♘

"AND YOU'RE SAYING that movie's not scary?" Riley asked Rex as she walked down the stairs with him, Robbie, and André. Robbie was carrying Rex as usual since the puppet couldn't walk.

"No, I'm saying it's not as scary as tofu," Rex replied.

André chuckled. "Why you always rippin' on tofu?"

"'Cause it tastes like snot. And snot does not taste good."

Riley smiled, playfully rolling her eyes before noticing Tori struggling with her stuff as she opened her locker. "Hey, look who's here," she nodded towards the girl. 

"Hey, can you guys help me?" Tori asked for their help.

"Sure," Robbie replied, dropping his puppet to the floor.

The three walked over to help Tori. André grabbed her bookbag while Robbie stuffed her textbooks in the locker.

"You should probably get some fixtures in there," Riley commented to Tori, watching the boys stuff her things in her locker. 

Tori nodded. "Yep."

"There you go," Robbie smiled.

"All set," André added.

Robbie walked back over to his puppet and picked him back up. Riley scrunched her nose in disgust when she saw a piece of gum stuck to Rex's forehead.

"Never put me down like that again," Rex demanded Robbie, who made Rex slap himself.

"Ow! I was helping Tori," Robbie defends himself. 

"Get the gum off my forehead."

Robbie did as he was told by the puppet, getting rid of the gum. 

"Okay, Rob, you don't have to do what your puppet says," Riley tells him.

He gave the girl a look. "Rex isn't a puppet!"

"Ooh, is 'doll' better?" She smiled, causing Tori and André to laugh.

Robbie rolled his eyes as Rex said, "Girl, you don't wanna mess with me."

"Like I'm scared of you."

Tori smiled, shaking her head before saying, "All right," she closed her locker shut, "My locker is filled. I feel complete."

André shook his head. "Whoa, whoa. Not yet."

"What?"

"You gotta customize it," Riley informed her.

"Everyone at Hollywood Arts has to customize their locker," Robbie explained as if it were obvious. 

"Oh, well, what did you do for yours?" Tori asked Robbie.

Robbie smiled. "I made a mosaic using all the baby bottle nipples from my childhood." His friends gave him disturbed looks, causing him to shrug. "They remind me of a happier time."

Tori looked at André. "Yours?"

"Check it out," André gestures to follow him, and they all go to his locker, customized as a piano.

"Follow those dreads," Rex says.

As they reached his locker, André began to play an awesome tune. Tori, Robbie, and Riley, including other students in the hallway, began to dance to it until Lane walked over to the kids.

"Hey, André, Robbie!" He called, causing André to stop, and they turned to him. "That squirrel's back in my office again."

André sighed. "I'll get the net."

"I'll get the nuts," Robbie added, and the two followed Lane to get the squirrel.

"I don't know what to do with my locker," Tori sighed as she and Riley returned to her locker.

"Would you like to see mine? Maybe it could inspire you," Riley suggested.

Tori smiled. "Sure."

She followed the other girl to her locker, a design of the Eiffel Tower with a pink background and the word "Paris" going across at the bottom. Paris was one of Riley's favorite cities to visit when she started her fashion career.

"Woah. That's cool," Tori praised. 

Riley smiled at the slightly older girl. "Thank you. When I first started, I had no idea what I would do but realized that I loved fashion and Paris is the city of fashion, which is what I'm really into, so I designed the Eiffel Tower," she explained.

"That is very inspirational," Tori praised and smiled, which Riley returned. "Want to head to class?"

"Sure. Let's go."

The two girls both linked arms before heading off to Sikowitz's.

♘

"Betsy, Betsy! That animal's delicious flesh can keep us all alive for another week," Jade says to Riley in a country accent as they both stand on the stage rehearsing.

Riley clutched the big, stuffed pig before reading her line. "I don't wanna be alive without Poncy. This pig is everythin' to me that my daddy never was, and I'll be ding danged--" Riley screamed and fell when Sikowitz threw a ball at her, knocking her to the ground.

"Sikowitz!" Jade yelled as she helped her best friend from the ground.

"What?" he questioned as if nothing had happened.

"You hit me in the face with a ball," Riley complained, clutching her cheek.

"Oh, come on! A great actor can stay in the scene no matter what's happening around her," Sikowitz explained to his students.

Riley glared at him. "But it hurts." The bell rang, causing the girl to smile. "Ooh, yay! Food!" 

Riley hopped off the stage, grabbing her things, hearing Sikowitz say, "Learn your lines. I want everyone off book tomorrow."

Cat and Riley walked out of the classroom together as Beck and André caught up to them.

"Hey, you alright, Riles?" André questioned as he walked next to her.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Sikowitz is lucky I'm not going to mention it to my father," She joked, causing him, Beck, and Cat to laugh. "Anyways, where's Tori? Is she going to eat lunch with us?"

