Tori's POV
Tuesday, Hollywood Arts
I was going to kill Cat!
I'd innocently logged onto the slap last night to find a -admittedly adorable- photo of me and Beck from the sleepover. My head was on his shoulder, against his neck and his head was mine with his arm unconsciously draped over my shoulder. Plus, Cat had obviously chucked the whole blanket on us so we looked extra snugly. It was sweet idea and in some way I actually liked that she'd done it…but why take the picture! Jade was going to kill us if I didn't get that photo off the Slap! I didn't actually want either me or Beck to end up dead really.
I spotted Beck over by his locker, he was sliding in another book against his theatre history.
"Hey Beck, Cat posted this…"
"Photo. I know."
His short answer hit me. He didn't even turn around to face me. It hurt.
"Yeah, well we need to get Cat to remove it before…" I tried to continue.
"Before Jade kills us… Well it's too late now isn't it…" Beck's cold tone eased off a bit when he turned around, eventually, after slamming his locker.
He stood there for a second before making to walk away.
"What?" I said, stopping him in his tracks.
"Jade and me had an argument last night, I told her maybe we should have a clean break after she started blaming you"
Beck had defended me. I warmed up a bit after feeling bitter towards him with his initial attitude.
"Beck I…wait!" I grabbed his arm.
"Tori, I don't feel like talking about it" Beck smiled limply, but he didn't pull out of my grasp.
"Well then…we just leave the picture?" I asked awkwardly.
Beck nodded briefly and then pulled away from me, his fingers slipping across my palm as he walked away. Right, I really was going to have a word with Cat now. I hated seeing Beck so upset and he was unintentionally taking it out on me, even when he had defended me.
"Cat!" I hollered, as I stalked over to the lunch table.
I was clutching my turkey sandwich to hard and I was probably going to end up with a flat lunch. Andre and Robbie were sitting with Cat, Beck had obviously not arrived yet.
"Hey Tori!" Cat greeted brightly with a sunny smile.
I bit down on my lip, summoning the anger that I instinctively didn't want to unleash on Cat. But it was necessary, she had to know that she'd done the wrong thing totally!
"Why did you put that picture of me and Beck online?" I questioned incredulously.
Cat looked at me with an innocent confused look.
"What picture?" Cat asked angelically.
Now I was mad.
"Cat you know which! Don't look at me as if you don't know. Now Beck and Jade have had a fight and Jade's blaming me and Beck! You took the picture." I threw my bag off my shoulder onto the floor, sitting down quickly next to Andre.
I ripped open the sandwich container and bit into the bread.
"Oh! That picture…It's so cute right?" Cat exclaimed in a sugary tone.
I slammed my turkey sandwich into the box again.
"Didn't you hear what I just said?" I drawled incredulously, feeling as if I was about to give up on ever being able to get Cat to understand.
"Chill Tori, I'm sure Jade isn't that worked up…" Andre tried to calm me.
I raised my eyes at him, scowling. Didn't he know Jade gave me a hard enough time without a reason!
"I should shut up" He mumbled, sipping his drink.
"Cat!" I said.
"I'm sorry!" Cat jumped, me having startled her.
"Look" I said gently, calming down "I'm just saying that Jade is really mad at me Beck and I thought you should know that it was-"
Beck slid down next to me with a coffee in his hand and a lazy frown on his face. He looked at Cat who gave him an apologetic look before she gazed down into her salad. Robbie had his I-pod on, so he hadn't heard anything. At least then there would be no smarmy comments from Rex.
"Hey man" Andre patted beck's back "Jade…"
"We're taking a break." He said simply, with no expression.
I looked down at my sandwich and I frowned. I hated this negative mood.
I was home alone that night, earphones in and listening to Taylor Swift. I was furiously typing on the laptop, trying to get as much of my theatre history homework done as possible before I moved onto the script I had to analyse. I'd been at it for an undisturbed half an hour when a video chat request popped onto the screen. I'd left the Slap page open.
GotBeck- Accept/Decline
I shrugged and smiled to myself. Beck was video chatting me and this meant he was probably more in the mood to talk. At least someone is trying to improve my evening, I smiled to myself. I accepted the video request and Beck's face popped up in the little window. He was lying back casually with a soft grin on his face.
"Hey Beck, feeling better now?" I leaned forwards, smiling sympathetically.
"I guess so" Beck took a swig of some bottled soda.
We stayed silent for a minute, beck looked like he was seriously considering something.
Then he looked at me through the screen with soft eyes "I miss her Tori"
My heart thudded strongly in disappointment. He'd just come to talk to me about Jade. Not to talk with me… Just Jade.
"So you just came on to talk about Jade?" I sighed, trying to hide the hurt in my voice.
"No. No… I wanted to say sorry for being so short with you earlier and…well I would like about her to someone" Beck explained in a sort of mumble.
I sigh quietly and smiled. The least I could do for a friend was listen.
"Go ahead, hit me with it" I joked lightly, folding my arms and leaning back.
Beck ran a hand through his hair and then clasped his hands together "She never gives me a chance to explain. She doesn't listen to me, she blames you for literally everything and is rude to most of our friends. It was just bugging me so much that I…that's one of the main reasons why I've chosen to take a break. It might be better for us both."
I didn't expect to get that.
I thought Beck was going to mention how much he missed her, not highlight Jade's attitude problems…
"I can't love that side of her, it's bitter and mean, I try and help her but she just won't grow out of it"
I breathed in, what was supposed to say…there were a lot of things I found unappealing about Jade, the side of her that seemed to hate me. But I didn't want to agree with Beck in case…I made it more…
"I think I might have ended our relationship, but that doesn't mean Jade is going to believe it…" Beck said idly, more to himself than too me.
And he was right, would Jade think they wee still together? Beck had made it sound as if he had actually broken off the relationship rather than suggested they take a break…
"Can talk about something else now?" Beck smiled.
I smiled automatically but found the sincerity when I processed this. Beck and I now had a proper chance to talk without the threat of Jade intervening…
And I would take this chance.
We ended up talking for around and hour and a half before me and Beck became tired. I yawned widely along with Beck who chuckled.
"Time to sleep?"
"Yeah, I'm exhausted" I laughed.
"How about you come to the RV some time, we could hang out?" Beck suggested.
I smiled.
"Yeah sure, tomorrow after school?" I replied feeling a bit too warm around my heart.
"Mhm, cool with me" Beck grinned, his teeth glinting where I could see them in the friendly half-smile.
"Goodnight Beck" I waved.
"Goodnight Ms Vega" Beck smiled before he signed off.
I sat back again after I logged out and sighed, staring up at the ceiling with a smile.
