There are always two sides in the aftermath of a broken heart, here's how Tori is dealing with things...I was going to split this into two chapters, but oh well. Let me know if this is too long, next time i'll cut it into two if it is.
I miss him.
He isn't at school today, I've combed every inch of the school, asked every student, texted him obsessively and it's all been for naught. I almost feel like a ghost as I watch the sea of students drift before me. They pass me by as I drift through the halls, probably expecting a broad smile on my lips as they say hello. I just can't give that to them though, a slight incline of my chin and my lifeless eyes are the only greeting I can offer. Since Monday afternoon, everything's felt this way, like a heavy fog has blanketed the world around me. Instead of the lively tones I used to see, I only see drab shades of grey.
Tilting my head back, brown hair crashes over my shoulders as I lean against my locker, awaiting the bell for my next class. Looming in the shadows, I just want to go home, to be alone. My mind tortures me with memories of Robbie and I wish I could just go to his house, to fall asleep on his couch with him. My eyelids feel like lead, I can barely hold them up; slowly they begin to slide shut.
"What's wrong girl?" Andre's easy, self-assured voice skating through the air as he comes to a halt in front of my locker. My eyes flutter open and I shift my weight, standing in front of him, rather than leaning against my locker. Andre's features harden as he takes in the sight of me, his eyes skating over the contours of my face. My weariness is out on display, I feel as though he's looking right through me.
"Nothings wrong." I mumble, arms folding limply in front of me. My eyes stray to the lockers around us, trying in vain to avoid his piercing gaze. As much as I want to ignore the gnawing feeling in my stomach, as much as I want to look Andre in the eyes and tell him I'm fine, I can't.
"C'mon, I can tell something is wrong." Andre's words drag my gaze back to him. Where there had merely been concern in his voice, there is now a cocktail of worry, confusion and determination. I shudder slightly as I feel his fingers graze over my arms, skating up and down my skin. Andre's eyes are clouded, concern shrouding his usually jovial features. Feel my chest deflate; I heave air into my lungs, ragged breaths tearing through me.
"I'm just not feeling well." The lie drifts through my teeth with an ease that I don't like, it's not something I'm used to, and it's not something I want to be good at. At my words, Andre's arm falls away from me, hanging limply at his side as his brow crinkles in annoyance.
"Yeah, no chizz. You've been acting wonky all day." Andre retorts, annoyance attempting to fight through the concern in his voice. The edge of his lip curls upwards in a way that could be construed as menacing on another face, but with Andre's concerned eyes above, it's more comical than anything. Andre's fingers rake through his dreadlocks, another sure sign of when he's becoming flustered.
"How wonky?" I ask, abandoning my attempt of a lie. It's only been one day; surely I can't be that much of a mess, right? My throat tightening, I peer up at Andre, hoping to see the light in his eyes, the confirmation that I don't appear as broken as I feel. There's simply a grim determination in his features though, my gaze flies away from him once more.
"Willy wonky." He states, a halfhearted smile perching on his lips. A weak grin pulls at my own lips in response, Andre's reference to his own past troubles reminding me that it's always darkest before the dawn. Guilt seeps into me, Andre's only trying to help. He's only worried about me and yet I'm trying to shut him out for some reason.
"Seriously, I'm worried though. What's up?" The smile slides from Andre's face. I can feel him searching through my expression for clues. I feel my resolve crumble completely, if he wants the ugly, messy, painful truth, then that's what I'll give him.
"It's Jade." I state, my eyes skittering throughout the hallway, hoping that I haven't summoned the demon herself by uttering her name. Somewhat sure that Jade isn't going to stomp into the middle of our conversation, my gaze comes to rest on Andre. His expression has shifted once more, I can almost see his mind at work, I can almost see him going over the various possible implications of Jade's name. The confusion is what's more evident on Andre's face though, his thick eyebrows are draw together, and his mouth is pursed. Half expecting him to stroke his chin thoughtfully, I know that more explanation is going to be necessary.
