Jade and Robbie

It was pouring rain, and cold outside, but the preadolescent girl ran as hard as she could. Her mom and dad were fighting again, they did not even notice when she left, too wrapped up in hurling insults at each other. It was after ten at night, and according to her parents she was supposed to be asleep in her bed. She had tried to go to sleep, but the shouting and yelling were just too loud. Their house was designed so her parents' bedroom was right next to hers, and most of what they yelled at each other had an unintended audience. The air vents the rooms shared, brought every word from their lips to the girl's ears. She tried to tune it out most of the time, but their voices were just too loud. She lay there for some time, just listening to them shout and curse at each other, after a particularly vile exchange, Jade West, was just fed up with listening to them. She sat up, got out of bed, and got dressed. She pulled out her phone, and texted a number she knew by heart, [Hey, can I come over, 'rents are being loud again?] Five minutes later, after leaving a note about where she will be, she slipped out of her window, and down the trellis to the ground.

The brunette looked around, then slipped out of her yard. Jade ran as hard as she could, through the pouring, cold rain. She made a beeline to the one place, the one person, she knew would always be there for her. She came to a house about a block down from hers, the one place that still felt like home to her. It was not a big house, not as big as hers at least, it was a two-story Mediterranean-style home with a tile roof, the color of rich sand, a wide walkway made from the same material, led from the street to the front door portico. There was one light on in one of the windows upstairs. Pulling her phone out again she sent another text, [I'm here, you sure this is okay?] There was no answer on the phone, one minute later, the door opened…

… Jade lifted her head from the desk in her room, the script that she began working on last night providing a convenient pillow. She stretched her arms above her head, and made a noise as her joints popped, she sat up straighter, looking around her room. It was your typical teenage-goth-girl's bedroom, with dark tones all over, but not much black could be seen. Instead, a mixture of dark-violet and midnight-blue was seen, with crimson-red accent colors here and there. Her bed was a four-poster sleigh, standing to the right of the door as one walked in with appropriate side tables to go with the décor. Her desk which put her back to the door was an antique bureau desk, that once belonged to her grandpa. It housed her scissor collection, as well as other necessary tools of the trade for a writer-director. On the walls, which were bare of any art, except one poster of The Scissoring, the greatest movie of all-time, according to the aspiring actress.

After stretching, Jade turned her attention back to her desk, and the rough draft of the script that was due at the end of the semester. The best one, would be picked for production for the year end finale, held every year. She lifts her head, staring around her desk at the pictures of the most important people in the brunette's life. On the right, a picture of her boyfriend Beck, a headshot that she stole from his locker, he had plenty and would not miss just one. Next to that, on the left was the picture of a fourteen-year-old, dark curly-haired boy, wearing thick glasses, a pink long-sleeved shirt, with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He was laughing good-naturedly at something, he can find something funny in almost any situation, Jade smiles with affection, at all the times the boy she is closer to than her own family has made her laugh, even when nobody was getting hurt. He was Robert "Robbie" Leonidas Shapiro, her best friend, period. People often took them calling each other brother and sister as a joke, but to them, at least to her, it was no joke.

Robbie Shapiro was her rock, the one person she knew cared for her, and even loved her. Though not in a romantically inclined way, she loved him with all her heart, and she knows he loves her the same. She looked at Beck's photo, boyfriends will come and go, she had no illusions that her relationship with Beck, would last beyond high school. When they graduated in two and a half years, she and Beck would go their separate ways, and try to make their mark in what is known, as the entertainment business. Turning back to Robbie's picture, she contemplated the new dynamic that was growing between herself and Robbie. He as much as admitted through Rex, that he was crushing on the new girl, Tori Vega.

It was not the first time Robbie tried courting some girl, but this is the first time that the girl seemed to reciprocate, or at least acknowledge his feelings. Most girls in his past could not see past his nerdish façade, while others could never be secure enough to overlook the fact that his best friend was a girl. Robbie doesn't need such weak, shallow skanks anyway, he doesn't need fair-weather girlfriends either. The jury was still out, on how Tori could handle the situation, or how she would feel about it. Which is why Jade remained neutral regarding, the extraordinarily fit, Hispanic teenager, she did not want to have to choose sides, when or if, Tori dated Robbie. Robbie was the same way with Beck, when the couple started dating, and the boys, still only maintain a cordial friendship.

