Monsters & Demons

Rated M

Genre: Drama & Adventure

Summary:

When Tori arrived at Hollywood Arts, she knew that things wouldn't be the same. Little did she know that she and her friends would find themselves wound into more than teenage drama. Jade thought all she had to worry about was her status being threatened. Does Trina finally have a true friend? A trio of newcomers shows up, bringing along more than the gang bargained for. Homework and plays don't sound so bad anymore.

A/N:


Chapter 4: An Unexpected Close-Up


"Now then, I was told that you were also going to perform a scene?" the hobo man, chuckled in joy to which Liam nodded without a word. "Fantastic! Keep in mind, don't worry about us being here, we're just observers at this point. Let yourself become the character and make the scene your own."

"Alright..." he rubbed the back of his neck, trying to remember what he had rehearsed with Jade only to remember a crucial piece of information: The scene consisted of dialogue that required two or more people to be involved. This revelation carried with it the familiar feeling of dread and terror as he noticed the men's faces shift from approval to concern. He had to think of something quick. "Sorry, I'm just a little nervous..."

"It's okay, son. Just say what's on your heart and let it flow."

This gave Liam a perfect idea as he drew in a deep breath that preceded his opening.

"Jasmine...? I um... I have something to ask you and I want you to be completely honest with me." he swallowed the imaginary lump in his throat while imagining his co-star was standing mere inches away. "You and I, we've been friends for as long as we can remember. I mean, I still remember the days when we were carefree and filled with no concern for what tomorrow would bring. It takes me back to that first day we met. I was imagining that I was battling goblins to reach the cursed dragon when you first arrived in my life. Although things didn't start well in the beginning, by the end of that day, you and I suddenly became best friends. Yet, there was one thing that stood out about that day."

He rubbed his hands together, licking his lips nervously as both anxiety and determination waged a vicious battle behind his Emerald Orbs.

All three of the proctors watched intently at the simple monologue developing in front of them, unaware of the four (five if you count Rex) pairs of eyes were eyeing the performance as well.

"It was the moment when you kissed my cheek, Jasmine. I was only a little boy who thought girls had germs but, as I grew older, when other memories become hazy at times, that one moment remains intact. I don't know how or when it happened but, I fell for you sometime after that meeting. I don't know if it's true love but, I can't seem to get you out of my mind. Even when you vanished from my life for Lord only knows how long, it never mattered once you came back around. I know that you probably only see me as just your friend, but, I'd like to think that maybe we could explore those feelings one day."

Liam tensed, tightening his fists. A low groan escaped his lips before he spoke again.

"Maybe... Maybe you would see me as you do him? I know it seems odd but... I've always liked you! From the way that you smile so freely to your determination toward achieving what you want. You always managed to find a way to accomplish whatever you set your mind to and..." he groaned softly, running his fingers through the coiled locks. "...and it's exactly what made me fall for you."

Desperation was veiled perfectly behind each word spoken, though one was able to pick up the subtle hints of its arrival.

"I love you, Jasmine! I always have and I hope that you will accept this ring... and make me the happiest man in the world."

Many would expect Liam to drop to his knee after a speech like that. Imagine the proctor's shock when, instead, he turned around to reveal that he was rehearsing in an unseen mirror, soughing in defeat at the revelation.

"If only I dared to say these words to your face and not some cheap reflection, maybe I'd have better luck..."

As he walked away slowly, Liam stood away from the imaginary mirror, his head held low and his shoulders slumped. This carried over into him squatting until his face was buried behind his knees.

"If only..."

After a few moments of pause, his ears picked up the sound of a lone clap from the coconut-loving teacher. This was pursued closely behind by the applause of Lane and Principal Helen, the latter sparing a second to wipe a tear from her eye. Jade and the others took that opportunity to slip back out without being noticed as the men congratulated the now alleviated teen.

"Wow... He's not bad at all," Andre smirked proudly as Tori and Robbie agreed.

