Crumbling World

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

Chapter 6 (In Need of Comfort)

Tori felt herself being shaken awake, her entire body erupting in jitters and her head throbbing. "Here you go." A lady with a friendly smile set a glass of water down before her and took the empty coffee mug from her. "It might be a good idea to drink some water, all that coffee can't be healthy."

"Thanks." She looked to the laptop and started wincing when she saw Sinjin's website. He finally had time to take down the video that was put out there, but it was likely too late. So many people would have viewed it, and all the comments that she'd seen in the comments section were appalling.

"How many refills have I had?" She looked to the coffee mug, smiling sadly as the lady lifted it.

"I'm not sure, that's the problem. Are you going to be okay? Do you need me to call someone?"

Tori looked to the windows and front door, taking a deep breath when she saw the door open. Trina walked inside, looking to the left and to the right, her hand was holding her purse's shoulder strap close to the neck. "No, it's fine." She exhaled and turned her eyes downward. "Might be good to take the laptop though, I don't know if I need it anymore."

"Micah stopped charging you for it a bit ago." The waitress winked at her and walked away with the laptop. Tori folded her forearms on the surface of the table and held her breath as Trina approached.

"There you are." Trina sat down beside her, then reached into her purse. "I brought something for you." She watched as a small stuffed dog was removed from the purse. It was a Dalmatian with floppy black ears and marble sized eyes.

"Fluffy…" Tori smiled and pulled the dog close to her chest. She brought her chin to the top of the animal's head and flicked her eyes up. "Did I make you search a long time?"

"No, first place I looked."

"How'd you know I was here?"

"You may have mentioned this place once or twice." Trina leaned forward, sliding her forearms along the table and closing her hands together. "I used to come here as a girl all the time when I just wanted to think or be alone for a while." Tori chuckled softly and looked away for a minute. "Thought you might have wanted some space, you've been gone a few hours now."

"Were you worried?"

"Not really, the owner told me you were here." Trina smirked and Tori's eyebrows rose high. "He said you were doing okay. I knew Micah back when he was just bussing tables here for his father. There's a lot of people in this town that know me, like Molly at the spa downtown."

"You can't mean Mrs. Davie?" She was familiar with the Dusk and Dawn Spa downtown, owned by Molly Davie and her family. Molly was a friendly, youthful and pretty face who would do anything to give her customers the most relaxing experience possible. "She never seems to be doing anything but working over there at that spa."

"Yep, I went to school with her." Trina folded her forearms upwards, moving her enclosed hands to her chin. "Anyway, I asked Micah if he'd do a favor and reduce the charge for that laptop." Tori sighed and Trina peered straight ahead. "I'm sorry we never told you the truth. I wanted to, I didn't want you to find out this way, believe me."

Tori sniffled and looked to her phone, surprised she hadn't heard from anyone. "How's Jade holding up?"

"Grieving. She went home a while ago, saying she'd try to catch up with you later." Tori's eyebrows curled together and she waited as Trina sighed. "I hope she will."

"I thought you didn't like her."

"You two are friends, and right now, she needs a friend as much as you." Tori started to smile. The waitress came back to the table with a fresh cup of coffee and set it down in front of Trina. Trina thanked her and picked up the cup. "I know you've probably got a million questions. I want you to know, I do love you. I always have."

"Why'd you leave? Did they make you leave?"

"Mom and Dad? I don't want to say anything to hurt how you see them." It was too late to save face for them in Tori's mind, she'd already come to the idea that they sent Trina away. "They weren't happy with me, among other things, and thought it would be best if I stayed with my grandparents while they took care of you." Trina raised her mug to her lips, breathing in the vapor. "At least until I was eighteen, that's what they said first. A year turned to two, and for the longest time, they didn't want me to come back."

She knew the rest of the story; or at least, she could guess. "Then I guess once I got old enough to know, they told me you were my sister." Trina nodded and started to frown. "Once you were eighteen, I mean, why didn't you fight them then?"

"I couldn't. I finished high school but wasn't ever able to afford college. I worked minimum wage jobs at restaurants like Outback for the longest time and couldn't afford a place of my own. Mom and Dad wouldn't let me move back in, so I was forced to stay with Grandpa until he passed away last year."

Trina's eyes glistened. "I wanted to tell you for the longest time, but mom and dad…They didn't want it getting around that their daughter was pregnant." Tori lowered the stuffed toy deeper into her lap and cradled it closer. Trina started to smile and leaned towards her, nudging her with her shoulder and pointing at the dog. "You know, that was mine as a little girl." She raised her eyebrows, stunned and yet pleased. "I always said I wanted to give all my toys to my children someday."

"I always slept with it growing up." She paused, wanting to say that her mother and father would tease her about it sometimes when she got older; but now she was just confused. "Hey…what am I supposed to call them now? Mom and Dad doesn't seem, I don't know, if they're my grandparents…"

"I would love to see the look on Dad's face when you call him grandpa for the first time." Trina played at a smirk and Tori started to chuckle. "Call them whatever it is you want to call them. I don't know how they'll react."

