Disclaimer: This was written by a heterosexual male. Inaccuracies are expected. Also, I don't own the source material, I just like to see them live again. No offense ment.
:}
Tori fidgeted on the couch, waiting for her best friend, Andre, to be ready to talk to her. They were supposed to be meeting at a coffee shop, but in the last minute, switched to his grandmothers house. She'd have preferred to meet someplace neutral, but part of her was grateful for the reprieve. While she wasn't a major celebrity, she'd been in the public eye enough that the paparazzi might find out, and she didn't want her friends and family learning THIS that way. So here she was, waiting for Andre to finish getting ready to talk.
"So whats up, Chica?" He asked. He had his bowl of chips in hand and was sitting comfortably on a chair, facing the couch. His grandmother was in her room, still recovering from thinking that their window was a painting and that it 'Kept moving.'
"You're my friend, right?" She replied with her own question. "I mean, nothing I do is really going to change that, right?"
Andre knew enough to just nod. "Sure, Tor, we're friends. So what'd you do?" He knew, from experience, that starting a conversation like that was rarely a good thing. In fact, this was the kind of opening that over the last couple of years, he'd expected to hear from Jade.
"It's not what I did so much as what I am." Tori looked out the window of his grandmothers living room. She was nervous. People could be so closed minded, and she needed someone on her side before she faced her family with this.
"So what are you?" He asked, feeling a strange sense of relief. That one statement had eliminated most of the things he'd have trouble accepting. So unless she'd misspoke, he felt fairly sure this was something he could support her in. He visibly relaxed in his chair.
Tori took a deep breath, taking her time to really calm herself, then realizing she was holding her breath, let it out in one quick puff. It was too much, so she inhaled again, needing the air.
"Say something before we need a paramedic." Andre said, startling her, causing her to jump and lose her breath. Panting, she slowly regained control. Andre waited for her to be ready again, while contemplating getting a drink.
"I'm gay." She finally said, snapping him out of his mental debate of Peppy cola verses root beer.
"Your what?" The boy said.
"Gay." She repeated, feeling very self conscious.
He looked at her, trying to figure out if this was some kind of joke. "Tori, if this is some kind of sick joke, it's not funny." he finally said. "I mean, really, you've only dated guys since I've met you, and you went gaga over that Moose guy, so I know you're not gay." He seemed so sure of his assumptions.
"HOW DO YOU KNOW SHE'S NOT!" His grandmother yelled. Then the old woman ran into the living room looking around to see if there was anything unusual or dangerous out there. "AND WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?" She then took the time to get in Andre's face. "TORI'S GAY AND THAT'S OKAT! SHE'S HERE, SHE'S QUEER, GET USED TO IT!" After that, the old woman ran back towards her room.
"Well, grandma approves." Andre said. "Look, Tor, I'm sorry. It's just, well, this was not what I expected, and it kinda freaked me out. Not as much as how well Grandma handled it, but still."
"TORI, JUST SO YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GAY, SO IF YOU'RE LOOKIG, STOP!" They heard echoing from the bedroom.
"But if this is who you are, then I'm going to have to accept that, and I'll be there for you." The musician said. "Just Tori, please, whatever you do, don't get all crushy on Jade."
Tori looked toward the window again, trying not to look too guilty. Andre rolled his eyes. 'This is going to be a train wreck, and I'm going to be in the middle again. With Jade breathing fire.' He shuddered. "So Tor, you want me there when you tell your parents?"
"ANDRE, TORI, I THINK GREMLINS DID SOMETHING TO MY SHOES! THEY'RE ALL FUZZY!" Andre's grandmother screamed from her bedroom. They both knew that nothing they said would convince her that those were her slippers.
"Yea, I'd like that." She said, answering Andre's offer. "Maybe if they think it's a pregnancy scare, it'll make the whole gay thing seem like less bad news."
"Thanks Tori, I love how you value our friendship. And my life." Andre said, trying desperately to sound like he was joking. They hugged.
