A/N. And here we are, the final chapter. It has been a true joy to write this fic. I truly hope you've all enjoyed this story and hope you have an amazing day. Thank you all for reading.
It was the last day of the school year. Summer was so close Tori could practically taste it. She was super excited for the summer as it meant hanging with her friends in the summer heat, practising and writing songs while relaxing in the sun.
But another part of her was sad. This was the end of an era. This school had changed everything, before Hollywood arts, Tori didn't have many friends, she didn't really care about classes, she was perfectly content to live a boring, normal life. But now? Well, after the showcase the entire group of friends had been getting offers coming out their ears. Cat and Jade were going on the next run of Wicked, Andre had been asked to co produce songs for a famous musician, Beck was going to make an appearance on Chicago blue, which would hopefully mean more roles in the future, Robbie was writing songs with Andre. And Tori... Well she didn't know what to choose.
She was pretty certain she wanted to pursue being a singer not an actor, but there were so many choices to go from there. She'd never pictured herself in musical theatre which was how Jade and Cat were getting their start, she had thought about working with Andre. The two had been writing and performing together since she started at Hollywood arts so they knew they worked well together but she also thought it could be nice to get out their and make a name for herself all on her own.
"UGH why is this so hard?!" Tori said in frustration.
"What's up with you Tori?" Andre asked as he approached the girl who was standing by her locker.
"I've got my whole life ahead of me, I've got offers coming at me from all angles and I have no clue what I want to do!" Tori explained to her friend.
"And to think. You didn't think this school was for you." Andre joked. Tori rolled her eyes with smile. "Do you remember your first day here?" He asked.
"Of course I do. It was weird as hell." Tori responded and Andre gave a chuckle. "I'm not joking!" Tori said as she lightly smacked his arm. "Meeting Cat, then Robbie after barley avoiding the dancing students was very jarring for regular high schooler Tori!"
"Yeah but in the end you brought your own little kind of weird." Andre joked.
"Ha ha." Tori said sarcastically. "Now if we wanna make it too our last lesson ever with Sikowitz we gotta hurry up."
"No more Sikowitz." Andre said with disbelief. "I can hardly picture it."
The pair made their way to class and sat down with their friends as they waited for Sikowitz to arrive.
"Even on the last day he's late." Beck said.
"Can you really say you're surprised?" Jade joked which made Cat giggle as she was, of course, sitting on Jade's lap, still fascinated by her engagement ring.
Sikowitz dramatically opened the door and then the surprise guest of V stepped through the door with him and started throwing fliers in the air while making an announcement. "Mark it in your calendars, cancel your other plans because July 18th is the union of the two greatest teachers to ever live Erwin Sikowitz and Lane Napper!"
The students picked up the fliers and Tori caught glimpse of Cat trying to catch one before it landed on her face instead which caused Jade to giggle. "You guys finally set a date then." Robbie said as the class quietened down.
"That we did my good boy!" Sikowitz responded gleefully. "Thank you for you help V." The teacher added as the agent gave a large bow before departing.
"It's been an honour."
"So are we all invited?" Tori asked the teacher out of curiosity.
"Of course you are!" Sikowitz responded, like it was a ridiculous question, the idea of his students not going to his wedding apparently never crossing his mind.
"Oh goodie." Jade said with thinly vailed sarcasm.
"Why are we all invited?" Beck asked.
"Because, and don't tell the other classes this, you are without a doubt the best class I have ever taught."
"Really?" Cat asked with wide happy eyes.
"Never in my life have I had a class be so engaged and so enthusiastic to learn the ways of acting, even those of you with no desire to pursue acting still came to every class and gave it your all." Sikowitz said with a smile. "You made me remember what I love about this job and because of you all I have had the greatest year of my life." The students could all feel themselves getting emotional, even Jade. They all knew this was the end of their time at hollywood arts, that they would never have Sikowitz as their teacher ever again, but this cemented it. "So thank you, all of you, for being the greatest students this old, coconut loving teacher could ever ask for."
"3 cheers for Sikowitz!" Andre announced and the class all cheered for their favourite teacher.
