Well here's the update. In all honesty, I'll be surprised if anybody is able to guess the future of this fic based off this chapter. Things are not as they may appear...
Anyhoo, I worked hard on this, reviews are much appreciated. :)
We hurtle through the doors of the theatre, the night's air biting my skin. Cat's still giggling and dragging me further away from everybody else, I'm a stumbling mess of limbs, trying to keep up with her. We're halfway down the road, nobody else in sight, as Cat shows no sign of slowing down.
"Cat, what are you doing?" I ask, halting on the spot. Cat's so much smaller then me, so it's no surprise when her tiny frame jerks backwards and comes to a halt in front of me. She turns slowly, the giggles that had filling the air only seconds ago a distant memory. She bites down on her lower lip, a far away look in her chocolate orbs.
"I wanted to hold hands." Cat states as her pout deepens with every word. I feel horrible, like I've just kicked a puppy or something. Her velvet red hair falls over her eyes as her gaze falls to the ground. It's not like Cat's mind to linger on one thing for more then a few seconds; usually it flitters from one thing to another.
"Why did you want that?" I ask softly, like you would a child. Pulling my hand from her grip as lightly as possible. Her gaze shoots to ground, her red hair falling in her eyes. Usually she would reach up and swipe it away in a flash, but her arm moves slowly, mechanically, brushing the hair away as if she's in slow motion. Guilt spreads through me, blanketing my every thought.
"You and Tori were." Cat croaks, her voice small and lacking any conviction. She still won't meet my eyes; she won't stop looking at the ground, like there's something fascinating down there. I could swear that even Cat's hair seems more dull then usual, mirroring the lifeless expression on her face. All of a sudden I feel two slender arms constricting my waist.
"Yeah, but that's different Kitty Cat." I reply, coating my answer in false sweetness, hoping to take the sting off my answer. The longer this embrace lasts, the more aware I am that Cat's body doesn't mold exactly against mine, that this embrace just isn't quite right. Gingerly, I peel Cat away from me once again. The whine that leaves her lips almost breaks my heart, I feel like a villain right now.
"How?" She asks, the chipper tone usually present in her voice replaced by something much more depressing. With her arms hanging limply to her sides, Cat's features contort into something more akin to Jade's usual expression. It's unsettling to say the least. She's always been a girl of extremes, one moment she's sunshine in a bottle, the next she'll be hurricane Cat. This is a step further then anything I've seen before though.
"It's...uh..." I stammer nervously, shuffling away from Cat slightly. I feel as though her eyes can see right through me, that her eyes see truths in my mind that not even I can see. This is the most uncomfortable I've ever been around Cat. She's almost like a different person right now, one that I don't know.
Then my salvation comes from the most unlikely of sources.
"I want food." Jade's voice slices through the air, sending me spinning towards the direction we had just come from. I never thought I would be so happy to hear Jade demanding something, to see Jade stomping towards us, Tori, Beck and Andre only a step behind her.
Glancing towards Cat, I'm unnerved to see the expression on her face go from murderous to the usual cheer in an instant. I wonder if that would have happened had everybody stayed in the theatre. Somehow, I doubt it. Stepping away from her, I settle on a place between Tori and Beck.
"That sounds good." Andre comments, nodding his head slightly in agreement as Beck does the same. Soon we're all standing in a circle on the sidewalk, the tension in the air slowly dissipating. That's before Cat lightly steps between Beck and myself, sending my blood pressure through the roof and me. I notice Tori and Cat on either side of me, each eyeing the other suspiciously. I really don't know how Beck can deal with girls constantly, these two are just my friends and this is turning into a nightmare.
"I wanna go dancing with unicorns." Cat announces, suddenly snapping her gaze from Tori and looking around the group. As unnerved as I am by Cat's sudden fixation on me, I'm relieved to hear one of her signature outbursts. Beck and Andre look puzzled by her statement while Jade looks irritated. I notice a muscle in her jaw tense and I know what coming next.
"No!" She shrieks, voice piercing my eardrums. I wince slightly as Tori mimics my movement. I notice her move closer to me, almost like I'm going to shield her from any potential Jade wrath. It's a nice thought, but nobody can stop Jade when she gets worked up. Right now, nostrils flared and eyes blazing, I know that we should placate her before this gets worse.
