Title: Birthday Surprise
Author: Jonathan
Rating: T
Category: Robbie/Tori
Spoilers: Up to "Driving Tori Crazy."
Summary: Tori just got an invite to a birthday party from an old Sherwood friend. But when she can't go stag, she decides to take Robbie along with her.
Disclaimer: Victorious is owned by Dan Schneider, Danwarp, Nick, Viacom
Author's Note: This is in reponse to DarkseidAlex's RORI contest. Hope you all like it
I just found out that this fic came in 2nd for DarkseidAlex's RORI contest! Thank you for this award! I'm so glad you liked it.
"Tori!"
Soon the floor vibrated as a pair of feet bounced down the stairs that one spring afternoon. She walked down the steps and met her mother by the counter in the kitchen.
"You got something in the mail." Her mother told her youngest handing her the envelop after she told her.
Tori Vega looked down at the letter and read the return address upon inspection. Her eyes widened when she read the address. "Why would I hear from Traci all of a sudden?" Her mother shrugged. Looking back at the envelop, she tore the edge of the letter open. Taking it out, she opened the card, and her eyes widened, "Traci's having a birthday party."
"That's sweet." Holly told her. "You going to go?"
Traci Jones was actually a person Tori knew back during her Sherwood days. They were actually old friends, but something happened to them during Tori's last year at Sherwood. The two of them became rivals when Traci stole the spotlight when she worked hard on a school project. The two of them had to build a papier-mâché volcano. But when Traci got asked to go work with Ryan Sanders she jumped at the chance, leaving Tori in the dust to work on the volcano alone.
And when Tori asked to why Traci left her like that, she told her that she could use the chance to speak Tori up. Truth be told, Tori actually had a crush on Ryan, and when Traci got asked to help on his project, she would use the chance to help get Tori a date with Ryan. And when Traci told her that, Tori forgave Traci for leaving her. But what she didn't expect to happen was that Traci and Ryan started going out. The two of them became an item and that left Tori feeling betrayed and hurt.
To this day, Tori never spoke to Traci and she never forgave her friend for what she did to her…
"You're not still mad at her, are you?"
Her mother's question snapped Tori out of her inner musings. She looked at her, "I dunno…"
"Are you going to go?"
Tori sighed, "I just can't believe she would invite me. I haven't spoken to her in a long time, and now it's her birthday? What made her want to invite me?"
"You two used to be friends, Tori. And, if I'm not mistaken, it's her sixteenth birthday. Maybe she wants to make up?"
"We're talking about Traci Jones, Mom. You remember how she used to treat me!" Tori recalled. "She stole Ryan Sanders from me!"
"She stole Ryan from you?" Her mother asked.
"She knew I liked him." Tori repeated.
"Tori, that was a long time ago. Surely, you don't feel that way now…"
She groaned, "Mom…"
"Well… do you?" Her mom asked. "Tori, that was three years. I would think you moved passed Ryan Sanders by now."
Tori knew her mother was right. "I guess so…"
Her mother smiled, "So, then you can go to the party. No problem whatsoever."
She sighed, "It's not that…"
Holly looked at her daughter, "Then what's the problem?"
"It's the principle of the matter." Tori answered. "Traci knew I liked him and then when he asked her out, she said yes. That is not what a friend does."
Holly sighed, "So are you not going then?"
Tori looked at her mother. "I might not…"
Her mother let out a breath, "Tori, this could be an opportunity. You don't want to go through life having any regrets. Believe me, you don't." Tori just looked at her mother. "Traci is offering you a chance. Take it. Because soon you'll both go to college, and then what? You both live in Los Angeles now. In the future, that might not happen. You should go talk with her…"
Tori sighed… "Mom…"
She gave her a smile. "Just please considerate it."
Tori looked down at the card, her name being scribbled on the card. Glancing up at her mother, she said, "Even if I do go, I'm not going alone… the last thing I need is to show up by myself and have Traci see me as the 'still pissed off Tori Vega.'"
Her mother gave her a glare. "Aren't you?"
Tori answered, "I don't want her to know that."
"Then what are you going to do, Tori?"
"I dunno…" Tori said to her, her voice slightly above a whisper. "I just don't know…"
"So tell me again, why are you asking me this?"
