Disclaimer: Victorious belongs to Nickelodeon and Dan Schneider!

Three's A Crowd

Chapter One

Tori

I groaned as I lay my head down on my friends' and my table in the Asphalt Café at lunch. It was only the middle of the day, and already I felt like I was at the end of my rope. Hollywood Arts High School may be crazy and entertaining, but it was still a school and – just like at any other high school – there were moments when I just wanted to bang my head against the wall.

We'd just recently started our senior year, and that meant one thing: more work. Don't get me wrong. I love my classes, for the most part, but the workload was kind of insane sometimes. I was taking a full set of classes, including Advanced Vocals and Songwriting II, AP Calculus, Theatre History II, Stage Performance III, Pop Vocals III, and Creative Writing. They were all great classes, other than the math, but they required a hell of a lot of work on occasion, though the majority of it was done in class.

It's still worth it, though, I thought to myself, one corner of my mouth curving up a bit. If I put in all of this work now, I'm guaranteed a spot at UCLA and a demo deal with Inspire Records, thanks to my performance at the Platinum Music Awards. As tired as I am, there's no way that I'd ever give that up. It's my ticket to becoming a successful songstress, after all, I thought with tired satisfaction.

Andre, Cat, and Robbie walked up at that moment, jolting me out of my thoughts, all joking and laughing as usual. They were pretty great friends, and I had to be glad that I'd met them my first day at Hollywood Arts. So, I lifted my head a bit and spared them a wan smile that only Andre caught. Cat and Robbie were in their own world, as they were prone to being.

He sat next to me, nudging me gently in the shoulder. "Hey, Tori, what's up? You alright?" he asked curiously, with knowing eyes. Andre was like my blood brother in a lot of ways. We just seemed to connect on a basic level that brought us close together.

Cat interrupted before I could answer. "Tori!" she cried excitedly in greeting, bouncing over to hug me enthusiastically. She was just so vivacious that I couldn't help laughing, as I weakly returned her embrace.

"Hi, Cat," I smiled at my bubbly, redheaded friend. To my surprise, she frowned at me, and I tilted my head a bit. The expression was so out of place for the excitable teen that I couldn't help worrying for a moment."What's wrong, Cat?" I wondered aloud when she started to pout.

"You don't look very good today," she said sadly, and my smile softened at the genuine concern in her eyes. Caterina Valentine was one of the most sincere people you could ever meet, and, while she may not be the most grounded person, she was pretty good at noticing when something was wrong with someone she cared about. That's part of why I hated it so much when people assumed that because she was somewhat impulsive and spontaneous she must be unintelligent, when the truth was that she had some of the highest grades in school.

"I'm fine, Cat," I reassured her. "I'm just tired, but I'll get plenty of sleep tonight. You'll see. Tomorrow, I'll be good as new!" I managed a bright smile for her, and her mood quickly shifted back to happiness.

"Yay!" Cat exclaimed, clapping excitedly. "Ooh, chicken nuggets! I love chicken nuggets, ha!" Her attention was quickly caught by the lunch that Robbie had been carrying for her, and she rushed to take her seat once more.

"Hey, Tori," Robbie greeted me briefly, Rex nowhere to be seen, and I nodded in return. "Thanks for your help with my calculus homework the other day. I've been practicing like you told me, and I've got it down now," he said gratefully, referring to the trouble he'd been having with a particularly complex chapter that his class had been working on recently - because I was in the AP class, I'd already moved past that chapter and knew how to help him.

"No problem, Robbie," I shrugged it off with a smile. I was always happy to help my friends. They deserved to be happy, after all, and if I could help them with that, even in a small way, then I would. I laughed silently at that thought. Cat and Robbie didn't need the help of anyone to be happy.

They had both been over-the-moon since they started dating. It was practically a miracle that two of them had finally gotten together, since they'd both spent so long dancing around the issue. But it had happened almost immediately once Robbie matured a bit more in the past year. He started gaining some confidence, and he was beginning to branch out more from his excellent talent as a ventriloquist. He even started carrying Rex less often, though the spunky puppet that represented Robbie's alter ego still showed up every few days.

"So, why the look on your face like you're about to go into a coma?" Andre interrupted my thoughts, his voice lighthearted with amusement, though his dark eyes showed that he was genuinely concerned. He honestly didn't know because I didn't have classes with anyone in our group, aside from Jade, until after lunch this year.

I sighed. "Today's just been really, really busy, that's all. I had to perform my new song in the Black Box for the first time earlier, and I ended up having to do it five times because Sinjin kept screwing up the lights halfway through. Then, in my next couple classes, I got assigned four pages of Calculus problems, a five-page report on theatre history in the 1920's, and I have to memorize and practice the choreography for my performance in my Stage Performance class tomorrow," I groaned. It was making my head hurt just thinking about having to do all that work, as tired as I already was.

