PLEASE R&R and check my other stories ^_^
-❤️❤️❤️-
Third P.O.V.
She walked through the halls, pretending not to notice the looks and snickers. The whispers and gags, along with the quiet remarks. But it's okay, right? She's used to it.
She continues her path down the long hallway, with graffiti drawn by the students; every picture with a special meaning. Except hers. No, hers is there to represent her talent that allowed her into the special school. It has no real meaning to it. Not to her anyway.
Finally, she makes it to her locker. All eyes are on her, but not for the reason you'd want.
She slowly fiddled with her lock, fighting back the tears that were threatening to fall as she caught her once best friend laughing at her with the rest.
But the tears dissolved as she heard the calming voice she'd grown to love.
Beck's P.O.V.
I threw my backpack over my shoulder, entering the doors to Hollywood Arts. I immediately spot Tori at her locker, looking very distraught.
"Whatcha doin'?" I casually lean against a locker door.
"Oh you know, stuff." Her frown deepens as she stares at something across the room. I turn my head to see a few kids quickly turn around.
When I look back at my friend I notice how tired and malnourished she appears.
"Hey, you okay?" I push her hair out of her dark brown eyes.
She solemnly nods. "Y-yeah, I'm fine." Her stomach growls.
"Sounds like someone missed breakfast." I chuckle and she nods her head.
"Uh...yeah, I was running late."
I narrow my eyes at her nervous response. "Well, let's go to the grub truck." She shakes her head. I've notice that she's skipped lunch for the past few days; making up some lame excuse about a big breakfast.
"No, I'm fine. Besides, class is about to start." To tie off her lie, her stomach whales yet again.
"Class doesn't start for another half hour. C'mon, I'll buy." I take her hand and lead the way outside.
She mumbles a list of complaints as we finally arrive at the truck.
"Two bagels, please." There's only one thing Tori will ever order for breakfast from a grub truck: a toasted bagel with butter and cream cheese.
"Beck, this is sweet of you but I'm really okay." She half smiles at me and I shake my head as our breakfast is handed to us.
"Hey, what kind of friend would I be if I let you starve." We then laugh and I casually wrap my arm around her shoulder as we walk to our usual table.
Soon after we settle down the rest of our group joins us. My ex sits across the table, Cat sits beside me, Andre beside Tori, and Robbie beside Jade.
"Don't touch me." Jade growls as Robbi sits too close for her comfort.
"Ooooooooo." Cat sings nodding at me and Tori. I question her action for a second, then realize I still have my arm wrapped around Tori.
Tori and I both roll our eyes. We've been best friends since elementary school. Then I left Sherwood, soon followed by Tori and we joined Hollywood Arts. Cat's comment really didn't bother us, being that it's not uncommon for me to occasionally wrap my arm around her or for us to share a hug.
I watch as Tori pokes at her bagel until one of the members of Hollywood Arts cheer squad walk by. "Are you sure you wanna eat that?" She and her friends laugh as they walk away.
The rest of us sit silently, waiting for her response, but to our surprise she just sits there.
That's weird; Tori's never been one to let people walk all over her.
"How could anyone call Tori fat?" Cat blurts out and I sigh inwardly.
Wait, is that why...?
"Cat, no one said she was." Andre tried to silence her.
"Yeah, those girls just did-" before the red-head can finish I spoon her oatmeal into her mouth.
"Okay, it's seven fifty so let's get inside." Robbie breaks the awkwardness.
We all stand up and I take Tori's hand and her uneaten bagel, leading her away from everyone.
"Beck, what are you doing?" She whines as I pull her into our gangs sacred place for deep conversations and relationship issues; the janitor's closet.
"Are you okay?"
Tori's P.O.V.
"I'm fine, Beck!" I let out an exaserparated sigh.
"Tori Vega, look me in the eye and tell me the truth." I knew he was gonna pull that one.
I shake my head and close my eyes, like a child refusing to play nice.
"Do it..." he says tauntingly. "You better tell me." I can hear his voice getting closer, yet quieter.
Before I can react, his hands find my waist and he begins to viscuously tickle my ribs.
I let out a scream as our laughter echoes in the tiny room. "Beck, stop!" I giggle. "Stop, please!"
He twists me around to face him, holding me so I can't move. I look into his deep brown eyes and speak.
"I'm...coping."
He pulls me into a hug. "Tor, you know you can tell me anything, right? I'm always gonna be here for you." He looks me in the eyes. "No matter what."
I bury my face in his neck. "I know. You always have been and I know you always will be."
