Chapter Three.
"This hasn't changed a bit."
Tori glanced up at the school, her hands instantly went to her bump.
"You'll be going here one day, kid." André patted her stomach.
She looked at him. "He can pick his own path in life whatever that may be. He's not forced to be a musician or actor."
André thought about saying something in response but he shook his head knowing better than to start another argument like they had on the plane. The whole cabin was in hysterics over him shouting at a pregnant woman. Tori looked quite satisfied with her victory over him.
"So have you planned your lessons?" he asked, he thought it was safe enough ground to talk about that.
"Most of them, Sikowitz has given me a good range of vocals to work with. It should be fun."
He nodded as they walked towards the entrance. "I'll be working with you on song writing and music then?"
"That's the idea," Tori said staring at the sign that was above them.
"We're a little early." He opened the door for her. "We should go find Sikowitz, catch up or something."
"If that's what you want."
She walked ahead of him, stopping as they passed her old locker. It was immortalised now with a plaque that stated it: Victoria Vega – attended HA, singer. Sikowitz had assured all their seven, lockers, Trina's had been included, weren't touched and were kept as a tribute to their fame.
"I can't believe they kept them the exact same," André laughed as he spoke. He flicked the switch on Tori's locker and it began sparkling.
Tori smiled slightly and whispered to herself. "God, what I'd give to be back here as a naïve teen."
And they began walking towards Sikowitz's office.
…
"Cat, are you ready yet?" Jade shouted up the stairs. "It's like having four kids in the house!"
Beck wrapped an arm around her waist. "Babe, you're getting stressed."
"She's taking forever, how long can it take to choose an outfit to teach in?"
He kissed her neck. "She just wants to make a good impression; you know she's worried about it."
"Teaching some teenagers or seeing the others?" Jade sighed, relaxing her body a little.
"Both, it's just how Kitten is."
She rolled her neck back onto his shoulder.
"What's wrong?" he asked. "You're tense."
"Cat showing up yesterday just shocked me a little."
He laughed deeply. "I said you were on edge not shocked."
"Bad mood I guess."
"You won't tell me what's wrong, okay." He sighed, rolling his eyes. "Has Kitten found a place for Evanna in Kindergarten yet?"
Jade nodded. "She can start next week."
"Until then…?"
"She'll have to go with Cat today but she's arranged day care for the rest of this week."
Beck wrapped Jade fully in his arms. "I'm guessing she didn't do that by choice?"
"She had a little push to do it."
"Evie's not a bad kid," Beck mused. "Blaise and Seth seem to have taken to her; I literally had to force them into the car for school."
Jade looked at him. "They like being the bigger siblings."
"Saves us the trouble of having another one," Beck laughed.
She tried to laugh with him, she was still uncertain of what was going to happen.
"Did I say something wrong?" He looked at her falsely happy expression.
Evanna saved Jade from replying by running down the stairs at full speed, leaping into Jade's waiting arms. She was dressed in a little blue top with black leggings, Jade couldn't help but miss having someone small to dress and be happy to see you despite the fact they saw you five minutes ago.
"Hey missy, where's your mommy?"
She blinked her large brown eyes. She sure did look like a smaller, younger Cat. There was no wonder no one asked questions. "Still getting dressed."
"If she looks anything like you, sweetie, she'll be stunning." Beck smiled at Evie.
Evie tugged a strand of Jade's dark hair. "Aunt Jadey looks pretty."
Jade kissed the girl's cheek and gave her a strained smile. "Thank you, Evie."
She passed Evanna over to Beck, walking away from them, muttering something about needing to turn the air conditioning off and find her shoes.
"Did I upset Aunt Jadey? I didn't mean to, honest."
He shook his head. "She's just a little all over the place, Evie."
Cat ran down the stairs, her red heels in her hands. "I'm sorry; I hope we're not going to be late."
Jade came back with her heels on, she looked up at Cat. "You look beautiful, Cat. A little too much for Hollywood Arts, you should be on a red carpet somewhere."
"That reminds me, we have the film premiere coming up," Beck turned to see Jade.
The girls stood next to each other. Jade had chosen to wear a plain black dress; she fit the part for a Film Production teacher, serious and business-minded. Cat was the complete opposite in her colourful abstract dress with a black blazer jacket over the top.
"You're coming with us, Cat."
Cat frowned at Jade. "But I was nothing to do with the film?"
"Well you are now; you're coming to my film showing."
"Our showing," Beck pointed out.
Jade sighed. "You stared in it whereas I wrote and directed it. You're just the eye candy to make people watch it."
Evie laughed. "Aunt Jadey and Uncle Beck are funny, Mommy."
Beck put her back down one the floor. "We better get going, ladies, or we'll be late."
Evie tugged on Beck's trouser leg. "A lady is never late, everyone else is simply early."
She then proceeded to walk out of the open door with her nose in the air and her dress held up and out with her arms like a royal princess.
