*When the time comes… sing, or listen along to the real song with Andre.*
8ight
Finding Tori
Tori and Andre had nothing to do with one another since that Saturday night in the school's parking lot. The three weeks following their argument were long, dreary, and vaguely decent. Tori and Andre kept their distance from their friends, leaving Cat and Robbie alone again during lunch breaks. Beck didn't linger around either. He suspected Tori and Andre's fallout to be of his own fault.
After a week of lonely lunches, Cat and Robbie found themselves drifting apart. The nail in the coffin, you could say; the group was truly disjointed.
Fall semester was over the Thursday before the showcase. They spent the day alone at home, remembering the better times they'd had.
Trina and Tori lay on Tori's bed in silence. Trina was home from university, and she knew that something was up with her sister. "Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?" Trina whispered. She snuggled under the comforter and held her sister like a little baby.
"Yesss" Tori moaned. "Talking will make you feel better…" Trina offered. Tori huffed and hid her face behind her hands. "None of my friends are speaking anymore…" Tori sighed. Trina crooked her head in confusion. "You mean the weird one (Robbie) crazy one (Cat) mean one (Jade) the hot one (beck) and the one with the muscles (Andre)?
"Yesss Trina…" Tori moaned. "Well… why?" Trina asked. "It's complicated…" Tori began. Trina cocked her head and looked at her sister, as to say, "I'm waiting…"
"Andre and I came really close to dating… but then Jade and Beck broke up… and me and Andre had an argument. We don't really talk anymore… any of us." Trina sighed and looked at her sister. "That's too bad baby sister…" Trina said, caressing her hair. Tori smiled at her. "Hey… do you have the number to Spa Liddel? I could really go for a foot bleaching…" Trina said, trailing off. Tori huffed and rolled her eyes at Trina.
"No… I don't Trina… why don't you look in the phone book." Trina blinked at Tori. "The what?" she asked. Tori moaned and turned over on her stomach, burying her face underneath a pillow.
"The showcase it tomorrow night Andre, you and Tori need to stop acting like enemies and get your lives together" Robbie pleaded over the phone. "It's not that easy" Andre replied. "Yea shutup Rob! Andre, stay away from my woman!" said Rex.
Andre sighed. "Look Andre, Tori is probably just as depressed and confused as you are. Talk to her… without the yelling… you know you want to" Robbie added. "Are you really sure that's a good idea?" Andre asked. "YES!" Robbie blurted. "NO!" said Rex. "Don't listen to Rex, Andre." There was a short pause. "Sorry man…" said Rex. Andre coughed. "What?" he asked. "Go get Tori back" Rex added. Andre smiled. "Thanks Rex…"
"Get on now before I start crying…" said Rex. Andre laughed and hung up the phone. Robbie looked down at his puppet. "Sometimes I just get choked up…" Rex said, sniffling. Robbie nodded and made Rex wipe his nose. "You did the right thing" Robbie added, placing his hand on Rex's shoulder. "Get off me, fool!" Rex said, slapping Robbie's hand.
Andre jogged downstairs and got his car keys from the kitchen. He opened the kitchen's only door and found that it was raining outside. "Come on…" Andre muttered. He hopped inside his car and started the engine. He pulled out his phone and sent Tori a text.
r u at home?
He sat quiet in the car and waited until she replied.
Yea…y?
Andre didn't reply. The second he'd received her message he'd backed out of the driveway and was making his way to her house.
8:34
He pulled into her driveway and sat in his car for a while. "Alright, let's just get in here and make things better" he said to himself. After minutes of trying to build his courage, he sighed. He talked himself into sending her a text instead.
He looked down at the message he'd typed and swallowed hard.
i love u tori
Andre erased the text and canceled the message. He tossed his phone into the passenger seat and got out of his car. He ran up her driveway and to the front door, trying and failing to avoid the rain. He rang the doorbell. It took a minute for someone to answer. Trina opened the door and smiled sheepishly. "We were just talking about you" she said. Then she remembered the conversation she'd had with Tori.
She scowled at him. "What do you want?" she asked. Andre's face tightened, taken aback. "I-I… is Tori here?" he stammered. Trina narrowed her eyes and folded her arms. "I don't think she wants to see you…meanie" she said.