Tori looked at Robbie as he sat down beside her at the regular table at the Asphalt Café. The two of them sat alone. Beck, Andre, Cat, and Jade already left for their next class.
"Look, Robbie…" She let out a sigh. "I don't want to go to this thing alone…"
"And you thought about asking me?" Robbie asked, confused. "Why?"
"Because you're my friend, Robbie. I only go to friends when I have a problem like this…"
He looked at the table for a moment, his fingers starting to play with a frenchfry. Dipping it in a concoction of mayonnaise and ketchup, he looked at Tori, "So, you only come to me when you have a problem?" He asked her, hurt in his voice.
Tori sighed, "Robbie… I came to you because we are friends. I didn't mean anything negative by it."
"You didn't…?" He asked, shocked.
"Of course not…" Tori said with a smile. "I would never 'use' you like that."
He nodded, finally understanding. "So, what do you want me to do?"
She shook her head, "I don't know… Robbie, I don't want to do this alone."
"And you didn't think of asking Beck or Andre?" Robbie asked.
Tori looked at her plate for a second, and then back at Robbie. "If I were to ask Beck, there would be too many girls hanging around. I might as well as go stag."
He nodded slowly, "And Andre?"
"Andre is actually on 'Grandma Duty.' He has to make sure she doesn't eat anything this weekend."
"She can't eat anything this weekend?" Robbie asked.
"Yeah, she has to do some labwork for her doctor or something." Tori answered.
"That sucks…"
"Yeah, it does…" She gave Robbie a look, "Which is why I need you to come. Traci can't see me alone. Who knows what she and Ryan are up to?"
Robbie looked at her, "And what am I supposed to do?" Still confused.
She shrugged, "Well… I actually want you to be my boyfriend."
"You want me… Robbie Shapiro… the puppet guy… to be your boyfriend?"
Tori sighed, "Yeah…"
"Y'sure? Remember, Tori. I'm Robbie Shapiro. Not some hot guy you moon over or anything like that. I'm the guy who always gets the shaft…"
Tori sighed. She knew Robbie felt that way, and it hurt. It truly did hurt her that he didn't think too highly of himself. And it hurt her that no girl truly did see the type of guy Robbie really was…
"Robbie… I think this can be good for you."
He looked at her, shocked, "You do?"
She gave him a smile. "This is another school. This is somewhere that hasn't had the chance to meet you. It could be good practice."
"Tori, I dunno…" Robbie told her. "I mean, I love the idea of going out with you. Even if I know it's a 'fake date,' but this is something I'm not too sure about."
"Robbie, please…" Tori whispered. "I can't do this alone. I can't go see Traci again and be alone. She already gave me the shaft once. I can't go there without someone. I can't go there…" Tears started to brim her eyes. "I can't go there and not let her see that all the past we have together remain the same."
Robbie let out a breath…
"You yourself said it… you hate feeling like getting the 'shaft.' I want you to know that you don't have to be. That being with me at another school, another setting could be good. You can use the chance to reinvent yourself. See how the world could see you."
"Then why don't you follow your own advice? Use this party as a way to show them what you could be like…"
Tori gave him a smile, "Robbie, that's what I'm trying to do. You and me will go to this thing, be the 'perfect couple.' I can let Traci know that she didn't hurt me and you can get some practice on how to show the world that you don't have to be the way you think you are labeled."
Robbie sighed, and looked at Tori, her eyes still wet with tears. Pleading with him to go with her. Even if it was fake…
"So we're talking 'Just Go With It,' then?" He asked.
Tori thought a moment, "In a sense, yeah. We be each others' fake date. Just without the Adam Sander/Jennifer Anniston chemistry…"
He nodded, "Alright… so what do we do then?"
Tori gave him a smile, "Meet me at my house this Saturday at 7:00. We'll head over to Traci's after that…"
Robbie sighed, "I dunno if I have anything to wear."
She gave him a smile, "Robbie, if you're going out with me, then I'll make sure you dress hot."
He asked, "Like Ryder Daniels?"
Tori smiled, "Better than Ryder Daniels." She thought back at the memory. "And no, no ear ring."
He pouted, "I thought he looked better with one."
"Robbie, you'll look way better than Ryder Daniels. Trust me…"
Robbie nodded, "Alright then… when do we do the dressing?"
