A/n - Just popped into my head when watching the newest Victorious episode. Not sure if I ship these two but they'd sure make a cute couple. XD

Disclaimer: I do not own this.

Crushed

"I think I'm in love with Jade."

At least that is what Andre told me yesterday when he showed up at my house in the middle of the night covered in a sheen of sweat. He paced my living room in only his boxers, lamenting his fate.

I didn't know what to tell him. I could only gape. Jade, the nasty vicious girl with a penchant for scissors, was far removed from the friendly yet somewhat slutty girls that Andre usually went for. Really, it made no sense to me.

Yet, it bothered me on a deeper level than just my best friend loving a horrible person. I guess the first part I could get over, but this nauseous, tight feeling in my gut pestered me long into the night after he left.

The next morning it was Trina and I alone since mom and dad went to visit grandma since she had gotten sick again. I wasn't concerned though. As she had assured me on the phone, it was only pinkeye but my parents were always ready to rush to her aid whether she wanted it or not.

It was a quiet, strained breakfast though, and Trina kept shooting me curious glances over her bowl of Honey O's. I was trying to concentrate on the script laid on the table in front of me but I didn't miss Trina staring at me. Finally I threw down my spoon, splattering the script with milk. "What?"

"I heard you last night," She said cryptically with a smug look on her face. "How many times before has Andre shown up late at night?"

"Never." I snapped. "He had an emergency last night and came to me. It was nothing."

"Hmm...really? Well, then, why did you stay awake for the rest of the night?" Trina asked with a smirk on her face. I looked at her, wondering why not only was she interrogating me but also knew that at all. "I heard you moving around, and talking to yourself. We have thin walls. You've really got to stop doing that."

"So what?" I said, dabbing my script, trying to save it. It was too late. Lines five through eight were ruined beyond recognition.

"So what? So I think you like him." Trina told me, batting her eye lashes and giving me a cocky grin. It was like she woke up with the idea in her head that she would annoy me to the point where I'd want to kill her.

"Do not." I told her, crossing my arms in defiance.

"Do to."

What was wrong with Trina this morning? I mean, besides her being her usual, annoying self.

"Well, if you don't like him, would you mind if I asked him out?" She asked, standing and moving to the sink to wash her bowl out and put it in the dishwasher.

"Trina!"

"What girl wouldn't fantasize about those strong arms of him enveloping them in a warm, passionate embrace?" It disgusted me the way she swooned over the fantasy. I almost wanted to kill her and most likely would have if I didn't need her to get to school.

"Can we just get to school?" I asked, grabbing my backpack and tossing her the keys to the car.

"Whatever you say, Tori." She told me in a condescending tone before jingling the keys and walking outside.

At school Andre lamented once again how awful it was for him to have feelings for his best friend's girlfriend. And there I was feeling awkward and out of place while he stumbled all over himself trying to ignore his feelings for that nasty goth.

"I'll email it to you." Andre had yelped before taking off and crashing into Robbie. He reminded me of a little child running from the playground bully. Which is what Jade should be seen as.

The part I'm most mad about though, is that he left me with all the questions. This had to end. One, he had to get over that brunette demon. And two, he had to leave me out of this, and since he wouldn't, I'd have to end it.

I found Robbie later in the day. "Hey, Shapiro. How would like to help me with a project?"

"What kind of project?" Rex asked silkily.

"Whatever you need, Tori." Robbie said—always the altruistic one.

"Well, actually I need two things." He nodded as though he saw it coming. "One, you don't ask any questions, and two, I need help looking like Jade."

"But wh—"

I slammed him against the lockers. Wow, for a moment there I was Jade. I shivered at the thought but quickly spat, "I said not to ask any questions."

"Okay, okay." Robbie said with a small smirk. I stepped away from him. "Come to the costume room. I've got some wigs we can make to look right."

I followed him.

By costume room, Robbie meant costume building. It was a multi-level and gigantic room. I had been in the smaller version where all costumes for the show were brought but only those who worked backstage usually used the bigger version.

"How about this one?" He asked, holding up a dark wig that fit Jade's hairstyle almost perfectly but minus the blue streaks. "We can clip in some hair extensions."

"Yeah. That will be perfect." I muttered, picking up a beautiful dress. It was actually pretty modest with a knee-length skirt and long sleeves. It was a dark, silvery purple corset design that flared out from a belted waist into a pleated skirt. I fingered the material but sadly it was a size too small.

"That's pretty." Robbie said coming up behind me.

"But it's too small."

"Heh. I'm a pretty good seamstress." He told me, and I looked at him. "I mean seam…ster." He finished lamely.

"Don't worry about it Robbie." I told him. I turned to the pile of "Jade shirts" I had gathered and picked up one with a skeleton on it. "How about this one?"

"With this jacket, your dark jeans and those knee high black boots over there—you'll be perfect." Robbie said with a light smile, retrieving the final elements of the costume.

