Two Weeks After Thanksgiving:
Beach:
"Tor? That you?" Tori turned around from where she sat propped up by a tree just off the beach watching the water roll in and out underneath the dark cloudy sky.
"Of course who else would it be?" Tori asked jokingly looking up and seeing Blake.
"What are you doing out here alone?" Blake asked coming over to sit beside her. Tori scooted forward and Blake took the hint. He sat behind her and leaned back against the tree so Tori could sit between his legs rested back against his chest.
Tori sighed. "Thinking."
"About?" Tori muttered something Blake couldn't here. "What?"
"Thanksgiving." Tori said louder.
Blake sighed. "Tori none of that was your fault." The last two weeks had been rather awkward for the Hanson family. Victoria was even more furious then before that her mother's belongings had been found and giving to their rightful owners, and Will had to deal with the backlash.
Will had talked with Whitney about maybe getting her a little place near Tori and moving her there away from their mother. Victoria was nice enough when left alone, but upset her and she could throw herself into a drinking frenzy and say the most horrible things.
Tori told her father that she thought Whitney moving out was a good idea. She would be eighteen soon, old enough to take care of herself. Will made the decision and bought a small beach house near Tori, same size and everything to Tori's place. But the inside was different. More walls then Tori's place and it looked to be smaller but really wasn't.
Will got some movers to help move Whitney's belongings while Victoria wasn't around.
On a happy note Blake's birthday was two days away. Tori still had yet to buy him a gift and was still trying to figure out what to get him. Peyton and Hunter were throwing him a surprise party, which Tori was certain Blake knew about. Peyton was the worst at keeping secrets unless they were her own.
"I know none of it's really my fault. I just can't help but feel awful."
"Tori if you don't stop feeling bad I'm gonna be forced to tickle you non-stop." Blake joked with her.
Tori turned and playfully glared at him out of the corner of her eye. "Don't…you…dare." She drawled. Blake's hands that had instinctively wrapped around Tori once they were comfortable moved towards her ribs. "Blake Bradley I swear if you tickle…" Tori was cut of by cries of laughter as Blake started attacking her with his fingers. "Stop…" She choked out.
"Are you still feeling bad?" Blake asked mockingly.
Tori continued to laugh unable to escape his arms and retaliate. "Ok I'll stop! Just stop…" She managed through her laughter. Blake stopped.
"You mean it?"
"I swear I'll stop, just don't tickle me anymore." Tori said her breath heavy and erratic.
Blake chuckled. "I do it because I care."
"No you do it to make me squirm." Tori said playfully.
Blake leaned close to her ear. "I know many different ways to make you squirm." He whispered huskily. Tori quivered at the tone in his voice, she loved when he whispered and spoke to her in that voice.
Just as Tori opened her mouth to retort they heard a loud rumble of thunder in the sky. "There's a storm coming." Tori pointed out.
Blake kissed her cheek lightly. "Come on we should go in before we get soaked." Blake said.
Tori sighed. "I wanna stay."
"Tor we're gonna get drenched. It's going to start raining any second." Blake said.
Tori smiled softly to herself. "A little water never hurt anyone."
"We'll watch the storm from the porch." Blake compromised.
Tori turned her head and looked at him sweetly. "Fine." She said. "Chicken." She muttered playfully as she stood.
"What was that?" Blake asked grinning as he to stood up from the ground. Tori started to walk away.
"Nothing." She chimed smirking, her back to Blake.
Blake walked up behind her and grabbed her waist. "I think you said something."
Tori turned around and smiled innocently at him. "Why on earth would you think that?" She asked teasingly.
"Oh I dunno cause I heard you." Blake said.
Tori giggled. "Ok if you heard me what did I say?" She asked knowing full well he hadn't heard.
Blake frowned playfully. "Fine you got me. So what did you say?"
"You're going to have to catch me to get me to say anything." Tori said grinning as she turned at took off for the small beach in front of her house. Blake chuckled softly and then took off after her.
Tori got to just in front of her house and Blake tackled her to the ground from behind. The whole time they laughed as they rolled down a slight slop. When they came to a stop Blake rolled off Tori next to her and Tori rolled over to lay in his arms. "So now will you tell me?" Blake asked as they lay their staring at the gray sky.
"I called you a chicken." Tori said laughing lightly.
"I am not a chicken." Blake protested rolling on his side to gaze down at her.
"So if it started raining right now you wouldn't take off into the house?" Tori asked playfully.
Blake smirked. "No I wouldn't."
"You sure?" Tori asked.
