Treacherous Thoughts
By: theunknownvoice
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Chapter 1: So it Begins
Tori woke up immediately when she heard the phone ring. "Hello," she said into the receiver expecting to hear the familiar voice on the other side.
"Ms. Hanson, do I have the credit card for you. For as little as five precent interest you can have a credit that will give you—"
"Not interested," Tori said as she slammed down the receiver.
She glanced at the picture of her friends on the nightstand as she hurriedly began to get ready for the day. They were all dressed in their ninja outfits. She could still hear Dustin complaining about the photo.
"Dude, I don't have time for a picture. I have got places to be, thing to do—" Dustin had said.
Tori smiled at the memory. That was one of the last really good times she could remember.
Victoria Hanson had never been a person to shed tears. She plastered on a smile as she did her make-up and got dressed. Being the only girl in a group of guys had taught her to suppress her feelings. It's not that they wouldn't understand it was just that tears would freak them out.
She glanced at the phone anxiously. She hadn't heard from him in three days. Where could he be? What could possibly be doing that he didn't have time to call? Had he met someone else? He probably was just busy.
She was Blake's girlfriend and he loved her. Tori had been drilling those words into her head for weeks. Factory Blue factored into every aspect of her life now. Ever since she and Blake decided to date they had had few precious moments together. He had told her everything two weeks before he left for his tour.
"I love you Tori. I know that distance is a factor but I was wondering if you be my girlfriend. Would you wait for me?" Blake asked late one night at the beach.
She had never been as happy as she was at that moment. Of course she had readily agreed. Their relationship was heaven until he had to leave. It consisted of make-out sessions, endless conversations, and of course clowning around at the beach. But it had ended just as quickly as it had began.
She had driven him to the airport alone. She had insisted on a private goodbye and for once the guys didn't argue with her. Her tears had streamed while she watched him board the plane. He didn't know when he would be home next.
She knew she shouldn't be jealous. She knew motocross was important to Blake. Was it selfish to want her boyfriend home? Was it wrong for her to feel abandonment or even pain?
She was dating one of the best men she had ever known. Blake didn't view her as one of the guys. To him, she was a beautiful woman. To Shane, Dustin, Cam and Hunter she was just another member of the group. Sometimes she forgot she was a girl because of them constantly calling her dude. They made her feel like another one of the boys.
Still she watched enviously when she saw couples holding hands on the beach. Her eyes gazed over to a young family. Her heart felt like shattering when she saw fragile smiles exchanged between her students. They were falling in love with each other just as she and Blake had. It was times like those that she felt like she was single again.
She began to pull away from the others. At school she distanced herself between Shane and Dustin. She rarely talked to Hunter frequently pretending she wasn't home when he called. She even avoided Cam who she had always confided to.
She lived for those brief moments when Blake would call. She would talk to him for hours. She would e-mail him daily making sure she told him good morning and good night. She would smile while talking to him but after they had both hung up it was a different story.
Tori would cave into the surrounding pressure. She would become withdrawn and impose a self-exile. She felt guilt at the smallest of things. When her thoughts drifted to her own unhappiness she felt ungrateful.
Blake loved her and she was upset because he was living his dream? What right did she have to feel unhappy about his happiness? The beach which had once been her retreat became forbidden. Everything there reminded her of Blake. She ate less and her unhappiness began to consume her.
Tori finished perfecting her outfit. Her students would be waiting her to teach them the basics today. A few of them were advancing at the right stage but she had two that really concerned her.
She knew she wasn't the only one worried. Hunter had been having difficulties with an aggressive female student at the Thunder Ninja Academy.
"She just won't focus," Hunter had told them when he was last visiting.
"Dude I totally understand. I have this girl that doesn't even pay attention in class. I've tried everything," Dustin said.
"Including wearing very tight clothing," Shane snickered.
Tori laughed at the memory of Dustin in his skin tight ninja uniform. Dustin had assured them that it made him look sexy. Both Tori and Shane had plagued him endlessly about his idea of high fashion.
Hunter grinned as Shane slipped him the photos of Dustin in his suit. Tori smiled slightly at the memory.
