Hola, my lovelies! As always, fantastic reviews for the last chapter! I would like to thank each and every one of my readers: you guys mean the world to me! I would be nowhere without you all, and I love you so much. Thank you :D
parkitcharlie: Gah, I know it was short, I'm sorry! Unfortunately, this one's short too. And oh my gosh, I'm SO happy you noticed the transition! I knew you would :)
Immortal Vows: Tee hee, this is true! Very dark :P
Ayamas4Ever: I know, but she has her reasons :/ Honestly, Tori isn't my favorite character, maybe that's why I write her like this!
BigStuOU: Yeah, I would've been mad at Beck too. You're right though, neither of them were right to do what they did. Meh :(
Mangos4Life: Thank you so much! (:
Disclaimer: Is this really necessary? I don't own Victorious, okay?
The first time she hurts Andre, it's the last straw.
Around January senior year, Tori is contentedly eating lunch with Andre. Thankfully, they're alone; Robbie is off writing some song with Cat about bad news, Beck is rehearsing a play, and Jade is God knows where. It's nice for Tori to just sit and eat without having to look at someone she knows she's hurt. Because, let's face it, there's certainly been plenty of people who she's damaged.
They're pleasantly chatting about Sikowitz's new size of coconuts (Tori almost laughs because that sounds extremely sexual) and how their milk makes him irritable. Tori exclaims, "Yeah! Like, the other day, I was just walking in to ask for some help with a scene when he hit me with an empty jug of expired milk about five times and then yelled–"
"I like you more than a friend!" Andre quickly blurts out of nowhere, his eyes wide and almost frightened. Surprised, Tori chokes on her chicken salad sandwich. She coughs and sputters for a few minutes, gulping down huge swallows of water in the process. Eventually, she's able to calm herself down.
"No, that's not what he said," Tori jokes weakly, attempting to make light of the situation. "So you like me more than a friend, even after that less than attractive choking fest?" Andre gives a small smile and nod. She takes a moment to look at him – she really takes a good look at him. He's always been there for her when she needed a friend. Actually, he was her friend even before she started Hollywood Arts. Andre's the one who suggested she fill in for Trina, and the one who opened the curtain so the audience could convince her to come to the school.
Tori thinks of all the things he's helped her through, and she can't help but smile. Andre's been with her through thick and thin. He's a great guy, but there's so much he doesn't know about her. And the last time she told someone, everything went up in smoke. It's up to her to search through the ashes – could Andre assist her in doing that? Can she really trust him?
"Hey," he says worriedly, "how about tonight? You, me, a little Nozu, and some karaoke? What do you say?" Tori has to admit it's cute, the way he's talking fast and beginning to sweat. She thinks for a moment, and decides that something could definitely start up between her and Andre; because, why the hell not?
"Yes," Tori grins as he breathes a sigh of relief. They continue their conversation about more of Sikowitz's crazy antics, when the bell rings. Andre walks Tori to her class, even though it's out of his way and he's risking tardiness, and gives her a hug. They've hugged so many times before, but this is different. Tori notices the way he wraps his arms around her hips and slowly draws her close.
"I'll pick you up at seven," he whispers, a smile in his voice. They let go and Tori gives him a kiss on the cheek, butterflies fluttering in the pit of her stomach. It's been far too long since she's actually felt like this about a boy; the nervous smiles and anxious laughs, the close hugs and kisses. It's been so, so long since she hasn't been forced into a relationship. It's incredibly nice.
She grazes through the rest of the day, not even minding when she falls on her butt on roller skates in front of her whole PE class. Everyone laughs and they're all making comments about how "the perfect bitch isn't so perfect anymore" but Tori couldn't care less. It's not anything new anyway. A lot of people have been that way towards her since the whole Beck incident. It got even worse when Tori starred in one of the musicals and The Slap came out with a story about her. It had a bit where her friends all described her as "perfect." Everyone makes fun of her for it, now.
Tori finds Cat after school and asks if she wants to come and help with her hair and makeup before the date. She's thankful when the redhead agrees excitedly, because Tori can't help but feel like their friendship has been strained a bit. On the car ride to Tori's house, she asks, "So, Cat, how far have you gotten with Beck?" The taller girl grins evilly as the other blushes and laughs.
"Uh…" Cat says, before bursting into a fit of giggles. The Latina laughs, too, wondering how innocent Cat really is. "There's been…stuff," the smaller girl says, trying to be serious and nonchalant.
"Oooh, stuff, huh?" Tori says seductively as Cat slugs her playfully on the shoulder. Finally, they arrive at the Vega residence. They elatedly run from the car to the front door, chuckling the whole way. Tori is absolutely ecstatic; she missed having a best friend.
While Cat curls Tori's hair into perfect ringlets, she asks nervously, "Um, Tori?"
"Hmm?"
"Did you…make that announcement….because you had feelings for Beck?" Tori feels a big pang in her chest, feeling horrible. She never wanted to hurt Cat, just her boyfriend. She never really considered how Cat would come out in all of that, which just reminds Tori what a hideous person she's become.
"Oh, Cat, no. I promise I didn't," Tori answers pleadingly, willing herself not to cry.
"Okay," Cat replies, a small smile on her face. It doesn't hide anything, though; Tori can still see the obvious hurt in the little girl's pretty brown eyes.
"Finished!" the pale girl exclaims after applying Tori's makeup about fifteen minutes later. The face in the mirror stuns her. Cat really should think of a career in makeup, Tori thinks.
"Oh, my God!" Cat yells upon checking her PearPhone, "I promised Beck I would meet him at his RV in fifteen minutes! Gotta jet, Tor, text me later and tell me how it goes with Andre!" The girl bolts out of the room, and Tori can only hope that she's not just leaving because of their previous conversation.
