After The First Rehearsal

Sinjin finally 'killed the disco', after Jade threatened to find his teeth collection and grind it into dust. Tori took her bag and approached Beck.

"Hey Beck can I ask you a favor?" She tapped him lightly on the shoulder.

"Sure, what favor?" He turned and looked questioningly at the slim brunette.

"Can you help me with the role? I feel like I'm not expressing the right emotions, or something. It just doesn't feel right. I asked the director but he was too preoccupied with his pills." He had to check with Jade, but as far as he knew she was going to be busy today with her little brother.

"Sure Tori, I'll help you. When do you want to do this?" He replied with a smile. The rehearsal had gone well. He was confident in the success of the play even if the news that the author was going to be at the premiere was putting extra pressure on everybody.

"This afternoon if you don't mind." She smiled apologetically. "Tomorrow André is coming to help me learn the songs."

"That's right, you have five." Beck understandingly nodded. "I'm lucky, I have only two."

"Bye then, I'll see you later." Tori waived and headed out. Beck approached his girlfriend who was still glaring at Sinjin. He gave her one-armed hug and a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Are you still going to spend the afternoon with your brother?" After deciding that Sinjin is sufficiently scared Jade turned to Beck.

"Yes. Why?" She returned the kiss. Ever since they got back together she has been in a good mood.

"Tori want me to help her with the play." Hearing the name of the lithe brunette Jade frowned.

"She does, doesn't she?" She threw a quick disapproving glance at the back of the retreating Tori. "Remind Vega to keep her hands off of MY boyfriend." Beck lifted gaze upwards and gave a heavy sigh.

"You can't be still jealous of her after she helped get us back together." He threw a mildly disappointed look at his frowning girlfriend.

"I'm not jealous!" She protested petulantly. "But I don't like this friendship between you two one bit." The thought of sharing him even platonically with anyone obviously bothered her.

"You promised to lighten up." Beck told her gently but firmly. Jade just unhappily nodded and accepted his kiss. Later in the afternoon Beck found himself before the Vegas' front door. Trina opened the door even before he could ring the bell.

"What are you doing here?" Before he could answer Tori's sister continued. "Never mind I don't care. Out of my way, there is a sale waiting for me." She just pushed past him and hurried off to somewhere. He got in, still startled by the elder sister.

"What's up with your sister?" He asked Tori, who he saw was in the kitchen. She just shrugged, tired of trying to explain her big sister's behavior.

"You need help?" He asked, wondering what she was doing there.

"No, I'm coming." She came out of the kitchen caring a pitcher of cold lemonade. He was just about to say that she shouldn't have troubled herself when he saw what she was wearing. Instead her usual jeans and top Tori was wearing a short summer dress. It barely reached to her mid-thighs, leaving most of her long toned tanned legs open to his admiring gaze. For a second or two he couldn't tear his eye off the alluring sight. Then his brain caught up with his eyes and hormones. His eyes averted quickly to Tori's face.

"So what did you want me to do?" His question sounded too abrupt in his ears, because he felt embarrassed for ogling his friend like that. After all of Jade's doubts and accusations he felt like he was proving her right.

"I'm not sure what emotions I'm supposed to convey. I know that Penny is supposed to be conflicted at first, and then fall for your character." He nodded, that was more or less right. "I'm not sure what exactly to do in the scene where your character declares his love."

"Well first of all don't say 'Wow'." He grinned at her. Tori just made a face at him. "You need to find your character's motivation. The way I see it Penny is used to being chased by men for her beauty but she doesn't know if they like her for herself." Tori listened carefully and nodded.

"So when someone pays her a compliment she mistrusts them?"

"Exactly! Now let's try and see how it works." They began reading their lines. With few pointers from him Tori began to gradually find her own feel for the role. Beck found that he was enjoying the process. It was interesting for him to watch Tori try different approaches to the role until she found the one she felt was right. It was obvious that she lacked any stage experience, but it only made her progress that more remarkable. For an hour or so, with his help, which he tried to make as subtle as possible, she found what she was looking for. Satisfied with their progress they took a break and sat to drink a glass of lemonade.

"That was very good." Beck saw a faint attractive blush appear on Tori's cheeks after his compliment.

"Thanks, I think I'm beginning to like this acting thing." He could see the excitement in her eyes.

"I knew you'd like it. Ever since I saw the lengths you went for the Bird Scene I knew that acting is for you." He once again noted the amount of raw talent the girl before him possessed.

"It's funny; I only did it so I could sing André's songs that were in a play. I've never thought of acting as something I wanted to do." Hearing her say his friends name made Beck's hart sink a little. He knew he didn't have any right to feel this way, but still he wished she could speak as fondly about him as she did about André. Then Jade's face from the time when she was panicky explaining the dog accident, so eager and remorseful, appeared before his eyes, and he pushed these thoughts away.

"That's the great thing about Hollywood Arts; they make you try all these different things, and you can discover all sorts of hidden talents. Thing you would have never thought of doing."

A.N. The story is going to stick to cannon, but there will be some Bori teasing.