Chapter 7
I have you
For a moment I can tell I've got you
Cause your lips don't move
And something is happening
Cause your eyes tell me the truth
I've put a spell over you.
"If I order pancakes and an omelette for lunch would you judge me?" Alana asked as they walked into the small diner, he's never heard of until today. Alana swore they have the best burgers and she loved eating there so he couldn't deny her the request.
"Of course not," he said as she greeted the hostess at the door. Truthfully he loved that she wanted to eat so openly in front of him. He's used to going on dates with girls who just ordered salads, trying to be demure.
"Well glad that's your response cause I wouldn't have cared anyways," she said as the hostess guided them to their table.
He couldn't help but laugh at her response, which in turn had her smiling. "Your waitress will be out shortly," The hostess said before walking away.
"Do yourself a favor and just remember this, I like to eat," Alana said picking up the menu that was in front of her. "So when you are out with me, don't be afraid when I order a big meal and like to follow-up with a dessert."
"I don't mind it at all," He looked through the menu before him, seeing the one thing he wanted to order. A patty melt with fries. "Patty melt is good here?"
"Very," She nods as she pointed to the drinks section of the menu, "Get it with a milkshake. I'm going to get my chocolate chip pancakes and omelette."
"Your appetite is very appealing at the moment," He tells her and she smiles at him. That smile captivates him because it's warm and inviting. "You have a beautiful smile."
"Thank you," She accepts his compliment, no questioning, no denial, just acceptance. He wasn't used to that and that appeases him. Though he does notice that she blushed at the compliment and he liked that.
"You have a beautiful smile," he said, smiling as her smile grew larger at his words. "And a beautiful face."
"Well Mr. Harris that's some smooth talking," He shrugged and tried his best to look innocent. She leaned forward and signaled him to do the same with her finger. He leaned forward, intrigued. "If I didn't know any better I would say you were trying to get in my pants."
At that moment their waitress appears before them ready to take their order and he couldn't be more grateful for that interruption, he just didn't know how to respond to that statement. They ordered their meals quickly, thankfully knowing what they wanted.
Just as their waitress walks away to retrieve their drinks, Andre turns to Alana who looked at him expectantly. "So next time we go out, I'm picking the place cause yesterday I said I was going to pick and you agreed. But look at that you picked this place."
"Oops," She whistled innocently, "You let me get away with what I can and I will take it. So wait there is gonna be a next time?"
"Well I like to think so, I do enjoy your company," He admitted.
"Good cause I feel the same way," she said. "Now tell me, what does Mr. Andre Harris like to do when he's not at work?"
Just like that the girl got him to talk about hanging out with Tori, with Mark, friends, his various trips to the gym throughout the week, and the rest of things he does to enjoy himself in this city. He learned so much more about her. She was an open book, refreshing really, not shy about sharing anything. Traveling to museum and art galleries when she's free. She admits to love shopping and doesn't hate that she has that privilege of swiping her card and not worrying over the bill. She pursuing a career as an editor for young adult books and wants to explore the world with the love of her life, whoever that may be.
As they eat their meals, he realizes that with her it's easy to just be there with her. At this point, he wonders if Alana would always be that open with him because he needs that. She's no Tori but maybe that's just the plus side of Alana being in his life, she's no Tori.
Later on that evening Tori walked into his bedroom, wearing just a chemise. The fact that he knew what to call it meant he spent too much time with the woman. "How was your lunch date?" She asked.
"It was fun," He admitted, noticing the small frown that appeared on her face which she quickly covered up with a smile. "I got to know her better and I really can't wait to go out with her again."
"That's good," she said pulling back his comforter, slipping underneath the cover to get into bed with him. "I had a good day as well. All my kids wanted to know how I got the stitches and of course they thought that it was boring whenever I told the story that I just cut my hand on glass so they made up their own stories. High school students you can't please them but according to one of them I'm a ninja spy that flew back last night from battling some evil forces."
She made some ninjas gestures, which had him laughing. "You're adorable," he says smiling at her as he calms down from his laughing.
She smiled nodding. "I know," she responded, surprising him. She was never the one to take compliments, she fought him about them. Always saying that he was saying them to say them, that she wasn't cute, adorable, beautiful or anything that would perfectly describe her.