Robbie tells Jade everything, he and Beck had a talk once, about where they stood together compared to their relationship with Jade. "I like you, Beck," he said to Jade's boyfriend, "I really do, but I love, Jade, she's my priority, my family in every way that matters." Robbie was working in his puppet shop in the backyard, "if you ever do anything to make her feel inferior to you, or hurt her pride, and it goes without saying if you lay a hand on her that she doesn't like," from behind Beck a throat was cleared, on instinct he turned to look and nobody was there, turning back Beck's eyes widened, Robbie was no longer there, then felt a hand on his shoulder, from the direction he had just looked, not a second before, "you'll never see me coming, until it's too late." When Jade heard that from Robbie, and then later from Beck as well, she knew that whatever happened, Robbie would always be there for her.

Jade sighed, "I'm going to give Tori a chance," Jade told herself out loud, then in her mind, but if she breaks my brother's heart, they'll never find the body!

Hollywood Arts Hallway – The Next Morning

Jade was standing at her scissor covered locker, getting her books organized for the day. She liked to get to school as early as possible, it gave her a chance to relax before the chaos of the day began. Beck also had to get to school early, he was meeting a friend of his for a demonstration they would be holding for Sikowitz's class: stage fighting. Robbie walked up to his locker, and he smiled as he saw her. She smiled back at him, he and Beck were the only people she ever truly smiled for, only special people get her smile. "Hey Robbie," she greeted warmly, "you all set for your audition today?"

Robbie returned her greeting, "Hey Jade," before answering her question, "I'm as ready as I'll ever be until I get the script," he admitted, "luckily we're going over WWII in history, and I've been doing some extra studying on the subject." Near his locker another boy, a big dude, new to the school this semester, like Tori, was listening to their exchange. "I should do fine on the audition," Robbie continued raising his fingers and crossed them, "so, fingers crossed that I'm what they want."

Jade smiled, "you'll do fine Robbie," she assured him, but brought her fingers up and crossed them anyway, "you're one of the most talented actors in this school, but a little luck never hurt." Just then, a big dude with platinum blonde hair, walked by and brushed Robbie's shoulder roughly, which Robbie barely noticed. Jade glared at the guy but took some satisfaction, that he was rubbing his shoulder as he walked off. He should watch where he's walking, there was plenty of room in the hallway. Robbie and Jade finished the time at their lockers, and walked over to Tori's locker, since that was the direction of Robbie's first period class: World History, it was in the direction the big dude walked after nudging Robbie. "What time is your audition, Robbie?"

"During Síkowitz's class today," he informed, his sister from another mister., "too bad I'll miss the stage-fighting demo today."

They reached the locker of their Latina friend (maybe), who looked up, and smiled at them, "Stage-fighting," she looked at them in curiosity, her gaze lingered a fraction of a second longer on Robbie's face? "I've heard of that, it's how fight scene's in movies and TV always look so spectacular," she continued, "when in reality they're anything but."

That quirked Jade's eyebrow, "I wouldn't have thought little miss perfect would know so much about fighting," she scoffed.

Tori looked offended, "well, I do like a good martial arts movie occasionally," she informed Jade, "and my dad is a police officer, he's taught me and my sister a thing or two about defending ourselves." Then turning to Robbie asked, "would you like to be my partner, Robbie?"

Robbie smiled, "I'd like that very much, Tori," then sounding regretful, "but I can't." Her face fell, "I'm auditioning for a production today about World War II, my audition time is during Sikowitz's class."

Tori's eyes widened as she remembered something, "Trina said something about auditioning for that play today, too."

Robbie looked at her in disbelief, then hung his head with a groan, "Tori, I don't want to insult your sister, but has she at least been studying, or doing any prep work for the role?"

Tori hung her own head, "you wish, she spent all weekend watching Hogan's Heroes," and the bell rang like a death knell…

Síkowitz's Class, Black-Box Theater

We walked into the Black-Box Theater, sans Robbie, just in time to see my boyfriend squaring off with another dude. It is so strange to see a guy so laid back, take on such an intense expression, when we weren't fooling around. The dude had curly, dirty-blonde hair, wearing a deep-blue tank, showing off nicely muscled arms, and dark pants. He threw a punch right at Beck's face, Beck took the punch on his chin, before throwing a combination at the dude's jaw. Who seemed to tank Beck's punches like they were nothing, before picking Beck up and slamming him through a table. Beck got up, grabbing a nearby chair, and smashed it in the dude's chest, sending him to the ground, out cold, while the chair broke apart. We all began applauding, Tori had moved to the side leaning forward with hands on knees, angling her head. She too began applauding, apparently impressed with the demonstration.