"Maybe some other time little red?" Andre offers, hands unlacing from in front of him as his palms turn upwards apologetically. My gaze darting between Andre and Cat, I notice that cold look crossing her face once more. It's only for a flash before she nods enthusiastically and begins bouncing on the spot, but I definitely something lurking behind her eyes. I wonder if it's always been there and I'm only noticing it tonight.
"There's a pizza place down the road?" I suggest, hesitation in my words. Glancing over at Jade, I really hope she isn't planning my death. Much to my relief, I see a smile ghost over her lips as she nods slowly in approval. Beck and Andre answer with a slight nod and a shrug. I merely heave a sigh of relief, glad that only Cat is upset with me for the moment.
"Sounds good." Tori states suddenly, eyes widening dramatically. Beneath her words, I'm sure I heard her stomach grumble. Shifting my gaze to her, I see a slightly rosy tinge to her cheeks confirming my suspicions. Tori may be one of the worst liars I've ever spent an extended period of time with.
"Well, let's go then!" I state, feeling the heat of Cat's gaze on me once more. Nervously, I scratch my forearm and step off in the direction of the Pizzeria. Hearing the sound of footsteps behind me, I release a breath I didn't know I had been holding. For once everybody is following me and not just letting me leave alone.
"What shall we order?" Tori asks me, falling into a casual stride next to me. With the rest of our friends immersed in their own conversations, I allow my gaze to linger on her. Tori looks absolutely beautiful, stunning even. Considering she had to use my make up, she looking amazing. Then again, I don't think she even needed any in the first place with those cheekbones. My eyes come to rest on her lips; they look so soft, the memory of her kissing me flickers in front of my eyes. Seeing her eyes lock onto me, I snap my gaze away from her, not wanting to make things awkward.
"No Banana, banana makes me barf" Jade barks, interrupting me for what feels like the millionth time. Whipping my head between Tori and Jade, I notice Jade is now attempting to burn a hole into Tori's back with her eyes. As my gaze shifts back to Tori, I notice her eyes are narrowed and a question lingers on her lips.
"Why would you have banana on a pizza?" Tori's words come out in a mess, jumbling and catching in her throat as she haphazardly twists her body around to glance at Jade and away from me. I don't think she's completely forgotten what she was going to ask me though.
"I don't know, why would you Cat?" Jade asks, sounding less menacing then usual, but still irritated as Cat whimpers slightly. I shake my head slowly, bemused at the relationship between Jae and Cat. They couldn't be more different, yet they're best friends. Glancing at Tori once more, I can't help but think that if Jade and Cat can be best friends, maybe there's hope for me and Tori to be more then just casual acquaintances.
"Hurry up. I don't want them to be out of the good ingredients." Jade demands, once again interrupting my conversation with Tori. Evidently our leisurely pace isn't good enough for her. Rolling my eyes, I'm tempted to slow down even more. That probably wouldn't be wise though. Beck's lost in a conversation with Andre right now, so the odds are Jade will manage to kick me at least once before he notices and pries her off me.
"It'll be fine, keep your pants on." Tori groans, my words coming from her lips. I chuckle softly; she's the only one that says those kinds of things to Jade most of the time. In all honesty, I'm surprised Jade doesn't lash out at her more harshly. It's like the two of them have developed a begrudging respect for one another.
"Is that a challenge?" Jade replies, eyes widened and eyebrows raised in defiance as we glance back at her. I want to turn back and avoid crashing into any potential objects, but the site of Jade's hands crawling down her abdomen and reaching for the buckle of her belt is entrancing. I'm not the only one under Jade's spell, Tori isn't watching where she's going either. We stumble drunkenly for some time, wanting to see if Jade's actions will really back up her words.
"Jade...they won't let us in if you don't have pants on." Beck interjects; arm shooting out and gently urging Jade's slender fingers away from her belt. Twisting my body so that I'm facing straight ahead, I notice a look of disappointment on Tori's face that mirrors my own. Chuckling, I nudge her in the side as my lips curl into a knowing smile. She bites down on her lower lip, that familiar blush reddening her cheeks. It's a sight that I'm rapidly getting used to.