"That's nothing new, what's so different this time? I haven't seen you like this before, no matter how much of a gank Jade has been in the past." He states, more to himself than me. As though his words are going to help him solve the riddle of my words. Even if Andre's confused due to a lack of details, I know he's doing his best to understand the situation. The urge to slap myself for trying to freeze him out earlier flashes through my mind.
"Uh, well it's not just Jade, it's Robbie…things happened." The words are clumsy, tumbling into a sentence without really making any sense. Shifting my weight to one leg, I grit my teeth slightly and bite down on my lower lip in frustration. As plain as it is to see Andre cares, as simple as it is to speak with Andre, this is still not an easy subject to broach.
"Uh…" Andre's confusion only deepens, eyebrows drawing even closer together as I fail to shed any more light on what transpired. I shake my head slightly, hoping it will rearrange all of the thoughts fluttering through my mind into something more manageable. It doesn't help that I'm still expecting Jade to round the corner at any time, to finish the job that she started yesterday.
"Hang on…" I mutter, latching onto Andre's wrist. Before he knows what's happening, we're hurtling down the hallway, weaving in and out of the crowd as the janitor's closet comes into view. My fingers shaking like a leaf in the wind as I extend my arm towards the handle, the thought that Jade could potentially be in there infecting my thoughts. An empty room greets us and I heave a sigh of relief. Stepping into the closet, I release my grip on Andre's wrist and a brief silence falls over us. I try in vain to latch onto something that resembles a logical thought pattern, though it's harder than it should be.
"Jade kissed me, Robbie saw it. He walked in looking for his wallet that he'd left behind when we were in my room together. You should have seen his face…" The realization that we're away from the prying eyes of other students, away from the possibility of Jade's presence hits me. The words begin to spew forth, as though the dam has broken and they're a massive torrent of water. I've been bottling them up for the last three days, now that I have a forum to air them out on, I don't know if I'll be able to stop.
"Jade and you? You and Jade? You kissed?" Andre shrieks, a look of shock creasing his features. He's completely glossing over the fact that Robbie's the central focus of this story. My thoughts all seem to die out for a brief moment, the realization of why Robbie's always so guarded, so surprised at any type of affection sinking in. He's never anybody's first priority; he's never been cared for. My heart clenches painfully as I wonder if he's ever been loved at all before.
"It happened. It happened and then Robbie saw it, freaked out and…" I begin to answer, seeing Andre's questioning eyes fall on me as his shuddering comes to a halt. My voices quakes and shudders, threatening to break with each passing word, finally it can't take anymore and falters. A familiar burning sensation boils over behind my eyes, reminding me of all the tears I've shed in the past week. I attempt to draw as much air into my lungs as possible only succeeding in drawing from my depths.
"Then what?" Andre asks, his arm once again finding it's way to my shoulder as the confusion drifts from his eyes and concern clouds his features. I suppress the urge to snag my arm away from his touch, he means well and I appreciate the effort, it just can't compare to Robbie's touch though. Screwing my eyes shut, attempting to push the memories out of my mind, I attempt to pry the courage out of the depths of my body, to find the will to continue.
"I tried to talk to him and..." I wheeze, struggling to even piece together a simple sentence by this point. I feel so pathetic, so small and so weak as I slide down the wall behind me, and land in a heap at the bottom. I know I'm a mess, mascara running down my cheeks, hopelessness in my voice.
"It didn't go well?" Andre asks, crouching down in front of my and meeting my eyes. I shake my head just enough to let him know I heard his words, my arms unfold and flatten against my knees. Screwing my eyes shut, I attempt to force the tears to a half, all I succeed in doing in conjuring images of the afternoon in question on my eyelids.
"It did not." I reply simply, my tongue finally wrapping around an answer. Silence falls over us once again and hair blankets my face as my head slumps into my knees.