He pulled her close to him and held up her stitched up palm. "Beautiful really," he said guiding her hand to his face and then kissing her palm. "A kiss a day will help the healing process."
"Well I like that thought," She reaches over him to turn off the lamp next to him. "Time to sleep."
"Shouldn't you be sleeping in your bed?"
"I need you to protect me from the nightmares," she admitted and he knows she never jokes about having nightmares. "I fell asleep about an hour or so back and well I woke up after having a nightmare."
"Want to talk about it?" He asked pulling her to him, snuggling close to her which she gladly accepted the embrace.
"No." He didn't push it at that point and placed a comforting kiss on her head.
Just as he was falling asleep, she started moving around in bed. "What's going on?" He asked.
"Sorry," she said as she continued to move around. "Too much clothing."
"Too much clothing? All you have on is a thin fabric, how is that too much?"
"Well it's bothering me," She pulled away from his embrace and he heard what he presumes is the chemise falling on the floor. "Much better."
She laid back down next to him causing him to turn to face her, she snuggled into him, her back to his chest. His arm drapes freely over her midsection, wanting to feel her in every possible way.
His hand slowly drifts down to her thigh. "Beautiful," he whispers as his hand moves over her thigh, feeling the rise of some of her scars.
"I love you," Her voice breaks as she says those words and it's been a while but when he hears them, he knows he is getting through to her.
"I love you too," He whispers before kissing her shoulder.
One lunch date, turned to a dinner the next day, which turned into meeting for drinks the following day after that. Now it's the fifth day in a row that he saw Alana. The more he got to know her, the more he wanted to see her.
Yet, he didn't tell Tori. To Tori he had late meetings, or was hanging out with buddies, grabbing a beer with a coworker. To him Alana was a breath of fresh air he didn't know he needed while Tori was just the smoke that choked him up.
They sat in silence, not much-needed saying as they reviewed their menus and once in a while they would look up smiling at the other. Sometimes they would catch the other looking and that would make the smile on their faces grow.
"I don't want to fall for you," she said causing him to look up at her, seeing her intently looking at him. "I can't fall for you because I can see it in your eyes, you aren't here not entirely. You want to make this work but in your heart there is someone else."
"Alana, I-" She raises her hand, dismissing his attempt to speak.
"Don't, I get it," she stated, grabbing hold of her wine glass. "I know what I'm doing, I'm a big girl. You love someone else but you are here because it doesn't work. You and that other person can't be for one reason or another but I am here. I'm here waiting for you to fall for me, to see me in a different light. I'm waiting for that moment that we have to part for the night and you can't leave me, that moment you decide that with me is where you belong."
She sipped slowly from her wine glass, savoring the nicely aged wine. "Wow," Her words were all too familiar with him, they described what he wanted with Tori.
"Did I get in your head? Your one worded response pretty much says that for me," Alana raises an eyebrow at him as he slowly nods. "Did it feel familiar to what you feel, that hope that you have for that other person to love you? Because my expectation to love is to love with your heart, all in or not at all. I loved once before, dated a few but I only loved once with my whole heart. I know that feeling, that want. You have me, waiting patiently, but I don't want to wait to see if you would even give me a shot."
He nodded, he understood her loud and clear. "See the past five days I've gotten the opportunity to get to know you better, to learn more about you," he pulled out his phone, showing her his locked screen. The picture of him and Tori was the only thing she saw and she raised a brow at him.
"Which I have," He continues, "Just as you have found out my likes and dislikes for many things. You can easily become a good friend but you see this woman on the screen-"
He paused, letting out an unsteady breath, Alana just nods encouraging him to go on. "She's my everything, my best friend."
She stared at him wide-eyed, gasping softly as if the puzzle she couldn't solve was finally solving before her. "The one you love."
All he can do is nod as he puts the phone away. "The one and only."
"So she doesn't feel the same?" She looked concern, as if she couldn't decide if she wanted to stay or just run now.
"Honestly, I don't know what she feels," He gulps down the remains of his glass of wine before continuing, "I'm really just tired of waiting for something that might not happen."
