Break up 1/2

Chapter 4

Tori stood in front of her locker, trying to look nonchalant as she adjusted her loose sweatshirt. She had taken to wearing oversized clothes, just in case the amulet decided to act up again. It wasn't exactly her style, but she couldn't risk having another embarrassing transformation in public. Still, her talent and charm were gaining her attention at Hollywood Arts, and she was slowly finding her place in this quirky school.

As Tori closed her locker, she heard a familiar voice behind her.

"Tori! There you are!" Cat Valentine bounded up to her, her bright red hair bouncing. "Guess what! Sikowitz just put up the sign-up sheet for the new musical, and he said you should totally audition!"

Tori smiled, though a bit uneasily. "Thanks, Cat. I'll think about it."

"You'd be amazing!" Cat gushed. "Everyone's talking about your performance at the showcase. You've got this, like, star quality or something."

Tori blushed slightly. "Really? I mean, it's been kind of crazy since that day. I wasn't even supposed to perform."

As they walked down the hallway, they passed by Andre, who was busy playing his locker door which was an actual keyboard. He looked up and grinned when he saw them. "Hey, Tori! Cat! What's up?"

"Just convincing Tori to audition for the musical," Cat said brightly.

Andre nodded approvingly. "You should do it, Tori. You've got the talent, and people are starting to notice you. It's only a matter of time before you're the next big thing around here."

"You just have to pass the bird scene first." Jade said, coming out from behind her.

Tori jumped, this girl made her nervous. And the fact that she looked so good today didn't help. Jade had come to school in one of her cuter outfits, and Tori's nipples immediately went hard.

Jade loved scaring the girl and smirked looking down at her phone. Her face suddenly dropped from a pleased expression to angry, and she stomped away. "I'll kill him!"

Cat, Andre, and Tori watched her go, turning to shake their heads.

"You'll do fine, Tori," Cat said, getting back to the conversation.

"Yeah, no sweat," Andre said as they resumed their walk. It was lunchtime.

Tori felt a warm glow at their encouragement, but her mind kept drifting to the amulet. What if it acted up during an important performance? She couldn't risk it. She needed to keep things under control, even if it meant wearing baggy clothes and being extra cautious.

"Well...what is the bird scene?" She asked as they reached the asphalt café, where the usual lunchtime chaos was in full swing.

"It's a monologue you have to perform as a sort of audition to prove you can handle the stage," Andre answered as they stood in line for Festus' truck.

As they grabbed their trays and sat down, Robbie and Rex joined them at the table.

"Hey, Tori," Robbie said, pushing up his glasses. "I heard about the musical. Are you going to audition?"

Tori shrugged, trying to play it cool. "Maybe. I'm still thinking about it."

Rex, the ever-sassy puppet, piped up. "You should totally go for it. We need some fresh talent around here, and you're it, Vega."

Tori laughed, despite herself. "Thanks, Rex. I'll keep that in mind."

Just then, a student walking by tripped, sending their cold drink flying. The icy liquid splashed over Tori's head, and she felt the now-familiar tingle as the transformation began. Panic surged through her, and she jumped up, making a beeline for the boys' bathroom. But as she looked down at her male form, she was surprised to see an erection forming at the thought of Jade.

Tori's male form, Vic, had always found Jade attractive, but Tori had never let herself acknowledge it before. But now, she couldn't help but think about how beautiful Jade looked today and how much she wanted her.

As Vic, Tori quickly adjusted herself and took a deep breath. She knew she had to focus on passing the bird scene and getting through this audition, but she couldn't help the butterflies in her stomach when she thought about Jade.

She needed to turn back now. She couldn't go out there with this. It's worse than the French pole vaulter.

The main hallway of Hollywood Arts was its usual chaotic self, with students milling about, chatting, and hurrying to their next classes. Amid the buzz, Beck and Jade stood at their lockers, an unmistakable tension hanging between them.

"Jade, come on. It's not what you think," Beck said, his voice calm but strained. He ran a hand through his hair, trying to keep his composure.

Jade crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes narrowing. "Really, Beck? Because it sure looks like you're spending a lot of time with Alyssa Vaughan. She's rich, famous, and not even a student here. What exactly am I supposed to think?"

Beck sighed, frustration evident on his face. "Alyssa's just a friend. We're working on a project together. That's all."

"A friend?" Jade's voice dripped with sarcasm. "She's an adult, Beck. You can't seriously expect me to be okay with this."