"So you're depressed over Robbie?" Andre wonders out loud, mostly speaking to himself, rather than me. At the sound of Robbie's name, my heart lurches painfully and I fight the urge to clutch at it, to try and keep it from falling apart.
"I am." I mutter, nodding my head slightly, but still not returning the gaze that I know Andre is directing towards me. Even as my best friend does his best to comfort me, to offer his kindest words, I feel empty and alone. The realization that I'm completely falling apart because of Robbie after only one weekend together and a shudder runs up my spine as I wonder if this is what love is, if love is this painful.
"Why, I mean that makes him so special?" Andre's words draw my eyes towards him finally; my heartbeat increases as I fight the feeling of indignation welling up within me. Andre's face isn't malicious though, he's genuinely curious. My chest deflates as I realize that I would have wondered the exact same thing only a few days ago.
"I just…he acted like I was the most special thing in the word. He held me close like he never wanted to let go, but so gently that I felt like the most precious thing in his life. Then Jade came along and…" Again my emotions tear me apart from the inside, conspiring with my body to halt the words coming from my mouth. I collapse into a ball of tears as my emotions spill over once more at the memories associated with the words that only a week ago, would have seemed so foreign leaving my lips sink in.
"Destroyed it." Andre finishes, shuffling over to the wall alongside me and picking up from where I couldn't continue. His arm drapes over me, an embrace that's both reassuring and just the tiniest bit too tight. Andre's arms are just that little bit too strong, his movement just that little bit too enthusiastic. Worst of all, it's not Robbie's.
"Pretty much." I whimper, pulling myself together for just enough time to offer a reply, before everything unravels once more and I'm staining Andre's shirt with my make up as I weep. His posture stiffens as my hot tears soak through his shirt, though he doesn't pull away, simply waiting for my tears to subside.
"Hey, hey girl. It'll be ok." He coos in a way that in the past would have sent my heart fluttering and my fears away in the past. Swallowing my sadness as I peer over at the hesitant smile plastered to Andre's lips and I know he's doing his best, it's just not Robbie though. It's not his smile, his laugh or his touch. I wish I could return Andre's smile, but I just can't bring myself to do anything more than meet his gaze, sniffling indiscreetly all the while.
"How do you know?" I ask, eyes locking with Andre's and pleading for him to give me something tangible to hold onto, some kind of hope to clutch onto. Andre simply shrugs though, offering a small smile as the gears turn in his head.
"It just will be. Every cloud has a silver lining, it's always darkest before the dawn." He states, biting down on his lower lip and wincing at how cheesy his words are. I feel something snap inside of me and laughter tickles my throat for the first time in what feels like forever. Instead of looking offended, Andre simply chuckles lightly with me, looking pleased that my tears have abated for the moment. What he lacks in advice, he makes up for it with effort I guess.
"You're a walking cliché. You know that right?" The words leave my throat scratchy and quiet, the lingering sadness dwelling within my voice even as my mood improves ever so slightly. Stealing a glance at Andre, he's shaking his head lightly, rhythmically, like he's organizing his thoughts. Eventually his arm floats through the air, landing on my shoulder, as though he's going to offer some sort of sage advice.
"And you're in love with Robbie." It's merely a joke, his attempt at a retort towards my earlier statement criticizing his advice. As good as his intentions may have been, the words pierce my heart. Screwing my eyes shut, I shake my head; shake the truth from his words. I can't be in love with somebody that won't even talk to me, I just can't be.
"Am not." I whimper, still trying to deny Andre's statement as tears begin to fall once more. When I open my eyes once more, his expression lingers somewhere between guilt and the knowledge that he's right, he's one hundred percent right. The realization hits me harder then anything ever has, I grit my teeth and slide a hand through my hair as something within me twists and clenches, feeling as though it's been placed in a vice.