I feel his lips press to the top of my head before he pulls a plastic container out of his backpack. "Eat it or you owe me two fifty." He laughs.
LATER THAT NIGHT
I grabbed my phone after hearing the melodious ringtone echo through my room.
"Hey Beck, what's up?" I login to my Slap feed, opening up my mailbox, while he speeks.
"Tori! Listen, we're going out..." the rest of his words tune out of my head as I read the messages that I've received.
Fatty.
Loser.
Freak.
You only got into Hollywood Arts because your parents have money; no talent was involved.
"Tori...? Ttttoooorrrrrriiiiiii. VEGA!" Beck's voice snaps me out of my thoughts.
"Huh? What?"
I can hear him chuckle on the other end. "You wanna come?"
"Come where?"
"To GF Wangs with us?"
I sigh. "Umm...I'm not really feeling up to it tonight. Maybe next time."
"C'mon! I'm not leaving you to sit in boredom while your parents and Trina are on vacation."
"I'll be okay."
I can hear concern in his voice. "Alright. Is everything okay?"
"Yeah, everything's fine. I just...uh...I got a lot of homework."
"Okay." I hear a high pitched and deep pitched voice in the background. "I gotta go, Cat and Andre are here to pick me up. You're sure you don't wanna come?"
"I'm sure. Have fun!" I smile to myself.
"I'll text you later. Bye."
"Bye..."
Beck's P.O.V.
I know Tori was using homework as an excuse not to come. There's something wrong but I can't pick out what it is.
"Is Vega coming?" I jump as a new voice comes from the back seat of Andre's car, much deeper than Cat's.
"Jade, I didn't know you were riding with us."
Andre replies to my unstated question. Why was my ex in the car? Awkward.
"Her car broke down so we picked her up." I nod.
Jade huffs. "You never answered my question."
"No, she's not coming."
"Aww, why not?" Cat questions, leaning up and putting her head on my chair.
I shrug and turn my head towards her, not knowing how close her face was. She giggles when I jump, pressing her nose against my cheek.
"She said she had a lot of homework to do." I chuckle, pecking her cheek. "Buckle up."
It's strange to know that she's sixteen, she's like the little sister of our group. We all baby her even though it's necessarily unnecessary. Well...Jade doesn't.
"Can we stop by her house real quick, Andre?" I ask as Cat settles back in her seat.
Jade glares at me. "Why do you want to see Tori?"
"Why do you care?"
Andre sighs. "Jade, cool ya beans. We'll stop by there. Tori forgot her bag in sikowitz' class and he asked me to bring it to her."
I turn my head at Andre's comment. If she didn't have her backpack she doesn't have homework. I knew homework was just an excuse. But why did she lie?
"Yay! We're going to Tori's house!" Cat squeals. "Over the mountain and through the woods, to Grand-...to Tori's house we go! Over the mou-"
"NO!" Jade yells causing Cat to scream.
"Jade!" Andre and I give her a look.
"Sing your song, lil red!"
She smiles happily as Andre and I join her in song.
AT TORI'S HOUSE
"No one's even here." Jade gripes as I pull my phone out.
"I'll call Tori." She answers after about three rings.
"Put her on speaker!" Cat smiles and I do as she asked.
"Hello?" Tori's voice sounds raspy and stuffy.
"Hey, we're in your driveway."
"Tori!"
"Sup Latina!"
"Yeah, hi, whatever."
"Andre said he had your bag. You okay?" I ask for the third time today.
"Okay, umm, you can just leave it at the door. Uh...no one's home." She answers, avoiding my question.
Andre raises an eyebrow at me, catching onto her lie.
"Uh, are ya sure? Your lights are on. And I coulda swore I saw a person who looks like she could be your twin walk in front of your bedroom window."
"That doesn't mean I'm home."
Andre leans closer to the phone. "I kinda think it does, Tor."
It goes silent on the other end so I open my car door. "I'm coming inside. Y'know, incase it's a burglar or something."
"No, don't! He might be dangerous."
I chuckle, opening the door to Tori's house. "Tori! C'mon, we all know it's you." I ascend up the stairs, hanging up the line.
I peep into her bedroom, finding her hid under the covers like a toddler. "Y'know, that's clever; pick the most obvious place to hide so it's the last place someone would look."
She remains under the covers as I crawl onto the bed, lying with my back ontop of her.
"So why don't you tell me what's going on?"
She rolls over, nearly pushing me off the bed. When she sits up her hair is crazed, staticky, and all in her face.
