crowd, Jade to his left, and the others on the stage. Watching Tori, he felt a lightness overtake him that made him want to jump up there and celebrate her song with her. It made him want her.
He realized he was leaning forward in his chair. He leaned back again.
"Make it in America!"
Tori held out her last note, then ended it with a triumphant smile. Her song was finally over, and it was flawless. Everyone cheered ecstatically. Beck clapped and cheered as well as Jade. The way they cheered in unison made them almost look like a compatible team again.
No, it was over. Beck had moved on that dizzy moment when he first tried to kiss Tori. He knew what he had to do, but it would be hard.
Everyone began to stand up to leave the auditorium. The voices of thousands of people mixed together into one long drone that seemed impossible to talk over. Cat and Oliver disappeared shortly after the performance ended, so Robby led the group out into the aisle followed by Andre, Beck, and then Jade. He looked back at Jade, whose eyes were on the curtained stage. He refrained from asking to speak with her, using the sound as an excuse when it was really his own nerves. He was determined to keep her close so he wouldn't miss his chance to ask her.
Fifteen stressful minutes later, the gang of four squeezed through the sea of people out the front doors. The night air felt lovely after being crammed elbow-to-elbow in that building. They started walking down the sidewalk to find the place far off where Andre, Jade, and Beck's cars were parked.
Robbie glanced around curiously. "Has anyone seen Cat?"
"Not since the show, no," Andre stated. "Should we wait for her?"
"Hehe, that dizzy redhead probably found some bibble on the floor and went tunneling," Rex joked harshly.
"Rex," Robbie scolded. "I thought we agreed you wouldn't say things like that in public."
"Well hey, I had my fingers crossed," he countered.
"You can't cross your fingers!"
Rex and Robbie entered one of their bizarre arguments while Andre watched with an expression of amusement. Beck looked over at Jade. She plodded along a few steps behind him wordlessly. Now or never. He slowed down to a very slow walk.
"Can I talk to you?" he asked her.
"…We haven't talked since we broke up. Not since you left me at Vega's door."
Jade's last statement was cold. Beck's heart sank when he relived the burning grief he felt when he put his hand on the door, but did not open it. He wanted to turn the handle, walk out, and make things right, but he didn't, and now he knew why.
"But can we talk now?" he pleaded gently.
Jade sighed. She looked ahead at the others walking on ahead without noticing their disappearance. "Okay."
"I really care about you, Jade, but-"
"-But," she interrupted. "You want to move on."
He blinked quizzically. How did she know..?
"Tori left her webcam on," she answered, reading his exact thoughts. Dating someone for over two years gave her that ability. "I saw everything."
"Oh…"
He was momentarily lost for words. He scraped at the recesses of his mind to find something-anything- to say that would make his explanation easier, but the guilt he felt that Jade saw what he almost did made him not want to offer any defense towards himself. Jade was never meant to see or know about it! But she did.
"It's cool."
He looked up suddenly. "What did you say?"
"I said it's cool." She raised her voice in aggravation, but lowered it placidly. "I mean, Tori is a very…talented girl. If that's what you want, it's fine."
"I appreciate your understanding, Jade."
She merely nodded. "Yeah."
"I will see you at school tomorrow."
Jade planned on him promptly walking off after the others, and that would be it. Beck suddenly leaned in, kissed her on the cheek, and then left. His insides burned after he did that, and it was hard to maintain his walk when he wanted to flee the situation at a faster pace.
Jade did not follow him. She remained frozen where he kissed her. Beck kept looking over his shoulder. Finally he saw her force her muscles to move and follow the group. He looked ahead. To his immense relief, the cars were right there, parked in a line on the side of the street.
Oh thank goodness.
Andre jumped in his car. Robbie and Rex climbed in the passenger side.
"See you at school tomorrow, Beck," Andre called out the window.
"You too," he said.
His new black car purred softly when he started it. He pulled it out on to the street. Before leaving, he added, "And if you see Cat, text me."
"Sure thing."
Beck opened the door to his own car and sagged into it like he didn't have the strength to walk another step. He needed to go home and crash in bed. The clock in his car read 11:43 at night. He felt queasy knowing school was rapidly approaching. When he entered Hollywood Arts the next morning, he would walk straight to Tori's locker while she was putting her bag into it. He would tell her what Jade said and ask she would give him a try.
He saw Tori's smiling face and dazzling red outfit again in his mind, and he hoped more than anything that she would say yes.
