Hey, I haven't written anything in a long time, and I'm leaving for Montreal tomorrow, so I thought I'd quickly make a oneshot before I leave.

Disclaimer: I do not own Victorious. All rights go to Dan Schneider and Nickelodeon.

Strangest of Them All

Tori Vega

The first time the students of Hollywood Arts lay eyes on Tori Vega, they knew she was something different. A breath of fresh air from what they were used to. She was ordinary. She could sing, act, maybe not to the extent of say Beck Oliver or Jade West, but she had some raw talent. You had to, to get into Hollywood Arts. One could say that she was too plain, too simple to be the main roles of Spring Awakening or Wicked. She was a Mary Sue, she could easily play those beautiful, kind hearted, teenage girls. But she hadn't faced enough turmoil in her life to play the role of Elphaba, a confused and outcasted witch who has always been shunned, ridiculed. How could she put enough emotion into her words and actions, make the audience believe that she had suffered through this?

But Tori Vega was given these roles anyway. Because she was different. She was a typical California girl, she came from a nice family, on the nice part of town. And that was exactly what made her stand out. Never in her life, had she encountered true trauma, inner turmoil. Maybe she didn't deserve them. Maybe she was treated too kindly. Perhaps, Jade deserved to put on the play that she worked on for months on end, instead of having Tori's 'Prome' replace it.

But she liked to help. She was always willing to give a helping hand, to whomever needed it. Even cold and bitter Jade West, who had poured coffee on her head on the first day of school. When push came to shove, Tori was there for the people around her. And the students of Hollywood Arts definitely needed help.

But looking around at the students of HA, sometimes, she felt like she was the strangest of them all.

Strangest of Them All

Cat Valentine

Cat Valentine's brother had always been an enigma. He was often the subject of Cat's random chatter, always heard about, yet never seen. From the stories Cat told, one would assume that he lived a horrible life. Constantly moving from hospital to hospital, and each never being able to solve the issues he was facing. Yet in all honesty, Cat would give anything to be in her brother's shoes.

From age 3, Cat knew that her brother was different. He wasn't like the other kids, didn't like to play pirates or tag or hide and seek. He didn't like to read story books or tell spooky stories. In fact, Cat's brother didn't talk at all. He only made strange babbling noises. He would pull people hair and nibble on strange things. And he took up all of the Mr. and Mrs. Valentine's time.

People always assumed that Cat came from a good family, considering her bright and cheerful nature, as well as her family oriented stories. What they didn't know, was that, from the age the Cat could walk, she was on her own. Her parents were always out, looking for yet another hospital to fit Frankie Valentine's 'special needs'. And so little Caterina would be left at home without a guardian. Horrible? Yes. Illegal? Most definitely. But unusual? Not for the Valentine family. Occasionally, Mr. and Mrs. Valentine would call over a caretaker to watch their daughter while they were out. He was an older man that lived nearby, his name was Mr. Kemp. He liked to have young Caterina sit on his lap, while he caressed her back and thigh, running his hand through her thin, silky hair. Of course, young Cat didn't know what was happening back then. But she always felt that something was wrong. That what was happening to her, wasn't supposed to. Only later on, in 5th grade when her teachers explained what sexual harassment was, did she understand what her so called 'caretaker' had done.

Needless to say, the abandonment, the sexual abuse, Cat soon went crazy. Maybe not certifiably insane, but she was holding on to her last bit of sanity. In order to cope, she grasped on to the little things that reminded her of childhood. She painted her room pink, took on a childish, naive persona.

When Tori Vega came around, she stuck to her like glue. Because maybe, maybe if she wished hard enough, she could have a family like Tori's.

One day, said brunette sat down at their designated lunch table with her signature bright smile and high cheekbones.

"We should have all our parents come over to the school! We could have a father-daughter, mother-son dance." she suggested. The table was silent, and Tori didn't see Cat reach over to tightly grip Jade's hand in her own. Because all the wishing in the world, couldn't make her father take a second glance at her.

Strangest of Them All

Robbie Shapiro

Robbie Shapiro was a nerd, who like to carry around a puppet. He was made fun of a lot. And he could handle the teasing, the insults.

"Freak!" someone had once shouted at him, as a tall, well-built football star pushed him down to the ground. Robbie couldn't help but let out a shrill yelp as he stumbled back, landing on his elbows in what would surely form a bruise later on. The football jock simply smirked as he continued to kick and beat the boy. Robbie could do nothing but lay there, as he wished for it all to be over.

That night, he cried himself to sleep, cradling his bruised arms and burying his black eye into his pillow. But he could handle this pain, he faced it everyday, whether brought on by school bullies, or self-inflicted.

No, what hurt the most, was when the next day, his so called 'friends' teased him for his 'male-makeup'. But where had they been when Robbie was lying on the ground, bleeding, and begging for someone, anyone to help him. Was it all a joke to them? Was his pain so comical that they would laugh at it to his face? Because really, what was so funny about the scrapes and cuts and bruises that adjourned his face and body. Robbie would gladly have a good laugh if they could offer a single reason as to why this situation was humorous. But Robbie was good at hiding his pain. And so, instead of voicing his thoughts, he simply gave a nerdy comeback, knowing it would amuse his friends.