"So these outings is you giving us a chance, trying to see where this goes." The waiter appears before them bottle in hand, ready to refill his glass which he gladly accepts. "I get it, you fell for someone who didn't fall back. Just do me a favor don't let me fall if you don't want the same thing."
At that moment he knew he couldn't talk to Alana about Tori, not the real Tori, not just yet. Heck it took Andre over three years before he trusted Mark enough to share anything over Tori's depression and a few years more after that for him to know everything else and how bad it was.
"Sorry to interrupt, are you guys ready to order?" The waiter asked, which in turn had Alana and him look down at the menus sheepishly, not knowing what they wanted to eat.
"Not yet, a few more minutes," she responded before he could.
"Very well, I'll be back in a few to take your orders," Their waiter said, filling up Alana's half empty glass of wine before departing again.
"So we are taking this slow," he stated and she laughed.
He gave her a confused look, which had her laughing even harder now. "Oh boy, we've taken it slow. I would have kissed you by the end of the second date already," she said, which in turn made him smile. "Really though I don't think you're ready for this yet, so we'll take it slow for you big boy."
"Thank you." That's all he could say at that point and she accepts it by nodding before she resumes looking through the menu. He follows suit and does the same cause the hunger he suddenly feels makes him question his intentions overall.
A few seconds later, Alana glances up at him. "Are you ready to order?" He nods and all she does is smile before signalling for the waiter to come over.
Tori walked into his room about five minutes after he got home from his date with Alana but didn't say anything. She just sat on his bed, playing a game on her phone.
"How was your day?" He asked breaking the silence as he continued to change into his pajamas.
"Good," Was all she said, not even glancing up from the screen.
"My day was good as well, thanks Tori for asking," His words were full of sarcasm, which in turn Tori rolled her eyes at.
"That's lovely," she responded, pausing her game. "Glad you had a good dinner with Alana, once again."
"How did you-"
"Know?" Tori interrupted, "You went out with Mark two nights ago, but he showed up here with a box of chocolates for me and a bottle of Jack Daniels for you saying he wanted to drink it up with his boy. He ended up drinking a few glasses without you, as he waited for his boy to show up to join him and then he decided to go home. He left the bottle though."
"He didn't tell me that," He wondered why though. "Why wouldn't he mention that to me?"
"Don't know," she says getting up from the bed, looking at her phone. "Well would you look at that, time for bed, have a good night."
With that she ran out of his room before he was able to stop her. For the first time in a long while that night he fell asleep without her and to be honest with himself he knew it took longer falling asleep without her there.
The following day he was jolted out of his sleep by Tori pouncing on top of him. "Good morning sleepyhead. Do you want to do something today?"
"I can't," He regrets saying those words seeing that frown on her face. "I have plans."
"Oh," She said getting off him, "With Alana?"
"No, I'm not seeing her today," He answered, getting up from the bed. "I'm all yours tomorrow if you want." He kissed her stitched up palm but he didn't wait for a response as he walked into the bathroom to do his morning routine.
"What? Can't I get you tonight?" She questioned, following him into the bathroom.
He was about to reach into the slit of his boxers, when he noticed her standing at the doorway waiting for an answer and turned to face her. "Yeah, so I want to take a leak woman and you being there is no problem but I don't think you should watch me pee. Unless you like that type of thing, golden showers turn you on Tori?"
"No! Gross!" She exclaimed, turning around walking out of the room. "Fuck you Andre."
"Thank you but no thank you," He answered, "I already have someone for that now."
She didn't respond but by the way she shut her bedroom door, he knew she didn't like his response.
Today he had two things that he wanted to do. First he had not been to the gym all week and he was glad to finally get the chance to do so. Secondly he wanted to go see Mark and talk about his disappearing act.
As he was trying to fall asleep last night he realized that Mark hadn't told him about visiting because he hadn't seen Mark for the past few days at work. The thing is he didn't really notice because his workload had kept him busy at work so he didn't notice Mark's disappearance.
So now he was knocking on his best friend's apartment door, knowing he would be home seeing as it was a Saturday afternoon which meant he was getting ready to go out.
Mark opened the door with a small smile but seeing Andre standing there it quickly disappeared. "Hello old friend, what a surprise." He said opening the door further so Andre could step through.
