Waters of Time
Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious
A/N: This oneshot is a personal one, not in a bad way but it's along the lines of something I've thought about for many years. Something I wish I could do, though there's no humanely way, haha. Anyway in this, the parents are an uncle and aunt for an obvious reason that you will find. June 29th is coming up, so this is my annual oneshot Well, enjoy it!
Extra note: I had to divide this up into short sections because of length. There's about 6 sections, so you can stop and pick up later without having to come back to a long oneshot and find your place.
-IF YOU COULD GO BACK AND CHANGE EVERYTHING. WOULD YOU?-
"Sometimes I wish I had your mother." Trina laughed at Christine's statement and slid her hands away from the computer keyboard. They were discussing their childhood experiences with their moms, and she just finished detailing how much trouble she got to as a child when she accidentally broke a car window and her mother only found out by way of a police officer.
Her brown eyes drifted to the glossy photograph beside her laptop and mixed with the chocolate eyes of her mother. As her laughter faded, a feeling of longing came over her heart. "But you're lucky still," she typed, "You still have yours. Try as I might, I just can't be happy with Uncle David or Aunt Holly." She closed her eyes and drifted back to an older time that weighed heavily on her heart. "They don't understand. Not them, not Tori, not any of her friends."
The sound of a beep forced her eyes open and drew her attention back to the screen. "What happened this time?"
"Tori and her friends told me to get over what happened. Well, her friends did, but she never says anything. So, it's all the same. Tried talking to Uncle David about it, he didn't have time. Tried talking to Aunt Holly, she's more concerned about Tori's next performance."
"Why do you still live there? Why do you still endure that shit?"
Her fingers curled above the keys and It wasn't as though she had the money to move out. "I don't really want to be alone." She heard a knock on the door, followed by Tori's calling out to ask her if she was going to her performance on Sunday. Trina ignored the girl and sighed once she left. "Sometimes I wish I could change it though-wish I could go back. Stop mom, stop Joshua, but what does it matter?"
Tears welled up in her eyes and she removed her hands from the keyboard once more. Once she glanced to the calendar on the wall before her, she realized how close to the 29th it was. She'd nearly forgotten, but it was only when she got into those melancholy moods that she remembered the date.
In her mind she visualized the final scene. Her mother was in the car, with the horn blasting until Trina finally went outside to hug her before she went off to work. "Goodnight, baby." Sherry's words played like a record, repeating through the night. "I'll see you in the morning."
What a morning it was that she awoke to. The dogs were howling from Joshua's bedroom, the house was in disarray, and her bedroom door was open despite her closing it the night before.
Honey I Shrunk the Kids was on television that morning, she watched it only after watching an episode of Digimon. Afterwards she sifted through the boxes in the living room, trying to discover what it was Joshua had been searching for in the late hours the night before. When she found nothing of interest, she played a CD. She remembered it well Back to Country, on it was a song by George Jones titled Flowers for Mama. It was that song she played that afternoon, and the only song that even to this day, drew tears that came from the heart.
Trina picked up the photograph on the desk and traced her mother's soft brown hair. "I bet things would be different if you were still here. Maybe I'd be happier, maybe I wouldn't be ignored or looked at like I'm crazy and insignificant. You never thought I was insignificant. Josh maybe, but even he and I got along sometimes."
"Trina?" She snapped her eyes towards the door and frowned at Tori's voice. "Come on, I know you're in there. This isn't about what Jade said, is it? I know it's getting to be that 'time of year' again, but she has a point. You can't just dwell about it each year." She scoffed under her breath and kept her silence. "Trina? Trina, talk to me. Come on, stop ignoring me."
After several seconds, Tori let out a frustrated groan and tried to open the door. Trina smirked at the failed attempt. Not only could she never stand to keep that door open, the lock made her more secure. "Trina! Hear me out. We're going to the beach tomorrow, I want you to be there with us."
"I don't think your friends would like that too much."