Sikowitz tried to hide his proud tears but was not very successful. The class finally settled down and he smiled at them all, "Well then, we have some time before we go off to the graduation ceremony, how about one final acting exercise?"
"Ooh alphabetical improv!" Cat suggested happily. Tori, Cat, Beck, Robbie, Jade and Andre got on stage.
"Amazing isn't it?" Andre began.
"Before we knew it, our final day arrived." Beck continued.
"Can't believe It's been 4 years already." Cat added, managing to play the game properly this time around.
"Dare I say they've been the best years?" Tori spoke. While she hadn't been at Hollywood arts as long as the others, she couldn't deny they'd been the best years in her 18 years of life.
"Every day here always had something weird going on." Robbie joked.
"From Christmas performances to proposals." Jade said.
"Good thing we had the best of friends to help us through." Tori added. She couldn't picture her life without the 5 people standing beside her right now. Even if they hadn't all always gotten along, even if they'd fought and gotten into trouble Tori was grateful for the sheer amount of joy these guys had brought her life.
"How are we gonna cope with not seeing each other every day?" Cat asked, a hint of sadness in her voice.
"I guess we'll just have to make sure we stay in touch." Beck said, trying to cheer up his friend.
"Just saying that though is easy, what if we get busy with performances or shows?" Robbie pointed out, a clear uneasiness at the idea of not seeing these guys all the time.
The group fell silent for a moment, the mood having shifted as they all now faced the sombre reality that if their careers did take off, all 6 of them meeting you would prove a challenge. Eventually Tori broke the silent with a weak "kangaroos."
Then, to everyone's surprise, the one to bring some optimism back to the group was Jade "Let's not let our final day be soured with doom and gloom."
"Maybe she's right." Andre said.
"No point in fearing what's next, we've got our whole lives ahead of us." Beck agreed.
"Of course!" Cat said excitedly.
"Perhaps we should focus more on all the awesome things that'll come next instead of dreading it." Tori added.
"Quizzes will finally be over." Robbie joked as he struggled to find a word.
"Really our lives are just beginning." Jade brought up. Tori was impressed with Jade, when she met her, Tori never would've been able to picture Jade being the one to lift the mood, Cat really had made Jade a much happier person.
"So what do you think will happen to us in the future?" Cat asked.
"To think we could be completely different people." Robbie said.
"Unending possibilities, what will we be in a few years?" Beck asked.
Tori pondered the question her boyfriend had asked for a moment before she thought of an answer that put a smile on her face. "Victorious" She said as the group faced her with a curious smile at her words. "For now and forever onward we will always be Victorious."
"Well said Vega." Jade said with a smirk.
"X-cellently put." Andre said with exaggeration which most everyone thought was cheating but let it slide as to not ruin the moment.
"You always did know just what to say." Beck said with a loving smile.
"Zebras!" Cat said with happiness as they finished the alphabet.
The class went silent for a while before Sikowitz began clapping. Soon enough the whole class was applauding and Tori gave a bittersweet smile as she thought about all the memories they made here and how she never would make anymore. "Now." Sikowitz said as the clapping quietened. "Time for you kids to graduate."
The students made their way to the hall were the graduation was happening. The hall was bustling with over a thousand people inside. Helen made her way up to the podium and the idle chatter inside the hall went quiet.
"Students of Holllywood arts." She began as all the focus was now on the head teacher. "You have all faced trials and tribulations throughout the year and you have not had it easy.
Tori thought about all the struggles her and her friends had faced over the year. From Tori and Beck struggling to get together,, Jade and Cat's relationship struggles, Robbie having to accept help to get over his need for Rex, Andre losing his grandma and the assholes who attacked Jade and Beck. But despite it all they had persevered. They had gotten through all the pain but has managed to come out the other side stronger and were all now finally happy.
"But despite it all you have all proven yourselves to be amazingly talented." Helen continued. "I have no doubt that you all will have incredible success in whatever field you choose. And now, our Valedictorian, Burfolomule Solomon."
The group of friends all looked at each other in complete disbelief. "Burf? Seriously?" Jade said with complete shock.