The dude and Beck stood up shaking hands and giving each other backslapping hugs. The dude and Beck bowed to their audience. "Thank you, thank you," the dude said to them, "I'm Russ, what you've just witnessed was a demonstration of stage-fighting, the type of acting used in action movies and a few other productions to simulate combat." He looked over at Tori, then his brows furrowed in confusion, "has anybody ever told you, you bear a striking resemblance to the MMA fighter, Shelby Marx?"

Tori's eyes widened, and her mouth firmed, then smiling said, "Oh, I get that all the time," she said waving her hand in dismissal, "and I'm not the only person here, who looks like a celebrity, there's a friend of mine, who looks an awful lot like Andy Samberg."

Then I looked at Tori, noticing a tightening around her eyes, and a twitch in her hands. Then looking at her, I began taking in her looks and appearance. That's when I noticed something for the first time, Russ was right, Tori looked enough like Shelby Marx to be her twin. It was then I realized, why Robbie fell for Tori so quickly when she arrived, Shelby Marx was Robbie's fantasy celebrity. Mine's Gerard Butler, all those muscles especially in the movie about Sparta, and that Scottish accent really push my buttons.

Russ shrugged his shoulders going on with his lecture, "Stage-fighting isn't all that complicated, it's all about angles, and knowing when to stop your movements." Russ indicates the table and the chair, props used in his fight with Beck. After their fight, Beck took a seat in a chair near the end and hooked his arm around the chair at the end, he knows me so well. I take the chair his arm is on and feel his hand move to hook onto my shoulder, I smile at him and lean in pressing my other shoulder into him. "The props are staged to intentionally break, from chairs," he pointed at the chair Beck used, "to tables," he says, indicating the table he threw my boyfriend through, then picking up an old-style, glass, coke bottle, "even hand held objects like this," he raises the bottle and smashes it down on his own head, he suddenly lurched as if he were hit by a great weight. "That wasn't a prop," he said in a stricken voice, before dropping like a stone. Most of us were completely fooled by his act, the girls screamed in surprise, and the boys leaped up to check the downed actor. All of us except me, Beck, and Tori, though she did lean forward, I guess, to make sure it really was an act, before returning to a seat near us, and sitting down to wait, with her arms folded.

"This is my new favorite class," I said happily, smiling warmly.

"You just like seeing people get hurt," my boyfriend accused, with a smirk indicating he was kidding with me.

"Not all people," I replied primly, then with a faux-malevolent glare at the seminar coach, "just Russ, if it were you, or Robbie," then grudgingly looked over at the other brunette, and projecting my voice so she could hear, "or any of my other friends, I would be at least mildly concerned."

Tori looked over at me, then smiled lightly, "same here, especially Robbie," our eyes met and mine hardened, as I gave her a warning that other women understood, it conveyed the sentiment I came to in my mind last night, "he seemed to be talking to one of the other new guys in history class today, Brad Battis." She turned back to the scene, "Brad's a big guy and seemed to be trying to intimidate Robbie, into doing something," she informed us, "Robbie was being all meek, and mild, but he was acting, he was using the same tone he uses when he performs skits for Síkowitz."

Beck and I looked at each other, I had an amused expression on my face. So, did Beck, as he shook his head in derision, then I spoke up, "You're right," I said, "Robbie was most definitely acting, nobody intimidates my brother," I informed my 'new' friend. "This Brad, does he have platinum blonde hair, and look like a linebacker?"

Tori nodded, "Oh yeah, and he carries himself like he's God's gift to the world, or something."

"I saw this dude this morning, he has a locker just a few doors down from mine and Robbie's," I told them, "he walked by our locker, and bumped into Robbie, there was plenty of space in the hall." Then looking at her, I asked, "he's not bad looking, though not as good-looking as Beck here," I said pressing further into him, "and he's got muscles, which you said you liked on a guy, why don't you go for him," I asked Tori?