"Meet me after school. We'll go to the mall."
"You're going to the mall!"
Both Robbie and Tori turned to the left and spotted Cat. "I love to the mall!"
Tori sighed, "Cat… Robbie and I… we're just…"
"We can get some candy!" She said, bouncing up and down.
Tori sighed, "Alright, meet us after school."
"Yay!"
"This isn't going to go well…" Tori whispered to herself.
"Alright, so what about this?"
Tori looked at the shirt that Robbie held up. She could easily see his interest in the shirt. The colors were obviously favorites of his and it did reflect the true sense of Robbie Shapiro. And on a normal day, this would be fine.
But this wasn't a normal day.
"I don't think so, Robbie." Tori said to him, sadness in her voice. "Remember, this we're doing this to make you look hot…"
He looked at her, "You're going to make me look hot?"
Tori grinned, "The name of tonight's game is, 'When did Tori win the jackpot?'"
"Can tonight's game be 'Monopoly?" Cat asked coming from behind a shirt display. "I call the thimble!"
"We're not playing Monopoly, Cat…" Tori sighed.
"How 'bout Sorry?" She asked, hopeful.
"No Sorry, Cat…" Robbie answered.
"Jenga?"
"No." Tori replied.
"Operation?"
"No Cat…" Robbie told her.
"Candyland?" She asked...
Tori sighed… "Fine, Cat. We'll play Candyland."
She bounced, "Yay!"
"Tomorrow…" Tori reasoned.
"Poo." Cat sighed. "Why not tonight?"
"We told you, Cat." Tori answered. "Robbie and I got the party tonight…"
She showed a confused look, "You got the party tomorrow night…" Tori looked at her, and let out a breath. Cat was right… "So Candyland tonight!"
"Fine… Cat…" Tori let out a dejected sigh. "Candyland tonight…"
"Yay!" She said with a grin.
"But first… we need to find something for Robbie to wear tomorrow night…"
Robbie began to browse through the shirts that were on display. He picked out a shit and showed it to Tori, "How about this?"
"I think this will be better…" Tori told him as she held up a shirt. "Try this on and…" She began to browse through some khakis… "What size are you?"
"Um…" He thought for a second… "I dunno…"
"Check your pants." She told him,
Robbie turned around slightly and opened up the back of his pants... "Um… 30/30's…?"
Tori nodded and went through the kakis one more time. "Ok… put these on with this shirt…"
Robbie took the recommended outfit and headed for the dressing room… Tori began to look for more ideas when she noted Cat missing…
"Cat?"
Cat came around the corner and looked at her friend, "What you find, Cat?"
"Only this!" She chimed happily, producing a juicer. "Now, I can make candy juice!"
"Cat…" Tori sighed… "Didn't you have enough that with the Sky Store?" She pouted. "You used up poor Sinjin's creditcard and his parents had a fit…"
Cat sighed and put the juicer back.
It was only a few moments later when Robbie came back out in his new outfit. "What you think?"
Tori circled around Robbie noting his new attire. While it did have some merit, she couldn't help but notice his tush. "You're tush really is lopsided…"
Robbie groaned… "Tori… please…"
She smiled, "Sorry…" She began to walk around him again, starting to hum a familiar tune…
"Really Tori? We didn't get enough of it during the ride over here?"
She looked at him confused, "What you talking about?"
"You're humming 'Five Fingerz to the Face!" He pointed out.
Her eyes widened, "Sorry…" She gave him an innocent smile. "Cat kept blaring it on the way over here."
"I was there…" Robbie remarked. "I don't need to hear it anymore though…"
Tori smiled, "Don't worry about it, Robbie. I won't…"
"Good." He gave her a smile, "Now, Darling, what do you think?"
"Um…" Tori looked at him, "I like the pants…"
"And the shirt…?"
She went to the shirts again. Her eyes going over the different styles and colors… "Try this one…"
"Alright then…" Robbie took the shirt and went back to the changing room.
"Tori I found this!" Tori turned around and saw Cat coming up from behind her. "I think you can give this to Traci! She'll love it!"
Tori looked at what Cat gave her and asked, "What am I going to do with Sea Monkeys?"