"Yeah, well I realized I hadn't seen my pal for a few days now so I decided to stop by," Andre said walking into the living room.
"What can I get for you?" Mark asked, pointing towards his bar in the corner. "A glass of Jack for you? Have a seat."
Not wanting a drink he just shook his head. "I don't need to sit down but speaking of Jack, Tori told me you visited the apartment the other day. Why didn't you stop by the office to tell me this?"
"I was busy," Mark responded as he prepared himself a drink.
"Busy?" He laughed cause really Mark is never too busy. "You're never too busy so I want to know why you haven't stopped by to see me."
"Dude, like I said busy," Andre watched as Mark gulps down the double shot he just poured himself. Surprising him because Mark was never the one to drink like that, he liked to savor his drinks.
"Yeah and you just drank a double shot like nothing," He motioned to the cup. "So what happened?"
"You sure you don't want that drink," Mark said as he took another glass out, filling both of the glasses up. "Yeah no, you need a drink."
"What happened Mark?" He's annoyed now. Mark was hiding something and now that he thought about it Tori was clearly hiding something too as he remembered her quick exit from his bedroom. She really left too quickly after she talked about Mark's visit.
"Here," Mark said handing him the drink, which he snatched right out of his hand. "Drink up."
Andre didn't think twice about downing that drink. He knew to trust Mark with this, whatever it was that Mark was going to tell him he knew he had to be a bit sedated for it.
"So what happened?" He asked once again as Mark filled up his glass. "No more alcohol."
"Well okay, drink that first." Mark watched him intently as he downed his second glass. The liquid warmed his insides.
"Go ahead," He said. "Say your worse."
"Fine," Mark walked to the opposite side of the living room. "I went to see you to drink with you. I had just found out something and I was shook up about it so I needed a drink and my best friend. Who do I find instead of you, Tori and an empty apartment."
"What are you trying to tell me?" Now he was getting angry because his mind just jumped to a conclusion he never thought would happen.
"Alright, don't be mad. So I decided to wait for you, made myself at home. Started drinking by myself and then well Tori joined me for a drink as she ate her chocolates."
He didn't say anything, waiting for Mark to continue on.
"I had just finished my fourth glass of the night and Tori was on her second," Mark paused, looking at him as if studying him for a reaction. "Well I look over at her and man it was like I saw her for the first time. I always knew she was pretty and a sight to see, man at that moment she was beautiful."
Right at that moment he wanted to make his way across that living room and punch out Mark without even hearing whatever else he had to say. "What are you trying to tell me?"
"Well I started sweet talking her, you know what I do to those girls I meet at the club," Mark stopped realizing that his words were pissing him off even further. "But Tori isn't any other girl, not like those girls. I knew flirting with her was a bad idea and she looked annoyed with me at first but then she kind of started feeling it. I think it was the third drink that was starting to mess with her head, I don't even know man. But I just know I went in for it when she said I was good-looking."
"What?!" He exclaimed, he didn't move from his spot. He knew that if he moved he would have choked Mark on the spot.
"Man, don't be angry. I kissed her, well you can be angry at that but she didn't kiss me back. She pushed me off her and slapped me really hard." Now those were the right words to calm him down. Mark touched his right cheek, as if remembering the slap. "She yelled at me, asked if I had no respect for the friendship I had with you and to go reevaluate my life. She kicked me out and that's what I've been doing since that moment, evaluating my life."
"Good," Mark looked at him surprised. "I'm glad she slapped you. I want to punch you right at this moment because that's my girl. You don't get to try to sweet talk her or even think about her in any way that's not pure or innocent, you got that?"
Mark nodded before smiling at him. "Your girl huh? Heard from your girl that you've been seeing some other girl. She tried to stay calm while talking about it but I could see it in her eyes man, she was mad and jealous. You've dated other girls before so what's different this time?"
"Well I've been seeing Alana everyday this week," He admitted, happy that he was getting the reaction he wanted out Tori. He takes a seat on Mark's sofa, which in turn has Mark sighing in relief. "I go out to dinner with Alana and you know I always eat dinner with Tori."