Burf made his way up to the podium and the whole hall was silent, on the edge of their seats with anticipation at what the boy would say. "Cheers honey." He said as he took Helen's place. "So I didn't know most of you and I don't really care."
"Great start." Andre whispered with a chuckle.
"Some of you were alright, some weren't. Im sure you'll make decent bar singers, or maybe you won't who knows and who cares. Peace I'm out." And with that Burf strutted off stage like someone who had just given the greatest speech known to man.
The students all sat their in utter disbelief as Helen made her way back to the podium. "Thank you Burf for that...interesting speech. Moving on, I will call out your names and you will each come up to the stage and collect your diplomas."
The group of friends mostly had last names that were towards the backend of the alphabet, like Vega, Valentine, West, so they had the joy of watching everyone else get their diplomas first.
Andre's name was the first called as he made his way up to the stage. Due to him being such a talented and versatile musician a lot of students had worked with Andre at least once so as he walked the hall was filled with cheers and whistles.
Beck was the next one up. He was initially nervous about going up on stage, fearful that his scar would be the focus of everyone's attention. But as he walked up the stairs, the hall gave thunderous applause and cheers. The acting he'd demonstrated at the showcase had redefined how everyone saw him. They no longer saw him for his scar, but saw him for his acting, for who he was. They saw Beck Oliver.
Robbie was next up but unfortunately for him, on his way up the stairs he tripped and fell face first on the wooden floor causing laughter to spread across the hall. "There's always one." Jade said with a chuckle.
Cat was next up and she was giddy with excitement. She pulled Jade up with her and gave her a loving kiss which caused the hall to cheer in support. She bounced up the stage and collected her diploma before skipping away.
Finally, Tori's name was called. She took a deep breath before standing up. "Don't fall on your ass." Jade joked and Tori stuck her tongue at her.
She made her way to the stage, shaking Helen's hand and collecting her diploma before exiting the hall. The group of 6 met back up in the hallway by the lockers, all looking at the large doors leading out the school as students poured out all around them. Soon enough they were the only students left in the school. "We should probably leave." Andre pointed out, not moving.
"Yeah you're right." Tori agreed but still remaining still.
Then, before any of the group could move, Christine came up to them with a blush. "H-hey Robbie." She stuttered.
"Oh hey." Robbie said nervously as the group looked at each other with smirks.
Christine took a deep breath before speaking. "Would you like to go out with me?"
"Uh-wow,um-i-me" Robbie stuttered as his face turned as red as Cat's hair.
"Yes of course he would." Andre said as patted Robbie's back.
"C-cool. How about Saturday?" She asked nervously.
Robbie silently nodded his head as his blush continued to darken. "Cool." Christine squeaked as she quickly left as Robbie's blush was replaced with a massive smile.
"And hell must've frozen over Cause Robbie Shapiro just got asked out by a girl." Jade joked.
"After some assistance." Beck added.
"I totally had a handle on it." Robbie defended.
"No Robbie, no you didn't." Tori teased as the group laughed.
Soon enough the lights in the school began to shut off and the group looked at the large doors. "Guess that's our que to leave." Beck said but the group remained still.
"I don't want to." Cat said quietly, echoing the sentiment felt by them all.
"Well we'll never know what comes next if we don't keep going." Jade said.
"True that." Andre agreed.
"And we'll still see each other all the time." Beck said. "And we have phones so we can always call."
"So how about we see what comes next for us all ey?" Tori said as they begin walking forward.
Cat slipped her hand into Jade's grip as they walked and looked over to Tori's locker. "Hey Tori are you gonna turn the lights of on your locker?" She asked.
Tori looked over at the locker that she'd decorated so long ago. Thinking about the words glowing there had inspired her so many times. She smiled as she read them.
"No, I think I'll leave them for someone else to find."
And with that, as the final light in the school turned off the group of friends left the school for the last time. The only light left in the now empty halls being that emanating from the words of Tori's locker. Saying one phrase that Tori and all the others would follow for the rest of their lives.
'Make it shine.'