"Yeah, but, I'm surprised that Sikowitz would hold an impromptu audition like this," Tori added, careful not to be too loud. "Especially when they just finished bringing in the new recruits."

"Maybe he was a late entry?"

The gazes all fell on Robbie Shapiro, but not a soul could find a flaw in his logic. Of course, Jade knew the truth, content to let the three continue their guessing games.

"I don't know... It still seems a bit out of the ordinary if you ask me."

"Well, you got into the school through unconventional means so, you shouldn't be too surprised," Rex noted.

"And we're still suffering because of that..." Jade grumbled much to Tori's scorn. "Well, at least I am."

Before she could give a rebuttal, a loud bell stepped in, pulling everyone's attention as the horde of students began to file out of their respective classrooms. Robbie, Rex, and Andre decided to head over to their ballet class, something that still crept Tori out a bit, while Ms. Vega herself cautiously began to make her departure only to notice that Jade hadn't bothered to move a muscle.

"Aren't you going to class?"

"I have to ask Sikowitz something important about an upcoming play next semester. I'll catch up later."

Tori wasn't convinced, as evident when she caught the goth nipping her lip while constantly averting her gaze to the auditorium doors.

It didn't take a genius to put the pieces together as whatever had Jade so antsy must involve that boy inside. What their connection could be was a true mystery. Was he a new lover? Could he be a friend of hers? That last question nearly made the Latina snort at the idea of Jade willingly making friends.

Whatever the reason, Tori still felt the itch to get to the bottom of things.

For now, she'd let sleeping dogs lie...

"Okay. I'll just leave you to that then," she smiled brilliantly, taking her exit shortly thereafter as Jade looked on with narrowed eyes.

Even after vanishing around the corner, the dark girl couldn't shake the apprehension that Tori was up to something.

It wasn't like her to just walk away without even so much as a 'why' unless she was up to something. Though Tori Vega was a goody-two-shoes in Jade's eyes, she wasn't above sneaky tactics if she had to. It was one of the few qualities that Jade respected about the 'perfect Vega' as she'd put it though, she would never openly admit it.

Jade wouldn't have much more time to ponder her rival's intentions when the door opened revealing an excited Sikowitz, impressed Lane, and a rather proud Principal Barnett all congratulating a now smiling Liam. If this wasn't a sight to behold, then Jade would be given that view when her friend rushed over to give her the biggest hug she'd ever received. Given his strength, Jade nearly yelped once she felt her feet leave the ground.

"Liam! Put me down!" she smacked his back playfully while barely containing the giggles pouring out. Oh, how grateful she was that Tori and the others were gone.

"I did it!" he laughed jovially.

"Wait, what?" she stalled her delight, gaping at him with a jesting smile.

"My audition was a success! I'm in!"

Now it was Jade's turn to expose her elation, pulling Liam into a big hug that he gladly reciprocated. She cared less about the onlookers that may see this display of affection, including the now shocked educators who conveniently pretended they hadn't noticed this. While there was a clear rule about PDA, the trio of men was too busy exchanging looks at one another; neither of them willing to bring it up for fear of what the scissor-loving girl could do to them.

Finally, Lane cautiously cleared his throat, shrinking a bit when the steely glare of the girl suddenly locked on him.

"I guess it's safe to say that you've heard the news?" Jade nodded without a word, slowly withdrawing her arms from around the young man. "Perfect!"

"He'll still need to fill out some forms and have them signed by a guardian, but I can't wait to have such a talented young man on our school's roster. I'm willing to add him to the showcase if he feels comfortable enough to perform. There's even a prize for the three winners."

Ignoring the gushing from Helen, Liam and Jade exchanged grins that answered the principal's inquiry.

"Then we'll add you to the list, sweetheart! Now let's get you those forms."

