Chapter Ten

In The Closet

Beck let the phone ring for a few seconds before hanging up with a frown. He grabbed a book from his locker and then once again tried to make his phone call. There was still no response.

"Hey man, what's up?" Andre walked up to Beck.

"Nothing. I've been trying to call Jade but she's not picking up her phone", Beck replied.

Andre glanced at the clock in the hallway.

"It's nine in the morning on a Friday and she doesn't have to be in school", he said. "Wouldn't Jade be sleeping?"

"Yeah, she probably is", Beck answered. "I just wanted to talk to her. What can I say? I miss the little lady."

"That's adorable, man", Andre said, trying to hold back a snicker. "So how did the little lady react when you told her about your scene yesterday and your kiss with the giraffe? Who just so happened to have Tori's face."

"Eh, she was fine with it", Beck replied with a nervous smile. "Probably because I didn't tell her."

"Wise move." Andre nodded slowly. "Well judging by the looks on your and Tori's faces, I'd say that kiss wasn't in the script."

"Actually it kind of was", Beck explained. "We had planned for the giraffe and the tree to kiss. I was supposed to be the tree but then Cat decided that she wanted to be the tree. So Tori should have actually kissed Cat. I don't know, I guess she really wanted to kiss me." Beck smirked.

"Aw man, really? What a missed opportunity", Andre said. "Seeing Tori and Cat kiss would have been … something, huh?"

"Hey, down boy." Beck patted Andre on the head. "I don't think that's something we'll ever see happen."

"I can't believe I kissed Cat. Why did I kiss Cat?" Tori's mind kept racing as she practically sped down the hallway and to her locker. She couldn't remember her combination for a good minute and had to play around with the lock. Finally she got it open and started taking out every single book that was in there. She couldn't remember which class she was getting ready for. Tori figured if she had all of her books with her, she wouldn't have to keep returning to her locker and risk the possibility of seeing Cat. She just couldn't handle seeing the redhead now. Not after … well … the thing that happened yesterday.

Tori's heavy math book was the last to come out. She struggled to close her locker and then looked over at the clock. There were five minutes before class started, whichever class that was. If she started walking now, she might remember where she was supposed to be going and hopefully wouldn't run into –

"Hey Tori!"

Tori jumped and the large pile of books fell out of her arms. Her heavy math book dropped right onto her foot. Clenching her teeth, Tori groaned in pain. Cat reached down to pick up the math book and flipped through it.

"Wow, so many numbers and letters all together in the same book", Cat noted in wonder. "Is your foot ok? Do you want me to take you to the nurse?"

"I'm fine", Tori managed to get out. She shook her foot back and forth but the throbbing pain didn't stop. Cat was watching her in concern. It took Tori every bit of willpower she had to look the redhead in the eye.

"Why were you holding all this stuff?" Cat asked, motioning towards all of the books on the floor.

"Just being prepared", Tori replied uneasily. "You know, for classes." She hesitantly kneeled down to start picking the books up. Cat grabbed a couple as well and handed them to Tori.

"What class are you going to?" the redhead asked. "I'll help you carry these over there."

"Uh, I … don't know", Tori answered. She furrowed her eyebrows trying to remember.

"Hee hee, you look so cute when you're confused!" Cat giggled.

"I – what?" Tori asked nervously.

"I said, you look really cute when you're confused", Cat repeated with a shy smile. Tori's cheeks flushed a bright shade of red, but before she could think of a response, Cat moved forward and kissed her gently. Every worry and nervous thought rushed out of Tori's mind and the only thing she could think of was the girl on the other end of her lips. Cat sure was a great kisser!

The sound of chuckling and a wolf whistle made Tori remember that they were standing in the middle of a very crowded hallway at school. She quickly pushed the other girl away.

"Cat!" Tori exclaimed in horror.

"What-y?" asked Cat innocently as she played with a strand of her hair.

"What was that?" Tori yelled.

"A kiss", answered Cat with a shrug.

"You just – I – we -!" Tori couldn't get the words out. Students in the hallway had stopped and were looking at the girls. Tori felt their eyes burning into her. Not caring that all her books were now on the floor, she ran to the nearest safe location – the janitor's closet.

Closing the door shut behind her, Tori slumped down onto the floor and covered her head with her hands. A minute later, the door opened again and Cat walked in, holding Tori's pile of books.

"You forgot these", Cat said softly, reaching her hand out to touch Tori's arm. Tori looked up and pulled her arm back. Her whole body was shaking.

"What's wrong?" Cat asked worriedly.

"You – you kissed me!" Tori replied heatedly.

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"Why not?" Cat frowned confusedly. "I thought we liked each other. You kissed me yesterday!"

"That was a stage kiss!" Tori protested.

