Disclaimer: I do not own Victorious. I'm not banking off of anything. (Like, seriously, nothing. I need a job.)
Chapter 7
He ends up at the beach again, but doesn't get out of his car. He doesn't really have anything to do today except for wallow in his self-pity, but whatever. He exhales and leans his head back on the headrest. Don't take too long, Beck. He doesn't know what to make of that. He knows Tori won't sit around forever; he never expected her to. He knows she'll get tired of waiting for him and move on to Andre or whomever else. You'll lose her. He knows that that's inevitable. But you can't lose something that was never really yours in the first place, so it shouldn't hurt that badly to watch her move on, right? Wrong. He knows it will hurt like hell to see her with someone else. But he also knows it's necessary. She should be happy with someone that is deserving of her. Because he sure as hell has done nothing in his lifetime to deserve a girl such as Tori.
He's not sure anyone would ever be good enough for her, but at least there's guys that are closer to it than he is. Andre, for example. He keeps going back to Andre getting Tori. But that's because it only makes sense. Sure, she pretty much rejected Andre's advances towards her but that's only because she thought she was in love with him. And he knows she probably wasn't. It was just a stage. She'd get over it.
But the sad thing is, he knows it won't be so easy for him to move on from her. Because, she was just Tori. You can't just overlook a girl like Tori. Tori was perfection personified. He grimaces at how girly he sounds again and vows that he seriously needs to stop with the Nicholas Spark's novel talk and watch some football or something. It's pretty lame.
He needs a distraction. He wants to hang out with someone, or at least talk to someone. He whips out his phone and scrolls through his contacts. Alyssa? Right. Andre? No. Too awkward. He keeps going. Cat? She might not want to talk to him just yet. And would she want to hang out with him? Are they that kind of friends? He doesn't know. Well, there's only one way to find out. He clicks on the little phone icon by her highlighted name and holds the phone up to his ear, waiting for her to answer. She doesn't. Alright, well Cat's out. He continues scrolling through his numbers. He doesn't even consider Jade and just keeps scrolling. He goes through half his phone book until he gets to the T's. Tara, Taylor, Tim, Tori. He stops on her name. He could do it. Call just to hear her voice. What the hell, man. This isn't a tween movie. I'm not a thirteen year old girl with a crush. What is wrong with me? He vetoes that idea and with a sigh keeps on scrolling. He sees Robbie's name just when he's getting desperate. Hmmm. There's an idea. He hadn't really talked to Robbie in a while. Maybe he'd hang out with him. He clicks on the talk button.
"Beck?" Robbie answers after three rings.
"Hey, Rob. What's up?" He didn't want to make it sound like this was his last resort. Except it kind of was. No wait, there was always Sinjin. He shakes his head. I need more friends.
"Nothing. Me and Rex were just watching VH1." Robbie answers.
"I thought VH1 gave you nightmares."
"Yeah, but Rex likes it." Robbie replies. Beck hears Rex's voice next. "I'm trying to teach him not to be such a sissy." Rex says. "It isn't going well…" He whispers. "Rex!"
Beck shakes his head. Could he put up with this for an afternoon? "Well, that sounds like buckets of fun. Do you want to hang out with me? See a movie or something?"
"Sure, that sounds cool." Robbie replies.
"Alright well, I'll swing by to pick you up now."
"Okay! Let me just put some pants on…" Beck doesn't even want to know.
"…Okay. I'm on my way. Oh, and Rob? Don't bring Rex." Beck practically pleads.
"Why?" Robbie sounds offended.
"He just seems like the type to talk during the good parts." Beck rolls his eyes.
"That's true, he does do that! It gets pretty absurd." Robbie answers and Beck has to laugh. It's absurd that your puppet talks during movies?
He shakes his head. "I'm coming. Be ready." He hangs up and starts for Robbie's house.
"What does this do?" Robbie asks as he fiddles with another button on Beck's stereo.
"Don't touch." Beck monotones for like, the seventh time.
Robbie huffs and gives up.
Just when Beck thinks he's gonna get some peace and quiet, for a second, Robbie speaks again.
"Beck?"
"What?"
"Can we get popcorn?"
"Yes."
"Should I buy my own ticket?"
"Yes, Robbie. This isn't like a date."
Awkward silence.
"Beck?"
"What, Robbie?" Beck is already worn out, and they aren't even at the movie theater yet.
"Why'd you invite me along?"
"Because…we're friends, Shapiro. Friends hang out." Beck says, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. He expects some kind of comment but Robbie remains quiet for the majority of the rest of the ride, only speaking when he criticized Beck's driving. He tunes him out. Robbie would be a backseat driver.
They reach the theater finally, and thankfully it's not that crowded. They buy tickets to some lame action movie with some washed up actor and make their way inside.
After spending fifteen excruciating minutes at the snack counter, Robbie finally decides on a small popcorn and about ten dollars worth of candy and soda.
They miss the previews. The movie is rather uneventful, and Beck is just kind of glad to blank out his mind and focus on the cliché and predictable storyline. Robbie munches too loudly on the popcorn the whole time and Beck runs out of soda within the first thirty minutes. He didn't buy any candy. He rolls his eyes as Robbie eats all of his in one sitting and refused to share.
They make their way out of the theater two hours later and after Robbie takes the world's longest pee, they step outside and head for the car. They just kind of sit there and Robbie takes animatedly about the movie the whole time and Beck participates as much as he can.
When there's finally a lull in the conversation, he asks "Now what?"
"It's only four o'clock. We can do anything." The cliché slips by him and all he really wants to do is drop Robbie off and then go home and settle himself under the covers like a little kid, but he just starts driving aimlessly. They pass an arcade and a bunch of outlet malls and department stores.