"Get Traci these and banana plants… they'd make a great gift."
"Cat…" Tori sighed…
"How about now?"
Tori turned around and noticed Robbie in his new outfit. A smile crossed her lips. "Perfect…"
"Great." Robbie said to her. "Now we can go…"
"But what about Traci's gift?" Cat asked, hurt.
"Cat, if we go now, we can go play Candyland!" Tori told her, a smile on her face.
"Yay! Candyland!" She started bouncing again and said, "Let's go!"
Robbie glanced at Tori, "Good call."
"Thanks…" Tori said to him. "Let's go and play some Candyland…" A breath escaped her lips.
"Cat did have a point though…" Tori looked at him. "What are you going to get Traci?"
"I've got it covered…" She told him. "Let's get out of here."
That being said, the two of them made their way to where Cat was standing in line.
The doorbell rang.
"Can somebody get that?" Tori Vega asked from upstairs. "I'm not ready yet!"
"Get it yourself!" Trina announced from downstairs. Her voice carried up the steps easily.
"I'm busy Trina!" Tori hollered back. "I'm not ready yet!" She repeated it.
"I'm not you're maid!" She yelled back.
"Trina… just open the door!" Tori yelled back, hoping that her sister would get the clue.
"I can't!" Trina admitted. "I'm busy practicing my karate!"
She yelled back, "The sooner you open the door, the sooner I get out of the house!"
"I'm on it!" Trina called back.
Tori smiled, "I knew that would get her attention…" She looked back into her mirror, "Now, what else am I missing?" She smiled, "Right, I need the gift…" She went over to her night stand and picked up the gift that she and her mother picked out the other day…
::::::
"Wow… Robbie… you look…"
He gave her a smile, "Good?"
"Way good!" Trina admitted. "What happened?"
"Tori picked these clothes out for me." He answered. It was then when the two of them heard footsteps coming down the stairs…
"You picked clothes out for Shapiro?" Trina asked, shocked.
"Hey, I'm trying to show Traci Jones up, remember…"
"Right… didn't you two used to be friends…" Trina recalled.
"We used too." Tori confirmed. "Not anymore…" Tori made her way to Robbie, who had a shocked look on his face… "You like?"
Robbie was stunned just how beautiful Tori looked at that moment. Don't get him wrong, Tori Vega was always beautiful. He knew that from day one. But right now? Tori was standing in front him decked out in a tight red dress. The kind of dress that clung to her body too. She wore red dress shoes, and her hair flowed naturally down, reaching just above her waistline.
He nodded quickly. Robbie opened his mouth, trying to speak. "Need some water?"
Robbie nodded. Tori smiled and made her way the refrigerator. Opening it up, she reached in and pulled out a bottle of water. Going back to her friend, she offered it to him. Tori watched as Robbie opened it up and took a sip.
"Better?"
He coughed… "Yeah… much…"
"I thought he was going to cough up a lung." Trina remarked.
"My lungs are perfectly fine…" Robbie said to her, annoyed.
"If you say so." Trina admitted. "It's not my body. Cough up as much as you want to."
Robbie was about to say something when Tori grabbed his wrist. "Don't mind her, Robbie. Trina is just being Trina…"
"About time you realize that." Trina told her sister. "You don't know how many times people say I act like a bitch."
"Oh God…" Robbie said to himself.
"I think we better get going." Tori told them. She looked at her sister, "Tell Mom and Dad…"
"Yeah… I know the drill." Trina said to them.
She rolled her eyes, "Just tell them we'll be home after the party." Tori gave Robbie a smile. "Let's go…"
That said, Tori led Robbie out of the house and closed the door behind them. She looked at her friend, "I know you just got here, but I think we better get going. With your car…"
Robbie smiled. "Take a look by the driveway."
Tori did as he suggested and her eyes widened. "Robbie… Wow… you didn't…"
He grinned, "I'm playing the part, Tori. We may be going to make Traci look bad, but that doesn't mean we can't have any fun."
She looked at him, "But how?"
He gave her a smile, "I used the rest of my Bar-Mitzvah money."
Tori was shocked. "Robbie… you didn't have to do that. That's your money. You should use it on what you want it for."
"And I did. I used it on the make-up remember." Tori then remembered the moment from before. "I had the money, and I want to make this fun for you."