"Look, it's really important" Andre said, picking her up and setting her back down out of his way. Trina gave him a sort of seductive smile as she wrapped a hand around his closest bicep. Andre tugged away and headed for the staircase. "Weirdo" he whispered.
Andre took the staircase and stopped at Tori's door. He waited a second before walking in, wishing more than anything he'd stayed at home and never listened to Robbie. He scratched the back of his head and ran his fingers through his locks and swallowed. "Alright" he said, and he went for it.
He opened the door to see Tori curled up on her bed underneath a blanket; she was looking out of her window with her back to Andre. Her radio was on, and playing was Karaoke, by Drake. She didn't hear the door open, so as he approached as quietly as he could she remained still. She lie so motionless, she didn't even seem alive to Andre.
Andre sat down on the edge of her bed and placed a hand on her cheek. He began palying with the hair entangled around her ear. "Trina?" she asked, her voice as tiny as a fingernail. "No…it's me" Andre replied. Tori closed her eyes shut and took in an extraordinary deep breathe. Tears began to form underneath her eyelids as her pupils shook, feeling as if they were going to pop under the pressure.
She knew more than anything that she had to have been dreaming. She opened her eyes, letting a few tears fall to her pillow, and turned her head a little to see him. "Hey" he whispered. She blinked away the moisture and tried to speak, but she was still a little choked up.
"You don't have to say anything" he offered. She closed her eyes and turned back towards the window. "I'm sorry" he began, moving the hair from the visible side of face and rubbing her arm. "We've been friends a long time, and we're closer to each other than we are with anyone else. I have a lot of feelings towards you Tori… but even if we can never pick things back up, you're still my best friend." Tori sniffled and grabbed a handful of her pillow.
"You're perfect Tori" he added. "You're so pretty… you're so kind…" he stammered. Tori sniffed again. "I-I don't know what I'm saying…" he said. Tori turned her head again to look at him. He caught her gaze and hesitated. "I can't live with us hating each other" he said finally. Tori sat up so that she was next to him.
"Okay" she said, wiping under eyes and nose. "Let's perform tomorrow" he offered. Tori sniffed again before looking at him. "Are you sure about that?" she asked. He smiled and nodded. "Yea, it'll be fun" he replied. She gave him a weak smile before looking away and nodding. "I'll see you tomorrow" he said, leaning over. He took Tori's face in his hands and kissed her on the forehead. He stood, and after checking to see if she was looking, which she wasn't, he turned and left her room.
Things weren't as fairytale between the two as Andre had hoped, but they were better. He and Tori had come to an unspoken mutual understanding: they were going to perform Make It Shine tomorrow, and they were going to stop their feuding and go back to being friends.
Tori was better Friday morning. She spent most of it in her room, thinking about her last couple of minutes with Andre. She was glad that he was willing to put everything behind them, but she feared the future. Where did this leave them as far as a relationship? Did she still even want to be with Andre? Of course she did. She loved Andre.
Andre sat in his room listening to Top Floor by Wizwhile he worked on the score for Make It Shine. He hadn't put in any time preparing the instrumental itself over the last couple of months.
5:45
The showcase was in an hour. Andre finalized the track and saved it to a flash drive before heading to his bathroom for a shower. He returned to a text message from Tori.
thanx for coming over yesterday. im on the way to HA. c u there.
Andre texted 'yea' then put on his clothes. He and Tori hadn't found the time to go over wardrobe, but whatever, any old thing would do. "Showcase now, relationship later" he said, smiling as he checked himself out in the mirror.
Andre gathered his things and made for the living room. That's when the doorbell rang. He put down his computer bag and made to answer it. Sherry stood there.
"Sherry?" he asked. She smiled up at him. "Yea." "What are you doing here?" he asked. She shrugged her shoulders and sighed. "Look… I just wanted to apologize… for everything… with Tori… and… everything" she said. Andre sighed and nodded. "Thanks, but you're a little too late for that, Sherry" he said. "I know I am… just thought I would try" she replied. Andre eyed her in disbelief before responding. "Thanks Sherry" he said finally, turning to retrieve his computer bag. Sherry noticed Andre's phone lying on the counter. Andre looked up to see her tapping its screen.