The next day, at the Vega household, Andre showed up after school to work with Tori on homework, while waiting for her parents and Trina to be there. They'd agreed that, if Trina couldn't make it, they'd tell her later. But today all three were present, and so Tori had the chance to tell them.
"Tori, just tell them. Trust me, from the other side, it's better than the long wait, wondering what it is that could be upsetting you. This way, it's easier." Andre said, his pep talk meant to minimize the time her father was thinking of killing him.
"Okay." She told him. She took his hand and walked towards her parents. She looked very nervous, mirroring just how nervous she was feeling, as she squeezed Andre's hand for comfort. The boy was visibly sweating, and that wasn't helping matters any.
"Mom, Dad, Treen, I have something to tell you." She said. All eyes were on her, or just to her right, where Andre was standing, suffering from Jade level glares. "I'm, well, I'm not pregnant." She tried. Hoping her cheesy smile would lighten the mood.
It didn't help. Her father was on his feet, moving towards Andre, causing her to have to shout to save her friend. "He didn't do anything. I just needed his support to tell you."
"Then who did it?" Her mother asked, sternly.
"No one. I mean, that's not what I was trying to tell you." It wasn't going well. Tori was getting more and more nervous, and Andre was contemplating running.
"Tori, just spit it out!" He whisper yelled through his teeth.
That seemed to reach something inside her, because a second later, she managed to say something. "I'm gay." Tori forced out, and when it looked like no one heard her, she repeated it, louder. "I'm Gay, okay. Like a lesbian type gay. I'm crushing on a girl who hates me, and I've come to realize that I deliberately choose to like guys who won't like or respect me, and it's not the whole bad boy thing because the girl I like is kinda like that and.." Tori stopped to breath.
The whole room had stopped. Her father sat down, and both her parents exchanged looks. Trina pulled out her phone, opening an app of some sort. "Trina! This is private. You're not going to mass text this, it's private, family chiz!" Tori kinda yelled. Inside she was grabbing onto something, some kind of reaction she could relate to.
"I'm not texting, at least not yet." Her sister said. "I'm just looking up who had this month in the pool."
"Were supposed to ask if she's sure first." Her father reminded his eldest. "And I want to meet the girl before you start dating her."
"It's that dark Gothic girl, I think her name is West." Holly said.
"Jade." Andre corrected.
"Jade West." Trina said. "And it looks like Dad wins the pool."
"I told you, the way she looked at that picture of the busty girl in the green top, it was just a matter of time." He said.
"That's Jade." Trina added.
"I can see why she likes her." David Vega said, smirking. His wife gave him a weak slap on the arm.
"David." Holly chided.
"YOU BET ON WHEN I'D COME OUT?!" Tori screamed. She'd finally found her voice, and wasn't sure if she'd said it or not.
By this point, Andre was across the room, ready to run out the door. He'd done his job, and this was above and beyond.
"Pretty much, the only unclaimed slot for the next two years was not yet." Her sister said, eerily calm. "If you'd just held out for the summer, bikini season, then I could have got myself some new boots." Trina didn't sound upset at all. Tori just banged her head against the table.
"So when are you going to ask this Jade girl out?' Her father asked. Tori decided to just give up and go to bed. Her parents started discussing how they'd inform he rest of the family, and collect the pool. They barely said "Good night" too her before she was upstairs.
Andre took this as his chance, and bounced. Fast. He felt that this made up for all the times he didn't feel like meeting his girlfriend's parents cause 'It might not work out...'
The next day, Tori had arranged to meet Beck after school. To avoid the uncomfortable situation at home (Her mother had bought her a copy of "Out" magazine, and spent a fair amount of time that morning talking about getting her a subscription.) she'd decided to meet with him someplace neutral. His trailer was chosen as the best place, but only if Jade wasn't around. She wasn't ready to confront her demon crush yet. To make sure, she had Andre distract the goth. ("You so owe me." he'd said. Tori knew that wasn't quite true, he still owed her for helping with his Jade crush.)
She waked in, ready to deal with however her Canadian friend might reacts. She knew she was on shaky ground, but he was the next logical person to tell. She wanted to tell Cat next, but then it's be all over the school before she left the room. Beck was her constant supporter, and had had a crush on her for a while. It was best to tell him next.