"Yeah." Just as Blake said that rain began to pour down from the storm clouds over head. Blake quickly stood and started for the house, while Tori just lay on the sandy beach. Blake turned back once he hit the porch and saw Tori just lying there, like she was making a snow angel, just letting the rain fall on her.
"Tor!" Blake called cupping his hands around his mouth to make his voice heard over the now rumbling sky.
"Chicken!" Tori yelled out towards the sky directing the comment at Blake. Blake chuckled softly and then ran back out to Tori and lay at her side.
"Ok. I'm a chicken." Blake succumbed to her mockery.
"Yeah, but you're my chicken." Tori said looking over at him. Raindrops rolled down Tori's face and the exposed skin of her arms and torso. Her jeans were almost completely soaked now and her shirt clung to her.
Blake looked over at her. "Why do you like the water so much?" Blake asked over the rain.
Tori sat up and looked out on the roaring waves. Tori stood and turned holding her hand out to Blake. He sat up and accepted her hand so she could pull him up. Tori lead him back to the house and they sat on the covered porch and watched the storm unfold before them.
"My grandma liked the water in all its forms. She loved the sea especially at night, and when the rain would fall we'd sit and watch the drops trickle down the window. I guess I get my fascination of water from her." Tori explained looking at Blake a little sadly.
"Tor it's ok to miss her." Blake said gently. He took Tori into his arms and held her. They were both drenched from the heavy rain. Blake delicately ran his fingers through her curly wet hair.
Tori put her arms around Blake's neck and hugged him close. "I know." She said softly gazing at him.
Blake gave her a gentle kind smile. "Come on let's go put on some warm clothes and watch a movie." Blake said sweetly. Tori smiled and nodded, but before they moved Tori stopped Blake. "Tor?" Blake asked confused by her unwillingness to go into the house.
"Can we just watch the storm a little longer?" Tori asked softly.
Blake smiled and nodded. He and Tori took up a seat on the hanging swing chair on their porch and watched the storm as it continued to roll through blue bay harbor.
Blake's Birthday Surprise:
"Tor, wake up Hunter wants us to meet him and Peyton for lunch at Burger Joe's." Blake said throwing at pillow at Tori who was sleeping soundly. Tori grumbled and lifted her head from where she lay face down in bed, completely void of any clothing.
"To early. "She mumbled and her face dropped back into her pillow. Blake went over to the bed and crawled over her sleeping form and laid soft kisses on her shoulder blades.
"Tor?" Blake whispered kissing her shoulder and leaning in next to her buried face. "Tor? Come on. Get up. It's already eleven." He said gently next to her.
Tori groaned into the pillow. "Blake…" It was muffled but understandable.
Blake grinned. "Come on Blue."
Tori sat up again turning her face to Blake. He leaned in and gave her a sweet passionate kiss before she had time to bury her face again. "Blake we had a very, very long night. It's my day off let me sleep." Tori whined.
Blake frowned at her playfully. "We did what you wanted to do on your birthday, so now we're gonna do what I want to do." Blake said playful smug.
Tori's eyes went wide. "Birthday?" She said sheepishly biting her lip. "That's today?" She asked.
Blake sighed. "Please tell me you didn't forget?"
Tori grinned guiltily. "Ok then I wont say anything at all." Tori said quietly. As if I could forget his birthday. Tori thought to herself trying hard not to blow her surprise.
"Tor." Blake said a little hurt.
Tori sat up forcing Blake up to sit next to her. "I'm sorry I've just been really busy." Tori said sadly. "I'll make it up to you I promise." Tori's cell phone rang before Blake had a chance to say anything. "Hello?" Tori answered. "But it's my day off." "Ok fine I'll be there in half an hour." Tori closed her phone. "I have to go in a pick up a shift, Becka's sick." Tori told Blake giving him the most heartfelt apologetic look she could muster.
Blake's eyes looked so sad and it was having its effect on Tori. She just wanted to tell him she was lying to surprise him, but she really wanted to surprise him no matter what. "Tor it's my birthday can't they get someone else to cover for Becka?"
Tori shook her head. "Meredith is out of town and both Becka and Shawnna have the flu." Tori said. She got up and started dressing in her usual work attire. "I promise I'll be home as early as I can and celebrate with you then." Tori finished dressing and walked in the bathroom and quickly ran a brush through her smooth straight blonde hair.
"But I wanted to spend the day with you." Blake complained. Tori walked up and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"I know. I'm so sorry. Come on you drop me at work and go meet Hunter and Peyton." Tori said grabbing her little bag and Blake's hand pulling him up from the bed.
"This birthday sucks." Blake pouted. Tori turned to him as they exited the door.