She turned back to us, "Brad is handsome, and he has muscles, but I shook his hand once, it was like a baby's hand, smooth, like he's never done a lick of work in his life," she told them like it was the most repugnant thing she ever felt. "Brad's muscles are clearly all show, no go," then her voice becomes dreamy, "not like Robbie's grip, I felt that the first day here, when he knocked me down, then stood me back up like I weighed nothing, it's obvious he works and works out all the time. Robbie's hands when he puts his arm around me feel like workman's hands," then she coughs and sits up straight, crossing her legs, "anyway the way Brad was trying to intimidate Robbie, made him seem like a bully."

"Robbie is a carpenter, and wood carver," my boyfriend told my new friend, tentatively, "he's pretty good too, not that I'm a judge, I'm more of a mechanic, but he built Rex, and already works in Hollywood building sets and props for some Hollywood productions." Then, Beck makes a noise, and turns his head, "If this Brad thinks he can intimidate Robbie, then he's in for a rude awakening," then looking at me to confirm something, which I nodded.

Tori nodded as if in silent agreement, but she still asked, "You two sure, not that I doubt Robbie's courage, but Brad's pretty big, Robbie could get hurt."

It was my turn to speak up, "Like I said, nobody can intimidate my brother," I told her with pride, and love in my voice, "when Brad bumped into Robbie this morning, Robbie barely noticed, when I turned my eyes to follow Brad down the hall, he was massaging his shoulder where he made contact. My guess is, it's twit of the month, hoping to find an easy mark to bully, well he chose the wrong nerd to intimidate."

We had only been chatting for a minute or two, when Russ sat up abruptly, startling those gathered around him, "That was a prop bottle," he said getting up, and the class applauded again, "now back to your seats and I'll give you, your assignment for this seminar." Russ got up and stood at the lectern, "I'm going to put you all in pairs, and you're going to improvise a stage-fighting scene and present it to the class next week. Here are your partners: Jade West and Tori Vega…"

Asphalt Café – Next Day

It was lunchtime the next day, where we found Robbie scribbling notes onto a notepad, and reading from a history book. We all gathered round the table, I sat on his right, Tori his left, Cat next to her, Beck next to me, and Andre on the far side of the table. I reached over and lifted the book cover to read what it said, Hannibal of Carthage, then I leaned over to see which part he was reading, "Military Campaigns," it read. "Hey Robbie, doing homework I see."

Robbie nodded, "Yeah, but not my own homework, this is for Brad Battis," he replied distractedly, "he's making me do that research paper on World War II, due in history class next week."

Tori was puzzled, "you mean, the one that's worth half our final grade for this six-week period," she asked?

Robbie nodded again, "That's the one, I'm finishing his first, then I'll work on mine, 'Patton vs. Rommel,'" he said patting his backpack.

Then I spoke up, "but, what does Hannibal have to do with WWII," I asked my brother from another mother, "he fought the Romans didn't he?"

That's when Robbie looked at me and grinned malevolently, "That's correct Jade, and he has nothing to do with the last World conflict, at all."

"So, Brad is making you do his work," Tori asked in disgust, then looking bewildered, "so why are you doing it, Jade told me you couldn't be bullied?"

Robbie turned to her, "Of course not, he didn't intimidate me," he said sounding offended, "but I let him believe he did."

"Then, why are you doing his work for him," Tori retorted, "why not just refuse him, or tell the teacher?"

"Tori, I know we haven't known each other that long, but you should have faith in me," Robbie replied sounding hurt. Then he gets up, collected his things, and left without looking at her.

"Why did you say that to him," I snapped!?

"Because, I thought he had courage, I didn't think he would kowtow to a bully," she said, defending her position.

I looked at her in disbelief, then I slapped my forehead, "weren't you listening just now, he's not kowtowing, he's defying Brad." She looked at me without comprehension, "Brad is trying to make him do his homework for him, a paper on World War II, but Robbie is doing the paper on Hannibal the General. What do you think will happen, when Brad turns in that paper for his grade?" That's when the light bulb went off in her eyes, but I continued, "you're right, Robbie could've blatantly refused to do the work, but that's not how Robbie thinks," I clued her in, "he was thinking, 'If Brad is trying to get me to do his work in history, an easy class, then what about all the other classes, like Math, and Science, are there other kids he's intimidating in those classes to do his work for him?', Robbie is thinking about other people."