"Girl, you've got it bad. Lets get you home." Andre announces, untangling his arm from my shoulder and pushing himself to his feet. Holding his arm out in front of me, I watch his hand doubtfully for a moment before taking hold of it and allowing him to pull me upright. My legs will barely co-operate, quivering madly as we walk down the hall. I lean onto Andre for support, feeling as though I'd collapse into a heap of limbs without him holding me together. It's what best friends are for, I'm thankful for Andre. Passing his locker, I can only hope that there's somebody there for Robbie since I can't be, since he won't let me be.
The walk to Andre's car is filled with small talks and long stretches of silence. I can't bring myself to speak more than what is completely necessary, I'm alone with my thoughts most of time we walk, it's not the best idea either.
Andre drives, winding through the roads towards my house. The local radio station fills the air around us as Andre speaks over it, speaking about how he'd helped write the song that's playing or something. I try my best to listen, but my thoughts drown him out, screaming over top of one another.
The brakes of Andre's car squeal painfully as we come to a halt outside of my house. I glance over at the driveway; it's empty of course. I've scarcely seen Trina since our blow up at Derrick's party. I'm thankful for the small mercy that is Trina avoiding me, not doing anything to cause me any more pain. The nightmares featuring her have begun to fade. As the days have passed me by, I've even debated speaking to her, trying to resolve this conflict. The thought doesn't last long though, I barely have the energy for school, let alone dealing with Trina.
Not only that, but while the nightmares featuring my sister are fading, my mind tortures my every waking hour with visions of Robbie, visions of Jade. I find myself constantly trapped between this waking hell and the hell that awaits me as I slumber. With a small wave, I peel myself out of Andre's car. I'm preparing to shut the door when his arm shoots out, catching on my shoulder.
"Want me to come in?" Andre offers, pulling me out of my thoughts and dragging my gaze back towards him. I shake my head lightly, hiding the turmoil behind my eyes with a weak smile and greater success then before. I close the door, before turning and moving towards home. I feel rude not accepting his offer to come in, but I just want to be left alone, left to my despair.
I just want to be left to my empty room.
Dragging the door of our family home open, I trudge through the living room, up the stairs and towards the sanctuary of my room. I allow my bag to drop to the ground, barely noticing as it clatters towards the floor, crumbling into a heap.
Passing my laptop, I'm only vaguely aware that I pick it up. Kicking off my shoes, I drop to my bed, laptop to my side and simply lay back. Peering up at my roof, the thoughts that Andre's words had managed to suppress, if only slightly, come flying back with a vengeance, seeping into me, infecting my very being. Throwing myself sideways, I extend a limb and wrench my laptop open, hoping that there's something on The Slap to take my mind away from my pathetic existence, or at least something inspiring from Robbie. As the browser loads the page, I drum my fingers over the keyboard impatiently, heart thumping as I scroll through various updates, searching for Robbie's name, searching for his profile picture next to a comment.
"Robbie's the best partner ever. Our scene is going to be better than the time my brother brought home an alpaca for me!"
My eyes run over the words once, twice and my heart lurches pitifully in my chest. It's just barely beating, but the movement is just enough for pain to blaze through my veins. If that's not enough, my stomach screws within me and I feel as though I'm going to be sick. Finally self-preservation kicks in, my arm shoots out, slamming the lid of my laptop shut, sparing me from seeing anything else. I slide the Pearbook under my bed and bury myself under an avalanche of blankets, hoping to bury myself away from my problems.
I linger beneath them, lost in a fog that's neither sleep nor consciousness. The specter of Robbie never strays from the center of my thoughts, never quite releases his grip on my mind. Screwing my eyes shut, hot tears roll down my cheeks once more as the reality that he's more Cat's than mine sinks in.
Bile creeps up in my throat. He's not mine, not anymore at least. I had him for the briefest of moments, but then a storm named Jade tore through our peaceful bay, tore him from my grasp. Silence settles over the room totally, broken only by my ragged breathing until the sound of my phone vibrating dances through the air.