Liam soon found himself swept onward to the office with Helen oozing delight, a sight that partially unnerved Jade. Even then, she couldn't shake off the sensation of pride that surged through her as her friend spared a silent thanks before disappearing completely. It was that moment when her mind began to replay the monologue that brought him to this point.

For someone who was considered a quiet person, Liam surprised her with his passion and ability to emote when needed. But, such a random skit couldn't have come out of thin air. Was there some realism behind his words?

Calm down, Jade... She scolded. Just be happy for once and let things flow.


As the night coated the sky, students began to file into the quad.

Some would find themselves ordering food from the Grub Truck while others interacted with anticipation for what they would see. Tori, Andre, and the others except for Jade and Robbie, the latter who was finishing up with the set-up on stage, all met up together next to a ridiculously large cheese fountain.

Cat giggled and bounced at the sight, much to the amusement of her friends.

Beck was uncharacteristically silent for the most part as they all discussed the possible talents they could witness. In his mind, he was just here to enjoy the festivities though he kept his distance whenever he noticed this ex nearby. When she left to attend to her performance, only then did the nerves begin to settle.

In truth, he regretted his decision to not open the door when he could, especially just to prove a point.

If he was being honest with himself, Beck wanted nothing more than to make amends and go back to the way things were. But something kept pulling him back. At times, he would find himself questioned by his friends but nothing ever came from their interrogations other than he was glad to have some peace.

Their inquiries would have to wait as Mr. Sikowitz and Principal Helen stepped onto the stage.

"Welcome students to this year's New Recruit Showcase!" a thrilled Helen smiled from ear to ear.

The gathering erupted into applause and cheers before dying down, allowing her to speak once more.

"Tonight, you'll have the pleasure of getting to see your newest classmates, along with some familiar faces, in their most natural element as they perform for not only a grade but your votes." The kids looked at one another confusingly. "That's right. Tonight, you all will cast your votes on who had the best performance with the top three earning guaranteed scholarships to the newest addition to our beloved school, Hollywood Arts Gardens. A few blocks from here, the gardens are a collection of dorms/apartments that will become available to students starting next month. Whoever wins tonight will earn a full-paid stay for the duration of their time here in school."

"Such high stakes..." Andre noted.

Tori and the others watched as Sikowitz introduced the first few groups, including a boy named Josh and his friends who gave a below-average rendition of Michael Jackson's "Bad" which earned them a rather generous amount of applause.

Considering nobody prior had fared any better, they seemed to be a shoo-in for those scholarships. Andre and Tori clapped solely out of pity. Even Cat could only gaze in confusion while Beck just yawned out of sheer boredom. Only when Sikowitz arrived did any interest finally return.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to introduce our next act. Give a warm welcome to Ahrya Garland and Robbie Shapiro!"

"What?!" The gang, minus Cat bellowed in complete jaw-dropping shock.

Sure enough, Robbie walked on stage, clearly nervous alongside Ahrya, who looked like she would rather be anywhere but up there.

Beck simply face palmed in disbelief.

Andre was still flabbergasted.

Tori raised an eyebrow as interest got the better of her initial judgment.

They watched as instead of Rex being in Robbie's hand, a guitar was firmly between his trembling fingers. How he got roped in with the new girl was beyond anyone's logic but they were witnessing it live and in living color. This immediately brought questions that would eventually be asked sooner or later but for the time being, they watched as their friend began to strum a few chords signaling the beginning of the song.

Ahrya patiently turned to look at the boy who simply smiled softly and continued playing slowly.

The music alone was enough to captivate the audience as they too were astonished to see Robbie not only puppet-less but adept at playing the instrument. He closed his eyes as he finished his introduction, giving a slightly trembling Ahrya her cue. She looked to her right, her brother on the other side, offstage giving her a thumbs up and a warm smirk that said, 'You got this!'.

To say that their rendition of Never Too Late by Three Days Grace was immaculate would be an understatement as the crowd listened closely. Their bodies swaying, it was clear that this was the perfect palette cleanse from the previous performance.