"Jade, you're overreacting," Beck said, trying to keep his voice low to avoid drawing more attention. But the surrounding students were already starting to take notice, their curiosity piqued.

"Overreacting?" Jade's eyes flashed with anger. "I'm not going to stand by while you spend all your time with her. It's disrespectful to our relationship."

Beck took a deep breath, his patience wearing thin. "Jade, I love you. But you have to trust me. There's nothing going on with Alyssa."

Jade shook her head, her expression resolute. "Trust? That's the issue, Beck. I don't trust her, and I'm starting to not trust you."

A hush fell over the hallway as more students stopped to watch the unfolding drama. Jade and Beck were well-known at Hollywood Arts, and their fights were always a spectacle.

"Jade, this is crazy," Beck said, his voice rising slightly. "You're being jealous for no reason."

"Maybe," Jade said, her voice cold and unyielding. "But I can't do this anymore. I won't be made to feel like I'm second place to someone else."

Beck's face fell, realizing where this was headed. "Jade, please. Don't do this."

"It's done, Beck," Jade said firmly. "We're over."

With that, she turned on her heel and walked away, her steps confident and unwavering. The students in the hallway parted to let her pass, their whispers filling the air. Beck stood there for a moment, staring after her, a mixture of hurt and frustration on his face.

As Jade disappeared around the corner, Beck closed his locker and leaned against it, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. The breakup had been coming for a while, but it still hit him hard. He knew Jade was passionate and intense, but he never expected her jealousy to drive such a wedge between them.

He pushed off the locker and walked down the hallway, trying to ignore the curious stares and murmurs of his classmates. This was going to be a tough day, and he needed some space to clear his head.

Vic stood at the sink, splashing hot water on his face, desperately hoping it would trigger his transformation back to Tori. He looked at his reflection, frustration evident in his eyes. "Why isn't this working?" he muttered to himself, the reality of his predicament weighing heavily on him. "Maybe the water's not hot enough. I'll just have to wait until I can take a bath."

As Vic leaned over the sink, Beck walked in, his expression still sour from his argument with Jade. Beck glanced at Vic, not recognizing him, and his annoyance flared at the sight of this unfamiliar boy seemingly invading his space.

"Hey, you new here or something?" Beck asked, his tone clipped.

Vic straightened up, turning to face Beck. "Yeah, sort of. Just trying to get through the day."

Beck's eyes narrowed. "Well, you picked a great day to show up. The drama around here is off the charts."

Vic sighed, sensing Beck's irritation. "Sorry, man. I'll get out of your way."

Without waiting for a response, Vic left the bathroom, his mind still racing with thoughts of how to reverse the transformation. As he stepped into the hallway, he collided with someone, sending them both stumbling.

"Watch where you're going!" Jade snapped, her voice sharp. But as she looked up and met Vic's eyes, her annoyance melted away, replaced by an unexpected awe.

Vic, startled, tried to apologize. "I'm really sorry, I didn't see you—"

Jade's breath caught as she took in his handsome face. She momentarily forgot their previous encounter in the girls' bathroom, her irritation completely dissipated. "No, it's... it's fine. Are you okay?"

Vic nodded, a bit confused by her sudden change in demeanor. "Yeah, I'm good. Really sorry about that."

Jade's eyes fell on the coffee stain on Vic's shirt, and she instinctively started dabbing at it with a napkin she had in her bag. "Oh no, your shirt! Let me help you clean that."

Vic looked down at the stain, still trying to make sense of everything. "It's really okay, you don't have to—"

"No, I insist," Jade said, her voice softer now, her hands working to clean the shirt. "I can't believe I spilled coffee on you."

Vic watched her, a bit taken aback by her sudden kindness. "Thanks, but it's not a big deal. I just hope this day gets better."

Jade glanced up at him, her gaze lingering on his face. "Yeah, me too. I'm Jade, by the way."

"Vic," he replied, offering a small smile.

Jade smiled back, seemingly entranced. "Nice to meet you, Vic. Sorry about the coffee."

"No worries," Vic said, feeling a bit more at ease. "I was just trying to figure out... something. But I guess it can wait until I get home."

Jade tilted her head slightly. "Figure out what?"

Vic hesitated, not wanting to reveal too much. "Just... something about hot water. It's a long story."

Jade laughed lightly. "Well, if you need help, let me know. I owe you for the coffee mishap."

Vic nodded, grateful for her offer but still preoccupied with his thoughts. "Thanks, Jade. I appreciate it."

He can't wait to get home and take a scalding hot bath from head to toe.