"So that's one of the reasons why she's mad about Alana being in your life," Mark shook his head. "Oh you're going to have a tough time with these two."
"What are you talking about?"
Mark took the seat across from him, frowning at him. "You don't see it. Hello, so you finally have Tori feeling something but you are now feeling something for Alana."
"Well it's not like Tori's confessing her feelings for me," What he wouldn't give to hear that confession. "Whenever she starts feeling threatened she does get mad and a bit jealous but she knows I can never be too serious with another woman."
"Yeah until Alana came along," Mark continued. "You seeing Alana everyday for five days in a roll kind of shows Tori that you really are starting to like this girl a lot. Which man it really does show it, I would never but that's just me."
"Yeah, I know that's not you," Andre said with a laugh. "You are the hit it once and you go on with your life without a care. I'm surprised you don't have an STD."
"Clean and proud about it," He smugly answered back. "So have you two done it yet?"
"With Alana? Nope we haven't even kissed yet."
"What?!" Mark exclaimed. "What are you waiting for? What are you in junior high?"
"We are taking it slow," He truthfully didn't even know why they were taking it this slow at this point.
"Oh I get taking it slow. I don't do it, I don't even date well I just like a good fuck for the night but this slow is just not right. I'm getting blue balls just thinking about it."
"Ha ha, you're funny."
"But seriously dude, the next time you see her just plant one on her. A big kiss, the grand gesture. Get yourself some, it's been a while." Mark signaled to his lower region. "Your probably tired of using your hand."
"Alright, well this has been fun," Andre stood up. "But I need to have a few words with my other best friend."
Mark's face went from relaxed to concerned in a few seconds. "Don't get mad at Tori for not telling you, she was just protecting me."
"Well I get that, trust me I do," Andre smiled because Tori had the best intentions with not telling him this but she still should have. She was his best friend not Mark's. "But I still need to have a talk with her."
"Alright man, I'll see you at work on Monday."
"Yeah," he responded as he walked pass Mark, hitting him upside his head.
"What was that for?" Mark yelled surprised by the hit.
"For kissing my girl," Andre said as he shut the apartment door behind him.
As he entered his apartment he heard Tori before he saw her. "Trina, I understand but don't you dare. I didn't-"
He could only assume that Tori was interrupted by Trina. "Yeah well, fuck you Trina. "
She walked out of her room at that moment and smiles when she sees him. "I have to go Trina. He just walked in and well yeah I would rather talk to him than you at the moment." She rolled her eyes at whatever Trina was saying. "Yeah well he isn't going to lecture me like you are so I'll just call you later, okay?"
Another pause before she continued on. "I'll think about buying you that bag. Text you later."
With that she hung up. "She wants you to buy her a bag?" He asked.
"Ugh, yes a Céline bag. She wants it for her birthday week." Tori said playing with the phone in her hands. "I might get it for her though. So be ready you might go shopping with me one of these days, okay?"
"Alright."
"I'm surprised you're home," Tori said walking up to him. "Thought you had plans."
"Yeah well plans got cut short," He kissed her cheek. "Had an interesting conversation with Mark who had avoided me for the past few days."
Her eyes widen at his words and then began to slowly back away from him. "You saw Mark, that's nice. I think I should call Trina back, it was rude of me to stop the conversation like that. Should have told her I loved her or something like that."
He reached forward and took the phone right out of her hand. "No phone calls with Trina."
Without any hesitation Tori ran out of the living room into her room, locking the door behind her before he could even catch up to her. "I'm sorry," She yelled through the door. "I didn't know how to tell you."
"Not knowing how to is fine," He wasn't really angry at her, her reaction amused him more than anything at this point. "But you should have still told me."
"Yeah well too late now," she said. "I'll just stay in my room and think about what I've done wrong. You should just let me be."
"Are you trying to get rid of me Tori Vega?" He asked trying to sound appalled.
"Yeah and it's not working." She responded before unlocking her door but didn't open it. He took that as a sign to walk in so he opened the door himself.
"You suck," he said as he walked into the room.
She stuck out her tongue at him. "Yeah well you suck even more."