"I knew Rob was good with that guitar but, damn!"

Cat gasped at Andre's choice of words.

"You said a swear..."

"Sorry, Cat. I mean Robbie's really good with that thing. I didn't know he had it in him."

Tori silently agreed as she allowed to vibe to set in her soul, mouthing the words while Ahrya continued her serenade. The eruption of praise filled the night sky as Tori and the others could only watch as their usually graceless friend was now a mere stranger to them as he began to softly strum the strings until the song's conclusion. Immediately, the students roared and whooped at the two for an incredible arrangement.

Robbie blushed at all the cheers but quickly forgot about it as he soon found himself wrapped in the arms of one Ahrya who then kissed him square on the cheek.

"Well, that was..."

"AWESOME! GO ROB! GO AHRYA!" Andre shouted, startling the Latina. She proceeded to scold the boy until Sikowitz's voice chimed over the loudspeakers once more.

"It looks like business has picked up!" he gave a robust laugh before pulling out a small card. "Alright, let's keep this train rolling. Up next we have..." he scanned the contents for a moment before finding the desired names. "...Jade West & Travis Garland!"

Hush.

At the mere mention of their names, only a few scattered murmurs were permitted utterance. The memory of their vicious attack was still fresh in the minds of some while others were only reigniting the brutish visual of the two almost killing each other. If ever there was a soul who hated this, it was Beck. Despite not being together romantically, he wasn't a fan of how Jade was being depicted.

He knew the truth...

Now he was forced to witness his ex-girlfriend perform with the guy who she nearly maimed. It was... conflicting.

A normally confident Jade West appeared to be a little on edge while Travis was trying his best to focus on putting on a good performance. Considering they were following a stellar performance put on by his sister and her new friend, he felt he had to give 110% to make a good impression. The audience remained mum as a grand piano was brought in. Travis bit his lip as he sat before the majestic instrument. Jade had to force her gaze away from the glare Beck sent her way before nodding her head to begin.

A delicate note. That's all that was needed as everyone's attention turned to the bad boy playing the heavenly keys. The combination of ebony and ivory was in perfect synchronization as the harmonious sounds encompassed the quad with serene bliss. Jade used this to her benefit and exhaled the cynical emotions, azure peering into the crowd as her lips parted, her voice meshing well with the stunning music behind her.

Seeing the irony in their performance, Jade began to sing, channeling her inner Hikaru Utada while Liam backed her up on the keys. He'd jump in to harmonize as well, further showing that, despite their rough start, they were willing to cooperate. The only hiccup reared its head when the young man began to sing in Japanese while Jade turned in shock, having not known that was going to happen.

Even then, she played off her surprise rather well to finish strong, earning the crowd's approval.

As the last notes were played, Jade and Liam would find themselves watching one another. They were feeding off of the other's natural energy throughout the song. It hadn't even dawned on the two that they were now, somehow, mere inches from each other, much to Jade's horror and certain someone's annoyance.

"Let's give a round of applause for Travis and Jade!" The crowd complied, cheering and sounding off their joy for the musical execution while the two left the stage. "Now, I know you're all ready to cast your votes but, we have one more performance!"

Confusion.

Such a feeling was appropriate as a lone boy gingerly stepped on stage, thanks in no small part to the urging of Helen who couldn't help but show her glee. With an electric guitar and a band behind him, he still appeared out of place as the baffled students began to once more speak about him. Once Sikowitz left, the boy turned to the band to signal the beginning.

Unlike the last two acts, there was an upbeat and powerful start to his performance.

I've been defeated and brought down
Dropped to my knees when hope ran out
The time has come to change my ways

On this day I see clearly everything has come to life
A bitter place and a broken dream
And we'll leave it all, leave it all behind

Soon the crowd began to follow along, some even rocking on with this mysterious soul. His articulation was perfect, his motions with the instrument appeared flawless, showing his prowess but there was one thing missing.