"Blake I promise tonight it'll be all celebration ok. Will you just try to have a good time? For me?" Tori asked caressing his cheek softly. Blake gave a weak smile and nodded. "I love you." Tori gave him a soft kiss and headed for the passenger door of her car. Blake got in the drivers seat and headed off to drop her at the restaurant.
After dropping Tori at work Blake drove over to meet Hunter and Peyton at Burger Joe's. Blake walked into the dinner and saw only Hunter. "Hey bro." Blake said walking over. They clasped hands and met for a brotherly hug before sitting back down in the both seat. "Where's Peyton?"
"Oh she had to run back to the apartment, forgot her phone and she is expecting an important call today." Hunter said. "Where's Tor?"
"Work. She got called in a while ago. And she even forgot that today was my birthday." Blake said sadly.
Hunter scoffed. "Women." He said playfully trying to cheer his brother up. "Unless it has to do with their nails or hair they don't remember." He joked. But they both knew that wasn't Tori or Peyton.
It is really unusual for Tori to forget something like this. Blake thought silently to himself. Blake was going to respond when he and Hunter heard very loud honking and what sounded like yelling. They looked out the window and saw a dark blue ford f-150 pulling up alongside the dinner with Shane, Dustin, Marah and Kapri in the back holding up a sign that read "Happy Birthday Blake!"
"What the hell?" Blake asked looking at Hunter who was now grinning. Blake noticed the car shut off and the way he saw the truck the passenger door was closest to him. It opened first and Peyton stood up on the running board. Then Blake saw Tori's head pop up and look over the roof of the cab at him. She folded her arms, rested them on the smooth metal and then rested her head on her arms. She smiled at him and Blake jumped out of his seat running out to the truck. "What the hell are you guys doing?"
"We ditched school to surprise you!" Marah proclaimed jumping out of the bed of the truck with Dustin's helping hand. Kapri was next out with Shane's help. Peyton walked over to Hunter who had now come out of the small dinner. Blake walked around to the driver's side and saw Tori sitting in the driver's seat with the door open facing out.
Tori smiled at him. "Happy birthday! You didn't actually think I forgot did you?" Tori asked with a sweet smile.
Blake hoisted up on the running board and leaned in to give her a gentle kiss. "Never." Blake whispered pulling away. Tori held up a set of keys and Blake's eyes widened. "This is for…"
"You. " Tori cut him off. "Happy birthday!" Tori said.
"But Tor, how? It's just I don't know what to say." Blake said taking the keys.
Tori grinned. "I have some money stashed away for a rainy day. Or just for something important like my boyfriends birthday." She said teasingly. "And you could say, 'come on Tor let's go for a ride.'"
Blake smiled. "Come on Tor lets go for a ride." Blake repeated. Tori scooted over the bench seat to the passenger side. Tori rolled the window down and looked at her friends.
"Follow us." She instructed. Tori tossed her keys to Peyton and everyone loaded either into Hunter's truck or the mustang.
Blake pulled out and couldn't sit still. He fidgeted with the radio and the air conditioning. "Blake shut that off." Tori said as she changed out of her work clothes into some clothes she had given to Peyton to hold for her, for this reason. Blake obliged and looked over at Tori she had already gotten her jeans on and was now stripping off her top to reveal a sky clue and white lace bra.
"How is it that you're changing?" Blake asked randomly.
Tori smirked at him as she put her thermal long sleeve shirt on. Then she slipped on her blue acdc shirt. "How long do you think I've had the truck ready to give you?" Tori asked looking over at Blake. He shrugged. "A week. Peyton and I planned this a week ago. I came prepared. Oh and it was Hunter who called me this morning."
"I have to admit I was a little hurt that you forgot my birthday." Blake said looking at her with a small smile.
Tori scooted over and sat next to him wrapping her arm around his waist after buckling the seat belt. (A/N: safety first) "I didn't forget though."
Blake turned his head slightly and kissed her forehead. "Yeah that's a whole lot better."
Tori snuggled in as his right arm went around her should and the other hand remained on the steering wheel. "Oh right go to Storm Chargers." Tori said.
"Birthday party?" Blake asked smirking knowingly.
"Birthday party. " Tori replied, knowing that lying to Blake was futile. She could never actually lie to Blake.
The gang arrived to the party at storm chargers and it went for about three hours before everyone had to get back to their lives. Not to mention Christmas was coming up and everyone needed to get their shopping in. Tori had done Christmas shopping long ago, and had put everything away in a safe in her father's office so no one could snoop.
Tori and Blake headed back to their house and rested on the couch with Rox and watched movies all night until it was late and they made their way back to their bedroom and Tori made up for her little act that morning.