Beck nodded as he replied, "Yeah, but Sikowitz needs to talk to her about something."

"Hey, I'll catch up with you guys. I need to ask Sikowitz something about our assignment," Cat announced and walked back to Sikowitz's class while André, Beck, and Riley continued walking toward lunch.

♘

"Ready? Drive-by-acting exercise," Sikowitz says the next day in class. "You're all angry Englishmen. Go!"

"I insist you tell me who sat on my crumpet!" Robbie exclaimed in a fake British accent.

"Please bring me my tea and leave the scones!" Riley said next.

"My grandmummy went to the loo while I snogged the prime minister," Jade says.

"This flock of whip-poor-wills is bothering my trousers," Andre said.

"Good heavens!" Cat exclaimed. "There's a dead cockroach in my brassiere."

"Blimey!"

"Well, I told you not to put plum sauce on me, banger!" Beck says.

They all started arguing in British accents until our teacher started clapping his hands.

"All right, all right! Very good! Quiet down!" Sikowitz exclaimed, and they all sat down in their chairs as Tori walked in. "Now that we're all loosey and/or goosey, the time has come for our newest student to tackle..." Everyone began to drum roll with their feet, "The Bird Scene! Tori, the stage is yours, though you can't take it home."

"Um... Can I ask you a quick question before I start?" Tori questioned as she stood on the stage, causing Jade to groan loudly. Tori rolled her eyes before looking back at Sikowitz. "So--"

"Just do your best. Action!"

"Okay," Tori says, setting her book down and starting the scene in a Southern accent. "It was 1934 when my husband left me. Alone. Living on the prairie was a dreary existence. No telephone, no radio. Only a large, majestic bird with whom I shared my feelings. One day, when I was feeling low, I said to him, "Oh, bird, you can fly. You can soar miles from this lonely place, yet you stay. Why?" And apparently, my question rang true, for that afternoon, the bird left. And so went my spirit." She bowed her head for a few seconds until she looked up at Sikowitz with a smile. "How was that?"

"What do you mean?" Sikowitz asks her with a bored expression.

"Did I do the scene right?"

"Oh! No, not at all," Sikowitz replied, standing up from his chair and walking up to her.

Tori looked confused. "Okay. Then what did I do wrong?" she questioned.

"You'll have to perform the scene again tomorrow and get it right, or else you cannot be in André's play or any other."

"But can you tell me what I did wrong?"

"No, I can't."

"I don't get any feedback?"

Sikowitz nod. "That is correct."

"But--"

"Drive-by acting exercise. You're all terrified dolphins. Go."

Riley and her classmates stood up and acted like dolphins while Tori sulked in her seat.

"Live the fear."

♘

"Oh, come on!" Tori complained as they walked through the hallway. "How am I supposed to do the scene right if no one will tell me what I did wrong? I thought you guys were my friends."

"I'm not your friend," Jade smirked, pulling Beck away towards the vending machine.

"I was hoping we could be more than friends," Rex says, leaning closer to her. "Hmm?"

Cat groaned in disgust. "It's so gross how he hits on every girl," she complained, and Riley nodded, agreeing with her.

"I never hit on you."

"Rex!" Riley gasped in shock.

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"You guys..." Tori stopped them from arguing, pointing to herself. "My problem."

"Number one rule of "The Bird Scene":" Beck says as he and Jade walk back over. "No one's allowed to help you."

"No one," Rex adds.

"Trust me, girl," Riley spoke, catching her attention. "I learned that the hard way. I kept begging and begging these guys to help, but they wouldn't budge until I realized what I did wrong."

Jade gestures to her locker with a marker board that reads "Tori's Locker." "So, this is what you did with your locker?" she questioned Tori.

"Yeah. See, it's a dry-erase board with colorful pens in a convenient cup," Tori explained to her friends. "Whoever wants to, they can write or draw whatever they want."

"But you're supposed to decorate it yourself," Beck points out to her.

"It's a Hollywood Arts tradition," Cat adds as Jade grabs a marker.

"Well, what's wrong with letting other people be expressive on my locker?" Tori questioned.

"Well, for one thing, they can do that," Robbie gestures to the board, which now reads "Tori's Stupid Locker." Jade then walks away with Beck.

"Yeah? Yeah, well, my locker's smarter than your locker!" Tori called out to her.

"How can it--"

"I don't know!" Tori groaned, cutting Riley off, and took down her board. "Somebody tell me how to do "The Bird Scene," or I'm gonna cry."

"Can't," Cat says before she walks off.

"We all believe in you, Tori. You can do this," Riley tells her, following after her red-haired best friend. 