"Well, why not go to the teacher," Tori asked with a hint of fear, as well she should?

"With what evidence, it'll just be his word against Brad's," I remind her, "this way he can defy Brad and teach him a lesson at the same time."

Tori dropped her head in her hands, "what have I done, I questioned his honor," then standing she packs her lunch back up? "I'm going to go find him, and beg his forgiveness, hopefully he'll still want to be my friend." I've only seen one other person, move as efficiently or as quickly as her, then she ran as fast as she could across the parking lot to the door Robbie went through just moments before. My eyes widened at how fast she was moving, I've only seen Robbie move like that.

Hollywood Arts Hallway – Tori's POV

I don't think I've ever moved as fast as I did when I hit that hallway. I moved frantically down the halls of my new school, looking for the boy who welcomed me so warmly into this place. He was the first person to include me in this school, he brought me into his circle of friends, and even put his feelings out there for me the first day. What did I do with them, I stomp on them and accuse him of cowardice. Even if I wasn't ready to return his feelings yet, that was no way to treat somebody I considered a friend.

I rushed down the hallway, looking left and right for my friend, maybe more in the future, and saw Trina coming down the corridor. She was looking confused as she saw me, she hesitated before approaching me. "Hey Tori," she said which got a nod from me as I looked around, "aren't you supposed to be at lunch?"

I nodded again, as I continued to look around for Robbie, "Yes, but I need to find Robbie," I informed her, "I said something that hurt him, and have to apologize for it." There were other students in the hall, but not the one I wanted, "have you seen him?"

Trina nodded and pointed back the way she came, "did Robbie tell you we kissed yesterday," she asked? That brought me up short, and I turned to look at her, "it was for the audition," she added hurriedly, "there's a kissing scene in it, and we had to actually kiss." I don't know why, but the thought of Robbie kissing anybody else upset me, and it must have shown on my face because my sister rushed to add, "It didn't mean anything, Victoria," she told me quickly, "this is a school for acting, most of the plays here have scenes like that," she told me placing a placating hand on me.

I took a deep breath, and let it out slowly, "I know, and I'm sorry for looking mad, and it won't matter until I find him, and make sure he's still my friend. Then, I'll have a right to get jealous," I added, "you said you saw him head back that way," I asked?

"Yes," she nodded, "I saw him heading into the janitor's closet, across from your locker."

I hurried away from Trina, down the hall tossing a quick, "thanks," behind me. I literally ran down the corridor, not caring if I got in trouble, detention is the least of my worries right now. I found the janitor's closet, and stopping in front of it, sent a silent prayer to Heaven that he was in there. I turned the knob, and breathed a sigh of relief, I walked in and standing in front of me was for the moment, the most important person in the world to me. "Robbie," I said, my voice sounding like a little girl's after she got in trouble. He turned, and I saw the distraught expression on his face, "Robbie, I am so sorry," I said taking a step forward, "I shouldn't have assumed you were being a victim of bullying," I said, lowering my head.

Robbie turned away from me, "It's okay Tori," he said too quickly.

"No it's not," I snapped just as quickly, and passionately, "I should've listened to you before jumping to conclusions," I told him moving up to his back, placing my hands on his firm shoulders, and spinning him around, making him look me in the eye. "We're supposed to be friends, and I was assuming the worst about you," I said with heat, and tears in my eyes, "I cast doubt upon your honor and integrity," I begin crying. "It's not okay, please don't tell me it's okay, because I know it's not okay for friends to do that to each other," I bury my face in Robbie's chest, and allow myself to cry. I feel his arms come around me as he hugs me tightly, giving me comfort when I know I don't deserve it. After several minutes, I step back and look him in the eyes, then bow my head and say in a clear voice, "I, Victoria Dawn Vega, humbly beg you to forgive my worthless self, for thinking you a coward, and jumping to conclusions, and doubting who you are as a man, and casting doubt upon your honor and integrity, and pray that you still want to be my friend," I begged with my head bowed, and maybe more when I have the courage to accept how you feel about me, I finish in my mind.

