"Wheeeww!" Sounded the whistle resting in Andre's lips. Signaling the start of another round of jogging for him and Tori, the pair began to sprint alongside the shoreline of Venice Beach for about 10 minutes.

It was about 7am on a Saturday in late September. Seeing that Andre's determination as a member of Hollywood Arts' soccer team led him to train every Saturday morning, Tori decided to tag along to keep his company.

Of course he was faster than she was, but he held back a little so she could at least try to keep up. His dreads flew back in response to the speed. The red shorts whipped the black tights beneath it as his legs moved with a feverish rhythm, similar to that of a drumroll. Yet, through training with such intent, little did Andre know that Tori actually went with him only to get answers from his behavioral pattern.

He was still fighting telling her something and she was dying to know what it was.

Eventually, she took a seat and enjoyed the show that was her boyfriend training, while sipping on a cold Gatorade. It went on for hours. Or at least that's what it felt like. From him doing push-ups, sprinting, water exercises and of course kicking around his red and white soccer ball, the time went by with all of it.

"Aaaand time!" She yelled at him as he wrapped up his final sequence of training at about 8:42am. Her toes clutched the sand in joy, knowing that the rough start to her morning was finally going to ease up.

Panting as he bent forward holding onto his knees, Andre responded "wh-why do you seem so happy over there twinkle toes?" chuckling at the girl sitting in the sand.

"Because I am, I can finally go home. I'm exhausted" Tori retorted while getting up and dusting off her legs.

"You barely did anything but jogged for like 5 minutes at the beginning. Well, and kicked the ball in the water, which I had to swim for...all 4 times." he pointed out amused while throwing his white tee over his shoulder while beginning to pack.

"Sounds like a lot of burnt energy to me." she responded wittily. "Maybe I just like to make you work" the brunette teased walking towards him.

"Or maybe, you'd just like to go for a swim." he threatened her with a playful glare in his eyes. Before she could even think to run, he picked her up and held her over his shoulder.

She laughed and squealed, trying to wiggle her way out of his arms. "You're only making it worse for yourself" Andre said laughing, still approaching the water.

Finally Tori was able to twist and grip on his waist with her right leg, forcing him to let her win. Finally relaxed, with both legs wrapped around his waist and her arms clasped around his neck, they both laughed at each other.

"You thought you had me didn't you?" she laughed.

"I do, you're mine." he responded with a light smile. This made her blush.

As the laughter died down, they both began to gaze into each other's eyes, more and more serious as the time elapsed. And finally, Tori leaned in to kiss him. Their lips locked and danced with each other to the rhythm of the ocean tide.

Almost a minute into it, Andre broke the kiss and looked away from her.

The beautiful brunette looked up at the sky while sighing before asking him "What is it Andre? What is it that's bothering you?" Silence fell until she forced his eyes to meet hers.

"Nothing, I'm good...lets go." He said brushing off the obvious emotional gap. He clenched his jaw when he realized Tori wasn't buying it. She realized this, and she of all people knew that when he clenched his jaw he either felt guilty or offended. In this case being the first. And he noticed something about her, only thing is that it was pretty obvious, she was getting irritated.

Andre then tried to brush it off once again with a smile and a peck on the lips before saying "Don't look at me like that, I'm good."

~The following Monday~

"Beck!" Jade yelled across the hallway approaching her boyfriend .

"Oh hey babe I was just looking fo-" he began before she intervened "Why am I hearing that you're going away from everyone else but you?"

" I mean it wasn't a secret, aren't you going too?" He defended.

"What do you mean it wasn't a-... I am?" She responded becoming less offensive and more confused.

"Yes yes yes, Jade of the West...it is yet another one of Sikowitz's mandatory trips. Our last one I might add." Robbie said, dancing his way into the conversation.

"Well.." she started "I don't remember him saying this, when did he say this?" she continued still trying to stand by her claims.

"Umm I don't know, maybe when you were sleeping last class ? Just a guess." Beck said pointedly with a disclaiming smile and shrug.