Tori couldn't help but smile. Robbie was always doing stuff for her. Whether turning car batteries into a power source for her dying Pear Phone GX, helping her study for a stage lighting test; and even beating his own record as the test's best score, or even allowing Tori to help get Trina to stay in school and get the fudge knocked out of him. Robbie was always there for her, never wanting anything in return… and what stood on the street was no different.
She leaned in and kissed his cheek. "You're really a sweet guy, y'know that…"
Robbie sighed, "I just wish other girls saw that."
"Hey, don't worry about them." He nodded slowly. "Tell you what, after tonight, I'm going to help you and get more girls to notice you."
He looked at her confused, "You what?"
Tori nodded, "I'll help you out, Robbie. We'll make you way more appealing…"
Robbie gave her a look, and chuckled slightly, "Um… you mind skipping tonight and just doing the make-over?"
Tori smirked, "Nope. Not gonna happen." She took his hand, "C'mon, we're going to Traci's…"
That being said, the two of them made their way to the limo that Robbie rented for the night.
The limo pulled up to the Jones House ten minutes later. When it came to a stop, the diver put the vehicle in park and opened the door. He went over to the passenger side, and opened the door. A moment later, Robbie Shapiro came out of the car. He turned back, and then offered his hand to Tori. She gave him a smile as she accepted his hand and came out.
Robbie looked at the driver and told him the return time. He nodded and went back into the limo. Looking back at Tori, he gave her a smile and closed the limo door behind her.
Tori looked at the sight in front of her. There were allot of people she hadn't seen in a long time, and truth be told, she was nervous. She didn't know how this would play out, and part of her worried that her plans for tonight would collapse and things would actually turn out allot worse than she was thinking…
"Ok… you ready?"
Tori looked up at Robbie finally, pulling herself out of her inner musings. Tori took a much needed breath… "I think so…"
He nodded, "Ok then…" He looked around the yard and could already see a ton of people. "Anything I need to know?"
Tori thought for a second, "Well, you know about Traci and Ryan." Robbie nodded. "Well, then there's Jeff… Ryan's best friend. He's a little on the scary side…"
Robbie asked, nervously, "Scary side?"
Tori just answered, "I just mean he's intimidating. Your basic athletic type. Plays allot of lacrosse."
"Lacrosse, gotcha… anything else?"
"Then there's Billy…" Robbie gave her a strange look, "Ryan's other friend, and cousin. Basically, they just watch out for each other."
"Right…"
"And then there's… Eve and Kara. They're actually old friends of mine and Traci. I don't know what they've been up to, but just be warned. I don't know how things changed since I left for Hollywood Arts…"
"Gotcha…" He looked at her, "And Danny?"
Tori looked at him… "I forgot about Danny…:"
"You forgot?" He asked, surprised.
"With everything going on, with all the planning, I forgot…" Tori said honestly. "I mean, he could be here…" She noticed the worried look on her friend's face. "But if anything, I wouldn't worry about him…"
"You wouldn't?"
She shook her head, "No. I heard from Cat that he moved on. He's actually dating somebody else… I think Gabrielle." Tori thought a moment… "And besides, if we do run into Danny, I'll just tell him what's up… I wouldn't worry about it…"
Robbie let out a breath, "Ok then…" He noticed as the two of them headed for a tent in the backyard. "You ready for this?" Robbie offered her his hand.
She took it, "I'm ready… let's do this…"
"Oh wow!" A young woman cried when she saw a familiar face coming from the tent flaps. She immediately stopped what she was doing, and made her way to the sight she couldn't believe she saw. "Tori Vega!"
Tori looked at the incoming woman. She looked at Robbie… "That's Brenda Smith…" He nodded. "Hi, Brenda."
Brenda made her way to Tori and pulled her into a hug. She soon retreated, "It's so good to see you! It's been too long."
Tori smiled, "Thanks, Brenda…" She soon felt a an arm wrap around her waist. "Brenda… this is my boyfriend, Robbie Shapiro. Robbie, this is Brenda Smith."
"Boyfriend?" Brenda asked, shocked. "When did this happen?"
Robbie took a breath, and decided to play the part. "When didn't it happen? As soon as I met Tori here, I couldn't keep my eyes off of her. I had to ask her out."
