TORI
Tori had just had the longest day of her life. Avoiding her friends, Beck in particular, had proven more difficult than she ever imagined. Jade was not back at school yet, so that was hurdle she had not encountered yet, but it was only a matter of time and that would be the hardest one.
Tori sat on the couch reading a book when the doorbell rang. She already knew who it was and so she slumped to the door and answered without opening it. "Beck, I can't do this."
"Tor, please..." There was a long pause. "Please open the door."
Tori couldn't help herself. The hurt in his voice wrenched her hard to the side. She cracked the door to see him leaning against the doorframe. He looked exhuasted, slumped in his blue jeans and unbuttoned Polo over a white tshirt that looked like it needed a fresh wash. He was looking down and he slowly lifted his head.
"Can I come in?"
Tori opened the door the rest of the way and waited for him to walk past her. He walked slowly and slouched onto the couch. Sitting forward with his arms on his knees, he waited for Tori to sit next to him. So Tori sat down an awkward distance away.
"Please, talk to me." He pleaded.
"I don't know what you want to hear." That wasn't entirely true. If I told him I love him right now, it may make him feel better, but he won't know I mean it.
"I want to hear that we are okay, that this whole thing with Jade hasn't screwed everything up."
He waited and then sighed.
"Beck... I... I don't know what to do. You love her and--"
"I do love her, Tori. And I know that's not what you want to hear. But it's the truth. And I know this is all a mess. But I love you, too. It's just this whole..." He was getting frustrated. "this--this thing with my memories. I finally got most of them back, but they have no emotion and they feel like they belong to someone else. Like something from a dream. And last thing I really have a real memory of is when she was still all I had."
Tori was taking it all in: Beck's frustration, the way he explained how he remembered everything, how Jade was all he had at one point. There was a short silence.
"Im sorry." He was quiet and calm again. "I just... I don't want to lose you, Tori. Jade can handle herself. She told me she just wants me to be happy. And I don't know what that means, I just... All I know is... All I know is that... is that I'm in love with you, Tori." He jumped closer to her and grabbed her hand.
Tori blinked. She was in shock.
"I'm in love with you, and if you feel even half of what I feel for you... for me... just... give us a chance. A real chance."
Beck was looking her right in the eyes. He was staring into her soul. She could see tears welling up in his eyes. Tori felt a pain like no other, starting in her chest and travelling all the way through her throat to her eyes. She felt a tear fall from her eye. Beck reached for her face and slowly wiped it from her cheek with his thumb.
"Please?" He pleaded again.
Tori suddenly realized that she hadn't responded or said a word the whole time. What am I even supposed to say to all of that?
"O--okay." She stammered. And before she had finished the word Beck was gathering her up in a full embrace. He was holding her with her arms stiff at her sides. She slowly relaxed and wrapped her arms around her sides. His face was buried in her hair. His body was melting into hers. They were chest to chest and she could feel his heart racing. He held her for a few long seconds and she took the time to gather herself and what to say next.
When Beck finally released her and sat back slightly, he looked her in the eyes again. "But you have to clear everything up with Jade before we go any further and I have to talk to her as well. I don't want anything else to happen on my account." He nodded.
"It'll be done today." He came back for another embrace released her to lock his lips on hers. His face was wet with tears and she tried to remember when he'd starting crying. When sat up again Tori wiped both of his cheeks with her thumbs.
"Stop crying. It hurts me to see you like this."
"Baby, these are tears of joy." He half-chuckled and wiped his face with his wrist. "You have no idea how scared I was that I was going to lose you."
They talked a bit more about their days and Beck fell asleep in Tori's lap again. It was getting into the late evening when he woke from his nap. He sat up and smiled at Tori. The first smile that Tori could see his happiness in all day.
"I've got some things to handle, but can I come back later?"
"Trina is out, and parents are gone, as usual. so sure. I'd love that." Tori smiled and felt happy for the first time since Jade's incident.