She opens her mouth to speak, her text tone goin off before she can talk. I note how her expression falls as she reads her text.
"Who's that?" I question.
"I-it's no one." She quickly flips it face down. Though my curiosity was peeking I knew not to push.
"Look...I know something is going on that you're not letting me in on. I'm not gonna force you to...but...it might help to talk to someone. And I'm always here when you're ready."
Her eyes tear up as she wraps her arms around my neck. "I love you."
"And you know I love you." I whisper into her hair. We stay like this for what felt like forever before Andre and Cat came running in.
"What's the hold-...oh!" Andre smirks at me and I just roll my eyes.
Cat plops beside Tori as he brunette leans on my shoulder. "You should come with us."
She looks at me and I give her an assuring smile. "C'mon! It'll be fun!"
Tori smiles. "Okay."
AT GF WANGS
Third P.O.V.
"I'm starving!" Andre sighs, grabbing a menu. Everyone but Tori follows his action.
"What are you getting, Tori?" Cat asks, smiling at the girl sitting between her and Beck.
Tori shakes her head. "I just ate so I'm not hungry." Beck gives her a questioning look.
"You're not still thinking about what those girls said, right?" Jade sneers, earning a kick under the table from Beck.
Tori looks at her lap, a faint smile visable. "No. No, of course not."
The waitress comes to their table. "What can I get for you all tonight?"
They go around the table, ordering their food, Tori going last. "Uh, I'll just have a glass of lemonade."
"Nothing to eat?" After that question, Tori's stomach growled loudly.
"She'll have the number seven." Beck picks up the menu, ordering what he knew was her favorite.
Tori gives her friend a look and he just smiles in return. "Hey, look what Principal Helen posted on the Slap today." He shows her a picture of herself, singing into a microphone from her performance last week.
"That's a great picture of you, Tori!" Cat smiles and everyone nods in agreement.
"Dang girl!" Rex blurts out and Robbie rolls his eyes.
"Rex!"
While her friends threw various compliments out about the picture, all Tori could see were the flaws that didn't even exist.
Her double chin, her little tummy pouch, her thick collar bone, the way one eye was slightly bigger than the other.
As she stared at the picture all she could think of is all the calories she'd taken in today. Way too many for her liking.
"Uh...I'll be right back.." She crawled behind Beck in the booth seat, before giving him time to stand out if her way, and made a beeline for the bathroom.
Feeling disgusted by herself, she went in the biggest stall, thinking she'd locked it. She bent over the toilet, preparing to hurl up everything she'd eaten this week. She began pushing her finger down her throat, hearing a few squeals in the background, and a barely coherent 'sorry, sorry, excuse me.'
"Tori, stop!" Beck grabs her wrist before she goes any farther, kneeling down beside her. Before he can say anything, a girl hits him over the head with her purse before running out of the bathroom.
"Beck, what are you doing in here?" Tori wipes a few tears that had fallen and Beck takes her hands.
"What were you thinking, Tori?" He begins to scold her. "Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?!" He yells.
The river of tears cascade down the brunettes face and her friend, now feeling guilt, wraps her in a gentle, yet tight hug.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you." He whispers into her ear and she pulls away slightly.
"No...if you hadn't came in here...I would've done it and I wouldn't have stopped." She cries and he pulls her head into the crook of his neck, kissing her hair.
After a few minutes they break apart. "C'mon." He whispers, taking her hand. They opened the stall door, met with staring eyes of three girls, one recording. He knew she had recorded it since Tori came in here, given that the stall door was open, and he knew she was planning to humiliate her.
Anger building inside him, without letting Tori catch on, he grabbed the girl's phone and threw it into the sink with running water.
They walked outside the door, thankful that no one noticed a guy coming from the girls bathroom. Tori grabs her friends hand.
"Beck, why does everyone think you left the table." Shrugging his shoulders, he replies simply.
"I told them I had to go to the bathroom. It wasn't a total lie."
Arriving back at the table, they all sit together once again, waiting for their food to arrive. Tori sighed to herself.
One meal won't hurt. But after this I'm never eating again.
Third P.O.V.
Tori and Beck sat in the back of Andre's car together, Tori in the middle seat, after dropping Cat off. Jade and Andre carried on with their own personal conversation while Beck could do nothing but worry about the girl beside him, who'd been unusually quiet.
He looks at her head on his shoulder, seeing that she'd fallen asleep. Taking her hand, Beck kisses her hair. "I love you." He whispers silently.
