Tori Falls for Jade

It was so great having Shelby back home. My confidence has soared with her around. Still I couldn't talk to a girl to save my life. I mean I could talk to them but they just kind of were just friends. It would never progress beyond that.

I had to figure out how to shake my life up.

Shelby sat in the living room with her laptop as I trudged downstairs to wait for Trina to drive me to school. "Hey, Thing one," I said, shouldering my bag and heading to the door.

"Hey…" she said distracted. I'm wanna stop by our school for lunch."

"No!" I said … Wait…. What?"

"Tori I am bored! I want to meet our friends. I'm never here when they are around. not as me anyway."

"You will," I stated. "It's just, … you are so famous and…"

She nodded "I get it… fine. I'll just go to the gym instead."

I sighed and headed toward the door as Trina ran down the stairs.

I really had to stop being selfish, but, I like being a star.

A few days earlier Jade and Beck got into a huge fight and broke up again. And Jade didn't come to me to help her get him back like she did the last time. She broke up with him in front of all of us at my house.

Shelby had been in New York hanging out with Jac. So I invited some of my friends to a poker night. I know it was selfish but I kinda liked being the cool one in Andre Cat and Robbie's eyes.

Then Beck and Jade showed up arguing and yelled at each other and she gave him an ultimatum. He didn't take the bait., and she drove away.

Ever since that day, she's not even been sulking. Just more aloof and quiet… she didn't even tease me anymore. I was starting to miss it. Maybe now she will let me be her friend?

When we got to Sikowitz's class that day, The crazy teacher had us pick our parts in a play from a box. Like it was the luck of the draw. I got the lead again… but so did Jade… we were Walter and Nancy Swain… Astronaut and Mrs. Nancy Swain.

She looked so pissed. And walked out of the classroom with a stomp. And as I walked down the hallway later she came up to me. "I don't want to play your wife!"

Hurtful, "Well I don't want to play your husband!" I said.

"Ohhh." She said and walked away.

"Ohhhh," I answered and walked in the opposite direction.

A few days later, we had some disastrous rehearsals, because we just couldn't get comfortable with each other. I got home after rehearsal, and I talked to Shelby.

'You want to go to you with me tonight?' I stated.

"Why?" Shelby said a little weary.

"I have to spend time with Jade, and I don't know…"

"What am I going to do there?" Shelby asked.

"I want to be able to get through to her… I think maybe you can talk to her for me? Pretend to be me?" I asked

"What?" Shelby said. "She is your friend she will be able to tell…"

"Please… that girl doesn't pay any attention to me unless I am singing," I said

"And what if I have to sing?" she asked. "I can't carry a tune."

"I'll be there, we will switch," I stated.

"Ugh," she groaned. "Fine, let's go get dressed," she stated.

We dressed in a cute enough, more Tori-like outfit and styled our hair the same. It was so hard to hide Shelby's bangs, but they were a little longer now that she wasn't fighting. I added some extensions to the ends of her hair to make her hair as long as mine.

"Alright, let's go." She said. "I'm driving."

"Duh…" I uttered and followed her to the car.

"You really should get your license…. We're almost 17."

"I didn't see that old lady!" I shouted.

We got to Nozu and I signaled to her where Sikowitz was. She went and sat down with him. And I sat in the far back corner so that they couldn't see me. I swear Shelby should have been an actress. She really looked like she had a history with Jade when the girl walked in.

Her eyes took Jade in, and she clamped her mouth shut. Her mouth formed a thin line as she pulled out my phone and texted herself.

Tori: damn… she looks just like her sister.

Me: Hotter.

Tori: If you say so.

Then those guys got in the mix. They were so obnoxious. I could see Shelby attempting not to deck them because I wouldn't have punched them. But Jade had no qualms she kind of hurt the other guy. I saw Shelby smirking and she texted me again.

Tori: I like her.

Me: she's mine.

Tori: Come talk to her then!

Me: Ass…

Then Jade turned to Shelby and smiled. My sister smiled nervously, and both of them walked toward the Karaoke. My eyebrows jutted up as she walked past me. "Tag you're it." I got up and followed Jade to the DJ. "Hey DJ," I said.

"Break time's over," Jade said.

"What do you want to sing?" I had been watching the interaction with Jade, my sister, and the boys and I knew exactly what song that reminded me of. So I told them. Jade smiled me a little satisfied smirk and we sang Take a Hint.

I love performing with her. I was really crushing hard… harder even.

That night on our way home, Shelby said. "That girl does not hate you."

"Really?"

"Really… You just have to know how to talk to her. And it is alone."

"But I get so tongue-tied."

"No you don't … you get defensive and you fight her back… If you're not careful she will fall in love with you. I have a feeling that is just her type."

"I am missing one particular body part she likes," I said.

"She said I was pretty," Shelby said. "It was like pulling teeth but that's because to a girl like her admitting that is hard… and when I said she was pretty she was like puddy. But then those boys ruined the moment and she went rigid again."

"Oh my god.." I said my heart was speeding up. "Why would you tell me that, how am I supposed to act now?"

"You're an actress you'll figure it out," Shelby said as she parked in the driveway. "This was fun."

"Yeah…." I said in a panic. Do I want to pursue this? There is no way she can possibly want me back.