Jade raised an eyebrow looking at Cat. "She's definitely your child."
…
"So you want us to give a conference?" André asked trying to confirm that was just what Sikowitz had said.
"That's what I just said, André." He sighed, he turned to Tori. "Please enlighten me to why you married him?"
"It was either him or Sinjin," Tori laughed. "I heard you got married!"
Sikowitz nodded proudly. "Yes, my lovely bride and I have been married five years."
"Any kids?" André wondered aloud.
"Hell no! Why would I want any of those? I'm paid to deal with them here; I wouldn't be paid at home."
Tori laughed, rubbing her stomach. "Is it too late to turn to your way of thinking?"
"Possibly." Sikowitz looked at her. "Mrs Harris, may I ask for some reassurance that you won't pop on my school grounds?"
"I hope not. I went to school here, I don't wish to have my baby here."
"Good, I don't want to pay for any new flooring in the near future." He nodded to himself.
"It's good to be back, Sikowitz," André smiled.
The teacher looked at him with a smirk. "That'll be Principal Sikowitz in front of the kids. I tried to contact Trina to do a little presenting as I know she worked on the news channels for some years but I didn't receive a reply."
Tori looked down to the floor and cleared her throat. "Trina…"
She looked up and grinned as the man walked through the door. "Robbie!"
Sikowitz shook Robbie's hand then said. "Now we wait for Mr and Mrs Oliver, and Ms Valentine."
…
"So my lovely performers of the future, you know we have some special guest teachers for the next month or so. I'm sure you're all excited at the prospect of having a celebrity teaching you all they know which won't be much in some cases." He received a small laugh.
"They're all previous pupils of the school." Sikowitz explained, his eyes kept drifting to the door to see if the three missing teachers were going to appear. "They're all celebrities in their own right, perhaps except Mr Oliver due to him starring in his wife's movies."
The crowd of teenagers laughed again just as Beck, Jade and Cat slipped in through the doors, taking their seats on the curtained stage.
"I now hand you over to them, feel free to ask them questions on anything. We'll go personal life first then go into professional. Perhaps they should introduce themselves first."
Sikowitz stepped down from the stage, allowing the curtains to be drawn back. He frowned. Cat was holding a mini Cat.
Robbie looked at Cat and the small girl. Why was she with her? It couldn't be…
Jade smiled at the crowded. "Hello! I'm Jade Oliver, I direct films, I'm sure you've heard of them. I write them myself. I'll be teaching Film Production and we'll be making a feature film which shall be aired on Mr Shapiro's TV show."
Beck went next. "I'm Beck Oliver, I star in her films as the hunky man. I've won many awards, including a bravery award for marrying Jade."
He paused allowing the crowd to laugh and Jade to hit him lightly in the stomach.
"I'll be teaching acting and you'll be starring in Mrs Oliver's film."
"I'm Cat Valentine, I'm the one from all of the musicals in Broadway and I'll be teaching a Musical Theatre Stage class which will be showcased on the last day of the month. This is my daughter Evanna. She's just here today for moral support. Are you going to wave, Evie?"
The little girl waved at the crowd as they all gushed about how cute she was.
"I'm Robbie Shapiro and I'll be your TV Production teacher, we'll be making a live show at the end of the month which will be broadcast live in the states and replayed at a better time in the UK. Some of you may like my talk show but hey."
The crowd cheered a little.
"I'm Tori Harris and I'll be teaching you all about singing as you have possibly heard me on the radio or watched me in concert, and we'll be singing some of Mr Harris' songs from his class and performing on Mr Shapiro's show."
"I'm André Harris. This is my beautiful wife." He pointed to Tori. "I write songs for some of the hottest singers in the business. I will be leading a Song Writing and Music class, we'll be playing accompaniment for Mrs Harris' class as well as writing their songs."
"Now, questions! The kid with the bow in her hair," Jade said.
"Do you have any children?"
Jade looked at Beck to answer.
Beck chuckled at his last few words. "We have twins who are nine, Seth and Blaise. I hope that will be the only pair we ever have."
Jade looked down to the floor, this could be fun.
Cat laughed. "Would you believe me if I said no? I just have Evanna here who is…"
Evanna held up four fingers and shouted the number loudly.
"I'm tempted to say I don't either like Miss Valentine but I think you'd suss me out. This is our first kid." Tori smiled at André for the first time in a while.
Robbie held his hands up. "I'm childless."
Although he was beginning to doubt it now strongly as he looked at Cat and her daughter…
Long chapter to make up for the lack of update for Where Are You Now? as I'm getting a little too much hate for that right now, I missed out a crucial line which explained it was a few days later so yeah. I thought I'd concentrate on this one today! :)
Hope you like it.
Love always, Chasing Midnight.
(Where Are You Now? - the story I deleted. It was terrible, I have to admit. If I'm feeling brave, I may put it back up and edit it like this one.)