When I bowed my head before him in humility, I couldn't see his eyes. Then, putting his hand under my chin, and raising my head until I was looking him in the eyes, he said formally, "Victoria Dawn Vega, I, Robert Leonidas Shapiro, grant you forgiveness," he laid his hand upon my head, "in the name of Jesus the Christ, when we leave here, your transgressions will be erased between us, and will only serve to teach us." We hugged, then left the janitor's closet, we made it to Sikowitz' class late that day, but it was worth it, because our relationship was stronger than ever.

Black-Box Theater – Friday

Today was the day when Jade and I would unveil our stage-fighting scene. We decided to recreate the final fight in Rocky, only as female boxers. My character would be named Roxy Balboa, and Jade, would be Artemis Creed. We wore similar outfits as the movie, except they had a matching top, mine was mostly white satin, with scarlet trim along the sides and across the chest, Jade of course wore an American flag.

It seems ironic that I felt at home stepping into a ring again, even if it was for a fictional boxing match. Russ introduced us, even taking on the voice of a fictional announcer. "And now, the moment you have all been waiting for, this is the main card for tonight, the match you've all been waiting for, LET'S GET READY TO RUUUUMBLE! Introducing the challenger in a white and red outfit, in the red corner fighting out of Philadelphia, at 145lbs Roxy Balboa!" As he said that, I walked out of my dressing room, it was almost like I was back on the circuit, only instead of playing the champion, this time I was the challenger. The class had been asked to chant like the crowd in the movie, so as I walked out of the dressing room, I heard, "ROXY, ROXY, ROXY, ROXY!" I asked Cat to play the part of Rocky's cut man, Paulie, only her name was spelled, Polly. So, she put her hands on my shoulders and guided me to the stage/ring, all the time massaging my shoulders just like my manager used to do when I was still in MMA.

Russ continued playing the part of ring announcer, "And now, the moment you've truly all been waiting for, welcome back to the ring, the undefeated featherweight champion of the world, known as the Goddess of the Ring, in the red, white, and blue outfit, fighting out of Los Angeles and the blue corner, weighing in at 146lbs, Artemis 'the Goddess' Creed!" Just like in the movie while I had the backing of the home crowd, she had the world backing her, and while some of them still chanted "Roxy," they were drowned out by most of the crowd, which went wild. Again, it felt weird when my name wasn't the one being said after the words 'undefeated,' and 'champion.' It felt weird, but not in a bad way, it felt like I had finally achieved the anonymity I wanted when I retired.

Robbie was asked to serve as referee, to get at least some credit for stage-fighting, this was his second day back since the day of his audition. He got the part, but Trina didn't, and rehearsals would begin over the weekend. He called us to the center of the ring, and began his fight instructions, "Alright, I've explained the rules of the fight in the locker room, the fight will go until I say stop, there is no three-knock down rule, and no standing-eight count, I will stop the fight if I see fit. In the event of a knock-down, whoever is left standing will retire to a neutral corner and wait there until I call you out. Do you both understand the rules as I have explained them to you?"

"Yes," we chorused!

"Alright," he said, "back to your corners, and let the fight begin," he yelled stepping back!

We went back to our corners, my back was to the rang as I crossed myself, and the bell rang. I turned and made it to the center of the ring. Creed, started in right away with two quick jabs to my face, and I felt the breeze as she fired them right at me and began dancing around me. I took them square in the face, as the movie depicted. She fired two more, and I swung wildly which she ducked easily. The fight continued that way for the first few seconds, she would dance around me and flick jabs in my face, and I would send the occasional wild punch her way. Then I set her up, leaving an opening which she went for and that's when I sent a powerful left uppercut, right in her cheek. It wasn't even a tenth of the speed I was capable of, but as per the fight choreography she went down to the mat. I went to my neutral corner as was scripted, while the referee began counting.

She got up and was disoriented, staggering around the ring for a second or two. The ref grabbed her by the gloves to make sure she was alright, when that was done, and he was sure she was alright, he resumed the fight. I came out of my corner, and it was a repeat of before, I let her hit me in the face, while she danced around me. This time she began to take me more seriously, and started in with the real punches, ones with real power behind them. If they had hit me they would have stung a little, but Jade was good at this, I began to wonder if she had any real fight training. After one flurry of punches, I ducked around them, and began delivering body-blows to her ribs and stomach, again they were a fraction of my true speed and power, and though they looked real, they stopped within half an inch of connecting with their targets. We moved back until we were near the edge of the ring, when she grabbed me in a clinch, to stop my blows. This was scripted, but what she said in my ear wasn't, "your dad, really taught you something, your punches would really hurt, if they connected."

