Tori's POV

God. I hated being the center of attention. That goes to show how much I changed.

I'd never had that problem before. Before, I'd loved it. I'd longed for attention. Something that I didn't get at home from my parents. Not when they could help it. Which was wierd since my mother went through so much trouble to conceive me in the first place. But no, I'd been a distraction, a burden. A fuck up. A looney. An embarassment to her.

And I'd believed it. Really believed all of it. Everything she said. Until Lyle House.

I can hate the house as much as I want, but I'll always be grateful that I ended up there. Sure, there was danger and I had breakdowns and Liz died, but I met Derek and Simon and Chloe. I met my real father through them and I got to leave my old life. I'd always have those old hurts but I was happy now.

Happy, and safe. With my real dad, a brother, a best friend, an aunt-figure, and a boyfriend.

But after being stared at and evaluated and interrogated and chased, I didn't want to be noticed anymore. I didn't care. It was pointless and made me nervous now. Why were they looking? Did they know? Were they dangerous?

Derek opened the Jeep door for me and helped me out. I tried to look away from all the enquiring eyes in the parking lot. After grabbing my shoulder back, I shut the door and turned to my sorta-kinda-boyfriend. He looked a little nervous himself. "Uh...remember how we had the whole Boyfriend plan going?"

I nodded with a smirk. "Uh-huh."

"Well...I mean, you've been wanting to take it slow. So how do you wanna do this? We on a break or just not very touchy-feely or what? Do you wanna just say you're Simon's sister?" He looked upset and worried and I smiled.

"Derek, it's fine." I told him, grabbing his hand and linking our fingers. He looked confused for a moment. "I think I'm ready for hand-holding, making-out phase, okay boyfriend?"

He shook his head like I was a silly child, but he was smiling. His grip on my hand tightened a little. "Alright then." he said happily.

"Are you nervous?" I teased as Simon and Chloe came to stand beside us, waiting to walk as a group into the school. "Derek...it's over now. This is where we're settling."

Simon smiled. "Yeah, bro. Basketball team for me. Art Club for Chloe. You should do wrestling or football. And Tori...well, Tori can be a ch-"

"Say cheerleader and I'll smoke you!" I threatened.

"Tori! You can't go around saying that. People will think you're threatening to shoot people." Chloe admonished.

I rolled my eyes at my best friend. "Fine, Simon. Say cheerleader and I'll beat the crap out of you."

Simon scoffed. "Ha! Like you could. Derek would t-" He cut off suddenly, watching Derek's face. His brows were rose high. "You would defend me, wouldn't you?"

Derek's hands went up. "Brother, girlfriend...not getting in the middle." was all he said. "Settle your sibling rivalry on your own time."

I scoffed. "I could hex that jerk into next century if I w-"

Simon was smiling broadly and pretending not to notice my own amused grin that I couldn't seem to hide when he interrupted. "Sure, sure. Into next century, I know. I know."

Chloe and Simon kissed briefly. "You guys are losers." she commented.

Simon laughed. "Hell yea we are!"

"Liz says we'll be late." Chloe said quickly. I smiled softly in the direction Chloe had looked. Liz and I wrote notes to one another alot now. She hung around with me more than Chloe. She was my other best friend. Who cares if she was a ghost. I loved her.

Plus, she wasn't the only one that had changed.

I wasn't such a bitch as before. Happy, for once and loved. I still wasn't the most open and trusting person but it was to be expected. Chloe had got over most of her nerves and fears. Derek had finally came out of his shell and interacted with people. And forgave himself. And Simon had came to terms with not being as powerful as other sorcerers, as being the only successful Edison Group subject in our little group. In our little family.

I was pretty sure Lauren and Kit were getting together. They hadn't made it official or anything bu-

My phone rang suddenly and I pulled it out of my jeans pocket as we walked quickly inside. I saw the display and hit speaker. "You guys there?" came the voice.

"Going to class now." I responded.

"Just wanted to wish you luck. What do you all have first?"

"Computer science for me and Tori." Derek told him. Something I was as advanced in as Derek. About the only class we shared, too.

"Art for us." Chloe told Kit.

"Alright. Have fun. Make friends. Don't get into trouble. Love you guys."

"Love you Dad." Simon and Derek said simultaneously.

"Love you, Kit." Chloe told him.

"Love you Dad." I told him before flipping the phone shut. No one made a big deal, knowing I'd hate that. Simon and Chloe smiled and Derek just squeezed my hand. I'd told Kit I loved him, just never called him Dad. It'd taken awhile. But now I trusted him.

"Alright, see you guys... at Lunch?" I asked.

"Yup." Simon said happily, hurrying him and Chloe down the hall. I gripped Derek's hand tighter and followed him to our Computer Lab. I ignored all the stares of the students though. I had Derek now. I'd changed. I hated to be the center of attention.