Calendar Days

Author's Note: A calendar/date based story, focusing on how Beck and Tori (possibly) piece their relationship back together. Goes from Tori's side to Beck's side. Took a long time to write, and I feel like the end is somewhat abrupt, but I think when the feelings were always there, even if you try to convince yourself that they went away, it's easier to revive them.

Disclaimer: I do not own Victorious.

A red X crossed out the date of January 7th. Tori wanted to forever erase that date and the attached pain from her mind forever. Unfortunately, life didn't work that way.

She motivated herself to move on by February 28th. A little long, you may think? Well, Beck was her boyfriend for three years, so she felt it was apt. A purple color encircled that date, their favorite color, to represent happier times.

;;

Black numbers spelled out two weeks since it happened. Back to university again. Tori sighed and let her red lipstick smudge all over the crystal glass at the bar. Her college roommate was trying to augment her mood, but failed to do so. Tori just couldn't forget yet. His typically calm, soft brown gaze had replaced itself with anger as he shouted that it was over. She left the bar as Gina continued dancing.

The taxi ride home was long and exhausting. Why did Gina have to drag her out so far away? Why did anyone have the right to make Tori Vega do anything? Oh right, they didn't. From that day forward, even through a bout of spite, she decided to become more aggressive so no one like Beck could ever hurt her again.

The pale green of her cell phone swirled as she spun it on the table. Her appetite was long gone, and she didn't feel like celebrating. It wasn't the happiest birthday she'd ever had. People had been coming up to her periodically to wish her, but he didn't. Beck hadn't even made an effort to talk to her or any of her friends, like he flew to the other side of the world.

So, Tori went home and crossed out the colorful birthday drawings they had decorated the date of January 26th with when she was preparing her year long calendar at the beginning of the year. (She liked planning ahead. She knew what to look forward to. He liked watching her.) Instead of the orange and red demented party hat that used to scream a memory of his, a perfect tear trickled down the date.

;;

February 10th rolled around. The box was colored in green to symbolize the color of the band whose concert tickets they had bought much in advance. Now, Tori didn't even want to go. So, her ticket was sold to some overexcited freshman. Her night instead was a chemistry textbook, old comedy classics, and a pint of ice cream.

;;

Tori quietly marked away updated deadlines in her planner for Economics. April 2nd, April 17th, May 3rd...but today, March 1st was marked in her head forever. She finally saw Beck. Not on purpose! (shepromises.)

He was wearing a gray and red T-shirt, jeans, and combat boots, of course. The small grin on his face showed that he was less than amused at the jokes Robbie was probably telling him. Tori's gaze moved down to notice multiple bracelets and rings clashing on his fingers, but she could tell he could care less - new girl on his arm.

March 1st also became the day Tori went from pining for their memories to trashing them. She hated him for strolling through what he knew was her study spot besides the oak tree and art lecture halls (unless he forgot about her already...pleasedon'tforget.)

He didn't glance in her direction. No longing stares, nothing. Movies lie.

March 1st would not go away no matter how hard she pressed her black pen on it. The 2nd always came afterwards; no two ways about it. So, on the second, she boxed up their pictures and his gifts, handed them over to him in his dorm room (sheisabravegirl), and walked off. She was done.

;;

By April 11th, Tori finally felt like a little college romance didn't matter (wasthatallitwastori?). So when a hot guy at the college market stopped to pick up her purse from the ground, she seized the opportunity to flirt. It felt good. He had dirty blond hair and a relaxed attitude, but definitely had to be smart – he was studying electrical engineering!

On April 15th, they were making out, but Tori didn't really enjoy it. He was sloppy and desperate, not at all like the suave, collected boy she was used to. But forget him, Tori Vega! He forgot you, didn't he? (hedidn't.)

The blonde and the brunette were having their bit of fun, even though she was a lot more careful and slow with him. Finals and summer were coming in a month, and she was flying off to Costa Rica for a summer study abroad program. Sam might not have been the most promising guy to start a relationship with, regardless of his washboard flat abs and sexy grin. Tori learned that he wasn't as committed to his studies as she hoped and revealed a far darker side with his drunken nights out.

It ended. April 29th.

;;

Exams were ending, and Tori did well as usual. Life just reworked itself to be perfect for her. But Tori didn't think so. She lost Beck, didn't she?

Going home on May 8th. Beck had drawn his version of her house on the calendar (he cannot draw), and Tori smiled to herself in spite of recalling who drew it. She was ready for the long drive when a sudden knock on the car door startled her. Rolling down the window and popping her head out, it was the person she least expected to ever talk to again.

"Uh, hey," he greeted nonchalantly. He gave her an awkward grin. "So, how have you-?"

Tori dismissively interrupted him. "What do you want? Get to the point."

Her tone was a bit harsh for his liking, but what did he expect? "I actually took my car home two weeks ago and came back on the bus, so I was wondering if I could get a ride back to Hollywood with you." Beck quickly covered up his request by saying, "If you can't, I mean, it's totally fine. I can take the bus, but with the luggage and stuff," he trailed off weakly.

She stared back snobbishly. A little bit of attitude wouldn't hurt to cover up her true feelings. "And you're just asking now. As I leave to go home."

"You know what? This was just a bad idea. I'll be fine by myself," he began walking away.

"Damn right, you'll be fine by yourself. You chose to be by yourself, didn't you?" she yelled and drove away quickly.

Tears blurred her vision on the road.

