AN: I WISH it'll go something like what you're about to read. I hope all the little moments between them throughout season 3 were foreshadowing to Tori Goes Platinum, since I see them getting closer during this season. However, I don't want to get my hopes up for it (since it was in the promo, my fear is that it was just a big teaser), so I'm thinking it's probably going to be anything but this unfortunately. I'm trying not to get my hopes up, but at the same time, I'm constantly thinking about what's going to happen! Just had to edit this today! Unfortunately, no new chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own Victorious.

.

A Victorious One-shot
Author: wubbzy
Count:
1311

.

Lights

.

.

Her smile made the world shine.

.

There was a distinct difference between fame and infamy.

She had turned into something she was not, and she felt humiliated after acting like a fool – mean, rude, and everything she wasn't – just for the sake of fame.

Her outrageous fashion statement was to get other's attention; her attitude and her demeanor matched her clothing and hair.

Whenever she looked at the mirror, she did not see Tori Vega anymore, the sweet girl who hadn't realized how talented she was when she first came to Hollywood Arts.

Who was that?

Tea seeped down her throat, the burn and bitterness helping quench her anxieties. It had a way of melting away her other persona that just wasn't Tori Vega, and for the time being, she didn't feel as everything was falling apart. She didn't feel as if she was playing someone else or that the veil of confusion wasn't permeating around her. It all seemed just a bit clearer.

"I need to change," she said to herself, setting the cup down and preparing for a much needed shower.

She ran upstairs.

.

She looked over herself in the mirror, genuinely smiling.

The familiarity in her eyes reminded her how much she missed being herself. She giggled, not believing what she had done, the lengths she took to get to where she was. She grabbed the brush and ran it through her long, brown hair. Her face was plain without any makeup, and her russet locks were wavy once again. Somewhere along the road, she made a sharp turn towards a path that didn't suit her. Somehow, she made it back to the right path.

This felt nice.

After blow drying and brushing her hair, she could finally look at herself without cringing.

She put her glasses on, continuing to stare at herself in the mirror. She finally felt like Tori Vega.

This felt right.

Yet, she still frowned.

How was she going to explain this to everyone? It felt better, but voices kept rushing through her brain, trying to make her avert her decision, trying to make her return on that other path to fame – or was it infamy? She was never sure.

"People will like your music if you act like this."

"You need to be spontaneous."

"Everyone gets bored of the sweet girl."

"Be a diva."

Should she act like a diva? Should she be eccentric? She couldn't imagine going back to the persona that took over her hands.

"But what if no one likes me?" she chanted in her head.

She was Tori Vega, but she wasn't sure if everyone else wanted to see Tori Vega.

Tori gulped as she hit the light switch, walking out of the darkness of the bathroom.

.

"Hey Tor- woah. You look like – you again," Beck noticed, a smile she couldn't decipher reaching his lips. Her lips curled up into a smile as well, happy that he was happy with this Tori.

"Thanks. Um, do you want something to drink?"

"Nah, I'm good. I was just checking up on you. Are you okay?"

.

"Are you okay?"

She wasn't sure how many times he had asked her that within the hour. She had been preoccupying herself when Beck showed up. She wasn't sure what to do, wondering how everyone would take her changing back to the old Tori Vega. Every time he asked, she had averted the conversation to something else entirely. Only after Beck's persistence, was she finally able to relent in defeat.

"No, I'm not okay," Tori finally confessed, feeling drained as well as terrified all at the same time.

"Nervous about the performance?"

"Well, yeah. I was thinking of just looking like this."

"Good thinking," Beck complimented, a small smile rising to his face in relief while he nodded his approval. It made her heart swell, feeling as though it meant more than anything that he accepted her.

"But what if no one likes my music?" she wondered, a concerned pout reaching her as her hands searched for something to do. She finally managed to grab the pillow on the couch, fiddling with the small buttons. Beck sighed, his eyebrows furrowing.

"I didn't know looking like Lady Gaga decided whether or not people like your music," he joked, and despite her qualms, she managed a giggle, beaming. This smile seemed to brighten the room, or maybe just brighten him – he never could tell.

"But everyone sees me like that now. What am I going to do now?" she asked, groaning as she flopped down on the couch.

"You just need to be yourself. People are going to like you if you just be you," Beck advised, trying to explain what she obviously couldn't see.

"But -"

"Tori, you don't have to be something you're not. You don't have to act a certain way for people to like you," he told her, staring at her with her square glasses that kind of made her look a bit nerdy, but in a cute sort a way.

"That's not what everyone else says," she retorted, crossing her arms, and Beck stared into her eyes.

"Tori, you're special." She smiled, thankful for his kind words for a moment. She grimaced though, more antagonizing thoughts beginning to consume her once more.

"Yeah, but how am I supposed to perform in front of everyone, when I'm just like, like-"

"Tori, you're special," he repeated. "You don't need to be something you're not. People like you just the way you are. You're a sweet girl."

"But sweet girls don't get what they want. They don't get to perform in front of millions of people. All the famous girls, or all the girls in general that get what they want are all either dangerous, fearless, or make a big spectacle out of themselves!"

"Tori," he began. "You don't have to do any of those things. Trust me, everyone is going to love you if you act just the way you are. Please, trust me: Everyone is going to love you. If they don't, then they're probably death and blind, because you're awesome."

"You really think so?"

"I know so."

She decided then and there that she didn't care what anyone said – she felt comfortable like this, in her purple sweater with blue jeans… with Beck.

She trusted him. Beck wouldn't lie to her. She believed him.

She was drawn to him – to his eyes, to his lips…

Tori wasn't sure what was going on anymore, but she leaned in towards him. In the back of her mind she was surprised that he did too. His hand came up to graze her jaw, bringing her forward, and looking into her eyes once more.

When she closed her eyes, she wondered if this was a good idea. This couldn't possibly be a good idea, could it? This couldn't be something that should be happening, right? Would everything really be okay?

But she opened her eyes, and he was staring at her. Her breathing deepened, and she knew she trusted him completely. They closed their eyes, waiting for the inevitable to occur.

Their lips touched, lightly grazing the others before the kiss deepened.

It felt as though she lost track of time, because she wasn't sure how long they were in this position, kissing – a second, a minute, more?

However long they've been kissing, when they retreated, they looked at each other, confused – a haze of ominous wonder and perplexity shrouded them.

Beck wondered what just happened. Kissing Tori wasn't part of the agenda for today, and it confused him how he could easily lean in, when they were supposed to just be close friends. What was going to happen now?

Even with all the confusing haze that seemed to relinquish their beings, she smiled, and everything seemed just a little bit brighter.

Everything was going to be okay.

.

AN: I feel as though I'm going to get trolled badly. :( The thing about me is that I care more for the emotional aspect of a relationship than the physical aspect. So, I don't really care if they kiss or not, as long as the feeling is there. The thing is, if they kiss, it could possibly mean nothing, depending on the context. However, I'd take them about to kiss because they both want to and have feeling for each other but get interrupted than them actually kissing, only for a play or something along those lines.

Alright, forget about my opinion, what do YOU think? Would you like something like this happen, or do you see something else entirely different happen in the episode? Do you think they'll kiss at all, or do you think we might all just get trolled? Please tell me what you think about this and the next episode! Review!