"Maybe they'll give us a discount?" Cat's shrill voice drags me from my thoughts, while pulling me into a state of confusion. Blinking rapidly, I try to figure out how she could have jumped to that conclusion. A silence fills the air as everyone else attempts to figure out the constantly shifting puzzle known as Cat Valentine's brain. This same thing has happened so many times in the past, that it would almost be strange if Cat's words always made sense.
"Because, we'll be saving space by not having pants?" Cat answers the question herself. I can picture her rolling her eyes, like it's the most natural thing in the world. Hearing a sigh next me, I glance over at Tori once again, her hands are pulled up either side of her face and she's gently massaging her temples. I recognize these as the tell tales signs that a Cat induced migraine is on the way. She'll get used to Cat eventually, it just takes a few years.
"Can we just go?" Tori's words come through gritted teeth and I can sense her frustration with the Red headed girl behind up. Before another thought crosses my mind, I feel Tori's slender fingers lace through my own, dragging me towards the neon sign of the Pizzeria. I'm not sure when it became a thing for girls to just drag me along like an accessory, but it's not the worst feeling in the world. Sneaking a glace at Tori and observing the determined look on her face, I marvel at the fact that she's touching me, no, holding onto me. In the past if I'd tried to touch her, she would have wrenched herself from my grip immediately, but here we are, she's holding onto me. Sometimes things change for the better I suppose.
Before long, we're all seated at the Pizzeria, listening to Cat babble away, she's making some long and strange order as usual. The waitress looks horrified, her eyes widened and mouth agape. Losing interest in Cat's order, I steal a glance at the rest of the table. Beck's arm is draped over Jade, like it's the most natural thing in the world, they're speaking to each other, words hushed like it's something private, something just for them. Andre's arms are folded on the table in front of him as he watches Cat order. There's a look of intrigue battling with horror on his face as he does so. Scanning past Cat's form quickly, my eyes come to rest on the girl next to me.
Well, more specifically, my eyes fall on the girl that is currently resting on me. Tori's head rests on my shoulder; her vibrant brunette locks blanketing my shoulder. It's something that feels so foreign, yet so familiar at the same time, like it's meant to be. Shaking the thought from my mind, I wonder whether or not we're going to discuss this newfound closeness at some point. Honestly, I'm kind of dreading the thought of that conversation though; I don't want to draw attention to this…whatever it is. I don't want to draw attention to it and ruin it.
After a wait that's neither minutes, nor hours, the whole group is starving and slightly on edge. The pizzas arrive and after a brief flurry of movement, a pleasant calm drifts over our booth. It's a rare moment of tranquility for our group; everybody is happily eating a slice of pizza. For once there's no drama, no random singing and no social awkwardness. Peering over my glasses, I see Cat eyes skittering over the screen of her phone from the corner of my eye.
Moment over.
"Ahhh...Oh my god." She exclaims, her voice snapping everybody to attention. Cat might say some strange things, causing us to zone out, but when there's genuine worry in her voice like now, we pay attention. My throat tightens; I hope it's not something to do with her brother; anything to do with him is bad news. I met him once before and he makes Cat look downright normal by comparison.
"What? Do I have cheese on me?" Tori asks, mouth still half full of the substance in question. I stifle a laugh at her behavior, for such a beautiful girl, Tori might be one of the most social awkward people in our group besides me. I notice Jade's lips curl upward as she watches Tori begin to splutter, I pat her back gently, shaking my head slightly.
"I have to go!" Cat shrieks, the words tumbling from her lips hysterically, as she leaps out of her seat. It's not really an answer to Tori's question, but her voice is ragged, the words sounding like broken glass coming out of her throat. We all recognize it as a tell tale sign of Cat's brother being involved. She'll tell us about it tomorrow like it's a joke; I think it's her way of dealing with the problem. It's not the best solution, but sometimes fixing the problem isn't possible and you just need do what you can to get by.
"Come on Andre, my brother needs me!" Cat's tiny limbs shoot out, clawing at Andre and attempting to pull him out of his seat. I had been wondering which unfortunate soul Cat had come here with. Since her parents won't let her drive, one of us has to pick her up whenever the group does something. I'm bitterly reminded of the fact that used to be the only reason I'd receive an invite most of the time. Cat has already answered my unspoken question emphatically, as she tugs at Andre's sweater, pulling him towards the door.
"Aw man...Bye guys!" Andre's limbs hang limply as Cat drags him away, all thoughts focused on her brother. Each of us offers a wave, smiling weakly. I've been in Andre's situation; it's going to be a long night for him.
Attempting to shrug off the scene that had just unfolded in front of us, I pick up another piece of pizza and pull it towards my lips. Silence settles over us once more, though it doesn't feel as comfortable this time. By the time the pizza is gone, it's downright awkward.
For some reason Jade is glaring at Tori and I.
"So..." I begin, looking to start some kind of conversation. Peers up at me, eyes focusing, ears ready for any morsel of a conversation that he can latch onto. Anything to lessen this crushing silence, this tension in the air.
"Vega, why are you still holding Robbie's hand?" Jade destroys my attempt at light conversation with the precision of a sniper, like she wants this to be awkward. I tense, suddenly aware that Tori's fingers are once again interlocked with my own. I honestly hadn't even noticed it had happened. Looking away from Jade and down at our hands, I have to fight the urge to smile. Usually Tori is like a frightened animal in these sorts of situations, leaping away at the first sign of trouble. I've seen it before when somebody comments on her holding hands with a boy or holding a boy in general.
She's still holding onto me.
"Uhh..." Tori's response is slow to come, her eyes dart around the room and her tongue flicks over her lips, wetting them, delaying her answer as the gears turn in her head. With baited breath, I wonder that she's going to say, wonder if she's going to pull away with some sort of ham-fisted excuse.
"Whatever. I don't care." Jade interrupts again, not allowing Tori to even answer. Screwing my eyes shut and gritting my teeth, I can't help but let out a groan of annoyance. Jade's constant disruptions have really been a thorn in my side tonight. If I had been taking a shot for every time Jade had interrupted somebody tonight, I would be in hospital from alcohol poisoning. I wonder if hearing Tori's answer there would have really helped me. Do I even want to know the truth?
"Well obviously you do..." Tori retorts, her eyes widening as annoyance colors her features. I feel my own irritation fade away at the sight of Tori's pout as her and Jade glare at each other. There's electricity in the air as Beck and I shift uncomfortably in our seats, just hoping one of those bolts doesn't hit us in the crossfire.
"We're leaving." Jade snarls, breaking eye contact with Tori and slapping the table in annoyance. Jerking my gaze away from the annoyed girl, I see a look of triumph battling with confusion on Tori's face. Shaking my head slightly, I know I'll never understand her relationship with Jade, sometimes there's this inclination towards wanting to be friendly, but other times it's like she enjoys making Jade angry. They're like cats and dogs; a friendship just isn't going to happen.
"Bye guys." Beck states painfully as he slowly makes his way to his feet, trudging towards his girlfriend as she stomps away. A moment later, I watch him wrap an arm around the raging Jade. I wonder just how he deals with that on a daily basis. The further they walk away from us, the calmer Jade seems though, like she's got some sort of microchip in her brain that makes her freak out around us, then go back to normal at a certain distance. Imagining Jade wearing a frilly pink dress and acting like a normal girl, I shudder involuntarily, pushing the disturbing thought from my mind as quickly as I can.
"What's wrong with Jade?" Tori asks, hearing the door bang shut across the room. Her eyebrows are knitted together and the annoyance Tori had felt toward Jade before seems to be gone. I feel a pang of worry. It's just us now; there is a couple across the room though. I notice they're sitting close, just like we are. They're also holding hands, just like we are. My worry deepens, what do I even do now?
"Other than everything?" I ask, attempting to inject humor into the situation. The words get caught in my mouth and crack as they leave my lips, ruining any effect my joke may have had. Sighing, I allow my head to droop as Tori chuckles in the background. I'm not sure if she's laughing at my joke or the botched delivery of it.
"Cat was acting weird too." She observes. I noticed the same thing, Cat kept giving us these strange glares, it's something she's never done before. If I didn't know better, I'd think it was jealousy. Cat's never shown any interest in me before though, she even invented a fake date to get out of going to Prome with me. My mind turning towards the past once more, I recall the amount of times I've been there for her during one of her brother's meltdowns, we're almost like family. No, it's something else. It has to be.
