AN: This is a one shot of a rather bizarre dream about Gormiti I had a couple of nights ago. It's set at the end of Black Water. Hope you enjoy it!
"You didn't say anything about a movie!" Toby Tripp yelled as he and his friend Lucas Wanson chased after his brother Nick and their other friend, Jessica Herleins. They raced down the streets of Venture Falls, Toby soon overtaking Lucas- due to athletic prowess more than anything else. Lucas was left to catch up at his own pace as Toby sped off on his own.
As he rounded the corner, the cinema in full view, he saw them walking up the steps toward the double doors. He was about to call out to them when, suddenly, Nick took hold of Jessica and kissed her.
Toby felt an unexplainable feeling deep in his chest, as though someone was slicing his heart to ribbons. He felt sick with hurt and betrayal. Turning his back on them, he ran as fast as he could, nearly colliding with Lucas who had just arrived.
Lucas took in the distraught look on his friend's face and asked, "Toby, what happened?" When he didn't reply, he repeated his question louder until Toby finally looked up with a air of someone who had lost everything and didn't even care.
"I don't want to talk about it..." he mumbled, uncharacteristically quiet. He cast an almost despairing glance in the direction of the cinema before running off once again.
Lucas frowned. Clearly Toby had seen or heard something that had gotten to him. After all, he had never gotten so upset or angry at...anything, really. Lucas found himself determined to find out what was happening. He broke into a jog and arrived at the cinema. Almost immediately, he heard Jessica and Nick's voices. They appeared to be arguing about something. Lucas strained to hear the conversation:
"I don't understand, Jess. I tell you I love you, and then you completely shut me out."
"Look, Nick, I'm flattered but I-I just don't see you that way. A-And I don't think it was a good idea for you to kiss me either."
"Why not? Is it because you're afraid of what people might say or because you're worried that Toby might make jokes.
I don't think it's jokes you'd have to worry about. Lucas thought to himself as he left, knowing at least what Toby must have seen, but not knowing why he was so worked up about it.
He arrived back at the Tripp's house to find Toby kneeling on the ground with his head in his hands. Lucas cleared his throat and Toby looked up slowly. "So, are you going to tell what's wrong or do I have to figure it out for myself?"
Toby looked at him almost desperately, as though silently asking not to have to relive a particularly painful memory. Finally, after what seemed like a lifetime to Lucas, he replied, "Nick and Jess."
"What about them?" Lucas pressed, knowing full well but wanting to hear it from his friend who had witnessed it directly.
When Toby next spoke, it seemed like he was having to force the words out. "Th-They were...kissing." He said through gritted teeth. Lucas made a noise of comprehension but Toby hadn't finished. "A-And that's fine with me, you know. I mean, it's a free country so they're at perfect liberty to kiss each other if they want to. Just so you know, I really couldn't care less!"
Lucas was confused. "So, if you're not bothered about them being together, what's the problem exactly?"
Toby stood up and turned around in one motion and let out a frustrated yell. "The problem is that I say I'm not bothered but, in reality, my soul feels like it's been torn apart. Why? Because I love her, Lucas!" He stared desolately at the sky. "I love her.. " he whispered brokenly before collapsing onto the grass, looking down at the ground as though hoping it would swallow him up.
Lucas was at a complete loss of what to do or say. As the most optimistic of the group, Toby was usually the one designated to cheer them up when things seemed bleak. Now, however, he was the one that needed cheering up and Lucas didn't have a clue how to go about doing so. All of a sudden, he remembered Jessica and Nick's conversation.
"Toby!" He yelled. "There's something you need to know." Without waiting for a reply, he launched into a detailed explanation of what he had seem and heard when he arrived at the cinema.
When Lucas finished, Toby opened his mouth to say something but promptly closed it again as Nick and Jessica walked in. Before anyone could say anything, Toby got to his feet and fled into the house, refusing to look at any of them.
"What's up with him?" Nick asked, frowning, as Jessica stared in the direction Toby had run.
Lucas decided not to reply. Toby had trusted him enough to admit something that he had clearly kept a secret for years. If he told them, he would be betraying that trust. So, instead, he shrugged his shoulders and Nick dropped the subject immediately.
They had all decided a long time ago that none of them ever truly knew what Toby was thinking- he may be the most impulsive but he could be thinking anything and they would never know. Lucas realised now how true this was and knew he would have to keep a close eye on his friend...
The next day, Toby's mood didn't improve. He seemed to be actively trying to avoid both Nick and Jessica, who were confused and bewildered by his attitude towards them. If one of them spoke to him directly, he ignored them, giving no sign that he had even heard them.
This continued until lunchtime when Lucas, who had finally gotten fed up of the way Toby was acting, dragged his friend outside for a talking-to. Unbeknownst to him, however, Jessica had secretly followed them, determined to find out what was going on.
"Seriously, Toby, what is wrong with you?" Lucas yelled, shaking his friend none-too-gently by the shoulders.
"What do you think?" Toby snapped sarcastically. "I'm having to spend the rest of my days knowing that the girl I love, and have always loved, is in love with my brother! So I think I deserve to be angry, don't you? Considering my heart and soul have been ripped apart!"