My friend winced in sympathy. "Ouch, sorry about that," he said sympathetically. "I have a pretty light workload today so far, so just give me a call if you need any help, alright?" he offered with a grin, and I shook my head. The two of us worked really well together, but I knew that I needed to do the work myself as much as possible. I didn't want to become dependent on his help.

"I'll be fine, Andre. I'll just have to drink a lot of coffee tonight," I said truthfully, yawning as I spoke. "It's just a lot to get done in one day," I complained lightly, head resting heavily on my crossed arms.

"Aw, is Miss Sweet Sally Peaches feeling overwhelmed, can't handle a little bit of pressure?" Jade's voice washed over me, her tone mocking and overly saccharine, in the tone she insists I use when I talk. She and Beck walked up together, taking their usual seats.

"I don't talk like that!" I shot back as my head snapped up, though my tone was somewhat lacking in agitation. The moment I laid eyes on Jade, I felt something weird for a moment, almost like a pang of longing. I shook it off for the moment. "Please, just give it a rest, Jade! I barely got any sleep last night, and it's already been a long day," I frowned tiredly, shooting her a halfhearted glare as I laid my head back down.

After a moment of silence, I glanced at her, and a surge of guilt hit me like a punch in the stomach. I huffed quietly from the shock of the sudden sensation that was gone as soon as it appeared. Why would I feel guilty about snapping at Jade? Regardless of my feelings for her, she didn't look the least bit offended or wounded. Hell, if anything, she looked amused.

"Sorry about her," Beck said cheerfully, wrapping an arm around his smirking girlfriend. Beck was undoubtedly the nicer half of the pair. It seemed to be in his nature, seeing as he was rarely genuinely agitated about anything. He was a pretty calm guy, not to mention he was a great friend.

"It's fine, Beck," I said sincerely, and that was the end of it. There was no need for Beck to apologize for Jade. I understood her pretty well, really, considering how she fought me every step of the way. Plus, it'd be a little pathetic if I didn't understand her in the least when I observed her so closely.

Jade was complicated. She didn't do anything the way that you'd expect, but she always pulled off whatever she set out to do. Of course, everyone was well aware of her talent - just as aware as they were of her temper. I couldn't say why, but Jade's moods tended be volatile, in addition to being as unpredictable as her actions on occasion.

Still, I knew that she didn't hate me exclusively - Jade's dislike was universal and in no way truly specific to me alone. Though she had held a particular irritation toward me ever since the day I kissed Beck to get back at her for dumping iced coffee all over my head on my head within my first twenty minutes attending Hollywood Arts.

That's not to say that we were always at each other's throats, not that I returned her hatred or even disliked her. Occasionally, Jade would open up to me a bit when we were alone, and I treasured those few moments of camaraderie more than she knew. In those moments that she let her guard down with me, I could easily see that she was hiding something, holding something back. Her eyes gave her away, but I never pressed.

It was hard enough attempting to keep my own secrets, much less resisting the longing to unravel hers.

I almost chuckled to myself at the thought that crossed my mind then. I wonder just what Jade would have to say, if she knew that it's never been Beck that I want… He was attractive, of course, but I'd never felt a real pull to him. No, from the first moment I saw her, it'd been Jade that captured my interest, my attention. If only she knew… I wonder just how she would react…

I didn't intend to act on my feelings, of course. I wouldn't do that to Beck, in spite of how much I wanted her. It wouldn't be right, not unless she returned my feelings. My lips twitched into a small smile, while I rested my head. I couldn't fathom how I would react if that miracle were to occur, but I could dream...

The bell to end lunch rang loudly, and I reluctantly gathered my things. Yet another class to attend, and the only positive aspect was the fact that it was finally time for my class with Sikowitz. Hopefully, we'd have a fairly easy assignment for the day, though it was all but a given. There were quite a few shruggers in that class, so Sikowitz clearly favored our group.

My friends and I walked down the halls in companionable silence, each taking our customary seats in Sikowitz's classroom. Andre and I sat in the front row, while Cat and Robbie took seats in the middle row, and Jade and Beck sat in the back. Our other classmates took seats wherever they liked, although I didn't really recognize many of them by name. None of them were ever very enthusiastic about this class, but I loved it - even on days when I was ready to pass out from weariness.

It was a struggle not to doze off where I sat, but Sikowitz helped make my fatigue dissipate a bit when he made his entrance. The eccentric, coconut-obsessed man threw himself through the window with a coconut in his hand and a wacky grin on his face.

