A/N: Hahaha, who liked Jade's little night of adventure coming back to haunt her? Don't worry, Ashley's not a problem. She just thinks it's cute that Jade took her advice.

I am sick with a wicked stomach bug, but writing is the only thing keeping me going. So, this chapter will not be as long as the previous one. Sorry.

SONG:

"I Wonder (Departure)" was written by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, and Stig Anderson

Tori was excited to see her song "The Phantom Lover" available on YouTube through Ripped Cord's official channel. Later on in the week, it was available as a digital download. 50,000 downloads in the first month for a relatively unknown artist was impressive.

On YouTube, comments were muted, so Tori didn't really know what people thought. But the 16,000 likes were encouraging.

Everyone she knew praised the song; particularly how much of a different direction it was for her. It was the darkest thing she had ever done up to this point and she really liked it. The other surprising thing was the fact that Tori wrote it on her own. Everyone in their friend group automatically assumed Jade wrote the song, or at least had a considerable contribution to it. But no, it was all the singer's creation. Tori did wait until she ran it past Jade before anyone else.

Tori valued Jade's opinion above all else; not because she was her girlfriend but because she was crazy talented. And exposing Tori to other forms of music helped shape her taste for this kind of songwriting. The quick pop hits were nice and all in high school, but in her 20's Tori craved something with more meat and more teeth.

She really wanted to write a ballad next, possibly a 6–8-minute song with complex harmonies and pithy lyrics.

A concept album on the horizon? Maybe even a rock opera that would be off-Broadway? This first step into the music industry made Tori feel for the first time that the sky was the limit.

She paced her dorm when her phone rang across the way on the kitchen counter.

Tori bounded toward the little black brick and at first was disappointed that she didn't see Jade's smiling face. But it was a contact in her phone: Ashley (Ripped Cord)

The Latina eagerly grabbed the phone and swiped green to answer.

"Hey!" she said, enthusiastically. "How are you?"

"Well, I was gonna ask you the same thing but I'm gonna wager that you're on top of the world right now. I've seen the numbers; you're gaining quite the following."

Tori blushed as if she was standing right there.

"Side note: you may want to get the jump on the social media thing. I'm thinking an official Twitter, an Instagram."

This would provide a great platform to keep her fans up to date on new things she's working on, as well as a place for the fans to convene.

"Oh, yes" Tori nodded. "Absolutely."

"And it's a relief because you're so sweet I don't have to assign a social media handler. You don't strike me as someone who would post something inflammatory."

"Well, if I have any doubts, I'll just run it past you, Ash."

"Aww, why can't all of my clients be like you? I love them all, don't get it twisted, but a few of them...oh man."

Tori could hear the shuffling of papers on the other end.

"Tori, do you have a minute?"

She plopped onto the couch and put her feet up.

"Fire away!"

"Good. Well, remember that thing we discussed briefly when we first met? The Raven's Claw thing?"

Brown eyes grew wide, and the girl leaned forward.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Well, the details are being finalized but we have established the dates and cities. It's going to be their first European tour. Twenty cities in thirty days."

"Whoa, that's a whole month!" Tori blurted out.

Ashley laughed out loud.

"Very astute," she chuckled. "And as I said before, they were looking for an opening act to go with them."

Tori held onto her stomach like she was trying to keep the butterflies from escaping.

"Yeah?"

"And I was specifically looking for an up-and-coming artist to do that. And of all the newbies I signed on this quarter, your style matched them the most. And guess what? They listened to your single and they flipped!"

Tori thought she was gonna pass out. One of her favorite groups knows her AND likes her song AND wants her to tour with them.

"Oh. My. God."

"I know, I know; isn't it exciting?"

The tan girl thought she was going to drop the phone.

"Hold up, when is it?"

"Well, luckily for you it's in August. They wanted it to be a summer tour anyway. Isn't that great? You can go and not miss any school!"

Tori turned her legs around and laid down on the couch.

"Now, if I go can I bring someone?"

"Sure. You can have somebody accompany you. Like your mom or something? I mean it's gonna be a long trip; don't want my talent to be homesick."

"I...um...can I have some time to think about this?"

"Of course, of course. Yes! I just need the okay by next week. The accommodations and airfare will be taken care of by tomorrow. But if you choose NOT to go, I can always cancel the extra seats or send someone else."

"Okay, Ashley. Thanks for this amazing offer. I will call you back as soon as possible."

"Looking forward to it."

"Bye."

"Goodbye."

She pressed the red button and clutched the phone to her chest.

(OH MAN. OH MAN. OH MAN. OH MAN.)

When Tori was invited to record in a professional studio and be published digitally, she thought this was it. That was the zenith of her music career. Maybe she would be one of those one-hit wonders but hey, she had a blast doing it. Something she can look back on years later and say, "I did something pretty cool once."

But this tour with an acclaimed act like Raven's Claw would be her road to stardom. People in other countries who never heard of her would get exposed to Tori Vega, rising music star. She let the fantasy wash over her; the conceit that she went from nobody to going on a multi-city tour in another part of the world.

It was all too much!

Then anxiety began to creep up her spine. This was all new territory. She performed for people before but that was relatives and classmates. These were paying customers coming to see Raven's Claw. Who the hell was coming to see Tori Vega? Tori who?

She wondered if her world would be different when she returned. Tori heard stories of like her aunt or dad backpacking across Europe and how life-changing it was. What if everything DID change, like a hero's journey kind of thing?

Tori shook her head.

(Come on, Tori! Fortune favors the bold, sometimes you need to take a leap.)

What was she setting out to do? Throw a ring into a fiery mountain? Gather all seven dragon balls to make a wish?

She was only gonna be gone for a few weeks; not that big of a deal. She went away for longer than that at summer camp and she was only a child.

(Yeah, I'm an adult. I can do this. And it's not like I'm traveling alone. I'll be part of a group.)

Plus, Ashley DID say that she could take a person along.

Tori smiled to herself, unable to think of anyone better.

Her ears perked up at the sound of keys in the door.

"Oh, hey babe!"

"Hi Jade!"

TO BE CONTINUED...