Lucas was about to reply when Jessica's voice said quietly, "You're wrong." She emerged from her hiding place and Lucas knew that, at that moment, he and Toby were thinking exactly the same thing: how much had she heard?
Slightly uneasy, he asked, "How much of that conversation did you hear?"
Jessica didn't look at him when she replied; her eyes were fixed on Toby and she wasn't looking anywhere else. "Enough to figure out what's been going on!" She strode toward Toby and, without warning, jabbed him sharply in the ribs with her finger, causing him to let out an involuntary gasp of pain. When she next spoke, she addressed him directly.
"You seriously think Nick and I... are together?"
Toby's head snapped up. "I saw you kissing! What was I supposed to think?"
"Well, I'm guessing you didn't stick around for what happened afterwards, right?" She asked, seeing Toby glance significantly at Lucas who she hadn't realised was still there. "You know I didn't want Nick to kiss me... and do you know why?" She paused for a moment to catch her breath.
"Go on, then." Toby said coldly. "Tell me exactly why you didn't want my brother, who you obviously prefer to me in every way, to kiss you. Was it because you were in public or was it because you were afraid I'd find out?"
Jessica shoved him angrily. Unfortunately, for her, he was a lot stronger than she was and the only thing that happened was her staggering back and almost losing her balance. Her voice took on a shrieking edge. "No, you idiot, it's because I'm in love with you!"
There was a long awkward silence, during which Lucas cleared his throat uncomfortably, causing them both to look at him. He quickly muttered something about needing a drink before dashing back inside the house, leaving Toby and Jessica alone, identical expressions of shock on their faces.
Jessica laid her hand on Toby's arm. "Toby, I..."
Toby yanked his arm away. "Don't. Just don't, Jess." He looked up at her. "I've been in love with you for years, but that's probably just a joke to you, isn't it? Just like you supposedly being in love with me."
Jessica saw the expression in his eyes and knew he was serious about being in love with her. She was, however, surprised at his attitude to her confessing her true feelings. "I could never joke about something like this!" She yelled, moving as close to him as she dared.
She gulped as he moved even closer to her, until there was only a small gap separating them. "Oh, really?" He said softly, running his hands up her shoulders to tilt her chin so she was facing him. "So show me these feelings of yours are real." With that, he closed the gap between them, covering her mouth with his own before she had a chance to do or say anything.
Jessica kissed him back, as though her life depended on it, noticing immediately how he seemed to be pouring his very soul into the kiss. For a split second, she wondered vaguely if it was a dream, albeit a very satisfying one. It was only when she felt his body pressed firmly against hers that she was brought back to reality.
As the kiss grew in passion, they found themselves wondering why they had never had the courage to admit their feelings before. However they didn't dwell on those thoughts for too long as their minds were completely on their kiss.
Though they both wanted to continue, they reluctantly broke apart. Jessica gasped for air, feeling euphoric and dizzy with happiness. "Now do you believe me?" She asked, staring into his ocean-blue eyes and seeing only love there.
Toby smiled at her and nodded. "I'd have to be a fool not to, after that." He told her. "But why did you never tell me?"
Jessica looked at him thoughtfully. "Because I was afraid you would break my heart."
He stared at quizzically so she continued, "I was afraid that, if I told you, you would treat my love as a joke and I couldn't bear that! Not when I've loved you for so long."
She was cut off by him pulling her into a warm and tender hug. Immediately she felt all the love for her he had apparently been feeling for years in his embrace. "Let me tell you something, Jess." He said, an uncharacteristically serious expression on his face. "I joke about a lot of things; it's just what I do and people get used to it after a while. But the one thing I could never and would never joke about..." here he took hold of her hands and gazed steadily into her eyes, eyes he swore were the most beautiful he had ever seen "...is falling in love with you."
She gasped, seeing the pure honesty in his eyes and realised he was telling the truth. "And, as for breaking your heart, I'd rather die than put you through so much pain. I know what it's like to have your heart broken and I wouldn't wish it on anyone."
Jessica opened her mouth to apologise for making him feel so empty and broken but he placed a finger to her lips, silencing her. "Shhh, I know." He said, gently wiping away tears she hadn't been aware she was crying. "You didn't want to hurt me- it was more my fault than anything that I got so mad about the whole thing. Well, I suppose I was just jealous, really."
"Jealous?" Jessica asked, mystified. "Why?"
Toby smiled at her. "Because, after years of always being second-best in the eyes of everyone, I thought that you preferred him over me. I guess that was just the final straw for me- I mean he might have been in love with you as long as I have but, at the time, it felt like he was deliberately taking away the one thing I thought I stood a chance of winning."
"Nick is great and I do love him." Upon seeing Toby's distraught expression, she added hastily, "As a friend or as a brother. But he could never have what you have right now or have always had."
Toby frowned. "What?"
Jessica smiled and placed his hand where her heart was. "My heart."
Toby smiled back and reciprocated the gesture. "You had my heart from the moment I first saw you- even though I was five and didn't know it at the time!"
"I love you, Toby. I always have and I always will."
"I love you too. I love you now and I'll love you forever, Jessica. I promise you that I'll stay by your side, no matter what."
AN: Wow, this was a long oneshot! Congratulations for reading all the way through! :-)