"I don't care. They can deal. You're my cousin, I want you there."
"Maybe." She'd always been a loner, even when it seemed like she wanted attention, she didn't truly care for it. Tori's friends made it clear she wasn't to be around, and the same went for her aunt and uncle. "I'll think about it, but I'm not promising anything."
Throughout the years she couldn't help but to think on all the things that happened which her mother would never have allowed. Even now, Joshua might even have an apartment and let her stay with him. He had been five years older, after all.
The following morning she met with Tori at the beach. Eventually the friends pulled the girl away, leaving Trina to spend time alone. Even though Tori looked apologetic as her friends dragged her away, Trina didn't care.
She moved quietly along the shoreline, smiling to herself as the crisp and cool waters rushed along her bare feet. When she passed by a large rock formation, she climbed to the top and stood on the edge, looking out across the crystal clear waters.
The wind was heavy that morning, blowing her hair and her clothes violently. She loved the wind as it brought about a cool mist which combated the heat from the sun.
"I don't need a prince to sweep me off my feet." Trina turned her eyes towards the group of friends and chuckled at Beck and Jade. The couple were cuddled together, with Beck trying to keep the wind from messing up his hair. "And as nice as it would be to have friends, and all the attention in the world, it isn't what I want."
She took a step to the right, but a gust of wind caused her to lose her balance. She caught herself on the rock, screaming out and looking down to the beach.
After getting down, she removed the clothes she had over her bikini and moved into the ocean. Tori called out to her from the distance, telling her to be careful because of the wind and the waves, but she paid no mind to the girl and swam out into the sea.
The farther out she got, the more the waves bashed against her. When the lifeguard blew his whistle, Trina decided to swim back to the shore. She kicked her legs through the sea, but the wind had grown increasingly violent.
The cool and calming waves were now harsh and dangerous, and somehow the clouds in the sky had darkened. "How long have I been swimming? I just hopped in…" A heavy wave crashed into her, pulling her farther from the shore.
Her muscles began to burn as she forced herself to swim harder. She could see Tori in the distance, standing at the shore and calling out to her. As she continued to fight the waves, she watched Tori's friends rushing to the shore.
Another gust of wind struck her, and water struck her in the eyes. Her legs drifted through the ocean while she stopped in place to rub the water from her eyes. Suddenly her legs stopped as though chains had grabbed her heels. In front of her, she thought she saw her mom and brother standing on the violent waves. "Momma? Joshua? No…"
The vision dispersed and Tori's male friends were diving into the water. Beck, Andre, and Robbie were calling out to her and telling her to stay calm.
Once more the water splashed her face and her body fell back on reflex. When she opened her eyes, they burned with pain. She opened her mouth to scream, but found herself unable.
All around her was the blue sea, and no sign of which way the surface was. "Help!" Bubbles drifted from her lips and she saw in her mind's eye the visual of herself sinking to the bottom of the ocean like stone.
She pushed her arms through the water frantically and tried to scream again. The more she panicked, the more she sank, and the more water rushed into her lungs. Her vision began to fade and her body's movement slowed. "Momma, Joshua, I…miss you. If I could see you again. If only I could have done something to prevent…" Seeing the futility of where she was, unable to think clearly, she let her body stop fighting.
As arms wrapped around her, and her body was jerked in an unknown direction, she let go of her consciousness and resigned herself to an uncertain fate.
Okay this story or this time frame is fucking cursed. I swear to god after I finished writing this, and so close to June 29th, it starts raining while I pull out of my apartment parking lot. I turn left and my truck is small, so I ended up hydroplaning and swerving all over the goddamn road. Thank GOD the only car on the road was behind me at the stoplight...I know I divided this into sections and I was going to go ahead and not put all up right now, but screw it ALL SECTIONS ARE GOING UP NOW, I want to be done with this oneshot and I am NOT going driving until after the 29th! God...enjoy the oneshot and let me know what you think as you go along.