The problem with her students continued to badger her as she entered the training ground. It hadn't been too bad for her. At least she didn't have to ask a student to leave. Shane had been forced into that unpleasant situation when one of his students started radomly attacking his classmates.
Compared to that Tori had it pretty easy. She ran towards her training section by the lake. Her class would be arriving in a few moments just giving her enough time to prep. Of course there was the group of students that reminded her of Shane, Dustin, and herself. They always made her smile at their constant antics.
Of course the three of them were late. "I believe we've had this discussion before," she said addressing the trio.
"We're sorry Sensei," one of the boys stammered.
Tori proceeded to teach the class. Everything went well and until she began teaching an advanced move. Her lger fell under her causing her to crash into various students. She could hear the snap and crackle of the bone breaking. Tori gasped in pain as one of the students went running for Dustin and Shane.
Cam, Dustin and Shane had been waiting for the doctor for what seemed like years. Two hours before Dustin had come bursting into Cam's office. Both Shane and Dustin had dismissed their classes once receiving word of the accident. Tori's students lingered nearby waiting for word on their injuried sensei.
Shane had been trying to make Tori comfortable but had been failing miserably. By the time Cam got to the lake, she had passed out from the pain. Cam quickly ordered the students home beforing examining the break.
"I can't do anything for her. She needs a doctor," Cam said.
"What do you want us to do?" Dustin asked. He was completely freaking out. His best friend was unconscious.
"You and Shane have to move Tori to her van. One of you is going to need to sit in the back with her and keep her from moving around too much. I'm going to go tell father what happened. Then I'll meet you at the hospital."
Three men continued to wait for the doctor. Cam was pacing wearily waiting for word. Dustin was lounging on the couch trying to keep from completely panicing and Shane was trying focus on a magazine to keep his patience.
"What's taking them so long," Dustin asked.
"I don't know bro but it's not good," Shane said barely looking up from his magazine.
"We don't know anything," Cam said calmly.
Finally after what seemed like a millennia Doctor Janes appeared. The three men rose at the sight of him and approached cautiously.
"How is she doctor?" asked Cam.
"She hasn't been eating correctly. It is going to be difficult for her to heal. She is going to have to be put on bed rest. That means she is going to need constant care," Dr Janes said.
The guys looked at each other. Tori's parents didn't live in Blue Bay Harbor and they didn't keep contact with her. They would be unable to help her. Besides they wouldn't understand how she had gotten injuried.
They could take her to the academy but she would never get any rest. Knowing Tori, she would try to head back to classes too soon. What could they possibly do for her?
It was Dustin whose mind blinked like a light bulb.
"Tori is moving in with us," he told Cam and Shane.
The guys had been sharing an apartment for the past few months. None of them could afford rent by themselves. Sensei had volunteered to let them live at the school but Shane and Dustin politely refused. Cam had decided that he was tired of living at the academy and offered to help pay the rent. The situation wasn't ideal but they managed to work it out. It helped that it was a four bedroom apartment.
"Excellent, said the doctor. "Now I'll need to give you instructions regarded her care. I'll go tell Ms. Hanson of the move."
"One of us will tell her," Shane said quickly.
"I'll talk to you about her care," Cam said.
"Follow me Mr. Wantabee."
Dustin made for the door.
"Where do you think you're going?" Shane asked blocking his friends path.
"I'm going to set up Tori's room. Dude, that place has been used as storage for too long."
"Don't you think you should tell her that she's moving in."
"Dude I'm more of an idea man than an action man. Besides she'll take it better from you."
"Why would you think that?"
"Because you bruise less easily. See you," Dustin said as he ran out of the hospital.
Shane walked like a man going to his death as he approached Tori's room.
"Hey," she said happily when she saw him enter.
"Hey Tor," he said trying to keep himself from completely freaking out. She was going to kill him.
"So when can I go home?" she asked.
"They're letting you out of here pretty soon but you can't go home."
"Why can't I go home?"
"The doctor says that you need to remain in bed so someone has to take care of you."
Tori's eyes narrowed as she glared at Shane. "Where I am supposed to go then?" she snapped.
"You're moving in with Dustin, Cam and me."
Needless to say the entire hospital could hear Tori shouting at Shane.
To be continued...