A partner.

I'll never long for what might have been

And now regret won't waste my life again
I won't look back
I'll fight to remain

Everyone turned to find Jade once again approaching the stage with a microphone in her hand. Unlike before, it was clear that she was in her element as she matched the edgy ambiance with her own seductive flare. The boy didn't resist, encouraging her through his riffs while she shook her hair wildly. The freedom that washed over her was abundant as they sang the chorus together before entering the bridge.

Tori and Andre recognized the boy from the audition.

There was mistaking it now as the former recalled her earlier suspicions about Jade's behavior. Now there was something to back up her mistrust of the goth's claims as she watched the chemistry unfold before her very eyes. By the time the song was wrapping up, Jade was a far cry from her earlier incarnation just minutes before. Now, she was the illustration of sovereignty as this new guy once more parted his lips.

On this day I see clearly everything has come to life
A bitter place and a broken dream
And we'll leave it all behind
On this day it's so real to me
Everything has come to life
Another chance to chase a dream
Another chance to feel
Chance to feel alive

The last few riffs were addictive and powerful in their execution. Their classmates were jumping and dancing to the beat. Even Tori and the others could resist the energetic flow coursing through their bodies. Such a hold was rare and yet, they made no qualms until the final chord was strummed.

Beck also watched with a mix of shock and... jealousy?

He'd just watched his ex perform with, not one, but two guys while exhibiting a lack of inhibition.

Sure, the first guy, Travis, was nothing more than an assignment that required her obligation. That much was clear as she kept things civil, even if her initial disdain was missing from the equation now. She was a great actor, fully capable of withholding her true feelings for the sake of a role.

The same could not be said about this guy though.

Like Tori, Beck could pick up the cues of chemistry and partnership. Such a bond couldn't be duplicated, even by the greatest of thespians. From the way she hit her notes to the way her hips rocked in rhythm with that guy, it was enough to drive the average person mad. He wasn't territorial but there was something there that made Beck uneasy.

This was something natural and the pang in his chest divulged a scathing truth:

He hated it.

The only solace from this revelation came when Sikowitz and Principal Helen suddenly drew everyone's attention.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, thanks to our wonderful tech crew," everyone looked over to find Sinjin Van Cleef waving awkwardly. "we now have all the votes tallied.

How much time had passed?

Beck blinked a few times, grateful that his friends hadn't noticed him spacing out. This was unlike him, at least to such a degree. He was Mr. Cool, Calm, and Collected. He lightly shook his head, ridding himself of the pessimistic thoughts, at least for now. He would direct his attention to

"In third place, we have Travis and Jade for their performance of Simple and Clean!"

Applauses and whistles pointed toward Travis caused him to blush while Jade elbowed him in the ribs playfully. It was clear that civility would be maintained as he stuck his tongue out playfully.

"Coming in at second we have..." Helen ripped open the envelope. "Ahrya and Robbie, performing Never Too Late!"

Robbie was beaming from ear to ear while Ahrya leaped into his arms to embrace him once more. The crowd's appreciation was felt as they cheered on the duo with encouraging words sprinkled throughout. When that died down, there was a sudden wave of silence that shrouded the area as the Principal received the final envelope. As the suspense continued to build, Helen opened up the crinkled paper and held her breath. The look on her face would've suggested the unlikely had occurred but in a twist of fate, she pointed to the crowd.

"Students? It is with pleasure that I announce our grand prize winner: Liam Marshall for his rendition of Metal-Lingus?"

When the mysterious boy appeared, everyone erupted in a charge of praise. His cheeks flushed when he was brought back on stage to witness the coronation of his victory. Waving awkwardly, he managed to keep his composure when he noticed Jade clapping for him as well, not missing the gleam in her eyes that told him that they would talk later.

Everyone, save for Josh and his crew, roared out their cheers and adoration for the winners. He instead stormed off in a fit of fury tailed closely by his two friends which didn't go unnoticed by Travis. He managed to whisper something in the principal's ear, which she happily nodded in agreement before slipping away through the crowd amidst the revelries.