Brenda nodded, "So that means…" She smiled a big grin, "You've been together…"
Tori looked at Robbie, and he gave her a smile. "Four months… Four wonderful months…"
"That's great!" Brenda told them. She looked at Tori, "Everyone's here tonight, Tori. You're going to feel like you're back in Sherwood like no time…"
Tori nodded, faking her enthusiasm. "Yeah…"
"Tori and I…"
But Brenda turned around, "Oh hey! Hi Joe!" She looked at Tori. "Great to see you again, Tori. You too Robbie…" But before anyone could say anything, Brenda was gone.
"That went well…" Tori said, slowly…
"Did it?" Robbie asked, back to his normal behavior…
Tori thought for a moment. She looked at her friend… "Actually… yeah…" Robbie smiled. "Nice touch with the four wonderful months."
He gave her a smile. "I thought it would work…"
"Well, it did…" Tori told him. "But that was only Brenda. We aren't even close to Traci or Ryan."
"I can handle it, Darling." Robbie grinned.
"I think you can." Tori admitted. "Now, let's go mingle… boyfriend." She offered him her hand which he gladly accepted.
For the next two hours, Tori and Robbie walked around the tent. They met with some of Tori's old friends from her Sherwood days. Some of the meetings went well, while some didn't. But, honestly, that was expected. Try as Tori might, some of her preparation for tonight didn't go so well. But what did go well was that Robbie was playing to 'boyfriend' surprisingly well. He was able to maintain the character throughout the night, and Tori couldn't help but be glad that tonight worked out for their favor. Her choice in Robbie was truly paying off.
It wasn't for another fifteen minutes until Tori bumped into someone. Her eyes widened when she saw who she was staring…
"Oh my God! Tori!" The man yelled and scooped her up into his. When he let her go, she couldn't help but feel an old twinge of heart ache. Knowing that in front of her was the man that she had a huge crush months ago. "It's so good to see you!"
Soon, Tori was placed back on the floor, with her feet touching smoothly. She soon saw the eyes of her former friend, "Hi, Tori…"
And when Traci said that, any moment she felt from her former crush soon dissipated. Her eyes gazed upon her former friend, "Hi, Traci…"
Taking the moment, Robbie knew the already building tension between the three of them. Taking a breath, he decided to use his past classes with Sikowitz to his advantage. "Tori, you mind introducing me…"
Tori turned to Robbie, confused. "Huh?"
Robbie smiled, and looked at Traci and Ryan, "You have to excuse her. She's still shocked by the ring…"
Traci looked at Tori, "He gave you a ring?"
Tori slowly went to look down at her hand, still confused. Not knowing what was going on. "Yeah, an engagement ring."
"He asked you to marry him?" Traci asked, shocked. "Can we see it?"
Robbie sighed, "Unfortunately the ring had to get resized."
"Oh." Traci realized.
"When did this happen?" Ryan asked.
Robbie then pulled Tori to him, placing his arms around her waist. "She's still shocked." He leaned in and kissed her neck. "It was beautiful. I took her to the beach. Recreated our first date. Had an early dinner. Danced while the sun set…" Robbie smiled. "When I asked her, she told me that we were too young…"
Tears started to brim in Tori's eyes. She finally found the courage to speak up. "I told him that we were too young. That we were still in high school…"
Robbie gave a grin, "But I told her that we'll make it work. We'll put the wedding on hold, wait till after college. Or until we're well into our careers. To have enough stability… and then we'd get married. We'd get Katy Perry to sing at the ceremony. Doves flying in the air, a fountain…" He looked at her, "Not cheddar…" Tori smirked. "And we'd honeymoon in the Caribbean. Spend seven days in bliss, coming home, finding a place to raise a family…"
"Family?" Ryan asked.
Robbie nodded, "Yep… three kids. One boy, two girls. It would be the life that we know we deserved…"
"Wow…" Traci said, amazed. "You planned out all that?"
"What can I say?" Robbie grinned. "I fell in love with Tori when I first saw her. I asked her out that night, and we've been together ever since." He smirked. "We even won best couple on an Internet Game Show. 'Queries for Couples.'" Tori couldn't help but grin at the memory. "It never aired, but it did confirm our feelings for each other." He looked at Tori, "It was at that moment when I told her I was in love with her. And when she told me that back, I knew we were in it for the long haul." He chuckled. "If anything, I knew I was in it for the long haul when we had our Prome."