"Beck, I have something to tell you.." She took a deep breath.
"If it's that you're gay, I kinda already know." He said.
"How?" she asked, her voice louder than intended.
"It's not hard to get Trina to tell me stuff, and you've been asking kinda weird the last few days, so I thought I'd ask. Also, I had New years through mid-February in the pool. I thought that if you were, well then I figured the odds were you'd most likely take the plunge during the loneliest time of year. You know, between the lack of a loved one on New years Eve and the desire for a someone special on Valentines day. So tell me about your crush on Jade." Beck's calm was making her nervous.
"You knew about it?" She asked.
"Trina." His response said a lot. "Look, I don't want this to cause a rift in out friendship. If Jade and I don't work out, then please, go for it. Just wait to see how we do first."
"Things aren't working out?" Tori asked.
"Jade's, well, Jade. I love the challenge, but the moment we got back together, it's like her crazy reset to eleven. I often think she's more interested in out status as a couple than me." Beck sounded hurt in the end.
"Look, Beck, you have to understand, it's not just Jade. Some girls need that, to feel like the person their dating is desired, and that they somehow won. Give her that sense of security she needs..." Tori was cut off.
"And she might become boring." Beck replied.
Tori frowned. "Beck, I love you as a friend, and it hurts me to say this, but maybe you're the one in this relationship for the wrong reasons. I know you have feelings for her. It's just, you're treating this as a competition for control, and Jade's always tried to make it, well, a completion, but not like you've done. She needs to feel secure, like you're not going to leave her. She just wants to feel safe."
"I get that. I really do. I just..." He looked at Tori. "I just want her to be a challenge, but happy. And you know she doesn't do happy."
"She does, when she thinks she's earned it. So stop giving those Nothridge girls rides. Let Jade feel secure in her position as your girlfriend." Tori said.
"And if that doesn't work out, I hope she returns you interest. I think you'd be good for her." Beck said. "Also, it's a lot less embarrassing to lose her to a girl. At least at Hollywood arts it is."
"Your so sweet." Tori said, but she was smiling. That went far better than she'd expected.
Tori then had to think about who to tell next. The list of who needed to know was growing short, with just Cat, Robbie and the object of her fantasies, Jade, on the list. She called Andre to see if he had anyone else he felt should be included.
"Well, from where I'm sitting, you kinda owe it to tell Sinjin, maybe Burf. But the one person I'd tell, before it hits the rumor mill, is Sikowitz." The musician said.
"Sikowitz?" Tori asked.
"He's been there for us, and deserves to hear it from you." Her friends explained.
"So I'll tell him, right after I tell the rest of the gang." Tori said.
"So you'll tell him after he reads Cat's mass text?" Andre asked.
"Cat wouldn't...I mean... has that girl ever kept a secret?" Tori finally got out.
"Sometimes, when she's motivated, and Jade's not the one questioning her." The musician said. "But lets take a second to think about that picture of Jade picking her nose. How'd the whole school find out?"
"So, we tell Sikowitz?" Tori asked.
"No, you tell Sikowitz." The Musician replied. "I've done my part, risking life and happiness to be there for you when you told your parents, including your very armed father. Then I distracted Jade while you were with Beck. I've done my part."
"Okay, tomorrow, during lunch. Or whenever I get a chance to speak to him." Tori said.
The next day, Tori found her acting teacher sitting alone in the classroom before school began. 'He's here, but always makes an entrance. Does he leave between classes?' She pondered.
"Tori, what brings you to my class? Speak quickly, I need to leave before my first period students start showing up." The teacher said.
"Why?" Tori asked. "Why not just stay in the room?"
"Because I have more of an effect if I come in screaming something random then if I'm standing here, then suddenly say something." He said. "Think, Tori. The desired effect is to get them out of their comfort zone."
"Okay, I understand. I think..." Tori started.