Travis did his best to tail the three boys but lost them in the dark hallways on the south end of the school building. Keeping on his guard, he kept his head on a swivel while slowly making his way toward the gymnasium.

Entering inside, he found that it too was barren of anyone. This didn't discourage him from pressing forward though. He checked behind the bleachers just in case one or more of them were hiding from him. After the two incidents between them and Trina Vega, the first creating a sour feeling deep in his core, he figured he check the locker rooms. Slowly opening the door, he found his theory to be accurate as he heard their irksome voices from within the boy's room.

"It seems you don't learn your lesson, do you?" the main voice was the rich snob he spotted during his first week of school, Josh. "I'm in a foul mood and you're going to relieve our stress, understand?"

Hey, Josh. Let's fuck her good this time!" a tan-skinned boy expressed up after hitting his member against her face.

She tried to shake her head no, but a swift slap to the face from the leader forced her to 'concede' to his demands. Liam could see her eyes were, once again, full of tears as she was subjected to his heinous act.

Consequences be damned... Travis hissed, rushing into the shower room.

Before they could react, Josh was sent careening into the cold metal wall, effectively dazing him for the time being. One of his stooges, a dark-skinned boy by the name of Darren, attempted to tackle Travis. Unfortunately for him, his target simply sidestepped and landed a solid roundhouse kick as he turned around, shattering his jaw and nose in the process. With one confirmed to be down for the count, Travis felt an intense ache pulsing through his shoulder courtesy of the other boy who had stabbed him with a pocket knife.

"Bet you won't challenge us again, loser!" he mocked.

As expected, he dropped down to one knee but instead of screaming the boy was shocked to find him chuckling despite the discomfort.

The boy began to feel a wave of terror shroud him as Liam simply stood to his feet and clutched the knife buried in his back. With one good tug, the blade was removed leaving behind a trail of dark red liquid.

Travis turned around, his left eye exuding a sort of violet melded with his natural brown pigment, and grinned at the now petrified boy. In only a moment, his assailant rushed to leave only to run smack dab into the shower walls, knocking himself in the process. This left only an awakening Josh. The blond hair snob analyzed his surroundings, one goon knocked out with a broken face, the other he watched knock himself out whilst attempting to run away, and a pair of eerily glowing eyes fixated on his prone form.

Travis took a step closer and relished the sight of his foe cowering before him.

He didn't care if he lost his scholarship at that point, all that mattered was that he was about to exact his revenge on what he considered a piece of garbage, unfit to walk this earth. He would make Josh pay for what he and his accomplices perpetrated. He grinned, sharp canines on either side, enough to make the boy shit his pants.

His very presence carried the weight of hell itself as he squatted in front of the boy with a ferocious aura flaring all around him.

"Are you afraid?" his voice was unrecognizable, almost as if possessed. "Are you afraid to die?"

Josh nodded vigorously like a bobblehead with how his head shifted from up to down. He mewled as his head was lifted up by Travis tugging his yellow locks. Snot poured out of his nose while tears stung his eyes. Gone was the arrogant trust-fund kid, replaced by a sniveling coward.

"Then heed my warning... Leave Trina Vega alone. Am I clear?" he nodded once again, only slower given his position. "If I catch you or any of your affiliates disturbing her again, I'll break you in ways that'll leave you begging for death."

With a shivering silence, Josh's eyes conveyed his obedience as Travis finally dismissed him. He observed as his conqueror pivoted to leave only to stop and help a now mostly covered Trina to her feet. How was it that he could still move as if nothing had happened when he was pierced in the back? He received his answer in the form of said injury being nowhere in sight. All that remained of the damage was left behind. The only conclusion he could fathom as the two exited the room was simple. This was no mere man but some kind of demon...

A demon that he wanted no part of ever again.