"As perfect as you can be while dressed as that b—"

"REX!" Robbie yelled, cutting off Rex's final work.

"I was just going to say 'bat'. Yeesh, man." Rex countered but Robbie paid no attention.

He was saying, "Now, this nail polish will finish up the outfit."

"I take that back, Robbie. I should have said 'yeesh, boy' because I'm revoking your man card." Rex laughed from his perch. I held out my hand to Robbie so he could paint, and Rex was accidently knocked backwards by a stray elbow. "Ow."

Robbie did an amazing job. I mean, I looked like Jade and after a few—unnecessary—pointers, I acted like Jade too. It actually freaked me out a bit.

After I said goodbye to Robbie, I sent a text to Andre asking him to come to my house. I knew that Trina and my mom would be out. They had dual hair appointments and my dad should be at work or at least out of the way.

As soon as I got home, I took a sharpie to some note cards and scribbled out messages to Andre since I planned to ambush him pretty much.

Then I sat, lounging on the couch as Jade, watching some horrific movie where everyone was being violently slashed. I0t just felt like something Jade would be into. When the madman stabbed the heroine's eye out, the doorbell rang and I gratefully turned off the television.

I ran up the stairs to hide while Andre came in. At that moment I came down with some nasty comments already on my lips. "Say something intelligent and shut your face." I told him bitterly.

When he continued to ask questions, I shoved the cards into his arms. He read them aloud and then smirked at me. I wanted to tell him to shut up, but that might break character—I guess.

We moved to a coach after I verbally berated my dad. I'd explain later. And then, all of a sudden, Andre was saying, "So do you want to like, see a movie?"

"Sure. I want to see Death of the Kitten!" I told him rancorously, almost enjoying it.

I was still being Jade… so almost.

"Ohhh, uh. So do you want to just go get a hamburger?" He asked shyly. It was so cute. Really cute.

"Beef makes me puke!"

How could he still be looking at me with those dreamy eyes? I was being awful. I would need to take a bath after this because I felt so dirty and nasty. I was lost in my train of thought and failed to see Andre moving closer to me.

His hand caught my hair lightly and kept moving to cup my cheek. Then he was moving towards me. Before my mom registered what was happening, his lips were on mine.

I went rigid…for a moment. It was stupid, really stupid but I deepened the kiss. He pressed for access and I opened my lips for him. His tongue ran along my teeth making me shudder and causing tingles down my arm.

Finally he pulled away from me, untangling his fingers and leaning back. Horror registered on his face. It was a mistake for him—he didn't like me. Stupid, stupid me. I should have pushed him away and now I probably would lose him as my best friend.

I'd rather have him in my life as just a friend, than not at all.

Yet all that was threatened when he said, "Oh… I got to go."

And the door swung shut behind him.

Three days we avoided one another. In fact, Andre avoided everyone, especially Jade. I saw him chatting with Cat a few times only to notice me and take off again. A lot of his time was spent along in the black box theatre, writing song after song but I didn't have the heart to intrude.

We needed to talk though, and the last person I wanted to talk to cornered me. "What's wrong with Andre?"

"What do you mean?" I asked, looking up from my sandwich. I sat up and looked at the object of Andre's affection.

"What are you stupid?" She snapped, tapping her steel-toed boot. "I asked a simple, straightforward question—"

"I don't know, Jade."

"Don't bullshit me." She snapped, and Cat, who was sitting across from me, squeaked and covered her ears. Jade looked after the retreating girl with remorse but her gaze was steely when it fell back to me.

"Something happened."

"Aw… trouble in paradise, Vega?" Jade smiled crookedly.

"Nice to know that you enjoy my pain."

"I try." She told me, taking the seat next to me.

"Why do you even care?" I snapped, taking a bite of my sandwich.

"Don't for a second think I care about you. Andre's my friend too… he's everyone's friend and we worry about him. What a stupid, shallow question to ask." Jade told me in a condescending tone. Then she stood, her eyes cold before she finished, "Just do us all a favor and tell the boy you love him already."

I guess I now knew what I had to do.

I went to see Andre.

I slipped into the Black box theatre, skipping acting class. That made two of us it seemed. "Hey." I said into the darkness, the lights low and strange. Andre, though, I could hear him moving, I couldn't see him.

"Hi?" He said curiously.

"It's me."

"Me who?" He asked playfully, sounding so much like his normal self that all past events may have never occurred.

"Me Tori."

"Me Andre. You Tori." He grunted and the lights came on. I saw him sitting on the stage, holding a guitar with one hand and the control remote in the other. "Aren't you supposed to be in class?"

"Aren't you?"

"Touché." He smirked, putting the guitar next to him and rising. Then his face fell, "I am so sorry, Tori. I didn't mean to—"

"I know." I responded sadly. Already he was apologetic. Maybe things would never be patched. "And I'm sorry too."

"For what?"

"For everything, Andre. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that stupid scheme, and I shouldn't have kissed you back. It was stupid."

