Disclaimer: I do not own Victorious.
Chapter 5: What's Happening?
Tori P.O.V
"What happened to you last night? One minute you were there and the next no one knew where you went. And how did you get that bruise on your cheek?"
"If you hadn't been fucking wasted you would have known that I got into it with Beck last night."
"Wait, back up…Beck, as in our friendly neighborhood Canadian Beck. He did that to you?" Andre looked at me with absolute disbelief and I can't even blame him. Had someone told me three months ago that Beck would lay a hand on me I would have laughed at them and made a joke about how Jade was more likely to inflict physical pain.
"Yes, Beck did this." It feels a little weird to actually admit that. I mean I've been friends with Beck for a long time and never once has he directly wronged me, but now I can't even hear his name without getting chills. "Listen I don't want this to spread so please don't tell anyone."
"Tori, what the fuck? Beck hit you, and you're not gonna say shit about it to anyone?" Andre stares at me and I'm at a loss for words so he just continues. "Like I get that you're nice and all, but Beck fucking crossed a line and you have to do something about it."
"I don't want Beck to get in trouble." Actually I want as much horrible shit to happen to Beck as possible, but I'm not going to say that. One that would be really mean, and two, that doesn't seem like me at all. "He's got enough to deal with. Plus I'm pretty sure Ryder beat his butt after I left."
"Wait Ryder saw the whole thing happen?" Andre looks at me completely bewildered.
"Well yea. Ryder kinda stood up for me after Beck hit me."
"Are y'all back together or something? I mean I get that you think he's attractive and all but Ryde-"
"Andre, stop. I would never get back together with Ryder. He's a jerk and I want nothing to do with him. He just happened to be there when everything happened." I roll my eyes at him. I can't believe Andre literally thinks I would stoop so low. I mean Ryder might have been fun to mess around with, I know now that he's not even worth my time.
"Okay, but y'all still hook up?" I wasn't expecting Andre to be so blunt, and honestly it caught me off guard. I stuttered out a "No" in response, but Andre didn't seem too convinced. "Tori you don't have to lie to me, especially since basically everyone in the school already knows. " And with that I saw red.
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"
"What do you think it means, Tori? This little affair that you've been having with Ryder isn't exactly a secret so don't act like it is. Everyone at HA already knows so don't try and play innocent with me. You're completely leading Ryder on."
"I don't give a shit about Ryder! We haven't messed around in weeks so don't tell me I'm leading him on. If anything he doesn't understand that I don't want him and it's him that causing more rumors to spread." I frown at Andre. It's not like him to accept what other people say over my own word. "I just wish you would believe me. Just this once back me up."
"Tori what are you talking about? I have your back all the time?" Hurt shines in his eyes. I know I hit a tender spot, but I don't really have it in me to care right now.
"No you don't; not anymore at least. You didn't have my back when I started helping Jade, or when Beck confronted me the first time. You sure as hell didn't have my back when we were at the party and you don't even have my back right now when I'm telling you that Ryder and I aren't a thing. Honestly Andre you're supposed to be my best friend that I can go to for anything, but recently it seems that you're pushing against me more often than not. I miss the way you used to treat me." I can feel the tears in my eyes. They sting, but not nearly as much as my heart does. Andre means the world to me, and it fucking hurts to know that we're falling apart.
"Tori, I'm sorry." He looks at me but it isn't with warm eyes like I was expecting. His eyes are as hard as stone and they look rather raw. "I really am, but I don't think I'm the one that's changed. You're not the same."
"What the fuck are you talking about? How am I any different from how I was before?"
"It used to be okay when you were trying to help people, being a good Samaritan, but now you're butting in where you don't belong. You don't fucking get it, Tori, there are people in this world that don't want help or don't want to be your friend. You can't help that and the more you try to fight it the more shit is going to hit the fan. I told you to leave to stay away from Ryder and you didn't fucking listen. I told you to stay away from Jade and you didn't listen. And I told you to stay away from Beck too. What's the point of me trying to help you out if you don't listen to a damn word I say? I've been here for you since day one but you don't seem to give a shit about what I have to say or if I'm trying to protect you!" Andre is completely out of breath by the time he's done, and I can't seem to find the breath to fight back. He doesn't look at me, but I can almost feel all the anger he's trying to keep inside. He's a good actor, but not to the point where I can't read him like an open-book. Andre really is a gentle giant, but he's still a fucking giant that can stomp all over my heart.
"I'm gonna go now. I'll see you around." And without so much as a hug, or even a wave, he's out the door.
The pain doesn't come till a few minutes afterward. I don't even know what happened between his leaving and now, but all I know is that the cold tile provides a nice contrast to the hot tears streaming down my face. The built up tears just flow out of me. Everything, every little thing, finally hits me and I realize that Andre is right. I'm different from who I used to be and not in a good way.
"Tori! Tori , where the fuck are you? I need to borrow one of your dre-"It's Trina. "Oh no…come on, Tori." She pauses. I imagine she's trying to sort out what she's going to do with me. "Let's get you off the floor." Trina grabs me and tries to hoist me to my feet, but I don't want to get up. I don't want to do anything but lie on the cold tile and let my life come crashing down. Everything is already falling apart so why try to keep it together, or even pretend that I can? "You gotta help me out kiddo."
"What if I don't want to?" I bite back, but my voice lacks the enthusiasm to make Trina even bat an eyelash. She just rolls her arms and sighs.
"I guess I'm going to have to call for reinforcements then."
"You wouldn't dare." My eyes, even though ridden with tears, narrow at her but she stands her ground.