"Good Tuesday, my pupils!" he greeted us loudly as he scrambled to his feet. It was so typical for the man that I just shook my head in exasperated amusement and thanked my lucky stars that he didn't decide we needed to hear a panic-inducing announcement that "The building's on fire!" or "There's a killer in the building!" to wake us up. I, for one, was far too tired for that sort of thing today.

"But it's Thursday," Cat said absently, an adorable pout on her face. As smart as she is, Cat's still kind of like my little sister in some ways. She's just so innocent, despite her high level of intelligence and her maturity in other areas.

"Yes, thank you very much for pointing out the obvious, Cat," Sikowitz said jovially, before drinking from his coconut casually. I always wondered why he became so obsessed with them, aside from the fact that their milk gives him visions, apparently.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Cat cried, and I chuckled quietly when Robbie began quietly calming her. She really didn't take perceived criticism well at all, but she was a sweetheart.

Everyone waited silently for our crazy teacher to start class, but he seemed to have completely forgotten what he was supposed to be doing, as per usual. The silence drew on, and I held in a chuckle. If I knew her at all, then Jade would lose her temper right about -

"SIKOWITZ!" Jade yelled as her patience reached its limits, causing everyone but me and Beck to jump in their seats. Jade's rage was impressive, and I was the only person - aside from Beck - who wouldn't cower beneath her glare. Students quickly fled from her path when she was on a rampage, and I didn't really blame them.

Fortunately, she brought our teacher back into reality, and he started on the lesson for the day. My prayers were (unsurprisingly) answered, and all we had to do was listen to a remarkably coherent – really a surprise coming from Sikowitz – and interesting lecture, for the majority of the class period. It was only during the last few minutes of class that Sikowitz finished up.

"Now, it's time for our favorite game: Alphabet Improv!" Sikowitz grinned gleefully, and I smiled. As terrible as that first experience was, I loved playing Alphabet Improv. It was great being able to get into the element of a wacky character and just go with the flow. "Alright, let's have Jade, Andre, Tori, and Cat onstage, please!"

I took my place happily, shaking off my exhaustion for the moment, waiting for the others to join me. Some of the things that we improvised were just insane, but that's what made it fun.

"Now, Jade, begin with the letter Y. Go!"

"You people give me a rash," Jade said scornfully, and I had to hold back a laugh. That was one of her favorite phrases, though she didn't use it as often as you'd think - she'd liked some variety in her insults, after all.

"Zero is the number of rashes that I see on your skin," I countered playfully, stiffening when a strong sensation of amusement and happiness rolled over me. The feelings themselves were perfectly natural for me, but, as crazy as it sounds even in my own mind, those emotions didn't feel like they were coming from me.

What the hell is going on? I was beginning to get freaked out after experiencing this oddity for a third time, and if I'd been a less competent actress it would have been obvious that something was wrong. As it was, I pulled myself together and responded with a half-smile when Jade scowled at me.

"Apples are good for people who have rashes," Andre joked, and my toes curled in my shoes when a wave of caution hit me. He was always uncomfortable when Jade and I bantered, due to the fact that he knew how I felt about her. He was always worried that she might take things too far and hurt me without even knowing what she was doing.

"But the doctor gave my brother a cream for his toe rash," Cat said, her confusion evident. Joy hit me, mixed with a bit of confusion, but I still couldn't help smiling at my friend.

However, as soon as my attention wavered from Cat, I internally groaned. Things were just getting too freaky. I was...feeling my friends' emotions. Things like that just didn't happen. That's why people wrote about them in books and movie scripts and comic books - because they were impossible. This is impossible.

"Can we stop talking about rashes now?" Jade groaned, glaring at the three of us that were onstage with her. Irritation boiled under my skin, and I barely stopped myself from flinching. It was becoming overwhelming, all of the emotions crashing over me.

Even as I felt Jade's irritation, I could faintly feel the interest radiating off of our classmates, the concern seeping from Andre, the happiness from Cat... They were all mixing with my panic and discomfort to create a nauseating sensation, and I struggled to hold it all in.

"Darling, I'd love to," I said, the endearment rolling effortlessly off my tongue, even as I silently struggled. Jade's glare intensified, but the corner of her lip twitched upward a bit and I could feel her pleasure as I kept up with her verbal game.

"Excellent, we all agree, don't we Little Red?" Andre continued laughingly, directing his question at Cat. Unfortunately, she didn't seem to catch on to the fact that he was talking to her, despite the fact that he frequently used that nickname for her.

A blast of excitement hit me and my fingers twitched. No more. Please... I can't take any more...