"No it wasn't." He told me, stepping closer to me. I panicked and almost stepped back but I didn't. "We can recover from this. Things can go back to the way they were." He could always read my mind.

"But what if I don't want them to?" I asked, hypothetically.

"Tori, I don't even know if I want them to." He told me and I realized from the look in his eyes he realized the underlying meaning behind my words. I pretty much told him that I liked him. Nothing could go back now.

"How can you not know?" I asked.

"I just don't." He told me in the same exasperated tone he used the night before. "A few hours ago I thought I was in love with Jade."

"Thought?" I paused. "You don't think that now?"

"I don't know but maybe if we… kissed again. I'd—"

I cut him off with a kiss. He went stiff like I had but quickly melted into the kiss, wrapping his arms around my neck. I felt his tongue run along my lip. I let him run his tongue along my teeth. He tasted delicious.

When he pulled away he placed his forehead to mine. Finally I broke the silence, "What about Jade?" I asked.

"Jade who?" He asked, kissing me again but more passionate this time.

Maybe things didn't have to go back. But they could get better.

It was a friday and today was the annual Fall Ball. It wasn't really a Ball though, since those meant fancy dresses and classical music. Instead this was like a Fall Bash, wild and almost out of control. A local band was playing instead of students from the school like usual. Well, to be honest, Freddie Louis was in the band. They were called The Calipers and I still didn't get the name, but whatever. All that mattered was my date.

I was supposed to be meeting him here but he was nowhere to be seen. I stood off to the side, smoothing down my maroon dress. I had outgrown it a bit and now was almost too short for my liking. Also the matching shoes were torture, tight and cutting in at all the wrong places. Finally I was forced to go barefoot and sit on a picnic bench to spare my feet the disgusting concrete of the court yard.

"Tori, looking good." Robbie said, jolting me out of my thoughts. He smiled at me. And I noticed he was wearing a baby blue tux. It wasn't prom.

"You looking hot, baby." Rex said and Robbie scolded him.

"Have you seen, Andre?" I asked and they both looked perplexed.

"I thought you said you were waiting for you date?" He asked, cryptically. I almost forgot Andre and I wanted to hide our relationship until this dance but I wouldn't reveal our little surprise until he got here.

"Yeah, I am but Andre has my phone." I quickly lied. Being an actress had some advantages.

"Oh." He paused. "I brought you something. From behind his back he produced a swatch of bright purple fabric.

"Is that the...?" I started, standing even with my bare feet to get a better look.

"Yes. I made it a little bigger to fit you."

I couldn't believe it. Then I paused, "How did you know my dress size?"

He looked guilty. "I guessed but it'll fit."

"Sure," I said wearily, accepting the garment as he held it out for me.

"Just go put it on."

"Will do." I told him, stopping to peck him on the cheek, platonically of course. "Thanks, Robbie."

I rushed to the restroom and took the last stall, almost tearing the maroon dress. I wanted to get into the gorgeous garment as soon as possible. Then I realized the shoes didn't match anymore. Then I realized I wasn't even wearing them. I left them on the bench outside.

It didn't matter, I figured. I stretched to my limit zipping myself up and then zipped back outside to where I almost ran into Andre.

He was dressed similarly to Robbie but his tux had a tie instead of a bow tie and his was charcoal black. Also, Andre pulled off the tux look and looked handsome as ever.

"Hey, Baby." He whispered, leaning in close. "You look fantastic."

"Thanks," I giggled like a school girl and he smirked at me.

"Would you like to dance?" He asked, slipping his hand in mine. Then he glanced down, "I'll try not to step on your toes." We laughed.

He pulled me after him until we were immersed in the throng of people. I bumped into Cat who was dancing with some blond guy. She didn't even notice me but continued on bouncing in her jupiter boots. I saw Jade with Beck too but they were swallowed by the crowd, and it was just me and Andre. Finally my boyfriend stopped, turning and grabbing my hands to start dancing. I couldn't stop smiling.

"Listen to this next song." He suddenly whispered in my ear, tearing me from thought and making me jump. He chuckled. "I wrote this for you. I had to request it though. I'd go and sing it myself but Freddie is a bit possessive of that mic. Maybe another time but for now, really listen to the words, babe."

I miss the sound of your voice
And I miss the rush of your skin
And I miss the still of the silence
As you breathe out and I breathe in

If I could walk on water
If I could tell you what's next
I'd make you believe
I'd make you forget

So come on, get higher, loosen my lips
Faith and desire and the swing of your hips
Just pull me down hard
And drown me in love

I smirked and kiss him as the second chorus played again.

I heard a hoot from in the crowd and could feel eyes on us. Then I heard Jade say, "About damn time."

A/N - This is a one-shot. Please do not ask me to write another chapter. I will not. Please review though please! Tell me what you think. :) Btw, the song is Come on Get Higher by Matt Nathanson.