♘

"So, are you ready?" André questioned Tori the next day in class. 

 "Oh, I am way past ready," Tori replied with determination. "Sikowitz wants "The Bird Scene"? I'll give him "The Bird Scene." I got props, a backdrop, and to kiss up a little, I even got Sikowitz two large coconuts."

"Those are good ones," Beck says with an impressed look.

"What's the deal with Sikowitz and coconuts?" Robbie asked us with confusion.

Jade raised her hands. "He says the milk gives him visions," she says.

"I heard that's how Trina got into Hollywood Arts because of the visions," Riley adds, earning confused looks from the others. Riley shrugged her shoulders before sitting beside Cat as Sikowitz walked in.

"All right. We have much to do today," Sikowitz says as he stands on the stage. 

"But first... Tori, "The Bird Scene"."

"I'm ready," Tori smiled as she stood up and took out the coconuts. "Before I begin, I'd like you to have these two large coconuts."

"Wonderful," Sikowitz smiled, taking the coconuts, and looked at her seriously. "You know, the milk gives me visions."

"I've heard."

"Very good. Everyone, pay attention. Tori?"

"One sec." She walks over to the board, drops a farmhouse backdrop, and puts on a pair of old lady glasses. "And, I am... ready."

"Delightful. Action!"

"It was 1934 when my husband left me. Alone. Living on the prairie was a dreary existence. No telephone, no radio. Only. . ." Tori turned the pencil sharpener, and a bird prop came down, "a large, majestic bird with whom I shared my feelings. One day, when I was feeling low, I said to him, "Oh, bird, you can fly. You can soar miles from this lonely place, yet you stay. Why?" And apparently, my question rang true, for that afternoon, the bird left." She cut the string and threw the bird out the window. "And so went my spirit." She bowed her head as the class stared at her. "So? Was that good?"

"Exactly what are you asking me?"

"Did you like what I did with the scene?"

"Sure."

"So, did I get it right?"

"Oh, no," he replied. "You failed. Again."

"What? Why? I did everything--"

"Hey!" The janitor outside exclaimed, holding the bird. "Watch where you throw your props!"

♘

 "Bye, Riley," Cat says, closing her locker.

"Bye," Riley says to her as the redhead walks away. Riley pulled out her camera for her photography class before closing her locker, only to be faced by a smiling Tori. "Oh, hey, Tori. What's up?"

"Oh, you know, just being stressed out over school and stuff." Tori faked a sigh as she leaned against Cat's locker. Riley knew the girl was trying to bribe me into telling her about what happened with The Bird Scene.

"Sorry, Tor. That sucks," Riley said with a sympathetic smile. Tori grabbed Riley's arm, yanking the younger girl back as she was about to walk away.

"You know what would make me feel less stressed?" she asked with a smile. "Telling me about the secret to The Bird Scene."

Riley sighed, pulling her arm back, "Sorry, girl. I wish I could tell you, but I can't. It's a Hollywood Arts rule, but I got an idea for your scene. Come by my mom's store after school, okay? Here's her address," Riley says, pulling out her mother's address card to her store.

Tori's eyes widened when she read the card. "No way! Your mom is Pamela Sinclair?! The fashion designer/model?!" she exclaimed.

"Yup. Come by after school, and I can help you with a costume for The Bird Scene," Riley told her, and the bell rang. "Ooh, second bell. See you after school, okay? Bye."

The girl then left for her photography class. 

♘

"So, you're going to help your friend with the bird scene by giving her one of the old costumes Mom made for you from one of your plays?" Riley's younger brother, Zay, asked as they stood in their mother's store.

"Yeah. I wanted to help Tori with the costumes since I can't tell her the secret to The Bird Scene," Riley replied, hanging a jacket on the rack.

The bell to the store rings, indicating that someone has entered the store. 

"Hey, um, I'm looking for Riley Sinclair," Riley heard Tori's voice. "I'm Tori. She told me to come here."

"Riles, one of your friends is here!"

Hearing their mother's co-worker from the cash register, Zay and Riley walked to the front of the store, seeing Tori. 

"Hey, Tori," Riley greeted her as she walked up to hug her.

"Hi, Riley," she says back, pulling away and looking around the store in awe. "Wow! This place is amazing!"

"Thanks. Tori, this is my younger brother, Isaiah, or Zay for short," Riley said, placing her hand on Zay's shoulder. "Zay, this is my friend, Tori."

"Nice to meet you, Tori," Zay smiles, shaking hands with her.

"You, too," Tori smiles back before looking at Riley. "So, why did I have to come here?"

"Oh, to give you this," Riley says, going behind the counter and taking out the southern-style costume her mom made. "This is a costume my mom made me for a play I was in last year. It should fit you and goes well with The Bird Scene."

