The first time I watched Victorious I asked myself the question, "How did these people ever become friends?" That is how this story was born. That question and this story have been bouncing around in my head for a while so I finally decided to write it down and share. I haven't written fiction in a while and this is my first fanfiction so here goes...

Chapter 1

A Place to Belong

From the outside looking in one had to wonder, "How did these individuals ever become friends?" In fact, sometimes these friends would ask themselves the same question. At their performing arts high school there wasn't the conventional cliques, as you would find at a "normal" school. You know the jocks, geeks, cheerleaders, and loners. If you walked through the halls of Hollywood Arts or looked around the Asphalt Café you would see the key groups. The actors tended to be the most popular. And while many were serious about their craft many spent their days thinking of fame and fortune. The artists were under the goth category and might be covered in paint or coated in clay. They were often thought of as creative and serious. They could be heard listening to punk music and detailing their troubled family lives. The musical theatre kids were preppy and always talking about their hopes and dreams of life on stage. Their lockers were covered with pictures of Broadway musicals and they would faint if they ever met Barbara Streisand or Patti LaPone. The dancers were considered free spirits and always threw the best parties. They could be found eating salads and literally dancing in the halls at any given hour. The musicians filed under two categories. There were the laid back stoners who could be found with a guitar always on hand and the dedicated musicians that fevered over perfecting high notes and ballads. There were also a small and often forgotten group of kids, the nerds, which were stage hands and took care of the technological aspects of performing. Now, this group of friends (plus a puppet) could easily be placed in any of the above mentioned stereotypes. However, they were bonded together and friends inside and outside of school. How exactly they became friends started the first day of freshmen year.

It was yet another hot and sunny day in Hollywood as six friends (plus a puppet) sat around a lunch table at Hollywood Arts High School. The typical conversations filled the air. The happy go lucky Andre and people pleaser Tori were talking about what to sing at the next school kickback, socially awkward Robbie was explaining to the cool yet cruel Rex why he shouldn't tell other people about Robbie's embarrassing secret night of tearing up while watching chick flicks, and the cool and follically gifted Beck was lightly bantering with the ever caustic Jade about their evening plans. Meanwhile, a loud shrill voiced synthetic redhead joined the group spouting off a story about her brother's recent trip to the circus and subsequent visit to jail. All their conversations abruptly stopped as Tori's screech box of a sister, Trina, walked by belting out a pop song. Everyone turned their ears and eyes back over to Cat who continued her story. Each member of the group racked their brains for a way to change the conversation so they did not have to hear yet another never ending story about Cat's creepy brother. As Tori Vega, the newest member of the group, looked around the table at her friends (including the puppet Rex and frenemy Jade) she finally asked a question she wished she had asked sooner, "How did the five very different and eccentric teens become friends"?

"And then my brother hopped off the elephant," were the last words Cat got out before Jade interrupted with a frustrated groan and gave Cat a coloring book to color.

"Hey, guys how did the five of you ever become friends? I mean you're all so...so…so… different," asked Tori.

"Oh yes, the good days before Vega graced us with her presence," Jade uttered sarcastically.

As various members of the group rolled their eyes Beck spoke up to answer Tori's question.

"Well I guess it started freshman year. We were all new here and none of us really knew anybody."

Andre added," Yeah, you know how the first day is girl. You don't know anyone and there are all these talented kids and upperclassman you got to compete with. Everywhere you turn you hear music, see dancing, see people pacing the halls with scripts in their hands. And you know for the first time in your life you've found people, a school, which allows you to belong because for the first time you're around other people that have the same passion and drive as you do for what you love. For other people your art is just a hobby. But for you and the other people at this school it's like air to you, it's like…"

"Uh enough of the heart to heart already, "Jade said interrupting Andre. "You were really on a roll there these three idiots over here are crying," Jade complained pointing to Robbie, Cat, and Tori.

"That was beautiful and true," Robbie uttered in between sobs as Rex began to rant about how embarrassed he is of Robbie.

"So I guess we should get to the story," Beck said as he awkwardly tried to get the group back on track.

Beck began to tell the story of how he and Andre met; they had three morning classes together. It was during that third class, biology, that they had met Cat and Jade. Jade had been the first one at the lab table that sat four students towards the back of the room. Jade already had that intimidating air around her that she holds so dear. No one else had sat at her table. One part of her wished no one would so she didn't have to deal with anyone and the other part of her didn't want to be the girl that sat alone that everyone pitied or talked bad about. The ever so friendly Cat saw the lonely girl and sat next to her, exclaiming that they were going to be best friends and animatedly starting telling her life story.