"I was hoping I could make it up to you" she added as he picked up his things and made his way back to the door. Andre shook his head. "Can't" he said, turning off the lights in the living room and taking his phone away from her. "Why not?" she asked, hurt. "I'm kind of busy" he replied. She eyed him, confused. "Showcase" he added. She took a breath and sighed again. "Oh… singing with Tori, right?" He nodded. "Yea."
"Well… can I come with you?" she asked, hopeful. Andre took an even deeper breath and leaned against the kitchen door. "Why are you here Sherry, really?" he asked. Sherry dropped her arms and made a face as if to cry. After taking another quick breath she said, "I'm sorry Andre… I just don't want you hating me. I came over to apologize. I promise" she begged. Andre rolled his eyes and grabbed her hand. "Come on."
He led Sherry outside. She unlocked her car with the key's remote and pulled Andre towards it. "What are you doing?" he asked. "Well it wouldn't make sense to take both cars would it? Especially with these clouds… what if it rains?" she replied. "Whatever" he said, and he hopped in the passenger seat of her car and placed his bag underneath his legs.
Sherry got in and started the car. They didn't speak the entire drive… that is until he noticed it was taking them much longer than it should have to get to Hollywood Arts; he wasn't really paying attention to where they were going. His mind was elsewhere.
"Shouldn't we be there by now?" he asked, growing suspicious. "Relax, I'm not driving fast while it's drizzling like this" she pointed. Andre shrugged his shoulders and shook it off.
Fifteen minutes passed.
"Do you usually go this way? You could have just taken Rosemary Boulevard from my place" he said. She shook her head. "I don't know where that is…"
Twenty minutes passed.
Andre rolled down the window and peered outside.
Thirty five minutes passed.
"Where are we?" he asked. "We'll be there soon… jeez. Don't be a backseat driver" she said laughing.
Fifty minutes passed and Sherry pulled into a gas station. "I'll be right back" she said as she hopped out. Andre waited and waited. Sherry was up to something. They should have been at the school forty minutes ago. How could he have been so naïve? He pulled out his phone and checked the notifications. No messages. Well at least Tori hadn't called. He still had time.
"Hey, Mr!" he said, drawing the attention of the nearest passerby. A man in stained blue overalls holding a greasy rag and wrench approached the car. Andre locked the door. "Yea?" the man asked. Andre swallowed before replying. "Me and my friend are lost" Andre began. The mechanic didn't seem to care. "Can you tell me where we are?" Andre finished. The mechanic stuck the slimmest part of the wrench in his ear before replying. "You're in Malibu son."
Andre's jaw dropped. "T-thank you" Andre replied. The mechanic rolled his eyes and walked away. Weirdo,Andre thought.
Sherry returned a minute later with a bottle of water and a pack of chewing gum. "Sherry?" Andre asked as she slid in. "Em hm?" she hummed. "Can you please tell me why we are sitting at a gas station in Malibu?" he fought to control his Anger.
Sherry's eyes got big as she slowly reached for the ignition. Andre grabbed her hand and squeezed. "Sherry?" he said, louder. "Please don't be mad at me…" she begged. "What?" he demanded. "I was taking us to Santa Barbra…" she trailed off. Andre unhooked his seatbelt and reached for the door handle, but he forgot that he'd locked it. He pulled the lock bolt and tried again, but it didn't open. "Why can't I get out?" he asked, tugging at the door handle.
"Child lock… my little sister likes to pull the handles a lot, so we lock all—" "Meh!" Andre cut across, putting a hand in her face. "Get out and open this door!" he demanded. Sherry shook her head. "No…" she begged. Andre closed his eyes and took a breath before looking at her. "What in your stupid little… half-dead mind told you to drive us to Santa Barbra?" he asked, barely whispering.
"My folks have a beach house there. It's winter break… I wanted to surprise you…" Andre's expression contorted into the many feelings he was concealing as he began wailing on the door handle. "Stop! S-Stop Andre! You're going to break it!" she said grabbing his arm. "Meh!" he said again, slapping her hands away. Andre let the window down fully and grabbed the outside handle.