"We weren't on stage, Tori. We were sitting on the couch in your living room and you kissed me. Doesn't that mean you like me?"

"I – I don't – do you like ME?" Tori asked incredulously.

"Yeah", Cat answered with a shrug.

"Oh." Tori's heart stopped. She didn't know what else to say.

"I can tell by the way you kissed me yesterday that you liked it", Cat said. "It was much more passionate than your stage kiss with Beck. You liked our kiss, didn't you Tori?"

"No", Tori lied.

"Yes you did", Cat said teasingly. "Trust me, I know the difference between a stage kiss and a real kiss and you kissed me for real yesterday. So how long have you liked me?"

"I don't!" Tori replied anxiously. "Cat, that kiss yesterday wasn't supposed to happen. It was a terrible mistake and I'm sorry."

"It didn't feel like a mistake."

"Well it was."

Cat's face fell.

"So you don't like me?"

"No." Tori closed her eyes as she saw the immense sadness appear on the redhead's face.

"Oh", Cat said, putting the books down on the floor. "Sorry I kissed you then." She opened the door and walked out of the janitor's closet without another word.

Part of Tori wanted to run after Cat but the other part never wanted to see Cat again. Tori touched her lips and closed her eyes. Everything was fine when those feelings for Cat were in her head. But now suddenly things were out in the open. And she had been right all along– Cat was having those feelings for her too. But that's all they were – just feelings.

Feelings that needed to disappear.

"Hey dude, did you hear about those girls who were just kissing in the hallway?"

"Yeah, I think they were probably rehearsing a scene or something."

Andre whipped his head around when he heard the conversation of two other boys as they walked by. Beck rolled his eyes and laughed.

"Relax man, it wasn't Tori and Cat. Do I need to hose you down?"

"Nah, I'm all right", Andre said confidently. "I'm just wondering why I miss all the excitement around here. First Jade and her scissor attack and now some kissing girls."

"We're at Hollywood Arts", Beck replied assuredly. "There will always be plenty of excitement going on."

"True", Andre agreed, nodding. "Oh, hey Little Red!"

Cat was quickly walking down the hallway, trying to stop tears from forming in her eyes. She had intended to hide from Andre and Beck, but they had both already noticed her. Beck was motioning for her to come closer. With a sad sigh, she went over to the boys.

"What's up?" Andre asked.

"Nothing", Cat answered despondently.

"You all right?" Beck asked.

"Yeah, I'm just worried about my brother. He let his pet snake loose in the house and now we can't find it." Cat silently prayed that the boys would believe her story.

"Oh …", Beck replied slowly. "Well, I hope you find it."

"Those snakes sure are … tricky", Andre added.

"Yeah …", Cat trailed off. "Kay kay, bye!"

"Oh, wait a second!" Beck called after Cat who had started walking away. "I was actually wondering if you could do me a favor. After school could you drop this stuff off at Jade's house? I'd do it but I have a family thing to go to." Beck reached into his book bag and pulled out some papers. "It's school work she missed so far this week", he explained.

"Sure, I'll bring it to Jade after school", Cat said in a monotone, taking the papers from Beck. "If she promises not to be violent when I show up."

"Don't worry I'll tell her to expect you", Beck promised. "You sure you're ok?"

"I'm fine!" Cat faked a laugh but couldn't hold it for long. She turned around and walked off, sniffling as the tears poured down her face. Beck and Andre stared after her in mystification.

"So, what sort of family thing do you have to do after school?" Andre asked, still watching Cat shuffle down the hallway.

"Oh, I made that up", Beck admitted. "Jade needs to see her friends. I don't think she's left her house since she got suspended."

"She's upset, huh?"

"She's either really sad or really mad. Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference."

"It might just be both", Andre suggested.

"I don't know", Beck answered. "I've spoken to her a couple of times and she's being really distant. Maybe a visit from her friends will cheer her up."

"Or make her even more upset."

"I've got to try something", Beck replied with a shrug. He reached into his book bag again and pulled out another small stack of papers. "Now I've got to find Tori and tell her to bring these to Jade after school."

"You are one persistent man", Andre said in awe.

"Yup", Beck agreed with a nod. "Now where's Tori?"

"Here it is!"

Beck happily slapped his essay down on Tori's desk.

"Two whole pages, all about the scientific method. I finished typing it up this morning actually. How's that for last minute?"

"Yeah, sure Beck", Tori replied distantly. She didn't even bother to look at the boy standing next to her desk.

"Where's yours?" he asked.

"Huh?"

"Where's yours?"

"My what?"

"Your science essay that's due today."

"Oh, it's here." Tori pulled her essay out of her folder. It was about three times as thick as Beck's paper. Beck stared at it in shock.

"I thought we had to write about one experiment, not every scientific law in the universe!"