He drives nowhere for about half an hour. They decided to get some pizza because Beck was starving; he hadn't eaten since breakfast and apparently Robbie was still hungry, though Beck didn't know how after eating so much junk at the movies. Whatever.
So, there they are sitting in a booth at some local pizza place he remembers in an unfamiliar neighborhood that was pretty rundown, matching the other decrepit buildings in the questionable area, but still good nonetheless. One of those diamond in the rough places. Beck doesn't know why he remembers this place, he's not even sure when or why he came here but all he knows is that it's good. He must have come here as a kid, too. Repressed memory, he guesses.
Robbie breaks the silence they had obtained while eating.
"So, what was up with you at lunch yesterday?" He asks through a mouthful of cheese.
Lunch. He had almost forgotten about that, too… "What do you mean?" He plays dumb.
"Uhhh… you pretty much indirectly told everybody that you fantasize about Tori." Robbie gives him this look. He seemed to be getting a lot of those lately.
He laughs. He actually laughs. "I did not." Even though I do. He chuckles some more at the thought.
"Right… What's up with you and her, anyways?" Rob asks as he takes another bite.
Beck sips his lemonade just for something to do. What is up with them? Nothing. He frowns. "Nothing." It was the truth.
Robbie looks like he's about to call bullshit. "Seriously, there can't be nothing going on with you guys. It's Tori, for goddsake. Do you see the way you two look at each other? I mean, why else would she have gone beet red at lunch? Like, I've never even seen Tori blush. She was way past blushing by the time you got up and left. She literally fled right after you did. And, of course, Andre followed her." He says all of this between the last bites of his pizza and was now nibbling on the crust.
Becks says nothing so Robbie takes that as his cue to continue. "Me and Cat just sat there like, what the heck. It was so weird. I think everyone went insane yesterday. Rex thinks it's the aliens' faults."
Beck raises his eyebrows. "Rex watches too much sci-fi."
Robbie shrugs. "We all have our afflictions."
He wipes his mouth with his crumpled up napkin, throwing it off to the side. "And what's yours, Robbie?" He decides to turn the tables.
"Huh?"
"What's your thing? Your problem, habit, secret, issue, whatever. What is it?"
He just looks at him. "I'd think you'd know that by now."
He blinks. "Rex?"
He just looks away.
"Can I ask you something personal, Rob?"
"Why not."
"Why do you…utilize Rex so much?" He didn't know how to word it. And he really feels like it isn't his place to be asking this. And it's awkwardly serious now.
"Because he's Rex. Everybody likes Rex." Robbie says, as if it's obvious.
He changes the subject after he gives that some thought. "So… me and Jade are through."
"Duh. I know. We were all there." Robbie looks at him like he's stupid.
"No, like, for real. We talked it through and everything. She's fine with it." He explains himself.
"Sure she is. You'll be back together in a week."
"O, ye of little faith. Have you met the girl? I'm done with that."
"I'll believe it when I see it."
They finish up and step outside.
"Where to?" Beck asks.
"Home, I guess." Robbie says, and they get back in the car.
Beck pulls away from the curb.
"WAIT!" Robbie screams and Beck slams on the breaks so fast, he's surprised they didn't go through the windshield.
"WHAT?"
"Put your seatbelt on!"
He looks at Robbie as if he'd grown another head on his shoulder and just told Beck he eats babies for breakfast.
"Dude, NEVER scare me like that again. Or, I'll push you out the car on the highway." He threatens, but complies.
He gets to Robbie's house in no time, Robbie nitpicking his driving the whole time.
"So… today was fun."
"Yeah." Beck grunts.
Silence.
"Uhhh… I guess I'll see you at school, then." Robbie says as he opens the door and steps out of the car.
"'Bye, Rob." He says as he watches Robbie make his way to the front door and wave at Beck as he pulls away. He rolls his eyes but gives him a little salute.
That wasn't that bad, he thinks. Robbie was actually pretty okay when he wasn't insulting himself with his own hand or screaming at Beck from the passenger seat.
It was around dinner time when he got home, and he wasn't hungry anyways so he retires to sitting on his ass and watching TV for the rest of the weekend until his brain rotted. His thoughts don't escape him for long though. Obviously, he wasn't doing a very good job at hiding his feelings for Tori if Cat, Jade, and Robbie all brought it up in their own ways.
He scoffs. And he thought he was a good actor.
A/N: I'll be the first to say that I don't exactly know what I'm doing in regards to writing Robbies (and Rex's) character(s). So, again, I apologize if he's OOC. I tried to keep him as his quirky, lame self and away from swearing. I wouldn't think Rob swears. So, sorry if I majorly sucked at it. I know it's taking a little bit to get to the Bori action. But I gotta get some plot in there. And plus, it wouldn't be a very good story if Beck was all "Jade I'm breaking up with you. Tori, let's get married!" Though it'd be cool if he did. ;) alright.
P.S. Anyone catch Alyssa Vaughn in Beck's contacts? and Tara, one of the girls from 'Freak the Freak Out'. I was thinking of T-names and I just couldn't resist. We'll just assume Beck got some digits at Karaoke-dokie. ;] (However you spell that monstrosity.) or, if that squicks you, just pretend it's another Tara.
*chapter 8: maybe a phone call with our two favorite people, and a scene in sikowitz's class goes wrong. :D
Thank you for all the love. I appreciate it beyond belief. Also, if you have any questions about the story or any plot predictions, feel free to PM me rather than leaving it in your review and I might just tickle your fancy. (Tell me that wasn't awkward...)
Deuces C: