chapter one:

the plan

This was not a part of the plan. At all.

The plan was clear, and simple. The moment Sikowitz announced his upcoming play weeks ago, when excited squeals and shouts erupted from the class – I knew, bloodbath is ensued. This is his biggest and grandest play yet. And there's only one main female role. I knew I had to get it.

The sight of a certain brunette, excitedly jumping from her seat, turned my smile into a scowl. Victoria fucking Vega.

"When's the audition dates?" I remember her asking, a stupid smile never leaving her face as she turns to Sikowitz.

"A month from now!" He answered, rather lacking of any other information, before he realized that there's a class of students anxiously waiting for his next insightful words. "Oh! I'll be posting the roles you can audition for later. I have to pick up my grandmother from day care." And with that, he stormed out of the room before anyone could ask him any more question.

She obviously wants the same role as I, and I won't let her have it.

The plan was clear, and simple.

Distract Tori Vega and stop her from getting the main role in Sikowitz's next play.

And that means distracting her for four weeks, which is too long if you ask me. But I had to start early to make sure that everything will work accordingly. It was a long shot, I guess. But the gist of this grand scheme is this. I distract her from thinking of a great piece for an audition; she fails to get the role. If she fails to get the role, then it would make me the most probable choice for Sikowitz to pick.

It's not that I have no faith in my talents alone. It's just that it wouldn't hurt to have that little advantage. Of a mile. And just have that little push to make sure that I get it. And the only reason that I want this so badly is because the greatest producers and casting agents will be there. I couldn't waste this opportunity to prove something to my father and show him how I can land a job without him pulling strings because he's oh, so powerful in the business.

In order to pull this off, I have to be someone Vega trusts so I can influence her choices. Then, I drop hints of bad choices for audition pieces every now and then. She won't see this coming. What I've learned for the past plays where she snatched the best role from me is that doing dirty work is tough when people can see me working in plain sight. Any sabotage whatsoever during the day of the play itself would make me the main suspect, even if I'm not the one responsible. Although, I most probably will be. But this time, I won't be doing anything. Just distracting.

And if there is one thing you need to know about Tori Vega, it's that she's pretty much easy to distract. Think of her as a cat who just loves following stupid lasers around.

I find her annoying, and nosy, and boring, and gullible, and unpredictable. I hate that part of her the most – how she manages to surprise me every time I push her around or try to crush her spirit into ashes. And what I've learned for the nine days that has passed is that she's unyielding as she is annoying, and she's nosy because she cares – probably too much sometimes, and she's boring because doesn't give a damn of what you think of her, and that she's gullible because she trusts everyone, and that she's really unpredictable.

I hate her when I can't think of what she's thinking and what she's thinking of doing. Which is most of the time. And it's probably why I act the way I do around her, despite the fact that I'm hell to everyone. I keep in mind to act extra hellish when she's near.

Or at least, that was, nine days ago. Back when I had a clear, easy plan. To distract her. Right. The first phase was that I had to be a little bit nicer to her, so she'll think that I have some evil plan going on, which is true, but she'd have to try and solve it – solve me, like I'm some sort of mystery. It'll have her distracted for a good couple of days. Which turned out to be just some hours when it actually happened. But when she did "solve" my sudden act of kindness towards her, it was just me leading her to believing that I'm actually trying to get to know her – be her friend. And boy, does she want that. She has been wanting us to be friends for as long as I could remember. Heck. It could've been her first words when she was born, for all I know. I had to act offended when she couldn't believe that I just said the f-word or the fact that I just used the words friends and Tori in the same sentence.

"I'd love that, Jade."

I could say that I expected that from her, but this time, I didn't. It was one of those moments where she took me off guard. I knew that she'd be flipping happy about it, but I didn't expect the smile she'd give me or the fluttering in my stomach or the smile I'm unknowingly giving back. Fuck. This.

I had to bite my tongue to stop myself.

"Whatever, Vega."

And I found myself saying the same words over and over for the next days of spending time with her. She'd ask me if her clothes are okay and I'd say, whatever. She'd say something nice about how I looked and I'd reply, whatever. She'd ask me if I mind getting some coffee before going to school tomorrow and I'd shrug, whatever. Until that time she'd ask me if I could come over and I'd say, fine – whatever, Vega. And I'd say it like it's too burdensome, but I'd be lying if I said I'd mind.

She'd talk to me like I've known her since forever, and I'd look for her in the hallways like I've always been doing it before. The gang thought it was weird but ultimately dismissing it as one of my extreme mood swings. It was a conclusion that just might have saved their lives.

I noticed Andre's unsatisfied look when I stood from the table and left.

I'd usually wait for Tori in the parking lot now. She didn't really ask me to, I just felt like doing it one uneventful day. There were playful banters and the occasional brushing of hands. Which didn't used to be weird, until the moment I started over-analyzing things. Like those soft bumping of the shoulders, and shy, wanting glances. What are those for?

What do you want from me, Tori?

Like I could ask that. It's crazy. She'd be quiet for some time and I'd like it. Because for a few moments, in that empty parking lot, it felt like it's our own secret world and no one else is in it.

And every now and then, I could say that I… don't… exactly… hate being with her. I can't remember the last time I had an honest conversation with someone, and that includes Beck – my oh, so perfect boyfriend. If I had a dollar every damn time I'd hear someone say how too good he is for me or how I don't deserve someone like him, I'd cut that dollar into shreds and I'd still have enough to start a massive bonfire. He's Canadian, I get it. And that means he's nice, and hot, and a gentleman. I mean, could you blame me for wanting to lure him into a trap that is what you can call our relationship, and actually making it work? And, yeah, sure – we're not exactly the ideal couple. I mean. He's kind-hearted; I like bloody, pumping hearts. He's good with people; I am a person. He likes fixing cars; I am broken. He loves his family; I… am a daughter. We have our common grounds! Shaky, but still, common. We could not be any more mismatched, except for occasions where we hate the same things and people. I treasure those moments very much. I feel much loved when we hate the same things together. It's only so rare to find someone you can hate things with. So, you'd probably understand why I freaked the fuck out when I learned of that stupid famous actress he's friends with. You should see the disbelief on my face when he refused to stop being friends with her.

And for all these drama to have happened in the middle of the hallway, with snooping by-standers having have witnessed how I tried to suppress a tear from falling and how Beck tried to keep it cool. Always trying to keep it cool, that stupid boy.

And then one of those moments happened again, when my eyes flickered towards an unknowing brunette who was fidgeting in front of her locker. At that very moment, she got that look like she's about to do something impulsive like kick Beck's knees or drag me somewhere far from all these. And I wish she did. Either of the two sounded pretty good. But she didn't. I can't say I was not disappointed.

I couldn't make of anything coherent at that moment. My gaze was towards Beck but my focus was her. My heart was aching because of Beck but my heart was longing for….. her. I was going out of my damn mind. Everything was mixing up – anger, frustration, sadness, confusion. I could barely hear my own words when I said, "We're over, Beck."

I hope I said it with spite. I couldn't exactly remember.

Breaking up with Beck was not part of the plan. But it does not affect it in anyway whatsoever, so as far as I knew, the plot was still in action. And as selfish as it sounds; this breakup didn't felt like it's affecting me either. I knew what this was. It was temporary. He'd be back. He always does. He'd be begging soon. And when he does, I'd act a little reluctant so he'll beg some more and I'll act as if I had just caved in when all I actually want is to say yes the first time he asks. We're not complicated, Beck and I. We're simple, and easy. It's something I could manage.

Imagine my surprise when days later, nine days post-plan-initiation, here I am knocking in front of Vega's door with a broken kite on one hand.

"What the – Jade?!" I can hear the unsaid profanity. Even I think that this is an insane idea. Sure, Vega's been my pretend-friend for a week and a half now, but is this really necessary? Is there some law I am completely unaware of which states that one must cry in the arms of at least one (1) of his/her friends during the span of any breakup, in lieu of some friendship oath I may have unknowingly took.

Or is it just this shitty feeling I'm feeling inside. Like…. I'm sad. Over Beck. Like my heart's breaking. Because I broke us up. Oh, god. I am.

"It's broken." I try to explain through sobs. "I saw it outside, and it's broken, and you have to fix it. Please."

I barely say that last word out loud. I can't believe I'm crying in front of Vega.

She leads me inside the house I've started to be familiar with for the past couple of days. I leave the broken kite on the sofa and turn towards Tori. She's just standing there stunned and confused for a few blinks before she snaps back to reality.

"I'll get the hot chocolate." She says confidently, like she's been in this situation with me before and knows exactly what I needed at the very moment. And I hate that she's right.

"I broke up with him." I state in recollection. "Why did I break up with him?" I sit unceremoniously on the sofa, smashing my wet face onto the pillow I pulled on my lap. The cries and noises I'm making are not pleasant in any kind of way.

"Because he wouldn't stop being friends with what's her name – oh, right. Alyssa Vaughn. How could I forget her name, she's famous." And she thinks she's being helpful. For a pretend-friend, she pretty much sucks right now.

"Thank you, Vega, for reminding me of how great of a replacement she is as his new girlfriend." I cry through the pillow. "Have you seen them together in that bitch's car during lunch? I mean, do they really have to shove it in my face?!" I'm practically screaming by now.

Then she does something that made me forget about Beck for a moment. She pulls me into a hug. "C'mere," she coaxes, pushing the pillow aside so I can rest my head on her shoulders instead. I'm stiff for a few seconds, surprised at how I don't dislike the feeling at all.

I don't cry, it's like my tears retreated back the moment she touched me. I close my eyes, trails of Beck leaving my thoughts completely. I smell her in, instead. I take note of how she smells too much like lilac and spring. Like it's been winter in here, and I didn't know that I've been feeling cold for too long. Only until she comes, bringing the sun with her, do I realize that I've been missing the sunshine all along.

I find myself sighing in her embrace, one that I'm not reciprocating. So, I snake my arms under hers, my hands touching bare skin where her tank top hitches up.

And then I feel it again. Because it turns out, she can bring out these feelings in me when I least expect them. And this is what I hate the most about her. The way she takes me by surprise. And she doesn't even know that she has this effect on me.

No. Fucking. Way.

This is not a part of the goddamned plan.

Nine fucking days into the plan and it's already blowing out of proportion.

Falling in love with Tori Vega is not supposed to be a part of any of it.

AN:This is my first Victorious fanfic, my second one writing anything. So, please, tell me what you think. Comments, suggestions, criticisms. I'll take it!

12/30/14: Decided to make this a one-shot. I have another fic in mind...