"Ha ha very funny. You know why I slept last class, Dylan and his stupid dog." The blue eyed girl remembered and scorned.

"It's your dog too!" corrected Robbie, which was followed by a quick glance and her saying "only sometimes".

"Hey guys" approached Andre "umm Beck, you free tonight ?" he wasted no time on asking.

"Yeah dude, why?" he questioned.

Andre seemed out of sorts to him. Though he looked dapper with a purple printed button down shirt loosely hugging his body, with black denims, he also had bags under his eyes.

" Just wanna come over, hang or whatever" he said nonchalantly.

"Alright...my house after school" Beck said suspiciously eyeing the musician.

"Cool" Andre said while walking in the direction of class, although they all had the same class to go to.

A few minutes after Tori strolled in.

"Hey Jade, are you free tonight?" she approached the group.

"Good morning to you too Tori, Beck and I are great thanks for asking" Robbie said sarcastically.

Tori sighed at Robbie taking offense, "I'm sorry guys, my head isn't here right now. Jade?"

"Yeah I am, what's up? she responded growing concerned for her friend.

"Just need to talk, you know, hang out or whatever" Tori responded similar to Andre.

"Umm, ok I guess...my place at 6." Jade said while still trying to process what was going on. She wasn't the only one. As Tori agreed and walked off, the three of them shared a knowing look.

"Who smells relationship drama?" Jade asked. Both boys raised their hands.

"Cat!" Sikowitz's shouted. She pitched in her seat with a squeal. "What?!" she asked frantically.

"Nothing, I was just making sure I had your attention" he said with a smile of satisfaction. "So I'm sure that I made you all aware of the trip to New York in January. Once again, it IS mandatory, and the school is paying for your room and board so there are no excuses." as he turned around to proceed with the lesson Jade raised her hand asking " Why are you making us go to New York, and what happens if we decide not to go?".

"Oh Jade, you with the passive aggressive rebellious questions. I'm not making you guys go anywhere, it's solely up to you, either you come or you fail" he explained with a carefree smile.

"But why?" Tori asked, seated in the front row beside Cat.

Groaning in frustration Sikowitz went on to respond "Becaauuse...ok fine, I can't say yet. Just know that you ought to be there."

"Before I continue with the lesson that you noodles keep interrupti-" he began before a student barged in.

"Uhh Mr. Sikowitz, Lane wants to see Andre." the messenger relayed.

Everyone's focus switched on Andre who was sitting at the back of the class slightly slouched in his chair. He locked eyes with Beck who looked at him with a concerned questioning look. Following which, his eyes naturally found Tori's who looked into his dark globes for an answer. His blank stare shared nothing with her, she shook her head and faced forward. He was obviously still playing hide and seek with her.

Andre got up with a sigh, and walked out of the class.

/Later that day/

" Yo Rob, don't you think you're scaring him." A calm and collected Beck said to his friend who was staring intently at his pet goldfish.

"If anything he's trying to scare me; he isn't backing down. What kind of creepy goldfish is this?" The curly headed guy responded still not breaking his stare.

Beck chuckled at him saying "The super creepy kind." They've both been in his RV for about half an hour waiting on Andre. Beck took off his yellow and black flannel and tossed it on his bed before laying down in the couch. With a tennis ball in his left hand and cell phone in his right, he began a texting conversation with Jade.

"Hey Beck.." Robbie asked for his attention while going through the mini fridge for a drink.

"What's up?" he responded, eyes still glued to his phone.

"What do you think is up with Andre and Tori?" Robbie questioned.

"Man I don't even know, I guess we'll find out when he gets here. It's pretty weird though." he responded before peeping out the window to ensure that it was Andre's engine he heard pulling up outside. "And he's here."

Opening the door, Beck greeted his friend saying "Hey man, what took u so long? We left school the same time."

"Had to stop home for a minute." Andre said, obviously in a different and more chill attire. "What's the matter, did baby Beck miss daddy Andre?" he joked.

"You're hilarious aren't you, freaking hilarious" Beck responded putting Andre in a playful headlock.

They both laughed as Andre pried Beck's right arm from around his neck and lightly shoved him.