My eyes blow open and my heart shudders against my ribcage, hope blossoming within me that it could be Robbie calling me. My fingers skitter toward the sound, dragging the phone back towards me.
"Hi honey! Are you home? Are you alright?" My Mom's worried voice rattles through the speaker of my Pear Phone as my disappointment shudders through me. I pull myself upright, my free hand drawing the blanket upwards with me as I realize just how worried Mom sounds.
"I'm home Mom. What's wrong?" I answer, feeling a tightening in my throat as I hear what sounds suspiciously like tears through the line. My eyebrows knit together and I suck in a hard, rough breath.
"Can you get a ride to…we need you to come to the hospital. It's Trina." My Mom's reply comes through the phone a cluttered mess, sounding as if too many thoughts are attempting to escape at once. A lump forms in my throat and my tongue flails uselessly in my mouth at my Mom's revelation.
"I'll be there soon." I do my best to keep my voice firm, to hold the cracks together just long enough to hang up. Allowing my hand to drop into my lap, I peer down at my phone, lips pressing tightly together, a frown flickering over my features.
My eyelids flutter and tears threaten to spill over once more. Screwing my eyelids shut, a futile to dam them, I search within, search for the last of my positivity. Opening my eyes, I focus on the screen of my phone, scrolling through the names. I pass through the list several times, my breath catching at the mere sight of Robbie's name each time.
"Hey girl, what's up?" Andre's voice drifts through the air, with the ease of a summer day. My free hand tugs at a stray lock of hair as the unfamiliar sensation of jealousy wells up within me. His voice is so free of conflict, so free of turmoil. It's the sunshine at the end of the storm, sounding as warm as a summer day. Meanwhile, I'm sitting on my bed, limbs drawn tightly together, red rims surrounding my stormy eyes as mascara streaks down my cheeks once again.
"I'm coming over." He announces, the warmth never quite leaving his voice. A rasp escapes my lips as I search for the right words to fill him in, to let him know what he's getting into before he commits. Instead of the ambience of Andre's room, the cold sterile sound of the dial tone courses through my ears. I allow my phone to tumble carelessly to the mattress and slide out from under my covers.
Peeling myself out of bed, I stumble into the bathroom. Resting my palms on the vanity, I lean towards the mirror and I take in the details of my face. My gaze skitters over all of imperfections, all of the blemishes and all of the ruined make up. My eyes flicker downwards, trailing away from the gaunt visage in front of me.
So ugly, so broken.
"Tori! I'm here!" Andre's voice rings through the air, catching me off guard. Shuddering slightly, I peer into the mirror and hope I've papered over the cracks just enough to hide how close to shattering I am. I take one last deep breath before turning on my heel and heading in the direction of Andre's voice.
"So watcha need?" He blurts out, cutting straight to the point and punctuating his words with a clap. As I make my way down the stairs, I notice his usually bright smile looks just a little more forced than usual, a little more strained. Stepping towards him, my lips contort into my own well-practiced and completely fictitious smile.
"Can you take me to the hospital?" The words tear from my lips before I know what I'm doing. The smile immediately slides off Andre's face and his brow creases in concern. His arms flail at his sides, as though he's unsure whether or not he should offer me a hug or not. Something in my eyes must give me away, he never does move any closer than an arms length away from me.
"What hap- Never mind, lets go" Andre's answer is clumsy, the lips falling from his lips in a way that's entirely ungraceful and not at all in his usual nature. Without warning, he extends an arm, taking me by the wrist and pulling me towards the door. A protest lingers on my lips, but I know Andre, I know he's just trying to save time. He's spent his share of time in hospitals, he knows every moment counts; every second gone by is another lost opportunity with the sick, the injured, those that are knocking on deaths door.
My hands fumble with the keys to our front door as the thought haunts me, wrapping around my mind and forcing the most horrific possibilities through my mind. Sliding into the passenger seat of Andre's car, I'm shaking. Trina and I have had our problems, but I can't even bear the thought of losing her.