"I just wrote what you told me to write", Tori replied with a small shrug.

"Well it may be short, but it's to the point", Beck said confidently. "So hey, I feel like I haven't seen you all day. Why didn't you come to lunch?"

"Huh?"

"Lunch. Why weren't you there?"

"Oh. I … had something else to do."

"How about eating?"

"I ate in the janitor's closet."

"You what? The closet? Why?" Beck looked concerned.

"Actually I spent the whole day in there", Tori answered nonchalantly. "I like the janitor's closet. I was thinking maybe I'll rent it from the janitor to use on weekends or something."

"You spent the whole day in the closet?" Beck asked in disbelief. Tori inwardly squirmed at his choice of words.

"It's not a big deal. I didn't miss much", Tori explained. "I had to come to science though, to hand in the essay. Otherwise I would have stayed in the closet. The janitor's closet, I mean. Haven't you ever wanted to spend the day in there?"

"Uh, not really", Beck admitted. "But that's Jade's place to go when she needs to cool off. Looks like you two have something in common."

"Yeah, guess so", Tori replied softly.

"It's weird, Cat wasn't at lunch either", Beck said. At hearing the redhead's name, Tori nearly jumped out of her seat.

"She – she wasn't?" Tori asked.

"No. We figured she was with you. Was she in the closet with you?"

"No", Tori barely whispered as she slid down in her seat. She wished Beck would stop talking about her being in the closet. And Cat.

"Do you think you can do me a favor after school?" Beck asked. Tori sighed in relief at the change of subject.

"Yeah, sure."

"Bring this school work over to Jade's house. I'd do it, but I have an important family thing to go to." Beck handed Tori a stack of papers. She took it reluctantly.

"Her – house?" Tori asked. "Like where she actually lives?"

"That's what a house is meant for", Beck answered in amusement. "Don't worry, she won't hurt you. Her dad got rid of all the scissors."

"Ok", Tori agreed reluctantly.

"Thanks Tor, this is a big help. You can drop the stuff off, and then maybe afterwards you and Jade can hang out a little bit, huh? Do some bonding. Maybe play some checkers? Give each other makeovers? Whatever girls do when they're together."

"You're kidding right?" Tori asked in amazement. "This is Jade we're talking about. The girl who pushed me off a balcony!"

"There was a mat underneath", Beck said in protest. "Don't let Jade's tough exterior fool you. She may tell you that she hates you, call you names, and threaten to chop your hair off, but really she considers you two to be good friends!"

"You don't have to lie Beck, I already said I'd do it."

"Thanks Tori. You rock." He lightly punched her shoulder as the science teacher walked in the classroom. Tori pulled out her notebook and began writing as Beck returned to his own seat.

Tori groaned at the thought of having to see Jade after school. The last time she saw the girl had been when she was torturing that poor kid who was accused of killing Mr. Snickerdoodle. Tori remembered feeling angry at Jade but couldn't recall why. It had something to do with Cat. Tori's stomach did a flip-flop thinking about the redheaded girl. They had gone from good friends, to awkward tingling sensations, to full on kissing twice in less than twenty-four hours.

Cat liked her. She actually told her that she liked her. Tori couldn't get that out of her mind. She was attracted to Cat sure; there was no denying that, especially after those kisses. But liking Cat? No way. Well, she liked her as a friend. But she didn't want to be in a romantic relationship with her or anything. Tori trembled at the thought.

Cat was pretty much her best friend. And in order to salvage that friendship, Tori knew she had to keep her distance from the redhead. For as long as it would take for the attraction to die away. Hopefully it wouldn't take long. But she couldn't spend every school day until then hiding away in the janitor's closet. She'd have to see Cat sometime. Maybe if Tori didn't go out of her way to talk to her, Cat would get the point. But that would hurt Cat. Something Tori had been desperately trying to avoid doing for some time now.

The teacher started talking, but Tori didn't bother to concentrate. She was glad it was Friday. She'd run to the bus stop to meet Trina after school without stopping at her locker. She'd drop the schoolwork off at Jade's house and come straight home. Then she'd have the whole weekend free to get over her feelings, and hopefully Cat wouldn't try to contact her. Hopefully.

Meanwhile, over at his desk, Beck was smiling as he copied the notes from the board.

"Good", he thought to himself. "Cat and Tori will hang out together with Jade at her house after school and hopefully cheer her up. Hopefully."

Author's Note: Huh, this chapter's pretty short compared to the rest. Sorry about that! I'm putting in an author's note to make up for it. I plan out what's going to happen ahead of time so this was everything plot-wise that needed to happen in this chapter. Next chapter – Jade's house! Will it be fun? Will it be awkward? Will it be dangerous? Probably. Everyone cover your hair and I'll be back next week! Same place same time!