Students at Hollywood Arts got a vacation from December 23 to January 16. The gang was bored with Los Angeles in a few days, so Beck asked his uncle if the gang could borrow his van and they would go up to Squaw Valley USA for two weeks. Their parents said that they needed a chaperone, and the gang knew exactly who to ask. That's right- their favorite teacher, Sikowits.
They left LA at seven in the morning with Andre and the wheel. Sikowits was in the front and Jade, Cat and Robbie were in the back. Tori and Beck sat in the way back, much to Jade's displeasure. "I don't trust Vega with Beck," she frowned.
"Oh Jade, it could be worse," Sikowits said cheerfully. "You could be in the middle seat and crammed like Cat is right now."
"Huh," Jade snapped and snipped the air with her scissors. "If Vega so much looks at my boyfriend, I'm going to give her something she'll remember for a long time. You hear that, Vega?"
In the way back, Tori went pale. She closed the curtain that separated the way back from the back and whispered to Beck, "Are you sure that this was a good idea?"
"Yep," Beck replied confidently. "Jade needs to learn that sometimes you can't get whatever you want all the time." Just then, they heard the sound of scissors on fabric. "Jade, please leave clothing and my uncle's car alone," Beck didn't look so calm now.
Then Tori's phone buzzed. She read her text message and went three shades paler. "Oh..." was all that she could say. Her voice shook and Beck saw unshed tears in her brown eyes.
"What's wrong?" he asked gently. Tori shook and wordlessly handed him her phone. Beck read the message. Tor, the house burned down from Trina's latest party. It started in your room where some of Trina's friends were smoking. They put it out, but everything was destroyed. You go to Squaw Valley and have fun. – Mom
All Beck could do was look at Tori. She was huddled in her seat gasping and swallowing hard, trying to keep from bursting into tears. "Come here, Tori." Beck unbuckled their seatbelts against his better judgment and pulled her onto his lap. She buried her face in his shoulder and sobbed.
Beck's shirt was getting wet, but he didn't notice and just just wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug. The van stopped and Sikowits peered into the way back. "Long story," Beck said and gently pried Tori's arms from around his neck. "Cat will clean you up."
On cue, Cat noticed Tori and Beck. "What happened?" she asked. Beck mouthed, Tell you later and Cat took Tori's hand and led her away.
"Her room burned. Cut her a little slack." Beck explained to Sikowits before heading over to Jade. "Hey babe,"
"You smell like Vega," Jade sniffed Beck's shirt. "Did you get close to her? And why is your shirt wet?"
"It's wet because I spilled water on it and I smell like Tori because I've been sitting next to her for an hour."
"Fine, I believe that." Jade took Beck's hand. "And speaking of Vega, what's she melting down about this time?"
"Her room burned down thanks to Trina. That's pretty awful. You go to Squaw Valley for vacation and fifteen minutes into the trip, you hear that you room burned down."
"Too bad Vega didn't burn with it. That would make my day." Jade flashed one of her infamous smirks.
"Jade, that isn't very nice. I want you to take it back this instant! I know you don't like Tori, but don't say stuff like that."
"Fine, I take it back."
Ten minutes later, the gang was back on the road. Tori looked fine now that Cat had removed all her make-up. In fact, she looked even prettier now that she had no make-up on. "I'm sorry," she said to Beck, "It's just that all my stuff is…gone and my room is ruined," she bit back tears and trying to swallow the lump in her throat.
"Come here," Beck reached for Tori and lifted her into his lap again. "You can cry. I would too if my RV burned."
Tori gulped and he held her while she sobbed. She leaned into him and he stroked her hair. It's so silky and soft. Beck thought. When he had kissed her on her first day, he had been tempted to break up with Jade and ask her out. But Beck was smart. He knew that Jade would flip out and kill Tori if he broke up with her.
Finally Tori's tears stopped. Beck lifted her face up and wiped the tears of her face with the pad of his finger. Her skin was just so smooth and soft. Beck knew that his finger lingered on her face, but he couldn't help himself. At the moment, all Beck wanted was to pull her close and kiss her like he had during Sikowits's class.
He took a deep breath and tried to control himself, but he couldn't. "Tori Vega, I've had feelings for you since you spilled coffee on me." he whispered. "I know I should break up with Jade because I love you so much, but I'm afraid." Beck pulled Tori close and pressed his lips firmly on hers. It was the kind of kiss that you give someone to make up for years and years of not being able to kiss them.
I should stop, the voice in the back of Beck's head said, but Beck ignored it and suddenly took control of his body. His hand was in her hair, but instead of pushing him away, Tori just deepened it. You could describe it as just so wrong, but to Beck it felt so right.