Andre navigates through the twists and turns that will lead us to the hospital; my eyes follow the buildings as they fly past, anything to distract me from what lies ahead and anything to distract me from the inevitable.
The inevitable arrives too soon.
Andre shuts off his car and I'm halfway towards the entrance to the Hospital before Andre even has the chance to get out of his car, I'm steaming towards the entrance. As the cold concrete building draws nearer and nearer, a feeling of dread wells up within me, I've never been good with Hospitals.
Before I know it, Andre and I are breathing in the sterile ambience of the Hospital reception room, a disinterested looking woman in front of us. The silence stretches on between us, though I don't notice just how long it's been until my eyes begin to burn. My gaze falls to the floor as I try to hide my weakness from the rest of the room as my tongue hangs uselessly in the bottom of my mouth.
"Uh, Tori Vega. Here to see Trina Vega" His words come where mine have failed me. As the receptionist disappears behind her desk, a lump forms in my throat and I feel as though I'm about to explode, the nerve beginning to get the best of me. To my relief, the frumpy woman finally rises from behind the desk, a slip of paper clasped in her hand.
"Floor Three, Room 401." Her dull words fade from my ears as I march out of the reception room, eyes fixed on the steel doors of the elevator ahead of me. I'm only dimly aware that Andre has caught up to me and is now standing at my side as we glide upwards, towards my sister.
The hallway in front of us seems to stretch forever; Andre shoots me a reassuring smile, though something moving in front of us catches my attention before I can return his gesture. Before Andre can utter a word, I'm streaking away from him, my clumsy limbs carrying me towards the woman in the distance.
"Mom!" I shriek, arms linking behind her waist as I bury my face into her shoulder. She doesn't miss a beat and in an instant I'm wrapped in the warm embrace only a parent can give. I shudder against her, my spine quaking as tears soak through her blouse.
After my tears begin to subside, my mother gently places her hands on my shoulders and straightens my back. Her eyes flicker over my face, concern shimmering within her eyes. Gently, she leads me towards the room in front of us, the room containing Trina. Hearing footsteps behind us, I know that Andre is still ghosting behind me. Echoing my every move, just incase he's needed.
The room is everything I had been dreading. The plain white walls almost blinding me as my gaze crosses the room, searching for my sister. As my eyes fall upon the bed in the corner furthest from us, my breath catches. There's a girl lying on the bed, but she's not my sister. Where Trina's deep brown hair tumbles over her shoulders in waves, this girl's hair is matted to her head by dried blood. Where Trina's skin is meticulously cared for, this girl's flesh is a roadmap of pain, angry red lines crisscrossing her face and intersecting with deep purple bruises. She's not my sister, she can't be. She's just a mess of wires, a gnarled shell held together by suffering.
"What happened?" The words tremble from my throat finally, bleeding from my lips, laced with hesitation. My mom turns towards me, eyes skittering between Andre and I. She draws a deep breath as her sculpted eyebrows knit together with an emotion that I can't quite discern.
"We aren't sure yet honey. She was in a car accident." My mom's words cling tightly to one another, as her lips do their best to remain still, as she does her best to hold the waver from her voice. She turns away from me and briskly steps towards Trina's bed, leaving me in her wake. I know she's hiding something, that there's something she isn't telling me. Screwing my eyes shut, I take a deep breath and stride towards the bed as well.
"Is…is she going to be ok?" I ask, lowering myself into a seat next to Mom. Her head is bowed, though the shadows don't hide the deep lines of worry that have overwhelmed her features. Without even really thinking, my fingers crawl towards my sister's prone hand, filling my spaces between her fingers with my own. All of the nightmares, all of the pain I had felt falling away, crumble under the weight of this situation.
"Of course she is." Mom's gaze leaves Trina for a moment and her body shakes as she draws a deep breath as she peers the wall away from where I sit. After a moment, turns back to me, her lips curve with a soft smile, though it doesn't reach her eyes. Somewhere between her comforting smile and the red rims around her eyes is something foreign, something malignant. It almost looks like defeat.
