Chapter 1: Tied Hands
The Winter Prom lights added a shimmering light to Tori Vega's dress, she smiled into her dates shoulder as he rocked her close in his arms. The initial shock from the Hollywood Art's student body had died down with a simmering whisper concerning how Tori got James Diamond to escort her tonight. She ignored the jealous slander, and lived her life in the moment. James was her one and only boyfriend, and was not bought by Tori after she got paid for singing at the Music Awards. It was also not so she could reach fame, or be noticed by the camera. It was love, and a personal choice between the two.
"This is fun" James took note, "A lot better than the last prom I was at"
Tori laughed at him remembering his stories from the camping trip the group of friends had taken during Thanksgiving Break. Alright, to be honest it was not much of a camping trip. The boys (James, Carlos, Logan and Kendall) wanted to experience camping in Hollywood. That meant sitting outside of Best Buy in a little kids tent for 8 hours, only to get really bored and decide to go home an hour before the store opened.
Tori could see Trina getting really annoyed with her last minute date, of course Trina wanted Kendall to ask her because she was power hungry. (She hasit in her head that Kendall would be the first to go solo and when he did, she would be there for him.) The problem was he never go the chance to ask Trina because he had to fly out to New York for a Press conference with Logan. So, Tori being the good sister she was, and really wanting payback for her ruined knee-high brown boots asked Carlos to take her. Carlos and Trina hated each other, but Carlos was Tori's current best guy friend...He had no choice in the matter. "I think I might go and save Carlos" Tori told James over the festive music, "Mingle"
"Will do" James said, kissing her cheek and then parting ways. Tori walked over to Trina and Carlos' table, smiling her huge smile at her best friend.
"Can I have this dance?" She asked, extending her hand towards him. He laughed, taking her hand leading her out to the dance floor. "Did you forget your helmet at home?" She messed up his groomed hair.
"I was forced to" He motioned toward Trina, "She said that she would tell reporters that I was rude to her on prom night. I can't have her ruining the band's image"
"She wouldn't" Tori assured him, "She cares too much about Kendall"
"Yeah, because they are going somewhere" Carlos and Tori started laughing with each other, telling clever jokes about the band members and Trina.
Sikowitz, holding a deformed coconut, yelled at the top of his lungs "SWITCH PARTNERS" Carlos spun Tori into someone elses arms, she prayed silently before she looked to see who it was Please do not be Sinjin...
"Hello, Vega" Beck laughed, "Were you just praying?"
"A little" Tori smiled, "How is your night going?" Tori wouldn't say her friendship with Beck seemed to go on pause after the Music Awards, but she would not say that it was the same. Of course, last Friday night when James and the boys were on the other side of the world she helped Beck babysit his sweet-heart nieces- but that had been happening a lot. Tori had to say that if anything, their friendship was closer. He knew way before any of her friends that she was seeing James Diamond, not that he was too happy about it, but at least he knew. And Tori was at his actual house all the time, either hanging out with his mother or watching children with him.
Beck's mom, Jacklynn, was one of the nicest people Tori had ever met. She liked to sit down with Tori and hear about her day while Tori waited for Beck to get home from practice, and she liked to have a Girl's night out with Tori and the little ones. It was nice, and since Tori and her mom were becoming separated- it was good for Tori. The only thing Jacklynn did that Tori sort of hated was push her and Beck together as if they were made for each other.
But Beck, he had changed too. He called Tori first for everything, as in babysitting. And if Tori was not at his house, he was at her house. Never when James is in the area though, James hated Beck and Beck really did not approve of Tori and Jame's relationship. They were both the jealous type, and Tori tried so hard to pretend Beck did not like her.
"It's alright, I guess" Beck shrugged, "And your's?"
"Trying to keep everyone entertained" Tori laughed, "Carlos brought Trina" If James and Beck hated each other, Carlos and Beck loved each other. They had this sense of humor that Tori barely understood- and she was pretty sure they hung out when Tori was with James. Carlos was like her friends though, crazy and a little weird but still an amazing person.
"Poor guy" Beck chuckled, looking at Tori "You look really pretty tonight"
"Thank you" Tori blushed, "Is that your phone ringing?"
"Thanks" Beck put one finger in his ear to block out the music, Tori followed him to the side of the dance floor "Hey mom, what's going on?" His face changed to worry as he ran his fingers through his hair "Is she alright? Where are you guys?" He repeated the name of a local hospital. "I'll be there soon"
"What happened?" Tori asked, just as worried as him.
"Caroline's really sick ..." Beck trailed off, "I know this is a lot of me to ask, but will you go with me?"
Tori looked back at James, who was having a conversation with Carlos. These were the moments where the lines are visible between the two sides. She could either feel bad about staying with her boyfriend, or feel bad about going another way. It seemed like minutes passed between her thoughts and glances between the two boys. It was a dramatic pause, the turning point in what was really happening. Trina's words ran through her head right before she answered, "You don't spend that much time with someone without falling for them- You know you'd sacrifice anything for Beck" Tori opened her mouth to answer, realizing Beck was rushing."Yeah, I'll go with you"