In fact, Robbie took comfort in amusing them, it made him feel he had a purpose, a reason to be part of this group. Albeit a small one, he was sure the group would do just fine without him. Really, where did he come in? What did he contribute to the group of friends?

Beck was their fatherly figure, he usually took charge led them. Jade was a sort of 'protector', because although she would never admit it, she was extremely protective of her friends. André entertained them, he was a good friend, talented and an all-round loyal and honest guy. Cat was... well, Cat. She was like a child, really. But even if she didn't really 'give' anything to the group, she had wound her way into their hearts, and they would never leave her behind. Robbie however, could be left and forgotten about, without a second thought.

And so, he sought refuge with a plastic ventriloquist dummy. It was strange, but it let Robbie express his feelings. And stranger still, he grew attached to the puppet, often treating it like it was his child. HE developed a new personality. One that wasn't afraid to speak his mind, but could only be expressed through this puppet. How strange is that? A teenage boy, only able to speak his mind through a piece of plastic. And for a while, it worked. His friends took interest in his new behaviour. But the novelty soon wore off, and he was once again pushed to the side, the weak link of the group.

So when Tori Vega introduced herself to the group, Robbie saw how she seamlessly fit in. How they automatically opened the doors for her, and she became the new centre of their attention. And so, Robbie took every chance to interact with the new girl, because everything she did, was automatically accepted, so everything he did with her, would be too, right? Wrong. Robbie was called a creep, a stalker. By Tori, and by all her new fans and followers. It seems, no matter what he did, Robbie just couldn't get it right.

Strangest of Them All

André Harris

André Harris grew up in a quiet home. He was often shushed for being too loud, and disturbing his sleeping grandmother. Sometimes, that's what his thinks drove his grandma crazy. The quiet, the silence, she just couldn't take it anymore, and snapped. He didn't know anything but quiet. When they moved houses, and left his grandmother behind, André thought things would be different, that things would change. He was wrong. His mother became sick, she would wince at the slightest noise, and so, André was told to remain silent.

André wasn't good at keeping quiet. He always felt an urge to express what he was feeling. But he was taught to keep his feelings inside, to never let them out. Never cause a scene, keep quiet, be polite, keep the noise to a minimal. How he was supposed to do so, he wasn't sure.

In seventh grade, he discovered that he had a voice. A soulful, smooth singing voice. Too bad he wasn't allowed to use it. He realised that he enjoyed singing, it was like a floodgate that allowed all his bottle up emotions to release.

In eighth grade, Jade West showed him the definition of rebelling.

He chose to sing, and he sang until his throat was sore. He ran down the street, screaming, belting out notes until his voice cracked. And he loved every second of it. His father found him later, panting, gasping for breath. Mr. Harris angrily dragged his son back home, warning him never to do such a thing ever again. And so, André had to be quiet.

That summer, he heard about a high school, Hollywood Arts, where you were free to be yourself. He begged his father to let him attend. At first, Mr. Harris was extremely disapproving, a school full of rowdy teenagers, where his son would learn to do the exact opposite of what he had learned all his life? Of course, his initial answer was no. Later that month, Mr. Harris' wife fell deeper into sickness. She was permanently stationed in bed. Within a week, Mrs. Harris passed away.

The funeral was silent. There was no music, no speeches. Just a sea of black clothes, no one making a sound.

That night, Mr. Harris knelt down next to his son, and asked him if going to Hollywood Arts was what he really wanted. André told him that it was, and his father enrolled him. As Mr. Harris flicked off his son's bedroom light, he kissed him softly on the forehead. With the softest eyes André had ever seen on his father, Mr. Harris smiled fondly down at him.

"You'll go far, son."

That night, Mr. Harris left. André never saw his father again. He was left in the custody of his grandmother. Although, at that point, he wasn't sure who was supposed to be taking care of who.

The Vega family liked to be loud. Although it might not seem like it, Trina Vega was the first friend André made at Hollywood Arts. She liked to be loud, and she didn't care who heard. Both would deny it profusely, but they understood each other. And so, André felt his duty was to take care of Trina Vega's little sister.

Strangest of Them All

Beck Oliver

Beck Oliver was the 'perfect' boy. He was attractive and talented. His acting skills were no doubt some of the best in the school. And although he didn't have a passion for it, all in all, his singing was just as perfect as his acting. But the difference between them was, with acting, you could create emotions, this person you are becoming, it not who you really are, and everyone in the audience knows that. With singing, you're expected to put your real emotions out there. And that was something that Beck always had trouble with. It wasn't that he couldn't express what he was feeling, he had trouble feeling at all.

He had grown up in a picture perfect family. His father often dragged him and his mother to meetings, lunches, dinners, social events. Here, Beck was forced to dress perfectly, smile perfectly, be the perfect son. He grew up hearing grown-ups praise him, tell him how he was such a 'well-behaved' child. He heard people compliment his father on how he managed to keep his family together. Words like 'divorce' and 'new wife' were thrown around carelessly. Beck was young, but he knew that his family was far from the illusion that they put up in front of others.