"Thanks," I replied, "you've had some real fight training too," I smiled in her ear. Then Robbie was there to break up the clinch, and we couldn't talk anymore. Our pseudo-fight continued along the lines of that iconic movie, and the fight came down to the decision, and Russ came back into it.

Robbie stood between us, holding our arms down as Russ began to speak, "and the winner by split-decision," our stage-fighting coach announced, "The Goddess of the Ring, Artemis Creeeed," and Robbie raised his best friend's arm, who smiled and waved both hands, in the movie it was just and exhibition match, and wouldn't have been counted as a win or loss. I turned and held up my gloved hands, and we fist bumped, then hugged. That weird feeling returned, this was the first time I'd been in a ring, and not walked away with the victory, again I could not find it within myself to care.

While we hugged, Jade whispered in my ear, "I want us to be friends, but understand this, Robbie is my brother and I love him, I will always be there for him, just the way he was always there for me," I listened as Jade told me how she felt. "I'm going to give you the same warning, Robbie gave Beck at the beginning of our relationship, when or if, the two of you date," she said her voice a growl, "do not cheat on him or take him for granted," as she was talking I felt her hold on me tighten with every word. "You were lucky he forgave you the other day after you put your foot in your mouth," her hold on me became restrictive, and I knew that while she wasn't as powerful as me or Trina, she could hold her own if we ever scrapped, "don't let it happen again, understand?"

I nodded, "I understand, Jade," I said softly.

She stood back staring into my eyes trying to judge my sincerity, she must have found what she was looking for because she nodded. "Robbie's lucky," she said with a smile, "he's got someone who looks enough like his celebrity crush to be her twin, going to school with him." I must have looked confused, so she clarified her statement, "Shelby Marx," my eyes went wide, "Robbie's had a crush on Shelby Marx, since she started her career at age twelve, he used to watch and wait for her fights on pay-per-view, and he even loved that exhibition match with iCarly." My pulse began racing, Robbie was a fan of mine, but Jade continued, "he has life-sized posters of the fighter all over his room, he was moping around for months after she retired, and he only really came out of it around the time you came to school here. So, in a way, I'm glad you came here Tori, your presence really seems to have brought my brother out of his funk."

As she walked away, I was left dumbfounded, Robbie had a crush on Shelby Marx? Did he recognize me that first-day? I remembered that look of recognition that passed through his eyes, when he first got a good look at me, I just assumed he remembered me from the showcase, but what if he recognized me from all the fights he'd seen on pay-per-view, and the life-sized posters in his room?

I took a deep breath and made myself think, if he did recognize me, he hasn't once called me on it, he has never once called me 'Shelby,' he's just always called me 'Tori,' or once yesterday, 'Victoria.' He hasn't even mentioned MMA, or even that he has a crush on 'Shelby,' me, I had to hear about it from Jade. I turned to look at Robbie, who was chatting with Beck. Would it change things between us if he knew I was the real Shelby Marx? If he did recognize me that first day, he hasn't even hinted about it, which means that I could perhaps trust him with my secret. Which was the reason I broke up with my last boyfriend, I didn't know if I could trust him. Besides, with me going into the entertainment biz, it was inevitable that my secret would get out eventually, I just want to control when and where it happens.

This doesn't change anything between me and Robbie, he's still a friend who has a crush on me, which isn't totally unwelcome. He's not creepy about it and doesn't constantly hit on me. I don't mind at all that he sometimes puts his arm around me, I am even beginning to look forward to it. The fact that he may already know that I am his celebrity crush, is a point in his favor, because he treats me like Tori Vega, and not like Shelby Marx. Yes, it does change things between us, it's making him more attractive to me, but I want to maintain our friendship for the moment. I still don't want to rush into anything. Coming out of my musings, I walk over to my friends, and take a seat as we watch the other acts of the day. I sit in the seat next to Robbie, he places his hand on my shoulder, I lean my shoulder into his, and ponder what it would be like to date my biggest fan.