"Okay, thanks for the help! I'll call you!" The tall girl shouts after Cat. Tori hears a simple "kay, kay!" before the door slams shut.
Not five minutes after Cat leaves, Tori's phone beeps. She picks it up to find a text message. From Daniel. I need that special something from you, right now. On my way, be there in ten minutes. Tori can feel her heart stop. No, no, this can't be happening. Not right now, when she's about to go on a date with Andre.
Checking the time, she finds that there's still about an hour until Andre's coming to pick her up, so she supposes it's enough time for Daniel to get in and out. Still, can she really do that? Will she really be able to sleep with a guy, then ten minutes later go on a date with another? Just when she's about to call Daniel and say no, his voice pops into her head. "If you slip up on our deal, even once, I will kill you." Tori shivers and recoils in horror. She really has to do this.
He arrives soon, as promised, and Tori practically yanks him into the house. She's definitely thanking her lucky stars no one is home. "Okay, this has to be really quick," the girl says, immediately regretting it. Daniel's eyes go wide in surprise as his face breaks out into a wide smirk.
"I will go as fucking fast or slow as I want. We have a deal, right?" Daniel (rhetorically) asks, stroking her face condescendingly. Tori doesn't answer him, just puts on her face of pure stone. He forces her onto the couch roughly, but she's used to it. Daniel's never been one for foreplay, but tonight's different. Tori curses herself for saying he has to go fast, because now he's going painfully slow.
They kiss for a long time, probably about ten minutes, until he forces her to her knees. She's never done this before, but she guesses that she's doing alright. It's gross, really, and she just keeps thinking about all the diseases she's going to get. Who knows what other girls he has on the side, threatening them until he gets what he wants. However, as sick as it is, Tori can't help but feel special.
Wanted.
Even so, she hates Daniel. She hates him with every fiber of her being because he's ultimately the reason why she has hurt every single one of her friends. Tori is his own personal ball of clay; there to be molded into anything desired. Daniel has warped her into an awful, selfish person who doesn't care who she hurts. She knows that she doesn't deserve to have this date with Andre, and she doesn't deserve the forgiveness of all her friends.
There, on the floor, her knees aching, she realizes something. Maybe Daniel did start this forest fire, but it could've been extinguished. Tori had her chances, but she never took them. She thought she could fix things by herself, and she was very wrong. Each time she sliced her skin open with those sharp objects, it was just fueling the wild flames. All of the people close to her have tried so desperately to stamp them out, and this is her last chance.
She decides that Andre will be different. She'll spill her guts to him about Daniel, the cutting, the lies, everything. Tori's a little worried that he might flee from her the way Beck did, but she wills herself to believe that Andre is not like him. He will take her into open arms, no questions asked. He'll even go with her to tell her parents. Mr. Vega will arrest Daniel personally, making sure he never takes advantage of his daughter ever again.
Tori will begin seeing a therapist, and together they will figure out her issues. She'll get better and come clean to her friends. Of course, Robbie, Cat, and Trina will be the only ones who didn't already know. Still, they will all become as close as ever. No one will blame her anymore; she will be a new person. Tori will be her old self again. She will always put her friends and family before herself, just like in the old days.
Thinking this, she almost smiles. She wants to laugh at Daniel and desperately wants to say, "Better enjoy this, because it's the last one you will ever get. I hear the sex isn't too good in prison." Of course she doesn't say it, but it certainly doesn't hurt to think it.
"Hey Tori, I know I'm early but–"
Oh, God. No. NO!
"What the hell?" Andre asks, hurt filling his voice. "Is that…Is that Daniel? Cat's Daniel? You fucking did it this time, Tori," She gets up from the floor in a swift motion, running at top speed to the door. She grabs his arm and starts to talk, but he cuts her off, "God, I always thought you were the most beautiful girl in the world. They always told me that you would break my heart, but I didn't listen. Everyone hates you!"
"Andre, please–!"
"Get away from me!" He pushes her away, and right before he slams the door, she sees the tears in his eyes.
The world becomes lopsided and Tori falls onto the floor. Violent sobs rack her body as she begins to scream. They start out as whimpers, getting louder and louder until ear shattering wails fill the whole house. Daniel gets down next to her cautiously, and is about to put a hand on her back when she screeches, "You did this to me! I hate you!" She punches and kicks him numerous times in every direction, until he finally leaves.
Tori continues shrieking and bawling until she starts throwing up. She manages to get her sorry ass up from the floor long enough to retrieve a huge kitchen knife that her mother uses only for special cooking occasions. She sits back her spot and begins to cut – deeper than usual – into her wrist as she snivels. She ends up laying in a pool of vomit and blood; she figures she doesn't even deserve to sleep in a decent bed.
When Trina comes home from her party the next morning, she lets out a high pitched scream. At first she thinks Tori's just sleeping, but when she takes her pulse she finds that's not the case. She calls 911 at the speed of light, and she sits there shaking Tori and slapping her tear streaked face in an attempt to wake her up until the medics arrive. When they do, it's too late.
Turns out, the cut that reads "loved" did a whole lot more damage than Tori intended.
Do you hate me for that? I feel horrible about it, but it had to happen, you know? I hope it wasn't rushed, please tell me if it was! I really hope I haven't disappointed you, because I know most centric stories end in death. I'm so sorry you guys, I'm hoping you liked it.
THIS IS NOT THE END! I promise, there is at least one, maybe two, chapters to come. Don't give up on me yet :)
On an ending note: Review or you die.
Kind of extreme, you say? I'm extreme person. You know who else is an extreme person?
Your mom.
BOOM!