"Someone's coming. Out the window!" He said as he all but dragged her out the open window and hid in the bushes. A couple of students arrived early and chose their seats. 'Those will be yours for the next four years.' Tori thought. "Okay, Sikowitz, I'm not sure how to tell you, but I'm, well, I'm kinda gay. Just a little." She managed to babble out. He just looked at her, his eyes calm and reasuring.
"Tori, of all the people you knew, did you think I'd be the one to judge you?" The teacher asked. "I work in Hollywood. The gay population of West Hollywood makes up a significantly larger percentage of the people I work with than most people would deal with. Of course I'm okay with your being gay. And you can come to me any time, with any problems, if you don't have someone or somewhere to go."
The speech moved Tori, almost bringing a tear to her eyes. "So where were you in the pool?" Tori asked.
"After graduation." The crazy teacher replied. "I really thought, with Jade around, you wouldn't risk telling anyone."
"I kinda have a thing for Jade. That's part of the reason I'm outing myself right now." The singer said.
"Well, it's up to you, but before you do tell her, make sure she didn't have a stake in the pool." Sikowitz said. "That is, unless she won." Tori just smiled and snuck out of the bushed. She then headed towards her first class of the day.
Tori decided that the best way to handle the rest of her friends was to treat it like pulling a bandage off. One quick talk, then it'd be over. Especially since she had no guarantee that Cat wouldn't post it on The Slap as soon as Tori told her. Still, it wasn't hard to get everyone to agree to eat lunch in one of the music rooms. Inside, Tori hoped that Jade would just skip. She was the one person Tori wanted to find out from the rumor mill.
As much as Tori might admire Jade's beauty, the goth was the demon of Hollywood Arts. Tori had heard rumors of what Jade had done to some kids, the one's who posed a threat to her. In may ways Tori had gotten off easy. Jade's rep said she could hurt you, and only her love of a well planned revenge kept her from taking down some of the freshmen who didn't know enough to avoid her when she was in a bad mood. 'You know, all the time.' Tori joked with herself.
Lunch came, and Jade was in the music room, along with the others Tori needed to tell. Robbie was there admiring Cat, and Sinjin was there, admiring Jade from out of arms reach. 'I wonder what he'd do if he knew she could throw her scissors?' Tori pondered, only to regret the question. Tori was within range.
Tori wasn't alone, however. Beck and Andre had come too. Both of her friends were there for her, and each of them had stationed themselves in a key position. Beck was next to Jade. While it was obvious that there was stress between the couple, he was still the best person to keep Jade from doing anything rash. 'Defined as staining the walls with the blood of the innocent. Or my blood.' Tori thought. 'God protect me, I keep thinking of how bad this could be. And how sexy she'd look doing it' Tori surpressed a blush.
Andre had positioned himself next to Cat. This was dangerously close to Jade, but the musician needed to be there to keep the girl from texting before Tori managed to say anything. 'Sweet Cat probably won't judge me, but she's so quick to text, I sometimes think she doesn't even process what she's doing. Maybe she's trained herself to text automatically, so she doesn't need to think about it?' Tori pondered. 'I shudder to think of what auto-correct has done to her Slap following.' Tori realized she'd been lost in thought, and that everyone was looking at her.
"Okay, there's no easy way to say this." Tori started. "I'm, well, I.." She locked eyes with Andre, who seemed to be saying 'Tell them or I will.' Tori took a deep breath. She'd done this before, and no one had judged her. Except her best friend, but he'd been in shock. "I'm a lesbian." Tori chose her words, making sure there was no misunderstanding.
"No you're not." Cats voice took them all by surprise. They all knew that Cat's uncle in San Francisco was gay. No way she'd judge Tori.
"Cat..." Tori started.
"I'm sorry, but you can't be gay." Cat said again. "You're so normal. I mean, as normal as you find here."
"Cat." Jade's voice was a warning.
"Tori, maybe you like girls, but you can't be gay. The gays are destroying America, with their radical agenda." Cat was starting to sound angry. "I mean, how could you?"
"CAT." Jade's voice was louder, and Beck had positioned himself between the goth and Cat.