"Who's Little Red? Is she nice?" Cat asked brightly, and Sikowitz made a loud buzzing sound. He was calm, and I reveled in that instant of serenity. It helped me center myself once more, and the strange emotions seemed to recede a bit.

"That's wrong, Cat. Your letter was F. Please step down," he said straightforwardly. No emotions hit me, and I breathed a silent sigh of relief. My mind was racing with the strangeness of it all, and I had to force myself to focus on the present moment.

"Darn it!" Cat pouted and stamped her foot. Faintly, there was a shadow of disappointment that seemed to hover in the back of my mind, and I was thankful that it was far weaker than the emotions I'd been feeling just a few moments ago.

"Here's a piece of candy," our teacher said, holding out the sugary snack. He was still calm, and I took a deep breath, maintaining my composure for my audience. I couldn't let anyone know what was happening to me. They would never believe it, and the few who did would probably think that I was a freak. Quite frankly, I didn't want the added headache of their petty shallowness on top of this bizarre day.

"Yay!" She skipped forward to snatch it, already forgetting her mistake onstage. The disappointment vanished and joy took its place. I couldn't say that I was disappointed by the change. She was such a happy person in general that it seemed a crime for her to be upset, though I knew that she got upset just like anyone else.

Sikowitz clapped his hands together with a grin. "Jade, your letter is F, go!"

I breathed in and out, silently but deeply, focusing all my willpower on controlling the sensations that kept invading my body and mind. Whatever was happening to me, I was starting to fear that it just might be permanent, and if I didn't get a handle on it then I was going to end up isolating myself from society to escape the overwhelming feelings of others.

"For your information, Cat, you're Little Red," Jade rolled her eyes, but I could feel that she found Cat just as adorable as I did. The two reactions - her public facade and her inner feelings - were so opposed that I found myself wondering what else I didn't know about Jade.

"Great of you to let her know," I laughed, the sound falling easily from my lips. She nearly always had the power to put me in a good mood, even in my current situation.

"How about we all try to just use Cat's name from now on?" Andre suggested, and I nodded in agreement. All my focus was centered on remaining calm and in control of my emotions. If I could just make it through the rest of the day, then things would be fine - at least, that's what I convinced myself.

"It's probably for the best," Jade mused, her demeanor mild compared to her typical fiery temperament.

"Jumping kangaroos, there are killer wasps!" I cried suddenly, pointing to the imaginary wasps. I'd begun to get bored with the mundane conversation, so I just said the first thing that popped into my head.

Jade raised an eyebrow in my direction, blue eyes staring me down. "Killer wasps?" she asked skeptically, but her tone didn't match her mood. As she looked at me, she was feeling -

I froze, and I nearly cried out when the feeling slipped away from me once more. It took a monumental effort to control myself, and I put it out of my mind lest I blurt out the wrong thing in front of the entire class.

"Let's run away!" Andre yelled, acting as if he was about to make a run for it. He was more relaxed than before, and I desperately grabbed hold of the sensation. I was reeling from the realization that I'd just come to, and I needed the relief.

"Maybe we should just sacrifice Tori to the killer wasps," Jade said sadistically with a smirk curling her lips upward, and I feigned a shudder of horror, though a warm feeling began to grow in my chest when that same emotion radiated out from her once more.

"No, anything but that!" I played up the terror, shying away from the other girl but wanting nothing more than to go closer.

Could it be true? Could she possibly feel that for me?

"Only if we have no other choice will we sacrifice Tori," Andre said somberly, a teasing glint in his eyes, his emotions full of mirth.

Jade would have continued, but the bell rang, signaling the end of class. She departed without a word, despite the fact that all of us but Beck had the same end-of-the-day class sixth period. We all took Creative Writing, but Beck was taking a Stage Combat class.

I watched her go, unable to help myself. A smile curved my lips up, and I didn't bother trying to hide it. Maybe...just maybe things weren't as cut and dry as I'd thought. Because, unless I was truly going out of my mind and imagining all of these strange events, Jade had looked at me and felt...love. But not just love - she'd felt the kind of love that I felt for her, romantic, passionate, powerful.

Unless I had finally plunged off the deep end in my endless fascination with her and everything was just wishful thinking...Jade was in love with me.

To Be Continued.

A/N: Okay, the original version of the first chapter just didn't sit well with me. I found it hard to start the second chapter, so I decided to change things up a bit. I hope that you all enjoy this version better because I know that I do.

And I'm so sorry for the lateness of this update. Life just got in the way, but things are back on track now, thankfully!

"Inspire Records" does not exist to my knowledge - I pulled the name out of thin air.

~A Thousand Undiscovered Stars