Endgame

chapter one

Pov Tori

"I need you to understand.
Because many others before you never did.
It's so exhausting, I feel like my paralysed body is always floating on this surface and my head gets under water most of the time.
It feels like drowning but I get JUST enough air now and then to have to keep going.
I have to keep going,
but I don't want to keep going.
I need you to understand."

A few seconds later there's loads of clapping and cheering being heard from my classmates. Even Sikowitz blinks away a tear. Though I don't know if it was because of my performance or because of his 'special' coconut juice.

"Good job Tori! Alright class, you kiddos have prepared some amazing monologues today. I'm absolutely not talking about you Robbie and Rex, yours was terrible. Keep the work up guys and see you next time, whenever that is.", he says and within just a snap of a finger he's disappeared again through the window.

"Damn Tori that seemed so real, you're acting already has improved to a Broadway level!", Andre says enthusiastically, he's been my best friend ever since I got here.

I laugh it off, like I always do.

Because I'm bubbly cheerful Tori and I like to keep it that way. At least on the outside.
My smile doesn't leave my face. Beck and Cat are already standing next to us.

They're arguing about where we're going for lunch today, I think. We escort to where our lockers are. I must've been in my head too long because someone snaps a finger right in my face.

"Hey Tori, whatcha thinking about?" Rex says. Rex is the very creepy, perverted talking doll Robbie always carries around. The only time I was actually laughing when this thing was around was when Jade ripped its arm off. Speaking of Jade, where is she? Completely ignoring Rex, I put up my confused face.

"Where's Jade?"

Now the others look at me confused. Partly because they don't have a clue themselves and partly because they don't know why I even bother to ask about her.
Jade has always been mean to me, she even poured coffee all over me the first day I got here. It was for a play, that's what I thought at first. Now I've realised she just really hates me and I never understood exactly why.

"You really thought for a moment I wouldn't be here to mock you, peaches.", she says, suddenly appearing from behind me and scaring the shit out of me yet again.

"I don't talk like that.", I whine. I've said that sentence to her a thousand times already.

The others decided to just stay here for lunch.

I noticed that Jade and Beck didn't walk hand in hand today. In fact, they were walking as far as possible away from each other. They even drove here in separate cars. They're probably having a fight again. Though, their fights never last this long.

So when I was sitting next to Beck, I asked him what was up, while Jade was using the bathroom. Just after I asked that question, though, he stuffed his mouth with the biggest bite he could possibly take of his food. Normally Beck speaks up about their fights. Something is really wrong. I look at Andre and he's already looking suspicious at Beck too.

"Beck did you two have a fight again? Did she threaten you so bad?", he asks his best friend, seriously getting worried now.

Beck just keeps chewing and shrugs his shoulders.

"Did you break up with her?", I ask. I see the others' eyes look behind me in horror. So, I'm kind of prepared for this one.

I THOUGHT.

"Nobody breaks up with me, Vega. And it's none of your business.", she's so close to my ear. Honestly, how does she do that all the time? Creeping up on people like that. She literally does not make a single sound.