Jade sent Cat a glare and informed her that, "If we're going to be BFFS you're going to have to talk a little less," Jade sarcastically said.

Cat simply said," OK", and hummed quietly to herself as Jade whipped out a book.

At this point Beck and Andre had entered the classroom and Andre pointed at the nearest table to which he and Beck took a seat. Immediately Cat took it upon herself to introduce herself and Jade. Jade simply rolled her eyes at the overzealous Cat while Beck and Andre slightly chuckled at their tablemate's eagerness.

"Cat you might want to save some of your talking for later," Jade caustically reminded her.

Cat once again simply said."Ok".

Jade's little display of control earned one of Beck's famous side smiles as Andre simply thought to himself, "I wonder if these are going to be our permanent seats," and sure enough they were.

Much to Jade's chagrin the biology teacher made them do a getting to know you activity where you had to ask the people at your table two questions each and then do the same thing with at least four other people in class. Cat eagerly went first followed by Andre. Cat's questions centered around favorite colors and favorite ice cream flavor. Andre asked about their favorite musicians and what electives they were taking. Beck, taking note of what Jade was reading, The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, asked what her favorite part had been so far and said that he had read it over the summer. Jade was impressed that a pretty boy like Beck would read such a literary masterpiece or even read at all. Of course, she would never say that aloud. Jade asked about what middle school they had gone to and if they thought the biology teacher was going to make them do a lot of stupid assignments like this one. Before they knew it biology was over and it was time for lunch.

"We should all totally eat lunch together," Cat excitedly proclaimed.

Andre wasn't so sure about it but agreed when Beck seemed ok with it. Jade said whatever and took off with Cat running to keep up. The two boys lingered behind. Jade picked an empty table and Cat sat down beside her. In line waiting for food Andre protested to Beck that they should find somewhere else to sit as the crazy red head may expect them to sit together everyday. He also noted that the goth chick didn't seem interested in sitting together and she seemed like the type you don't want to cross. "You have to be careful who you align yourself with in high school," Andre explained to Beck.

Beck simply ran his hand through his hair and looked around the asphalt cafe trying to take Andre's advice seriously.

"Look the tables are already filling up fast, neither of us know anybody, so lets just go sit with them. They're only a few feet away," Beck explained. For some unidentifiable reason Beck wasn't off put by the girls and he felt compelled to sit with them. Of course in hindsight it was Jade ,the girl dressed in all black, that compelled Beck to eat lunch at thier table.

"That was our strategy in bio. I'm thinking we are going to regret it," Andre pointed out but followed Beck anyway.

The boys reappeared at the girls side exchanging hellos. Cat had a huge smile on her face while Jade looked a bit surprised to see them again. Suddenly, another student, a brunette girl, pranced by atrociously singing some dumb Ginger Fox song. The four freshmen winced at the intrusion to their ears.

"I thought everyone had to audition to get into Hollywood Arts," wondered Andre aloud.

"Someone must have been high when they let her in," concluded Beck.

I hope she doesn't have any relatives," Jade uttered while picking at her burrito.

When lunch was almost over an out of breath boy was heard shouting and running toward the table.

"Hey Beck there you are," said the boy, who was by the way, holding a "naked" puppet. "It is so good to see a familiar face. Some mean bullies took Rex's clothes so I was late for lunch and I have gotten lost three times today already."

The boy with the glasses continued to ramble on and on until the puppet spoke up, "Take a breath Rob and shut up so you can quit embarrassing me in front of these two pretty young…"

"Shhh…. Rex don't be rude," the boy countered.

Beck took the opportunity to sheepishly introduce Robbie to the other three freshmen at the table and explain that they went to the same middle school. Cat shook Robbie and Rex's hand while Jade and Andre looked bewildered at the duo. The bell for lunch rang and the group walked to their next class, which was the same for them all, Sikowitz's Introduction to Acting. And yes, the shoeless teacher did enter the classroom through the window.

"So that is how Beck, Jade, Robbie, Cat, and I met," concluded Andre.

"Yeah, we've been eating lunch together ever since," added Robbie.

"We had a lot of classes together so that meant class projects were done together and then there were plays and eventually we started hanging outside of school together and here we are today," contributed Beck.

"Sophomore year Tori came and then there were six," Andre finished the conversation while Jade scoffed and Rex interjected," seven".

Thanks for reading and please review. Did I write and format the dialogue correctly? Do you think the five orginal friends could have met this way?