He sat down on the bed next to her, grabbing her hand. "I'm not mad you know that right? Well I was but I'm not. Just don't keep things from me. I hate when you do that."
"I won't," she spoke softly as he kissed the back of her hand. "So did you punch him?"
"I wanted to but didn't but I did hit the back of his head as I left," She laughed.
"Good, he deserved," She turned towards him. "Did he tell you I slapped him for kissing me?"
"He did and I'm glad you did." Just picturing the moment had him grinning with pride that she did that. "You've made me proud."
"I don't do that very often," He looked at her confused.
"Make you proud," she continued, "I'm not the easiest person to live with, nonetheless love. But you do, you love me. You care for me like no other. So every moment that I can make you proud or happy, it makes me feel good."
"You make me happy a lot of the time and you probably don't even know it. You've come a long way and I know you're still not fully good but you're trying to live. You being here like this, living your life and not letting your depression get to you that makes me happy. You make me happy."
"Well I'm glad," Warily she pulled away from his grasp, standing up. "I'm going to go cook dinner, you're staying in right? We haven't had dinner together for almost a whole week, that's a new record for us."
"Yeah, true."
"Chicken Alfredo?" She asked as she walked towards the door. "Or would you like lasagna? Actually never mind, I want lasagna. Lasagna it is."
"Tori stop," She paused as she stepped through the doorway. "Turn back and face me."
She did as instructed, raising a brow at him. "What's up?"
"We can just order takeout, Thai food? Chinese?" He suggested, as much as he enjoyed eating her delicious lasagna he didn't want her to do it.
"Why can't I just make you one of your favorite dishes?" Tori replied not understanding his train of thought.
"I don't want you to cook," Andre responded.
"And why not?" Tori exclaimed. "Why can't I do this for you? I barely saw you all week, every damn day that you've come home from being with her you look happy as hell. You ignore me for the most part, the only attention I get is when I get in bed with you to sleep. I've wanted to talk to you about so many things but you are always so tired, that all you want to do is lay down and you almost fall asleep instantly. So yeah okay you're right, fuck you I won't cook for you."
"Tori, I-"
"You what? Are you sorry?" She interrupted him. "Cause sorry doesn't cut it. You want to move on? Fine, move on. Great, ignore your best friend cause it's like I have hundreds of friends in this city waiting to talk to me. Worst thing I ever did was be too dependent on you. I have no friends in this damn city but you and well Mark I guess. I should be more social, maybe I should do that tonight. I'll go out and try to make some new friends."
"Tori, you can't make me feel bad because I'm trying to move on. You encouraged this, you don't want me. Alana does, so get used to her being in my life."
"Oh so you try to move on with the first girl who is willing to open her legs for you?" She bluntly asked and he shook his head at her ridiculous behavior.
"You're pathetic you know that right?" He knew he shouldn't even bother with her at this point but something in him snapped, he wanted to make her feel her own words. "Would you be willing to open your legs up for me to keep me all to yourself? Is that what you want me to ask you? Would you like for me to fuck you like you are just a random hook up and then forget that it happened. Until the next time, I get mine and you get yours. You'll like that right? You wouldn't have to share me with Alana."
She shook her head. "No I don't want you to fuck me," Tori replied softly, clearing her throat. "I want you to make love to me."
"Tori, don't do this," She began to take a few tentative steps towards him. "I'm trying to move on from you. You wanted this, you said you didn't feel anything for me."
"You know my words were just lies," She told him as she stopped in front of him.
"And I know this is just you jealous that for once someone else has my attention more than you like sharing," He said taking a few steps back, which she only took it as a sign to move closer.
She poked his shoulder with her right pointer finger. "Yeah I didn't appreciate being ignored, so yeah I'm going to fight for what's mine."
"What's yours?" He asked.
"Yeah, what's mine," She affirmed as she leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss on his lips.
He pulled away. "What are you doing?"
"This is me fighting for you," She responded before pulling him closer and recapturing his lips with hers.
A/N: And that's where the chapter ends. Oh yes, I'm that awesome. She's "fighting for him", I told you guys jealous Tori was making an appearance and well she doesn't share so we can expect more of that in the next chapter. Wanna find out what happens next? Well review, they motivate me. Til next time loves.