"The way they stole marriage. I want to get married some day, but not to a girl. Would you force me to date my roommate, Sam, just to fulfill your radical gay agenda?" Cat was crying, angry and hurt.
"CAT!" Jade shouted. "YOUR OWN UNCLES ARE GAY! SO STOP LISTENING TO FOX NEWS FOR ONE!" Beck pulled his ex out of the room before things got worse.
Cat was in shock. Her eyes were open, and she was staring at the door Jade was just pulled out of. The small girl was suddenly scared. "She's really angry." Cat managed to say, in a small voice.
"You upset her." Robbie said. "Tori, look, it;'s not her fault. Cat lives for Fox news. She often forgets that a lot of the people she knows, some of the people she likes, are the same people Fox says have an agenda and are trying to subvert America. In a couple of days, you'll be Tori who likes girls instead of part of this massive gay conspiracy to destroy the moral foundations of America."
"How do you know?" Andre asked.
"I don't." Robbie replied. "I'm just counting on the basic goodness in Cat overcoming the closed minded prejudges she's been exposed to. Besides, Cat's like that. Doesn't realize that you liking girls means you might be gay."
"Tori, we need to talk." Sinjin cut in. "Outside."
"You know, I'm not interested." Tori said, feeling a bit nervous. 'Cat? It was Cat? How? I mean, she'd the nicest, most accepting person I know.' Tori followed the strange boy out as Robbie comforted Cat.
"Tori, you know, everyone assumes that Cat can't be prejudges because she has gay uncles and is so sweet." He said. "But she takes what authority figures say at face value, and watched news programs that push certain values. I know, in time, she'll reassign you from part of the 'evil gay agenda' to 'Tori who likes girls'. But that's not the reason I wanted to talk to you." He inhaled, ready to spill some deep secret, but a voice cut him off.
"Sinjin, beat it." It was Jade.
"Jade!" Tori said. "I didn't see you..."
"Sinjin, this isn't your business." Jade repeated.
"Gone." He replied, and he was off.
"Look, I'm sorry. I had no idea Cat would react like that. I mean..." Jade stopped, looking for words.
"It's okay. It takes time to adjust." Tori said.
"She may not." Jade said. "Even if she accepts you, she didn't change her view on all the gays, just you."
"And I'll live with that." Tori replied. "Look, I'm happy you accepted my... well, me. I'll just have to hope Cat see's I'm the same Tori."
"About that." Jade said. "I know Cat can accept it. You see, she is one of maybe half a dozen people, including Beck, who know I'm bisexual."
"And your telling me?" Tori tried hard not to get her hopes up.
"Yea." Jade said. "So you know you're not alone."
Tori felt herself deflating. 'So close.' She thought. "Well, I'm happy for the support."
"Also, I wanted to let you know, Beck and me, we're kinda over." Jade looked through the halls of the school, trying not to look directly at Tori. "Have been for a while now. I just couldn't make myself date anyone else. Thought Moose was what I was looking for, but I was wrong..." She sounded bitter.
"And what are you looking for?" Tori asked.
"Someone who just strikes that cord with me, makes me want to be around them." Jade said. "Like how I'm always saying I'm doing what you ask me to, because I want to." Jade smiled, a shy smile.
Tori couldn't hide the shocked look on her face, but deep inside she knew she couldn't let this moment go. "Jade, I was wondering, maybe you'd like to hang out. Or go out, like maybe a date?"
"Sure." Jade said. "Tell me when to pick you up." Jade smiled, and walked away.
"We should probably go to class." Andre's voice broke her out of the spell she was in. "Sorry about Cat."
"It's okay. I'm sure she'll come around." Tori said. "You know, this coming out chiz. It went better than I'd expected. Far better than it could have gone."
"So, you gonna ask Jade out?" Andre joked.
"She's picking me up at seven." Tori said as she started racing towards class.
"Better than it could have." Andre repeated, then raced towards his next class.
:}
I hope you laughed at least once, and that maybe, just maybe I managed to surprise you at least once. Reviews are welcomed.
Cat was known to watch Fox news, her source for misinformation.