(Author's Note: I don't own Victorious. 3 characters in this chapter are related to the show and I do not own them. I own the main character, her parents, and one other character who plays a minor role. This is my first fan fiction with original characters. Please feel free to subscribe and review! Enjoy!)

My stomach was doing flips as I sat in my car outside my new high school, thinking of how I got here. I was miles away from home. California was NOT Michigan and even though this was where I wanted to go since I was a kid, I wasn't sure this was how I wanted to get there. I probably crushed the dreams of a former classmate, and yet I ended up on top. It just didn't seem fair to me. I sighed deeply as I sat back and tried to calm myself down. I closed my eyes and remembered what got me here.

**1 Month Ago**

I headed back on to the stage, fixing my red wig as I walked. We had just finished the opening night performance of Annie, me being the lead role. I was the last cast member to reappear onstage for applause. I made my way up the stairs and behind the black curtain, waiting for my cue. The whole chorus of orphans came second to last. I smiled as they ran past me, waving in response to a freshman whose name I couldn't remember. Finally, they announced my name, and I ran onto the stage smiling and waving as I made my way to the center. I stopped and took a bow. Through the bright lights in my face, it looked like everyone in the audience was standing.

We took our whole cast bow once, then twice, then stood waving as the curtain closed. Once the curtain closed, we all milled around offering congrats to one another. That freshmen whose name I still couldn't remember came running up to me.

"Jen, Jen!" She stood just feet away and I smiled as I struggled to remember her name. "I'm Jessica, remember?" I laughed nervously. Right, Jessica. I had to remember that.

"Good job tonight Jessica." I smiled. She smiled sheepishly in response.

"You were better." She replied. "I want you to meet my uncle. He works at a school in Los Angeles."

"Sure, lead the way." I shrugged. What did a teacher for a school in LA want with me? I followed Jessica as she led me out and around the barriers into the audience. As we rounded the barriers I got tons of thumbs ups, smiles, and congrats. I did my best to thank them without losing Jessica. She finally stopped and hugged a man who looked pretty normal for being from LA. He smiled before offering me a congrats.

"Hi, my name is Paul and I'm a drama teacher at Hollywood Arts in Los Angeles." He offered his hand. I shook it, still confused as to why I was meeting him.

"Jen. I obviously played the lead." I stepped back and indicated my attire.

"Listen Jen, you were fantastic. I don't make the final call, but I took some video of you with my phone and sent it to our principal. I think you'd make a great addition to Hollywood Arts. What do you think?'

"Hollywood Arts? What kind of school is that?"

"It's an acting and performing high school."

"I-I really wasn't that good. Are you sure you want me to go there?"

"Please, you were amazing. You received a standing ovation. What do you say? We can go out for drinks or dinner or something with your folks and talk it over."

"Uhm, Ok. I'll go find them." I walked a few feet away to search the crowd without wandering aimlessly. Behind me, I heard Jessica and her uncle talking.

"How did I do Uncle Paul?"

"You were…ah, you were, alright." It sounded like he was gritting his teeth when he said that. Jessica wasn't that good. That's why she was the chorus of orphans, and not a major speaking role. I felt bad for her, she was sweet. I searched the crowd for my parents and finally found them, standing near a pole, off by themselves. I walked over to them and hugged them both before taking the flowers my dad had in his hands. I explained the situation to them and they thought it was fantastic. They followed me back to where Paul was standing, Jessica nowhere in sight, and I introduced them before excusing myself to change.

By the time I came back out, fully changed and my make-up gone, the audience was mostly gone. All that remained were family members of the cast still here, and some of their friends. They hung in small clumps scattered around the room. I found Paul and my parents standing right where I had left them. They were talking, and everyone looked happy. I joined them and my parents told me the good news: Since I had taken so long to get changed, we didn't have to go out afterwards, they had talked things over with Paul. They had exchanged phone numbers and we were just waiting on a response from the Principal of Hollywood Arts. Paul congratulated me one more time before we left. My parents talked it over in the car the whole way home, I was kind of entranced.

The next morning, during my second period English class, I got a text from my mom. She knew phones weren't exactly welcomed in class, so it had to be important. I asked for the bathroom pass and went to check my phone. My mom had said that they got a call from Paul, who had finally received a response from the principal. I was accepted! I was so happy. I smiled from ear to ear and skipped back to class. My teacher noticed something was up, so I reluctantly yet excitedly told them the news. Everyone was so happy for me that we finished up our lesson early and just talked for the last half hour of class.

So that was that. I finished out the weekend's performances and we packed up and moved across country. Easier said than done.

**Present day**

I opened my eyes and looked around, noticing more cars in the parking lot. I shut my car off and got out, heading in to the school in search of the principal's office. The first thing I noticed when I walked in was the lockers. They were all decorated funny. There was a clear one, one with a keyboard on it, one that said "Make it shine" and one with bottle nipples on it. I shook my head at the crazy idea and pressed on in my search for the office. A girl with bright pink hair came up to me; she must've seen how confused I looked.

"Hi. Are you lost?" She said, her voice light and airy.

"Yeah, I'm new. Can you tell me how to get to the Principal's office?"

"Hi New. It's right around the corner there." She giggled as she pointed around a corner.

"My name's not New, it's Jen, and thanks." I smiled before I walked towards the office.

(Sorry that flashback was so long, I'm very descriptive..)