If you asked Beck what the best moment of his life was, he would say that it was this one. Tori's lips on his, his hand in her hair. It was wrong and right at the same time.
!#$%^&*
That was how Beck felt. Tori's feelings were so different. Her version of the morning put a spin on what happened.
When Beck refused to let Jade in the way back with him and Tori, she was nervous. Jade could do some serious damage if she wanted to. Tori wanted to have a peaceful vacation. She didn't want to be looking over her shoulder every few minutes to make sure that Jade wasn't going to kill her.
Of course, Beck assured her that Jade needed to learn a lesson about not always getting what she wanted. Then Tori got a text from her mother.
She wanted to cry. The lump in her throat got bigger and bigger. "Oh…" she choked out and then her throat closed up completely.
"What's wrong?" Beck asked, but Tori couldn't answer. She handed her phone to him and he read it slowly. Tori balled herself up in her seat. All she was thinking was, How could this happen? Why did it have to be in my room?
"Come here, Tori." Beck said and unbuckled her seatbelt. Then he lifted her into his lap and held her close while she sobbed into his shoulder. She couldn't stop her thoughts. My room burned down. All my stuff is ashes. It was all Trina's fault. My room will never be the same again. Her thoughts shifted from her room to Beck's arms around her. Jade is going to kill me. She trembled slightly and Beck whispered, "Shh, it's okay."I can't believe that I'm this close to Beck right now. I still have big-time feeling for him.
The door to the way back opened and Sikowits poked his head in. "Long story," Beck said and gently unwrapped Tori's long arms from around his neck. "Cat will clean you up."
Cat skipped in. "What happened?" she asked and took Tori's hand. "Come with me." Even as she was led away by Cat, Tori glanced back to see Beck talking to Jade.
In the bathroom, Cat pulled a bottle of make-up remover from her bag and scrubbed Tori's face clean. "You're good to go, Tori." she said and they walked back to the van together. "And by the way, tell me what happened?"
"I'm just so confused," Tori confessed. "My room burned down and I was just so shocked, then Beck picked me up and put me on his lap. I still have feelings for him and then he let me cry into his shoulder and he comforted me."
"Wow," Cat said sympathetically. "That is a lot to deal with, especially all in one day. Just use your acting skills, put on your bravest face and shove down your feelings about Beck. If Jade finds out, it's going to be pretty ugly."
"I know. I'll try, Cat. Thanks for the advice."
"You're welcome. Now remember, I'll be right by your side for the whole ordeal. Now, don't say anything to Jade. Beck's lecturing her about being nice to you."
"Thanks for everything Cat. You're probably my best friend in the whole entire world." Cat and Tori smiled at each other and headed back to the van.
When they were on the road again, Tori apologized to Beck. "I'm sorry. It's just that my stuff is… gone and my room is ruined." she bit back tears. Don't cry now. Be tough. Bottle up your feelings. You're acting right now.
"Come here," Beck lifted Tori onto his lap like he had the first time. "You can cry. I would too if my RV burned."
Tori gulped and leaned into his shoulder. He enfolded her in a hug and stroked her hair. Jade is going to kill me. But Tori didn't care. She liked the feeling of his fingers in her hair.
When she stopped crying he wiped her tears away. Tori also liked his rough finger on her skin. It felt so good and right.
"Tori Vega, I've had feelings for you since you spilled coffee on me." He told her softly. "I know I should break up with Jade because I love you so much, but I'm afraid."
Tori was still taking this in when she felt his lips pressing against hers. She was unsure of herself and considered pulling away when Beck's hand ruffled her hair. That did it. Tori deepened the kiss and rubbed his back.
When they finally pulled away for breath, Beck's face broke into a smile and Tori felt a grin spread across her face. "That was amazing," she whispered and Beck's hand cupped her face.
"If I break up with Jade, will you go out with me?" he breathed and brushed her hair away from her face with his free hand.
"Yes. But when will you tell her?" Tori asked.
"After the vacation, a few days before school starts up again," Beck replied. "That will give her enough time to cool off before she makes the connection."
"Of course," Tori said and then kissed him again. She was so happy that she completely forgot about her room.
This whole thing felt so right. In reality, Tori knew it was wrong. She wasn't a cheater. She didn't steal people's boyfriends away from them. But when Beck kissed her and put his hands in her hair, it just felt so right. She wanted to keep going on forever and stay in his arms for a live time. It was so wrong, but felt too right to give it up. Jade could deal with it.
Is this the right thing to do? She wondered. I don't want to break Jade's heart like this. She and Beck have been going out for two whole years.
Her head said to tell Beck to stay with Jade, but her heart told her to accept Beck's offer. Follow your heart, Tori. If you do anything, then just follow your heart. Don't let your head get in the way. Always follow your heart.