Silence descends over us, the harsh beep of Trina's heart monitor bouncing off the walls coming as the only sound for a long time. My thumb brushes over Trina's, like it's some kind of elixir, like I can fix her with such a simple movement. The time passes agonizingly slowly as I cling desperately to Trina's hand; I steal a glance at Andre. He's sitting next to me, his arms folded tightly across his chest as his steely eyes watch Trina intently. When he catches me looking at him, his eyes soften and his lips struggle upwards, a smile forcing it's way onto his lips.
"Hey! Somebody help me, I can't find my brother!" I jump at the voice, my eyes spinning toward the hallway. My eyes fall on the unconscious form of my sister, her usually perfectly straightened hair is a swirling brown mess, looking as though she had been standing in the middle of a tornado. The rational side of my mind tells me there's nothing I can do for her in this state, so I heave my frame into a standing position and step towards the door.
"Cat?" She's stumbling through the hallway, hands clutching together over her small chest. Cat's brow is creased and her deep brown eyes are clouded by concern, the usual bounce is lost from her movements, she looks so lost, so confused until her ears register my voice. In an instant, fluorescent red hair is bouncing through the air as she bounds towards me,
"Whaty?" She asks, almost tumbling into me as she comes to a stop. Cat's eyebrows knit together, as though she's trying to piece together why I'm even here. The change in her demeanor is jarring, no matter how many times I see them, Cat's sudden shifts in emotion are never cease to catch me off guard. Even still, I find my lips twitch upwards slightly, Cat's abnormal behavior funnily enough, serving as a welcome slice of normality.
"What room number did they give you for him?" I ask slowly, my voice sound more like myself and less like the wreck of a girl I've been for the past few days. Cat's mood shifts erratically once more, her lips purse and her eyes screw shut. She's looking at the ground and muttering to herself, watching her curiously, she comes to a halt, peering up at me once more.
"401." She finally answers, eyes widening as I recoil at her words. Cat's brother must be the guy next to Trina, the one that looks to be in slightly better shape. Lost in my thoughts, it's only when I see the confusion etched in Cat's face, when I see eyebrows turn towards the roof that I snap out of my daze.
"I know exactly where that is." I state, spinning us in the right direction and linking my arm with Cat's, effectively putting her on a leash so that she can't wander off. We glide down the hall in silence; the bounce is gone from Cat's step once more. I find myself wishing there was something more I could do as I look down at her frail form, she looks so sad and yet, so unsurprised.
"Hey Cat, I finally got a park and…" It's a voice I've only heard in my nightmares since Monday, a voice I've longed to hear in person. I tear my eyes from Cat, my gaze shooting in the direction of that voice. He's standing in the doorway just a few feet from the elevator. His voice cuts out as it becomes clear Cat's not alone, as it becomes clear that Cat it accompanied by the person that broke his heart. I offer a small wave, my heart lurches painfully in my chest as that simple gesture sends his gaze skittering away from us, away from me.
Something breaks inside of me when Cat rushes from my side, enveloping him in a hug and taking the place that's so rightfully mine. I stand in front of them, arms hanging limply either side of me as I screw my eyes shut.
I should be the one Robbie's holding.
I know, I know, there was very little Rori in here. To make it up to you, the loyal readers, I created a fluffy Rori one-shot called Tori Takes Requests: Redux. It's pretty much just fluff and should tide you over in this time of horrible, horrible sadness.
Hopefully you enjoyed this slice of Angst from Tori's POV in the mean time though. The reasons behind a lot of Trina's mis-behaviour and the link between her and Cat's brother will be addressed soon as well.
A big thanks to everyone that reviewed to get this to over 100, it's much appreciated! As always, if you liked the chapter or even if you didn't, I'd love to hear what you think in a review :)