He grew used to falling asleep to the sound of plates crashing and angry voices. The sound of harsh slaps and his mother's sobs became a permanent backing track in the Oliver household. That is, until they had guests over. Sometimes, Beck would fall out of his charade. His smile would falter, and he'd beg the guest not to go, because as long as there were people around, he didn't have to go back to hearing his mother cry because of his father's abuse. When this happened, Mr. Oliver would reach under the table and pinch his son, a warning.

Soon, Beck's emotions began to numb out. After seeing his father smash a beer bottle over his mother's head, nothing could ever scare hi/m to that extent again.

When he attended Hollywood Arts, he was automatically drawn to the school musicals and plays. Acting was all he knew. It was all he'd ever done since he was young. But something was always off. His scenes were never convincing enough. His words seemed dull and void of emotion.

Then he met Jade West. And she made him feel something. Anger, fear, passion, confusion. But most of all, love. A feeling he hadn't known for a long. She was so full of emotions. She had a different spark, one that he might of had when he was younger, but had long since burned out. She was interesting. She gave him emotions. She almost reminded him of his father. They both seemed to be constantly angry. Yet his father killed his emotions, while Jade sparked them. And that was what drew Beck Oliver to Jade West.

When Tori Vega came into the picture, things became complicated. Jade became more jealous and possessive of him. But as Beck watched Tori perform on stage, he felt a rush of affection. Not in a romantic way, but a brotherly, platonic fondness. Tori struggled through her lines, and struggled to put feeling into her scenes. Just like he did. Maybe he could help her. God knows what would have happened if no one had helped him.

Strangest of Them All

Jade West

There are many things you could say about Jade West. That she was evil, cruel, sadistic. That she didn't deserve her boyfriend Beck. She was dramatic and vengeful. But what you can't say, is that she isn't talented. No matter what you think about the dubbed 'Wicked Witch of the West', there's no doubt that she is among the most talented people in Hollywood Arts. When she is onstage, she captivates everyone's attention.

She loves being the centre of attention. You just can't ignore Jade West. And that's the way she likes it.

Jade was born into a rich family. Her father was a successful business man, they lived in a big mansion with large marble columns and huge oak doors. From the minute Jade could survive on her own, without her mother watching over her, she was ignored. Once, when she was 4 years old, she tugged on her father's sleeve and asked him to come play with her. Mr. West brushed her off, telling her he would play with her as soon as he had dealt with a client. As she turned away, dejected, she heard him apologising profusely over the phone. And that was the same answer he gave her every time.

The summer she turned 7, her parents split up. She was told that she would be staying with her father for the majority of the time. Not even a month later, her father had a new fiancée. A pregnant fiancée. Anne, she had blonde hair and blue eyes and had to be half the age of Mr. West. She brought a yappy little chihuahua into their home. Jade went up to her father and asked him to read the story she wrote. He brushed her off, he had more important things to deal with.

Later, that story she had written would become the script to a play of hers. One that would be cancelled due to Tori Vega's Prome.

Then her half-brother was born. He became the star of the house. He took up all of Mr. West's spare time. Spare time that he claimed never to have when it came to Jade.

Hollywood Arts was a place where Jade was never ignored. Her harsh demeanour was feared, and thus, watched out for. You couldn't ignore Jade West.

And then in comes Tori Vega. And she steals the spotlight away completely. Honestly, Jade thought it was extremely unfair. This girl didn't care about performing at all, but by chance finds out that she's good at it, and without enrolling gets a spot in the school, when there is a long waiting list of kids wanting to get in. This girl comes in, and everything gets handed to her on a silver platter. Everyone automatically loves her. Tori Vega is now the star of Hollywood Arts, and Jade is ignored again.

But then again, when has life ever been fair for Jade West?

After all, the Wicked Witch of the West will always lose to the beloved princess.

Strangest of Them All

Trina Vega

Trina was always second best. From the minute little Tori was born, she was the star of their parents' lives. Trina was always second priority. Call her self-centred, selfish, greedy. Maybe it was all true. But you can't say that it had nothing to do with her upbringing. Trina has a feeling that even when she was an only child, Holly and David Vega loved their nonexistent baby bump more than they loved her. Maybe it was because she didn't have the high cheekbones and the slim physique that her sister did.

Tori liked to copy her big sister. When Trina was finally allowed to perm her hair at age 14, 12 year old Tori of course wanted to do the same. And of course, Tori only needed to give a pout and simple request, before their parents consented. Even after Trina had to beg for 3 years for their permission, Tori only needed 5 minutes.

When Trina discovered singing, she sought comfort in it. She had something to call her own. Even if she wasn't the greatest at it. She had something, that her little sister didn't.

And then Tori came and blew the roof of the annual showcase, and she knew. There was nothing she had that her sister Tori didn't.

It was annoying, aggravating, and extremely frustrating.

But that's what little sisters are for, aren't they?