"I think it's because you kept grabbing my hand" I reply, playfully. The words leave my mouth before I can stop them; the teasing tone in them is sure to result in disaster. Wincing, I prepare for some sort of retaliation from Tori. Instead, she flushes a deep red and focuses her eyes on anything that's not me. Eyes coming to rest on her cheeks, I realize just how much the blush complements her skin tone. Figures, Tori would be the one person to look more beautiful when she's embarrassed.
"Did not!" She retorts softly, eyes anything but honest and word sounding completely unconvincing. Raising an eyebrow, I already have my rebuttal prepared. Lifting my free arm casually, I point downwards, to where our interlocked arms lay on the table. Tori's face briefly contorts into an expression of confusion once more, then she follows the direction of my fingertip and defeat crosses her features.
"Ok! I did…am…yeah." She laments, lips curling upwards and into a smile. I feel my throat tighten as Tori's lithe body leans toward me. It's so slight, so minute that I doubt anybody other then me has noticed. Even Tori probably hasn't realized what she's doing. It's a painful reminder of my absolute lack of grace. Tori's unconscious movements are more graceful then my most arduously practiced ones.
"Why?" I ask, the words coming out of my throat as a rasp. Tori is so close that the scent of her hair flood my nose, rendering me almost unable to form a full sentence. It's like my voice was the key to breaking the spell though, Tori snaps into awareness, eyes widening as she realizes just how close we are.
"I dunno...I just...say who's up for mini golf?" She babbles, hand leaving mine as it shoots out towards a poster on the wall. Watching her jerky movements suspiciously, my eyes narrow and I have to wonder what's wrong with the girls I'm friends with. One moment they're fine, they're normal, the next, they're freaking out and limbs are flailing everywhere.
"I...what?" I ask, train of though crashing to a stop; I can't quite follow Tori's shifting thoughts. The girl next to me shifts awkwardly, limbs not co-operating fully, her prior grace seemingly forgotten. I have no idea how to deal with Tori sometimes, one moment she's completely self assured, the next she's a babbling mess.
"That sign, poster thingy. Lets go there!" Tori exclaims, once again pointing at the Mini Golf poster, this time with a lot more urgency. Weighing up my options, I realize it's close, it's cheap and it's almost a real date. Isn't it? It sounds like a date, but that would mean one crucial thing…Tori Vega just asked me out on a date.
"Like a date?" The words burst though my lips before I have a chance to censor them. It's like my brain was feeling unsure of what else to do, so it just settled on the stupidest thing possible. Tori immediately freezes halfway out of her seat, looking like I've just knocked the movement out of her. I'd be laughing if my heart wasn't thumping against my chest, threatening to go through the other side at any moment. With relief, I notice the expression on her face isn't one of repulsion, just one of uncertainty. Tori finally resumes movement and bites her lip, I can almost see the implications of my question passing through her eyes.
"Uh...I don't know." She replies leaving her seat fully and straightening her back, before lowering her gaze and shrugging her shoulders softly. I can see a bashful smile on her face, like a child who knows the answer, but won't tell you for some reason. Pursing my lips, I scratch and claw deep within myself, attempting to pull together all of the courage I can muster. Heaving a sign, I shuffle out of my seat with all of the grace I don't possess. Reaching my feet and stepping towards Tori, I extend a badly shaking limb and tuck the hair obscuring Tori's face behind her ear, softly I grasp her chin and within a fraction of a moment, she's looking into my eyes.
Feeling beads of sweat beginning to form on my hand, I lean towards Tori, pressing my lips against her own. She's the softest thing ever; her lips are like velvet, lighter then clouds. She tastes like the most fantastic mixture of pepperoni pizza and strawberry lip-gloss. I reluctantly pull my lips from hers, awaiting her response and hoping that I haven't just completely ruined our friendship for 7 seconds of heaven.
"That was..." The words leave Tori's lips with a crack. I prepare myself, attempting to shield my emotions from the incoming blow of rejection. Tori's eyes don't stray from mine; they don't dart around the room looking for an escape like when she's nervous. She simply peers at me through half lidded eyes, her pupils unfocused. My throat tightens as I see her lips part once more. I don't think I've ever wanted to hear the end of a sentence more in my life.
"Amazing."