"Bye Sherry!" he said. He got out of the car and slammed the door. Sherry sat there in silence. A few seconds later Andre reopened the door and sat back inside. "There are no buses out here are there?" he asked calmly. Sherry sighed and shook her head. "Noo…" she said in a small voice.
"Great!" he screamed. "How am I supposed to make it to the showcase in time?" he asked aloud, throwing his hands into the air. "You can… no one hasn't called or texted you so we still have time" she replied, biting her lip. Andre looked at her. "How do you know that no one has texted or called me?" he asked through gritted teeth. Sherry sighed and put a hand to her forehead, knowing she'd given herself away. "Sherry!" he demanded after she didn't reply.
"Okay…" she begged, almost crying. "I turned off your phone's data." Andre's eyes boiled over in his head as his mouth twisted into a menacing smile. "Take me back to L.A. Take me back to my house. RIGHT NOW" he whispered. "I can't…" she replied. Andre's mouth slowly fell open as he said, "Why!"
She turned the ignition, but nothing happened. "I think my battery died…"
Andre stuck his hand back outside the window and opened the door. He reached back in after getting out, recovering his bag. He snatched Sherry's pack of gum and bolted into the gas station. There he found the dirty mechanic he'd patronized. "Hey Mr!" he said again. The mechanic stood leaning against a hotdog stand, scratching off a lottery ticket. "What do you want kid?" he asked as Andre approached. Andre reached into his pocket and pulled out thirty two dollars and quarter. "I need a ride to L.A."
Andre and the mechanic passed Sherry's car as they crossed the parking lot. Andre approached her car. She smiled and pushed open the door for him. "Is he going to fix the car?" she asked, hope in her eyes. Andre reached in and snatched her water.
"You're friend needs help doesn't she?" the mechanic, who later introduced himself as Joe, asked. Andre shook his head as he returned to Joe. "Naw, she does this all the time."
The ride back to L.A. was long and horrible for Andre. The windows in Joe's pick up didn't work, and every five minutes Joe thought it pleasant to pass gas.
Andre removed the battery from his cell phone and put it back in. That didn't work, but he soon figured out how to turn his data back on. His phone flooded with missed calls and messages.
where r u? (Tori)
andre? (Tori)
hey andre, where are you (Robbie)
Tori is freaking out (Sinjin)
u better hurry up (Robbie)
ANDRE? (Tori)
Tori is abt to go on stage (Robbie)
i think you guys r up n a few (Beck)
andreeeeeee (Cat)
please call me! :( (Tori)
Andre opened his contacts and dialed becks number. No answer. Same for Robbie, Cat… and Tori.
They arrived at Hollywood arts about thirty minutes later. "Thanks Joe!" Andre said as hopped out of the pickup and ran inside the auditorium. He heard applause as soon as he'd entered. No one paid any attention to his abrupt entrance, so he slipped his way behind a few row of seats and found the door that led backstage.
He passed student after student, all familiar faces, who were laughing and dancing around with their pairs. No one seamed worried or was trying to get in some last minute practice, causing Andre to fear the worst… the showcase was over.
"Robbie!" Andre called as he made his way around backstage. Robbie turned on the spot and shook his head. "Where have you been?" he demanded. "Long story… where's Tori?" Andre panted. "Too late" he heard someone whisper.
Andre looked over Robbie's shoulder to see Tori sitting on school desk. "Tori!" he said as he approached her. "I'm so sorry… I—" "Save it Andre" she said, as she got and walked passed him. She was upset… fed up with Andre and wanted nothing more to do with him… and he knew it.
"Good job Andre" Jade said smiling as she walked by. "If it helps… she did really well" Robbie said. Andre ran his hands through his locks and closed his eyes.
"Once again, please give a warm round of applause for of our student performers!" Yelled Sikowitz through the mic. The crowd stood on their feet and filled the auditorium with applause.
Andre watched as student after student shoved passed him in an attempt to get back on the stage. The students of Hollywood Arts bowed in unison as Sikowitz took the mic again. "We hope you enjoyed the show. Now, as some of you may know, a friend of mine is here and he's looking for a male and a female from Hollywood Arts to star in his movie!" The crowd applauded again.