Tori smiled as she took the costume. "Oh, that's so sweet of you, Riley. Thank you so much," she thanked."

No problem," Riley replied, smiling back at Tori. "Want a tour around my mom's store before you go?"

"Totally!" She giggled. Riley giggled as well before showing Tori around the store.

♘

The next day, Riley was talking with Jade and Cat when Andre and Robbie walked in with ice packs against their groins. The three girls shared confused looks, watching as the two sat down, groaning. Tori waited behind the curtains, and Riley hoped she'd pass this time.

"Happy birthday," Sikowitz greeted, walking into the classroom.

"Who's birthday is it?" Cat asked with a smile.

"Somebody's, somewhere."

"That's so true."

"Where's Tori?" Sikowitz asked as he stepped on the stage.

Tori popped her head from behind the curtains. "Right here."

Sikowitz turned around in surprise and noticed the curtains. "Oh! You brought curtains."

"Let's do this."

"Very good. Ladies and gentlemen, once again, "The Bird Scene," starring Tori...

""Vega."

"Vega!"

The curtains opened, and Tori stood on the other side in her Southern costume. She played southern-style music before she began.

"It was 1934 when my husband left me. Alone. Living on the prairie was a dreary existence. No telephone, no radio. Only a large, majestic bird with whom I shared my feelings." Tori whistled, and Riley was surprised when a white cockatoo flew in.

"You see the bird, too, right?" Riley heard Sikowitz ask from behind her.

"Yeah," Riley whispered back.

"Fantastic."

"One day, when I was feeling low, I said to him, "Oh, bird, you can fly. You can soar miles from this lonely place, yet you stay. Why?"" Tori nodded her head towards the window, and he flew out as he screeched. "And apparently, my question rang true, for that afternoon, the bird left. And so went my spirit." She bowed her head when she was done.

"That.. was impressive," Sikowitz praised with a smile as he stood up.

"So, did I get it right?" Tori asked excitedly.

"Nope."

"But... But I just--I--" Tori stuttered, "I did, too, get it right!"

"Tori, listen--"

"I'm not trying to be disrespectful, but do you know how hard I worked on this scene?" Tori complained before gesturing to the costume she was wearing. "Riley gave me this costume. I downloaded special prairie music. I even trained that stupid cockatoo to fly in and out of the window on command!" The bird flew in. "Not now!" He flew back out, and Tori continued, "Look, I know you're a great acting teacher and everything, but I don't care what you say. The scene I just did was good, and I'm proud of it no matter what anyone thinks."

Riley shared an impressed look with Beck before clapping with the class joining in. Tori watched in confusion.

"What?"

"You just passed "The Bird Scene"!" Sikowitz announced, and the class continued to cheer for her as she still looked confused.

"But you said--"

"Tori, the whole point of "The Bird Scene" is to teach a performer, like yourself, to believe in your own choices, no matter what others think," Sikowitz explains to her as he walks towards the front. "We are artists , and a true artist does not define success based on "oh, hee, hee" approval from others. A true artist need only please himself. . . or herself. . . or itself."

"You don't know what I got," Rex defended himself after Sikowitz pointed to him.

"So, all three times I did the scene--"

"Were delightful. It was only wrong when you asked if it was right, hmm?" He gives her a smile before standing on the stage with her. "Drive-by acting exercise. You're all elderly adults walking barefoot on broken glass .Go!"

Riley and the class all stood up and acted like older people.

♘

"You guys ready?" Tori asked Jade, Beck, Trina, Cat, and Riley gathered around her locker.

Everyone nodded in agreement, and Tori closed her locker. Her design was a night sky with the words 'MAKE IT SHINE' engraved on it.

"Make what shine?" Trina asked confusingly.

"It's the title of the song I sang with Riley in the big showcase," Tori explained to her friends. "'Cause you know, that's what got me here in the first place."

"I don't like it," Jade says bitterly.

"Jade," Riley warned, nudging her side.

"Maybe the words should be bigger," Cat suggested, and the rest agreed until Tori interrupted them.

"I believe in my own choice, and I don't need approval from others."

Beck smiles at her words. "The young female learned the ways of "The Bird Scene,"" he says.

"I still think it's dull," Jade declared.

"Yeah? Well, then maybe I should make it shine," Tori chuckled before pressing a button on her locker. Her locker lights up, and everyone applauds the design of her locker.

"Okay, so are we going to eat or what?" Jade asks, ruining the moment.

"Ooh, yay, food," Cat and Riley say in unison as we walk away.

♘

Author's note!

When I say I'm back, I'm back for good this time! I forgot how much I loved writing but so much has happened within the last two years that I lost my passion. Hopefully next year, I will continue to update, and that includes my other books, as well as publishing my draft books I have!