"You two really do love each other, don't you?" Traci asked.
Robbie pulled away from Tori and caressed her cheeks, staring directly into her eyes, "I can't imagine my life without her…"
It was then when Tori's eyes began to water even more… Robbie grinned at her and then back at Traci and Ryan. "Sorry for spilling all this out. But, once I get going, it's hard to stop."
"It sure looks like that." Ryan told him. "It definitely was a pleasure meeting you…"
"Robbie… Robbie Shapiro…" He told him, pulling away from Tori. "It was nice meeting you two, Ryan." He looked at Traci, "You too…, Traci…"
Tori nodded finally, looking at her former friend, "Happy Birthday, Traci."
"Thank you…" Traci told her…
Tori then looked at Robbie, and then back at Traci. And then at Ryan… and as she did, she began to realize that all the past problems she had with Traci just melted away. She didn't know why, but at that moment, everything that she held against her former friend didn't seem important anymore.
"And as long as we're being so honest…" Tori began…
Traci shook her head, "No, I want to say this, Tori. I want to say that I'm sorry. I want to say that what happened between us… I'm sorry. I never should've left you by yourself… I never should've…"
Tori smiled, "Me too, Traci. It never should've ended the way it did…" She looked at Ryan, "If anything, my time with Robbie… It got me to put things in focus." Tori gave them a smile, "And I wish it didn't end the way it did for us…"
"Me too…" Traci admitted…
Tori looked at Robbie, and then grabbed his hand. He turned back to her friends, "Even though we go to Hollywood Arts… we should still stay in touch."
"Really?" Traci asked.
Tori nodded, "Really." She looked back at Robbie, and then at them. "But right now, I got to go tell my parents."
"Of course…" Traci said.
That said, the four of them said goodbye and left for their own destinations…
"That was incredible…" Tori said to Robbie as they sat upon the wall. Waiting for the limo to come and pick them up.
"I did good?" Robbie asked, shocked.
"You did great." Tori said to him. "Where did come up with that?"
Robbie shrugged, "Promise not to laugh?"
"After tonight, Robbie. I won't do anything to make you feel bad. Don't ever think you can't tell me anything…"
Robbie let out a breath, "Well…" He shrugged… "I guess I always felt that way…" He looked at the ground below them. "I had nights where I dream of a life with you. Where we'd be married, and have kids… I just always… I always did like you, Tori. I mean that, in more than a friend way. When I first saw you perform, when I first met you, I just…"
Tori looked at him, and realized that he actually wasn't putting a show in the tent. He was speaking from his heart. And those were the most beautiful words she ever heard…"I never knew you felt that way."
Robbie sighed, "I didn't know how to tell you…" He looked at her, "And I guess, this whole 'pretend boyfriend' just gave me the strength I needed."
"Well, I'm glad." Tori told him. "I'm glad because I got to see you the way you usually don't show people, and I must admit. I like what I see."
"You do?" Robbie asked.
She nodded, "Yeah… I do…" She reached out and grabbed his hand. "And I would like to see where we could go with this."
"You want to try dating?" He asked, shocked.
"I got to experience what you just said back there." Tori told him. "And the best way to do that is that we try the dating thing."
"Wow." Robbie said, amazed.
"But you do realize that I'm expecting everything you just said back there."
Robbie just looked at her, gazing at her. "Really?"
"Yep, and I want it in full."
Robbie sighed, "Alright then, I'll do it." He looked at her, "So, we're boyfriend and girlfriend now?"
Tori grinned, "We were boyfriend/girlfriend the moment we met up with Traci and Ryan…"
"How am I doing?" Robbie questioned.
"You're doing great." Tori told him. She looked up as the limo came around the bend. "But, I am still expecting that engagement ring soon."
Robbie just looked at her, "What?"
"When you're ready." Tori said to him. "Let's go home…"
That said, the two of them went into the limo when it came to them and drove off. Neither ever expected that they would leave that party as a real couple. But with the way it turned out, they wouldn't expect anything else.
THE END