;;

Summer was quickly flying by, the days of sunshine and relaxation running away. Tori looked at today's date, July 7th, decorated with (broken) rainbow hearts because she couldn't decide on a color to describe their relationship. It was her and Beck's anniversary, another memory of mild pain.

Her scene to be rehearsed was of her pining for another man, in some ways apt, in others not. Wonderful if Beck could kick his ego down a notch and finally apologize for being a jerk. (She wanted to call him a bastard, but didn't have the heart. She's Tori Vega, didn't ya know?) But she was soooo done with him now (mmhm, she was).

On the way back, it rained and hailed heavily outside, obstructing Tori's view of the road. The brunette's heart stopped when she almost hit another car, but swore to herself that she would set her mind straight and never be caught in such a situation due to her absentmindedness. (Easier said than done, babe.)

A rainbow shined when it neared dusk. Tori threw a rock at it. Rainbows are happy; her day sucked.

;;

August 10th, Tori was invited to an acting awards ceremony by the local theater group. She supposed it was due to her performance in Follies, which was highly appreciated by the local L.A. community. The day was colored in elegant gold because the girl was destined to become a star.

Tori's white heels carried her over to a front row seat, lucky she was always punctual, and she distracted herself with the generic program handed out to all attendees. Some names being announced were familiar, some of former celebrities, and others, hidden geniuses. Tori gracefully accepted her Best Debut Actress statuette and ended it off with an elegant speech. She eagerly looked towards the podium, wondering if her cast mate from Follies would be announced as Best Debut Actor. Jason was quite the subtle artist and brilliant nonetheless. However, being out of town for most of the year prevented her from being an unbiased judge. She was hardly aware as to who had been introduced in the past year.

"And the winner is...Beck Oliver!" the star of the latest Hairspray production announced.

Tori's curls nearly whipped the person sitting beside her. She didn't know he was here, let alone that he had performed a play in the past few months here. The mixed woman nearly sunk in her side, acting as though a hand to her face could be her shield from reality.

The gold pattern on her weaponry glistened like the sparks in Beck's eyes. He treasured the night that presented him with a r.e.a.l. acting honor and gave him the opportunity to set things straight.

An hour had passed at the after-party. Some guests were drunk; others took business-like, sophisticated sips of their chosen drinks. Tori was watching Beck go for one after the other, regardless of his being underage. He, even in his drunken stupor, noticed his ex-girlfriend staring at him and made his way over.

"You've been watching me," he stated, taking another sip of godknowswhat. The vengeful college student-slash-actress refused to dignify him with a response. At least, that's what she heard people glorify the silent treatment as.

He kissed her that night when she dropped him home. (She was mad, not inconsiderate.) Tori's tears didn't stop that night.

Because it wasn't a real kiss that came from his heart; it was a sloppy mess that Hpnotiq induced.

;;

Beck saw her on move-in day, August 28th – gray suitcases on the calendar, carrying two gigantic trash bags and clearly getting tired. The dark red romper and white belt set off her svelte figure, and Beck was nearly falling in love all. over. again. He almost offered to help her, but remembered her amalgamation of anger and surprise upon his kiss and let it be.

;;

The only two seats left in their class (it was like fate played a cruel trick) were the ones beside each other. Tori desperately looked for another free space, but could find none. The rest of the class stared at Tori as she contemplated whether to sit beside Beck, who had shrugged his shoulders and taken a seat, or ask someone to switch with her.

Just then, the professor walked through the door and gave Tori an odd look. "Ma'am, if you'd like to be in this class, please take your seat now." The timid brunette nodded and quickly shoved in next to Beck, (accidentally?) knocking his book down in the process. Dr. "Too Strict" stared her down until she sat upright and still.

He looked over at her charmingly, twelve rows from the front, just far enough to whisper to Tori, "Missed you."

Her heart jumped out of its place, and she kicked his combat boots, not realizing that it would hurt her foot, too. Beck merely chuckled and allowed his eyes to crinkle shut. He knew it was a jerk move to catch her off guard, but he wasn't going to be handed this opportunity every day. After the class was over and Tori stormed out, Beck ran after her.

But her determination was too fast for his feet.

(September 7th. 7 was not Beck's lucky number.)

;;

Eighteen was. She smiled at him on October 18th in the gym when he picked up her green and red water bottle from the ground. Even though he was sweaty and most likely unattractive, his goofy grin just had to make him look even worse. He couldn't help it – that's what she did to him!

Damn you, Tori Vega, damn you.

;;

On October 19th, he passed a note to her saying, "I'm sorry," in his scratchy, unique handwriting. He barely ever made an effort to let the paper actually register a writing utensil making marks on it, so Tori had to squint at the letters to decipher what it said. Beck frantically kept staring at her and noticed a smirk form on her face – good, it wasn't an angry glare.

They walked out together after class, and Beck thought he saw her (almost, if and only if she loved him) try to hold his hand.

So, he tried to smash ice cream onto her face. It turns out that's only cute when you're dating, Beckett. He knew he saw her smile though. Beck could spot her clear, bright grin anywhere, especially if she was near ice cream (or him, but shh, he didn't know that).

Vanilla cones on 10/19.

;;

The –rainbow– hearts were put back together on November 2nd when Tori realized that she really could not avoid Beckett Oliver to save her life. He was hers, she was his; they'd never get rid of each other. (But really, they loved that.)

;;

December 31st. They began a new calendar together.