Chapter 7
Tori faced Jared, his eyes were full of something; sadness, trust, pain. She couldn't decipher it but, he looked like a small child. "Oh," was all she could say, the hand he put on her arm was the one with the tattoo. She gazed at it, the M.D. made more sense now, Michael Duncan. Jared's brother. Jared's dead brother.
Jared sat back on his chair and removed his hand, something about Tori made him want to trust her, tell her everything. "I was pretty young when he joined up, I don't really remember much about it. He's a lot older than me, was always like a second dad." Tori nodded, urging him to go on.
"He was deployed to Afghanistan a while ago, like as soon as he finished training. One morning we were woken up really early by the phone ringing, my mom answered and I just knew, you know? I spent years just waiting for that call, as morbid as it sounds, one look at her face and I knew." Tori felt her phone vibrate on her jeans pocket but ignored it.
Tori patted his hand reassuringly and she gave him a small smile which he timidly returned. "She didn't leave the house for weeks, just for the funeral, my dad and I tried to keep everything together, buy groceries and stuff. Every time she looked at me, it would just make her more upset, people always told us that Michael and I looked alike, this was the only time I ever resented that. Eventually, she came around, started going to counselling, doing all the day to day things she'd put off."
Jared stopped and swallowed, taking a deep breath before carrying on, "that day we decided to clean out his bedroom was rough, by that night I couldn't be in the house any longer, I went to a bar and saw some of Mike's army buddies. They told me stories about him, what he was like out there, they all loved him. In his memory, they had all gotten tattoos, his initials on the insides of their arms."
Jared lifted his arm up for Tori to see, he looked at his tattoo and smiled. "That night I got one myself, I thought my parents would freak out when I got home but they got it, you know, they understood." A single tear slid down Jared's face and he quickly wiped it away. Tori pulled him into a hug.
"Hey, it's okay. That's really sweet, that you did that for him." Jared sat up and ran a hand through his short hair. "You probably think I'm crazy, telling my life story to a practical stranger in a coffee shop." He chuckled, a deep sound that reminded Tori of her dad.
"It's fine, I'm from LA, everyone's a little crazy there, you know my friend Robbie carries a puppet around with him, called Rex, he's always getting insulted by him. Jade, she has a scissor obsession. Andre's Grandma is insane; she thinks that ceiling fans are helicopters and that there is a clone of her hiding behind the mirror." Jared laughed, properly laughed, his whole body language seemed to cheer up and Tori laughed too, glad she could make him happier.
"Oh, I haven't even started on Cat yet…"
Beck threw his books into his bag and shrugged it onto his shoulder, he strolled towards the door of the lecture hall, along with his classmates. He almost reached the door when his professor called him over.
"Beckett, may I speak to you please?" Beck swallowed and nodded, "Sure."
His professor took the disc Beck's film was on out of the dvd player and inserted it back into its case. He then put it down on his desk. "Beckett," Beck held his breath, his heart was beating against his ribs wildly. "You have a lot of talent."
Beck let go of the breath and his heart slowed slightly, at least he doesn't think it was awful. His professor sat on the edge of his desk and laced together his fingers. "There is a film competition next month, I've been asked to submit some students from my classes to take part. They're mostly ones in their final year but you, you are something else. If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to put your film in too."
Beck's mouth dropped open, and his head nodded eagerly. "Of- of course, yeah, that- that would be awesome, thank you, sir." His professor smiled and stood up, even at his full height Beck towered over him. He looked around as if searching for something, and then gestured to the door, "You can leave now, that was all."
Beck nodded and virtually ran out of the door. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialled Tori's number, holding it up to his ear. The dial tone sounded and Beck drummed his fingers on the handset, "Come on Tori, pick up." Eventually it went to answerphone and Beck put it back in his pocket.
"Maybe she's busy, or in class, or left her phone in another room" he said to the empty corridor. With a shrug Beck walked, or skipped, down the hall and out to his car. Tonight, tonight he would celebrate.
Beck put the flowers he bought into a vase and placed it in the middle of the dining table. He'd given Chad 50 dollars to keep Trina away till tomorrow and knew Tori should be home any minute. Beck chopped up the mushrooms and the onions from the fridge.
Then he sliced the steak and threw it into the frying pan, once it was brown he fried off the mushrooms and onions. Next came the brandy, he poured it in and then carefully lit it, the flame soared up from the pan till it eventually burnt out. Beck added the cream and let it bubble, he turned down the gas of the pan then drained off the pasta. The swirly kind that was Tori's favourite.
He mixed the pasta with the sauce and then served it onto the plates as the door to the apartment opened. Setting the plates down on the table, Beck made his way to the hall to greet Tori.
"Hey babe, I made steak…" he then saw the tall, muscly guy that had also come in with Tori, he gave Beck an apologetic smile, "Diane."
Tori took Beck's hand and kissed him softly on the cheek, "Erm this is Jared, Jared this is Beck, my fiancée." The two awkwardly acknowledged each other while Tori hung up her coat and bag. "What were you saying about steak?"
"I, er, I cooked steak Diane, you know with the mushrooms and the cream, and the why is he here?" Tori shrugged and walked into the kitchen, "We got talking at the coffee shop, we have a music class together." Beck eyed up Jared who stood out of place in front of the apartment door.
"Well, er, I guess I can make up another plate."
Voila, chapter 7! What do you think of Jared? What are his intentions with Tori? How do you think Beck feels? Please review and let me know!:D
-Dom