"Yeah…" Tori shook her head and reached for her water. Her brow furrowed and her fingers vibrated on the glass. "Do you…Do you regret me?" Trina leaned back, breathing in deep and slow.

"No. I regret my decision to cheat on my boyfriend at the time with Mr. Sikowitz, but I do not regret having you in any way." Tori smiled a bit and leaned sideways, placing her head on Trina's shoulder. Tears fell down the side of her face as she stared blankly at the glass of water. "You must have a million questions…"

"Yeah, I do."

"I'll answer any of them the best I can."

She remained silent, contemplating each and every question in her head. "Is Mr. Sikowitz my father?" She rolled her head upright and studied the tension on Trina's face. Finally the woman shook her head and spoke softly.

"No. I have never considered him to be. The man I dated back then, I consider him your father. We were very active, which was something mom and dad never liked-especially because they didn't think he had much of a future." Trina draped an arm behind Tori's shoulders and carefully slid her fingertips through her hair. "I loved him. What I did with Sikowitz, it was an impulsive act from an angry and jilted girlfriend."

"What happened? Did he cheat on you or something?"

Trina pressed her lips together and slowly nodded. "There was a girl at the time, she and I used to like each other in elementary; but as we got older I became more athletic and she didn't. We would try out for various things, like the cheerleading squad; and I made the squad, she didn't. She hated me for it, kept trying to heckle me afterwards." Tori pursed her lips and turned her head away, releasing a mournful sigh.

"Let me guess, she went after your boyfriend."

"In the end, yes. Got him at some arcade. He told me she was coming onto him while he was getting engrossed in whatever game he was playing, and for some reason, he didn't push her away. Eventually, they hooked up." Trina looked away slowly and her forehead crinkled like paper. "I don't want you to think he was a bad man or anything. He wasn't. Just…not very reliable, not responsible."

"When he cheated on you, you cheated back?"

"Yes." Trina pulled her arm back and folded her hands in her lap. "I wanted to do it quick and easy, I just wanted to irritate him; and Sikowitz had a reputation already. I…I figured he wouldn't turn me down if I came onto him, and he didn't." Trina paused, turning her eyes towards Tori. "This is all a lot to go into right now, and I…don't know if it's something I should be going into."

"No, I wanted to know. Any chance you'll tell me who my dad is?"

"When the time is right." Trina frowned, her eyes closing over. "Right now, it's difficult." Tori understood, especially given what little she heard. She hoped to hear more about her dad and what kind of person he was, but she could wait just a little bit longer. "I promise you, I won't keep anything from you."

"What happens now?" She wasn't oblivious to the consequences of Sinjin's video, there were going to be people that would judge her. "I feel bad that I don't know what to feel about Beck's, you know…" Tori looked down, her heart sinking in a pool of guilt. She tucked her hair behind her ear and closed her eyes, letting the tears splash out. "He was my friend too. I should feel bad, and I do; it's just…nothing has sunk in yet."

Trina cupped a hand over hers and Tori opened her eyes to look up into Trina's. The woman's gaze was warm and comforting, and the feel of her hand squeezing around hers was soothing. "Losing someone is never easy, especially when they've been a part of your life for so long. It's understandable, with what's going on in your life that you feel the way you do."

"I'm just confused, because…it hurts. It hurts knowing he's dead, but it feels like it hurts worse that-I don't know, look what caused it. Something that's been kept under wraps for so long." Tori shook her head, gasping softly. "I don't know what to feel. I'm numb all over, my heart is breaking and my head is throbbing."

"I know." Trina curled an arm behind her and pulled her into a warm hug. "We're going to get through this. We will." Tori sniffled as Trina slid her hand up and down her arm.

"I should be with Jade right now. She must hate me, she must be so angry I'm not there for her."

"She doesn't hate you. I think she understands you need some time to figure things out and is giving you that time. She'll be here for you, I'm sure; and I'm sure you'll be there for her. Both of you…just need time." Tori smiled gently and nodded.

"What about, you know, my grandparents?" The word felt weird on her tongue. She could only remember how harsh they were acting moments before they left, and it scared her. "What about you? They seemed ready to throw you out the door…"

"Remember I mentioned Molly? She's hired me on over at her spa." Tori's jaw dropped open and a smile started to form. "I'll also be learning to become a stylist and possibly a designer. I had a thing for fashion when I was younger, so it's something to consider."

"I think you'd be great at that." From the sound of it, Trina might be able to figure something out should she be thrown out of the house. Tori wasn't sure what she would do on such an occasion; but she was sure of one thing: This was going to be one hell of a ride.

So Trina's got a job lined up, which is good, because something tells me she may need it. What awaits our mother and daughter team once they get back to David and Holly? It seems Tori and Trina had a good talk, the first of many to come I'm sure. Seems Trina's adamant that Spencer is Tori's real father. What are your thoughts?