Tori walked through a white fog for what seemed like an eternity. A figure approached her. "Ron?" she asked. Without a word, Ron cupped her cheek and kissed her. She was lost in his embrace, it felt like old times, before he broke her heart. He pulled back and Tori gazed into his bright green eyes. Wait, Green? Ron has brown eyes... "Pat? Wha..." but she was cut off as he kissed her again. Tori felt weak in the knees; his kiss ignited a passion that she didn't know she had. This time she pulled back. "Pat?" He smiled and leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Wake up."
Her eyes snapped open. "Tori, I've been trying to wake you up for five minutes!" She tried to untangle herself from the sheets but only succeeded in falling off the couch."Oww! Ran, What was that for?" "Tor, we have practice in 20 minutes, I do NOT want to be late again." Sighing, she picked herself up and hopped in the shower.
"Hey Tori, you seem to be healing pretty fast," Randy said as Tori pulled on a shirt. "Yeah well, I guess it comes with practice." She said sarcastically. Randy slowly crossed the room and pulled her into a hug, "Shhh...screw your dad. You're here now, and that's what matters." He lifted her head up and kissed her forehead. "Now c'mon, let's go to practice, we are the heart of the line." Randy smiled cheekily and Tori laughed.
"It is a miracle they aren't late." exclaimed Pat as he saw Tori and Randy walk into the band hall. "Has the world ended?" Lauren said. "Ha Ha, you guys are great." Tori chuckled as Randy got his equipment. "He's not a morning person, is he?" Pat asked. "Nope," Tori blushed as she remembered her dreams. "Well, let's get out there."
Practice was strained between Tori and Ron. They barely talked to one another, and when they did it was in short, professional words. For Tori, practice seemed to take forever; as much as she loved drumming she could not stand the awkwardness between herself and Ron. He approached her after practice, "So, hey..." Anger flared in her, "You had no right to do that! Now Sara won't talk to me! You broke up with me remember?" She stormed off but Ron grabbed her arm. "Tori, wait I'm sorry. I explained it to Sara and she's not mad at you anymore." "Oh, well maybe I'm mad." He smirked and brushed her hair out of her face. "I love it when you're mad, it's so cute." "Stop that!" She yelled before running into the band hall.
Tori angrily put her drum away and stomped into the director's office. "Pat, can I talk to you for a sec?" He got out of his rollie chair, where he was currently rolling around the office. "Sure." She dragged him outside of the office. "Pat, can we go somewhere during first? I have to go somewhere during first. I cannot be anywhere near Ron." He heard the urgency in her voice. "Alright, I'll see if I can convince the band directors to let us go into a practice room or something." She suddenly hugged him. "Thanks." Tori breathed in his scent before letting go; he smelled like a mixture of rain and grass. Pat coughed awkwardly before saying, "Yeah, umm... why don't I go talk to the directors." He went into the office and came back smiling. "Well, let's go! Grab your sticks and we'll practice. Here, let me go find us a practice room." Tori grabbed her bag and headed out the band hall.
"There are no practice rooms open," Pat said to her as she came up to him. She had a great idea, "Why don't we work out in the weight room? The coaches always let me in." He looked skeptical, "You like to work out?" Tori pretended to be offended, "What is that suppose to mean, skinny?" "Skinny? I'll show you!" He walked down the hall then stopped. "Umm...Where is the weight room?"
They found the weight room and Tori sweet talked the coach to let them in. Both Pat and Tori worked out on the bikes before switching to the weight bench. "Will you spot me?" She asked. Pat nodded and grabbed the bar. "How much weight?" "How about umm...20, since the bar is 45?" He grabbed the weights and placed them on the bar before giving it to Tori. "So, what do you think of the line this year?" Pat asked while Tori lifted. "Well...I think...the snares are getting better...but the basses...well...they're not doing as well as I hoped. I think...it is mostly because...of that freshman...Joey. I know he tries hard...but maybe we should work with him more...his technique is sloppy." Pat nodded, "See, that was what I was thinking, but when I told Ron he said that Joey was playing fine." Tori got up from the weight bench. "Yeah, well...he's Ron, but I think I'll listen to you."
A voice interrupted them, "Tori?" She saw Tobias come up to Pat and her. "Tobias, hey, What are you doing here?" He smiled and helped her off the bench. "I have football this period and they let us work out here. What are you doing here?" "Oh, Patrick, my drum instructor, and I were bored during band and decided to work out. Well more like I decided and dragged him along." Patrick frowned, he did not like this guy. Tobias smirked at her, "So, how much are you lifting? Me, I can bench press about 130." Pat snorted and Tori sent him a look. "Wow, that's impressive." Patrick said sarcastically. Tobias looked surprised, "You can do better?" Pat said nothing but placed more weight on the bars and proceeded to lift them. "...150..." He said lightly before standing up again. Tobias and Pat glared at one another before Tori intervened. "Ugg...now that this display of masculinity is over I think I'll return to the band hall." "Wait, Tori!" Tobias said, blocking her way. "I wanted to see if you'd go with me to the movies on Saturday, maybe about seven?" "She can't!" Pat said suddenly. Tori looked at him, surprised. "Yeah...umm...there is a drumline practice on Saturday." "At seven?" Tori asked. "Yes...well...umm...yes, Ron called it, he didn't tell you?" Pat said, flustering slightly. "No." "Oh well, he should have. You know, we should get back, it's almost the bell." Tobias grabbed a pen from his pocket. "Here, Tori, when you're not practicing call me." He gently scribbled his number on her hand and Pat scowled. Tori giggled at the tickling sensation and Tobias grinned. Pat grabbed her other arm and led her out the hall. "Pat...what the...heck is your problem?" She said slightly annoyed at being pulled away. He turned around, "Oh, I'm so sorry I didn't want to see you flirt with some stupid jock."She stopped and looked at him, stunned, "What is your problem? Tobias is not stupid, and I wasn't flirting!" He said nothing but stomped off, leaving a confused, and angry snare drummer.