"He has chosen his leads…" Sikowitz trailed off. "Please" he added as he pointed to someone in the audience. A man wearing jeans and a black blazer stood and took to the stage. "Good evening everyone!" he said. He waited for the applause to die down before continuing. "As my good friend Mr. Sikowitz already said, I'm looking for a male and female lead for a movie, which is a musical. Let me say first, that each and every student that took the stage tonight did a fantastic job!"
Students, parents, friends, and family members stood and cheered once more. "But, the two students that I have chosen to cast are… Mason Carly… and Tori Vega!" Cat and Tori jumped around on stage after Tori shared hugs with all of her friends; Mason bowed as he was congratulated by his friends.
"Give it up for these two wonderful performers!" said Sikowitz.
Andre sat backstage until the commotion died down and the ceremony was finally over. Tori, Cat, and Robbie made their way backstage together. "Tori!" Andre called as he rushed to her side. "What is it now Andre?" she asked. He started apologizing, but she cut him off.
"I had to go out there alone and without a song, Andre! I can't believe you didn't show up! You left me hanging… again" she said, scowling at him. "Tori, I'm sorry, but i—" "I called you a million times Andre! You ignored me every time, you ignored my texts! Why?" Andre put his hands to his head and began to explain. "I was about to leave the house and come here, but then Sherry showed up, and she—" "Sherry?" Tori cried. "Oh my God Andre you left me here alone because of Sherry? Do you hate me that much?"
"No I don't hate you Tori! I'm so sorry… it's a long story. I—" "It's fine Andre… later" she said, walking away. Andre reached out to grab her but Robbie slapped his hand away. "Not now" he whispered. Andre sighed then looked at Robbie. Then… he had an idea. He reached into his computer case and removed his flash drive. "Where's Sinjin?" he asked Robbie.
"He should still be at the control station… why?" Robbie asked. Andre handed Robbie his bag and broke into a sprint. He found Sinjin at the control station and handed him the flash drive. He took a mic from Sinjin and turned it on. "Play the first instrumental" Andre explained. Sinjin nodded and plugged the flash drive into his laptop.
Andre slipped through the curtains and set up a stool on stage. People had started to leave, but they stopped at the sound of Andre's voice.
"Look… if anyone knows where Tori Vega is, can you please tell her too come out here, and that I'm sorry?" he began. The people leaving stopped in their tracks, and those remaining seated stopped talking amongst themselves and began listening to Andre.
"I've made a bunch of mistakes over the last couple of months" Andre explained. "I haven't been the same Andre that my friends and family are used… and I haven been very fair to them. Most importantly, I hurt the closest friend that I have here at Hollywood Arts… Tori Vega."
Here and there someone shushed someone else as they inclined to hear what Andre was saying.
"So Tori if you're out there… I want you to know that I'm sorry… and I miss you. I hope you can forgive me… Go ahead Sinjin."
The instrumental for Sooner Than Later, by Drake played, and Andre began singing.
I forgot to call to you on your birthdayy
You swear you're the last thing on my mind, yeah
There is nothing I can do to fix it
All you ever asked me for was time
When the lights don't glow the same way that they use tooo
And I finally get a moment to myself
I will realize you were everything I'm missing
And you tell me you're in love with someone else
Cat found Tori backstage and led her on stage to Andre. Tori struggled in her wake, but Cat mustered up that inner strength that seems to come when we need it the most.
Andre turned on the stool, and when he saw Tori, he was surprised… but he smiled and kept singing. Cat squealed as she pushed Tori towards Andre and ran offstage. Andre reached out and took Tori's hand in his.
So can you do me a faaavor if I pull it togeeether
Make it sooner than lateeer, we won't be here foreeever
And I realize I waaaited to long
But please don't move on oh on
You don't need no one else…
You don't need no one el el el el elsee, oh
You don't need no one else…
You don't need no one el el el el elsee, oh
You don't need no one else
You just changed your hair and it looks perfect
Wish I was the first to let you know
Every chance I get to make it better
I just find a way to let it go
Andre's gaze never left Tori's as he spilled his emotions for her. Soon her defenses gave in and she couldn't help but smile back. When she interlocked their fingers Andre pulled her in and turned her around, sitting her comfortably on his knee. He continued.