"She out?" Andre asks his friend. Beck nods his head.
"Yeah. I don't wanna wake her up, I'll carry her into her house." He says as they pull into the driveway.
Unbuckling Tori and himself, Beck opens the car door, carefully and gently picking the brunette up bridal style.
Andre gets out to open the house door for him. "I'm just gonna carry her to her room and I'll be back." Beck informs him.
He walks up he stairs to Tori's room, laying her in her bed, pulling the covers over her. He places a soft kiss on her temples before leaving.
He climbs back into Andre's car. "I don't like the idea of her staying here by herself." He knew his friends would think he's worried of a break in or something, though he was stuck on a completely different matter.
"Why don't Jade stay with her?" Andre suggest and Beck and Jade both shake their heads.
"Yeah, I don't like the idea of that very much either...but it's better than her staying by herself."
"I don't wanna stay here with Vega!" Jade crosses her arms. "And you can't make me."
"C'mon, Jade!" Andre pleads.
Beck slides up in his seat. "She doesn't need to stay here by herself. She's acting strange and I don't think she should be alone. And you're more capable of fighting someone off if someone broke in."
"Oh, so you want me to get beat up instead of her?"
"Jade, that's not what I meant."
"If you're so worried about her why don't you stay?"
Beck shakes his head. "You know that can't happen!" He sighs. "Jade, please. Something happened at the restaurant. I can't tell you guys what yet, but...I know she needs someone here. Please stay and just keep an eye on her."
Jade didn't want to admit it, but she was a little worried about Vega too. She knew what it was like to have people say those things about you, and how it makes you feel. As much as she denied it, she considered Tori one of her best friends.
"Fine. But you two owe me!"
Beck smiles. "Thank you." Rolling her eyes, Jade climbs out of the car and enters Tori's house.
Locking the door, she tosses her purse, jacket, and shoes by the door. She grabs a blanket and falls sound asleep on the couch.
THE NEXT MORNING
Tori's P.O.V.
I opened my eyes, my vision focusing away the fuzziness. I climbed out of bed and stalked my way down the stairs.
A slight movement from the couch caught my eye as I walked past, before a head shot up over the cushions.
"AAAHHH!"
"AAAHHH!"
"JADE!"
"WHY ARE YOU SCREAMING?!" She throws a pillow at my face and I plunge it back at her as I yell.
"I THOUGHT I WAS HERE ALONE!" I place a hand over my pounding heart.
Jade sighs and throws her head back against the couch cushion. "Well you were wrong!" I plop down on the couch next to her.
"What are you doing doing here anyway?"
"Beck and Andre wanted me to stay with you. They said it wasn't safe for you to stay by yourself."
I rolled my eyes. "Those two worry about everything."
Jade shrugs her shoulders. "They like protecting us." I sigh heavily.
"I'm gonna go take a shower. Help yourself to anything in the kitchen."
Before I get up the stairs, Jade stops me. "Tori...what those girls said at lunch today...don't listen to them. They're just ashamed of how they look so they make the pretty girls feel bad about themselves."
I smile gratefully. "Thanks Jade."
Wow, she actually said something nice to me. Maybe I'm growing on her? I chuckle to myself. Yeah right.
THREE DAYS LATER
Third P.O.V.
"Okay, let me have Tori, Cat, and Jade on stage." Sikowitz instructs his students. They do as they're told, standing in a line on the platform.
"Andre, give them a letter for ABC improv."
"D!"
"Jade, then Cat, then Tori. Go!"
"Did you hear the news?"
"Elephants are taking over!"
"Uh...fear, is what will sweep our nation." Tori furrows her eyebrows, aware of the confused glances she was getting. Her brain just wasn't working.
"Great, we're all going to be trampled by killer elephants."
"Hope is what we all need."
Her face blank, Tori didn't even realize it was her turn. She felt the room spinning and her head feeling fuzzy.
"Tori?" Andre tilts his head.
"Huh?"
"It's your turn..." Jade notices her eyes becoming glassy. "Tori..."
"Uh...I..." the room disappears from Tori's vision and she begins to collapse.
"Tori!" Beck catches her before she hits the ground.
"Oh my gosh, Tori!" Cat cries as Sikowitz pushes students out of the way.
"Give her space. Beck, quickly carry her to the nurses office."
Beck picks the girl up, carrying her bridal style to the nurses office. After a few minutes of the nurse examining her, an impatient Robbie begins asking questions.
