Gangs of Los Angeles

TORI'S POV

André's words seemed to have broken down the wall that I had built up around my life. My safe, uncomplicated, normal life. How could Beck be in league with that gang?
André was still holding my hands and examining my expression. 'Tori?' He whispered. 'Tori, say something.' I opened my mouth. I couldn't focus. 'Are you sure?' I managed to choke out. André nodded. 'Yeah. Sure it was Beck and sure it was the gang that attacked us.' There was not a hair on my head that now thought of going out that front door. 'But why would he–' André stroked a curl from my forehead and shook his head. 'I don't know, Tori. I have no idea why Beck would be stupid enough to engage with a gang like that.' I got up and pulled my phone from my pocket. André got up too. 'What are you doing?' I turned back to him. 'Calling him. I want to know what to hell he's up to.' André pulled my phone from my hands. 'What are you going to say? Hi Beck, Tori here, I know I broke your heart but what the hell are you doing with the guys that raped me?' I flinched and shrugged. 'Well, it would be better than nothing.'
André glanced at the phone in his hand and slowly handed it back to me. 'Then call him.' I bit my lip and scrolled down my contact's list until I reached Beck's name. I hesitated.
'Maybe I shouldn't call him.' André crossed his arms over his chest. 'I don't know, Tori. I don't know what we should do.'

I sank onto the couch, feeling as if my legs had given in. I honestly couldn't believe Beck would be with them. Never. He was a good guy. One of the few I knew.
I trusted him. Beck was one of the first to be there for me after I had been raped. I pulled up the image of his face when I had first woken up. I remembered the first few days after I had woken up.

My room was overflowing with flowers. Roses, Lilies, and someone – I had a vague suspicion who – had sent me bush daisies. I wasn't allowed to leave the hospital. I wasn't even allowed more than two visitors per day. Most of the time, my parents proved to be an exception to that rule. The two visitors were friends and family.
Cat and Beck were there almost every day. Beck sometimes refused to leave before I was asleep, something I was secretly very grateful of. Robbie and Rex visited once or twice a week, when Cat couldn't visit, or when Beck and Jade went to visit André, whom I was not allowed to see either. Jade never visited me. Beck told me she spent most of her time with André, being more worried about his wellbeing than mine.
I sighed and leaned back into the pillows. A nurse entered the room, carrying a large tray filled with the most disgusting hospital food you could think of. And they keep wondering why I don't eat much. Beck had promised to come by later. I bit my lip and ignored the nurse's chatter, and stared out of the window. I could see the Hollywood sign from my window. I considered what Beck had told me yesterday when I had asked him how André was doing. 'He's doing fine, considering everything, Tori.' 'When can I see him?' Beck bit his lip. 'Maybe it would be a good idea to wait, Tori. At least until you can manage. Until you can cope with it.'

I shivered at the memory. I knew Beck was right. I didn't like it. I woke every night, screaming at the top of my voice, reliving the moments again and again in my haunted dreams. Every time Beck touched my arm – whether or not accidental – I'd whimper, shrink back into the pillows. Cat was the only one I trusted. The only one that didn't scare me. I cared for Beck – God, to be honest, I still had a thing for him – and I knew he would never even think about the things the men had done to me, but every single one of his touches brought back painful memories and flashbacks. Sickening feelings and images. Pain. Agony. Fear.
I shrugged the thought off and redirected my attention to the nurse. 'You are allowed to get up today. Just an hour or two, but it should feel better than laying on the darn bed all day.' I smiled. It might not have seemed to convincing, because she threw me a worried look. She helped me get up and hobble through the room, wincing whenever she bumped her elbow to my broken arm, and settle into the armchair.
My arm had been broken on three different places. Thus, I had to wear a ridiculous blue sling. My nose, badly bruised, had been packed in a idiotic bandage that made me look like a sick clown.

I glanced out the window and sighed. I'm not sure how long I just sat there and stared out of the window, but it must've been quite a while, because when I checked the clock, it read 11 AM already. Suddenly, Beck's voice rang out from somewhere behind me. 'Woah, you're up!' I turned around, smirking and looked at Beck, who leaned against the door frame, smiling mischievously. 'And I'm wearing a horrible sling and I have to ring the bell every time I want to get up. Your point?' He smiled widely and approached me. He leaned over me, glancing out of the window. 'What are you looking at?' I sighed, ignoring the tingly feeling his presence gave me. 'Nothing really. Just looking.' He smiled and kneeled next to the chair, smiling up at me. 'How are you feeling today?' I shrugged. 'I only woke up once last night.' He smiled. 'That's good, right?' Not thinking, he put his hand on mine. I froze. He quickly moved his hand. 'Tori, I'm sorry.' I bit my lip. 'No, it's okay. I've got to learn to trust men again. I have to learn they don't all want to hurt me.' Beck examined my expression. His eyes were locked on mine.

'I would never hurt you, Tori.'