"Don't go anywhere little sis." Now it's my turn to roll my eyes; like I'm going to go anywhere. So I don't. I just lie there while the minutes fly by. I hear her heels hit the tile as she struts back and forth. The rhythm becomes almost like a lullaby and I can feel my heavy eyelids close around my tired eyes. I let sleep take me right then and there without any hesitation.
Jade P.O.V
"What do you mean she's passed out on the floor? Did she have too much to drink?" I snort. It's kinda funny to think of a trashed Vega. I can just imagine her stumbling around with that stupid grin until her heels finally get the best of her and she becomes well acquainted with the floor.
"Jade shut the hell up. You of all people know my sister isn't like that. Plus I wouldn't have asked you to come over if that was the case." Trina looks annoyed with me, but mostly with her sister. "Listen I know you don't like me and I sure as hell don't like you but we both love Tori so let's just work together to at least get her in her bed."
"Who ever said I love Vega?" I can't believe she just had the balls to not only say that, but say it to my face. Granted I've realized that Vega isn't half bad but I wouldn't say I harbor love for the latina. "Like seriously what the fuck Trina?"
"If you didn't love her you wouldn't be here. I'm sure there's probably some party going on right now that you would rather be doing lines of coke at but you're here and that says more than anything you have the guts to say to my sister." Trina's eyes narrow at me as she stares into my eyes. Her eyes are nothing like Tori's; they lack warmth and I can tell all the anger she's feeling right now is solely focused on me even though I seriously doubt I'm the main cause. "Since you don't have shit to say I'm going to assume that you agree with me. So here's the plan: you're going to help me wake Tori up softly, none of that creepy or loud bullshit that you usually pull, you're going to walk her to her room, and you're going to spend the night talking to her and helping her get over whatever the fuck happened. You're welcome to stay the night unless Tori thinks you should leave."
I want to be angry at Trina for all that she just said, but I'm actually not. I appreciate that she actually has the guts to stand up for her sister and not take shit from me. She's got a little fight in here, just like her sister. "Alright." Even though she still has a scowl I can see the surprise written all over Trina's face. I don't blame her either, even I'm surprised by my willingness to help the younger Vega but I owe her. She's always helping me out even when I want her to fuck off and get hit by a bus; she's never let me self-destruct or wallow in my own sadness.
I stride past a still shocked Trina and open the front door to the Vega household. The familiar living room greets me and I toss my purse on the couch. As I turn towards the kitchen I see her small frame resting on the kitchen floor. "She's only been asleep for like thirty minutes. We could wake her up or we could just carry her up to her room."
"I'll carry her." I blurt without even thinking. Trina eyes me curiously and I have to resist the urge to feel embarrassed. "I mean it's not like you have any muscle to help me lift her. You'd be in the way rather than being helpful." Trina just quirks an eyebrow and I match her with my studded one. Damage control fucking sucks but at least I can always think of an insult.
"Whatever." She rolls her eyes at me. Her fucking dramatics irk me but beating her ass is at the bottom of my priorities right now. I turn my attention to the lightly snoring Vega. Her features are soft with sleep but I can already tell she was a mess before sleep took her. There are mascara stains all over her face, her eyes are puffy and with a nose as red as a Rudolph's it isn't hard to figure out she was balling like a baby for quite some time. I want to know what the hell caused this shit to happen.
"Was Ryder or Beck here?" I ask Trina, but I don't dare take my eyes off Vega.
"No, only Andre was here. Maybe they fought because he left a little before I found her sobbing."
"Hmm that doesn't sound very likely. They don't fight." I say matter-of-factly. I mean it's true. I've never seen Andre and Tori fight over anything. They love each other like brother and sister but the creepy kind that don't even beef because they're so damn close. You couldn't fit a piece of paper between Vega and Andre because of how tight they are. I approach the sleeping girl and slowly slide my arms underneath her in hopes that I won't wake her. As I begin to lift her she stirs. But rather than wake up Tori snuggles into my frame. Her head rests on my chest and her hands wrap around my neck.
"You two are totally fucking." Of course Trina just had to say some shit. I can feel my cheeks getting hot but I refuse to give Trina the satisfaction of making me blush.
"How about you mind your own fucking business." I seethe.
"News flash I'm Tori's sister. She is my business." Trina counters. "Listen Jade I'm not gonna judge y'all; I mean you two make a cute couple, just don't fuck up because I will have to kill you."
"We're not a couple."
"But I know for a fact that Tori wants you to be." She sounds so fucking confident it just makes me angrier with her. She's acting like she knows everything when she obviously doesn't. Whatever Vega and I have isn't a relationship. Everything is purely platonic, especially because I know Tori is as straight as they come…well I don't know for sure but she's never given me a reason to think otherwise. But it's not like that would change anything. We're meant to be frenemies at best. "Don't try and argue with me, just take her upstairs. I'm going to stay down her and clean up then get some beauty sleep. Don't wake me up."
"Like I would ever want to."
I carry Vega up to her room and lay her down on her bed. I'm surprised she hasn't woken up at all but now that I think about it I guess she's always been a heavy sleeper. I yawn as I lay down beside her. Typically I would want to keep as much distance between us, who would ever want to be near Vega, but right now I don't really care. I'm tired as fuck and if Vega is going to sleep then so am I. I get comfortable and within minutes I can feel sleep hanging over me.
"I know it doesn't seem like it-" I start lazily. "But it will get better. Trust me Vega whatever it is, you'll get over it and I'll be there to help you because life will always go on. I'm here to help but for now goodnight Tori." I finish softly and shut my eyes. And I swear I hear a soft, "Thank you Jade.", as I slip into unconsciousness.