When the lights don't glow the same way that they use tooo
And I finally get a moment to myself
I will realize you were everything I'm missing
And you tell me you're in love with someone else
So can you do me a faaavor if I pull it togeeether
Make it sooner than lateeer, we won't be here foreeever
And I realize I waaaited to long
But please don't move on oh on
You don't need no one else…
You don't need no one el el el el elsee, oh
You don't need no one else…
You don't need no one el el el el elsee, oh
You don't need no one else
A tear fell down Tori's face as she stared down at Andre. He smiled back, giving birth to the tingles she missed dearly from whenever they touched. He rocked her slowly on his knee as he continued to sing.
The girl or the world… you see someone gotta lose…
I thought I could have it all… do I really gotta choose…
What good is all the cash… if it doesn't buy time…
And what good is being famous… if I'm never on your mind
Nights fallen, light glowing
And I'm just tryna pay the price on
And I don't wanna feel the comfort from my ice showing
And I ain't tryna be without you at the right moments
C'mon, nice goin', is it worth it, that decision
'Cause hearts break and I ain't tryna be in that collision
So I'ma dust my shirt.. and fix my pants
'Cause I better look good girl if this my chance I swear
So can you do me a faaavor if I pull it togeeether
Make it sooner than lateeer, we won't be here foreeever
And I realize I waaaited to long
But please don't move on oh on
You don't need no one else…
You don't need no one el el el el elsee, oh
You don't need no one else
You don't need no one el el el el elsee, oh
You don't need no one else
The music trailed off as Andre finished, looking up at Tori. She smiled back down at him, trying to hide the passionate emotions that were begging to spill out. The entire auditorium stood and applauded for Andre.
Tori got off of his knee so that he could take a bow. When the applause died away and everyone began leaving again, Andre and Tori got off of the stage. As they did they were approached by Sikowitz and the casting director for Astana. "Nice show there, young man" he said. "Tori, Andre, this is James" said Sikowitz. They shook hands and introduced themselves.
"Really kid, you did a really good job up there" said James. Andre smiled and nodded. "Thank you Sir" he replied. "Yea, fantastic job Andre" said Sikowitz." "It's a shame that song wasn't original. If you would have been apart of the show, you would have definitely gotten the role" said James.
Andre nodded again. "Yea…" was all he could say. James patted Andre on the shoulder and looked at Tori. "Good job Tori Vega, see you tomorrow night. Flight is at seven" he said. Tori blinked at him. "S-Seven? Tomorrow night?" Tori asked. James nodded. "Yea… schedule is kind of tight, and we've got to squeeze six months of filming into four. You'll be leaving for Toronto tomorrow night. See you at the airport" he said, and with one last goodbye, he and Sikowitz turned to leave.
Andre swallowed hard as Tori looked at him and sighed. "That song…was amazing, Andre" she said, wrapping her arms around him. She sniffed. "Thanks sweetie… I meant every word of it… even though I didn't write it" he replied. They shared a depressed laugh. "So you're leaving tomorrow night?" Andre asked. Tori closed her eyes and nodded. "Yea" she croaked, looking away. Andre heard the tears in her voice. "Four months, in Canada" Andre added. Tori wanted to say something, but she just couldn't manage.
The pain she felt was overbearing. She and Andre had just made up, in the most romantic way possible, and they were finally about to be together… but they couldn't.
"Tori!" he mom called. "Come on baby… we've got to go!" Tori put her hands to her face and tried to wipe the remaining tears. "Your mom's calling" Andre whispered. Tori pulled Andre in for another hug. "Bye, Andre" she whispered. "Bye Tori" he whispered back. She let him go and turned around, all the while not daring to look at him.
Andre watched as she walked up the aisle to her folks, face buried in her hands. They congratulated her at first, but they all fell silent at the sign of her crying. Mr. Vega wrapped his arms around his girls and led them all out of the Auditorium. Andre leaned against the edge of the stage and ran both hands through his locks. Tori turned the second she stepped out of the door. Her eyes met Andre's. He smiled… and then she was gone.
Next. The Final Chapter.
Dreams Emotions Can Buy