"This is the first time I've seen you smile all day Andre" Robbie inserted with a smile of his own while tossing his friend a soda.

"So true Rob, what's the bad boy mug been about lately?" Beck asked Andre, who when reminded of his reality looked a bit deflated while opening the can.

"Yeah, and why did Lane need to see you" Robbie interjected.

"Well, they both kinda have to do with the same thing" Andre said while taking a seat.

Highly curious Beck questioned, "And is this 'same thing' the same thing that's giving you problems with Tori?"

"Unfortunately." he said before taking a swig from the can.

Andre was obviously trying to prolong telling them. "Well spill it already!" an eager Robbie demands.

"Alright, alright..." he began.

Back at Jade's house, Tori was having a venting session of her own.

"It's like we could be having the best time together, but then somewhere down the line he would respond strange to certain things." she explained.

She, along with Cat and Jade was sitting in a circle with blankets beneath them and snacks at the center.

"Well do you know why Lane called him to his office today? Maybe it has something to do with that." Jade asked draped in a black kimono, while dipping a tortilla chip in the salsa bowl.

"No I don't! What part of 'he isn't telling me anything' don't you understand?" The bright-eyed Latina responded irritated and wearily.

Both Cat and Jade had "shocked" painted on their faces.

In true Jade fashion she snapped back "Watch it Vega, I'm the wrong one. You know that."

Tori sighed and felt guilty immediately after. "I know, I knowww. I'm sorry. I'm just really irritated by it. It's driving me insane." she expressed.

"Clearly." Jade snapped back once more, which made both Cat and Tori laugh just a little.

Cat pouted at her friend's frustration. "What if the reason he isn't telling you is because he's trying to protect you?" she thought out loud. "Or maybe he's scared of how you'll take it?"

"Well if that's the case he has to decide which is more important, keeping his precious secret, or keeping me." Tori concluded.

"What!?" Beck and Robbie responded simultaneously.

"Dude you have to tell Tori." Beck encouraged.

"I know that, you don't think I know that !?" Andre responded obviously paranoid. "It's a matter of how and when."

"Think of it this way, either u tell her first, or she finds out from someone else and it turns out a lot worse than it should." Beck counseled.

Robbie added " Seriously, we both remember what happened the last time Tori found out something before you told her"

"Ok, you're right. You're both right. I'll figure it out." he said picking up his keys. "Thanks for this."

"Yeah no problem man." Beck responded. " It's 9:54pm already? Wow." he continued as he sieved through his messages "Jade even said she's going to bed soon, it's not even that late."

"Well that's officially my cue" Andre said with a light smile. "I'm going home, adios" he said heading for the door.

"Yeah dude, drive safe" Beck responded.

The car ride home was lonely, and although Andre told Beck and Robbie what was going on, it still burdened him that he didn't tell Tori. He began to think on how being in a relationship with your best friend changes the playing field. This is supposed to be the person you tell almost every to, and now she is the one person he's afraid of telling certain things to.

As he thought, the rain began to fall. At a red light, he looked at his phone and went into Tori's chat. The last time they talked to each other was when they sent each other good morning messages. Andre threw his phone in the passenger seat and hit the wheel in frustration.

Still consumed by thoughts of how and when he'd tell her, he began to drive aimlessly. That was until he ended up at her house.

Looking at himself in the mirror, he ran his hands through his hair before making his way to the door.

*knock knock*

Tori had a bad habit of opening the door before the person on the other end responded to the "who's it?". So as she said it, she swung the door open, only to see Andre standing there slightly damp from the rain. "Hey" she said softly, still keeping her distance from the guy that seemed to have been begging for it lately.

His face was sullen, dressed in his white T and grey sweats he looked at her allowing his eyes to swallow her up. Before she could even ask what he was doing at her house, he said with a dire tone "We need to talk."

-/

Next chapter, we finally find out what it is Andre is holding back. How will Tori handle it? Is it even that bad at all?

Thanks for the reviews, they inspire me to keep going. So of course, let me know what u guys think. :)

XxXx