"What's wrong with her? Is she gonna be okay? Why-"
"Robbie! Let the nurse do her job." Jade shushes him.
After a few more minutes, the nurse gives her diagnosis. "Well, it appears Tori is very malnourished. Her fluids are low and she has very little food in her body. It seems like she's not eaten in days. I have an IV running liquid nutrition into her system.
While everyone else was shocked, Beck knew what was happening.
Tori stirred on the examination table. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked at all the faces of her friends.
"What happened?" She asks, rubbing her head. Beck caresses her arm.
"You passed out." The look in her eyes told she knew why it had happened as he gazed at her with disappointment and worry. Tori felt guilt rising inside of her, knowing she had caused all this worry for her friends.
Andre noticed their expressions and ushered everyone out. "C'mon, let's give Tori some space." Beck stayed behind.
"Tori..."
"Beck, can we please not talk about it right now?...I just want to go home. Please take me home."
Beck nods his head, helping her stand up.
Tori's P.O.V.
The car ride with Beck was painfully and awkwardly silent.
Beck didn't say a word. I couldn't even say sorry because I knew how much I had worried everyone; I was too ashamed to apologize.
I unbuckle my seat belt as we pull into the driveway. "Thanks for giving me a ride."
"No problem. I don't want to rush you out, but I gotta get back to school. I'll text you later."
"Okay." I open my door. Before I can climb out he gently grabs my arm.
"Are you okay?"
I breathe heavily. "I'll let you know when I find out."
He pulls me into a tight hug. "I don't know what the full story is...but everything is gonna be okay. I promise."
"Thank you." I whisper into his hair, feeling tears brim in my eyes as I exit the car.
My keys rattle as I pull them out of my denim pocket, unlocking the door and entering. I sat on the couch and stared at my laptop on the table.
I knew what I would find inside when it was opened and I wasn't sure if I could handle anymore.
4 DAYS LATER
Third P.O.V.
"Tori! Breakfast is ready!" Trina shouted at her sister. She watched as the younger one descended slowly and clumsily down the stairs.
"Are you okay?" Trina asks, just noticing how malnourished Tori appeared.
With of her head, she grabbed a glass of water. "I'm not hungry."
"You've been saying that a lot lately." Her mother walks closer, placing a hand on Tori's forehead. "Are you feeling okay?"
"I'm fine, really! I..just...uh...exams are coming up and you know me...when I get stressed I loose my appetite."
Her mother narrowed her eyes. "And you know me: you're not leaving this house without eating. So sit."
"Exams aren't due for another mo-" Trina's words were cut off by her sisters glare.
Tori's mother placed an omlet in front of her. "Eat."
HOLLYWOOD ARTS, AFTER LUNCH
"Tori, don't you think you have on enough makeup?" Cat asks, twirling her red velvet hair.
"I'm contouring. I want my face to look slimmer."
The redhead furrows her brows. "Why would you want to change the shape of your face? You're cheek bones are so perfect!" She smiles, poking the brunnettes bone structure. "And why didn't you want to eat at lunch? Beck literally had to force feed you soup with a spoon!"
"I just wasn't hungry." Tori didn't want to admit it to herself, but it felt nice to not have her stomach yelling for food. She had dedicated herself to starvation.
Two of the popular girls walked into the bathroom. They begin pampering themselves with lipstick and blush. Glancing over at Tori, they chuckle loudly.
"Makeup won't help your figure, Vega." The blonde one remarks, causing the black haired one to laugh as they both exit.
"Hey! Don't talk to her like that!" Cat yells as the door shuts.
Tori's heart sinks. "Uh...I feel really nauseous all the sudden. I think I'm gonna-..." putting her acting skills to the test, she quickly runs to a stall, doing her best to hide the finger goin dien hed throat, the tears running down her cheeks, and the pounding in her chest.
But Cat saw what she had done, quickly bursting into tears. She knew someone needed to know but she didn't know who to go to. So the girl decided to run and grab the first person she saw.
Her heels clicked as she ran through the halls of Hollywood Arts, till her eyes landed on Beck.
"Beck! Beck!" She cries, running up to him.
"Cat what's wrong?!" Beck immediately engulfs her in a hug.
Calming herself down, and steadying her breathing, Car explains the situation. "You've gotta stop her."
Tori's P.O.V.
This was it; I had done it. I knew this was the beginning to a long lasting habit. Only one thought was racing through my mind.
What have I done?
-❤️❤️❤️-
Well I really hope all who read it enjoyed! If it is requested I may do another chapter *wink* :)
