It's getting a bit interesting. Sorry its a day layout but i was busy yesterday. Also El Niño my come bu the end of the week.

Chapter 7

Tori Vega groaned as she curled up tighter under her blankets, a sharp pain twisting in her lower abdomen. She squeezed her eyes shut, willing the cramps to subside, but it was no use. They only seemed to intensify with each passing minute.

She glanced at the clock on her bedside table. It was still early, but she knew she wouldn't be able to fall back asleep. Another wave of pain hit, and she clutched her stomach, cursing the relentless cycle her body put her through every month. The thought of dragging herself through an entire day of school like this made her want to cry.

But then, as she lay there in misery, another thought surfaced—one that was both a relief and a burden. She had a way out of this. A way to make the pain disappear, at least for a little while. The amulet.

Her hand instinctively reached up to touch the spot on her chest where the amulet had been absorbed into her skin. It was a part of her now, a strange and mystical power she still didn't fully understand. But she knew what it could do. She knew that if she activated it, she would no longer be Tori Vega, the girl suffering through cramps and the dreaded period. She would become Vic.

Tori hesitated, biting her lip as she considered her options. She didn't like relying on the amulet, didn't like the idea of using it for something as mundane as escaping a period. But the pain flared again, and she made up her mind.

With a resigned sigh, she threw off the blankets and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Standing up was a struggle, the cramps making every movement feel like a chore. She shuffled her way to the bathroom, the cold tile floor sending a shiver up her spine.

Tori stared at herself in the mirror, her reflection pale and drawn. "This is ridiculous," she muttered, turning on the shower. The sound of the water hitting the tile was soothing, but she knew the cold shock that was coming.

She took a deep breath, steeling herself, and then stepped into the shower. The icy water hit her skin like a thousand needles, and she gasped, but she didn't step back. She let the cold wash over her, feeling it seep into her bones, into her very core.

And then it happened. The familiar, yet always strange, sensation of her body shifting, changing. Her muscles tensed, then relaxed as the pain from the cramps ebbed away. Her frame broadened, her hair shortened, and within moments, she was no longer Tori Vega.

She was Vic.

Vic let out a slow breath, the tension draining from his body as the last of the transformation settled in. He glanced down at his now masculine form and couldn't help the small smile that tugged at his lips. The cramps were gone, the pain a distant memory. He ran a hand through his short hair, feeling the difference in texture and length.

"Well," he murmured to himself, "at least there's one advantage to this."

For a moment, he simply stood there under the cold spray, relishing the relief from the pain and the odd sense of freedom that came with being Vic. But as the water continued to cascade over him, Vic knew that this was just the beginning of another complicated day in the life of Tori Vega—or Vic, depending on how you looked at it.

Vic's phone buzzed in his pocket as he walked into school, the early morning sun casting long shadows across the pavement. He pulled it out, a small smile tugging at his lips as he saw Jade's name on the screen. *Good morning, Tori!* the text read, followed by a little heart emoji.

His smile faltered for a second, but he quickly typed a reply as he made his way through the crowded hallway toward his locker. *Morning, Jade. Not feeling great today, but I'll manage.*

He hit send and slipped the phone back into his pocket, trying to focus on the day ahead. Being Vic at school was always a delicate balance. His teachers were all in on the secret, thanks to some vague explanations and administrative loopholes, but his classmates were none the wiser. Only Andre knew the truth, and Vic had come to rely on his friend more than ever to help keep the ruse intact.

Vic reached his locker, and as he turned the dial on the combination lock, his phone buzzed again. Another message from Jade.

*About the kiss… I've been thinking about it a lot. I really want to explore these feelings.*

Vic froze, staring at the words on the screen. His heart pounded in his chest, a mixture of excitement and anxiety churning in his gut. Jade wanted to explore her feelings… with *Tori*. But here he was, as Vic, with no easy way to navigate this complicated web he'd spun himself into.

He was about to respond—he had no idea what he would even say—when a familiar voice called out from behind him.

"Hey, Vic!"

Jade's tone was light, almost teasing, and as Vic turned to face her, he saw the playful smirk on her lips. She was walking toward him, her dark hair cascading over her shoulders, her eyes glinting with a flirtatious energy that made Vic's stomach flip.

"Morning," Vic managed to say, his voice coming out more strained than he'd intended.

Jade leaned against the locker beside him, her eyes raking over him in a way that made Vic's pulse quicken. "You look better than yesterday," she said, her voice low and inviting.

Tori—*Vic*—felt his thoughts spiral. Jade was standing there, flirting with him—*Vic*—after just texting Tori about wanting to explore the kiss they'd shared. It was surreal, confusing, and above all, incredibly complicated. He knew Jade didn't connect Vic with Tori in any way, but standing here, experiencing her flirtations as Vic while knowing what she'd said to Tori—it was messing with his head.

He forced a casual smile, trying to play it cool. "Yeah, I'm feeling better," Vic replied, though the truth was that his mind was anything but clear.

Jade's gaze lingered on him for a moment, a spark of something unreadable in her eyes. "Good. I was worried about you," she said, her voice softer now, almost sincere.

Vic swallowed, unsure of how to respond. Every interaction with Jade, whether as Tori or Vic, felt like walking a tightrope. One wrong move, one slip, and everything could come crashing down.

Before he could think of something to say, Jade's phone buzzed, drawing her attention. She glanced at the screen, then back at Vic with a smile. "Gotta go. See you in Sikowitz's class?"

"Yeah, see you there," Vic replied, watching as Jade walked away, her steps confident and purposeful.

As soon as she was out of sight, Vic leaned against his locker, exhaling a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. His phone buzzed in his hand, another text from Jade.

