A Singer or a Fighter (Tori Vega/Shelby Marx)

Real or Method Acting?

"Really? She got the lead again?!" Jade flung a chair across the room, narrowly missing Robbie. "Why does she always get the lead?" Jade glared at Sikowitz.

"Like she said before. She auditioned and she got the lead, so deal with it and don't be such a gank." It would have been a show of his authority as a teacher if he didn't immediately jump out the window before the goth could throw something at him.

Jade turned her glare onto Tori, it became more menacing as the seconds passed. Tori prepared herself.

"I don't understand how you are chosen over me. I'm the more experienced actress! Wouldn't it make sense to give me the part, Vega? Rather than a complete newbie with hardly any talent?" Jade mocked.

Tori swallowed, was there even a careful way to go about this? Truthfully, Tori didn't want the lead at all since this conflicted with her other schedule. She didn't even audition! "I'll talk to him, Jade."

Apparently, this offended Jade as well. "Oh, so now you think I can only be given handouts to get a lead in a play?"

Tori sighed, "That's not what I'm saying at all."

Why did Jade have to be so dramatic?

Jade stomped out of the room with a "whatever".

Great.

The bell rang and the  others followed Jade out with sympathetic looks to Tori.

Tori picked up her things and set out to find Sikowitz before he left school.

She walked out the doors in time to see Jade angrily leaving in her black mustang. On the plus side, there's Sikowitz... talking to a shady guy holding up coconuts?

"Hey, Sikowitz. Could I talk with you for a second?"

Sikowitz looked back distractedly, "Yeah, sure. I choose that one, that one, and the one that looks like Danny Devito."

Once he payed, Sikowitz turned toward her, "So what is this about?"

Tori frowned, "What Jade said earlier... why do you choose me for the leads, Sikowitz?"

His face grew serious, "You're a much better actress than what you let others believe, Tori."

She blinked. He couldn't mean...

"Yes, I think I know who you are Tori or Ms. Marx. Aside from looking identical with a well known martial artist. The first day in my class, you had the same appearance as Ms. Marx and you looked unsure of how to act, but you got that sorted out the second day, didn't you? I'm surprised no one else noticed how your style changed over those first few days. Much like method acting in preparing for a character. You became 'Tori'," he fanned out his hands as if that explained her Tori persona.

She couldn't believe someone figured it out. As insane as he may be, he was a genius. Being a drama teacher, knowing the in and outs of acting must have helped clue him in. Now, one of her biggest fears was happening right now. Would he expose her secret?

"Please don't tell anyone," she said, desperately.

"Oh, don't worry. I find it quite exciting!" He sipped from his straw enthusiastically.

Her panic wavered, "You won't? And you do? The money doesn't tempt you?" Mentioning money probably isn't a good thing right now.

"Nope. Yes. Why would it? I get outrageously low coconut prices from my guy." He looked genuinely confused as to why he would want more money.

Tori slowly shook her head smiling, "You are a one of a kind guy, Sikowitz."

Her smile faded, "But Sikowitz, I have to ask you to take me out of the play. I have a big match in a couple months and I need to spend that time training."

Sikowitz frowned, but nodded understandly, "We will miss you in the play, Toro."

"I doubt Jade would," Now it was her turn to frown, "and it's Tori."

She bid him goodbye, but realized mostly everyone went home since the parking lot was empty. Including the space where Trina had parked.

"Oh, man,"she groaned.