Looking back, I thought myself a fool for not seeing there was something between us. But I believed what he had said back then. I still believed him.
André sat down next to me. I looked at him. 'Maybe we shouldn't do anything. Maybe we . . . We should just go out.' André stared at me. 'Tori,' he began, but I shook my head. 'If we are ever going to live our lives like they are normal again, we have to get over it.' André bit his lip. 'And besides, what are the odds of us running into the same gang again?' He shrugged. 'I don't know, but Tori, is that really the best idea?' I got up and threw my hands up. 'I don't know, André! It probably isn't, but I don't want to lock myself in my house every time I hear something about a gang. I refuse to be victimized any further.'

André sighed. Knowing me as well as he did, he knew there was no way he could possibly change my mind. He headed for the door and waited while I got my purse and jacket. Neither of us spoke while we headed for the car. When I got in, I remembered he still hadn't told me where he was going to take me. As he fired up the engine, I smiled at him. 'Stop looking so glum. Where are we going?'
André grinned. 'It's a surprise, Tori. You know the meaning of the surprise, right?' I scowled. 'Yes I do. But I hate surprises. You know that.' I pouted. He laughed. 'Well, I promise, you'll like this one.'

LATER THAT EVENING

ANDRÉ'S POV

I'd been absolutely right. Tori had been delighted to see the little Chinese restaurant again. Granted, we were there so often it wasn't really special anymore, but I had made sure it was for her.
At the end of the evening, I had given her two fortune cookies. One said, 'I will always love you.' The other contained a small, silver ring. I know it's cheesy, but I knew she'd love it.
And boy, had she. She had all but jumped over the table to kiss me. Afterwards, we'd seen a movie, although I don't recall much of the movie itself. I had been most distracted when my girlfriend started kissing me halfway through the first half of the movie. Luckily, we were seated on the top row of the seats, and the nearest people were at least six rows below.
Tori had been right to tell me we just had to go out. We were having a great time, and I almost felt like a normal couple; not like two people who fell in love after something horrible happened.

We were heading back to the car, Tori holding my hand, her fingers woven into mine, and it could not have felt any more natural or right.
When we reached the car, she turned back to me and pressed her lips on mine. I smiled and pushed her back against the car, grinning as she twisted her fingers in my dreads. When she slipped her hand under my shirt, I did feel like we were pushing it just a little bit too far, so I pulled back - with an almighty effort - and smiled at her. 'We're still in public,' I whispered. She smiled suggestively. 'I don't care.'
I smiled, despite myself. 'But I do. Come on, get in, I'll take you home, and I'll let you do whatever you like to me.' Her smile widened. 'Promise?' I raised my eyebrows. 'God, Tori, you have a dirty mind,' I whispered as she pulled me closer by my shirt to kiss me again.

'Well, look who we have here.' Tori stiffened and my heart started beating frantically. I slowly turned around to find a gang of 16 men staring and smiling at us. I felt goosebumps on Tori's arms. The tall man in front of the gang was smirking at us. 'It sure is nice to see you two again.' I pushed Tori against the car and stepped in front of her. I was still holding her hand, and her other hand was tugging at the back of my shirt.
'Can't say the same,' I spat. He laughed. 'I can imagine.' He cocked his head to side. 'A little bird told me you told on us. The cops seem to know all about us. ' He laughed again, but it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up straight.
'You, little girl, had them take a sperm sample.' Tori squeezed my hand. 'Look, mate, just leave us. We didn't do anything.' He smirked and pointed at me. 'You were not supposed to live. Neither of you. We usually don't allow our new little friends to walk away when we have more fun together than just robbery.' He shifted his gaze to Tori, still half-hidden behind my back. 'And we definately had more fun together.'
'Come on, man,' I started, 'just let us go.' He laughed like a bloody maniac again and pulled a gun from his waistband. He pointed it directly at my head. 'What do you want with us?' Tori blurted out.
He grinned. 'I don't know, love. How about we reminince a little?' Tori shrunk back against the car. I recoiled instinctively and pushed Tori further back against the car.

'Yo newbie,' he called over his shoulder. The group split and a young, tall, slim guy walked up to the tall man. The young guy kept his gaze directed carefully at his shoes. The tall one handed the gun to the kid. 'Just a little loyalty test. Shoot them.' He pointed the gun directly at my head.
I breathed in deeply. 'Dude, please. We'll ... We'll keep our mouth shut, just let us go. Please.'
The kid looked up. I gasped and Tori breathed in sharply.

In front of us, holding a large, loaded gun pointed directly at my head, eyes filled with pain and pure loathing, stood Beck Oliver. Previously my best friend.

Hi you guys,

I'm not too sure about this chapter, but seeing as I will be drowning in rehearsals for my play.
Our opening night is next Saturday, so because I think I won't have the time to update again, I wanted to give you this.

For the record, the story WILL have a happy ending for everyone. I think. xD

Anyway, thanks for reading and please review!

Xx Annaelle