*We'll talk later, okay?*

Vic stared at the message, a swirl of emotions churning inside him. He was Tori, but right now he was also Vic, and somehow he was juggling two very different relationships with Jade, one emotional and the other increasingly physical. He didn't know how much longer he could keep it all together, or what would happen if—or when—Jade figured out the truth.

For now, all he could do was play along and hope that the day wouldn't unravel too quickly.

The sun was high and relentless as Vic made his way to the outdoor picnic tables at the Asphalt Café, where lunch was held under the open sky. He walked with his head down, the heat only adding to the heaviness in his chest as he clutched his phone in his hand. Jade had been texting Tori non-stop, and the flurry of messages had only gotten more intense as the day went on. Every time Vic felt his phone buzz in his pocket, his stomach twisted tighter.

*I don't want to fully commit to anyone like I did with Beck* one text had read earlier in the day. *I need to be sure. I want to be honest with you—I'm still talking to Vic to see where that goes, but I want to get to know you better too.*

Tori hadn't responded yet. What could she say? She was literally Vic. Jade's words echoed in Vic's mind as he walked to his usual spot, feeling the weight of them with every step. How was he supposed to keep this up? The double life, the secrets, the lies? It was all starting to feel like too much.

He sat down at the edge of the table, where the shade from a nearby tree offered some relief from the sun. His phone buzzed again in his hand, another message from Jade. He couldn't keep ignoring her—Tori couldn't keep ignoring her.

Vic's thumb hovered over the screen, debating his next move. Finally, with a deep breath, he opened the messages and started typing.

*Tori* *I get it. You need to figure things out, and I respect that. But I want you to know that I'm here, Jade. I'm not going anywhere, and I want to get to know you better too.*

As soon as he hit send, his chest tightened with nerves. The response was simple, but the emotions behind it were anything but. He hoped Jade could sense how much Tori cared, even through the digital barrier between them.

Vic barely had time to think before the next buzz came through—this time, from Tori's perspective, with a reply from Jade.

*Jade* *Thanks, Tori. That means a lot. I just don't want to mess this up… with either of you. But I need to be honest—there's something about Vic that just draws me in. And I want to explore that too.*

Vic's heart pounded. The tangled web he was weaving was tightening around him. But before he could think too much about it, he saw Jade herself striding toward the picnic tables, her gaze locked on him with an intensity that sent a shiver down his spine.

She was a storm personified—dark, beautiful, and impossible to ignore. Even as the rest of the group was settling down, Jade's focus was solely on Vic. He shoved his phone into his pocket just as she reached the table, standing over him with that dangerous glint in her eye.

"Hey," she said, her voice smooth, yet edged with something that made his skin prickle. "Rough day?"

"Something like that," Vic replied, trying to keep his tone casual even though his heart was racing.

Jade smirked, but there was nothing playful about it. She leaned in close, her lips nearly brushing his ear as she spoke. "You know, Vic… you're a lot more interesting than I gave you credit for."

Vic swallowed hard, trying to keep his composure. "Is that so?"

Jade nodded, her eyes never leaving his. "Yeah. Maybe I should get to know you a little better too. How about tonight?"

Vic felt like the air had been sucked out of his lungs. He couldn't back down now. Not with Jade looking at him like that. "I'll pick you up at eight."

Jade's smirk widened, a dangerous curve of her lips that sent a thrill through him. "Eight o'clock. Don't be late," she said, loud enough for everyone at the table to hear. Then, with a final, lingering glance, she slid onto the bench beside him, her leg pressing against his under the table.

The conversation at the table continued as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened, but the tension between Vic and Jade was palpable. It was like a live wire running between them, crackling with unspoken words and unresolved emotions.

Beck arrived a moment later, his arm draped around some new girl who clearly had no idea what she was walking into. Jade didn't even flinch at the sight, her focus entirely on Vic, her eyes flicking between him and her phone as if daring him to do something about it.

Vic's phone buzzed again in his pocket—a new message from Jade, sent while she sat right next to him.

Jade* *Looking forward to tonight. And… thanks for understanding earlier. It means a lot that you're not pushing me to choose.*

Vic read the message and felt his chest tighten even further. The connection between Tori and Jade was deepening, and he could feel it with every word, every glance. It was more than just a crush—it was something real, something that terrified him as much as it thrilled him.

As the lunch period wound down, Jade stood up, slinging her bag over her shoulder with a deliberate grace. She paused, looking down at Vic with that same dangerous smirk. "Don't forget—eight o'clock," she reminded him, her voice silky smooth.

Vic nodded, trying to match her confidence even though his insides were in turmoil. "Wouldn't dream of it."

Jade's gaze lingered on him for a moment longer, her eyes filled with a mix of challenge and something else—something that made Vic's heart skip a beat. Then, without another word, she turned on her heel and walked away, her dark hair swaying behind her like a curtain.

Beck's eyes followed her as she left, his expression darkening by the second. The new girl beside him looked confused, clearly picking up on the tension but not understanding it.

"Something going on I should know about, Vic?" Beck asked, his voice low and edged with barely restrained anger.

Vic met his gaze evenly, refusing to show any fear. "Not a thing, man. Just lunch."

Beck didn't look convinced, but he let it drop, his jaw tight as he pulled the girl closer to him.

As the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch, the group began to disperse, heading back toward the school building. Vic took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. His phone buzzed once more, and he knew it was Jade again—either Tori's Jade or Vic's Jade. It was hard to keep track of who he was dealing with anymore.

But he couldn't check it now. Not when there was so much at stake.

He had until eight o'clock to figure out how to keep his worlds from colliding—and to keep Jade from tearing them both apart.