Tori gets Discovered

In the middle of a drama class with our eccentric teacher, Mr. Sikowitz, a sudden interruption shattered the acting exercises. The door burst open, and a breathless Sinjin rushed inside, causing all heads to turn in his direction.

"Sorry, Mr. Sikowitz, but you won't believe this!" Sinjin exclaimed, his excitement clear on his face.

Mr. Sikowitz raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued by the unexpected interruption. "Well, what's so urgent, Sinjin?"

Sinjin quickly explained the contest, and Mr. Sikowitz couldn't resist the excitement in the air. The news had transformed their drama class into a thrilling moment of possibility.

The next day, I submitted my video for the contest along with the rest of my friends. It was a shot in the dark, but we were all hopeful. Then, something incredible happened. Mason Thornesmith himself came to our school with a camera crew. They found me in the middle of a make-out session with my girlfriend, Jade.

"Tori Vega," he said, "You will be singing at the Platinum Music Awards!"

Jade stood there in shock. She didn't congratulate me; she just watched as Mason pulled me away. In the coming weeks, I would go to rehearsals, and Mason started asking me to misbehave to bring more attention to me.

One afternoon, I sat in my living room, overwhelmed by the changes I was undergoing. I didn't recognize the person Mason was turning me into, and it was causing a strain on my relationship. Jade hadn't been able to see me in days.

Then there was a knock at my door, and it was Jade. She didn't offer a kiss; she just walked past me and sat on the couch.

"Well, hello."

"Why are you letting them change you?" Jade questioned, her gaze piercing.

"I..."

"I know this isn't your doing. That's not the Tori I know."

"If I don't do it, he will fire me from the show," I said.

"The show is in two days; he is not going to fire you," Jade replied, her voice unwavering.

I took her words to heart and decided to speak my mind. But even with my decision to stay true to myself, I still got fired. Mason picked up Andre instead, after a search from his reserves.

Conflicted, Andre approached us and asked if we would sing with him. Cat readily agreed, and I turned to Jade. "Do you want to?"

I nodded, my heart lighter. "Yes, I love performing with Andre."

"I'm in," Jade said, her smoky eyes locking with mine. The four of us went on to rehearse with Andre.

Our performance was a hit and led to Mason wanting to form a band with us. This was what I had gone to school for. This was the dream.

After the show, as I was catching my breath and basking in the applause, I noticed Shelby approaching. She had a warm smile on her face as she reached out to hug me.

"Congratulations, Tori! You were amazing up there," Shelby said, genuine excitement in her voice.

I returned the hug with a grateful smile. "Thanks, Shelby. It was an incredible experience."

As the crowd started to disperse, Shelby asked, "So, what's next for you? Are you going to stick with this music thing?"

I sighed, feeling a bit uncertain about the future. "I don't know, Shelby. I love performing, but it's so unpredictable. I always thought I'd go to college with you and experience normal life."

Shelby nodded, understanding my dilemma. "You know, Tori, there's no right or wrong path. You can follow your dreams and still make time for college. It's all about finding the right balance."

Her words resonated with me, and I smiled, feeling more optimistic about my future. "You're right, Shelby. I can do both. Thanks for being such a supportive friend."

Shelby squeezed my hand. "Anytime, Tori. You've got so much talent; don't let it go to waste."

I felt lucky to have a friend like Shelby by my side, supporting me no matter what path I chose to follow.

I asked Shelby about her own plans, eager to know what her next steps were. She gave me a determined look and said, "I'm ready to move into our off-campus apartment. We just gotta get into college."

I couldn't help but grin at her enthusiasm. "That sounds like a great plan, Shelby. We'll take on college life together and keep chasing our dreams, just in a different way."

Shelby nodded, her eyes reflecting the excitement of the journey ahead. "Absolutely, Tori. It's going to be an adventure, and I can't wait."

As we stood there, sharing our dreams and aspirations, I felt a sense of gratitude for having such a supportive friend like Shelby, and I looked forward to the new chapter in our lives.